The calming power of water combined with enchanting sights and relaxing activities will help make for a wonderful holiday with the kids.
By Sonia Esther Soltani
Cruising with the Royal Caribbean (Courtesy Royal Caribbean)
Staying in a beachside resort with a swimming pool, water park and spa or going on a cruise are among families’ top dream vacations. The calming power of water combined with enchanting sights and relaxing activities will help create the ideal conditions for a wonderful holiday with the kids.
Here are some suggestions of cruises and Caribbean getaways featuring fantastic water parks and gorgeous spas to please children and parents alike.
Sail the Caribbean Aboard the Royal Caribbean
Among the vast array of amenities available on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship include swimming pools, ice rink and climbing wall, but kids particularly love FlowRider, 40-foot-long surf simulator which is free to use for passengers. Catching a wave onboard a ship is a guaranteed fun experience. Meanwhile parents can unwind at the Vitality Spa, which offers everything from facials and massages to tooth whitening and dedicated programs for men and teens. With the cruise line’s ongoing early booking offer, families are guaranteed to save a few bucks!
Cruise the World with Holland America
With Holland America, you can see the world with the kids. (Courtesy Holland America)
Holland America Line, currently celebrating its anniversary with a sale, sails all over the world enabling families to explore the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Latin America or the South Pacific. Onboard kids ages 3-17)can partake in many fun activities for such as pirate treasure hunts, National Park Service Jr. Ranger Alaska Program, cooking classes, and teen-only disco nights. Knowing their little ones are so well looked after, parents can enjoy the quality therapeutic water treatments offered by The Greenhouse Spa & Salon, as well as massages inspired by the many exotic countries the ships sail to.
Splash Around in a Water Park Pool in Riviera Nayarit
Splash around in a water park pool at the Marival Resort & Suites (Courtesy Marival Resort & Suites)
Designated by Yahoo! Travel as “Mexico’s New Playground” for 2015, the Riviera Nayarit located on the country’s Pacific Coast showcases a wonderful environment of sandy beaches and rainforest covered mountains. At the family-friendly Marival Resort & Suites – in addition to a rock climbing wall, tennis court and mini-golf – kids can stay free and splash around at the new water park pool complete with water slides, fountains and even a pirate ship! The luxury spa has a great menu for parents looking for pampering and me-time.
Learn to Surf at the Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort
Ride the waves with Moon Palace’s FlowRider. (Courtesy Moon Palace )
Are your kids ready to learn how to surf or improve their skills? The luxurious all-inclusive Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun is home to FlowRider, which pumps thousands of gallons of water over a riding area ensuring hours of surfing fun. The Cancun resort is also a great base for diving and snorkeling. Kids also stay free for the summer, which reduces cost for families. Meanwhile, adults can enjoy hydrotherapy treatments, couples’ massages and bath therapies at the superb spa, which also offers balneotherapy for complete relaxation.
(MORE: Find out which water parks are considered the best of the best in the Caribbean.)
Get an Adrenaline Rush with Water Sports and Thrilling Slides at El Conquistador
Exhilirating slide at Coqui Water Park at the El Conquistador Resort (Courtesy El Conquistador Resort)
Families can escape to the El Conquistador Resort in Puerto Rico and practice a whole lot of water sports on the resort’s 100-acre private island. For kids the 2.4 acres Coqui Water Park is pure aquatic bliss with thrilling slides and rapids. Some of the slides are not for the faint-hearted with 40 ft drop and adrenaline-packed experiences. There’s also infinity pools and swimming pools for more leisurely pursuits. But the real relaxation can be had at the stunning 26,000 square feet Waldorf Astoria Spa which offers all the treatments demanding spa-goers may wish for as well as a dedicated children’s Ki’ Spa to initiate the little ones to the world of wellness.
Sonia Esther Soltani contributed this to MiniTime. She’s traveled to over 30 countries and specializes in food, wellbeing and culture.
