One of the real dilemmas families and travel agents have in planning a vacation is what to do with families of more than 4, especially if they all want to be together. Hotels and cruise lines will not allow more than four to a room, so the last one born has to sleep out in the hall!!! No not really, there are other more practical solutions but they oftentimes cost more money.
Not all hotels or cruise lines have connecting rooms, and even if they do, those types of accommodations are limited, so it is imperative to make plans early if you have this kind of family makeup. Some hotels will have 2-bedroom suites that will accommodate 5 or 6, and some cruise lines have suites that will accommodate 5 persons also. Walt Disney All-Star Resorts have a limited number of accommodations called Family Suites that will also handle a family of 5. I’ve found a 2-bedroom suite property in New York City that is taking care of a family of 6 over the holidays. The Staybridge Suites in Times Square has a king bed in one room and two double beds in the other room plus a couch that makes out into a double bed, plus it has two bathrooms, and that’s a big plus with six people.
Another possibility that we have read about, and booked once several years ago is the Harborside condos at The Atlantis in the Bahamas. Atlantis will allow five in a standard room if one child is younger than 4 years of age, otherwise you have to buy two rooms and the price usually sends families budget into the unknown stratosphere. The Harborside condos will accommodate families of 2-10 without any extra per-person charge. They would have the same unlimited free access to all Atlantis activities plus all the conveniences of a fully equipped condo.
What we’ve done on ships with families of 5 or 6 is to preferably book them with connecting rooms, which means there is a door that connects the rooms. This works good with inside staterooms. With balcony rooms, we also look for that same type of accommodations but if unable to find availability, we look for adjoining rooms. On some ships the dividing panel between rooms on the balcony can be unhooked and fastened to the bulkhead wall, and then they have free access to each others room through the balconies without having to go out into the hall.
Our challenge as a travel agent is to do our best to find a vacation that fits a family’s need, whether they have one child or 6. And we do that trying always to search out the best value, and one that would fit the family’s budget. The professional and experienced travel agents at The Travel Factory want to be your guide, so give us a call at 698-1421 or toll-free 800-760-4040, or drop by for a face to face visit at 4150 Southwest Drive, Suite 120, between Rosas and Chick-Fil-A in south Abilene. You can also shop on our newly developed website: www.thetravelfactoryabilene.com. . . we’re accessible, only to serve you!!