What are the benefits of booking all-inclusive family vacations?

January 25, 2023 at 17:06 PM EST

Photo from Turtle Fiji

Originally Posted On: https://www.turtlefiji.com/benefits-of-booking-all-inclusive-family-vacations/

If all-inclusive family vacations once meant queues at the buffet or towels on sun loungers, they’re now just as likely to be about exhilarating water sports programmes, fine dining, yoga sessions and exclusive excursions as today’s traveler demands more from their vacation.

All-inclusive family vacations these days are about so much more than 24-hour dining. The benefits they bring to family holidays are huge, not just from the cost-savings on meals and snacks, but on the extensive activities, excursions and amenities that are included.

We take a look at some of the key benefits of the best family all-inclusive vacations to help you decide how to choose the right vacation for your family.

LESS STRESS

Put simply, all-inclusive family vacations take the stress out of booking a vacation. You won’t have to worry about searching for the cheapest airplane ticket or matching it with the best hotel deals. And you won’t have to waste time looking for restaurants in the area or finding things to do. Resorts offering all-inclusive family vacation packages will usually take care of everything, so your only job will be to think about what to pack!

Once you’ve arrived at the resort you can relax knowing that the payment you’ve made up front will cover all the essentials of your trip, which means there will be no bills to sign and no currency to convert. Plus you won’t have to keep finding change for ice-creams or snacks for the kids, or extra change for tips.

If you’re looking for some down time on your vacation, then all-inclusive family vacation packages will really help you relax, knowing that the costs have been taken care of before you’ve even left home.

VALUE FOR MONEY

As well as the benefits of not constantly watching your purse, an all-inclusive vacation package will also provide value for money, especially if you’re taking a vacation with your family. Most all-inclusive family packages offer ‘kids go free’ savings, which helps if you have a large family!

All-inclusive family vacations can offer savings in the thousands of dollars, so you know you’ll be getting a fantastic deal. A family of four, on a seven-night vacation, enjoying three meals a day, will eat 84 meals during their vacation. And we’ve not even mentioned all those extra ice creams and drinks around the pool.

TRANSFERS INCLUDED

It might seem obvious, but all-inclusive vacations do generally include transfers once you’re at the destination. But it’s always worth checking as some resorts will only offer all-inclusive facilities once you are there.

With the transfers included, you know you’ll be taken care of the minute you arrive at the airport with many resorts offering to collect you from your home or provide a meet and greet service when you land at your vacation destination.

If you’re staying at Turtle Island in Fiji, a meet and greet service can be included in your all-inclusive vacation package, which means you’ll be looked after as soon as you touch down in Fiji. You’ll be met by members of the Turtle Island team in Nadi International Airport and taken to your transfer seaplane.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

As well as meals, we all know that keeping the kids entertained on a family vacation can be a costly business. It’s worth checking the all-inclusive family vacation packages at different resorts to see what’s included.

When it comes to all-inclusive family vacations, activities and entertainment are also part of the deal. Some of the best family all-inclusive vacations come equipped with action-packed kids clubs, some even featuring waterparks for added fun. While adult-only options may include complimentary access to the spa.

Some resorts in Fiji are exclusively for adults and couples, but open their doors for families at certain times of the year, including the 500-acre Turtle Island.

During these ‘Family Time’ weeks, the Turtle Island team arranges child-friendly activities, menus designed with kids in mind and a warm Fijian welcome.

The inclusions for families with children – from younger kids to teens – during Family Time weeks at Turtle Island are separated into different categories: family, parents, younger children and pre-teens, and teens.

ALL-INCLUSIVE ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES AT TURTLE ISLAND

At Turtle Island inclusions for the whole family start with a spacious open-plan beachfront villa with ample room for additional beds needed for each child, daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks and savories upon request and stocked in their villa mini fridge and family dine-outs at secluded island locations.

All marine and land-based activities will also be included and range from private beach picnics, guided snorkeling trips, horseback riding, scuba diving, deep sea and hand line fishing, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, hiking, mountain biking and off-island excursions. They’ll also benefit from complimentary laundry service and turndown service.

ALL-INCLUSIVE ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AT TURTLE ISLAND

Not to be forgotten when the focus is all about the kids, inclusions for the parents during the Family Time weeks start with daily adult cocktails and dinners at the main dining area, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, including fine wine, spirits, and cocktails, romantic private dining experiences, 30-minute couples’ massage at Turtle Island’s Vonu Spa, a dedicated ‘Bure Mama’ (personal concierge) and nightly kava ceremonies.

Younger children’s inclusions

Inclusions for younger children and pre-teens start with all children’s meals at the Kids Club, all non-alcoholic drinks, sun-up to sundown childcare – exclusive nanny for each child under five and a Bula Buddy for older children. Then there are all the age-appropriate and traditional Fijian activities including fish feeding, snorkel lessons, island walks, Fijian storytelling, clam digging, net fishing, handline fishing, coconut tree climbing demo, swimming, and sandcastle building.

Teen activities

Turtle Island even caters to one of the hardest categories of all – the teens! Their inclusions start with all meals at various locations and all drinks, plus a vast array of activities that are ‘way cooler’ than those for the younger kids – such as beach bonfires, outdoor movies, nighttime crab hunting, fishing, snorkeling excursions, clam digging, stand-up paddle boarding challenges, kayak races, mountain biking treks, and island hikes. They can have a Bula Buddy if they like – but there’s no pressure. They’re teens after all!

Nannies and Kids Camps

Many resorts will don’t include nannies as part of their all-inclusive family vacation packages. At Turtle Island this service is included and there are nannies and Bula Buddy companions for each child, who along with the Bure Mamas for each family help to create a new, blended family during your vacation.

Excursions

Just because you’ve booked an all-inclusive family vacation, doesn’t mean you’re confined to the resort. One of the many benefits of booking an all-inclusive family vacation is the incredible ease of going on day trips and excursions away from the resort to explore your destination. Most resorts will have a front desk or activities center that will book day trips to dive sites, local markets, rainforest hikes, zip-lining tours or ancient ruins. And you’ll be collected from the resort and dropped back at your hotel, taking out the hassle of having to organize it yourself.

All-inclusive dining

Back to that buffet table. All-inclusive family vacation packages have moved on significantly from one restaurant offering a buffet table with dried out food and wilted salad.

An all-inclusive family vacation package will offer an array of dining options, from casual café-style eateries and more formal dining to pool-side bars and a la carte country-themed restaurants.

The benefits of all-inclusive family vacation packages means not having to pay extra for ice creams, snacks and drinks throughout your vacation. There are also benefits when it comes to younger children who are fussy eaters or who prefer to eat at more unusual hours. Plus, it doesn’t matter if your children won’t sit still at the restaurant, there will be plenty of healthy snacks for them to graze on throughout the day at no extra cost – making it stress-free for parents!

And just because you’re at an all-inclusive resort, it doesn’t mean you miss out on some amazing dining experiences. At Turtle Island resort you can choose to dine in remote locations, enjoy breakfast on a private beach, enjoy open-air picnics, seaside moonlit dinners, desert under the stars by lantern light on a floating pontoon, or take part in the fun-filled dinner parties along with the rest of the guests.

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