Travelling with children in Europe

[PEA2013]

We will be taking an Eastern Med cruise in July with our three children (15,14 and 6). We will also be travelling with another family with 3 kids as well. From what I have read it seems that the taxis only can accomodate 3 passengers plus the driver. Are ship excursions the only option for us? I do like the ease of having someone waiting to take me right off ship plus knowing that the ship will wait for me if we are late due to tour. Also, not sure my 6 year little boy can take more than 3 or 4 hours at a time looking at rocks. Would love others thoughts on excursions, tours etc with young children and teens.

[Bobal]

It would help if you tell us your ports of call. Some of them are easy to do using local transport - even with kids - and you may be able to build in some beach time as well. You will also find a lot of info on the Ports of Call boards

[chipmaster]

Sounds like you almost got the pefect sized group for Private. You are accurate that taxis in general in Europe are smaller and 4 is best case with no luggage 3 in the back + one in the front with driver. So if you are doing taxis and public transportation around port you are likely looking at 3 taxis.

 

IMHO another avenue depending on the port is Private tours. They often have mini vans to small buses that seat beween 6-7 / van to 10-20 per bus that will be far more comfortable and $ efficent than the big bus ship tours.

 

You mention missing the boat, if you pick a reputable private operator their reputation depends on them getting you back to the port on time. The advantage of private tours are huge, cheaper if you have enough people, don't get slowed down by the slowest person on a 40-60 person bus tour. The van drops you off meters from attraction versus hiking in from the bus parking lot. You can see more, leave the ship early and often get back well before the bus tours. We did private with kids in almost every port, we were back on the ship ( by design ) well before most of the bus tours and we saw more than any but the private car offerings.

 

IMHO Europe is more a cultural history tour, the kids may appreciate less but I think take them thru Rome and the ruins they may not think it fun at the the time compared to a beach but 5-10 years later they will appreciate the fact you made them go and see / experience it. If you ask my 9 year old, who was 7 at the time she enjoyed it even if the drive in Amalif was dreadfully boring...

 

 

Good luck planning!

 

We will be taking an Eastern Med cruise in July with our three children (15,14 and 6). We will also be travelling with another family with 3 kids as well. From what I have read it seems that the taxis only can accomodate 3 passengers plus the driver. Are ship excursions the only option for us? I do like the ease of having someone waiting to take me right off ship plus knowing that the ship will wait for me if we are late due to tour. Also, not sure my 6 year little boy can take more than 3 or 4 hours at a time looking at rocks. Would love others thoughts on excursions, tours etc with young children and teens.

[CruiserBruce]

Read here, and check your rollcall. Many people are doing various private tours that will allow for more people , as opposed to a standard cab. There are many solutions.

[junglejane]

You sound like ideal candidates for private tours. You should certainly be able to find vans that hold 8 pax -- depending on the port you may be able to find a minibus or a vehicle that holds 10. Private tours can be very economical when compared to ship tours. They also have the advantage of flexibility. You can adapt your plans as the day progresses, depending on everyone's wants/needs. I agree with Chipmaster that if you deal with a reputable tour operator and don't try to cut it too close on your return time, the risk of missing the ship is minimal. It's also not strictly true that the ship always waits for late-running ship tours. Do your homework, give yourself a safe margin for the return time, take an international cell phone, and always carry the ship's daily newsletter that lists the contact info for the port agent.

[crewmom24]

We are also cruising with our kids in the Mediterranean this July and I have set up private tours in 5 out of the 10 ports. Athens, Rome, Pisa/Florence, Ephesus, and Istanbul. Our kids are 4,6, 16, and 17. My mom and dad are coming as well as my dh's grandmother so we have a group of 9. The 2 little ones will stay on the ship with Grandma for Rome, Naples and Florence as grandma has been to all those places a couple times and doesn't mind. I think we will take the train or bus to Herculaneum on our own and then come back for grandma and the little kids and take the hydrofoil to Capri because grandma wants to go there so that will be a DIY day. Mykonos will prob be a bus to the beach DIY trip and Venice, Barcelona, Montecarlo will be DIY with public transport. I didn't want to have to get 3 taxis all the time and the cost for the tours probably isn't that much more. I would have done more DIY with trains etc. but my dh wanted the tours and in the heat of July, those vans with AC will be welcome. Share what ports you are going to and people will give you ideas. That is where I got all my tour recs. and DIY info.

Debbie