Dee

We're thinking of a Thanksgiving trip (No kitchen duty!) to Cancun or Caribbean. We have kids 11 and 8. How about crowds, activities, pricing? Husband really wants an all-inclusive. We'd like some advice from real experiences, rather than brochure sales pitches.

Louis Dameson

Sound like that you don't want to have to put forth any effort--go to a Club Med --they can take care of the kids. There are lots of them, it depends on where you live. The next best bet would be the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda they have sailing and snorkling programs for youngsters. You have to pick family oriented places and that depends on the type of activity each of you enjoy. Thanksgiving has nothing to do with it--it doesn't exist outside the U.S.. Weather can always be a problem in hurricane season--however the later it is in the year the less chance of a problem.

Kim

One year we spent our Thanksgiving holiday in Aruba at the Hyatt-Regency. It was one of the best ever, but we like Aruba anyway. Even though Thanksgiving is strictly American, the Hyatt puts on a nice feast and you've had the pleasure of being on the beach all day. Also, at that time of year, the winter rates have yet to kick in. Still expensive, but not as much as say Christmas. Aruba is clean and friendly and our favorite island in the Caribbean. We prefer it to Cancun 10 to 1, but maybe Cancun would be a lot less expensive. There are neat places to take your kids like Xcaret in Playa del Carmen to swim with the dolphins. Have a nice turkey day wherever you choose.

Jean E. Bowers

Thanksgiving in the Caribbean is lots of fun. It is still low season so the prices are not outrageous. You will still find restaurants that have a traditional holiday meal. Another plus is that the hotels and beaches are not as crowded as they are at Christmas. Even though Thanksgiving is not celebrated everywhere the islands have made it special because lots of their guests are from the U.S. Enjoy.

Don / Boston

The vacation my kids (now ages 15 and 9)remember most was two years ago when we went to Tortola for 7 days (saturday before Thanksqiving to saturday after) we stayed at Long Bay Beach Hotel island was gorgeous, weather was great crowds were minimal and rates were low. Kids missed 2 1/2 days of school but they planned for it in advance with no problem. Tortola is beautiful and is a British Island but everyone wanted to feed us turkey on Thanksqiving. To this day every Thanksqiving kids still remember snorkling on a catamaran on Thanksgiving day. I highly recommend you give your idea a try. However many, many people do the same thing so make your air reservations soon!! Also I am just back from Cancun with my family, very good resort in Cancun that is "All inclusive" is Sun Palace. Great family spot. Good Luck !! email me if you need any more info!

Cassie

Thanksgiving is a great time to go to the Caribbean-it isn't a holiday there so all the attractions, sightseeing places, etc are all open (unlike Christmas). Peak tourist season hasn't started yet, so it's even cheaper than December. A great all-inclusive for families is Boscobel Beach in Jamaica, owned by SuperClubs group. Kids are free with paying parents in the same room (up to 2 kids), and everything is included-meals, drinks, pop, activities, watersports, etc and no tipping of the staff. Once you hit the resort you will need very little money (only for souvenirs and excursions beyond the resort). And if you book thru a package deal such as Apple Vacations and the like, your one price includes airfare and airport transportation. BB is probably a 1 1/2 - 2 hour bus ride from Montego Bay which is where your plane lands.

Dee

Don,
Thanks for responding to my question of island vacation. You mentioned the Sun Palace in Cancun. Good for kids 8 & 11? They want to have surf you can snorkle in, maybe horseback ride or dolphin swim nearby, and good food. I've heard some places on the beach at Cancun are too rough for snorkles. Is Sun Palace at a good location? Do you know anything about the Royal Solaris? Thanks for any help!

Don / Boston

DEE: Sun palace and Royal Solaris are both good resorts in same general location on island. Royal Solaris is much bigger than Sun Palace. I prefer Sun Palace because I like meduim size hotels Royal Solaris is very good but also very large. Both Royal Solaris and Sun Palace will have days you can Snorkle in the surf and some days that will be to rough. But snorkling along the beach is not very good, the best snorkling is to go on a family snorkle cruise (often called a jungle cruise) their is a good one at the marina across street from Sun palace) or walk along beach from Sun Palace to (takes about 20 minutes) Club Med beach (any where on either side of their point/reef has good snorkling but kids must be supervised. Don't know about horseback riding but swimming with dolphins is availble either on Isla Mujeres (short boat ride from cancun but is very expensive) or in a water park called Xcaret about a 2 hour ride fron Cancun ( less expensive but you must get there early. Cancun hotels that are "all inclusive" such as Sun Palace and Royal Solaris have good if not great food (sun Palace italian restaurant is quite good ). Also Cancun is so Americanized there are tons of American Chain Restaurants. I like cancun very much it is an island with much to do. There are carabean islands I like better but they are much more $$$ when you factor in food ! There are many good hotels in cancun feel free to email me if I can be any more help.

Dee

Don - Thanks for the information and observations. Can I trouble you once again? Are you familiar with Club Las Velas or Westin Regina Resort? I understand they may have areas better for snorkling. My concern is my 8 year old is not a strong swimmer, though she thinks she is! Thanks for all your help.

