7 reasons why a Mediterranean cruise is a great family vacation and a few tips to help with the planning.
It’s hard to believe that there was a time when cruising was considered an adults-only vacation. That perception has been rapidly changing though as mainstream cruise lines court families and parents discover that cruising with kids can be quite an attractive vacation option. The hardest part of cruising is generally deciding where to go as the options include a wide range of worldwide destinations.
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One of my favourite cruises was in the Eastern Mediterranean which we discovered is a fantastic area for families to visit. Parents might be hesitant to take their kids on a cruise outside the the Caribbean or Mexico but there is really no need to confine family cruising to those regions. Here are 7 reasons to take your kids on a Mediterranean cruise as well as a few tips to help with the planning.
You might also enjoy reading 12 Spectacular Cruises to Add to Your Bucket List
1. The Ease of Travel from Place to Place
Cruising in Europe means an opportunity to visit several different places over a relatively short period of time in a low stress way. Families on a European cruise need only unpack once and the ship will transport them to several destinations.
This ease of travel from place to place is one of the greatest benefits for harried parents who might not otherwise consider foreign travel with their kids due to the logistics of transporting family and luggage from point A to point B.
On our Mediterranean cruise, we boarded the Celebrity Equinox in Rome and visited six ports in Greece, Turkey and Italy over the course of an 11 night cruise. There was no way we could have seen that many different places on our own in less than two weeks while maintaining our sanity.
2. Payment in U.S. or Canadian Dollars
North American residents pay for their cruise vacation in Europe up front in either U.S. or Canadian dollars. This means that cruisers don’t need to worry about currency fluctuations once the cruise has been paid for as the out-of-pocket expenses that they will have in Europe will mostly be purchases made while ashore in each port. It’s helpful to have that reassurance that the cost of a trip isn’t going to increase dramatically based on what is happening in the currency markets.
3. The Oboard Experience
Staying aboard a cruise ship while sailing the Mediterranean might not offer the same cultural experience as a land-based vacation but that can be a selling point for families who haven’t travelled abroad before and are worried the kids might not adapt well. Returning to a familiar environment where English is spoken can provide the comfort level that some need.
Mainstream cruise lines also have great facilities for the kids with fun and educational programming that provides them with an opportunity to have social time with their peers and which allows parents to spend some time together without the kids.
Families with picky eaters are grateful for the familiar food choices that will please their kids and the extensive onboard entertainment options means that there is no chance that anyone will ever announce that they are bored.
4. History Brought to Life
Mediterranean cruises are a great educational experience as they include ports that will bring ancient history and civilizations to life for everyone in the family.
In Athens, Greece a family can visit the Acropolis to see the Parthenon and other temples; in Kusadasi, Turkey travel to Ephesus to experience one of the best-preserved classical cities in the Mediterranean (or in the words of our younger daughter “see where Cleopatra used to hang out“); and in Rome stroll through the Forum and imagine gladiators doing battle in the Colosseum.
Seeing these ancient sites for oneself has a far greater impact than reading about them in a textbook.
5. The Opportunity to Experience Other Cultures
Kids on a Mediterranean cruise will benefit from the general exposure to other languages and ways of life while visiting countries such as Italy, Greece, Turkey, Spain, France and Croatia. Several of the ports of call also provide the opportunity to visit some of the world’s great museums, art galleries and cultural sites such as the Vatican, the Blue Mosque, or the Uffizi Gallery.
Booking a tour with a kid-friendly guide is the best way to get the most out of a visit to many of these attractions. Our family also enjoyed learning more about local traditions at a pizza-making class in Sorrento, Italy and a hands-on pottery demonstration in Istanbul, Turkey.
6. Spectacular Weather and Beautiful Beaches
Summer time in the Mediterranean means one spectacular hot, sunny day after another without the risk of hurricanes that there is in the Caribbean. I don’t believe we felt even a single drop of rain during our two weeks in the Mediterranean and there was rarely even clouds in the sky. Choosing a cruise that includes stops in the Greek Islands will pretty much guarantee some fabulous family beach days which is also a welcome break from the intensive sightseeing in the city ports.
7. Delicious Food
There are few places in the world where the food is as delicious as it is in the Mediterranean. Pasta, pizza, gelato – it doesn’t get much better than this and even the pickiest of eaters is going to be thrilled with the selection.
Cruising is a great way to vacation with kids and the Mediterranean can be the perfect choice for families looking for a different sort of cruise.
Tips for Planning a Family Mediterranean Cruise
Here are a few tips to help in planning your family’s Mediterranean cruise.
- Check out Cruise Critic during the planning process for tips and information from other cruisers and to meet other families who will be on your cruise.
- Families travelling from North America should plan to arrive at least one night if not two or three prior to boarding whenever possible. Arriving at least one day ahead of time will reduce the worry that a flight delay could mean missing the ship. Arriving two or three days ahead will mean that any delayed luggage will catch up to you before boarding the ship and it will also give family members a chance to recover from jet lag so that they are able to hit the ground running when the cruise starts.
