Dolli

Hi, our first Caribbean trip was to Cancun with 2 15 year olds. We stayed at the Sun Palace the 1st year and the Cancun Palace the next. They have great rates for kids. I believe at the time it was less than 1/2 of the adult fare. The Palace resorts also offer free excursions with their all-inclusives. Although the Sun is rated higher, we liked the Cancun Palace better because the beach is much prettier and it was a much busier atmosphere. You can also use the facilities at any of the Palace resorts which was also alot of fun and very convenient. E-mail me if you have any specific questions.

whats

No George, I would place her in the kids camp with the other 12 year-olds. Why on earth would I place her with "TEENAGERS"?

Thanks ang,april and dolli for the suggestions, I will be looking into those resorts that have sensible pricing for children and not give my business to those who want to gouge me for my 12 year old. I'll leave that to the poster who feels that I shouldn't be going ANYWHERE because it is too much of a burden for me to pay the adult rate for my child. There is a name for people like that, it's called an unwise consumer. We can well afford a vacation for our family, I'm just not stupid or willing to pay a premium for no added value.

mary

YOU GO GIRL(OR GUY)!!!

whatswithyou

I think you have every right to go somewhere that the policy is in agreement with your opinion, but I think most people were reacting to your attempt to defraud the hotel. Not cool, just go to another resort and don't lower yourself anymore than you have. I hope you didn't show your child that message you posted.

Resorts don't need people passing off phony passports/birth certificates at this time. Use a little common sense, do you really want to get caught and embarrass your family?

Little Guy

But it's okay to defraud the "little" people? It's resorts like that that should be ashamed, not people that think like the original poster.

whats

Whats with you, I had no intention of "passing off" a phony passport or Birth certificate. You have a vivid imagination to accompany your condescending tone. I was merely asking whether they even ask for proof of age when checking into the resort. In my extensive travels, I have never had a front desk clerk ask to see a proof of age for anyone in my family. Didn't you read the line in my initial post which requested no lectures? I am completely comfortable with my actions and have never done anything that I'm remotely ashamed of. You have no need to worry about my children or their moral upbringing, so save your admonishments for someone who needs them.

whats

I certainly hope all you holier-than-thou types aren't posting from work, (I'm not), because you do know that would be stealing, and you would NEVER do anything as immoral as that!

traveler

The hotels that I have stayed at in the Caribbean ask for the immigration cards for every member in you family when you check in. I assume that they check the birth dates while they have them.
They are returned to you when you check out of the hotel.
There are plenty of hotels that do not charge adult rates for 12 year olds, keep looking.

Hey Li'l Guy

Private business can charge what the market can bare. If you don't like it, or what they charge, go elsewhere. They're not welfare nor have any obligation to provide "free" accomodations to anyone. In fact, I think it's unfair that paying adults have to pay for the free-loading children who eat and stay free of other couples.

xxx

Hey What's: What about the airfare? Most major airlines consider an "adult" 12 or over. Are you going to try to lie to them too? Now as far as paying full price at an all inclusive goes. I have a 12 year old son. He is approximately 5'10" tall and weighs in at 140. He can and usually does eat more than his dad! (His dad is 6'1" and weighs 200lbs) Should I ask the hotel not to charge the full price? And if you feel by paying the full price would be subsidizing an adults bar tab, don't go to an all-inclusive. Seems like a simple enough idea.

whats

xxx, Aaaaggghhh!! Some of you really don't get it. I've been paying an "adult" fare for my children on planes since they were 2. We all pay the same amount to fly as we are all using the same resource, one seat! Thats not the issue. Let me see if I can make it easy for you, on a cruise, the third or fourth person pays approximately half of the first two when sharing a cabin NO MATTER WHAT THERE AGE OR HOW MUCH THEY EAT. They are not getting an additional room. If they gave my children their own room, I'd have no problem paying an adult price. I will be going to an all-inclusive, but to one (and I've now found quite a few, thanks to the helpful and intelligent posters who actually comprehend what I've written), that doesn't charge full-price for children sharing an adults room. Would any third and fourth adult traveling with 2 other adults pay full price to share a room with them? No. They would get their own room, or pay a discounted rate. Apparently this concept is too complicated for some to understand. I'm sorry, I tried.

anon

Hey, hey L'il guy. Who said anything about wanting their kids to go free? whats just wants to pay a fair price, not the full price that an adult with their own room would pay. And if you are stupid enough to go to an all-inclusive that allows children free, without children, then you get what you deserve. Go somewhere more upscale and not family oriented and you wouldn't be subsidizing someone's "free-loading" children!

