Kids going to Europe....are we crazy?

We are booked on the Epic to go to Europe next year (2015). The kids will be ages 11, 10 and 7. Are we nuts for taking kids this young to Europe?

 

I know that the ports are going to be long days - so that is something that concerns me. If we choose an excursion that they'd enjoy as well - it helps keep their interest.

 

Has anyone else taken kids this age to Europe?

 

Thanks!

I'm from Europe therefore have done Europe with kids much younger than that with no problems... The worst part is the flight across the Atlantic but your kids are not toddlers - so you'll be fine.

 

 

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Lots of us have done it. Europe is great for kids - just stick to private tours so you can go at your own pace and choose what you want to see (i.e., less museum and shopping stops, more fun places to explore). Not only do the kids love it, but I swear I love Europe more with the kids than when I used to go just as a couple. We don't try to pack everything in and enjoy what we do a lot more. If you post on the ports of call board, they're very helpful about what's kid-friendly in each port and good tour companies or how to do-it-yourself in each port.

 

A cruise is actually a really nice way to do Europe with younger kids because the routine stays pretty much the same, breakfast and dinner is easy, etc. Now that my girls are 9 and have more travel stamina, we're doing a longer land-based Europe trip - though I'm sure we're all going to miss the ease/comforts of a ship.

 

All the best,

Mia

Edited February 18, 2014 by Kerry's Girls

Thank you! I was starting to second guess our decision.

 

Now I just need to do research on what to do in each port and how to see/do things affordably for a family of 5.

A guidebook is a must! No one is ever "too young" to go exploring the world!!!

Thank you! I was starting to second guess our decision.

 

Now I just need to do research on what to do in each port and how to see/do things affordably for a family of 5.

 

Get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports. He will tell you what there is to do in the time you have in port, and how to do it on a budget. EM

No, you aren't crazy. (there are kids in Europe, and they seem to manage quite nicely :)

 

As said above, a cruise is a nice way to introduce kids to Europe. Do lots of research with them in advance so they know what to expect, and what they'd like to see. It means more to them if they are involved too, rather than just saying "okay, tomorrow we're in Italy, and the next day we're in France" (or wherever). We had a week long trip to Germany last October, and the kids learned a few German phrases and numbers, learned about the food in advance, and we looked at things that we might like to see together. It was fantastic :)

 

Your kids are also older - mine were 7 and 3 when we took them on a Med cruise, and while the cruise itself wasn't great (Costa... oh dear...) the itinerary was great and we really enjoyed our excursions together. There's no reason why you shouldn't take your kids at the ages they are.

 

Naysayers are probably just jealous.

Your kids are probably going to prefer the ship to the ports to be honest. That's not to say you shouldn't bring them. I have sailed on five cruises with my son in Europe. His ages were 4, 6, 7, 8 and 12. I took him because I wanted to go to Europe and my son's a good little traveler.

 

Personally if you go all the way to Europe- I wouldn't do a 7-night cruise. I do a 10 or 12 night so that every day isn't action-packed. After two consecutive days of touring- kids are often spent. With kids, the ship is the way to go. You'll have WAY more fun on the ship than on land. There is just a thrill a minute on a ship, there is a doctor on board which is comforting, meals are included, service is better, there are pools, games, nightlife- which you generally don't have on land.

 

I have spent time on land before and after cruises and always feel like the ship was a much better value.

Edited February 19, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

No, you aren't crazy. (there are kids in Europe, and they seem to manage quite nicely :)

 

As said above, a cruise is a nice way to introduce kids to Europe. Do lots of research with them in advance so they know what to expect, and what they'd like to see. It means more to them if they are involved too, rather than just saying "okay, tomorrow we're in Italy, and the next day we're in France" (or wherever). .

 

Great advice! I bought age-appropriate books on Amazon on the places we were going, (you could also watch youtube videos) and it really added a lot to their experience to anticipate and then finally see the major landmarks we visited. We also learned how to say "please" and "thank you" in each country.

 

Also, always have plenty of snacks, treats and water in a backpack - reduces whining about being hungry/thirsty, etc. and eliminates suddenly having to stop and find something to eat/drink. Though I do always also allow them to stop for a local treat of their choosing

 

Best,

Mia

I haven't taken kids that age to Europe, but I did backpack Europe for a month (in the middle of winter) with a toddler when I was 5 months pregnant. Looking back, that was probably crazy, but we had a fabulous time. My now-older kids have done several cruises just not to Europe.

