First-Timers to Europe with Kids?

[Gatordad815]

Hello! We are trying to plan our first ever trip to Europe next summer and are looking at 3 different Royal Caribbean itineraries (Western Mediterranean out of Barcelona or Civitavecchia on Allure, Greek Isles out of Civitavecchia on Odyssey, or Norwegian Fjords out of Southampton on Independence.)
 

Our kids will be 13 and 11 at the time. Complicating the decision slightly, our daughter has Celiac Disease and type 1 diabetes, so she needs to eat strictly gluten free and we need accommodations pre cruise where we can refrigerate insulin. Ideally we would have a condo with a kitchen (or at least a hotel with a refrigerator and microwave). Kids have cruised many times but only on Oasis class ships which they LOVE.

If the ships were equal, I’d choose the Norwegian Fjords because being our first trip to Europe and having some special needs, it would help not to have a language barrier on arrival. Plus I’ve always wanted to see London and I know the kids would really enjoy a few days there pre-cruise (we will stay 3-4 days sightseeing pre-cruise wherever we embark). But knowing how happy our kids are on the Oasis class, I’m not sure that’s the best ship for our first European trip. 

As between Allure and Odyssey, I’m not as concerned about Odyssey not being Oasis class because it has a lot of different things the kids would love (rip cord, sea plex, North Star).  Independence, on the other hand, has nothing different and just fewer things. My wife and I have been on Independence and it was great but I’m concerned kids would be let down by the lack of a Boardwalk and Central Park (their favorite areas) if there was nothing new to see.

 

Between the itineraries on Allure and Odyssey I’m gathering the Greek ports do not require long travel distances to sites, etc. But it’s hard to tell which ports are better for kids their ages. They love the Caribbean and beaches, which I know is not what we will do in Europe. But I would like to mix historical sightseeing with more relaxed fun kid-friendly activities.

 

I don’t have one specific question for everyone, but I am interested in thoughts from the experts regarding:

 

1. Best itinerary with kids those ages?

2. Best embarkation port and sightseeing city for first timers to Europe, one of whom has some special dietary and medical needs? (I’m aware Barcelona is the most convenient embarkation port, but I’m more thinking as between Barcelona, London and Rome which is best to tour for 3 days?)

3. Other things we should consider as we plan?

 

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Iamthesea]

DH and I have been all over Europe multiple times and have never run into a language barrier. 

 

Our choice would be Greek Isles out of Civitavecchia.  So much history in Rome, and the Greek islands are beautiful and adventurous  (hiking comes to mind).   We took our young adult children on that cruise for their very first time in Europe. 

 

The Norwegian Fjords would be my last pic for a first trip to Europe (we were there in 2023).  Having said that, the weather might be a bit more pleasant than the other stops if you are sailing in the summer.

 

 

Edited July 17 by Iamthesea

[skyking]

We just did Norway on the Anthem, we have a 13 year old and a 8 year old.   This is our third cruise sailing out of Southampton. 

 

We had a AMAZING time and absolutely loved it.   I am confused why they are putting Independence there as it's not much of a cold weather ship, and yes it was COLD even in June. 

 

We also LOVE London and highly recommend the Clermont Charing Cross if you decide on that sailing.   We find it better to visit London after the cruise since we fly in from Orlando it's easier and you are acclomated to the time zone when you get there and makes it easier. 

 

We stay at the Room2 Southampton and it's great for a family of 4.   Any questions let me know;) 

 

 

[Iamthesea]

skyking - What a great photo!!!

 

Thanks for mentioning a recommendation for a hotel out of Southampton, as well.  We went straight from London to Southampton and onto the ship when we sailed out several years ago.

 

OP, I can also recommend the Clermont Hotel chain.  We stayed at the Clermont Victoria Station 3 years ago when on a land trip with our daughters from London to Paris.  

 

 

 

 

[RobInMN]

We have not taken our DD (currently 24) on any European Ocean cruises (yet), but she's been on a river cruise, and we are taking her on another one next year. She enjoys all cruises, and seems to have fun regardless of where we are, ocean or river. Maybe because it's "free" 🙂 

We did a 12 night Arctic Circle on Jewel in 2022.

