Quick Guide to All-Inclusive Single Parent Vacations

This post was originally posted on January 25, 2018 and has since been updated.

The traditional family structure has changed. So why the single-parent supplement fees? We give you the lowdown on some of the best all-inclusive tour operators for single-parent family trips.

Encountering a secluded beach with no one else on it. Trying a new and exotic dish at a local-recommended restaurant. Discovering a hand-written welcome note from your concierge. These surprises while travelling enhance our holiday and galvanize our love of travel.

Then, there are those not-so-great types of surprises.

Like when your resort slaps a single-occupancy fee on your family vacation because you're travelling as a single parent and are therefore the only adult on your trip

Sure, you don't want to make waves questioning the single-supplement charge, but why pay it?

If you've travelled solo before, you're likely familiar with the ubiquitous single-supplement fee hotels add.

Similarly, many beach resort prices are based on double occupancy. This means the single mom or dad often faces an extra fee, even when sharing a room with their child(ren).

Whether you're a single parent or just happen to be travelling on your own with the kids, paying for the absence of a second adult on family vacations may seem unfair, but it's not unusual. The additional cost can range from a few hundred dollars to nearly double the price.

Save yourself from sending that "wish you were here!" postcard to your ex upon seeing the single-parent supplement fees. Enjoy your much-deserved vacation with the kids instead.

If there's anyone more deserving of a family vacation, it's the busy single parent.

Parenting without a partner already presents its own unique set of challenges, from added financial obligations and time constraints. One-parent families are a rising demographic in Canada.

Thankfully, leading tour operators like Air Canada Vacations and Transat understand this by featuring family-friendly 3-,4- and 5-star all-inclusive resorts, across the Caribbean and Mexico, in their itineraries.

Besides waiving the supplement cost, single parent travellers will enjoy resorts that provide these important considerations:

• Safety and security
• Supervised kids' clubs, kids pools and play areas
• Kids stay and eat free promotions
• Exclusive deals on excursions and activities for single parent

Picture yourself (yes, just you!) poolside at a beach resort as the kids play at one of the supervised kids' clubs.

Transat, Canada's low-cost charter airline has a single parent collection featuring advantages like reduced rates and family rooms.

What makes Transat a dream family vacation for the solo parent? Resorts in its single parent selection features kids' clubs, allowing mom or dad to relax while the children have a blast under safe supervision. 

In addition to the perks of this program are bonuses from its Family Collection of vacation packages. These include access to a dedicated counter, priority boarding and even ‘valet' stroller service — Transat's LIMO!, which allows pint-sized legs a rest between the long jaunt from check-in to boarding (making it a welcome rest for weary parents, as well).

Be sure to register the kids for Air Transat's free kids' club before the trip, or ask your travel agent. Benefit from entertaining as well as practical advantages like:

• A kit filled with cool travel swag
• Free seat selection on their roundtrip flights (certain conditions may apply.)
• Dedicated check-in counter for Club members and family to fast-track to the gate
• Pre-boarding in Economy Class
• Priority baggage handling
• On-board surprises to keep kids entertained throughout the journey in the sky (and on the ground)

Your partner prefers to stay home? Don't let the absence of one adult travel partner cost you more money.

Air Canada Vacations (ACV) also realizes family vacations don't always mean two adults. Although known for their destination weddings and honeymoon packages, ACV's family-friendly all-inclusives in the Caribbean and Mexico offer advantages for those on vacation with children as a single parent.

ACV single parent packages may slightly differ from regular family packages, offering exclusive single parent travel deals during the low season (generally speaking, in the summer months). Select ACV partner resorts will also extend children stay and eat free promotions, usually based on double occupancy, to single-parent families. Best of all, these resorts always feature kids' clubs for toddlers and older kids to teens, with supervised activities based on age and interests.

More and more tour operators and all-inclusive resorts are catching up with the shifting concept of the family unit, and adjusting their policies and payments accordingly for solo parents. A Flight Centre travel consultant is happy to discuss options for the whole family for destinations such as Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Plata, Costa Rica and Los Cabos — whether you're always travelling with kids as a single mom or dad, or just happen to be vacationing without your partner. 

Can't decide on where to go? Why not get a Flight Centre travel gift card?