Family Ports

[BalancingWanderlust]

Hello,

 

My husband and I are thinking of doing a European cruise from Southampton UK next spring (April-ish). We have two young kids (will be ages 2.5 and 4.5 at time of cruise).

 

What are some of your Greek/Mediterranean cruise ports to do with kids? Typically we like smaller more walkable towns/cities with a few fun thing for the kids (cool playgrounds, kid friendly museums, nature attractions,  park walks, etc.). 

 

Thanks 🙂

 

Sarah. 

[mapleleaves]

I would suggest reading up on the various ports to learn as much as possible about each destination.  There are books specific to Med cruises, ie Rick Steves has Med Cruise Ports and Ann Vipond has Med by Cruiseship.  Both provide info for each port; the history, attractions, sites, tours, how to get around, and DIY options. 

Personally I find that Med cruises are port intensive and quite exhausting. I can't imagine doing it with  stroller and/or carrying a toddler.  Especially in the big cities like Rome or Florence where not only are you dealing with crowds but an hour commute getting there from the port.  Maybe board in a large city but find an itinerary with more smaller ports like Mykonos, Kotor, Dubrovnik where you dock in town or 10 minutes away. This is where the guide books will help you. 

There was an interesting family cruise report on the RCI board recently. She hasn't finished it and hopefully will return for the rest. But she had an interesting idea ..... bring a nanny. 

Good luck with your research. I'm sure you'll find a great itinerary to meet your family's needs.

 

Enchantment of the Seas: Western Med Cruise. June 2nd-June 12th-Pre/Post Cruise trip report - Page 2 - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Community

 

Edited July 20, 2023 by mapleleaves

[marazul]

This is when Disney Cruises come in. I have no idea what the itineraries are, but they do entertain the kiddos and let mom and dad have some free time. 

[BalancingWanderlust]

2 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

I would suggest reading up on the various ports to learn as much as possible about each destination.  There are books specific to Med cruises, ie Rick Steves has Med Cruise Ports and Ann Vipond has Med by Cruiseship.  Both provide info for each port; the history, attractions, sites, tours, how to get around, and DIY options. 

Personally I find that Med cruises are port intensive and quite exhausting. I can't imagine doing it with  stroller and/or carrying a toddler.  Especially in the big cities like Rome or Florence where not only are you dealing with crowds but an hour commute getting there from the port.  Maybe board in a large city but find an itinerary with more smaller ports like Mykonos, Kotor, Dubrovnik where you dock in town or 10 minutes away. This is where the guide books will help you. 

There was an interesting family cruise report on the RCI board recently. She hasn't finished it and hopefully will return for the rest. But she had an interesting idea ..... bring a nanny. 

Good luck with your research. I'm sure you'll find a great itinerary to meet your family's needs.

 

Enchantment of the Seas: Western Med Cruise. June 2nd-June 12th-Pre/Post Cruise trip report - Page 2 - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Community

 

 

Thanks. Yes we definitely prefer smaller ports. And I will have a look at those book recommendations 🙂

[BalancingWanderlust]

1 hour ago, marazul said:

This is when Disney Cruises come in. I have no idea what the itineraries are, but they do entertain the kiddos and let mom and dad have some free time. 

 

Thanks for the suggestion but we are not fans of Disney 🙂

[edinburgher]

On 7/20/2023 at 2:55 AM, BalancingWanderlust said:

My husband and I are thinking of doing a European cruise from Southampton UK next spring

Lots and lots of reading in your future due to the amount of research you will need to do!

 

 

Have you tried posting your thread on the Family Cruises Forum?  And there are threads you can read which might help you decide.  It is this one:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/forum/28-family-cruises/

 

And once you have a selected a couple of itineraries which might appeal, you could google for each port something along the lines of "X" for kids/children"

[BalancingWanderlust]

6 hours ago, edinburgher said:

Lots and lots of reading in your future due to the amount of research you will need to do!