- Cruising in Europe involves just getting a taste of many fabulous destinations so, whenever possible, plan to spend a couple of days pre- or post-cruise to explore a bit more.
- Take advantage of sea days to relax a bit. The pace of a Mediterranean cruise can be a lot more hectic than a Caribbean cruise and you want to have enough energy for sightseeing on port days.
- Consider exploring on your own especially in the ports where the ship is docked or anchored in the centre of the action. It’s amazing what you will find sometimes if you are just wandering.
- I recommend hiring private guides instead of booking shore excursions through the cruise line in most instances. A private tour guide is generally not much more expensive for a group than the cost of purchasing the shore excursion for several people and you will have the ability to tailor the tour to suit your family’s needs.
- Plan plenty of breaks over the course of the day particularly when travelling in the heat of a Mediterranean summer. Ice cream and gelato will go a long way to improving the mood when everyone is hot and tired. Be sure to drink plenty of water as well to stay hydrated and don’t forget the sunscreen.
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Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
It’s a great idea to arrive a day or two early. My hubby missed the boat in Barcelona when his flight from Denver had to turn around over Canada and go back. He finally caught up with me the next day in Mallorca.
Gil
Sounds like a fun thing to try. I have the same problem with cruises that I do with tours – you have to do things on their schedule. If I’m supposed to be on vacation, I don’t want to get up at sunrise and eat at scheduled times.
Sophie @ Sophie's World
Good tips, especially about arriving early. But then again it’s easy and usually inexpensive to fly between cities, so not too difficult catching up with the ship here in Europe.
I think I’d like to try a cruise in Alaska. Have you done that, yet?
Katie Baird
I loved your point here about helping kids have an international experience with the “comfort” of returning to their English-speaking ship each night. I can see the wisdom of that and would love to take my family on a mediterranean cruise someday!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Missing the boat is a nightmare for me – seriously, I have stress dreams about it beforehand! Glad your husband was able to catch up with you the next day!!
Lisa Goodmurphy
There are a lot more options with cruising now than there used to be, Gil. On nearly all of our cruises we have chosen an option that allows you to dine when you want rather than at set times – schedules aren’t great for us either!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Yes, it’s probably a lot easier in Europe than it would be on a Caribbean cruise. We have cruised to Alaska (in 2007) and it was fantastic. In fact, we are thinking of doing it again – it’s an incredibly beautiful place!!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Katie! I do think it’s an easy option for parents who worry that their kids don’t adapt well to unfamiliar situations. You would love the Mediterranean – such a beautiful part of the world!
Alisa G
How did you get your kids excited to see the ruins or educate them before hand? We are doing the same cruise this summer with our 3 young children and want to prepare them for the cool ruins
Lisa Goodmurphy
Hi Alisa, I have always used books to get my kids excited for upcoming trips. How old are your children? My younger daughter had just turned 8 when we went on our Mediterranean cruise and it was Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief that got her most excited about seeing the ruins. I read it aloud to her and she became obsessed with Greek mythology. I wrote about the positive impact that the book had on our trip here. https://www.gonewiththefamily.com/gone-with-the-family-adv/2012/06/percy-jackson-and-our-european-trip.html
If your children are younger there are a few other books that I would recommend. The Magic Tree House series has a couple of books that are related to your itinerary – Vacation Under the Volcano (takes place in Pompeii) and Hour of the Olympics (Ancient Greece). Geronimo Stilton graphic novels for kids are also worth a look (The Coliseum Con and Geronimo Stilton Saves the Olympics). For even younger kids, KeeKee the Cat picture books for Athens and Rome or Bella and Harry for Athens, Rome and Istanbul.
I’ve written a bit about recommended books here. https://www.gonewiththefamily.com/gone-with-the-family-adv/2014/12/holiday-gifts-for-travelers-books.html
And have also reviewed the KeeKee series and the Bella and Harry series in these posts.
https://www.gonewiththefamily.com/gone-with-the-family-adv/2014/01/keekees-big-adventures-in-rome-giveaway.html
https://www.gonewiththefamily.com/gone-with-the-family-adv/2013/09/bella-and-harry-childrens-books-review-and-giveaway.html
Hope that helps – let me know if you have any other questions and have a wonderful cruise!!
Lisa
Donald Redmond
My wife and I are going on a 12 night Mediterranean Cruise, looks like the same places you visited. I know you took a much older child then we are, mine are 4-1/2 and 2. Do you think its worth taking a stroller or should we just plan on strapping my 2 year old to one of us? My concerns of course is whether or not the terrain will allow us to use a stroller. I’d hate to get off the boat and carry the stroller all day.