We did the Western Med on Symphony in 2018 from Civitavecchia.

We are doing Greece & Turkey (originally Holy Land) on Odyssey this fall.

 

I agree with @Iamthesea, I have not experienced any language issues in any airport or port or even heavily touristy cities. I wouldn't make that a consideration.

 

All of these are (or can be) long port days. The ship is honestly only really important on sea days. On port days, by the time you get back, you will want to eat and crash. So I would focus less on the ship, and more about what your kids might be interested in. Even though the Greek ports are closer, there's still so much to see you can still have long tours. Tours I have booked for our Greece & Turkey cruise: 6 hours, 6, 7, 7:30, 7:30, & 9:30! My wife will tell you that there is no "fun relaxing" activities on European vacations with me.

 

Things I would take into consideration:

Norway is absolutely stunning! It's far more landscape than architecture/ruins.

Obviously the Mediterranean has lots of history. I am all about "Cathedrals, Castles, Forts and Ruins", and love this sort of stuff, so if that's more appealing to your kids, maybe this is the way to go.

Allure is getting Amplified next spring if that matters.

Can't go wrong with a pre-cruise in London.

Cant go wrong with a pre-cruise in Rome. We spent a week in Rome before our Western Med, and will spend 3 days pre-cruise this fall.

Barcelona vs. Civitavecchia on Western Med. In my mind, there are 2 main decision points:

• Which city do you want to see pre-cruise?
• Which city do you wan to do "in a day"?

For me, that's easy. I love Rome, and a week was not nearly enough for me. And Barcelona "in a day" was plenty for me. For other people, it's the opposite. There's a few threads on here discussing these options. For some people, they point out that Barcelona has much easier port access. While I think that's a good point if you are flying in the day before, if you are spending days pre-cruise, I don't think that matters. 

Cruise length? Western Mediterranean would be a 7 night. Our Odyssey is 12 night. Not sure what the Fjords cruise length is. Longer is better 🙂  

 

Sorry I don't have any insight into dietary concerns. You are already familiar with how good they are on the ship. I have no idea what your experience will be in any ports. I believe you can take off pre-packaged foods if you can stock up on known items. 

 

In the end, I bet they'd love any of these options.

 

 

 

[little britain]

No brainer: Odyssey. Fabulous ship, wow factor, sunny itinerary, mixture of cultures, old stuff, beaches. 

 

Independence is a terrible ship for a potentially cold, wet weather cruise.  Little to entertain children, no wow factor and how many rocks 🪨 and waterfalls do they want to see!!!

Edited July 18 by little britain

[lovesthebeach2]

I see some questions have been answered, but I’ll add to keep in mind on a European itinerary, I would focus NOT on the ships amenities for the kids, but the ports. Europe has so much to see and on our cruises, not many sea days unless it’s a TA.
 

If it’s a port intensive cruise, you’ll be off the ship a lot and not spending as much time on the ship all day like on a Caribbean cruise. So focus on which itinerary you like and not which ship for this cruise.

[Nettee]

I am in Rome after a cruise right now and I would say it is hot and crowded and I preferred Barcelona where we were before the cruise.  However - there is so much to see in Rome and it is a long journey from the port so it is much better as a stay of a few days than as a port stop (which we did years ago and came back specifically as we did not see enough then).

 

Barcelona is more convenient than the other two options.  Although there were protests against tourists when we were there.  Need to book for the Gaudi cathedral and park in advance (I assumed we could just turn up especially to the park!). The ports that Oasis class can go to seem less interesting to me but I guess I am being a bit unfair as I have been to some of them before.  Florence and Naples/Pompeii are really good. I would love to go to the Fiords but haven’t done this and I live in the UK - London is amazing and less hot but I guess just as crowded and then it is quite a long transfer to Southampton.  I haven’t done a Greek cruise but I think it would be even hotter than the western Med.

