Cruising with Children

Cruising With Children

Up until a few years ago, the words "cruise vacation" and "children" were seldom uttered together, and if they were, it was usually during a discussion of who would babysit while the parents went on a cruise. Most people would not even consider taking their children on a cruise vacation, and those few brave souls who did were often viewed with disbelief.

Those days are gone. Family cruise vacations have exploded in popularity, with more and more cruise lines catering specially to the needs of families with children of all ages. Now when it comes to cruising with children, your choices are many and your biggest challenge will likely be choosing from the amazing selection of cruise options.

Getting started
The first step to successful cruising with children begins with the planning. Include your children in the planning process as much as possible; after all, it is a family vacation and the trip will go much better if everyone has had at least some input from the start. Set an expectation up front that adults will make the final decisions but that everyone in the family will have some input.

A child's input will be limited by their age, but even the youngest kids can have a role in cruise planning. You should do the initial homework to determine which cruises fit your budget and then sit down with your children to discuss the options. Research potential ports of call at the library or on the internet, and talk with a travel agent who specializes in cruising.

With research in hand, let each person in the family write down the two or three things that are most important to him or her. These things might be a specific port of call, an onboard activity, an onshore excursion, or some other attribute of the ship and its amenities. Once everyone has submitted their suggestions, work together to plan a cruise that combines as many of the ideas as possible so that each person gets at least one thing included that is important to them.

Expect the unexpected
No vacation ever unfolds completely as planned, and a family cruise vacation is no exception. Be flexible and allow for delayed airline flights, bad weather, long layovers, and the other common problems that can arise when traveling. Take along complete contact information for your travel agent, the cruise line, and the port agent, just in case you get lost, run late, or even miss the boat's departure from a port of call. The ship will not wait for you so it is critical that you know whom to contact in a pinch.

If you have to fly to your cruise departure point, avoid checking your baggage if at all possible. Opt for carry on luggage if you can, just to avoid the risk of you and your suitcase being separated somewhere along the way. If you must check baggage, be sure to pack a carry on bag for each person that contains one full change of clothes, toiletries, and any necessary medications.

Balance family time and adult time
Once you are onboard, strike a balance between family time spent together and adults-only time. Take advantage of shipboard activities and supervised children's centers to get away from the kids for a while. Chances are they will love getting away from you, too, and their vacation experience will be much more memorable if they can participate in the kid-focused activities that most cruise lines now offer. You get the benefit of adult time to take that moonlight stroll, have a romantic dinner, or just lounge on deck with a good book.

During your time together as a family, though, make it a priority to play with your kids and have fun. Do some shipboard activities together, play in the swimming pool, let yourself relax and let go of the "parent" role for just a little while. It will be refreshing for you, enjoyable for your kids, and make your vacation that much more memorable.

By: Bruce Pickett

About The Author:

Bruce Pickett is enthusiastic in helping people to plan cruise vacations for both new & repeat cruisers. Learn 5 essential facts about why cruising is such a great bargain. Receive free cruise newsletters & a free contest at www.fivestarcruising.net.

Tips for a Great Family Vacation

The biggest mistake you can make when planning a family vacation is not involving the entire family. You probably think that when it comes to vacations, parents know best. But you might be surprised to realize that children, even young ones, can provide valuable input. Children are as exposed to advertising as the rest of us and they have their own ideas about what the family vacation should entail, so listen to them.

There’s no right formula for a successful family vacation. In fact, one size does not fit all when it comes to spending quality time with your family. Your family vacation doesn’t have to be two weeks long, or taken during summer months, or spent at the more popular tourist destinations. Busy working parents can’t always coordinate this amount of time away from work, and believe it or not, children often get bored when traveling this long.

Thinking “outside the box” when planning your family vacation can lead to some interesting and memorable times. Instead of one long vacation, break your time off up into smaller chunks and plan multiple vacations throughout the year. Traveling off-season means lower prices, less crowds and a different perspective on the destination.

