Suggestions on family Mediterranean cruise with young kids?

Hi,

I was just starting to plan our next cruise, which we want to be a Mediterranean one.

Looks like there are not a lot of options from DCL, and looks like none of those stops at Greek port. Is this correct?

This is for our family cruise, probably in 2020 (I am starting research early). We will have two grandparents in early 70s, me and wife at 40s, two kids 8 and 3.

We have never been to Europe before, but I have always wanted to visit Greece.

If DCL doesn't stop at Greek ports, what other cruise lines may be a good family cruise alternatives?

I’m taking my family on a Mediterranean cruise this fall. My children are 8 and 6. We have selected the MSC Meraviglia out of the port of Civitavecchia (Rome) for several reasons. First, we can fly nonstop from our hometown to Rome which is a big plus, specially traveling with small children. Second, they have a “kids sail free” promotion which makes the overall cost of our cruise substantially cheaper than most other options. We have selected an Aurea Duplex Suite (which is a double deck loft style suite with separate dining and living room, 2 bathrooms, and forward facing terrace with its own hot tub) for about HALF of what it cost us to sail on the Disney Fantasy in a standard balcony stateroom last November. In addition the the amazing stateroom, we will get complimentary access to the Aurea Spa Thermal Suite as well as several other perks as part of their loyalty match program (they’ll match your highest past guest status with other cruise line to theirs).

The Meraviglia is part of MSC’s largest class of ship (only ships larger are Royal’s Oasis class ships). The activities and entertainment, not only for the kids but also for the whole family, are pretty extensive.

The itinerary will take us to Palermo, Valletta, Barcelona, Marseille and Genoa. It’s not our ideal itinerary, but we are still happy with it, specially considering all the other perks that we are already receiving.

We have previously sailed on MSC out of Miami and enjoyed them enough to give them a second chance. While their kids program isn’t nearly as extensive as Disney’s, our kids absolutely loved it (in fact, they told us that they liked it more than Disney’s. Go figure).

About selecting Disney to sail in Europe: Unless you’re a big Disney fan that must have the Disney pixie dust no matter where you vacation, I would recommend that you look at other cruise lines. Contrary to the Caribbean, in Europe the main attraction are the ports, so I consider it somewhat silly to spend Disney’s overinflated prices in that region. There’s plenty to choose from. You just need to figure out what’s important to you and narrow it down from there. Enjoy!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I would look at Norwegian, I know they have an itinerary that stops in a few ports in Greece! I can say that my kids loved the Jade and the Jewel! We’ve never done a cruise abroad but it’s on our to do list!

With the exception of some luxury lines, all lines have a kids program. Think about what YOU and the other adults want so see/do in the Med. Much of it will not be suitable for a child the age of 3. Think 8 hours out in summer heat and no chicken tenders or nap. Unlike the Caribbean, the Med. is not about beaches and attractions created to attract tourists. It's about history, culture and ruins. And food. That said, go to http://www.cruisetimetables.com and from the Ports of Call board, plug in the ports you want to see, and the dates available. It will tell you who calls there, and their itineraries. You may find pickings a little thin yet for 2020, so you might look at 2019 to get an idea of what might be offered. EM

Disney's "kids clubs" are not as "structured" as the other lines...and I think you'll find that most kids like some structure...most kids do say they prefer other clubs to Disney's!

In my mind, on a European cruise, the ports are the focus, so the ship really becomes more like a floating hotel that transports your from place to place, rather than the destination itself. Since all the mainstream lines will have a kids program for your children (will the 3 year old be potty trained?) I would choose a cruise based on itinerary and price. I took my girls on an Eastern Med itinerary on NCL when my twins turned 5 and we had an amazing time, but hardly used the kids program or ship amenities since once we returned from port we'd eat and collapse into bed. I'd suggest you book the itinerary you want and spend money on private tours rather than Disney $$$. Private tours will usually get you to the sites before the busloads arrive and you can choose your priorities (exploring rather than shopping/museums) and go at your own pace.

All the best,

Mia

Thanks for all your suggestions! It's so helpful. I totally agree with you that itinerary should be the first choice, and I only mentioned DCL is because I think they have a good nursery/kids program. I am not tied to them or anything.

