IPMsMom

I'm considering a 10 day Castaway stay followed by a Blue Lagoon cruise for my family. I have teenagers and a 10 year old. Do you think they will have enough to do on the cruise? Is it a sedate crowd and mostly older folks? I don't want my kids to be out of place. I hear the staff is great and lots of fun, but are other guests likely to be honeymooners and late-in-life second honeymooners who would rather not put up with kids? My kids are well behaved, mind you, but they are kids! They're well-traveled and respectful, but they need lots of physical activity. Swimming, snorkeling, etc.
What is the advantage to a 7 day cruise? Looks like the same route, but they must make more stops?
How is the snorkeling off-beach at Castaway? To get great snorkeling do you need to take one of their day trips (at additional cost!)to get to the good stuff? Snorkeling is a priority for us, so that's why I ask. Cousteau's looks great, but no real white beach and it seems too small and quiet. We want a bit of acitivity and I'd love my family to meet other kids they could hang out with. Castaway seems like the ticket.

Lyndie

Both the cruise & Castaway have fine reputations. I've not stayed at Castaway but have visited on a day cruise. It's gorgeous. We have done the Captain Cook cruise which was great fun, although kids were few.

Why not grab a turtle airways flight up to the Yasawas for the best of Fiji's snokelling and with tons of stuff for the kids to do. Check out www.fijibure.com for info. Happy travels.

Lyndie

Sorry-the website is www.fijibudget.com not fijibure.com

Peteralan

Can't comment on Castaway but the Blue Lagoon cruise is Heaven on a stick !When we went there was a very mixed crowd...singles, honeymooners , old young, kids and even a nun! There was plenty to do and we saw lots of islands ( some with small villages and others uninhabited ). There was lots of swimming, snorkelling and under ground food cooking . The Fijians love kids and will spoil them rotten. I don't think they will be bored so give it a go! Have fun!

wilees

I stayed at Castaway as an early teen. This was 10 years ago and I know they had a cyclone or two since then. But it was a family friendly island - lots of young kids - but not set up for teens that want to party (I understand Beachcomer was that place - parents on Treasure, teens on Beachcomer).

Heaps of activities and you could easily go snorking in the lagoon, however to get to the edge of the reef (best coral but sharks) you needed to take a boat trip out. We also went windsurfing and water skiing. I wasn't terribly good at either. Also day trips to other islands are done.

IPMsMom

Thanks for the responses. I guess I'm a little concerned about all the costs that are "not included" at Castaway. It sounds like the snorkel trips, island trips, water skiing, fishing trips, etc. are all extra. Add drinks etc. to this and the costs on top of the room and board could be considerable. We have three kids. This means they will require us to rent two bures. Yikes! Is it worth blowing the bank?!

I have no doubt it would be great. My kids would love it. They're very social and very atheletic and would find tons to do there. But snorkeling is the biggest priority. It's the main reason we want to go to Fiji. We have been to the British Virgin Islands a couple times and love it, but the reefs have seen better days. We want to see some of the South Pacific reefs before they're all gone. So snorkel trips off island are a must.

Blue Lagoon Cruise sounds too good to pass up. I know we'll do it and they offer a second room to families at half price. Castaway won't do this. Navini or Cousteau's are possibilities, but both sound a little more sedate.

Any thoughts?

maryk

Navini is smaller than Castaway (and better for it in my opinion). The bures at Castaway are so close together the roofs touch and there is limited beach. We took our teenager to Navini when he was 15 and he loved it. the do a trip each day - which is included in the price - to either native village, fishing or to another resort - where the kids can indulge in those noisy pursuits like wave boarding, jet skis etc - that are not offered on Navini.
Navini also has better snorkelling than Castaway. it is situated on it's own coral island and no fishing is allowed close to the reef, so it is brimming with fish.
I'd recommend the cruise as well, the snorkelling is terrific and the visit to the caves excellent.

IPMsMom

I'm still considering Navini. It's much more affordable for a family of five. But we'd love to stay one place for 10 days to really relax, and I wonder if 10 days is too long at Navini. We might get stir crazy and there's less chance of finding other kids. It's really great when my kids meet others on vacation. It adds to everyone's enjoyment.

But the snorkeling looks great and the quiet is appealing....

maryk

What time of year are you going? If it's school holidays in either Australia or NZ you'll more than likely find other kids on Navini.

eliza3

Just another view- both my husband and I were pretty bored on the Blue Lagoon cruise - 2 nights only - and would never do it again. You spend huge amounts of time just sitting on the boat while it travels - no pool on ours but maybe yours has. So reading, looking at scenery and chatting to other passengers - and the seemingly constant eating interspersed with slightly cringe making touristy activities were the order of the day. There were no kids that I can remember and think they would have been bored witless. Most of the people were 40s and 50s (incl us!) and some honeymooners.

Tim_and_Liz

Just returned from the 3-night BLC and would definitely do it again. We would prefer the 6-night though as 3 nights was too short! The 2-night cruise is not comparable-- of course you travel long distances because it is only 2 nights and there is a lot of ground to cover. We only had time to read before bed--otherwise we were on land snorkeling, eating or doing some activity. On the longer cruises there is more time to spread out the travel. We never felt trapped on the boat and enjoyed every second! There were 8 kids on our cruise and they had a great time.