Help me spend my money!

[Catrinka]

We have £6.5k budget for a holiday. Won't have this again for a long time so want it to be a bit more special.

2 adults 6 year old dd

Looking to go the week before or after a school holiday - feel fine taking her out for a week but longer feels naughty! Feb would be ideal.

First choice was maldives, been there years back and loved it plus wanted to take dd snorkelling and this is ideal as so shallow. However flights are indirect with Emirates via dubai which Is putting me off (I hate take off! It makes me cry through being so scared lol) direct with BA puts it out of budget.

Then I looked at Singapore, all looks amazing but 14 hours flight, I don't know if dd (or me!) Will cope that long?

.I found a cruise going around Japan in the spring for the famous blossom - but iv been told its hard to get to Japan because of Russian Air space hence BA can't currently fly there. Next year may be ok but I'd want to get the cruise booked and it seems risky? Was gutted about this one.

Looking at lapland, looked at Costa rica.

Looking at caribbean cruises, but when I Google the ports some look not so idyllic as I thought so I'm put off.

I just cant make a decision and it's getting stressful - any help appreciated. As you can tell sun snow beach or city I don't mind!

Carribean cruise

It was amazing
Start to finish just superb

Or what about a few holidays with that money and stay in nice 5star hotels closer to home or just a short flight away??

Sounds amazing though you will have plenty to chose from xxxxx

Cape Verde is good for snorkelling….and direct flights are around 6 hours …and good weather all year round….I’ve not been opersonally…but a few people at work have and have raved about it….and reasonable priced too…you could probably go twice for your budget

Could you tell me what cruise liner and some of the ports you visited? 😃

Royal carribean

Bahamas
Mexico
Belieze

Was just heaven
The food it out of this world
One experience I will never forget

Maybe splash out on a balcony room if you can?

I will take a look thank you, didn't realise it was good for snorkelling

Mauritius is a great family destination although February can be a bit hot. Thailand is a good bet that time of year. Your money will go a lot further and you can stay in a fabulous hotel. I find the Caribbean hotels very expensive for what they are but you don’t spend that much time in your room so……

Not sure your budget would stretch to high season Caribbean for 2 weeks on a better island.

No mainstream cruise food is that good! Just impossible. It won’t be Michelin standard. Caribbean cruises can stop at decent ports but few of the islands have their best destinations at the ports. Some are truly horrible. You have to get off the ship and get to a decent beach. Often that is not so easy! The shuttles the cruise ships use take you to very lacklustre beaches quite often so you muss out in the best ones. Cruise ports are shipping destinations really!

Japan. I love Japan but not right now. Compulsory mask wearing! Yuk! Feb is too early for cherry blossom too. You need Easter for that. Prices are cheap for Japan right now because no one is going.

If you can afford it, California is great for touring in Feb. No wild fires and fewer tourists. Not as good for beaches but plenty to see and do for 2 weeks. The $/£ exchange rate is a killer though! Thailand and Vietnam might be ok. I would look at families worldwide web site and see where they go. South Africa also works in Feb, especially the Garden Route.