 

That said, I have done an adults only Med. Cruise and while it was fabulous, the schedule of ports nearly every day was exhausting. My recommendations would be private tours and pick a port day or two to just stay on the ship and relax. My 12 day Med. cruise had ports every day except for the first day was a sea day. Looking back, I probably would have stayed on the ship in Mykonos or Katakolon.

 

Just looked at the NCL site- are you on a 7 day? If I were on a 7 day with one sea day the "day on ship" might not apply. One day at sea out of 7 is less exhausting than one out of 12. In that case I might suck it up then plan on a few relaxing days at our embarkation or disembarkation port.

We traveled Europe (land and sea trips) with DD since she was 8MO. I'm not certain why you would have any concerns. Most kids like to "experience" history rather than just have to endure it. There are world-class beaches in most Med ports. With proper planning, a European cruise is a wonderful experience.

Took grandsons at ages 15 and 9. Most said we were crazy to take the younger one. I cannot imagine leaving either one of them. That was June 2011. Came back and older one had Latin in school and had a lot of European information. He was able to really relate to it. The younger one studied Pompeii first thing and was able to share what it was like and pictures with his teacher and class. Both still talk about the trip to this day.

As the commercial says " PRICELESS ".

There are some great books about what to do with children in Europe. One that comes to mind is Rome with Kids.

 

You could also ask the older children to research what there is to do in the various ports, or even assign a port to each child (with some extra help for your youngest). That would help make the vacation more "theirs" and more meaningful to boot.

 

And before anyone points out that I don't have children that age, let me say that I used to help my parents plan vacations when I was 10 and up, so I know it can be done.

Such great help and information here! Thank you SO much! I researched the Rick Steves Med Cruise book and noticed that he has a new one coming out in July this year. I wonder if I should wait till then to get that one instead of the older version (2010, I believe it was...?). I am also going to get the Rome with Kids book. I think that the idea of having the kids plan out what they want to do (adding it to our agenda) will be a huge help.

 

Rome is the "big port" that I think we'll want to see and do the most in.

We've been eyeing the Vatican and Rome Highlights excursion and are hoping to do something like that with the kids. However, if it's something that the kids pick - they'll be more inclined to want to see/do things.

 

Are there any ports that are laid back and easy DIY days where we could not be in as much of a rush and/or just get off the ship and wander around without having to take an excursion? (Our ports are: Florence, Rome, Cannes, Palma and Naples.

 

Thank you for everyone's input and help!

We took our kids to Europe when they were 10 and 11. We used it as an educational experience. The kids had a great time and leaned some things as well

 

 

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For a family of five- a private tour is going to be your best bet in Rome. Rome In Limo is the one I hear the most raves about.

 

I've taken my two to the Vatican on different trips and both times we climbed to the top of St. Peter's. This is one of those "king of the mountain" experiences but does require 320 steps and isn't easy. It's worth it though.

 

The Colusseum, Trevi Fountain and Borghese Park would be the other things I'd recommend. For lunch- they will be happy with gelato and pizza. The restaurants are pricey and this may waste too much of your limited time there.

 

Livorno- I like the Cinque Terre and this is a great experience.

 

Naples- Herculaneum was more interesting than Pompeii IMO.

 

Cannes is known for the beach and the film festival. That would be a pretty laid back day. Same with Palma De Mallorca.

Edited February 22, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

We took our kids to Europe when they were 10 and 11. We used it as an educational experience. The kids had a great time and leaned some things as well

 

 

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mjmalino,

 

If you don't mind me asking - what did your family do in Rome while in port that the kids enjoyed?

 

Thanks!

ROME

One place that people don't mention in Rome that we loved was going to the top of the Victor Emmanuel II monument. This is the building that many people call " the wedding cake" because it is white and has lots of layers. It is near both the Coliseum and the Roman Forum, as well as several historic columns, at Piazza Venezia. You can take an elevator to the top and go out on the roof and get a great view of Rome - better than the one from St Peters, imo, since you can see something in every direction, while St Peters is to the west of most of the city. This building also has the Italian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

 

http://italian.about.com/od/italianculture/a/vittoriano-monument-rome.htm

 

If any of your children like cats, then a visit to Largo di Torre Argentina could be good. This is an archeological site where cats congregate. Because of this, a volunteer organization has a place to care for the cats there and even help people adopt the cats. It is very controversial, and the city has been threatening to evict the volunteers for years now, so do check before you go. It is in easy walking distance to the Piazza Venezia, and while looking at cats, you can also see the remains of some of the oldest ruins in Rome, but at a safe vantage point.