I think what we need is a good nursery program that can let us adults (plus the 8yr old) to go on shore excursion while the little one can stay in nursery. At night there are some shows that attracts kids. For example, we were on Oasis of the Seas for Western Caribbean route and my DD was so excited about the water show and the production shows. My impression is that Holland America and Celebrity, even Princess, can be lacking on kids program, and that's what we want to avoid.

I was reading MSC line has a lot of a la carte pricing items that's different than other major US lines like Princess / RCCL, so I need to do more research, but I am glad they have extensive kids program. Looks like NCL and RCCL are other good options. Should I look at Costa line as well? How's their nursery/kids program?

When you are looking at Costa and MSC, pay close attention to the times in port. They cater mostly to Europeans, many of whom are on the ship just to relax, and do not even leave the ship in port because they have been there many times. Therefore port times are often shorter. If they offer excursions in English, they may often be cancelled for lack of enough people. If you plan to do your own tours, that would not be an issue. Upi also need to explore the 'extras' you mentioned. MSC and Costa do not offer a pitcher of ice water at meals: you have to buy water. Little things like that. EM

I think what we need is a good nursery program that can let us adults (plus the 8yr old) to go on shore excursion while the little one can stay in nursery.

 

I was reading MSC line has a lot of a la carte pricing items that's different than other major US lines like Princess / RCCL, so I need to do more research

It’s true that MSC among other European cruise lines do charge for things that are normally included on American cruise lines. However, their fares tend to be lower as well. When we sailed on the MSC Divina, I budgeted for things like water, specialty coffees, 4D simulator, bowling, etc. But even with all of that, we were still way ahead of the game. Our cruise fare was so low that it freed a lot of cash to pay for any add ons.

About kids programs, most cruise lines will provide these services free of charge to kids who have at least turned 3. I highly recommend that you find out what the port hours normally are for each cruise line. Some may not be open enough hours to allow you to go ashore while you leave your youngest one at the kids camp. When we sailed on Disney there were times when the onboard kids program wasn’t available at all on port days. On Carnival they’d only be open from port arrival time until noon.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Have you considered a Baltic cruise? We took our 3.5 year old on that and it was amazing, and had a lot of things for small kids plus a lot of fascinating history. My son now says his three favorite cities are NY, Stockholm and St. Petersburg. The weather is a little easier than the Med in the summer, and you dock really close within the main cities, so it is easy to hit the ground running with kids.

Do check with the cruise lines about port days - I believe most will let you leave a child on board while you tour, but I was surprised to learn on my last cruise that Cunard does not allow this. At least one guardian must remain on board, and the kids club is closed on mornings when the ship is in port. This didn't affect us at all, as we had planned on taking our kids with us on tour, but it's something to confirm prior to sailing if it is important to your family.

Disney's "kids clubs" are not as "structured" as the other lines...and I think you'll find that most kids like some structure...most kids do say they prefer other clubs to Disney's!

Really? Most kids say this. When did you talk to all these kids?:rolleyes:

Really? Most kids say this. When did you talk to all these kids?:rolleyes:

I can only tell you what my kids said and they did say that the preferred both MSC and RCL over Disney. Why? Because the Oceaneer’s Lab is enclosed and claustrophobic. They hated that they were so contained in a place with basically no windows. And if they ever had a meal at the club, it consisted of “the same yucky cheese sandwiches on stale bread” (their exact words). On MSC they got to rotate venues and even participate at the kids talent show at the main theater in front of an audience. They’d be taken to a kids themed section of the main buffet where they had a wide selection of food to choose from. They also loved MSC’s mascot and begged for plush dolls to bring home. They kept singing the theme song long before we got home. We couldn’t get it out of our heads. [emoji23] Interestingly, my kids didn’t remotely develop any feelings like that for any Disney character and as soon as we got home, they stopped talking about our Disney cruise.

So although I know that I’m only speaking for my kids, I would be surprised if they’re the only ones that don’t think as highly of Disney as some Disney fans on these boards think.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

The weather is a little easier than the Med in the summer, and you dock really close within the main cities, so it is easy to hit the ground running with kids.

