Planning a big family vacation can be tense at the best of times, whether you’re only going with your spouse and children or this is a much bigger event that includes siblings and parents. The stakes get higher when you’re looking at a luxury vacation because expectations are ratcheted up, and everyone wants to get their money’s worth. Still, you can plan a great vacation that makes everyone happy with a little work and research.
Survey Your Loved Ones
It’s common to assume that you know what everyone in your family would prefer because, after all, they are your family. However, when you think about it, you might realize that it’s also common for your family to assume you like the same things you liked when you were a kid. Because it’s easy to forget that your brother, the picky eater grew up into a foodie or even that your 12-year-old who loved spending every moment with you last year is now a 13-year-old who is embarrassed by her parents, it’s a good idea when planning a trip for maximum fun to actually talk to everyone and get an idea of what they are looking for. Get them to be as specific as possible about what they imagine for their luxury vacation.
Consider Budgets
Another tricky thing about planning family vacations is that if extended family is coming along, you have to consider their budgets as well as your own. If you’re worried that your own budget is going to mean having to downsize or if one of your relatives is struggling, you might want to consider taking out a personal loan. This can be a worry-free way to deal with your own financial shortfall or a nice gift for a loved one, and it’s smarter than using a high-interest credit card. With everyone’s preferences and a budget in mind, you can then move on to the tricky business of booking a vacation that will please everyone.
The rate on a personal loan is lower than credit card rates, which can be a good idea if you are traveling for extended periods. Then you can plan your budget more easily and stay on top of payments. But beware of the fees and prepayment penalties attached to vacation loans. These can make your vacation more expensive than you expected. If you find a lender that offers personal loans with low-income requirements, you can choose the one that suits your needs best.
Making the Decision
For this type of vacation, two of your best bets are either an all-inclusive resort or a cruise ship. The reason for this is that both of these tend to have many different activities and facilities for different ages and interests. You might have a couple of people who want to lie on a beach or by a pool all day, a couple of others who aren’t happy unless they are doing some kind of sporting activity, and still others who are mostly going to the restaurants or nightlife, and cruises or all-inclusive resorts can generally accommodate all of this and more.
Be sure to look closely at the specifics, though, because the experience will be very different depending on the cruise line or resort that you choose. You don’t want to book your family into a resort aimed primarily at singles or onto a cruise that has no activities for kids. In addition, you should research beyond the companies’ own literature. Look for independent reviews, and see what people have to say on social media and forums about their experiences with the companies you’re considering before you make reservations.
By Olivia GrilHey Folks! I'm Olivia from California, United States. I'm a blogger, travel lover, I can travel anywhere, whether it's a new place or already visited. I love meeting new people, clicking photos of every movement, and documenting my adventure. I also, write about travel, travel movies, the best places to visit, etc. Read my stories.
