First Time to Europe - Med Cruise?

On your first visit to the continent of Europe, do you only want day trips? Is your plan to eat cruiseship food for dinner and breakfast mostly and spend your evenings with the thousands on a ship versus exploring & experiencing different towns or cities within a country and staying overnight in a hotel or B&B? On your first visit to a continent, do you want to sequester yourselves every night with thousands on a cruise ship and be rushed on day ports of call to visit as much as possible but be back by a certain time before the cruise ship departs or be loaded on giant buses to see as many bucket list locales as can be fit into several hours with tons of others and then be bused back to a cruise ship? If that makes you happy, you have your answer.

You will find some anti-cruising bias on this site. But we are big fans of cruising in Europe and did maybe eight when the boys were younger. Solved a lot of problems when it came to eating and relaxing. The unpacking once was a big advantage. It gave us and the kids an opportunity for an easy introduction to Europe, using public transportation, etc., and the port timing is great for kids. Just think of the cruise ship as a big, overnight train, moving from one city to another. Very efficient. We did a lot of prior research for each port, and will hit the TI for local tours, especially walking tours that might appeal to the boys. Off the ship in earlier morning for our planned activities, have lunch or even a little picnic lunch at noon and back on by late afternoon. At that point the boys would unwind with some of the ship's activities and especially the pools. Sometimes there are children programs on board that will do things for the kids, giving you a few free hours for your own.

All in all we found that the cruises provided a very economical way to see lots of Europe especially with kids. Today our sons with dils are world travelers.

PS. None of Continental's comments above would apply to any of our experiences with cruising with kids in Europe. Almost totally opposite. I guess it is the attitude you bring to the table.

Its up to you. I don't think you'll find many people here who would say that you get to experience much of Europe on a cruise. You'll get a tiny taste of each port you visit, and that's it (unless you tack on a pre or post cruise land stay). OTOH, as first timers it may serve as a scouting mission for places you want to actually fully experience on a later land vacation.

As for your second option. Forget it. Spring is a great time to visit and those 3 cities are wonderful. BUT (big BUT), you just can't do all 3 in a week. If that's all the time you'll have, pick one of them. Experience it fully and/or do a couple of day trips towards the end of your stay.

Won't offer any opinion on cruise ship experiences. But...

or 1 week spring break - in that case, my thought is to do London-Paris-Rome.

if by this you mean, you are considering going to Europe for a week, and trying to "do" London, Paris and Rome...I would suggest you reconsider. With a week (depends exactly how do you define "a week"), I'd pick one, not three. Unless you just want a drive-by experience where you simply check off a box next to "been there".

Wow -- the anti cruise people showed up faster than usual. I think most of the negative comments are from people who have never cruised but make lots of assumptions. Cruise line food is generally quite good. And some here have never traveled with the attention span of young children who generally have little interest in thousand year old cathedrals. We were both in education which limited our travel times to the summer but found that cruising with the boys allowed us to see a lot of Europe that might not have seen otherwise. PM me if you want some specific tips on cabin selection, etc.

Cruising can be wonderful if you are only interested in the ports of call the ship visits. It certainly can be a better option financially, especially with children along. As far as a week to visit London, Paris and Rome, you don’t have enough time to do all three in a week. Each city could keep you busy for several weeks. Pick one or at the most two and that would be London and Paris. My stepdaughter was gifted American Airline ( her employer) tickets for two, and she chose me to go with her (in January, ugh). She picked London and Paris with only 7 days off to do this trip.

I was a mess! The jet lag was awful for three days.
I would have picked one city if I had any say. In case you are not aware, most museums in London are free, public transportation is easy to use and a visit to Windsor Castle and Stonehenge might be fun for the kids.

Is a cruise a good option for first time Europe trip?

It has never been easier to do a land based trip in Europe, with multiple books and internet resources covering well-traversed cities like the ones you mentioned. I say ditch the comfort of the familiar and plan your own family trip. It will seem daunting at first but the rewards will be great - all the skills you'll gain will be used for future trips. You'll see and experience more by not being bounded by port schedules and geographic limits, although admittedly it will be more expensive than a cruise.

I haven't cruised anywhere, so you know what my advice is worth, right? But I've read a lot of posts on this forum by people trying to figure out how to see a place important to them during a cruise stop. It is sometimes very challenging.

It's my impression that Caribbean cruise ports are often right at the towns people want to see. That is only sometimes true in Europe. People start out thinking they'll do those trips on their own (much, much cheaper than the cruise line's excursions), then they are often told it's too risky to try making such a long excursion on their own, because they may not get back to the ship on time.

