Mediterranean cruise or land tour for first Europe trip with kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The cruises disgorge so many people that there is no such thing as a quiet day. At least by land you can rent a car and go somewhere not so over run with tourists

Um, savvy cruisers hire private drivers or boats to take them off the beaten path. And some cruise ships venture to less touristy areas (particularly the smaller ships). Fwiw.

Nope, sorry. There’s no way you can spin one day in port as a valid form of traveling. It’s just sad.

?

We spent nearly 3 weeks in the Med: a mix of land-based travel pre and post cruise.

I actually enjoyed the days we spent visiting various spots during the cruise. Our goal was to have a fun day. We were off the ship early, met by a driver or captain, hit a local bakery and then started the day. We saw a lot, ate very well, and typically did a mix of history and beach time.

Again: this was just part of our three week summer trip. Pre and post cruise we visited other areas.

We go on smaller ships. Several days we were the only ship in port aside from yachts. My kids enjoyed googling the yachts to see who owned them. Think: the richest guy from Egypt, etc. If it’s good enough for them, then I’m not sure why you are criticizing it. I enjoyed chatting up the crew from yachts when I had the chance.

You act like every cruise is the equivalent to some imaginary carnival trope. Weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The cruises disgorge so many people that there is no such thing as a quiet day. At least by land you can rent a car and go somewhere not so over run with tourists

Um, savvy cruisers hire private drivers or boats to take them off the beaten path. And some cruise ships venture to less touristy areas (particularly the smaller ships). Fwiw.

Nope, sorry. There’s no way you can spin one day in port as a valid form of traveling. It’s just sad.

Riiiiiiiiggggghhhhhttttt.

Because 8-12 hours in a location having fun with your familiar followed by 8-12 hours in another fun location the next day is “sad.”

Honestly, I think it’s sad if you’ve never been on the various bodies of water throughout the Med/Aegean/Adriatic/Ligurian, etc.

The sunsets are breathtaking.

Sailing into the Bay of Kotor surrounded by the mountains is something you can’t experience on land.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The cruises disgorge so many people that there is no such thing as a quiet day. At least by land you can rent a car and go somewhere not so over run with tourists

Um, savvy cruisers hire private drivers or boats to take them off the beaten path. And some cruise ships venture to less touristy areas (particularly the smaller ships). Fwiw.

Nope, sorry. There’s no way you can spin one day in port as a valid form of traveling. It’s just sad.

These kind of blanket statements aren't helpful. My cruise stopped in Naples. We had a driver take us to Pompeii for the day. People aren't spending days at Pompeii. I saw just as much from a cruise ship stop than if I took a train from Rome.

[Anonymous]

with kids that age, I would just pick one city in Europe and stay in an airbnb, with 1 or 2 side day trips. I have heard Italy won't be great this summer because of the Jubilee. I think London would be great for those ages, and you could do a side trip to Oxford or Stonehenge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The cruises disgorge so many people that there is no such thing as a quiet day. At least by land you can rent a car and go somewhere not so over run with tourists

Um, savvy cruisers hire private drivers or boats to take them off the beaten path. And some cruise ships venture to less touristy areas (particularly the smaller ships). Fwiw.

Nope, sorry. There’s no way you can spin one day in port as a valid form of traveling. It’s just sad.

?

We spent nearly 3 weeks in the Med: a mix of land-based travel pre and post cruise.

I actually enjoyed the days we spent visiting various spots during the cruise. Our goal was to have a fun day. We were off the ship early, met by a driver or captain, hit a local bakery and then started the day. We saw a lot, ate very well, and typically did a mix of history and beach time.

Again: this was just part of our three week summer trip. Pre and post cruise we visited other areas.

We go on smaller ships. Several days we were the only ship in port aside from yachts. My kids enjoyed googling the yachts to see who owned them. Think: the richest guy from Egypt, etc. If it’s good enough for them, then I’m not sure why you are criticizing it. I enjoyed chatting up the crew from yachts when I had the chance.

You act like every cruise is the equivalent to some imaginary carnival trope. Weird.

