This interview is based on a conversation with Francine Bookbinder, 61, a retired teacher’s aide from New York City. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Our family has a long tradition of going on vacation together and of the older generation footing the bill.
It began in the 1990s when my husband, Robert, and I were raising our two young kids. He was an elementary school teacher and hardly made any money in those days.
My mother and grandmother loved our company and were generous enough to cover the cost of the trips. My brother often accompanied us, and we mostly went on Caribbean cruises.
We explored the Caribbean islands
The memories from those four generations’ trips were priceless. We still reminisce about the little things that made them special.
To this day, my daughters Alison, 36, and Abigail, 34, remember things I’ve forgotten, like playing ping-pong with my mom and the ball ending up in the ocean.
They’d make fun of Grandpa sleeping on the pool deck with a hat over his head. It was great to explore such beautiful islands as a family.
I’d often stay with the girls on the beach while the others went on excursions, like going underwater in a submarine. We’d meet for dinner at the end of the day and discuss our separate adventures.
Then Mom and Dad would take Alison to the midnight buffet while the rest of us were asleep. They ate a lot of chocolate desserts.
Thirty years on, I revived the tradition of family vacations with my own grandchildren. There’s nothing better than treating the people you love most.
It would be strange not to go on vacation together
Robert and I are both retired and live in the moment. We want to spend time with our grandkids for as long as we’re active and able.
Alison took a bit of persuasion to come on our first five-day trip to the Dominican Republic because her youngest, Leah, was a toddler at the time. But it worked out so well, we went back to the same hotel within a matter of months, this time staying a whole week.
It definitely helped Alison and her husband, Bill, chill out, knowing there were extra sets of eyes on Leah, now 5, and her brother, Ryan, now 7.
Abigail came along too, and we’ve never looked back. It would feel strange not to all go on a vacation together.
We’ve since stayed at all-inclusive hotels on Aruba and took a five-day cruise to Bermuda last year.
I’ve learned that a great way to save money on cruises is to book interior staterooms. It never bothers us that we don’t have a window or balcony.
“Rooms are just for sleeping in,” Alison said. We were always out and about on the decks of the ship and wore ourselves out with all the excursions and activities.
In June, we’re taking a weeklong cruise from Bayonne, New Jersey, to Port Canaveral, the Bahamas, and the cruise line’s private island. It cost just under $10,000 for all seven of us to go.
I’m a firm believer in booking early with my travel agent, who guides us on the best times and places to go.
We escaped the winter snow this year
We like to escape winter in New York, so staying at a hotel in Aruba has become a firm favorite. This January, we spent $20,000 on a weeklong all-inclusive package with three adjoining rooms.
It was great timing because we missed gigantic snowstorms in the city.
We’re a close family and don’t argue. We split the childcare duties where we can. For example, if the others want to go out gambling in Aruba, I’ll stay with the children at the hotel.
Then Robert and I will go another night.
I’m all for the saying that you can’t take your money with you. I’d rather spend it now, while I’m around to see my family happy and laughing all together.
It’s really down to Robert because he was wise to have a tax-deferred annuity or TDA when he was working.
We don’t do it for the thank yous
We don’t make a big deal out of paying for these vacations. Our adult children have other big expenses, and it feels good to help them out.
My daughters and son-in-law always make a point of treating us to something fun in return, like a snorkeling trip, when we’re away together.
They’ve gently told the children that they wouldn’t be in Aruba or going on a boat cruise if it weren’t for Grandma and Grandpa.
But we don’t do it for the thank yous. We do it for the precious travel memories — like the ones my parents and grandmother gave us.
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