For example, Florida is a great place to visit during October, and it wouldn’t be difficult to add a day or two onto the 3-day Columbus Day week-end. If you don’t want to miss school, plan a family vacation to Colorado during the summer months instead of during the height of ski season. Or, spend spring break exploring local attractions and other areas of interest right in your own state.

Next time you’re planning a family vacation, let you children voice their opinions and allow them to research the ideas they present. The Internet makes this easy, and you’ll all have a better time as a result.

For more informative articles you can visit Rentals2Remember.com

By: Kent Krueger

Top Tips To Travel India

Take a trip to vibrant, colourful India for the holiday of a lifetime! Fly into the main hubs of Delhi or Mumbai and then take connecting flights or trains into the rest of India. Rail travel in India has never been more comfortable with most services offering the traveller a choice of First & Second Class, air-conditioned sleeperettes with en-suite bathroom and a personal butler service. Prices are still low so getting around India is a very viable option. Book your cheap flights to India now and receive discounts immediately!

With the romantic hues of pink all round you, the romantic cities of India never fails to satisfy all your touristic senses. It is no wonder then that Jaipur has fast become one of the most popular places on earth in which to tie the knot? Yes, more and more couples are choosing to get married Maharajah-style at one of the opulent palaces in a style reminiscent of the British Raj. Check out for more information on weddings in india & holiday packages to India for great deals on air fares and discounted hotel rates. Do not even try and book a hotel directly yourself…unless you have just won the lottery! Prices are sky high and it is only through a specialist tour operator that you can be assured of excellent quality combined with low prices.

Enjoy your holidays in Cochin or a packaged Rajasthan tour and witness Rajasthan regal weddings or move out with a tour package to South India or travel to Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Delhi with cheap flights by Air India at discounted rates of £5 per person even by booking online.

India has always been popular as the country of hospitality. Won't you want to spend some of your life time moments in India. India always welcomes her guests as God. Won't you like to live a day like God. Plan your next holidays to India and feel the beauty and heaven on earth.

By: Annie Jones

When should you rent a car for your trip to Hawaii?

Travelers have found that sometimes, just before departure, they can find greatly reduced deals on airfare as the airlines try and fill empty seats. This is, of course, a gamble but it does work out sometimes for the last minute traveler. In my experience, rental cars do not work this way.

The car rental agencies will stock their fleets at a level they hope will be profitable. This means they want to limit the amount of cars sitting around during slow times but have enough on hand to get the most profit during Hawaii's peak travel season. Because of this, they are willing and plan to accept a low percentage of idle cars and thus do not cut rates at the last minute to increase rentals.

Tourism in Hawaii is at its peak from December 15th to March 1st. The last two weeks of December tend to be so busy that the majority of rental car companies will increase their rates greatly over this period of time. If you search far enough in advance, you may find a company which offers flat rates over that period of time but they will be completely sold out 3 to 4 months in advance of the peak season.

As far as rental classes, Minivans will sell out first. Generally, minivan inventory on all islands is sold out three months in advance of the peak season. Minivans you find after this time frame usually come at a steep premium. If you want to find the best deals, you need to reserve your minivan six months in advance, not at the last minute.

SUVs tend to sell out next as they tend to carry 5 passengers, have a lot of room for luggage and usually four wheel drive capability. SUVs will sell out about 2 weeks after the minivans are sold out.

The next spike in tourism in Hawaii comes over the summer months. Again, many rental agencies increase rates over the summer. Several are now offering flat rates through the summer; so again, it behooves one to rent 3 months in advance of the summer season.

Car rental availability also depends on the destination island. Hawaii is the island which experiences the most tourism in the Hawaiian Island chain. As such, it sells out earlier than the others. There are two major airports on Hawaii, "The Big Island", Hilo and Kona. Hilo is the smaller of the two and thus sells out sooner as it has less inventory. By the end of November, Kona tends to be completely sold out of every type of vehicle let alone the vehicle of your choice.

