Cruise with children advice (smoothest seas)

[LS78]

Hey all 

 

Myself and my husband cruised on p and o back in 2011 in the Caribbean. Now we have two kids age 5 and 8 and debating something like a Mediterranean royal Caribbean  as there is so much for them to do. 
 

I defo felt the boat move in high winds haha so would like to try and pick our best change of smooth seas (I know nothing is guaranteed) the current ones I see are Greek isles, or Barcelona/south of France Italy etc. which would offer the most Sheltered water? 
 

Also I think flights are separate (whereas p and I included them) does this work out logistically? Their ships do seem to have more activities for kids. 
 

Any other advice for pretty much first timers with small kids? Any other ships or recommendations? 
 

thanks

[6rugrats]

Yes, you usually book your flights separately.  Not sure what your question is about this.  Most Med cruises are about the itinerary; you really don't spend much time on the ship, so the ship activities aren't as important.  So, you might want to look at each cruise and see what itinerary interests you and your children more.  

[mom says]

There is an entire forum devoted to Family cruises.  That may be of help.  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/28-family-cruises/

 

The Med is a sea, and as such if winds are high or a weather system moves through, you WILL have motion. There is no where in the world that can guarantee a flat sea for the duration of your cruise. 

 

As for flights, most mass cruise lines do not include flight packages. Book them on your own and whenever possible plan to arrive the day before embarkation.

[John Bull]

The seas around the Greek Islands and the Aegean are generally smoother than the western Med. but as you say, nothing's guaranteed - daily weather doesn't always follow climatic averages.

 

All of our P&O (and Thomson / Marella) fly-cruises have been on chartered aircraft, if your Caribbean with P&O was a fly/cruise you'll know what a joy that arrangement is.🙂

With other arrangements you usually fix your own transfers as well as flights, and on the last day in order to make way for those starting their cruise everyone's bundled out of their cabins by 8 or 8.30 and off the ship by  9.30, rather than having the run of the ship until your flight is called.

 

I'd caution against asking the cruise line  to fix your flights - they have their own pet airlines (sorry, make that " Air Partners")  and they will use those airlines even if it means indirect flights when other airlines fly direct. For a Royal Caribbean cruise out of Istanbul we flew direct with BA while those on Royal Caribbean-arranged flights flew via a long layover in Germany (Frankfurt IIRC)

Same advice with hotels - those booked by cruise lines are always good quality, but often very inconveniently-located.

 

I suggest you book your own flights, with a few provisos....

- Budget airlines use city names with the same gay abandon as cruise lines.

For example, cruise lines sail from "London" altho that will be Southampton or Dover.

And Ryanair fly to "Barcelona" altho that could be be Girona or Reus.

So do carefully check locations of the actual port  and airport.

 

- If P&O have to cancel a fly/cruise flight or cruise, the whole package is cancelled and refunded. But if you book air & cruise separately and the cruise is cancelled you'll be lumbered with the air tickets and hunting for a holiday near the embarkation port. This applies to all cruise lines. Booking both with the same travel agent at the same time isn't a "package"

 

- If flight or transfer delays mean that you miss your sailing, you'll be playing catch-up with the ship and hoping to be allowed to board at the next port. 

For that reason its wise, if possible, to follow the advice of mom says and fly into the embarkation city the day before. And even that won't give you a decent amount of time to explore that city, so for a worthwhile city give yourselves longer.

 

Older kids will be wowed by Royal Caribbean ships, but P&O are good with the ages of yours.

And as Rugrats says your time will be taken up by the destinations, typically only one sea-day in a week-long Med cruise, so the ship is generally regarded as less important than the itinerary. With itineraries do check the times in port. Costa & MSC often allow only a half-day in places that warrant at least a full day..

 

Have fun choosin' have fun cruisin'

 

JB 🙂

[navybankerteacher]

6 hours ago, LS78 said:

...

 

I defo felt the boat move in high winds haha so would like to try and pick our best change of smooth seas (I know nothing is guaranteed) the current ones I see are Greek isles, or Barcelona/south of France Italy etc. which would offer the most Sheltered water? 
...

When the Mistral blows down the Rhone valley, the western Med can be as rough as Biscay -- the Aegean is likely to be much smoother.

[Host Kat]

11 hours ago, LS78 said:

Hey all 

 

Myself and my husband cruised on p and o back in 2011 in the Caribbean. Now we have two kids age 5 and 8 and debating something like a Mediterranean royal Caribbean  as there is so much for them to do. 
 

I defo felt the boat move in high winds haha so would like to try and pick our best change of smooth seas (I know nothing is guaranteed) the current ones I see are Greek isles, or Barcelona/south of France Italy etc. which would offer the most Sheltered water? 
 

Also I think flights are separate (whereas p and I included them) does this work out logistically? Their ships do seem to have more activities for kids. 
 

Any other advice for pretty much first timers with small kids? Any other ships or recommendations? 
 

thanks

 

Howdy @LS78 

 

Welcome back to the Cruise Critic message boards! I see it has been quite a while since you have posted on the boards. 

 

Thank you for your new thread titled Cruise with children advice (smoothest seas) on the Ask a Cruise Question forum. 👍 However, the forum is for general questions regarding cruising.

 

Since your topic concerns sailing with children, to help you out I have moved your thread to the Family Cruises forum where it will be on topic. Browse through the thread titles on this forum looking for threads of interest. You may find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that may be of interest to you.

 

And don't forget! After your cruise be sure to submit your review for publication by Cruise Critic. Many cruisers will benefit from your experience!  See How To: Submit a Member Review.

 

Hope this will be helpful and glad to have you back aboard Cruise Critic! 

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat 

 

[LS78]

Thankyou everyone for all your help and advice.