eastern med/Egypt with young kids?

[rachel0]

Has anyone taken an eastern med/Egypt/Israel cruise with very young kids (toddler)? What ship, how was the ship.

 

We're thinking of taking either the Queen Victoria or a Princess cruise--those had the itineraries we liked best--cruise that includes Egypt and maybe Israel. DS will be 2.5. I'd like to hear from others who've done similar itineraries with children around the same age. saw some other very intriguing itin on other lines but I don't want to deal with kid haters/comments that I imagine will be on eg Silversea or the other lines I liked the itin on. He's a surprisingly well behaved toddler but he is a toddler so who knows. I just don't want to deal with some nasty comments from other cruisers b/c I won't put up with it.

 

What excursions did you take and did you use ships' or go private?

[Cruise Junky]

I haven't taken a toddler on a Med. Cruise... basically because I don't have one :) I think you as a parent should gauge how he'd be able to handle a 10 hour tour. Especially to Egypt...you're going to be three hours each way on the bus to get to the pyramids. I think it would be a fabulous experience for him, but you've got to determine what this threshold level is for excursions.

[Eclipsepearl]

We took our three last summer, ages 3, 5 & 7 on the Celebrity Galaxy. I don't recommend them for children in general, although their kids' club was *great*.

 

I have to admit that my dh has a bad back and actually prefers to rest by the pool when he's on vacation. Only I left the ship, the kids in the club or with him. We didn't take them off shore, except for two tiny hops because of the heat and crowds. We were there in August.

 

I recommend taking private tours, if you opt to bring him. Bring your car seat and get your own driver so that you can stay flexible. Ship excursions are quite crowded and have very strict timetables. Not a good combo with kids. I hope you're not planning on going in the height of summer as we did.

 

The only nasty comments we had were in the dining room. I think if we had been in the earlier seating, we would have not heard them (our friends we sailed with insisted on the later one) or at least fewer. Also, Celebrity is less kid-friendly overall. The cruise lines you're using are better for this. I also had both girls with me. One lone toddler would have been better received.

 

You'll be fine, as long as it's not too hot!!

[gennadi]

Sharon, I also will be cruising with my children (10 & 11) on the Galaxy to the Med & Egypt in a few weeks. This is the first cruise for my boys and we have requested late seating. What negative comments should I expect?!

[rachel0]

I haven't taken a toddler on a Med. Cruise... basically because I don't have one :) I think you as a parent should gauge how he'd be able to handle a 10 hour tour. Especially to Egypt...you're going to be three hours each way on the bus to get to the pyramids. I think it would be a fabulous experience for him, but you've got to determine what this threshold level is for excursions.

 

 

I am not asking someone else to gauge my son's threshold for the excursions. I am looking for someone who has experience in taking a toddler on these or similar excursions to see what their experience was like--so I can gauge what my son can handle. And how other people's experience in taking a child on a more exotic cruise and/or luxury cruiseline.

 

Eclipsepearl, no we're not going in the summer--neither us deal well with heat. Thanks for the advice esp. re: private car--that's the direction we were leaning in especially for overnight in Egypt etc. Thanks!

[Cruise Junky]

I am not asking someone else to gauge my son's threshold for the excursions. I am looking for someone who has experience in taking a toddler on these or similar excursions to see what their experience was like--so I can gauge what my son can handle. And how other people's experience in taking a child on a more exotic cruise and/or luxury cruiseline.

 

 

Well I'll just butt out then as you obviously don't want to hear from someone that doesn't have kids. Someone's else experience won't do you any good, you know your child not anyone else. Just because someone else's kid can sit on the bus for 10 hours doesn't mean yours can. Who other than their mother can make that decision. You're in the Med. It's hugely port intensive. As a grown adult I was exhausted. Translate that to your 3 year old and then make YOUR decision.