Multi-Generational Holidays

There has been tremendous interest in grandparents putting together a trip to take the whole family on a holiday. One option is to send out a list of three places for them to vote on 12 months in advance, but most of the time the grandparents pick the destination, and there is no debate since it’s difficult to get everyone to agree on a place or date.  Your travel agent can prepare a personalized certificate for you, and it can be sent out as a Christmas gift.  She can provide brochures and give a group presentation to get everyone excited about the trip.   There are great discounts to be had depending on the size of the group. The number of free passengers (TC’s) allowed varies from the destination and the supplier used.  People can be brought together from all over the world for the family gathering.    It is wise to plan a big trip like this while you are in good health and not say, “I wish we had done this years ago when we were able!”  As one chap told me, we are spending their inheritance now while we can have enjoyable time together.

Of course, the budget is a key factor, but usually it’s the experience which is the driving force of the itinerary.  Perhaps they want to trace their family roots; Scotland, Ireland, and Scandinavia are popular destinations.  An African safari is very popular with a few days in Cape Town.   Take the family through Dubai on Emirates Airlines and go on an Arabian Nights desert tour on route to Africa.  Australia is a great destination for a family, with the three icons being Sydney, the Queensland Great Barrier reef, and an overnight train trip thru the outback of the Northern Territory using the specially built carriages for the British Royal family.  

One couple took a world cruise, then had members of their family join them for different segments of the itinerary.   A cruise is a great idea since there is so much to keep all ages interested in activities.  This is important if there are small children in the family, since the children’s activities on board give the parents a nice rest to occasionally pursue their own interests.   The family will get together for dinner each evening, and share what they have done in the day, whether it is sightseeing, or activities on board.  One of the most popular lines we see for generational cruising is Disney.  

There are several excellent dude ranches in the West, and all-inclusive properties such as Club Med as their tennis camps seem to be a great attraction.    Golf lessons, diving, sailing, the list of sports gives us something for all ages.  There are also good value packages to Hawaii to be found, where your travel agent can even find a special worth discounts of up to $500 on airline costs when combined with cruise or tour travel.

One family voted for London, and they rented a three bedroom apartment and I gave them a list of must do’s with a private guide, helped them get theatre tickets.   They then enjoyed the Eurostar train to Paris and had a few days there.

Renting a villa in Italy, along with a chef, van and driver, and even a cooking class in Tuscany is a fun trip.

Are you a sailing family?  Then renting a yacht and a crew for a week’s cruise in the British Virgin Islands, Greece, or even Fiji is a good choice.

Alaska is a wonderful destination for a group of varied ages.   A cruise thru the Inland Passage with either a train trip within Alaska to see Denali National Park, or a Canadian Rockies train trip before or after the cruise is a wonderful addition.

A hot item right now is a river cruise.  You can get lots of culture in a week, boat thru seven countries in seven  days.  There are bikes on board, so at each stop you can go on a bike tour, walking tours with the chef to the various markets, and cooking classes on board.  The selection is amazing, a Jewish Heritage cruise visiting synagogues, museums and sites significant in Jewish history, a jazz cruise, a knitting cruise over New Year, learn about wine and champagne in France.  Visiting several countries to see the Christmas markets on the Rhine River is also very popular.  You can now take a cruise in Portugal, Russia, Cambodia and Vietnam, Myanmar, and even East Africa to see Victoria Falls.  Doing a safari and taking a river cruise is a great mixture of a once in a lifetime experience.    The cruises are all exclusive, which means all the water, local premium wine, beer, and soft drinks and even excursions are included in the one price.  The walking tours at each stop are in three levels, fast pace, medium and slow so all ages are taken care of.   They even have “late-risers” walking – after all, you ARE on holiday!

Is a family holiday on your bucket list?   Let your qualified travel professional put together your dream trip, creating an ideal journey for everyone!

Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel  at 160 Main Street. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.