Offload the urchins
Simply Travel has extended children's clubs to its Crete brochure for next summer. Simply Crete (020 8541 2277) offers a 'shrimps' creche for the under-fives and an 'urchins' children's club for five to 10-year-olds at the new Aloni apartments near the village of Stavros, 20 minutes from Chania. Qualified nannies will look after the children in purpose-built facilities. Children can be pre-booked for the clubs for five full days (at £105) or five half-days (£65) a week. Prices start at £491 per person based on four sharing a self-catering apartment, including return flights and car hire.
Island hideaway
Elegant Resorts (0870 33 33 393) introduces the Robinson Crusoe-style retreat of Palm Island in the Grenadines to its luxury Caribbean brochure. This private island has five beaches but if you want company head for the neighbouring island of Canouan where Carenage Bay, an Italian-style resort, has a casino, nightclub and golf course. New hotels featured include the Hyatt Regency on St Lucia and the Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall on Jamaica.
On yer bike
Route notes for cyclists staying at 43 campsites in France are offered next summer by Keycamp (0870 7000 123). Keycamp's 25th anniversary brochure has added cycling following the success of its walking notes this year. Football coaching is offered at four sites in Brittany and the Vendée and activity couriers are available in peak season at certain campsites. There are discounts for families who book before 31 January, including £60 for single parents.
Berthing experience
Don't let inexperience with boats put you off, says Norfolk Broads Direct (0800 917 3206). Reassurance is offered by boatyard lessons on the easy-to-drive boats and engineers are on call if a problem arises. The company has a fleet of 150 cruisers from traditional family style to the more sporty. Four-berth prices start at £374 per week up to 30 April, excluding Christmas and Easter and short breaks are available.
New resort
Family-run hotels in Turkey and northern Cyprus are the feature of the 2001 brochure from Anatolian Sky Holidays (0121 325 5500). A new resort is Gocek, a sleepy traditional Turkish town whose marina is a popular stopping place for yachts and gulets. A week's B&B at the 11-room owner-managed hotel A&B Home (named after owners Ayse and Birken) starts at £399 including flights to Dalaman and the one-hour transfer.