 

Info about the cats: http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary

http://www.romancats.com/index_eng.php

 

Info about the ruins: http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/areasacradellargentina.htm

 

NAPLES

 

Both Herculaneum and Pompeii are accessible by train from Naples. Elsewhere on Cruise Critic, you can find instructions on how to get the trolley from the port that takes you to the train station. But keep in mind some of the original artifacts are in Naples in the National Archeological Museum. And if it is raining, that's where I would head.

 

We did take the train from Naples to Pompeii, and toured the site without a guide. At first I wondered if I was crazy, but there were quite a few people from our ship on the train. We all breathed a sigh of relief when we saw each other. :D I believe Rome in Limo has drivers who can take you to either or both sites. This is a place to do as much advance planning as possible, but since you have time, it can easily be done, and it will be worth it!

Edited February 23, 2014 by mconthehighseas

ROME

One place that people don't mention in Rome that we loved was going to the top of the Victor Emmanuel II monument. This is the building that many people call " the wedding cake" because it is white and has lots of layers. It is near both the Coliseum and the Roman Forum, as well as several historic columns, at Piazza Venezia. You can take an elevator to the top and go out on the roof and get a great view of Rome - better than the one from St Peters, imo, since you can see something in every direction, while St Peters is to the west of most of the city. This building also has the Italian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

 

http://italian.about.com/od/italianculture/a/vittoriano-monument-rome.htm

 

If any of your children like cats, then a visit to Largo di Torre Argentina could be good. This is an archeological site where cats congregate. Because of this, a volunteer organization has a place to care for the cats there and even help people adopt the cats. It is very controversial, and the city has been threatening to evict the volunteers for years now, so do check before you go. It is in easy walking distance to the Piazza Venezia, and while looking at cats, you can also see the remains of some of the oldest ruins in Rome, but at a safe vantage point.

 

Info about the cats: http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary

http://www.romancats.com/index_eng.php

 

Info about the ruins: http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/areasacradellargentina.htm

 

NAPLES

 

Both Herculaneum and Pompeii are accessible by train from Naples. Elsewhere on Cruise Critic, you can find instructions on how to get the trolley from the port that takes you to the train station. But keep in mind some of the original artifacts are in Naples in the National Archeological Museum. And if it is raining, that's where I would head.

 

We did take the train from Naples to Pompeii, and toured the site without a guide. At first I wondered if I was crazy, but there were quite a few people from our ship on the train. We all breathed a sigh of relief when we saw each other. :D I believe Rome in Limo has drivers who can take you to either or both sites. This is a place to do as much advance planning as possible, but since you have time, it can easily be done, and it will be worth it!

 

Very helpful, thank you! AND you gave me some great links!

 

THANKS!

We did a Mediterranean cruise on Liberty of the Seas with our three kids in the fall of 2012--they were then 6, 4, and 2. The itinerary was somewhat similar to yours--we sailed RT from Barcelona and went to Toulon (Provence), Villefranche (Nice/Riviera/Monaco), Civitavecchia (Rome), Livorno (Florence), Naples, and back to Barcelona.

 

I definitely concur with the private tour recommendation for European ports with small kids. You do *not* want to be at the mercy of a rigid, pre-established tour itinerary designed primarily for adults on a port-heavy, non-beachy European itinerary when you're traveling with little ones. You need to be able to rethink things on the fly, and find a bathroom Right. Absolutely. Freaking. NOW!

 

A previous poster mentioned Rome in Limo and I can highly recommend them as well. We used them for all 3 of our Italian stops, and they were *amazing*. Our kids still talk about Claude, the grandfatherly driver/guide who took us around Rome. We did a lot of sightseeing in the morning, and after lunch we took one look at the kids and said, "Claude, we need a playground." Voila, Borghese Gardens and the playground therein, and three very happy ice cream-covered kids on a climbing structure and swings.

