Paddle Boarding, Cozumel, Mexico — cozumel mexico paddle boarding cenote water mangroves 1920 480

Best Affordable Summer Vacations: Destinations and Tips

Welcome Summer With a Family Vacation Everyone Will Love

By Chantae Reden | Published: September 26, 2023 | Updated: February 5, 2026

If you're like us, you might be starting your search for the best family summer vacation ideas on a budget. Fortunately, budget cruises are the perfect fit. These affordable family summer vacations include everything from your accommodations to plenty of dining options, some beverages, many activities and even nighttime entertainment in your fare, along with the transportation from port to port. When you compare the cost per day, cruises tend to be more affordable than summer vacations traveling on land — plus, they offer something for everyone.

Read on to explore the best destinations for affordable family summer vacations by cruise.

Key Takeaways: Best Family Vacations on a Budget

● Destinations: Pocket-friendly family vacations by cruise include Alaska and Mexico’s Pacific coast for plenty of sunshine; Honduras and Cozumel for stunning natural scenery and outdoor activities; and Perfect Day at CocoCay for the ideal family getaway.

● Stateroom considerations: There are plenty of cozy, spacious and affordable stateroom options on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. If you’re traveling with teens, consider connected staterooms for a blend of togetherness and privacy.

● Onboard inclusions: Your Royal Caribbean cruise fare includes accommodation, plenty of exciting activities and a diversity of complimentary restaurants and drink options. That way, you may have extra space to splurge on an excursion or a thrilling onboard experience.

● Start planning your family cruise to explore the most incredible and affordable getaway locations.

Choosing an Affordable Summer Vacation

Avoiding expensive flights is one of the easiest ways to plan a summer vacation on a budget, especially if you're traveling with your family. Cruises leave from departure ports throughout the east and west coasts of the United States, and finding one you can drive or hop a short domestic flight to will prevent you from eating into your budget just by getting to the ship. If you do need to fly, look for ports near the largest metropolitan airports. Because flights from multiple airlines arrive at these airports regularly, flight prices tend to be lower than those servicing smaller cities. That said, it's always worth pricing out a few departure port flight options.

So, where should you go? The best cruises for couples and families on a budget involve stunning natural landscapes, quaint places to tuck in for a drink, a laid-back way of living and a sense of escapism from everyday routine. Fortunately, a handful of swoon-worthy destinations are bound to do just that.

If you live on the West Coast, Alaska and Mexico are good destinations to consider for an affordable family summer vacation.

Alaska

Alaska is perfect if you're searching for budget-friendly summer vacations that will have you sighing in awe at natural beauty. Watch as glaciers calve, look for bears roaming around the lush green landscape, see salmon leap in streams and take advantage of the fun outdoor family activities on offer. These include hikes with eagle-spotting moments to afternoons watching from the deck as sea otters swim backstroke alongside the ship.

Mexico’s Pacific Coast

Cruises along Mexico's Pacific coast, on the other hand, are sun-dappled and affordable family beach vacations. Expect to gather the gang for beachside days, fish tacos by the shore and tequila tastings for the grown-ups. If you live closer to the East Coast, the Caribbean is a good choice for budget cruises.

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Dust off your flip-flops and sunglasses! It's time to start planning your best budget-friendly summer vacation on a summer cruise.

Rotán, Honduras

Western Caribbean sailings may include a stop in Roatán, Honduras, an excellent value destination with many activities tied to its sprawling barrier reef — one of the largest in the world. Opt for a guided tour to snorkel with starfish or kayak through the crystal-clear waters. More budget-friendly activities include traversing deep into the dense jungle and encountering monkeys and sloths in a nature reserve. Roatán's affordable restaurants, shops and tours make this spot a highlight of an affordable summer vacation, allowing your dollar to stretch further.

Cozumel, Mexico

Eastern Caribbean sailings are also a great family summer vacation idea on a budget. These cruises may whisk you away to Cozumel, Mexico's dreamy island off the coast of the Riviera Maya. For a taste of the underwater world, leave the littlest cruisers with the grandparents or favorite aunt and dive Cozumel's thriving coral reefs, home to sunken planes, sharks, rays and other marine creatures.

Cozumel Columbia Reef Snorkeling Father and Son

Traverse deep into the dense jungle and encounter monkeys and sloths.

