Spring break suggestions Mediterranean

[cruisethree]

We want to try a non-Disney trip next spring break (in 2010 it is 3/26-4/6).

 

Would very much like to hear suggestions for Europe. DD will be 5 and want to hear about weather, kids club -- lots or not so many, etc.

 

Thanks.

 

We did NCL Spirit in Feb and had a great time. 250 kids on board. Able to do a day - long excursion in Guatemala with another family, whiched totally helped in entertainment.

 

Ren

[Essiesmom]

The only thing I can contribute is that I was in Rome April 1-4 of this year. It was spring break IN EUROPE too! that meant hordes of school age tourists in Rome. The Vatican was packed. Guide said it is usually that full, but things usually run more smoothly because the tour guides know the routine. but the school groups didn't use guides, their teachers performed that service, and didn't know the routines so tied things up. Also, there were places where the kids groups were just 'hangin' out', such as the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps. They were hanging out at the Colosseum, but that is such a huge venue that it could absorb them. EM

[Onessa]

We've been in the Med a bit later in April. All of our Med cruises have been Oct/Nov. The weather is still a bit variable in the norther ports of the Med in early April. Southern Italy, Greece, Turkey will be relatively warm. Barcelona, Nice, Venice, etc might be a bit cooler.

 

For a 5YO I'd advise choosing your ports carefully. Some of the Med itineraries include ports where the "attraction" is really far away -- an hour or more bus or train trip is a bit tiring when added to a day's worth of walking/touring.

[kitty9]

We did Europe in April of 2008 and there were zero kids on board over the age of 3---and there were 2 infants and one toddler. The average age of the cruise was 65 or higher. You're not going to find many parents who would be able to take a cruise with kids at that time of year due to time constraints. If you want more kids during a spring break cruise, stick with the Caribbean. Loads of kids and a very busy kid's club. Or you can wait until June to do the Med where there will be a lot of kids on board.

 

Actually, depending on when spring break is next year, many of the ships may not even be in the Med yet. Many ships are just now or have just finished, doing their trans-Atlantic's for repositioning to the Med.

[*Kendra*]

Henstly, I think it depends on a lot of things. We just returned from our med cruise April 21st-28th and there were a TON of children onborad of all ages. However, we traveled with Costa and children under 17 are free so that may have been the reason. Good luck!

[*Kendra*]

 

For a 5YO I'd advise choosing your ports carefully. Some of the Med itineraries include ports where the "attraction" is really far away -- an hour or more bus or train trip is a bit tiring when added to a day's worth of walking/touring.

 

 

True but our 4 year old used this as nap time. It actually worked out great for us. On train and bus rides she always took a short nap. Our cruise was very port intensive, not a single full day at sea and our daughter had a blast and was an angel. Just remember to add some time in there for them. We let Chloe play at parks when we came across them, let her help chose where we were going to eat lunch, let her take pictures, asked her which way she wanted to walk (like do you want to go down this street or this one?), and we took her to an aquarium at one of our ports.

[cruisethree]

Thanks for all the input. 2010 spring break is early. Sometimes it is mid april. Maybe we should try Australia...