So I would urge you to use Google Maps to see exactly where each port is located vis-à-vis the towns trumpeted in the marketing materials.

Another issue is that visiting a place any distance from the cruise port means you'll be there during day-tripping hours, perhaps along with thousands of other passengers. For the most popular small-town destinations, that is not the route to the best experience.

Among the ports that seem problematic to me--based solely on my reading of this forum--are Warnemunde (not the way to see Berlin; fine if you want to enjoy a spot near the port), Santorini (geography makes it very time-consuming to get from the ship to the places you'll want to see, which really cuts into usable port time), and La Spezia or any other port advertised as "Cinque Terre" (severe daytime crowding in the five villages).

If you list the ports for the cruise you're considering, knowledgeable folks on the forum can provide useful comments.

Frank, I can't speak for the others, but DH and I are very experienced cruisers. Love cruising to places that are otherwise difficult to get to, or where a one day visit is all we want. We also enjoy sea days as a way to rest and restore energy after several consecutive port days. The Northern cruises to Scandinavia or the Baltics work well for most in this regard. But you will never convince me that a Mediterranean cruise is superior to a land visit. Nor can you experience the vast majority of the continent that is more than an hour ror 2 drive from the port.

But sure, if you only want to sleep in an American style room, eat American style buffet or banquet quality food, and mingle with other cruisers all day and all night, then a cruise is the perfect choice.

How about a European river cruise?

A river cruise ship does not have the facilities for entertaining kids. Plus the room configuration on a river cruise is very different from a ocean cruise ships. For a first time family with young kids a ocean cruise offers a lot of advantages.

CJean - not suggesting that every trip to Europe should be a cruise. Just responding to the first trip with small children. Once the kids are teenagers with interests of their own you can tackle the greater continent. No one is suggesting you have to do everything on the first trip. Stay focused.

I like Caribbean cruises and am looking into Alaska. But I’d not want to do a Europe cruise. Here’s why: Europe is crowded with tourists, especially during peak times of day in spring/summer. It’s highly unpleasant to be packed and rushed. Unfortunately on a cruise you mainly see the towns and cities during the crowded daytimes. I LOVE walking floodlit streets after dark, eating dinner in local restaurants and stopping for gelato after, and also getting up early for photo walks. The trevi fountain is impossible to even get up to at 2PM. At 7AM it’s crowd free and at 9PM it’s pleasantly lively but not insane. On a cruise you miss early and late, precisely my favorite times!

I travel with my kids, 10 and 13. You can do it without a cruise if you prefer!

How about a cruise to Alaska in summer instead of either Europe option? The 6-year-old seems a bit young for Europe, but there are cruise lines on the Alaska route that are especially good for kids, and it is a good way to explore the Southeast part of the "Great Land".

Given the fact that you are experienced cruisers, you enjoy it, your children’s ages, I would opt for a cruise. In a few years they will be above the age cutoff for a RS Family tour and much better able to appreciate what a well guided tour to Europe can bring you. But, even with the disadvantages of cruising in Europe that have been pointed out-large groups disembarking, ports that are a distance from city center, etc.-you would find that in the brief time you have this would be much less stressful than planning a land based trip with the need to book hotels, transportation, meals, site tickets, etc. A week to a week and a half is a very short time so a cruise really fits the bill. Take the cruise, do some excursions, let the kids have fun on the ship (RCCL has some great stuff for that age group). You pack and unpack once, your hotel goes with you, and the biggest meal challenge is not eating too much. When our kids were in that age group we took 10 cruises, mostly Caribbean and Alaska (and mostly RCCL and Celebrity which they now own). I regret not cruising Europe while they still wanted to be with us, although we eventually got them back for land based tours (amazing what they will agree to if you are paying!). Reading the replies to your post I sense that some of the most anti-cruise critics have never set foot on a cruise ship.

I'll join those endorsing your plan, though I agree that a Med cruise isn't the "best" way to see the cities where you'll stop. (I've done lots of cruises, including Baltic, but never Med). But it would seem like a good option for your kids to get a taste of Europe without the (relative) rigors of land travel. Hopefully they'll want to join you on independent trips, or maybe one of the RS family tours, when they're older.

Our host has published a guidebook for Mediterranean cruise ports with a lot of good info about getting the most from your limited times ashore. I found its Baltic counterpart very useful. You'll find it under "shop online" on this website, or maybe your library has one you could check out.

