Teens in Europe

[luvtosing]

I am planning a Mediterranean cruise on Liberty in June and will have three teenagers to entertain! Any thoughts on excursions that cater well to teens? Ports include Nice, Napes/Capris, Rome, Florence, Barcelona. Thanks!

[Essiesmom]

Get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports and see what there is to see in the ports. Some you can do on your own, whatever appeals to your teens. EM

[luvtosing]

Thanks!

[junglejane]

I don't know if your family gets to these ports very often. For us, we figured that we would only be in most of the ports for just part of one day and it was important to maximize our time there. I felt that my teen and pre-teen DD's needed to see the major historical sites whether they thought so or not! So I didn't try to cater to them, except that we tried to strike a balance between touring ruins (like the Coliseum or Pompeii) with visiting museums. My kids probably preferred walking around outside, except that after a while the heat takes its toll and you appreciate being indoors. With a family of 5, you should investigate private tours. The cost will probably be competitive versus ship tours, they are more flexible and you can see more in the time alloted because you aren't waiting for 50 people to load on the tour bus. Go to the various ports of call boards and there will be lots of helpful information. Also, lots of our best moments were unplanned and spontaneous, like shopping breaks and eating gelato in some busy public plaza.

[luvtosing]

Thanks very much! Did your kids enjoy the cruise and all the sightseeing?

[Keith1010]

When our children were teenagers and we took Europe Cruises we tried to keep excursions to four hours because the challenge of a Mediterranean cruise is because they are very port intensive if you do full day excursions the kids and even you can get burnt out after a few days.

 

I would make an exception in say Rome and do a full day tour but try to balance that out with shorter tours as well.

 

Don't do all museums and such because the kids will get bored.

 

Keith

[hubofhockey]

I saw (and responded to) your beach day thread for France.

 

We have taken two Med cruises. One was just my wife and I and the other was with our kids, who were younger teens.

 

I hope you take my advice on Naples and take them on the boat trip to Capri and swim in the grottos.

 

You really don't need excursions, per se, in Rome. It is a ten minute walk to the train station. We did that and hooked up with walking tour in Rome that had a professional english speaking guide who took us all through the Roman Forums and Colisseum and got us to skip the lines at the Colisseum. After that, we headed to Piazza Navona, got lunch there and then walked to the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain before catching a train back.

 

Florence (from Livorno) get debated on these boards. Some like the Leaning Tower of Pisa and spend time there. Other consider that as time that could be better spent in Florence. We love Florence and are in the latter camp.

 

If you start in Barcelona, kids love the Magic Fountain show at night, the beach, Ramblas, the Gaudi houses, Parc Guell, and going out at night for Tapas. It is hard for anyone not to have a good time in Barcelona and you don't need any excursions there and taxis are not expensive. I would say that my kids favorite cities on our cruise were Rome and Barcelona. Buth they enjoyed the whole vacation.

[junglejane]

Thanks very much! Did your kids enjoy the cruise and all the sightseeing?

 

We have taken our kids on 3 European cruises, consisting of two to the Med and one to the British Isles. They were all great trips which our kids enjoyed. That's not to say that there weren't some moments on the port days when they (or DH and I) got hot, grumpy or bored. I particularly remember the Uffizi Gallery in Florence as being an unpleasant experience. But they remember all the cool places they visited. One tip is that if you are visiting a museum (like the Uffizi) and are on a limited time budget, prepare yourself before you walk in. For example, I vaguely knew that there were some famous Botticelli's in the Uffizi (like the Birth of Venus) but I had no idea where they were and wandered somewhat aimlessly confused by all the Italian signage. In retrospect, I could've made a list ahead of time of what I most wanted to see and probably figured out what floors and rooms they were in, and saved myself some headaches. That was on our first European cruise and I gradually got better about preparation.

 

I saw your thread about Naples/Capri. Personally I would vote for Pompeii. I just think there are tons of ports where you can go to the beach but Pompeii is a great historical site with such an interesting story behind it. Also there have been a bunch of stories in the news about how the Italian government can't afford to maintain Pompeii so it is gradually deteriorating. Anyway, that's my pitch for Pompeii.:) Also, both Pompeii and Capri can be done DIY so you could make alternate plans and then decide when you get there what you're in the mood for.

