Family Cruise to the Mediterranean

[cwccdc]

Hello!

We are planning a Mediterranean cruise for June 2013 and would like some tips. We will be traveling with our 2 boys ages 5 and 9. We are in the planning stage right now so any information on which ships and ports would be helpful. We would love to see Greece. Not sure on if a 7 day or 12 day would be better for our boys. Is 12 days too long????? Any help and information would be great! Thanks

[junglejane]

We have taken our kids to the Med twice, once when they were 7 and 11 and the second time (last summer) when they were 11 and 14. Both cruises were fantastic. My personal opinion is that if you are going to go to all the trouble and expense to fly to the Mediterranean, you should stay long enough to make it worthwhile. So I would lean toward a 12 day cruise or else add some extra pre- or post-cruise days to a 7 day. But the itinerary is much more important than the ship. Med cruises are always port intensive so you spend less time onboard than you would on, say, a Caribbean cruise.

 

When we picked our last Med cruise, I started out knowing that I wanted the cruise to begin or end in Rome so that we could spend several days there. Our previous cruise was Venice-Barcelona. You can't begin to do justice to Rome in a one day visit from the port. For one thing, it takes 90 minutes just to get to Rome from the port. Also I was looking for a cruise that went to Istanbul. Once I started looking for a cruise that met those criteria in the time frame I wanted, it was pretty easy to zero in on the choice.

 

Also, the port of call boards are great places to get information on specific ports once you settle on your itinerary. And of course, be sure to join your Roll Call. It's a great way to exchange information and maybe set up some private tours. Have fun planning the trip. I always enjoy the planning part almost as much as the trip itself.:)

[chipmaster]

Welcome to CC,

 

We took 3 kids, the youngest at the time was 7 a few years back. In the end you have to decide if the vacation is for parents / cultural and that the kids will enjoy some aspects, get some education and will for sure find other aspects boring.

 

We initially picked cruiseline, thinking Disney or RCCL as more kid friendly. We quickly decided that after factoring in the money for cabin, excursions, flights we'd pick the ship/line for the port lineup. During the summer all the major lines should have active kids clubs. The only possible thing to weigh is that a large portion of the kids could be European but our kids did find many english speaking kids on our Princess cruise. So in hindsight they ship was good enough, and I'm happy I focused on ship/line based on the ports we adults wanted. I could have picked a more "kid" focused and gave up the ports. Disney was my example, wonderful line, great service, great kids club, at the time their port lineup couldn't compare to what several other lines offered. I am so HAPPY I didn't pick the line and missed the ports. Even now when my kids look back at the vacation they can't believe they visited some cool places. They do joke about seeing so many ruins and boring museums :rolleyes:

 

As to 7 days or 12 days etc, pick the longest of course! After taking in flight and time adjust might as well make the most of the big trip/expense. You should also consider flying in a few days earlier to get adjusted as well as have a few days in the embarkation port. Even better would be to pick a line/ship that embarks and disembarks in two different places give you more time to explore in two cities at the beginning and end.

 

Be warned that Med is very port intensive so the kids will find many things less than exciting ( ruins, church, musuems, history etc. ). In reflection, I'm happy I did private tours ( time and $ efficient ) and more kid friendly than any big bus tours. So budget, research and plan your ports and port excursion as well in putting the whole thing togather.

 

As the other poster suggest, read up the ports of calls and perhaps this site also:http://www.europeportreviews.com/

 

Happy planning

Hello!

We are planning a Mediterranean cruise for June 2013 and would like some tips. We will be traveling with our 2 boys ages 5 and 9. We are in the planning stage right now so any information on which ships and ports would be helpful. We would love to see Greece. Not sure on if a 7 day or 12 day would be better for our boys. Is 12 days too long????? Any help and information would be great! Thanks

[koalagurl]

We did this last summer with our kids (6 and 4 at the time.). We had a great time!!

 

I'll agree with what has been posted so far. It would have been great to do a longer cruise, definitely!!

 

Private tours really were the key to enjoying our port days!! Worth every penny!

[scarlett81]

We're about to take our little ones on a Med cruise. They are younger than yours-1, and 5. We travel everywhere with our kids, but typically this is more trip than we'd take. However, its my parents 50th anniversary so thats why we're going all out.

We planned this over a year, and after all the research I've done and all the people I've talked to, I'd say pick the itinerary that fits you best. You can find something in each port to interest the kids. If there is a particular city that you want to spend more time in, that pick cruises that start or end there. That will help you narrow down the endless choices out there.

Then look at the cruise line's amenities for the kids-are you interested in a kids club, arcade, babysitting? Some lines offer it, some don't, so that will help you narrow it down further.

As far as length, 7 days is way too short. Its going to take all of you, especially the kids 2-3 days to adjust to the time change. If you do a 7 day cruise then I'd add on 3 days before or after to make the trip longer. Its so far to go, with or without kids, for just 7 days.

Happy planning!

