Looking for TUI holiday suggestions for families with teens!

[geemumsnet]

Have you taken a TUI holiday with teenage kids that offered something for everyone?

Whether it was at a TUI hotel, a Marella cruise, or a Crystal Ski Holidays getaway, we’d love to hear about your favourite holiday experience with your teens. Or maybe you’ve planned one for this year? Share your experiences and recommendations in the comments below!

One lucky winner that takes part in the discussion will receive a £100 VEX voucher - T&Cs here.

Here’s what TUI have to say:

"At our TUI BLUE hotels with a Family Fun highlight, we’ve created a dedicated teens area exclusively designed for teenagers aged 12-15 with a range of activities tailored just for them. This includes beach and pool games, various challenges, and a fun evening party once a week. Available from June to September, it's the perfect way for teens to have a bit of independence and make new friends while on holiday. We also have plenty of hotels with on-site waterparks!

Our family-friendly ships are also well versed in keeping kids of all ages entertained with escape rooms, climbing walls, minigolf courses and indoor-and-outdoor cinemas on offer. The Hideout is a designated space for 12 - 17 year olds and adults and kids can also enjoy the Gamer Zone. What’s more, Marella Discovery 2 has recently introduced its first immersive interactive gaming experience, Play Wall, for the whole family to enjoy!"

You have until 15th April to comment and be entered into the prize draw. Good luck!

I'm planning an all inclusive hotel to the Costa's - not a fan of long haul this year, kids clubs to good activities and good reviews from the Tui website.

I would love an ocean cruise, with stop offs at an array of places to visit, an inner stateroom would be ok with us - as it's just a place to sleep and it's more affordable. The entertainment for teens is better than the last hotel we stayed in - with a cinema for sea days, a gym and football astroturf pitch. We have the chance to eat at a self serve or waiter service restaurant depending on how our day has been.

I've always wanted to take my DC's on a skiiing holiday, and would love to know if any MNetters have had a successful one - in terms of buying clothing, hiring equipment and what the rooms are like.

I'm reading these ideas as I'll have a teenager this year. I'd like to take the kids to Majorca, I enjoyed a holiday there when I was a teen. Or somewhere warm with a water park would be ideal.

I think they need 'some' independence, but you need to know they are safe, for us it's a hotel with lots to do, and with an all inclusive with 2 or 3 pools, and activities, your teen will be occupied. We don't take phones or ipads to the hotel - it's likely to get lost. Having a buffet choice of foods means there is always something for even the most picky of eaters (ours only ate pasta and cheese on the last holiday)

I am looking at Mexico, Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun In Riviera Maya, Mexico - Caribbean Coast, Mexico. The waterslides look fabulous for our young teens. The entertainment centre looks like something they would enjoy, along with the vast array of restaurants. I have never been to Mexico - but have heard good things about this country.

We did a Marella Cruise - after ours was cancelled due to Covid. The boat looked smaller than I expected - but it was like a tardis inside - so much packed in, and so much to do for all ages, from deck sports to the outdoor slide and astroturf pitch, Take your teen to a speciality restaurant for a meal where they can dress up, and make sure you pack an outfit for Captains night.

One of our best holidays with teens was a Mediterranean cruise. It was all inclusive and had a continual supply of ice cream sundaes and crepes for snaking! The top deck pool was small but had flume slides which the kids loved. Most days we had on-shore trips planned which kept everyone interested. As the ship was huge, there was a lot of variety for evening meal choices. We were hardly fever in our cabin except to sleep, but the cuteness of it appealed to children. Everyone was happy!

Guess it depends what kind of teens you have- mine was a fussy git ( male) and he hated buffets! Liked going out every night - and didn’t like feeling he had to stay in same place each evening as it wasAI

Another vote for an all inclusive with choices of buffet restaurants, and a waterpark pool slide.

We went with Crystal Ski to Andorra skiing when our twins were ten. My husband has just taken them again (without me but with two of his friends) to Soll in Austria. They had the best time! My daughter - now 16 - has not stopped raving about it although they've been back for a week. They stayed in a B&B and ate out in the evenings, had an absolute ball.

I'd love an all inclusive, with plenty of activities, and where the lifeguards are on duty at all pools, little ones wear armbands and we stay with them, the teens have some freedom, but must tell is where they will be if we need them. Mealtimes are easier so the fussy pasta eater and adventurous teen who would try squid can eat.

Love the waterpark holiday deals - all inclusive and wi-fi for the instagram shots for your teens. Dominican Republic at a really good deal at the moment - really considering this for 2026. There are splash parks for younger and older children at Grand Sirenis Punta Cana Resort & Aquagames.

we went to Austria with TUI last summer, the whole family loved it! DH wasn’t keen on the idea but by the end of the holiday he was saying he’d be happy to go back. Brilliant for teens as there’s enough to keep them active.

We’ve booked Grupotel Turquesa Mar in Menorca for the 2nd time with my teen.

He loved it and all the activities last year, which made it a super easy and relaxing holiday for us.

@Chill Guy Game I took my family, including my two teens (13 and 15), on a TUI BLUE holiday last summer, and it was a fantastic experience for all of us. We stayed at one of their hotels with the Family Fun highlight, and the dedicated teens area was a game-changer. My kids loved the beach games and the weekly evening party - it gave them a chance to hang out with other teens and feel a bit independent, while I got to relax by the pool knowing they were having fun. The on-site waterpark was a huge hit too; we all ended up racing down the slides together, which turned into some unexpected family bonding!

I'd recommend checking the flight times and distance from the airport to your hotel - it can add a whole lot of time to your holiday - and with grumpy teens not much fun.

Bulgaria is not a place I'd consider, but the price, location and waterpark next to Aqua Paradise Resort looks like something to consider for this year. The trip advisor views which I always read are good too. Definitely one to put on the short list

Cape Verde was the best for miles for relaxing. Perfect weather in Decent. Tui made it very easy for us all.

I would ideally like as short a flight as possible, and for 16 plus teens this adults only hotel TUI BLUE Riviera In Benalmadena, Costa del Sol, Andalucia, Spain, is a good price, and has a lot to offer for a 16 and 17 year old.

The TUI Blue Sensatori Coral Bay in Egypt has so much for everyone. It’s right on the beach so teens can be separate to the rest of the family if they want to. They can snorkel from there for free or go on a dessert buggy tour for a fee.

There are so great restaurants and snacks and so they can grab what they want when they want and the coffee shop even shows the football. It’s all inclusive so no worry about costs unless on excursions

A big treat for us was the Sensatori AkraFethiye in Turkey. With an all inclusive there was something for everyone - no cooking for us adults and the teens could do water activities and swim while I soaked up the sun and relaxed. Amazing.

Another vote for an all inclusive - when they are teens and hopefully responsible they can eat with you or when they want, as long as they are in their room for a reasonable time - your can let them have some freedom - betray this trust, and change the goalposts so they have less freedom around their movements - you can have a more relaxed holidays and the teens have some life skills going forward re time management and thinking for themselves

Adjoining rooms - you and your DP have one and the teens have the other room - they know you 'can' check on them, and they have some responsibility for their room and when they go to bed (as long as they know you'll expect to see them in the morning - or it's a wake up call from you). Gives you and your DP some much needed space.

Our Dubai holiday was outstanding for teens. So much to see and do and they begin to appreciate the luxury. Florida is high up there too!