Molokai sells out next due to its small size and limited car inventory. Next comes Kahului on Maui and then Lihue on Kauai. By the first week in December, you are no longer searching for deals on your desired car, but merely searching for any available car. Instead of a minivan, you are now renting two full size vehicles, etc.

One other issue to consider is that the major rental agencies do not charge for cancellations or changes. With this in mind, there is little or no monetary risk involved in making an early reservation.

So, a few rules of thumb:

1. Make your car rental reservations six months in advance for the last two weeks of December. Remember that minivans sell out early in the process.

2. Rent at least three months in advance of travel over the summer season.

3. If you are going to the Big Island, you may want to move this timetable up by a full month.

So, in summary, rent 6 months in advance of the peak winter season and at least 3 months in advance of the busy summer season. Remember, there are no penalties for cancellation and changes. Take the money you save on your car rental and use it to buy additional activities to maximize your vacation fun.

By: Steven Anderson

Steven Anderson is the Reservations Manager for Wailua Bay Car Rentals, specializing in Hawaii car rentals. He has personally researched and experienced many of the Hawaiian activities as described above.

Guide to Southwest travel

Southwest region of United States is an exhibition of myriad cultures, traditions, activities, events and ambience. This is because the region is composed of globally recognized states- Arizona, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Texas and Utah. Colorado too is often deemed to a part of this insignificantly harsh or water deficient region. According to many people visiting Southwest is akin to confronting the past. For pioneers, cowboys and mountain men traveled around and settled in this area. Also the southwest festivals and fairs are a complete reflection of tradition and culture. For instance if you want to taste the typical southwest region flavor, take part in the fairs like Texas State Fair or the 49ers festival in Utah.


Southwest region is an area where cultural diversity can be delighted in, where variety has become the specialty. So while Mexico has its own Mexican culture to greet you with, the Old World Spanish culture still echoes in California. The imprints of the tribes such as the Navajo, Apache, Hopi and Zuni are visible on the land of Southwest. One amongst the wonderful features of this area is that age, caste and sex are no bars to enjoy. In other words people of all ages can have a gala time here.


The place has everything to lure its visitors. From beguiling scenic splendor to thrilling and adventurous activities, it has all. Kids can have an amazing time visiting sites like Jellystone Parks, dinosaur digs, National Parks like Guadalupe Mountains national park etc. Perceiving Grand Canyon, one amongst the wonders of the world is definitely a lifetime experience for every visitor. Death Valley is another awesome place to hit. It is one of the geological wonderlands. Apart from this the geological formations in Zion National Park, desert terrain running alongside the lush mountains are a toast to eyes. Magnificent and colorful volcanic deposits can be seen at the Artist’s Palette. The oasis, warm springs, palm trees and cottonwoods make the Furnace Creek a place worth going. You can even board a flight and soon be a member of the rocking nightlife of Las Vegas, the place that never sleeps.


In Southwest you can relish rock climbing, mountain hiking and even skating. The Zion National Park and a few other national parks offer many hiking trails. Hiking Zion Canyons is also a breathtaking experience but meant only for skilled hikers. Ruby Mountains situated in northern Nevada are ideal for rock climbing. There are overhanging rocks and 800 feet tall rock towers that make rock climbing most adventurous sport so far. The Lamoille Canyon, located in Ruby Mountains is also a place swarming with visitors. Little Florida Mounatins are also associated with hiking. Here you will find trails for hiker of every level and the most bewitching aspect is the incredible view one gets to see after climbing on the top.


The Rockhound state Park in New Mexico is largely recognized as a picnic spot for entire family. Rockhound offers excellent camping opportunities. There are hot showers, bathrooms and a Visitor’s Center too. People love to do camping here because of the fascinating aura and to grab 15 pounds of agates, geodes and quartz that anyone can gather and take to home.


Since the southwest region is rich in dinosaur fossils and has countless rocks, treasure hunting is a popular activity here. Here you can hunt for treasures of all types. Dinosaur bones are found littering sand dunes and dry lakebeds. Gold can be discovered in California and Arizona.

By: Mansi gupta

Mansi gupta writes about southwest travel.