 

For the ship with your kids - I have never been on one bigger than Independence so I don’t know about the step down from Oasis class but have just taken my teens on Voyager and they had the best time meeting other kids, ice skating, swimming, on the water slides and flow rider.  Mostly with the other kids their age.  And as others have said the ports are quite time consuming in Europe.  Teen club officially starts at 12 but they let some 11 year olds in.  Mine were 12 and 16 and really loved it.

Edited July 18 by Nettee

[angelicmel]

I noticed that you mentioned insulin and refrigeration. I also have a daughter who is 13 and requires refrigerated meds - hers are growth hormones (daily shots). We stayed at an air bnb in London for that exact reason (needing a fridge). 

 

I also know the anxiety of hoping that everyone you contacted prior to the cruise asking for the medical fridge actually got the message to the ship. 

I just found this product this month which is designated for meds that need constant refrigeration: https://4allfamily.com/products/portable-medical-fridge-usb-insulin-medicines

 

We will be using it on our cruise this next week. We have been trying it out some at home leading up to the cruise and it works wonders. It can be plugged into a USB port or go off a battery pack. In my test, I could run 7+ hours on one portable battery pack I got off Amazon. Might be worth a try at least so you have a back up to the hotel fridge and cruise med fridge. 

 

I will also warn you that security in London's airport is not the same as TSA when it comes to hand checking meds. My daughter's meds are not able to go through the xray machines so they must be hand checked. I had a letter from the pharmacy explaining this as well as her prescription, but it was not enough. They wanted me to get a letter from her doctor staying why she needed the meds, why exactly it cannot go through the machine, etc. Luckily a supervisor saw her crying and came over and allowed them to hand check the meds. We were on the way home, so worse case  we would have only lost hundreds of dollars of meds. It could have been worse if it was the start of the trip and we could not give her the meds that she needed. I cannot imagine going through that with insulin. 

All to say - be prepared just in case if insulin also needs to be hand checked. Have multiple letters that explain why she needs it and why it must be hand checked 

[Mom*3]

I wouldn’t worry too much about the language barrier. We’ve been to Europe, and our children have studied abroad and traveled quite a bit through Europe. All three of my children are lactose intolerant (I realize your concerns are much more serious.), but they had very little difficulty conveying their dietary needs. My daughter studied in Greece and did not know the language at all, she was always able to find someone to communicate with. A recommendation in Study Abroad groups for travelers with special requirements is to have the key phrases and medical terms translated before travel and have them printed on cards that you can hand to staff at restaurants, hotels, etc.

And, just my two cents on the ships. I completely understand your inclination towards the Oasis class. We board the Allure tomorrow (2nd time on her) and our most recent cruise was on the Odyssey in March. I think your children would love the Odyssey! As you mentioned, there are several activities to try that are unique to that class of ship!

Happy Planning!

[lovesthebeach2]

I wanted to add that we’ve cruised a lot, on many Royal ships and even though we love all the Radiance ships because there’s so much glass to see out especially on European cruises, and Oasis class because of what they offer, our absolute favorite ship is Odyssey.  We’ll be on it for our third TA on it in October, and we can’t wait!

[RobInMN]

24 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

We’ll be on it for our third TA on it in October, and we can’t wait!

We'll be getting off as you get on. If my wife had more vacation time, I think we would have stayed on. 🙂 

[Iamthesea]

angelicmel -  So interesting that you posted on the subject of growth hormone injections. 

 

My 11 year old grandson has recently started taking them on the advice of a specialist.  My husband and I don't know much about them, but that's where we are.  Having said that, we are all going on a cruise on the Freedom in October (Caribbean), and will be flying/staying in a hotel.  Your post is very informative!  I am sending it to my daughter to read. She has a special bag like you have linked to because my grandson is at overnight camp this week, but she probably has not even thought about flying TSA procedures.  I did check the hotel (Hyatt) and there are refrigerators in the rooms.  I assume that the Freedom still has them in the staterooms, but is it cool enough.  🤷‍♀️

[MyriamS]

Another vote for the language barrier won't be a problem. People working in hotels, restaurants etc. in Southern Europe have good English, as they need it to speak to their customers from all over Europe and the rest of the world.

 

Most Europeans hotels rooms do not have fridges and microwaves but serviced apartments/private rentals will. 

 

Another thing to consider is the weather. Summer in Southern Europe can be boiling hot, so uncomfortably hot you won't enjoy any of the beautiful sights you came to see. So for that alone, I would vote Norway. We went there last week of June and had amazing weather. 

 

I understand the ship for Norway is less good than the other two but from all the trip reports I've read... I would say most ports in Europe tend to be way more interesting than most ports in the Carribbean (no offence meant, I do wish to go to the Carribbean someday and discover it for myself). So your kids might not miss the extra amenities because they'll have plenty to do in port and want to relax at sea. 

 

Best itinerary for a family like yours, I would say either: 

- Norway if you want great hiking and beautiful nature. 

- Western Med if you want to discover the culture, history and food of three great Europeans countries (and you are heat-resistant)

 

Best city to tour for three days, I've been to all three and would pick London and Rome over Barcelona (sorry, Barcelona). 

 

[FamilyCruiserUK]

You will get so many different opinions and thats why i love cruising. 

I also have a dau who is 11 this year and for us and her Oasis class beats everything else. Simply for the Amplification which Allure will hopefully get in Feb/March 2025. 

 

Fjords, For london you need plenty of days for sightseeing. Lots of great places to visit and eat. However if the children enjoy swimming and water slides i wouldnt go on Indy simply due to going north to the Fjords. They are stunning but if weather cold they will be bored. I know indy has slides etc but we always want good weather. 

 

Greek Islands are stunning, hot and geeat culture. Language is easy after all English is the languauge of the world. Most of the greek ports are yes gorgeous but little port places and islands. 

 

Western med out of barcelona. Big cities,  good cultural places, rome, naples for Pompeii again can be very hot but very historic. Lots of civilization that was old before America was discovered. However most are big cities so usual big city crowds and the hassle with that. 

 

For us and if was my choice, it would be the ship, then itinerary. If your children like mine she is still more intrested in pools and water slides

 

That being said we are British so been london and we enjoy somehere different. 

 

Sorry not much help tbh. But i would sit with family and ask them all what they want out of a holiday

 

 

 

[Iamthesea]

"For us and if was my choice, it would be the ship, then itinerary. If your children like mine she is still more intrested in pools and water slides"

 

The above statement, alone, is the reason why we waited until our children were young adults before taking them on their first trip overseas.  Between the cost of the cruise, airfare (mainly), and the expensive excursions (why go over to Europe, the U.K., etc. if you are not going to be touring and seeing all of the sights!) that trip is just too expensive for a family, if not taking advantage of every opportunity to explore.  Yes, on those sea days, and good ship is nice, but...

 

I am not saying that the OP should not take his children to Europe.  They know their children best.  Just as we knew that our children would get tired and bored and want to spend time at a hotel pool.    My DH and I were the same when we were young.  That's was one of my parents favorite tales to tell!  

 

BTW - I mentioned earlier that DH and I took our adult daughters to London and Paris.  This was after being cleared to fly again after the Pandemic.  It was the middle of July.  While the weather was warm, those two cities were surprisingly not unbearable in the middle of the summer.  We even spent a day at Wimbledon (with Will and Kate 😁).

 

DH and I also took a Danube river cruise in August several years ago.  Once again, we had cooler weather than expected.  On the other hand, most of out travel overseas has been in the late spring or early fall.  Some of those trip have been very hot.  One just never knows!  

[Ecuadora]

A river cruise is a good choice for cruising with children.

[mil76]

Of those choices, I'd opt for Allure.  The kids will love it, especially once it is amped, and the ports are great.  The only issue is you would probably have a jam-packed itinerary, so all those Oasis class bells and whistles won't come into play as much.

 

I can't really recommend Greek Isles cruises on Royal anymore because places like Santorini are bursting at the seams from the tourism.

 

Not sure if it is feasible, but a southbound itinerary from Southampton on Indy would be worth considering.  You get a bit longer cruise so you don't end the trip exhausted from all the 10-12 hour sightseeing days.  We did the Canaries cruise last month and it was incredible.  Also going south would offset some of the drawbacks of Indy on a fjord cruise.  You also get to add in London, which is great for first timers to Europe. It's a real shame that they moved Anthem to Asia, especially now that they pulled the plug on having a 2nd ship in China next year.

