For families looking for a resort that delivers a casual yet active vacation, Club Med delivers a lot of positives: all-inclusive pricing, good food, imaginative kids' programming (including, at some properties, a circus school), and a wide array of family activities.  

Club Med is offering all of that at a substantial discount during its Fall “Wow” Sale,  with rates starting at $399 per person for a three-night stay.  When we test-booked three nights in September at Club Med Cancun Yucatan (see our review) for a family of four, we landed a price of $1,298 for a club two-bedroom suite (the standard lodging option). That's a savings of nearly 60% off the regular price of $3,152.

And that's not all. When you book a deluxe room or suite at Club Med resorts in Mexico or the Dominican Republic, you'll get either a free massage at the resort spa or a local excursion for two.  (A three-night September stay in a deluxe two-bedroom oceanfront room would run $1,578.)

The catch? You have to book by August 30, and travel between September 1 and October 31.  Stays of seven nights or more qualify for the discounted "wow" rates through April 29, 2011, including holidays. Book online or call 888/932-2582 and ask for the "wow" sale.

Taking its name from its serene location, Tranquility Bay Antigua is set on a one-mile stretch of calm water and white-sand beach on Antiqua's west coast.  This is the island's only all-suite property, whose units feature full kitchens, washer/dryers and plenty of room to spread out.  The resort also boasts two pools, tennis courts, a complimentary kids' club, water sports, and access to all of the amenities at neighboring Jolly Beach Resort. 

Through September 12, Tranquility Bay Antigua is offering a Relax Together Summer Vacation package that offers a family of four a seventh night free, sightseeing, and a few extras.  But does the advertised rate of $1,495 for the package make it a good bet for families?  We took a close look at the numbers to find out.  A family of four booking this package for a seven-night stay would get:

• seven-night stay in a two-bedroom suite (in August, worth $279/night x 7 nights = $1,953)
• family photo session with a complimentary keepsake portrait  (worth $100)
• three-hour harbour cruise or an off-road ATV tour (value of $280)
• $100 credit for the adjacent supermarket (worth $100)
  

When we price-checked a stay for a family of four in August, the package rate came in at $1,495.  If a family booked that seven-night stay and the extras separately, they would pay $2,433—a whopping $938 more than the package price. You save more than $500 on your accommodation alone, even before you add in the grocery credit, sightseeing tour, and photo session. 

Deal or no deal? A super deal, delivering a savings of nearly 40%.  Book online or call 888/411-2012 and ask for the "Relax Summer Special."

Expecting a new baby? If you're game to take your newborn for an island vacation, the ultra-kid-friendly Franklyn D. Resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica (see our review), is offering an intriguing special. Its WeeBabyMoon offer promises you'll save more than 50% if you are traveling with a baby less than three months old.

Here's how it works: Dad pays the regular all-inclusive, per-person rate (regular rates start at $310/night) and mom stays free along with two non-infant kids and, of course, the new bundle of joy. The kicker: The resort will even reimburse you the $85 it will cost to get your wee jet setter's passport.

The homey, 78-suite resort (from studios to 2-bedroom)  offers four restaurants, two pools, a water slide, water sports, tennis, basketball, a kids' club and—get this—your own dedicated vacation nanny, who is on call for free childcare or just stocking your fridge  during your entire visit. Your rates also includes taxes and a free transfer to and from Montego Bay Airport. When we checked some early fall dates, we saw that kids ages 7 to 16 are usually charged $50 a night; kids under 6 always stay free. 

One catch: You have to stay at least seven nights. And, if this weren't obvious, you have to be traveling with a newborn. If getting up at all hours of the night with a little baby makes you cower, think of it this way: During the day, hello vacation nanny.

The fine print: This package is not available for the five days before or after a US or Jamaican  holiday. We didn't see clear links for booking the deal online, so your best bet is to call 800/654-1337 and ask for the "WeeBabyMoon" offer.

Ready to commit to your summer vacation plans? Hilton is launching a Great Getaway sale, which is advertised at up to 30% off hotel rooms for stays between May 28 and September 6.  Good at 2,800 hotels around the world—including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, and Homewood Suites—the offer often includes free breakfast, too, for at least two people.