I agree with others that a one-week London-Paris-Rome trip would be a bad idea -- too little time in each city, too much time in transit. Pick one of those cities. I'd suggest London if you haven't been to Europe before, just because the language won't be such an issue (but be careful stepping off curbs). Otherwise Paris, maybe the world's most beautiful city and a great introduction to the continent.

Lucky kids you have!

I just see terms like “stuck on a boat” and that seems to me to be an anti cruise sentiment and few who use such terms have cruised. Cruising is growing by leaps and bounds for good reason. But independent travel, cruising, a guided tour- they are not mutually exclusive. You can enjoy all sorts of travel (we do). So, what I was trying to say, I guess not well, if you have not cruised don’t weigh in with negativity based on what you think it must be like.

Why not do both?! ;-) Go on the Mediterranean Cruise, but work in a few day before and after to explore on your own. I'll admit there are some parts of Europe, like the Aegean which lends itself nicely to be seen by ship (just ask Odysseus).

I just returned from a 2 week cruise to New Zealand and Australia and I admit I would not have been able to see half of what I saw if I was on my own. I never felt rushed as I always came back to the same bed, considering its 13+ hrs to fly there I felt the cruise experience was a good investment.

PS most of my fellow cruise ship passengers were not Americans but rather locals themselves, the ship was filled with Aussies and Kiwis lol!

Great way to get your feet wet! A low stress way to introduce yourself to Europe as well as entertain the kids. On our Med. cruise it was a lot of geriatric folks, just keep that in mind with small children.

I'm not for or against cruises. i will just comment on your time without a cruise. If you go one week, I would spend the entire time in Rome. Your kids will enjoy it. If you go 1.5 weeks I would choose London. There is a lot to see in London. I think Paris would be the least interesting for your kids. Just my opinion.

I've never done a cruise but would hate to be at a destination I loved and have to hurry back to the ship. For me, cruises just don't allow enough time in port. The ports are often a significant distance from the cities you want to see, which further reduces your time to see them.

Well, Frank, since you mentioned my name, you appear knee-jerk about cruise ship bashing more than offering advice to a first time visitor to the continent of Europe who asked for advice. One sees your agenda about standing up for cruise ship traveling quite incandescently. 👍

I on the other hand was offering my opinion about how to make the most out of one’s first time visit to a continent NEVER visited by advising being on that continent 24/7 of that trip as opposed only to be exposed to it via a cruiseship excursion with busloads of others on a tight clock.

Traveling with a 6 and 11 year old is a lot of work. As the long as the cruise line has activities for kids, a Mediterranean cruise sounds like a great idea - fewer opportunities to leave their devices in the last hotel!

I have decided against taking a river cruise - but if we ever make it to the Baltic or Greece, it will be on a cruise ship.

My kids are now 11 and 16, but when they were 8 and 11 we took a Disney cruise to the Caribbean. We LOVED it! We had family time at meals/shows, the kids LOVED the kids programs and never wanted to leave on at-sea days so we got some couple time, on at-port days we had about 6 hours to explore a new place.

I see the pros of cruising as: pack and unpack once. Lots of entertainment during at-sea days. Minimal planning required. Room service 24/7 and free!

Cons of cruising: limited time in port and more crowds. If you eat your meals on the ship you miss a big part of foreign travel. Distance from port to actual sights. Additional expenses, including “excursions” to get to sights.

We’ve since taken two trips to Europe with our kids. The first was a 3 week road trip through Germany, Austria, Slovenia & Venice. The second was 2 weeks split between Spain and France. Stays of 3 nights or more work best for us. It’s easy to plan on your own, and much cheaper than tours/cruises.

Don’t even think about 3 cities in one week. Not even 3 cities in the same country!

I do like the suggestion of adding a few days before or after a cruise to give you the “best of both worlds”.

Don’t underestimate jet lag. Don’t expect to “do” much on your arrival day.

Anti-cruisers are so annoying. We have never been on an organized tour but I don’t put down travelers who have. Take the advice of people who have actually been in your situation (Frank) and take your cruise. It will be so much less stressful. We have cruised the Caribbean, Alaska, and Europe. We have also planned our own trips. All were trips we would do again. We have travelled with our grandsons on a cruise to Alaska and it was fabulous. We would go on that cruise again. We like the Northern European cruises, such as the British Isles or Russia. I too am in education and have to travel in the summer. Anywhere up north is cooler. We definitely went to places which we would have missed on our own, such as Guernsey. Besides, some places only warrant one day.

We have traveled to 78 foreign countries and lived overseas as well. We have been to all the continents except Antartica.

We have done 20 cruises with three different cruise lines, Celebrity, NCL and Royal Caribbean. Royal C is a great cruise line and you would probably love your cruise.