This shows how little do I know about the weather. If we go in June, will the weather be too hot in Med? We went to Alaska cruise in May before, and we thought it was chilly on deck. It was perfectly fine for us back then (no kids), but may be too cold for 3.5 yr. Does it feel differently for Baltic Sea itinerary?

How's the weather comparison between Caribbean in November vs. Mediterranean in June?

I can only tell you what my kids said and they did say that the preferred both MSC and RCL over Disney. Why? Because the Oceaneer’s Lab is enclosed and claustrophobic. They hated that they were so contained in a place with basically no windows. And if they ever had a meal at the club, it consisted of “the same yucky cheese sandwiches on stale bread” (their exact words). On MSC they got to rotate venues and even participate at the kids talent show at the main theater in front of an audience. They’d be taken to a kids themed section of the main buffet where they had a wide selection of food to choose from. They also loved MSC’s mascot and begged for plush dolls to bring home. They kept singing the theme song long before we got home. We couldn’t get it out of our heads. [emoji23] Interestingly, my kids didn’t remotely develop any feelings like that for any Disney character and as soon as we got home, they stopped talking about our Disney cruise.

 

So although I know that I’m only speaking for my kids, I would be surprised if they’re the only ones that don’t think as highly of Disney as some Disney fans on these boards think.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I thank you for your specific answer pertaining to only your kids. My response was to the poster who makes these blanket statements as in "MOST kids, etc". I just wonder where she gets her info for these statements. I feel that we should not give info that might be misleading to others. Thanks again for your post.:)

I think you are right - it actually could be a little cool on a Baltic cruise at night. We were chasing around a three year old, and he went to the kids club when we got on board and we were too tired to wander the ship so I wouldn't even be able to tell you if it was cool at night. The Baltic board should be helpful if this is a trip to you'd consider.

As for Disney, I think parents of very young children or sensitive children should be aware of the large age range in the kids clubs, and decide if their kids clubs are likely to work for them. Our local Y has wonderful programs where they let the kids go to local restaurants and cook, but the afternoon consists of 100 kids running around a field, barely supervised. My son loves this camp, but when recommending it to others I need to tell them that I knew kids who went there once and refused to go back since it was so unstructured in the afternoons.

This shows how little do I know about the weather. If we go in June, will the weather be too hot in Med? We went to Alaska cruise in May before, and we thought it was chilly on deck. It was perfectly fine for us back then (no kids), but may be too cold for 3.5 yr. Does it feel differently for Baltic Sea itinerary?

 

How's the weather comparison between Caribbean in November vs. Mediterranean in June?

You're probably looking at temperatures around 30C (about mid-80s in F) in the Med in June . . . which can be hot if you're out in the sunshine with little shade. Whereas in the Baltic, you're probably going to get temperatures around 20C (about 70F) -- beautiful for touring, but you'd probably want to throw on a sweater in the morning or evening.

We did a Baltic cruise with the kids and they loved it, btw. There's a lot to see that's kid-friendly in all the ports, especially if you use the savings from not cruising Disney toward private tours in ports like St. Petersburg.

And you really don't need Disney to have kids' club amenities. Any mass market line in the summer will have offerings for kids, although these can vary based on the line, the ship, the time of year, etc. Our Baltic cruise was on the Regal Princess, and while you wouldn't think Princess, as a line, had much for kids, the Regal Princess is a *large* ship and we were touring mid-summer, so there were kids and Princess did an excellent job of accommodating them. Ours loved the kids' club on board, which was divided into age-appropriate groupings with organized programming (and they did have programs during port days where you could leave your child in the kids' club, though we never did).

This summer we're in the Med (including Greece) with Celebrity, and I'm sure my kids will enjoy the clubs on board . . . although I might melt. (Our savings from not going Disney are going toward private tours in air-conditioned vehicles. I wish we could tour in the shoulder season.)

Really? Most kids say this. When did you talk to all these kids?:rolleyes:

Any course on early childhood will teach that young children crave structure, it’s a foundational concept for early education. Any preschool, kindergarten, elementary school teacher would tell you the same.

Most parents pick up on it pretty quickly too, because happy relaxed kid is so much more pleasant than stressed out anxious kid.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums