First-timer's question on shore touring with babies.

[TERRIER1]

You might want to ask what floor the apartment is on. Many of the buildings in Rome are old and do not have elevators or lifts. The Euopean 2nd floor is our American 3rd floor. It's not a problem if you do not have a lot of luggage but with young children it would be easier if there was a lift or the apartment is on a lower floor. Have fun and enjoy.

 

Jean

[sherineloh]

Thanks Jean for the tip. Yes I noticed not many have lifts. Anyhow I plan to travel as light as possible. The only major things would be like diapers (use vacumn smart bag to compress it) and formula. I'll bring a real cheap stroller so if in any case when it gets in the way, I can just lock it like a bike or leave it totally behind. I plan to leave the stroller behind on the way back to lessen the load plus we might have added some extra load with any shopping done.

[hajekfam]

Whether or not the OP takes her children is her business. But to answer the question about tours, quite a few of the tours in the Med involve an hour to three hour bus ride to the city - even before you start seeing the sites. For the sake of fellow passengers, I would suggest doing private tours - at least in those cities where the port is a considerable distance from the sights (Rome, Florence/Pisa, etc). Three hours on a bus with a cranky baby can drive even the most patient person mad. As other posters have mentioned, with a ships tour you are on a schedule. And the tour could be full, where do you change a baby when there is no extra seat?

My son and daughter-in-law took their daughter to London when she was only about 18 months old - but it was a land vacation (at least for my son and granddaughter, my daughter-in-law was a guest speaker at a conference). I do know that they have her stamped passport and pictures of her to show her what she got to see and do. But she doesn't remember anything (she's six now).

However because they were on a land trip, they were able to do things on their own time schedule and when the baby got fussy, they were able to go back to the hotel for a rest. On a ship's tour you won't be able to do this, and even on a private tour, it may take a couple of hours to get back to the ship.

[mistymulan]

We went to the western med last year with a 1 year old and our travelling companions also had very small children. We had a great time. Yes, it is a lot of work, but if you are willing to take on the challenge, go for it!! We still managed to have a great time. Next summer we are going to the eastern med with an 18 month and 3 y/o.

[eqr]

I thought I'd include my two cents worth.......we went in May with our 16 mo old nephew for 12 nights from Barcelona to Venice. Very Port intensive, but Ethan handled it very well. We had an especially long trip since we flew out from SFO. His parents were able to enjoy all the ports with us and no regrets. We did a combination of private tours and DIY. In every port, we did spot some parks for Ethan to let loose and sometimes picnic for lunch. They had an amazing time and would do it again. We were surprised to see quite a few toddlers and an infant on our cruise; which I think is a good thing.

My mom used to do international trips every year by herself with a baby and toddler; and she said those were some of her best memories.

[mek]

Why don't you look into a river cruise? They dock right where you can get off and enjoy the sights unlike most cruise ship ports? So if you have a stroller, you and the kids might be a lot happier. Some also have shore excursions included.

[Hlitner]

Why don't you look into a river cruise? They dock right where you can get off and enjoy the sights unlike most cruise ship ports? So if you have a stroller, you and the kids might be a lot happier. Some also have shore excursions included.

 

 

You must be joking. Most of the major river cruise companies in Europe do not even allow children. For example, Viking River Cruises (the largest company) does not accept any kids under 12 and even limits the number under 18. This is pretty typical. On our 14 night river cruise last year, there were very few on the ship under 50.

 

 

Hank

[2theship]

I have just a few thoughts to add. First, as many people have already suggested, research the ports to know which ones are of the most interest to you and child friendly.

 

Don't let the tenders scare you. I think it would be far easier to get a little one on board than some of the frail or otherwise out-of-shape cruisers I have seen. There is plenty of crew there ready to be sure you get on and off safely.

 

I would stick with the lines that serve a mostly American clientele. They will be more familiar with your littles ones tastes in food.

 

Don't assume that a private tour will be too expensive. You will probably have to pay the ship excursion for all four of you so the cost of a private guide might be the same or even less. Plus you will have the added value to being able to customize your tour on the fly. Kids are tired? Just stop in a park somewhere to relax and have a snack. While you may not be able to see as much as originally planned, your guide may be able to fill you in some more on local color or history. When booking the tour, tell them about the children's ages so that you have a chance at getting a guide who's willing to work with your needs. When we took a Baltic Cruise with our pre-teen daughters, we booked a private guide for two days in St. Petersburg. We saw more and paid less than we would have with ship tours. Plus, we were able to spend a little extra time in areas that interested us and speed past places that didn't. And another added benefit, we didn't have to wait around while others were wandering through the "approved shopping" stops.

 

Look for a cruise with ports that are good for just getting off and wandering around. In those ports you won't need to worry about excursions at all.

 

Have very low expectations. Your fellow cruisers will see much more than you and that's just the way it will be. You are choosing to travel abroad with your very littles ones and you have to anticipate a slow pace.

 

Some lines are considered to be more "adult" but sometimes those perceptions are not exactly true. Everyone thinks Celebrity is an adult line but the staff was always fabulous with our children. From cabin steward to dining room staff, they were absolutely the best.

[mek]

Well, Hank - I wasn't joking and all you had to do is POLITELY correct me. Having never done a river cruise, I didn't know there are age restrictions.

[onthelake]

Just to throw another thought out there - the Baltic is a wonderful cruise and the ports are more accessible (right there) than the Med. When we booked, we took it with air that gave us 2 nights in London with a 1/2 day tour, transporation to Dover and away we sailed. We were overnight in Copenhagen so got to go to Tivoli Gardens at night and in Helsinki we took the ferry to the northernmost zoo in the world. You can't beat St. Petersburg and it is easy to walk Stockholm and Oslo. It was a wonderful trip and much less stressful than the Med.

[lisiamc]

I would just add: choose your shore excursions with care if travelling with small children. I went on a bus tour of the Amalfi coast a few years ago, and a couple had their two children, aged about 2 and 4, with them. Both children got miserably car sick and spent the first part of the tour crying and vomiting, looking green, tear-stained and so very unhappy that the parents abandoned the tour shortly after that. They all got off the coach in one of the villages, and when we left, a shopkeeper was helping the family arrange a taxi to take them back to port. The parents will probably remember that trip for a long time, but not for the right reasons!

 

Lisa

[English_in_Spain]

I don't want to seem mean but I must say this and I do not want to offend anyone.

 

I agree with what a couple of people have said. A cruise is not a holiday suitable for young children. It is not fair on the children, the parents or the other passengers.

 

Lots of people save up for many years to go on a cruise,especially if it is a long way away from home.

 

If you must do this please choose a cruise which specialises in children (eg Disney).

 

Sorry to be such a killjoy but we have had many cruises spoiled by children being bored and restless.

[amanda blake]

when I posted a similar comment , suggesting that a med cruise is not for babies and toddlers..it was deleted...it is very valid advice...so just know that not all advice here is allowed...

[Host Karen]

you must be kidding...I know that isnt very helpful...but the best help I can give you is to say , please do not travel with a baby and a toddler...

 

the med is not the type of trip that you could enjoy if you brought them with you....

 

nor would they...

 

nor would others...

 

in fact I cant understand why anyone would go on ANY cruise with a baby....I just dont get it...what is the point of the trip?

 

sorry, just cant keep quiet here....

 

when I posted a similar comment , suggesting that a med cruise is not for babies and toddlers..it was deleted...it is very valid advice...so just know that not all advice here is allowed...

 

As you can see from your quoted post above, your second post inaccurate. You will find the first quote of yours on the first page of this thread (post number 4), where it has been since you wrote it. Please don't make accusations about the moderators, especially when those accusations are wrong. We suffer enough abuse as it is. :D

 

Karen

HostKaren@CruiseCritic.com

[NorthernLite]

OK, up front, I don't have kids. I have heard almost every reason here for me not to go to such places because I use a wheelchair fulltime. So, first off talk to a travel health doctor. Due to people fleeing wars and famine in Africa; the opening of the borders and the release of most political prisoners in the former USSR counties and the like some old diseases are back. Your oldest should be fully immunized against polio but how about the youngest? Yes, even Gibralter recommends polio boosters for adults due to migrants from Africa that are not immunized and tetanus if you get scratched by a Barbary ape. And no child who has had a live polio vaccine should go in any pool shared by others or be changed by anyone without gloves for two full weeks. We mainly use 4 dead injections now in the USA so bring up whether a live shot will be needed for either child and any side effects possible. Same with hepatitis vaccines and other childhood boosters. A travel doc knows his vaccines and where outbreaks are while your pediatrician most likely won't.

 

Food, my favorite subject, do you use bottled formula and will you be allowed to bring a large amount into the country. Hey, in Chile a table mate was fined about $80 for 4 ounces of roasted almonds. I would be bankrupt if they found my seed containing trail mix at the airport. So much for snacks on the plane instead of whatever the rubber food is.. If you mix formula get your babies used to a bottled water available over there weeks in advance. Fresh milk is easy to find although not low fat or skim. Most milk and juices come in UHT treated boxes.

 

Yup, those cobblestones are a real b*tch. But there are some very family/picnic friendly parks and gardens all over. I would suggest early May or mid-October to avoid rain and higher temperatures if you go to Rome. Actually a transatlantic cruise just might be perfect if you leave Florida or Rome and hit a Bahama island; Bermuda; Ponta del Garda, Azores and/or Madiera Island; Malaga, Spain; Villefranche, France and Livorno.

 

Decide ahead of time two or three things you and your husband might want to do alone if only dinner in a specialty restaurant. Check out onboard baby sitters. Believe me, if it is offered they are seriously checked and probably checked on by your Asst House Keeper during the few hours they are under the nanny's care.

 

Personally, I'd start off by calling or pulling up each lines' web sites on what the lowest age allowed is and are they "child friendly" IOWs skip SilverSeas and Azamara. So if a travel doc says it's ok and your pediatrician agrees with you when the time comes.....go! Do get travel insurance not "cruise protection" just in case.

[Aussieflyer]

Northernlite

What sensible advice - what the OP asked was not whether to cruise with the children, but if she did, what was the advice on shore excursions etc. Many posters seem to be on the "do not cruise" theme rather than helping with useful suggestions. I would suspect that a few years back, the posts would have been that a person in a wheelchair fulltime would not be able to manage a cruise and you obviously have demonstrated how wrong that view is -- same with the kids in my view.

The OP is obviously well organised and has the opportunity for a great holiday - she should keep doing the research and just go for it.

[NorthernLite]

Aussieflyer, some of the most vocal about my inability to travel have had to eat their words. LOL Haven't made it Downunder yet but Oz is on my list because of old friends from my army days live, work or are mates there. But I've ridden the sledge down the hill in Funchal; rolled around the top of the Acropolis; seen the inside of the Blue Mosque and found the pagan dolphins in the oldest part of the Haj Sophia; had a delicious lunch on the waterfront in Villefranche and watched seals, whales and dolphins going up a fjord in Newfoundland. Then there was South America and the Panama Canal.

 

I've been to more countries since I was injured then I did while in the Army and then married to an Army civilian. If you really want to do something; do it. Just like you said....do your research and go for it. At least shore excursions allow children outside the US.

 

Villa della Pomphili? I mean in Rome. The last word is a bit off but it's a family friendly park in Rome. Bag up a picnic, borrow a blanket and enjoy the cool shade. Do keep an eye on the small lake. Very shallow and was the home of one nutria way back but with toddlers.... Villa Borghese has been cleaned up also as traffic has been restricted but ask a local before going through in late afternoon/evening. Not dangerous but a meeting place for the short liason between consenting men.

 

And the one downer, Italians fib about how safe their beaches are just as tourist season starts. Avoid the Bay of Naples area especially. Civettavechia itself and a small place just a few miles north of Livorno are family beach resorts. Casual clothes, ice cream parlors, etc. Oh, and google Bomarzo. It reminded me of something like my Mom took us to when we were small.

[mistymulan]

Last year my family with small kids took the NCL 7day Barcelona Mediterranean cruise. it was wonderful. There were tons of families with small children. It is a very port intensive trip, and 2 or 3 of them were tendered ports. We did fine with the kids. Just bring lots of snack, and plan your port days carefully. You know what your kids can handle. We also did go in July...way too hot and humid. We've alread booked another cruise 12day also with our kids to the eastern mediterranean.

[Aussieflyer]

NorthernLite

Do you mean Villa Pamphili, south of the Vatican? Haven't been there but it looks a large park on my Rome map.

 

We will be in Rome in Sept for a couple of days before and after our cruise - your info on Villa Borghese is timely as we will be staying near there on the way home.

 

Hope you get to Australia soon - it's got lots to see!

[NorthernLite]

NorthernLite

Do you mean Villa Pamphili, south of the Vatican? Haven't been there but it looks a large park on my Rome map.

 

We will be in Rome in Sept for a couple of days before and after our cruise - your info on Villa Borghese is timely as we will be staying near there on the way home.

 

Hope you get to Australia soon - it's got lots to see!

 

That's it--Pamphili! Old palazzo still on the grounds and shady. It's on the Genicolo. One of the original 7 hills.

 

Buses and taxis were the only "allowed" vehicular traffic through the Villa Borghese back in the 1980s and into the 1990s. Then the police really started enforcing the no cars and vespas cutting through when the effort to clean up the congestion and air started. So it is quieter, cleaner and now an easy walk way across the Via Veneto and through the right side down to the Spanish Steps. It is huge though and has a museum within it and a pond. The museum was closed the entire time we lived there for renovations. Oh, and a horse track, for riding not racing.

 

I doubt the "girls" stroll just outside the wall at night anymore. LOL Many a surprised tourist found he had picked up someone from South America making enough to get the "operation" in Tunisa and was still male underneath. As for the short redevouses, I'd ask at your hotel how the park is at night now. It never was dangerous just could offend the sensibilities of many. Do have an after dinner drink and coffee some night at Harry's Bar. The bar is reasonable while the diningroom, well, there are better restaurants for the price IMHO.

 

Visiting Oz is a bit down the list still. It'll take some planning to see it all. And I do mean pretty much all. Sydney and Melbourne, Alice Springs, Perth and a wee unlisted place out in the middle of nowhere if our timing is right and they'll open the barbwire for a temporary pass to an old mate. I sure didn't learn all these rugby songs just from our Brit friends. And we also ran with the Hash House Harriers that involved a few Aussies in our Rome days.

 

Ah, it's times like this I miss being a Cold Warrior.