Thanks,
Donald R.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Hi Donald,
I think if you plan to take a stroller that it would need to be reasonably sturdy and not the flimsy umbrella type. I have had a look at my photos to confirm my memory that the streets were cobblestone in a number of the locations that we visited (we started in Rome with stops in Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, Kusadasi, Istanbul and Salerno for Pompeii/Amalfi Coast/Naples). Some of the sites such as the Parthenon (you have to climb stairs to access it) and Ephesus would be difficult to access with a stroller, in my opinion. In a port such as Santorini, if you are tendering at Fira then the only way to get from the ship to the town is by donkey, cable car or climbing stairs – not sure if that would be feasible with a stroller either. On the other hand, additional considerations might be the time of year that you are travelling and how heavy your toddler is. We travelled in August when it was brutally hot which would have made it difficult to carry a large toddler around as well.
As you noted, however, we were travelling with older children so I wasn’t paying a great deal of attention to whether or not there were families navigating the ports with young children in strollers. If you like then I can ask the question in a large group of travel writers that I am part of and find out if anyone has visited the specific ports that you will be visiting with toddler age children. Just let me know which specific ports are on your cruise and I am happy to make further inquiries.
Marnie
In need of some serious recommendations. Thinking I made a huge mistake booking a Royal Caribbean Med Cruise for my husband with no sense of direction and myself and our five and a half year old daughter. We’ve been through a lot this year and I needed a big getaway so now I am starting to panic I made the wrong choice of trips for us. We love cruising and my husband and I did the Med for our honeymoon. This is the third time I am taking a Med cruise and on this ship for a second time. my big asks are what activities can we find for our very girly and princess-loving daughter in Florence, Rome, Venice, Montenegro — the only port I am actually excited about is just to get me closer to Positano, my true happy place. Basically I am traveling across the globe to make myself blissfully happy for one afternoon in Positano — if the seas aren’t too rough to take us there that is. Help??
Lisa Goodmurphy
Don’t panic, Marnie – I’ll help you figure this out!! My kids were a little bit older on our Mediterranean cruise (my younger daughter had just turned 8) but we also went on a Northern European cruise two years earlier when she had just turned 6. I’m sure that your daughter will love the shipboard activities and the kids club even if she isn’t thrilled with the ports. Our biggest issue in the Mediterranean with our kids was the heat. We live in Toronto, Canada so the temperatures in the Mediterranean in August where overwhelming for us which meant that we had to move slow and not try to do too much. Not trying to do too much when travelling with young kids is always a good idea anyway!!
Of the ports you mention we have only been to Rome and that is where our cruise started and finished so we had about 2.5 days to explore at a leisurely pace. This is the article that I wrote about our visit https://www.gonewiththefamily.com/gone-with-the-family-adv/2013/07/rome-with-kids.html If Rome is just a port-of-call on your cruise then I would recommend that you consider a private guide for your family. That way you will have an air-conditioned ride (in a comfortable car) from the port into the city (I believe it was about an hour’s drive) and you can decide what you most want to see. A good guide will be able to make recommendations that would appeal to your daughter as well. Remember in Rome – gelato solves everything!! 🙂
I’m going to ask some other travel writers that I know for recommendations for your ports-of-call and get back to you.
Lisa
Mariah
What is the best way t find and book a good cruise? My son is 3 and he loves to explore! Also how do you find people for the private tours at port stops? Never been on any kind of cruise before.
Thanks!
Love all your posts!
Amber
Hi there,
We are taking our kids on their first Mediterranean cruise (our third) and I liked what you said about exploring some of the ports on our own. I think that less-structured style would be better for our kids who will be 11 and 8. I’m trying to figure out which ports would be best to ‘do our own thing’ and would love your suggestions. We embark from Barcelona and end in Rome and plan on doing a few days in each before & after. Here are our scheduled ports: Valencia, Nice, Ajaccio, Florence and Santa Margherita. Thanks so much!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Hi Amber, that sounds like such a fun cruise for your family! Unfortunately, I haven’t been to any of those ports so I can only provide general suggestions.
On the European cruises that we have taken, we found it easier to do our own thing in ports where we docked close to the city centre. This is partly due to my anxiety about missing the cruise so if you’re less uptight than me then it might not bother you! 😉 For example, on our Northern European cruise we organized our own tours in all of the ports but one. We booked a ship’s tour for Gdansk because the ship docked quite a distance from the city and I had read that the traffic could be quite bad heading back at the end of the day which made missing the departure a distinct possibility. If you’re on a ship’s tour then they’ll hold the departure for you whereas if you’re on your own then you’ll have to make your way to the next port to catch up with the cruise.
I think most of your ports with the exception of Florence will have you docked fairly close to the sites you want to visit. Florence I think is about 90 km from the port. If you book a private tour or your own transportation there then just be sure to plan to be back at the ship in lots of time.
Have you checked out Cruise Critic? I have always found their message boards to be a great source of information about private tours, transportation, do-it-yourself port visits etc. Each port of call will have its own message board that you can scroll for information in past threads or post your own questions if you register an account. You can also find a roll call for your specific cruise and chat to people ahead of time who will be on the cruise – we did this on our Mediterranean cruise and met a family with daughters similar in age to our girls and they ended up hanging out together for the duration of the cruise.
Hope that helps a bit – let me know if you have any more questions!