A ‘ Three Generation’ holiday

Some, and I'm one of them, find the thought of a cruise claustrophobic. Not being able to go for a walk, get in a car, explore different places at our pace, being cooped up on a giant floating building with hundreds of people...
We took a villa with a pool within 15 mins walk from the beach/small town in the north of Corfu with our 3 boys and partners a couple of years ago. it was a massive hit as we could all chill out/go out/explore on our own timetable..

A cruise would be my worst nightmare. Who wants to go on those huge floating holiday camps. A beach villa sounds lovely.

There is plenty for children to do on a cruise. Your family should give it a chance. We were hooked after our first one. This Easter we are also treating our family to a holiday. There will be five adults, and four children. We're going to Lanzarote to a hotel that has kids clubs, and pools with water slides. I can't wait.

My first thought is that it would be good, something for everyone. My second thought, though, is that you might lose the family 'togetherness' that we hope for, in that it might be harder to come together in such a diverse setting. I haven't been on a cruise, but I have a mental picture of everyone being spread out doing their own thing. When we've rented properties for the extended family, sometimes we did things together, sometimes not, but the best part was that we had our communal meals, and had the living space for family activities - board games etc. We also had an enclosed garden for the children.

We also took our family, of different ages, interests etc. to Centre Parks. It worked wonderfully well but took a bit of planning. Every age was catered for and as we were all in separate houses, cabins etc we could all have our own space. H & I stayed in bigger house with games room, sauna, jacuzzi & the various families came and went as they pleased and could see as much as each other as we liked. We all met each evening and swapped our day stories. Sometimes there’s no pleasing everyone, but we managed it on this occasion.

You can combine Disney with a Disney cruise. They used to do a two week holiday with a week at the Disney resort and a week on the Disney cruise ship. You could leave the anti cruise ones behind for that week and meet up with them again to fly home.

Cruises are out for me as DH suffers from awful seasickness. Once talked him into a boat trip off Gozo. Big mistake. I'll never forget the looks on the faces of the German tourists next door eating lunch on their boat while he was chucking up over the side of ours Then he was ill for several days. Same thing happened when I talked him into going on Space Mountain at Disney. I really must stop talking him into things.

Not sure I'd want to go on one anyway, however, as although I know it's 'no FT, no comment' as I've never tried one; I just don't fancy being trapped on a boat with a whole bunch of people I might not like. And then there's the germs they always seem to carry. A friend went on the maiden voyage of some big liner I've forgotten the name of and when I asked her if she'd had a nice time she said 'Well, er, yes, but 6 people died'! Nice.

Family meeting to agree what everyone would be happy with is the way to go I should think. What a generous thing to do for them all and I hope you have a great holiday.

If you agree to the villa holiday please make it very clear that it is your holiday too and you will not be cooking, babysitting, tidying up, doing laundry. On a cruise ship all of this is taken care of. Also, you are not confined to the ship or the pools, cruise in the med and you are able to visit a variety of beaches.

We plan to do the same but we're going to Orlando. Renting a villa with a pool and Disney, Universal attractions to keep everyone happy.

You are treating them, they should be grateful or simply decline your generous offer.

The best cross generation I and my family ever had was at Centre Parcs. Something for everyone in a secure and safe environment.

We like a cruise holiday but on our own. For family holidays we always rented a larger villa where grand parents, children and grandchildren have mote space and always close to beach and markets my mil loves so much.

Send an email, cc them all with the dilemma and ask for suggestions considering each other ... the balls then in their court and makes them realise there are others to think about. Hope it goes well ....

I've only done one cruise and it was a disaster. I've done holidays abroad in a villa with my DS and wife and their children aged 14, 5 and 2. It was ideal as when teenager and I wanted some down time the others went out for the day and we lounged round the pool. Perhaps your DS and his wife enjoy peace and quiet sometimes and can't see how they would get that on a huge cruise ship. Didn't someone once say Hell is other peoples'children? (just looked that up and apparently Sartre said "Hell is other people" then someone added children.)

A 'cruise and stay' holiday might satisfy your needs?

I treated my 3 AC partners and (at the time) 5 GC’s to a trip to Euro Disney a couple of Christmas back. It was a great holiday for the DGC and the SIL’s? but I know my DD’s and I would have preferred a city break! You can please some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time!
I have been on a couple of cruises in the past when I was young, and really enjoyed them! and as you say there is loads to do for all ages. I think there is a mistaken view that cruises are all for pensioners and nothing for the younger ones, it certainly wasn’t my experience. As others have suggested maybe revisit the holiday and take a vote?

My grandfather used to say "Please yourself, at least you'll know one bugger that will be happy".

I wouldn't want someone to waste their money on something I wouldn't enjoy.

Never look a gift horse in the mouth - they should be thankful you want to spend that much time with them......at your expense

I would refuse the offer of a cruise too, not my idea of a holiday especially with children. I do not want to be confined with two or three thousand others.
When we have family holidays abroad it is in a villa with a private pool.

I think the children are an excuse, the son and DiL just do not fancy a cruise holiday. It would not be my choice either. I would find being stuck on a cruise ship, no matter how big, with all my family, completely suffocating.

Everyone has their own preferences, when we celbrated our golden wedding last year with family and friends holiday we rented a big house (like small stately home) in the centre of a historic town with a mainline railway. People naturally gathered into different groups each day to go off to enjoy the town or travel to other nearby towns and attracttions and we all gathered in the evening to eat together and talk. Plenty of space, inside and out, no arguments and everyone enjoyed hemselves.

If they want to be near a beach, I can see why a cruise probably wouldn't appeal. Dh and I love the sea, ditto dds always, so regardless of plenty of pools on a cruise ship - pools just aren't the same - we'd never have chosen to be ON the sea, with only perhaps the odd chance of being IN it.

Parents with young children are presumably working, which means that annual leave is very precious, so I don't think they're really being U to want the kind of holiday they'd prefer.

The phrase 'you can't please them all' comes to mind. On the face of it, cruising has a lot to offer but not everyone is a good sailor. What about something land-based like Centreparks?

Our lot would love a cruise, sadly we couldn’t fund one for us all. Would it be worth gently asking why there is a thought that a cruise is unsuitable for children of that age? Lots of ship board activities for children. We had a short family holiday last year, rented a huge house after checking with everyone what they would like from the time away. Perhaps go back to basics. What would everyone, including you, enjoy? I’m sorry your offer isn’t working out as you hoped, must be frustrating but if you focus on ensuring you all enjoy being together perhaps the what and how of it would matter less.

It's not unreasonable for one of your offspring to say a cruise doesn't appeal to them. I think you just have to accept that. Perhaps take the ones who do want to go and do something else with the remaining family.

I gather your partner isn't your kids' father. Might this make a difference? Just asking.