Liarliar

Whats:
You said in your original post that you were thinking of telling the resort your kid was 11. THAT IS A LIE!!! And your real reason for posting was to see if you would get caught via them checking your kid's passport. That is fraud, no matter how you want to pretty it up with your indignation at their policies.

The hotel is not defrauding you, they clearly state their intentions up front.
Look at the woman who posted that her kid eats more than her husband. And I know of many couples/singles who go to those resorts and don't drink. Kids get in free many places, and we adults subsidize that!

And there are many people who do triple/quad occupancy rooms. I personally don't eat a whole lot, I have very particular taste (vegetarian) and I know I eat less than what the hotel alots per person in their budget, but I don't go to them asking for the difference. Kids can eat all day long, they have probably seen all types of children. Their just like adults, with varying appetites.

They have to have a cut off at some age.
But when you were thinking of lying, you showed you had no integrity, and will sell out your family's dignity to save a few bucks. Sorry, but that is the truth.

Clinton

This is all very interesting. I agree that it's ridiculous to charge a 12 year old the same price as an adult, just because he/she won't be drinking alcohol. But the same can be said for adults who don't drink. The only difference being the adults who don't drink are smart enough to figure out that all-inclusive might not be the best option for them.

whats

Yes, Liar, liar, I was thinking of telling a LIE!! And I would have typed in my child's age as 11 if I knew that no one would check her passport. Liar,liar if adults are in triple or quad, they pay less. They DO NOT pay the full amount as the first 2 adults. The resort wanted me to pay a full adult rate for my daughter put they will not give her her own room. NOW do you get it? And I do hope you're not posting from work, because that would make you a THIEF!

Some of you still don't get the point though. I don't even think an adult should pay the same full rate as the first 2 adults in the same room. It's not just that they won't be drinking alcohol, they also won't be using an additional room! I was right. The concept is beyond some. I give up.

Ang

I am all for children paying less than adults because they can't partake of alcoholic beverages, don't eat as much and can't participate in some watersports. I posted earlier and reccomended the Beaches resorts and stick by it. These resorts consider children to be under 16 and that is fine. I do not think it is okay to lie about child's age though. Just find a resort with a different policy.

BTW as for all the commentarya bout adults sharing a room "triple" or "quad" and paying a lesser amount, I think you are missing the point. An all-inclusive WOULD NOT charge less for 3 persons sharing a room. The price is not placed on the room as it is an all-inclusive and everyone will have the same opportunity to eat and drink and participate in water sports and other activities regardless of the number of people in the room no one gets a discounted rate when they share a romm at an AI despite the fact of whether they are children or adults. It happens on cruises (which don't include everything like alcohol in your price) it does NOT happen at all-inclusives. If 4 adults shared a room in the caribbean, all 4 WOULD be charged the same adult price.

anon

But the point is that the third person in a room will probably use more resources, bed linens, whatever. There are plenty of spots out there where kids do stay and eat free up and including to the age of 12. Your intent was clear and that was to find out how to defraud a property out of the going rate charged for its other guests. Don't like the rate? Go elsewhere. Choose one of the family-friendly ones that do include your child at a reduced rate if she stays in the same room. Otherwise, put her in a seperate room they might have to charge her the single suppliment like they do on cruises and at other resorts. Certain costs are built in to the rates, kids' clubs, alcohol, food, and the list is endless. Just like when you go to the store = too much for that loaf of bread, buy another kind. Don't try to sneak the bread out or pay only what the cheaper competitor charges!
We got it! You are the one who didn't!

huh

Ang, Why on earth would 4 adults pay full price to share a room when they could have 2 rooms at the same cost? Am I missing something?????

anon

maybe they enjoy coziness in the bathroom! ????????????

Get a Grip

I agree "Huh". Why WOULD 4 adults want to share a room. Ang's post didn't make any sense.

I also agree with "What's with the policy" and I'll answer her initial question. If hotels are going to charge adult prices for, lets say a 12 & 16 year old, the "kids" should get their own room. But that won't happen because if the hotels can get by with cramming 2 adults and 2 "kids" in a room and charge the patrons for 4 adults, they'll certainly do it.

Which is why I think that if your 12 year old daughter can pass for under 12, if I were you, I'd go for it. It doesn't sound like she's much of an eater and she's not going to break the hotel's bank (O.K. now let the "moral majority" start ranting again!!).

We've done an AI once and stayed at many other hotels with my son when he was 12, 13 and under. Not one time did any hotel staff ever asked to see any proof of age for him. Have a great trip!