Are you really conflating owning a private yacht with being on a cruise?

[Anonymous]

This thread makes me sad. Cruising is sad.

[Anonymous]

Land for sure! We went to Spain with kids 7 and 11 and they absolutely loved it. We drove, stayed in Airbnbs and stayed away from tourist spots whenever possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think a cruise could be ok, especially with those age kids. Do they like summer camp? That’s kinda what the kids club on the cruise would be like.

Yes, the port in Rome isn’t anywhere near Rome but that really only matters if that’s a stop not the embarkation point. You fly to Rome a few days early and hit the sights and then go to the ship.

What are the other ports of call?

Thanks, all. This is what I was considering, staying a couple of days early in Rome and a coupe days late in Barcelona. Here are the ports:
• Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
• Naples, Italy
• Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy (overnight)
• Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy
• Portofino, Italy
• Nice (Villefranche), France
• Provence (Marseille), France
• Barcelona, Spain

I did my first trip to Europe as a combined land trip and Mediterranean cruise. We were a bargain hunting family on a long trip and my grandparents paid for the cruise. I was about 10. I liked both the land and sea portions of the trip. What was most important to me were the sights at the destinations, not the mode of travel.

I would say some of the ports/stops you have listed above are not going to be as fun for kids as a land trip to different places.

My Mediterranean cruise went to:

Genoa, Palma De Mallorca, Barcelona, Tunis (Carthage), Malta, a Sicilian port, Naples (Pompeii) and back to Genoa. So a bit more exotic than OP's cruise and more focused on archaeology. It was a Costa cruise. There were no kid activities beyond a costume competition.

On board, you don't see a lot of recognizable landscapes so you don't learn how the areas look different from a close-up perspective. You also can't control the length of your sightseeing excursions. The cabin may be dark and small compared to a hotel.

Have you looked at the Rick Steves family bus tours? That might be more interesting to kids.

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/europe/family-europe-london-florence

I would expect Paris, Rome, and Venice to be more fun than some of the above port cities, based on my kids' experience. Venice really sticks out because it's so memorably different. My kids did not like Florence very much (13 and 10) compared to Rome and Venice. Kids do get tired of museums and churches.

Be aware that 2025 is a pilgrimage to Rome year called a Jubilee.

My kids loved Florence. It totally depends on their level of knowledge before going. There are lots of very cool and exciting stories in the history of Florence that you can share before going (and specialized tours when you go).

PP. I understand. I can't help their reactions. They liked what they liked. We stayed in a cool hotel with a tower (Hotel Torre Guelfa). They liked that and gelato. Also a kid's museum with DaVinci machines. They were a little scared of the Duomo climb. Not interested in the outdoor David replica, the Duomo, Baptistery, Duomo Museum, Uffizi, Palazzo Davanzati, Dante house museum
or the market with the bronze boar, or the bridge. We did suboptimize food there to save time. I enjoy Renaissance history and I laid out the itinerary based on my priorities.

My kids often receive pre-education materials. But they sometimes find prepping for vacation to be "too much".

Venice was a real hit. We stayed in an attic hotel near the Rialto Bridge.

You went to Florence and didn’t prioritize food? And give your kids homework before you travel? We never could be friends, this all sounds awful.

PP. That's o.k. with me because you sound judgy and mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:with kids that age, I would just pick one city in Europe and stay in an airbnb, with 1 or 2 side day trips. I have heard Italy won't be great this summer because of the Jubilee. I think London would be great for those ages, and you could do a side trip to Oxford or Stonehenge.

+1 to London with a visit to Stonehenge. London has amazing parks, museums, and markets. The tube is easy to navigate. Take some cab rides just because they are fun.

[Anonymous]

Land based and you don’t need to do a tour and why are you planning a vacation 18 months out FFS.

[Anonymous]

There’s a lot of judgement on this thread looking down on anyone that would consider a cruise. I would still consider it - you’ll see more than you would otherwise and have built in activities for the kids on the ship. You can spend extra time in Rome and Barcelona at the start and end. You won’t want more than a day anyway at the ports in between. You could also add on other spots in Italy and Spain at beginning and end depending on time you have.