The discount varies a little by brand name: You’ll get a full 30% off at Doubletree hotels; 25%  at Hilton properties;  and 20% at Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, Hilton Grand Vacations, Hilton Garden Inn, Waldorf Astoria and Conrad. The deal is available at only select Embassy Suites.

Sounds pretty good, right? No so fast. The discount applies to the Bed & Breakfast rate, which is always higher than the lowest regular rate and the regular advance-purchase rate. And the offer comes with some big restrictions: You have to book at least seven days ahead of your arrival and pay in full upfront, with no possible refund.

We shopped at some family-friendly spots to see how the special offer played out. At the Hilton Garden Inn in Williamsburg, the special offer rate was $112 a night, down from the Bed & Breakfast rate of $141. Now comes the comparison pricing: That's 21% off the B&B rate but just 15% off the best regular rate of $129. Meanwhile, the regular advance-purchase, no-refund rate was $105. Think of the special offer as getting a free, cooked-to-order breakfast for each family member for just $7 in total. Rooms at the hotel, less than two miles from the city center, have fridges and microwaves, and the hotel has the obligatory pool.

At the Hilton Los Cabos resort in Mexico's Cabo San Lucas—which has a beach, pool and kids' club—the special offer shaves 25% off this property's B&B rate. The special offer rate for an ocean view room with two queen beds was $194 a night, compared to $259 for the B&B rate, which includes two buffet breakfasts for the grown-ups each morning and free meals for kids 5 and under. When you figure in those free meals, the special offer probably has the edge over the regular advance-purchase rate of $179 a night—but just barely, and only if your kids are very young.

Verdict: This is a great example of how marketing spin can make a just-okay offer sound much better than it is. And it's a good reminder of why you need to follow recession travel rule no. 1 and always do the math. Sometimes this special offer beats all the hotel's other rates—and sometimes you can do better by choosing another rate from the menu. On the upside, this offer usually delivers a free breakfast, so long as you can also stomach the non-refundable risk.

Look for the Great Getaway rates when entering dates online, or mention the deal when calling 800/446-6677. You must book before July 15. Some brands  have their own twists on the rules, such as a three-night minimum and no breakfast at Hilton Grands, or two-night minimum night stay for Wednesday arrivals at Homewoods Suites. As usual, other restrictions may apply.

Looking to cruise with the family this year? Got a Dora fan in your midst? Then check out Norwegian Cruise Line's new sale, part of a six-week string of Summer Blockbuster sales. Starting today, when you book a “Freestyle” (meaning no set dining times, for starters) cruise on NCL, kids sail for just $99 (as do the third through eighth guests in any party). So go ahead and invite Nana and Pops, too.

On any ship, the kids will be well occupied. Beyond the regular pools and waterslides, they can visit the free Kid’s Crew kids club, and play Wii games on a two-story screen. Little kids get their own, scaled-down tables at mealtimes and get to choose from lavish kids-pleasing buffets.

Starting this summer, the Norwegian Jewel and the new, massive Epic (which debuts this July) will also offer Nickelodeon at Sea activities, including Slime Time Live!, story times with Dora the Explorer, Dora dance parties and character breakfasts. The Jewel typically travels to Florida and the Bahamas from NYC and the Epic will sail the Caribbean.

 The $99 deal is good on select 2010 sailings for new reservations made now through May 31.  Plus, reduced cruise deposits are offered on new summer bookings through May 2.  When you punch in dates, look for sailings marked with the $99 rates. You can book online or call 866/234-7350.

We’re very excited to be giving away a five-day family cruise to the Bahamas with Carnival Cruise Lines, the world’s largest cruise operator. Your family will sail on the Carnival Fantasy from Charleston, South Carolina, to the Bahamas. The itinerary includes full days in both Freeport and Nassau, and two fun days at sea to enjoy all that the ship has to offer. The prize includes a cabin for four people, all meals, activities and entertainment normally included in the cruise fare.

They don’t call ’em the fun ships for nothing. As the leading family cruise line, Carnival will carry 650,000 children this year. The Carnival Fantasy offers a host of on-board amenities and facilities, including extensive children’s facilities for kids in three age groups — Camp Carnival (ages 2-11), Circle “C” (ages 12-14) and Club O2 (ages 15-17). The ship offers a wide variety of dining options, including two full-service formal dining rooms and a poolside casual eatery serving full breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets and a 24-hour pizzeria. The ship also features Carnival WaterWorks, an expansive, all-ages aqua park featuring a 300-foot-long water slide, 82-foot-long dual racing slides and a splash zone. In addition to the resort-style main pool area, decktop attractions include a nine-hole mini golf course, Ping-Pong, a game room, and jogging track.