Royal is good for kids. When my son was 5-10 years ago and daughter was 11-16, we did land trips all over central and western Europe as well as the Far East. Dragging young ones through museums can be weary for the them. Still, we managed.

The advantage of a cruise is that you don't have to move hotels and you have transport between ports. It is great for short visits to ports. Great for a cruise that visits places like Dubrovnik and the Greek Islands.

The disadvantages are that major cities in Europe like London, Paris, Berlin, Munich, Rome, Florence and Amsterdam require several days to visit. I have been to Rome twice and spent a total of 12 days there and still not seen all that I want to see. We are going back to Rome next year to see more.

It is a tough decision, but either way, you will love your travel. If you do the cruise, plan on coming back to Europe later for a land trip and leave the kids at home, until they are teens. My Son, who loves to travel now, doesn't remember anything of what he saw from age 10 earlier.

For research on cruising, check out the website cruise critic.com

Thank you all so much! Great discussion - this is exactly what I was hoping for. Appreciate the opinions and experiences! Along the lines of some of the comments, we were thinking that the cruise would be a good introduction to Europe, and that we could do the land-based trip on a follow up trip. One follow up question - any comments/experiences with the weather in Italy, Greece, or the Mediterranean during the middle of summer? Is the heat really bad? I am guessing most places in the cities/ports will not have air conditioning.

It will be very hot unless a cold front comes in. That hasn’t happened in the numerous times I’ve been in any Med ports.
Museums have AC. Some restaurants might not.
It will be pleasant as long as your ship is sailing.

It can be hot but the Med does not have the same level of humidity that you would encounter in Florida at the same temperature level. Most tourist places will have some form of air conditioning but not to the ice box level that is more common in the US. The local like AC as well as American tourists. There is a reason for the afternoon siesta around the Med and especially Spain so we adapt to local customs.

Since you love cruising and plan to do a land based trip later, a Med. Cruise is a good option for your first time to Europe and I encourage it. My thoughts are based on the fact that we've done a Med. cruise, an Adriatic one, land touring, and lived there. You already know the ropes related to cruising so you only have to be focused on getting a taste on various European places. That may help determine your later land based trip.

Our first two trips to Europe were via cruise and it is a great way to dip your toe in to experiences new places/languages/cultures. We had more time than you so both times we added a week either to the beginning or end of the cruise. Cruising definitely gave us more confidence for later trips to go out and do things on our own.

How about a European river cruise?

I'm not sure their time restraints would work with a river cruise.

We were asked to join another couple on a Rhine Viking River Cruise in 2016. Based on that experience, here are my observations.

Viking River Cruises are marketed to older middle class Americans. Just look at their PBS ads. I can't recall any children the age of the OPs kids. I also don't recall any activities aimed at guests younger than young adults. It is completely different from Caribbean cruise ships tailored to accommodate families.

Most of the sailing is done at night, with days spent on organized tours of the port of call. There is little flexibility that would allow alternate activities aimed at kids.

On a more general note, the marketing by VRC, especially the ads on PBS are very cleverly done, but in no way reflect the actual experience provided on their cruises. You see at most two couples having intimate experiences. Often they show Karen Hagen wandering alone in an art museum or having a one on one experience baking bread. The reality is that when on land, you are one of 4 or 5 busloads of tourists from your ship. In cities like Cologne, you and your busload of 50 or so can separate from the rest, but at sites like Heidelberg, you are on top of your group and the other 150 from your ship (plus whatever other groups are there). Most of the time two ships are side be side when docked, the the balcony you paid extra for is literally inches from the balcony of a guest on another ship.

We went to Europe for the first time in 1966 and have been back several times. Based on our experience, I can think of no worse way to travel there first time than on any sort of a cruise.

You likely should look at cruise critic? Hold harmless: I have never been on a cruise. Nonetheless, I will say one thing (or more, LOL). When my daughter was between 6 and 10 she liked to know her surroundings. She felt comfortable in a room to which she could return and feel at home. I think a cruise is likely to provide this. She also liked a pool and would be patient on the things she liked less knowing she could return to a pool...which I assume cruise ships have. When we traveled with kids, we didn't usually take the vacation we wanted, but rather one they would like and one on which our family would bond further. IMO. I'd suggest picking up Rick's cruise port book as that will give you an idea of where or how to avoid the ship's port tours to perhaps make the cruising your own. Also, a hint from a cruise will give you an idea to where you'd like to return.