Perfect Day at CocoCay, The Bahamas

Some Royal Caribbean sailings to the Caribbean also include a day at Perfect Day at CocoCay, a resort-style private Bahamian destination that offers something for all adrenaline levels and every budget. With five included dining options and many complimentary activities, this island oasis gives you the freedom to explore without racking up a bill. Family-friendly water parks (Splashaway Bay℠ and Captain Jill's Galleon℠) and Oasis Lagoon® — the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean — are all included.

Beach Cabana Family Playing in the Sand, Perfect Day at Coco Cay

Mom looking proud at her daughter — kid playing ultimate family townhouse

Book Your Perfect Stateroom

Your stateroom is your family's home away from home, and choosing the right one is one of the best ways to customize your family's budget. Interior staterooms are an affordable and comfortable option for families who plan to be out and about all day and use the stateroom to rest and refresh at night. That doesn't mean they're bare bones: Some interior rooms even have cool virtual balconies, where you'll see a live feed of a balcony view on a high-definition screen.

Depending on your budget, there are many options available. Connecting staterooms are great options for an affordable vacation for large families, offering a blend of togetherness and privacy — as well as two bathrooms, which can be key if you're trying to get multiple kids ready for bed quickly or you need to get teens out the door in the morning to join a shore excursion. If you're traveling with several kids or bringing along the grandparents, it could also be worth investigating a spacious family-sized stateroom for an affordable summer vacation stateroom that can sleep up to six people in one laughter-filled suite.

Best of all, if you're traveling with little ones, cribs are included, as is continental room-service breakfast (juice, cereal, donuts, yogurt and fruit) — which is great for any kid who is known to wake up earlier than everyone else and is hungry.

royal caribbean odyssey of thee seas ifly ripcord activities aft

Assess What Is Included on Board

If you and your family members plan to relax by the pool all day or compete in activities — which might include laser tag, basketball games, bumper cars, miniature golf and surfing simulators — the best cruise lines for families offer plenty of fun things to do that won't cost extra. Even the teen lounges, home to video games, theme parties and nightly discos, are included in your fare.

If your heart is set on an affordable family adventure vacation, your gang can decide where to splurge. Teens might want to try the RipCord® by iFLY® skydiving simulator, while parents might prefer to indulge in a massage at the Vitality^SMSpa. Or, everyone can gather during the day for a special shore excursion (swimming with turtles in Barbados?) or at night for dinner in a specialty restaurant. Consider booking a table for your gang at Tuscan-influenced Jamie's Italian by Jamie Oliver, home to a menu designed by the British celebrity chef, or for the innovative and imaginative fare at Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine.

Cruises feature kid-friendly activities from morning until night for families who want to play together, but they also offer kids' clubs, which are great for parents who need a break on their summer vacation. On Royal Caribbean ships, the Adventure Ocean® Youth Program, included in the cruise fare, will have kids and teens making memories with interactive play spaces, tech and science workshops, craft sessions and immersive challenges. If there's still energy to burn after dinner, the kids' clubs and teen spaces have evening programs, too.

Or, gather your whole gang for dinner in the main dining room followed by one of the great shows you'll find included on board these cruise ships. Choose a Broadway-style musical, a performance on ice or a diving show in the AquaTheater (all of which are included in your cruise fare). Either way, you're sure to have one of the best family nights out you can remember.

Make Your Family Summer Vacation Unforgettable

From glacier spotting in Alaska to coral reef dives in Cozumel, budget-friendly family cruises make summer adventures easy, exciting and affordable for the whole family. With your meals, entertainment and accommodations included in your cruise fare, you can spend more time making memories during the summer adventure of a lifetime.

Family enjoying Mexican food at El Loco Fresh — UT, Utopia, WN, Wonder of the Seas, El Loco Fresh, family fun, enjoying Mexican food, female waiter looking on,

Explore cruises and give your family the ultimate summer getaway with an affordable coastal vacation.

Written By
CHANTAE REDEN

Chantae Reden is an adventure writer and photographer who rarely strays far from the coastline. She is a freediver, surfer, scuba diver and has a mild obsession with sharks. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Escape, ScubaDiving.com and she's a guidebook author for Moon Travel Guides. Discover more of her stories on her travel website, TheSaltSirens.com.

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