[luvtosing]

I'm definitely getting a good feel for what this cruise will look like and am scrapping my beach plans; I appreciate all of the suggestions! We have done a European non-cruise trip once but it did not include Italy or any of the other ports, and I am definitely redirecting my focus to making the most of each port. I am currently really torn between the grottos in Capri (thanks hubofhockey) and Pompeii (junglejane you bring up some good points too!). Is there any possible way to do both, do you think, or do you have to choose?

[Essiesmom]

Some cruise lines offer an 'excursion' that is transfer only to the area. Celebrity is one of these, and offer transfer only to Pompeii. Most lines offer a transfer only to Florence. I am suggesting these, because today teen are born with an earphone attached to an ipod. On Rick Steves' website, you can download free audio tours for mp3/ipod, and basic maps to print out. Available for Pompeii, several for Florence (including the Accademia and Uffizi) and lots of tours in Rome. If you decide to do museum tours in Florence, and the Vatican in Rome, go online and get tickets so that you don't have to wait in line. EM

[hubofhockey]

I'm definitely getting a good feel for what this cruise will look like and am scrapping my beach plans; I appreciate all of the suggestions! We have done a European non-cruise trip once but it did not include Italy or any of the other ports, and I am definitely redirecting my focus to making the most of each port. I am currently really torn between the grottos in Capri (thanks hubofhockey) and Pompeii (junglejane you bring up some good points too!). Is there any possible way to do both, do you think, or do you have to choose?

 

If you search the Med forums here on CC, someone recommended a tour that does both.

 

We have taken two Med cruises and did AP Tours Pompeii/Sorrento/Positano on the first and Gianni's Boat the second. In the afternoon, we went to the town of Capri, which is fun too. Naples is a great port. But it calls for tough choices. Keep in mind that most cruises do three back to back to back days of Rome, Naples, and Florence and Pompeii is hot with no shade. It could wear kids down. With kids, that break for a relaxing day at Capri could be a great way to break that up.

[dijid]

You know your kids, and their interests, and you probably will develop a gut feel for what's a good idea and what isn't.

 

My biggest recommendation for you is to plan time for lunch. We did full-day excursions in several ports, but always had a sit-down lunch to break up the day and recharge our batteries. (And if your kids are big eaters like mine - be sure to include the cost of these meals in your budgeting!) We had a great time in Rome (did it on our own) and the delicious Italian food and gelato definitely helped. My kids were completely underwhelmed by the Acropolis, but loved their gyros!

 

Another recommendation is that at least one port be just for your family. It's fine to economize by joining in group tours, but it can be uncomfortable for the kids to always be around strangers, or stressful for you to worry that their actions/behavior might negatively impact a tour for others.

 

And hopefully you'll have a great time and make lots of great memories. We did and now we've booked our second Med cruise for the family - this time we're doing it with the grandparents.

[luvtosing]

Thanks everyone!

[Onessa]

We've done several European cruises with our DD (now 17YO) -- As a teen three Med, two Baltic, British Isle and one North Sea (Norway and Iceland). She is a great traveler and does not "burn out".

 

In Nice/VilleFrance our favorite was when we have taken the train to Monaco nice train ride length with views of the French countryside -- the Ferarri and Lambergini (please forgive my spelling!) dealerships, and the Bentleys and Rolls in front of the casino, the HUGE yachts in the harbor, nice window shopping opportunities, lovely harborside outdoor cafes.

 

Rome, we've always done as a walking tour on our own. Since you are there in July (hot!) and since there are five of you, you may want to look into a English speaking city tour. Rome's "one day tour" sights are easily walkable, but Rome can be a bit confusing (not a straight street anywhere).

 

Florence also "on our own" -- we like climbing to top of the dome, the Ufficio, and the gardens. It is a lot easier getting your bearings in Florence than Rome.

 

If you do "own your own" in Florence or Rome, prepurchase as many admission tickets as you can. In Rome; the ticket to the gardens, the collesium and the forum is all-in-one. We tend to get a taxi from the train station to the gardens -- buy our ticket and proceed directly to the Collesium. Earlier in the day is less crowded and with a pre-paid non-tour ticket entrance is quicker.

