A Family Cruise: The Closest Thing to a "Perfect Vacation"

Planning a family vacation can be an exciting though trying event. Think of the National Lampoon's vacation series with Chevy Chase and family. Planning a cross-country trip with all the scheduled stops can be an overwhelming task for all but the most detailed planner. Toss in all those unplanned stops, reservations at motels that mysteriously disappeared - oh, and we must not forget sitting in road construction for three hours in 100-degree heat - and a week's vacation can suddenly turn into a lifetime. Let's not even consider the fact that your family of two, three, four or more will be locked in the close quarters of an automobile for the better part of seven days. Plus, no matter how much we planned, the cost of this road trip will probably be higher than we anticipated. So the perfect family vacation turns out to not be as perfect as we had planned. In fact, maybe there really isn't such a thing as a perfect vacation; however, there is something that is awful close to it.

What about taking the family on a cruise? Your first response is probably, "I can't afford to take five people on a cruise!" Have you really ever priced a family cruise? Don't go by the rack rate quoted by the cruise lines to make this decision. There are many opportunities to have that perfect vacation at a price that you can not only afford but that will leave you smiling!

Two years ago our family of five took its first cruise. This family sailed from Galveston, Texas aboard the Carnival's Ecstasy for five days to Progresso and Cozumel, Mexico. This cruise was arranged by http://www.teachereducationalcruises.com/Cruises.html. Total cost of the cruise for this family of five was less than two thousand dollars and included a trip to the Mayan ruins at Dzibilchaltun and a musical show highlighting the various periods in the development of Cozumel and Mexico.

Here is what the two thousand dollars purchased! Two rooms aboard the Ecstasy, both ocean view and each with a one hundred dollar onboard credit, that's money to spend anyway you chose while onboard the ship, available food twenty-four hours a day, a five course meal each evening, free entertainment, cocktails with the Captain, and swimming pools. If you have young children there is Camp Carnival a structured and supervised program for younger children so that parents can have free time. For added cost there were the onboard spa, casino, adult beverages, and yes shopping! Also included in this price was the trip to the Mayan ruins and the musical show in Cozumel.

Planning the cruise for this fall included viewing offers from several different online agencies that book discount cruises. Some of these were: www.cruisecritics.com, www.Vacationstogo.com, and we even consulted with one of Carnivals cruise hostess. After several hours of research we located a website call, www.cruisecompete.com.

On this site we listed the requirements for the cruise; length of cruise, port city, and of course dates available for traveling. From this request several offers were made. A travel agent from Arkansas, who was putting together a group, was able to assist with securing the best price for the seven day cruise planned. Galveston will once again be the port city, as it is only an eight hour drive, sailing will be on the Carnival Conquest in the Western Caribbean. Total cost will be approximately four thousand dollars for a family of five. This figure includes travel expenses, to and from, the port city, secured parking while at sea, one night pre-cruise motel, three shore excursions; the Appleton Rum Estate at Montego Bay, Jamaica, the sea turtle farm at Cancun, Grand Caymans and of course shopping at Cozumel, Mexico.

So why not plan that perfect vacation? Use the websites listed to gather information to plan that perfect family adventure, but also consider the several travel sites available online. Also consider your hometown travel agent. The best deal may be just down the street!