Fortunately, that is Doug's opinion and it is total opposite of ours. That is what makes travel interesting. We have been on a lot of cruises - both river and ocean - and don't any the problem often ascribed to cruises. Probably because we live in a different universe and know how to avoid many of the "problems" often described by others.

PS Posting same time as Wray. Those comments are very accurate and I agree completely. And probably last posting for awhile. Waiting for plane to Ft. Lauderdale and three back to back cruises in the Caribbean. Far cheaper than renting a condo in the Keys and the weather is better. See in time for Spring skiing.

Awesome thoughts! Exactly what I was looking for. Obviously a big financial commitment, so just want to make sure we’ve thought this through. One more question - anyone that is familiar with Naples/Capri - would it be possible to see Pompei if the cruise ship stopped from 6:00 Am to 8:00 pm? Looks like it’s relatively close, but don’t want to assume anything.

There are 2 types of European travelers:

Those who take a cruise

Those who try to avoid the cruise crowds

Take your pick!

Not that difficult to avoid the crowds if you plan ahead. We walked the walls in Dubrovnik, got photos at some of the blue roofs in Santorini, and even explored parts of Venice all without having to fight the crowds. It's frustrating when people who have been on a cruise get labeled in such a negative way. We've cruised, done an RS tour and also visited parts of Europe on our own and there are benefits to all.

You asked about the weather in the Summer months in the Med.

I am from South Georgia in the USA and the hot weather in the Med in the Summer is no different than what we have here.

Greece and Italy will be hot in the middle of the Summer, but just drink plenty of water, wear a hat and comfortable clothing. Also, use sun block to protect your skin.

would it be possible to see Pompei if the cruise ship stopped from
6:00 Am to 8:00 pm?

That is easily done. Taxi to the P. Garibaldi station, then take the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii scavi (NOT Pompeii city!). Trip should take about an hour each way.

Hi, I've rather imperfectly removed some side discussion. Thanks in advance to all for sticking to the OP's question to avoid arguments.

As far as weather goes - it is hot but manageable for most people. Are you from somewhere that gets hot in summer? If so you are probably used to it.

General advice is to drink lots of water, wear hats and lightweight clothing, and take your time. If you weren't cruising I'd say to spend the hottest hours indoors (the siesta exists for a reason!) but that doesn't work with most cruise excursions. There will be A/C in many indoor sights, but not everywhere and not all restaurants. The A/C won't be as cold as in the US, either. But there are sea breezes and the coast is cooler than inland. I personally don't find it a huge deal - I'd take heat over the rain and quiet of winter in seaside towns.

would it be possible to see Pompei if the cruise ship stopped from 6:00 Am to 8:00 pm? Looks like it’s relatively close...

As CJean stated, it can be done. Something to consider however, is this. An excursion through the cruise line will cost more than one will spend by doing it on one's own. But, the ship will wait for their excursions if they are late returning to the port. Not so if one is out on one's own. Several times we have seen people literally running along the pier as the ship departed and at least one of them was in Naples. The traffic can be very bad and we've been delayed in traffic jams every time we've stopped there -- but the ship waited. Don't mean to rain on your parade, just offering food for thought. Hope you have a great trip.

would it be possible to see Pompei if the cruise ship stopped from
6:00 Am to 8:00 pm? Looks like it’s relatively close...

We were on a cruise and we were off the ship at 8 and it was leaving again at 7. We found a local tour company (I've searched but can't find its name). They picked us up at the cruise building and took us to Pompeii and back. Cost was less than half what the cruise line was quoting. Stuff happens, but these tour companies make a living out of cruise passengers and are very aware of getting you back on time. I posted a question on this forum if anyone has ever missed their ship. Many had stories of hearing of it happen, but nobody had a story that it actually happened to them. Personally, I've never found myself in a position that I thought we wouldn't get back on time.

Regarding Pompeii--you might want to check Shared Tours by Mondo Guide. Their shore excursion includes stops in Sorrento and Positano in addition to Pompeii, so this might be more moving around and less time at Pompeii than you want. They are good about corresponding by email if you have specific questions for them.

Regarding visiting Pompeii from the Naples cruise port, Mondo Guides is a good choice and is recommended by Rick Steves. If you just want to focus on Pompeii, you might also consider CitySighting, which has a bus at the cruise port that takes you directly to Pompeii, where you are are on your own for four hours (see https://www.city-sightseeing.it/en/shuttle-bus-naples-pompei-vesuvius/). The Circumvesuviana commuter train mentioned by others is also a possibility, but it can be hot and dirty, so it might not be the best experience if you are traveling with kids. If you decide to take it, be sure to wear your money belt because there are often pickpockets targeting tourists.