[onthelake]

I agree that the trip is all about the ports and 12 days is better than 7. This will allow for some relaxation as well as port time. I know it adds an extra level of investigation but look at whether you dock or tender at the ports and how many ships are there at the same time. It can truly impact your enjoyment. Also consider what your parents will enoy since it is their anniversary and their energy level will need consideration. There are so many choices, focus on a time frame and go from there.

[Onessa]

A lot depends upon your kids. Our DD's first time in Italy was when she was 4YO - and while we factored in some more kid friendly excursions (places where she could run and/or play), she did end up in many art museums and churches and whatever. She always did kind of like art so she was ok with it -- she is less thrilled with the antiquities type museums - but does like the more open sites (Colesuim in Rome, Pompeii, etc.)

 

She's 16YO now and still really likes to travel - she doesn't want a trip where she sits on the beach or by the pool -- she wants to be "doing" something.

 

The flight can be killer with the younger kids, so a longer stay makes sense. Even if you only do a 7 or 10 day cruise, plan to spend some time on land before or after.

 

Be sure to include some train trips, some national parks, and lots of outdoor places.

[The Macpac]

We're about to take our little ones on a Med cruise. They are younger than yours-1, and 5. We travel everywhere with our kids, but typically this is more trip than we'd take. However, its my parents 50th anniversary so thats why we're going all out.

We planned this over a year, and after all the research I've done and all the people I've talked to, I'd say pick the itinerary that fits you best. You can find something in each port to interest the kids. If there is a particular city that you want to spend more time in, that pick cruises that start or end there. That will help you narrow down the endless choices out there.

Then look at the cruise line's amenities for the kids-are you interested in a kids club, arcade, babysitting? Some lines offer it, some don't, so that will help you narrow it down further.

As far as length, 7 days is way too short. Its going to take all of you, especially the kids 2-3 days to adjust to the time change. If you do a 7 day cruise then I'd add on 3 days before or after to make the trip longer. Its so far to go, with or without kids, for just 7 days. Happy planning!

 

We have just booked our first Med cruise and we are going in two months time. I feel overwhelmed with information on the ports and dont have that long to research. We have a three year old son and I would be so grateful if you would give me some tips and pointers as you seem to have really done your research on what to do with your one and five year old. : )

[*source*]

We have just booked our first Med cruise and we are going in two months time. I feel overwhelmed with information on the ports and dont have that long to research. We have a three year old son and I would be so grateful if you would give me some tips and pointers as you seem to have really done your research on what to do with your one and five year old. : )

 

What route are you going? What ports? We did a Med cruise last Oct...

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I have done Western Med. Greece/Turkey , Norway and British Isles.

 

To the OP if you are still checking this thread... the most ideal cruise with kids is out of Venice.

 

Venice is the most magical port imaginable and it is actually easy to get to the port from the airport by land taxi.

 

The cruise I highly recommend is Holland America roundtrip Venice with stops in Greece and Turkey. It was totally fun for my son and relaxing to boot! There is one sailing on July 2, 2013 that would work for you.

 

The great thing is the day you arrive you get to the ship unpack. You have an overnight in Venice- so you don't need to book a hotel in Venice. We did a large balcony stateroom with a huge balcony and it would be very comfortable for a family of four.

 

Venice is magical and the kids will love it. The itinerary changed since I sailed there in 2008 but these were the highlights...

 

Thira (Santorini): Buy cablecar tickets in advance. You can do the donkey rides up but personally I think it is cruel. I loved Santorini and once you get on some of the smaller alleys- the kids can run around and explore. It is fun there. Casa Blanca (ironically a red building) is a B&B with al fresco dining- loved it there. Lots of views from Santorini.

 

Istanbul and sailing up the Dardenelles: This was BE-U-TI-FUL! In Istanbul all the sites are close together. I would take a taxi to the Topkapi Palace. We did do the Blue Mosque but my son wasn't impressed. We did enjoy the Palace though and our tour didn't give us enough time there. The tours all take you to the carpet demonstrations- yuck. None of us on the tour were interested. So do your own thing. Istanbul is stunningly beautiful! You get to overnight there and that was such a treat.

 

Kusadasi: highlight is Ephesus and the Terrace Houses. This place is wonderful. Hire a taxi to take you there and back. It's takes 30 minutes each way to Ephesus and my son loved running around the ruins. In the Terrace Houses- you will see preserved homes from 1000 years ago. It was awesome. Great place for kids. Don't do a tour with the ship (boring for kids). We ditched the tour guide and did our own thing. You can purchase a guidebook from the gift shop where you enter for 5 Euros and it gives you all the info you need. There is ice cream, drinks and cool trinkets that kids love when you leave Ephesus. It was a great day and it was 100 degrees. We loved it!

 

Take my word for it- this is the most fantastic voyage and Holland really worked well for us. When everyone was eating in the formal dining room we ate the same food by the pool (they serve the same food in the buffet). It was heaven. Unless you feel like dressing up- you don't have to which saves much grumbling from the men and means less packing and expense. The crew doted on my son and every day when we returned to the ship they spotted up and had our drinks ready! (I am a great tipper! That really does help)