 

 

Have you tried posting your thread on the Family Cruises Forum?  And there are threads you can read which might help you decide.  It is this one:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/forum/28-family-cruises/

 

And once you have a selected a couple of itineraries which might appeal, you could google for each port something along the lines of "X" for kids/children"

 

Thank you. Yes I have posted on the family forum, however, it's just not as active as these more destination specific ones. My biggest issue is trying to decide between a Med and British Isles itinerary...lol too many choices 🤪 🙂 

 

Thank you for the link I will definitely check it out. 

[edinburgher]

22 minutes ago, BalancingWanderlust said:

My biggest issue is trying to decide between a Med and British Isles itinerary...lol too many choices

Be aware that many of the ports in the Med are quite some distance from the actual city named on the itinerary, such as the ports for Florence, Rome, Paris, Athens  and others, and sighseeing these cities involves a long journey in each direction before you even begin sightseeing.  Adults can find these typically 9 or 10 hour days exhausting, so how would your kids cope?  And you are perhaps aware of the brutal heatwave currently affecting almost all of Southern Europe? Neither distances nor high heat is a good mix for young children, although in spring there is less chance of a really severe heatwave.. 

 

Ideally I think you would want a smaller ship visiting smaller ports with itineraries often being described as "intensive" Italy  or Greece or wherever"  although they don't cater as well for young children as the much larger ships do and sometimes there is nothing at all onboard for children.  And the price point can be much higher on smaller ships than it is on larger ones.

 

Mybe consider areas such as the UK/Ireland or Scandinavia as ports and cities there can be smaller and more manageable.  Or if a land beach trip in the US has no appeal for you, consider a Caribbean itinerary or Bermuda or some other locations where there are beaches for the kids close to the cruise terminals..

 

You will really need to do a lot of reading to try to marry up possible destinations and children's activities together with onboard facilities..

Edited July 21, 2023 by edinburgher

[BalancingWanderlust]

16 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

Be aware that many of the ports in the Med are quite some distance from the actual city named on the itinerary, such as the ports for Florence, Rome, Paris, Athens  and others, and sighseeing these cities involves a long journey in each direction before you even begin sightseeing.  Adults can find these typically 9 or 10 hour days exhausting, so how would your kids cope?  And you are perhaps aware of the brutal heatwave currently affecting almost all of Southern Europe? Neither distances nor high heat is a good mix for young children, although in spring there is less chance of a really severe heatwave.. 

 

Ideally I think you would want a smaller ship visiting smaller ports with itineraries often being described as "intensive" Italy  or Greece or wherever"  although they don't cater as well for young children as the much larger ships do and sometimes there is nothing at all onboard for children.  And the price point can be much higher on smaller ships than it is on larger ones.

 

Mybe consider areas such as the UK/Ireland or Scandinavia as ports and cities there can be smaller and more manageable.  Or if a land beach trip in the US has no appeal for you, consider a Caribbean itinerary or Bermuda or some other locations where there are beaches for the kids close to the cruise terminals..

 

You will really need to do a lot of reading to try to marry up possible destinations and children's activities together with onboard facilities..

 

 

Yes I am aware of the long distances from Port to city in the Med. I am definitely looking for an itinerary with smaller/more walkable ports no matter our destination. It's been a few years since my husband and I have been to Europe and this will be our first international trip with our kids so that's why we thought a European cruise would be nice (the unpack once and ease of meals etc. on a cruise seem like such a good idea with kids). My husband and I have cruised a few times before and done tons of more "backpack" style traveling before kids. 

 

I will look into Scandinavia too. Thanks for the suggestion. I have a few cruise port books on hold at the library so hopefully that will also help me narrow down my choices. 