[Gatordad815]

Wow thank you to everyone for your input thus far! I really appreciate the diversity of perspectives (which confirms my initial thought that there are several competing priorities to weigh as we decide).
 

I also appreciate the words of wisdom that fall into the “other things to consider” category, which are very valuable to me. Thank you especially for the refrigeration tip and caution re: traveling through European security with items than cannot go through the x-ray machines-that is definitely something to research heavily before our trip!

 

To address some of the comments above, in no particular order:

 

1. We have all lived in Florida all of our lives, so the heat may not be as much of an issue for us. Yes, it’s unpleasant, but if we can survive 12 hours at the Magic Kingdom in August, we can probably tour Europe in the summer.

 

2. Notwithstanding #1, I won’t plan to tour 10 hours a day every day! I personally would be a “Cathedrals, Castles, Forts and Ruins” guy as referenced above, but my wife and kids can only handle so much of that. That’s why mixing up the touring and relaxing works best (even if I push them to tour more in Europe). They’re always up for an adventure and truly enjoy it, but they need downtime more than I do.

 

3. I’ve considered (and am still considering) pushing Europe off until kids are in high school. And we may. On the other hand, we only live once and truthfully I’d like to do all three itineraries if possible. So maybe start earlier?!?
 

4. I’m glad to read from many that the language barrier is not as much of a concern. I’m still trepidatious though, as when I am speaking with people who speak only English, they sometimes have trouble understanding words like “gluten”, “wheat”, “Celiac” and “cross-contamination”. I’ve read that places in Europe tend to be better with accommodating Celiac diets, but we virtually never eat at restaurants in the US because of the risk. This also will be heavily researched.

 

5. We all love pools and hot tubs and the top deck (and Boardwalk and Central Park!) I’m disappointed that Anthem is not staying in Southampton, as it would be much easier to justify the colder trip on a ship designed for it. If it’s cold and we are trapped inside without much to do, that wouldn’t be ideal.

 

I appreciate the discussion and thoughts and hope this topic helps others! Thanks everyone!

 

 

Edited July 19 by Gatordad815

[mapleleaves]

On 7/17/2024 at 4:44 PM, Gatordad815 said:

Hello! We are trying to plan our first ever trip to Europe next summer and are looking at 3 different Royal Caribbean itineraries (Western Mediterranean out of Barcelona or Civitavecchia on Allure, Greek Isles out of Civitavecchia on Odyssey, or Norwegian Fjords out of Southampton on Independence.)
 

 

 

 

 

 

The attached trip report is currently being updated daily. Not a ship you're interested in but the kids are 7 and 5, so their experiences may help you. I think the last entry was finishing up in London and boarding the ship in Southampton.

 

Anthem of the Seas June 28, 2024: Our European Adventure Trip Report - Royal Caribbean International - Cruise Critic Community

 

[angelicmel]

12 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

angelicmel -  So interesting that you posted on the subject of growth hormone injections. 

 

My 11 year old grandson has recently started taking them on the advice of a specialist.  My husband and I don't know much about them, but that's where we are.  Having said that, we are all going on a cruise on the Freedom in October (Caribbean), and will be flying/staying in a hotel.  Your post is very informative!  I am sending it to my daughter to read. She has a special bag like you have linked to because my grandson is at overnight camp this week, but she probably has not even thought about flying TSA procedures.  I did check the hotel (Hyatt) and there are refrigerators in the rooms.  I assume that the Freedom still has them in the staterooms, but is it cool enough.  🤷‍♀️

I have found that the coolers in the rooms on the ship are not cold enough for medications that must be refrigerated. I would highly suggest reaching out to the special needs department prior to your cruise and requesting a medication fridge. They do take a good amount of space on the desk area, which is another reason I bought a portable one. :)

My daughter started these when she was around 7. At that time she was too short for even the kid slides in the splash zones (only the baby slides). It has been a journey and a blessing that we have the ability to help her like this. If your grandson is a soccer fan, you can share that Messi used to take growth hormones. My daughter thought that was super cool and now watches him religiously. 

