Anonymous wrote:The one (and only) time we did a house rental, all I did was cook and clean the entire time. That’s not a vacation to me.

This is why whenever we do multifamily trips, we cruise.

Anonymous wrote:I would also look into all inclusive resorts at a destination that appeals to everyone. That way everyone still has their own space like they do on a cruise.

+1. I get seasick so cruises are out for me. I would definitely go to an all-inclusive resort as long as it wasn't in Mexico. I went to Club Med in Cancun and almost everyone got Montezuma's Revenge. Two days of feeling crappy sucks.

I would also look into all inclusive resorts at a destination that appeals to everyone. That way everyone still has their own space like they do on a cruise.

Either one is fine.
I'm always the one in charge of hosting/planing and both are work just in different ways. A cruise is slightly easier.

Definitely house rental. 1000%

Cruise. The meal planning and cleaning with lots of people in a vacation rental stresses me out.

The one (and only) time we did a house rental, all I did was cook and clean the entire time. That’s not a vacation to me.

I'm one of the anti-house rentals. I'm not opposed in theory - and actually enjoy them when I'm with a group of moms and kids, because we all manage to take responsibility for various things without too much discussion. It just happens. But if it's my extended family, I'm the one doing most of the planning/delegating.

One other advantage of a cruise over a house rental is you don't have to worry about a car/transportation at the same time.

I'd consider an All Inclusive- but they seem to be a lot more expensive than a cruise.

If it just grandparents or all siblings and their spouses and kids? With just my parents we’ve rented a house and it’s fine. If I had to do it with my siblings and their spouses and their kids we’d kill each other — people have too many preferences for food and sleep etc etc.

I will vote thiugh for none of the above. We do these massive get together every couple of years and we use marriot vacation clubs. Each family gets one or more 2 bedroom units that has its owns kitchen. We get together for some meals either in one of the units or in the general communal pace (there are usually picnic tables near the grills). The properties have pools and beach access and we also near nice restaurants, movie theaters and other activities for those who want to do it. We’ve done this in Hawaii, Aruba, Hilton Head and St Thomas. (I think there also one in Marco island Florida that others in my family have used.). If you are marriot vacation club members, you can book through the marriot website same as hotel or buy a week from someone on redweek. It’s really the perfect balance of being together and have flexibility but not being right on top of each other.

Is an all-inclusive possible? We have done beach house, AI and cruise, and the AI was what everyone liked the most.

Anonymous wrote:Cruise. Otherwise Grandpa gets stuck at the house alone during the day and feels lonely or gets dragged along and feels guilty for slowing people down. On a cruise, there is enough to do on ship that everyone can pretend he wants to stay on the ship in every port and maintain dignity.

And I don’t like cruises.

Agree. And also no planning of meals.

Anonymous wrote:Inspired by a thread in the Family forum (and years of reading DCUM). I am convinced you’re either a cruise person or a house rental person but that you can’t be both, when it comes to extended family or multi family trips.

So, if you HAVE to plan a trip bigger than your nuclear family:

Cruise
House rental
Either one is fine

(No option for none of the above - the kids don’t want museums and grandpa isn’t too active so these are the choices)

I think I'm "Either one is find". We love house rentals. We rent one at the beach every summer, and have done a few in the winter at ski resorts. We were considering a cruise next winter, but decided to wait until the youngest is potty trained, because our kids love to play in the pool together and we heard that cruise ships don't allow non-potty trained kids in the pool.

Why would people who love house rentals dislike cruises? I don't understand the logic.

Can he get around the cruise ship?

Cruise. Otherwise Grandpa gets stuck at the house alone during the day and feels lonely or gets dragged along and feels guilty for slowing people down. On a cruise, there is enough to do on ship that everyone can pretend he wants to stay on the ship in every port and maintain dignity.

And I don’t like cruises.

Inspired by a thread in the Family forum (and years of reading DCUM). I am convinced you’re either a cruise person or a house rental person but that you can’t be both, when it comes to extended family or multi family trips.

So, if you HAVE to plan a trip bigger than your nuclear family:

Cruise
House rental
Either one is fine

(No option for none of the above - the kids don’t want museums and grandpa isn’t too active so these are the choices)