[edinburgher]

21 hours ago, BalancingWanderlust said:

 

22 hours ago, BalancingWanderlust said:

21 hours ago, BalancingWanderlust said:

this will be our first international trip with our kids so that's why we thought a European cruise would be nice (the unpack once and ease of meals etc. on a cruise seem like such a good idea with kids). My husband and I have cruised a few times before and done tons of more "backpack" style traveling before kids

I have a few cruise port books on hold at the library so hopefully that will also help me narrow down my choices

 

i am hoping you will read the following in the same spirit as which it was written.  From one parent experienced with vacationing with small children to another just beginning.

 

Not wanting to appear cheeky or critical,only wanting to help you  get started witha few  points you may not have considered and hoping I can highlight  a few of the more important points you will need to consider with this being your first family cruise, as I am concerned that you are thinking back to vacations as a couple without realising that any vacation with young children will be an entirely different  ball game and a very steep learning curve.  Your emphasis on the ports is also concerning.

 

Your absolute #1 priority will need to be the ship, with ports last on the priority list.

 

You will need to find a family friendly ship or cruise line first .One which has suitable family size staterooms  and other flexible services for young children. Once you decide on a ship or a couple of ships, you can look at the itineraries they offer and take it from there.  It means you have far fewer ports to plan although you will be going where that ship goes, not where you would like to go.  And "family friendly" ships are usually big ships with their size more limiting for the ports they can visit.  And should there be any tender ports, will small children be allowed on the tenders or will there be an age restriction?

 

 

Your onboard room.  No verandah of course. And with four of you sharing one room, will the kids have their own beds or will they need to share a bed?  If their own beds and one bed is a pull out, it  will take up more floor space making it more difficult for any of the four of you to move around, and will there still be enough space to store your stroller?

 

Will you need a room with a bathtub or are your kids happy to only shower?

 

Will there be the option of a self service laundry or will you be sending everything out to the ship laundry (usually on a "pay per item"  basis unless there is an offer.)

 

Will there be a kids club?(and if so, note hours of operation and any age restrictions)

 

And will there be a free or "for fee" child minding or kids club  option  in the evening?

 

If no evening option, will there be a designated  early dining time for kids? Otherwise with an under 3 year old you will need to dine early in the buffet with your kids or take it in turns to grab a quick solo meal in the buffet whilst the other is in the room once the kids are in bed.  Or order from the room service menu. You would also need to take it in turns to catch a short show or any other evening entertainment.

 

Not having personally cruised with young kids, (ours were mid teens at first cruise with their own room) there must be many more onboard questions to be asked, but I can no longer remember what they might be, and the family cruising forum should be a helpful source. As may other members reading this.

 

The journey.

Remember to apply for the kids passports in good time.

Luggage.  Assuming one parent will be in charge of the stroller and both kids,(and maybe the paperwork),  the other will need to take full  responsibility for luggage handling.  You will need to consider travelling with only two suitcases and a couple of carry ons max as that amount should be doable for one adult but any more than that could be an issue.

 

And you have tentative plans to sail from Southampton.  Aassuming you will fly into one of the London airports, you will have to decide how to make the journey to Southampton and back again when leaving.  If not planning a private car and driver or a taxi (both will be costly and you will do it both ways) your only other option may be public transport. Another reason for only two suitcases and a couple of carry ons. And on arrival you will probably all be jet lagged for a few days so sleep patterns for adults and children could vary from what you are used to at home.

 

Hoping  you will find some of the above points helpful.

 

 Although a long long time ago, thinking back to our own international family vacations (the first was when our kids were 1 and 3), we stuck with land/beach holidays with no longer than  3 or 3 and 1/2 hour flights.  We didn't attempt long haul until they were 5 and 7(first Disneyworld Florida trip) And for the first 3 international short haul trips we travelled with only 2 suitcases and 2 carry ons.

 

 

Nowadays families with young children do cruise, one of the reasons for so many large "family friendly" ships, but for it to be a happy and successful trip,  planning for new -to-you challenges  will be essential before you  book.

 Wishing you good luck with that.

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by edinburgher

[BalancingWanderlust]

37 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

i am hoping you will read the following in the same spirit as which it was written.  From one parent experienced with vacationing with small children to another just beginning.

