An upcoming trip is an exciting prospect, but it can be quite a process to plan all the little details. If you’re travelling with kids, this process is doubled for each tiny traveler you bring. Creating a travel plan before you go can make life a lot easier, allowing you to enjoy the planning process too. Here, we walk you through how to plan a trip and all the tips to help you enjoy it.

Location, location, location

The first step is, of course, deciding where you want to travel to. This might sound easy, but your destination needs to cater to your likes and also fit within your budget. Other factors you’ll need to consider are:

When to Travel – ensure you’re travelling at the optimal time of year for your destination, taking weather, peak tourist activity and events into consideration. Don’t forget to base your budget on the correct season too. You might see low season prices online, but encounter high season prices when you book your accommodation.

Travel time – You don’t want to be travelling for three days if your trip is only a week long! The best sorts of trips are the ones where the travel is part of the entertainment itself, such as a cruise. A reputable cruise liner like Carnival Cruise Line will ensure you’re entertained the whole way with more than 45 daily activities from mini golf to free kids clubs, Broadway-style shows and a whole lot more.

Companions – you need to take into account your companions’ tastes and budget too. If your travelling companions are family, you’ll likely have a variety of ages and tastes to cater to, which can make the destination difficult to choose. Thankfully, there are plenty of places who cater for both adults and children, and as previously mentioned, cruises are great at this, with so much for the kids to do safely while the adults relax. Regardless, it’s a great idea to sit down for a chat with your travelling companions to ensure you’re all on the same page.

Early bird versus last minute

Your largest expenses will be your travel and accommodation, but you can save money on these by either booking them well in advance for early bird prices, or just at the last minute, where there are often last-minute deals. Signing up to emails is also a great way to stay across the best offers available on any given day.

Check your travel requirements

If you’re going overseas, it’s vitally important to check your passport to make sure it’s valid for the required number of months after your date of stay, has enough pages left for stamps and meets the requirements of the country you’re travelling to.

Getting around

Don’t forget to figure out how you’ll get around once you’re at your destination. Are you going to drive or use public transport? If the latter, ensure you know how to get around before you leave so you’re not stressing out while you’re there. Some transport options require a pre-purchase, which you can usually do online. Others may benefit from pre-booking, such as rental cars. The easiest trips have travel included as part of the deal, such as bus tours . Cruise lines offer exciting shore excursions where everything from transport to activities and meals are organised for you ashore and all you have to do is show up.

Create an itinerary

You’ll want to find activities that everyone will love just as much as you. Creating an itinerary before you leave is a great idea, as it allows you to fit all the fun stuff in and ensure you don’t miss anything.

Eat, drink and have fun

Food and drink are an integral part of travel and some people even plan entire holidays around food, so why not create a meal plan to meet your tastes and budget? By choosing to go on a cruise with Carnival, you’ll not only have a selection of amazing food onboard, but you’ll also get unlimited 24/7 free pizza & ice cream.

As you can see, a great trip is all about planning and knowing what to expect.It can be difficult to please the whole family, but choosing something like a Carnival cruise will ensure fun for all..