When it’s time for some grown-up R&R, parents can enjoy a 12,000-square-foot health spa and Serenity, an adults-only retreat. An Internet café with ship-wide Wi-Fi access and cell phone service are also available.

For a chance to win this cruise for your family, just fill out the form on the giveaway page. You can enter once a day through May 20, 2010. Good luck!

As Caribbean islands go, St. Lucia is relatively unknown and uncrowded.  Set on 19 lush and private acres,  The Landings St.Lucia tempts with 800 feet of beautiful beach and its own yacht harbor. Accommodations consist of 122 suites with fully-equipped kitchens, and there's plenty at the resort to keep families happy, including tennis courts, three pools, a 7,000-square-foot spa, two restaurants, and a kids' club that gives children a sense of place through Caribbean dance lessons and Creole education classes. The Landings St. Lucia is running a Kids Stay, Play and Eat Free promotion for stays between April 12 and November 24.  The offer touts starting rates of $395 for a one-bedroom harborview suite, but is it really a good deal for families? 

When we tried to test-book this offer, we ran into a snag right away. It turns out that a one-bedroom suite can not accommodate a family of two adults and two kids.  A family of four would require a two-bedroom suite, with the package rate of $445 a night.  The package includes:

• Overnight accommodations  (in June, a two-bedroom harborview suite, normally $445/night)
• Free breakfast, lunch, and dinner for children 12 and under (worth $10/meal x 2 kids x 3 meals = $60/day)
• Free access to The Landings Kids Club for children ages 4-12 (always free to guests)
• up to four hours of in-room Nanny Care (for up to 2 kids, $18/hour x 4 hours = $72 per stay)

Both the package rate and the regular room rate for a two-bedroom suite are $445 a night. If booked separately, the components of this stay would cost $577 a night. So technically the package saves $132, or 23% a night. 

Deal or no deal? Deal schmeal. It's disingenuous for a hotel to advertise a starting rate of $395 when a typical family will require a room that costs $445. When you consider the Nany Care is per-stay, not per-day, and that you need to shell out an extra $50 a night for the upgrade, the savings aren't nearly so impressive. It's also important to note that the rate does not include taxes of 18% per day, a $30 per day resort fee, or gratuities. Ouch.

Looking for a tropical getaway with minimal hassle? Consider Puerto Rico: it's just about as exotic as you can get without a passport, and a great destination for families.  Kids can practice their Spanish (but English is also spoken), there are no hassles with currency conversion, and flights from the mainland US are plentiful. 

Hilton Hotels' Spring Escape promotion is available for trips between April 12 to June 30 at five participating properties in Puerto Rico, including the flagship El Conquistador Resort.  This sprawling mega-property, set on 500 acres overlooking the island's east coast, boasts 23 onsite restaurants and lounges, seven outdoor pools, a waterpark, casino, spa, kids' camp, and 100-acre private island. It has a great location close to El Yunque National Forest and just 31 miles from San Juan's airport.

The package includes a free night and a few other extras, with nightly rates starting at $199 in April, and $149 in May and June.  To find out if it is really a good deal for familes, we did the math on a four-night weekend getaway in early May.

• 4th night free (in early May, garden-view room rate is  $179)
• breakfast daily for two adults and two kids (worth, let's say, $15/per person x 4 people x 4 days = $240)
• $25 casino match bet coupon (worth $25)
• 20% discount on a spa treatment (worth, for example, $33 on a 80-minute massage)

The regular room rate is the same per night as the package rate, so the offer truly delivers a free night.  A family of four booking a four-day stay in May with this package would spend $537 ($179 per night x 4 nights - free night).  Purchased without the package, this same stay with room and breakfast would cost $956 ($179 x 4 nights + $240), or $419 more than the package total. We're not including the casino coupon or spa discount in the savings calculation, because those elements require you to spend money in order to save.

Deal or no deal?  This one is a doozy, delivering an impressive savings of 44% on lodging and breakfasts. And if you choose to spend in the casino or spa, you'll save a bit more.