Jay Solomon

We've got four families meeting for Thanksgiving at the Moon Palace in Cancun. Kids ages 5,6 & 13 (plus the big kids). Any comments on this resort, on the children's activities, and on the beach?
Thanks

Cassie

I have stayed at both the Club Las Velas and Royal Solaris and MUCH prefer Las Velas. Las Velas is on the lagoon side, Royal Solaris is on the Atlantic. Royal Solaris is a HUGE hotel (about 500 rooms) so there were lines everywhere-to get towels, meals, etc. In addition, it is the only place in the Caribbean where I ever had money stolen out my room-I'm sure it was the chambermaid since the money was in a wallet, wallet in a fanny pack, fanny pack in a drawer under the underwear, with no forced entry. Club Las Velas is smaller, more personalized. They used to do scuba lessons in one of their pools which was salt-water (altho I'm not sure it is anymore). Las Velas is quieter, much nearer town, but you can still get anywhere you want on the tourist buses which run all the time. It's within walking distance of Carlos and Charlie's which is a fun restaurant (altho Las Velas is all-inclusive). The security was good there and the after dinner entertainment was quite nice. No discos, nightclubs, etc at Las Velas, but there are at Royal Solaris. The rooms were fairly nondescript at Royal Solaris, a little fancier at Las Velas, particularly if you get one of the larger rooms facing the water. For my money, I would book the Club Las Velas. Feel free to email me for more opinions-I always have them

Don / Boston

Dee:
NOT FAMILIAR WITH CLUB LAS VELAS BUT IF IT IS ON LAGOON SIDE WAVES WON'T BE A PROBLEM, HOTEL WILL LIKELY BE CHEAPER (LAGOON SIDE HOTELS ARE) BUT I CAn't COMMENT ON THE SNORKLING THERE EXCEPT TO SAY MOST SNORKLE CRUISES ORGINATE AT MARINAS THAT ARE BASED ON THE LAGGON SIDE BUT THEY ALWAYS TAKE YOU TO THE OCEAN SIDE FOR THE SNORKELING. ALSO I PERSONALLY DON'Y BELEIVE THE LAGOON SIDE IS NEARLY AS PRETTY OR HAS THE SAME WATER QUALITY FOR SWIMMING AS THE CARIBEAN SIDE. THE WESTIN REGINA RESORT SITS RIGHT NEXT TO THE SUN PALACE AND IS VERY NICE BUT THE OCEAN/WAVES/SNORKELING WILL BE NO DIFFERENT THAN SUN PALACE. IF BEING ABLE TO SNORKLE AT YOUR HOTEL IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER CLUB MED (SOME CLUB MED'S ACCEPT KIDS SOME DON'T) THEY HAVE BY FAR THE BEST SNORKELING FROM SHORE THAT I SAW. IF HAVING A BEACH WITH LITTLE OR NO SURF IS IMPORTANT TO YOU YOY MAY WANT TO TRY A HOTEL AT THE NORTHERN END OF CANCUN ISLAND WHERE IT IS MORE PROTECTED FROM THE OPEN OCEAN. WAVES AND SURF WILL BE MINIMAL THERE. THAT PART OF THE ISLAND IS CLOSER TO SHOPPING AND ACTIVITIES (A LITTLE TO0 CROWED FOR MY TASTES) BUT THERE ARE MANY HOTELS WITH SHELTERED BEACHES BUT I CAN'T COMMENT ON THE SNORKELING. IF YOU NEED SOME NAMES OF HOTELS IN THAT AREA EMAIL ME AND I WILL BE GLAD TO POST SOME !!

DON / BOSTON

Jay: I was at Moon Palace for a 1/2 day in july, it is a beautiful, new resort in a remote section of cancun ( it is a 20 minute cab ride from anywhere). It has several huge and beautiful pools and is a self contained resort, so you never need to leave it but its beach has problems (lots of seaweed washes ashore daily and the ocean water has a greenish hue not the beauitful blue of most of cancuns waters.) When I was there everyone used the pools and ignored the beach. There are plenty of people that love this resort (especially honeymooners and other lovebirds) but my tastes were that it is a little to remote for my family and the beach issue was a consideration. For a family I much prefer Sun palace. Email me if you need more info !

Dick Moran

We were married the Sat before Thanksgiving '89. Went to Cancun for the honeymoon. Had a great time!! Have been back 3 times and bought a unit at the Royal Islander for week 47 which is Thanksgiving week about half the time. If you want turkey No Problem! Most hotels have special Thanksgiving diners. We love the sea food in Cancun and have never had a taco. Our two young kids, now 5 and 7 LOVE Cancun and missing only 3 days during Thanksgiving week is a plus. Have fun.

Joan Bechard

Have you thought about a Thanksgiving cruise. Lots of other children of all ages that week.
Carnival and Princess have youth centers with lots of things for kids to do. Carnival ships are glitzy and lots of lounges. Princess is quieter but service is great and food is excellent.