 

Not wanting to appear cheeky or critical,only wanting to help you  get started witha few  points you may not have considered and hoping I can highlight  a few of the more important points you will need to consider with this being your first family cruise, as I am concerned that you are thinking back to vacations as a couple without realising that any vacation with young children will be an entirely different  ball game and a very steep learning curve.  Your emphasis on the ports is also concerning.

 

Your absolute #1 priority will need to be the ship, with ports last on the priority list.

 

You will need to find a family friendly ship or cruise line first .One which has suitable family size staterooms  and other flexible services for young children. Once you decide on a ship or a couple of ships, you can look at the itineraries they offer and take it from there.  It means you have far fewer ports to plan although you will be going where that ship goes, not where you would like to go.  And "family friendly" ships are usually big ships with their size more limiting for the ports they can visit.  And should there be any tender ports, will small children be allowed on the tenders or will there be an age restriction?

 

 

Your onboard room.  No verandah of course. And with four of you sharing one room, will the kids have their own beds or will they need to share a bed?  If their own beds and one bed is a pull out, it  will take up more floor space making it more difficult for any of the four of you to move around, and will there still be enough space to store your stroller?

 

Will you need a room with a bathtub or are your kids happy to only shower?

 

Will there be the option of a self service laundry or will you be sending everything out to the ship laundry (usually on a "pay per item"  basis unless there is an offer.)

 

Will there be a kids club?(and if so, note hours of operation and any age restrictions)

 

And will there be a free or "for fee" child minding or kids club  option  in the evening?

 

If no evening option, will there be a designated  early dining time for kids? Otherwise with an under 3 year old you will need to dine early in the buffet with your kids or take it in turns to grab a quick solo meal in the buffet whilst the other is in the room once the kids are in bed.  Or order from the room service menu. You would also need to take it in turns to catch a short show or any other evening entertainment.

 

Not having personally cruised with young kids, (ours were mid teens at first cruise with their own room) there must be many more onboard questions to be asked, but I can no longer remember what they might be, and the family cruising forum should be a helpful source. As may other members reading this.

 

The journey.

Remember to apply for the kids passports in good time.

Luggage.  Assuming one parent will be in charge of the stroller and both kids,(and maybe the paperwork),  the other will need to take full  responsibility for luggage handling.  You will need to consider travelling with only two suitcases and a couple of carry ons max as that amount should be doable for one adult but any more than that could be an issue.

 

And you have tentative plans to sail from Southampton.  Aassuming you will fly into one of the London airports, you will have to decide how to make the journey to Southampton and back again when leaving.  If not planning a private car and driver or a taxi (both will be costly and you will do it both ways) your only other option may be public transport. Another reason for only two suitcases and a couple of carry ons. And on arrival you will probably all be jet lagged for a few days so sleep patterns for adults and children could vary from what you are used to at home.

 

Hoping  you will find some of the above points helpful.

 

 Although a long long time ago, thinking back to our own international family vacations (the first was when our kids were 1 and 3), we stuck with land/beach holidays with no longer than  3 or 3 and 1/2 hour flights.  We didn't attempt long haul until they were 5 and 7(first Disneyworld Florida trip) And for the first 3 international short haul trips we travelled with only 2 suitcases and 2 carry ons.

 

 

Nowadays families with young children do cruise, one of the reasons for so many large "family friendly" ships, but for it to be a happy and successful trip,  planning for new -to-you challenges  will be essential before you  book.

 Wishing you good luck with that.

 

 

Thanks for your thoughtful insights 🙂 

[edinburgher]

5 minutes ago, BalancingWanderlust said:

THanks for your thoughtful insights 🙂 

Hoping you found at least some of the above helpful if some of  my thoughts had yet to cross your own radar. 

 

TBH, so glad those days are well and truly behind me and not ahead of me!

Edited July 22, 2023 by edinburgher