[MyriamS]

My parents brought me to Japan, the USA... when I was a teenager and I was grateful for it. Some of my best family memories. If you can handle 12h at Disney in August, summer in Europe should be a breeze! I wanted to cry at the end of the day in Disney and I'm over 30. 

 

I had a friend back in the UK who was diagnosed with Coeliac and she always ate out with us. Many large restaurants nowadays have detailed allergens menu, you just won't be able to visit hole in the wall type of places. In big cities, you might also find some entirely gluten-free bakeries: bread is a beloved part of European (especially French) culture, so French people with Coeliac really crave good gluten-free bread and, if it has its own shop, there won't be any cross-contamination.

[Nettee]

If you are going to do all three then maybe Allure first - more ship less ports and easy transfer from Barcelona while the kids are younger, then wait for a Quantum class to come back to Southampton for the colder trip (sounds like it will be Liberty in 2026 at the moment Sao another Freedom Class), go from Rome to Greece (or Croatia and Ravenna) in the interim.

Edited July 19 by Nettee

[Iamthesea]

Along the same lines, I was thinking try one of the cruises out with the children.  Soon after the trip, if they mostly talk about their time on the ship, that's a sign to wait a few more years to try the other itineraries with them.  

 

OP - Glad that you mentioned living in Florida and being able to stand the heat.  That's important!  Those of us in the south do much better with the heat.   However, I still prefer cooler (not cold) weather to heat.

 

angelicmel - I gave your post to my daughter and she mentioned the new cooler that she had purchased for the camp and appreciated the airport info.  😉  Unfortunately, after the camp nurse had agreed to give my grandson his daily shot, my daughter was informed (after dropping he and medication off for the week) that the nurses' supervisor said she could not give the meds. Luckily, my granddaughter is going to the same camp this week, as a day camper.  So my daughter drops her off, and then finds grandson for his shot.

[FamilyCruiserUK]

16 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

"For us and if was my choice, it would be the ship, then itinerary. If your children like mine she is still more intrested in pools and water slides"

 

The above statement, alone, is the reason why we waited until our children were young adults before taking them on their first trip overseas.  Between the cost of the cruise, airfare (mainly), and the expensive excursions (why go over to Europe, the U.K., etc. if you are not going to be touring and seeing all of the sights!) that trip is just too expensive for a family, if not taking advantage of every opportunity to explore.  Yes, on those sea days, and good ship is nice, but...

 

I am not saying that the OP should not take his children to Europe.  They know their children best.  Just as we knew that our children would get tired and bored and want to spend time at a hotel pool.    My DH and I were the same when we were young.  That's was one of my parents favorite tales to tell!  

 

BTW - I mentioned earlier that DH and I took our adult daughters to London and Paris.  This was after being cleared to fly again after the Pandemic.  It was the middle of July.  While the weather was warm, those two cities were surprisingly not unbearable in the middle of the summer.  We even spent a day at Wimbledon (with Will and Kate 😁).

 

DH and I also took a Danube river cruise in August several years ago.  Once again, we had cooler weather than expected.  On the other hand, most of out travel overseas has been in the late spring or early fall.  Some of those trip have been very hot.  One just never knows!  

See we are the opposite. We have taken our daughter on a lot of overseas holidays as we want her to experience different cultures and interact with people of different languages and culture. Its a fantastic way for her to learn. Im not saying we drag her out to the cultural sights all the time but we plan to continue cruising many more times as she gets older and thats when we can go to the cultural sights. She does prefer the pool and slides as she is only 10 but she can manage a few hours ashore lol. She is much more confident at being ashore now and interacting with non english speaking people. 

 

I guess we are lucky being from UK as its only a couple hrs flights to historic sights and cultures in Europe. Spoilt in a way. But i am a firm believer of children being exposed to new experiences and cultures at early ages and id never dream of going on holiday without her. I guess we holiday for her and have plenty of years to do what we want when shes off on her own. 😂 

 

Or we take the babysitter AKA grandmother...🤣