 

We've done Pompeii/Hurculeum our first time in Naples, and Amalfi Coast our second time. Both are great, but for a group of three various aged teens, Pompeii is the better bet. Capri is fine for some swimming and casual shopping.

 

Barcelona, as others have said is just no problem. Easy enough to get around (HOHO bus). Lot's to see and do.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I've already done Pompeii and we leave next month for our Southern European cruise. This time I was just planning to take my son (age 12) to Herculaneum. He doesn't remember Pompeii but he was there on a previous trip (when he was 6). Do you think Pompeii is better than Herculaneum because I heard Herculaneum is more interesting.

[Twolittleboys]

I have taken my sons on two Med cruises. They were quite a bit younger than your children (6 and 9/7 and 10) but really enjoyed them. However, they really do enjoy sight-seeing, museums, etc. I think it is important to be realistic - if your family (i.e. your teens) do not enjoy things like that they might not enjoy them in Europe either.

 

Also, I am assuming it is a one week cruise. Not sure when your sea day(s) will be. Doing three or four days of intense touring in a row is tiring. You might choose one day that isn't so important to you and NOT set up much for that day. Then, if the kids (or you) are just too exhausted etc. it won't matter so much if you decide to just take it easy. Of course you should make the most of the trip but not to the point where it stops being fun.

 

As far as the ports are concerned, here is what we did:

Barcelona - We got onboard here and had only half a day at the end. By the end of our 12 day cruise the kids were exhausted so we really took it easy. Spent some time at the beach and enjoyed the Ramblas (we also went on the HOHO-bus but that wasn't so successful because everyone was too tired)

 

Nice/Villefranche - We took the train to Monaco ourselves. Walked around a bit, visited the aquarium, and toured the palace. Very enjoyable and not too tiring. However, probably less of a touring "must" then the other ports.

 

Livorno - We took the ship's tour to Florence (transfer only) and spent time there on our own. I have to say that Florence seemed very crowded. Not sure whether it was because we didn't get there until around 11am or if we were just unlucky. To me, Florence felt much more crowded than Rome. We went up on the tower next to the cathedral and visited the small Da Vinci museum. I am glad we didn't visit any of the museums as the crowds were so bad that day. However, with older kids and if you won't be coming back soon I would visit the major attractions (if we go again we will try the Uffizi - I think).

 

Rome - We went with the ship transfer but wouldn't do it again as it is really easy to use the train. Colosseum/forum and Vatican are probably the must-sees. Depending on your interests you might just choose one of them. This might be a good place to do a private tour as it is hard to fit all in one day.

 

Naples - We went to Pompeij one time and to Capri the second time. Personally, I really enjoyed Capri. We took the ferry, walked up to the little town (not recommended - I couldn't find the place for tickets for the funicular. Tickets are actually sold close to the place where you get return tickets to Naples if I am not mistaken). Then we walked to Hadrian's Villa - stunning views and neat ruins.

 

That being said, my son's favorite excursion of all was Pompeij. Also easy to do on your own. If you are interested in antiquity, Rome, ruins, etc. that is definitely the way to go. Careful, it gets hot - we barely managed to avoid heat stroke as my kids were running around like crazy and not drinking enough water.

 

Not sure if this is at all helpful. Again, for kids interested in history these ports are great. However, if they are less interested it might be better to cut down a bit and take it easy. Better to just see half the sights and have fun then to cram it all in and just remember how hot, crowded, and boring it was.

[heidikay]

I am planning a Mediterranean cruise on Liberty in June and will have three teenagers to entertain! Any thoughts on excursions that cater well to teens? Ports include Nice, Napes/Capris, Rome, Florence, Barcelona. Thanks!

 

One thing that turned out really neat is we did a night time tour of Barcelona. I took the coolest pictures in front of the magic fountain at night. They turned out super cool. My kids loved PISA again taking pictures holding up the tower. If I remember I'll come back and suggest a tour operator for Rome. She took our whole family around and we saw so much, it was a whirlwind but we saw a lot and it was much cheaper for my family than what the cruiseline offered.

