A guide to the ins and outs of family holiday pricing, by Product Manager Rafe Stone. For holiday ideas and inspiration, order your family brochure here or browse our online selection of family holidays in South America.
If you’re planning on taking your family to South America you’ve already made two important decisions:
1. You’re going with the family.
2. You’re going to South America.
Now the fun starts! You’ve got to decide where you’re going, what you want to do when you get there, when to go and... how much to spend.
The first three decisions are not too complicated: nobody knows your family better than you and we like to think nobody knows Latin America better than us. Dad may want to spend time exploring Mayan ruins, Jonny may want to see a tree frog, Toby will probably want to play on his Nintendo DS all day and Melissa may want to go snorkelling, while mum might be happy to just lie in a hammock on the beach: we simply don’t know, but tell us a bit about what makes your family tick and we can help you choose the right type of trip (although we’ll admit our Nintendo knowledge is somewhat limited!). And if you have to fit your trip around school holidays, you may wish to start by contacting us to ask questions about seasonality.
When it comes to costs, you’ve probably already discussed what you want to spend on a family holiday before contacting us, in which case we can help you get the most suitable trip for your budget. Pricing for family holidays can be surprisingly knotty however: we tend to give only guideline prices in our family brochure and on the website because we know all families have different ideas and expectations. For example, many hotels in Latin America will accept two adults and two children under the age of 12 sharing a room (Mexico is a good example). Others will charge a supplement. You may be happy for your four-year-old and six-year-old to sleep in the same room as you on holiday, but you might think differently by the time they reach eight and ten – only you can decide what feels right for your family.
Similarly, some hotels have adjoining rooms or junior suites where an additional room or extra space mean that you all get some privacy. Or, on the other hand, you may choose one of our eco camps, jungle lodges, or tent camps where the standards are basic but it’s adventurous and fun.
It’s difficult to generalise about air fares, too. Most airlines used to offer a percentage discount for under 12s and infants under two went free, but now pricing structures vary greatly between airlines. You may get a discounted rate with one airline but the taxes may mean that the total cost is still more than another airline with a lesser discount.
But if it sounds like a bit of a minefield, don’t worry! Our consultants are on hand to take care of all the details. Here on our website we can try to give an idea of what it might cost to take your family to Latin America, but when it comes to the real deal we will tailor-make your holiday around you – so that you can rest assured it is a perfect fit not just for your family, but also your budget.