 

Another recommendation I would make is to consider leaving the kids in the kids' program for one port day. We did not do that, and by the end of the cruise, which was very port-heavy, the kids were really done with all this history, art and culture stuff. If we had it to do over again we would have put them in Adventure Ocean on our day in Villefranche and just enjoyed Nice, Monaco and Monte Carlo on our own...don't think it really did much for them. Honestly, port after port after port, especially when you're dealing with the culture-rich European ports, can be exhausting even for adults. Kids definitely need a break!

Your not crazy! We are going with our girls (4.5,&7) this June on the Regal. My girls love cruising. We actually will leave them on the ship at kids camp for some of the ports.

This seems like a good place for this blog post.

Title: 4 Reasons I LOVE Traveling With Kids, ( and 2 that I don't)

http://abundantlifechildren.com/2014/02/27/4-reasons-why-i-love-traveling-with-children-and-2-reasons-i-dont/

This seems like a good place for this blog post.

Title: 4 Reasons I LOVE Traveling With Kids, ( and 2 that I don't)

http://abundantlifechildren.com/2014/02/27/4-reasons-why-i-love-traveling-with-children-and-2-reasons-i-dont/

That's a great link and does sum up a lot of the "selfish" :D reasons I always vacationed with my DD. Even now as a young adult, I find sharing our experiences makes travel better for both of us. Thanks for sharing.

I love, love traveling with my son. He is the best roommate and makes the whole experience so much fun. I have left him on board in various ports because he didn't want to get off the ship. Once he turned 12- he was really interested in the ports of call, so they eventually do like history and culture.

 

The things he best remembers from under the age of 9 are..

 

Merano Italy in the Dolomites- because we had a huge suite that overlooked the 24 mineral fed pools. Heaven on Earth- go there!

 

He remembers buying a leather "evil eye" journal and was impressed when the Turkish saleman tried to burn it with a lighter and it was fireproof!

 

He still remembers me getting robbed in Barcelona in 2005 at a video arcade because I was so upset.

 

He remembers Elizabeth a little girl from HongKong that he spent most of his time with on and off the Celebrity Millenium in 2007, post cruise in Venice and in the US the following year.

 

He remembers a little boy named Robbie who he met on Holland America Zuiderdam in 2008 and the great poolside dessert buffet. We caught up with Robbie in Scotland later that summer.

 

My son remember events and people more than any of the castles, museums or palaces. He remembers meeting an author in Salzburg who was dining alone and we engaged her in conversation and playing a game I made up called "Look at the Table". This is a great way to entertain bored kids in restaurants. You say, "Close Your Eyes" and then you remove an item from the table and then they open their eyes and have to guess what's missing or moved to another spot on the table. Then the other person does this and so on. Take my word for it- they love it.

 

Basically with little ones (under 9) they like places where they can explore, move about, touch things, eat ice cream and/or shop. If there is a fountain to be jumped in or a reflecting pool to be waded in- we were there with the locals enjoying this "stop and smell the roses" break from sight-seeing. They will have different memories than the ones adults place emphasis on and I think parents need to accept that kids won't be terribly interested in "scenery", "architecture" and "history". They may learn something by accident but are bored by being lectured to by guides unless they are tours with kids in mind.

Edited February 28, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

Yes, take your children to Europe they will love it. My DS has cruised twice in Europe, once with DCL and once with Carnival and loved it, especially the freedom he had on ship. He is older than your children.

 

He has also been to the States many times, San Diego, LA and of course WDW. The first time he went long haul was when he was 6.

 

My advise is to to travel at your own pace. Don't try and see it all, especially in Rome even on a private tour. Try and take lots of breaks and make sure you drink lots of the water. The Med is very, very hot. It's a dry heat rather than a humid heat like Florida.

 

Check out Ron's port guides for tips and maps too and of course the Rick book others have mentioned.

 

For Mallorca when you go to the beaches there will be topless bathers there too. I know American's can find this shocking, but it's the norm in Europe.

 

Majorca has some lovely beaches and also a really nice waterpark not too far away from the port.

 

Our favourite port is Naples as there is so much to do. We have never made it to Pompeii, because it is just soooo hot. We like to take the hydrofoil to places from there, have a walk around some lunch and come back to an empty boat.

 

For Rome go to the Colosuem and make sure you pre-book. There is also a place that has catacombs that the children will love full of bones.

Edited March 1, 2014 by heatherbelle