[klauer]

I know that some people think that Herculaneum is "more interesting" than Pompeii, but I strongly disagree. I've been to Pompeii three times, and I still have at least a quarter of the site left to see. I agree that Herculaneum is worth a visit (been there once), but Pompeii is what kids study in school, and there are a lot of great guide books that show you the ruins, plus overlays to show what the buildings might have looked like in the past.

[boulders]

I've already done Pompeii and we leave next month for our Southern European cruise. This time I was just planning to take my son (age 12) to Herculaneum. He doesn't remember Pompeii but he was there on a previous trip (when he was 6). Do you think Pompeii is better than Herculaneum because I heard Herculaneum is more interesting.

 

We took our second Med cruise this past July. DS16 had also gone to the Med on a cruise with his grandparents, so it was his 3rd Med cruise in 4 years. The first two times, he did not go in Herculaneum. He was stuck watching a younger cousin the first time and his younger brother the second time. He was blown away when he did see it this past July. He thought it was MUCH better than Pompeii. There is not much detail to Pompeii. it's huge compared to Herculaneum. But Herculaneum is much better preserved than Pompeii.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Thanks for your comments about Herculaneum. I have been to Pompeii and it was fascinating but this time I think we will just visit Herculaneum since we have an all day excursion in Rome the following day.

[klauer]

There is so much to Pompeii beyond the usual two hour tour of the "highlights". I got the book "Pompeii guide to the site" which has maps and beautiful photos including some of the artifacts which are now at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. As an example, one of the most interesting features to me was the amphitheatre which is the oldest known anywhere, dating from 70 B.C. I think that most teenage boys would be interested in seeing where the gladitorial shows took place. There are also a couple of very old theaters, a necropolis, and some homes and gardens that are a little off the central tourist area that I thought were well-worth seeing.

[hubofhockey]

Assuming we are talking kids at Pompeii, usually that means summer vacation. The heat and sun on summer days in Pompeii can be unforgiving, especially for younger teens. There are no trees or shade to speak of. If you are going, plan on going first thing in the morning and spending no more than 90 minutes. That leaves the rest of the day for a lighter activity. Many tours include Pompeii with Positano or other spots on the Amalfi coast. This is a tough day with tough choices. But for hot summer days, when Naples is in a three consecutive day block with Rome and Florence, I'd be careful with the Pompeii thing.

[klauer]

You're right about the heat -- the first time I went on a European cruise it was in the middle of July in one of the hottest summers on record. I wore a sleeveless dress and flip flops on most of the tours, and still was melting. But I didn't want to travel all the way to Europe and spend a ton of $$$ on a cruise without seeing the historical places I'd only seen in textbooks or on tv. After a week I felt like I needed a "vacation from my vacation", but I still wouldn't have skipped any of the places that I visited.

[heidikay]

One thing that turned out really neat is we did a night time tour of Barcelona. I took the coolest pictures in front of the magic fountain at night. They turned out super cool. My kids loved PISA again taking pictures holding up the tower. If I remember I'll come back and suggest a tour operator for Rome. She took our whole family around and we saw so much, it was a whirlwind but we saw a lot and it was much cheaper for my family than what the cruiseline offered.

 

Tour operator that took us to Rome. Special OS Tour contact annamary1980@yahoo.it

 

Sabrina drove us. She did not speak much English. She had a tour route she followed. We went to the vatican for Saint Peters, Victor Emanual monument, Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps, Pantheon and the Colleseum and maybe more. At the Colleseum she said we didn't have time to go in but there was not a long line so we did. She wanted to be back in the port city by 5:00 pm. If you wanted to stay longer perhaps you could discuss this. We really did a lot, she knew all the secret places to park and got us very close to all these sites. I wish I remembered the price but it was very affordable for the 5 of us. I want to say 200 Euros.

[nothriver]

I did a lot of research on tour guides for our June Europe trip and in the end, hired a guide for two days in Rome (airport trasnport, tour, transport to hotel on day one, vatican tour and transport to the port on day two), and then Capri/Pompeii tour on the third day. It was easier for me, and most cost effective to package these itinerary items together. I contacted dozens of tour companies, and read hundreds of reviews before hiring a guide. I found recommendations here and on Trip Advisor.