Caribbean with kids ?

Question

Im wanting to go away to caribbean next summer (2009) i have seen loads of good deals to cuba and the dominican reublic , for all inclusive 14 day holidays

thing is i have 2 young children who will be 5 and 2 , im also a single parent

would i pay for one of my kids as an adult? and a child price for youngest?

would children enjoy the caribbean?

is the flight to long for young children?

has anyone taken young kids there , would love your advice thanks

i live in the uk

Answer 1

I have been twice in the last 8 months to the dominican republic (which is amazing for children by the way - the childrens clubs and endless activities - they'l love it).

3 children came with us aged 10, 3 & 6.

Ofcourse the plain journey is 8 hours so at times they get abit fed up but we took a portable dvd player with a few dvds and magazines and toys, helping to keep them occupied. They slept alot of it though so dont worry. We also saw lots of people with babies whilst we were flying to and from and they managed well.

I think you will have to do what you said and pay 2 adults 1 child bt its worth it. The people are ALWAYS happy theres literally always something to do for children, never are they left out. I'd recoment the RIU Mambo hotel. It truely is amazing and speaking from experience the children will love it, you won't want to come home. I've been twice and never heard a bad word said about it.

Good luck!!! have a fab time!

Answer 2

The flight to Cuba from Manchester is generally about 9 hours, I've been 3 times and any kiddies on the flights have generally gone to sleep after lunch or kept themselves busy with the in-flight entertainment like films and cartoons and now that First Choice and Thomson have a 33in seat pitch that gives you more leg room and the kiddies can basically lay flat out to sleep in the new seats which is so much better for them, Cuba is a brilliant place for kids, its very, very safe, the Cubans adore children and go out of their way to make their holiday even better for them, the beaches are beautiful and the sea is bathtub warm and fairly shallow for a good way out, all the hotels there have great kiddies clubs so you could leave them there and go have some chill out time or join in the fun at the kiddie club yourself, there is always something for the kiddies to do at the hotels and the food is great for them too, plenty of choice, I would recommend you do All Inclusive as they tend to be the best packages especially with little ones wanting soft drinks constantly, most of the hotels have ice cream on tap for the kids too so that will save you a fortune as well, I would recommend Varadero or Cayo Coco as both of those places are brilliant for kiddies and great for moms too, we met a few single moms with their kids while we were there at Easter this year, you don't have to be on your own, there is always someone to talk to and have a laugh with, tip if you book online with either of those companies you save money, if you have to go into the high street shops take a print off of the internet price with you and ask for that price via the shop and you can pay so much per week or month off your holiday too, enjoy yourself is you do decide to go.

Answer 3

Leave it for another few years, the Caribbean is a dump actually, its a dirty place full of lazy men and drug dealers who still believe work begins with wo and woman begins with wo so it's obvious man work am for da women ya see.

Answer 4

I'm not sure about how you would have to pay but personally i don't think taking kids to such warm places is a good idea, i think the heat would be too much for them regardless of how much sunblock you can use, i myself get headaches and feel horrible when its too hot so imagine what little ones feel like and their skin is 30% less resilient than an adults. Im sorry, im really not critisising, just my opinion. Have a great hol where ever you go x*x

Answer 5

I took my 3 year old son to Puerto Rico a few times. I am coming from the USA so my flight is less than 4 hours which is much easier than yours will be Im sure. He was free to ride until he turned 2, then its full price. The hotel shouldn't charge you any extra though. Also in some of the islands you cant drink the water or eat some of the food, PR isnt like that. Its a US territory & has the same regulations so its safe.

Anyway he loves going to PR. He loves the beaches. He loves simming in the calm, clear warm water & playing in the sand. Just use baby sunblock with SPF 50 & a hat & maybe a shirt. Keep them very hydrated & they will be fine. I also brought a floaty seat for the pool which he liked too. Also I rented a car & brought his carseat to make it easier & I brought a light-weight umbrella stroller to push him around. & most sites are good to visit with stroolers. We even went to the rain forest. Camuy caves, arecibo telescope & el Morro Fort we pushed the stroller through easily.

Answer 6

I took my two children to Punta Cana (DO) August, 2007, and we stayed at the Ocean Blue Spa and Resort.  We had a great time!!  My children told me they want to go back to Punta Cana instead of Disney!!  

Most of the all inclusive resorts have child care available.  Although I didn't use that service since my children were 9 & 11 at the time, I observed and was amazed by the fabulous job the staff "babysitters" did.  They were attentive to the child they were assigned to care for and I would feel very comfortable using that service if needed.  The child care is a one on one basis, not group care & the parents are provided with a "walkie-talkie" type device to stay in contact at any given time.

My son (9 yrs old) wanted to eat at a table by himself one night, and I told him he couldn't.  He complained about my decision, and when I asked what the big deal was, he said "Mom, but I'll get better service if I'm alone.... they really like kids down here."   Out of the mouths of babes.  

If you have any other questions, I'll be happy to give you whatever info I can.  

Two days ago I made reservations to go back there, and we are leaving on 8/5/08.

Answer 7

U should visit Antigua, great for kids!

Answer 8

My parents took me there when I was about 6 and I really loved it.

Now I want to go again.

Answer 9

Cuba would be amazing for a young family. It's very safe and clean there. I always see young ones there and they have such a blast! And they have travelled from the UK...yes it is a long flight, but there will be stopovers.

There are always deals travel companies make for families and young children. Check the rates online but don't book directly that way...it's always best to find the cheaper rates and speak directly in person with an agent of the company you're thinking of going with. Tell them the rates you see and they would always try to match the rates or go lower. And when speaking in person, they can usually adjust your details to suit your needs and fulfill your requests (such as room/floor, amenities, etc.)

There are deals where children under a certain don't have to pay as an extra supplement.

Check the site here to give you an idea.

http://www.signaturevacations.com/svec/j...

Answer 10

My parents took me to Tobago when I was younger and I absolutely loved it- got to admit the journey is a bit of a pain but definitely worth it. There are some really good opportunities of things to do such as whale/dolphin watching and going to an island for a day and the islands are so beautiful you just have a great time and the people are fantastic. However with kids I would recommend somwhere like Cuba with probably a greater variety of commercial activity as appose to somewhere like Antigua which is known for long white beaches but probably more of a retreat than an activity holiday.

Hope this helps :)

Answer 11

Flight is too long for the youngest, yes you will have to pay adult for one of them and be careful where you choose, Dominican is a no no, dirty and full of food poisoning hence it's so cheap, Jamaica there is a lot of 'hassle' from locals selling drugs so again not one for the kids, if anywhere I would suggest St Lucia more family orientated.

Answer 12

I went to the Caribbean when I was 11 on the Disney Cruise. My sister was 7. I think they might enjoy it when they are a little older. I went to the Bahamas. I didn't care for the islands much. I liked the cruise a lot though.