I took my daughter on a Caribbean cruise for just £150 — the bargain holiday secret all parents need to know
However, after having my daughter in 2022, I realised I needed to make small but clever changes - and this is my best money-saving travel hack yet.
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Travel has been in my bones from a very young age, which was probably down to my parents taking me across Europe on coach trips as a child.
Globe-trotting has afforded me some of the best experiences in life, from horse riding through Petra to walking a snowy Great Wall of China in an uncharacteristic cold snap.
I want my daughter, Mia, to have the same experiences, but in this climate and economy, I knew I would need to travel smarter and cheaper.
On a rainy day, I was browsing holiday ideas online and I stumbled across some pictures of a cruise.
We had never been on one before, but I suddenly had visions of cocktails on the deck - all for less than the cost of a wet weekend in Wales.
After scouring forums and cruise blogs for the best family-friendly cruises, I landed a deal that would make even Martin Lewis jealous — a seven-night Caribbean cruise.
And the cost to take Mia on this holiday of a lifetime? Just £150.
The cruise, in October 2024, was on Carnival Mardi Gras and the bargain price was due to her being the third person in our cabin.
For the two of us, we paid £850 each for a seven nights sailing in a balcony cabin, bringing the total to £1,850 — plus £250 in pre-paid gratuities, which are expected on cruise ships.
It would have been cheaper still if we had opted for the interior cabin, costing just £1400.
I went on my first Disney cruise with classy champagne bars, watercoasters and West End-style shows
These prices included all-inclusive meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It's also worth noting that the cruise price stays the same in school holidays, so parents with school-aged kids can also snap up a great deal.
The ship set sail from Florida's Port Canaveral and hit the island hotspots of the Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos — sun-soaked destinations that have always been on my bucket list.
Getting to Florida on a budget
We flew with budget airline Norse from Gatwick and it cost just £900 for all three of us, plus £172 for luggage.
As with all low-cost airlines, pre-booking seats and food is chargeable.
We saved on seat bookings (Norse follow the Civil Aviation Authority's advice that children should ideally be seated next to their accompanying adults), so that saved us £138.
For food, we brought our own snacks on board. As a mum on a budget, I wasn't paying £37 each for plane meals.
To aid our recovery from jet lag before setting sail, we opted for a three-night hotel stay in Port Canaveral at the Radisson Resort, which set us back £400.
We spent the day before the cruise at Kennedy Space Center. It was £49 per adult and kids under three go free, even though there is so much for them to do - including a massive soft play.
Mia now insists she's "been to the moon" and tells all her friends.
Why a cruise is ideal for families with young kids
The Carnival Mardi Gras is the company's biggest cruise ship, and it definitely had the wow factor as we walked over the bridge to embark.
James and I were handed a cocktail before we'd even found our cabin. Now that's service!
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I was also really impressed with the family entertainment and childcare included.
The kids club - Camp Ocean's Penguin Club - was fab, with lots of arts, crafts, and dancing.
At first, we were a bit nervous leaving Mia but we were given a mobile phone so staff could reach us at any time. Not that they needed to - Mia adored it.
Our two-year-old daughter was living her best life while we watched live comedy, ate child-free dinners, and actually had adult conversations.
I'll admit, I'd had reservations before we boarded and wasn't sure how much we would enjoy being 'stuck' on a cruise.
But, it turns out cruise holidays are an absolute game-changer for parents.
As well as the kids' club during the day, the ship also offered a Night Owls service, where Mia could boogie away at the kids' disco, much to her delight.
It's included in the price, although you can pay a £5 charge if you want your child to stay after 11pm.
There was also a water park, a Build-A-Bear workshop, and even a Dr Seuss character show - plenty to keep Mia entertained.
At the same time, James and I got to see parts of the world we hadn't seen before.
We swam with pigs in the Bahamas and saw sharks and dolphins in the Dominican Republic.
Turks and Caicos was an unforgettable experience, enjoying the beach and having a cocktail at Margaritaville (the largest in the Caribbean).
It was unlike any family holiday we've ever had — and it cost less than a UK break in half term.
I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, Mia or us, but we all loved it so much that we're doing it all again this year for two weeks.
This time, we'll be departing from New York and cruising around the British Virgin Islands.
Mia is one year older but we can still take advantage of the brilliant deal.
It's still just £150 a week for her - and so much fun as a family.
I'd recommend it to anyone.
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