Look, cruising isn’t for everyone. I’m a big fan of not doing it but in some circumstances it can make sense. Not everyone wants to deal with renting cars in foreign countries or figuring out every little detail of a trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The cruises disgorge so many people that there is no such thing as a quiet day. At least by land you can rent a car and go somewhere not so over run with tourists

Um, savvy cruisers hire private drivers or boats to take them off the beaten path. And some cruise ships venture to less touristy areas (particularly the smaller ships). Fwiw.

Nope, sorry. There’s no way you can spin one day in port as a valid form of traveling. It’s just sad.

?

We spent nearly 3 weeks in the Med: a mix of land-based travel pre and post cruise.

I actually enjoyed the days we spent visiting various spots during the cruise. Our goal was to have a fun day. We were off the ship early, met by a driver or captain, hit a local bakery and then started the day. We saw a lot, ate very well, and typically did a mix of history and beach time.

Again: this was just part of our three week summer trip. Pre and post cruise we visited other areas.

We go on smaller ships. Several days we were the only ship in port aside from yachts. My kids enjoyed googling the yachts to see who owned them. Think: the richest guy from Egypt, etc. If it’s good enough for them, then I’m not sure why you are criticizing it. I enjoyed chatting up the crew from yachts when I had the chance.

You act like every cruise is the equivalent to some imaginary carnival trope. Weird.

Are you really conflating owning a private yacht with being on a cruise?

Not at all.

But we spent the day at the same place as the fancy people on the yacht.

^^^
Same place. Same beach. Same adorable cafe. We just slept on different boats…but my boat had entertainment ;0)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:with kids that age, I would just pick one city in Europe and stay in an airbnb, with 1 or 2 side day trips. I have heard Italy won't be great this summer because of the Jubilee. I think London would be great for those ages, and you could do a side trip to Oxford or Stonehenge.

+1 to London with a visit to Stonehenge. London has amazing parks, museums, and markets. The tube is easy to navigate. Take some cab rides just because they are fun.

Fwiw, my kids enjoyed the Med far more than London and the UK. London in 2025 is a lot like any other major US or int’l city while Italy, Croatia, Greece, Spain, etc. feel very different.

Ignore the cruise haters, op.

Think about what your kids will enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Land based and you don’t need to do a tour and why are you planning a vacation 18 months out FFS.

DP, but I’ll share why I sometimes book/plan in advance:

1. Better deals on hotels and cruises.

2. Getting the dates on our family’s very busy schedule.

3. Having a trip to look forward to…everyone in our family does their own research and makes recommendations (including our kids who often find great restaurants/cafes/spots thanks to recommendations from their friends or social media or random articles that hit their feed).

PS - This comment was rather enlightening. Apparently the cruise haters aren’t planners. They overpay at the last minute and probably follow a land based itinerary built by Rick Steves or randos from Dcumlandia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Land based and you don’t need to do a tour and why are you planning a vacation 18 months out FFS.

DP, but I’ll share why I sometimes book/plan in advance:

1. Better deals on hotels and cruises.

2. Getting the dates on our family’s very busy schedule.

3. Having a trip to look forward to…everyone in our family does their own research and makes recommendations (including our kids who often find great restaurants/cafes/spots thanks to recommendations from their friends or social media or random articles that hit their feed).

PS - This comment was rather enlightening. Apparently the cruise haters aren’t planners. They overpay at the last minute and probably follow a land based itinerary built by Rick Steves or randos from Dcumlandia.

OP here - thanks for the helpful suggestions! I’m planning so far ahead because my husband is turning 50 next November and said wants to take a big trip in 2026. June is the best time frame for us. If we don’t do the cruise, I wasn’t planning to do a scheduled tour. 2026 cruises can be booked now and I’d like to book early if we go that route.

I do like the London suggestion but we’ve both been to London and Paris twice so would like to do something new.

Again thanks for the actual helpful and non snarky insight!