The bad news comes in the fine print: There is a daily 14% resort fee and 11 % tax, applicable on the room rate and resort fee.

To find out if this offer was a good deal for families, we price-checked a short getaway for a family of two adults and two elementary school-age kids. The sale price on the all-inclusive rate is $402 a night, or $1,206 for the minimum three-night stay. The package includes:

• three-night stay in a resort view double room (room-only rate is $200/night x 3 nights = $600)
• three daily meals and beverages for two adults (worth about $90/day x 2 adults x 3 days = $540)
• house wine and alcoholic beverages for two adults (worth, say, $25/day x 2 adults x 3 days = $150)
  
• kids 12 and under eat free off of the kids menu (worth about $40/child x 2 kids x 3 days = $240)
  
• one half-day admission for two kids to kids' camp ($40/child x 2 children = $80)
• kayak or sailboat rental (double kayak, $20/hour  x 2 kayaks x 1 hour = $40; sailboat, $30/hour)
• 8% room tax (worth $48)
• 10% resort fee (regularly $60)
• 15% food and beverage gratuity ($149 on a $990 tab)

If a family of four with two young kids were to pay for all of these elements separately, a conservative estimate of the total spend would come to $1,907. Opting for the promo all-inclusive rate would save $701—which translates to a whopping 37%. To look at it from another angle, the promo all-inclusive rate of $402 a night is 33% less the regular all-inclusive rate of $592 per night.

Deal or no deal? If you've got kids 12 and under, this offer delivers substantial savings. If you've got teens, however, the savings are considerably less significant. For each kid over 12, you'll pay an additional $95 per day on top of the base price.  A family of four with two teens would pay a total of $1,776 —still a 7% savings compared to booking the components independently. 

This offer is good until May 31. As usual, there is some fine print; think blackout dates and a three-day cancellation policy. Book online or call 888/582-9104 and mention promo code PKGFEBAI.

A handful of hotels in The Bahamas are running specials this spring, from discounted rates and spa credits to personalized butler service and free nights.  Among them is the larger-than-life Atlantis, which is offering a fourth night free.  This sprawling mega-resort boasts 19 restaurants, 11 pools, eight waterslides, and—with more than 3,300 guestrooms and suites—a wide choice of accommodations.  One option, Coral Towers, is popular with families thanks to its central location and relaxed atmosphere. Here's the deal: Book a three-night stay before April 30 with travel ending by September 30, and you'll get the fourth night of your stay free. 

We test-booked this offer for a four-night stay in late April for a family of two adults and two kids in a Coral Towers Terrace View room, and found different nightly rates during the stay: $439 a night for the first two nights, $369 for the third night, and the fourth night free (normally $369).  With this deal, the total for the room (before taxes, fees and gratuities) comes to $1,247, with an average nightly of $312.  Normally, you would pay $1,616 for the same stay, with an average nightly rate of $404—so getting that free night saves you $369, or about 23% of your total lodging bill. 

But wait, there's more. If you book a minimum four-night stay before May 10, you can also take advantage of an island-wide promotion offering a free companion airfare. It comes in the form of an airfare credit, which means that when you book the package, the base fare for one passenger is deducted from the package price. You book the flight as part of your hotel package, so in theory you’re limited to whatever air transportation options the particular hotel has.  In this case, Atlantis lists 11 different airlines.  This offer is limited to one free companion airfare per room.  

When we test-booked the package with airfare for a family of four traveling from Philadelphia, the lowest roundtrip airfare came to $208 per person (taxes and fees not included for all of the rates/fares used in this example).  After one companion fare was deducted, the final price came to $2,079 for lodging and airfare.  When we comparison shopped on Kayak.com for flights on the same itinerary, the lowest airfare we found was $218 per person on USAirways. That would bring the lodging and airfare total to $2,488.  In this example, the Atlantis air+hotel package would save $409, or about 16%; however, every flight option offered through Atlantis involved overnight layovers.  The USAir flights were much more traveler- and kid-friendly (as in, departing and arriving within the same day).  This, of course, could vary by departure airport. The take-away: You have to do the math to determine the best deal and also weigh the convenience factor when comparing air routes.

Be sure to read the fine print with both offers. Book online or by calling 888/877-7525.