MSC Grandiosa Mediterranean Cruise with Small Kids

[Bandit and Chilli]

Hi,

 

My wife and I will be taking our daughters (5 1/2 years old and 1 1/2 years old) on the MSC Grandiosa in late April. We would appreciate any guidance from prior cruisers on a few questions.

 

We are starting our cruise in Livorno and ending in Naples. We both spent time in Florence in our college years (though it's been a few decades without having made it back) and we had our honeymoon in Sorrento, so we are spending time in both at the bookends of our trip.

 

Does MSC have any shuttle service from Florence to Livorno? I assume they only have airport transfers if you book the flight and cruise together, as I only see shore excursion options when I log into MSC. Since we'll have two little ones and our luggage, I assume we'll need to book a taxi with car seats (my wife has read that our American ones are not considered legal in Italy), but would appreciate if anyone knows of any shuttle services they would recommend.

 

How flexible is the embarkation time? The ship doesn't depart until 8 pm, but we've been assigned a noon embarkation time. We would rather have lunch in Florence and then head to Livorno and board mid-afternoon.

 

The laundry packages provide the option to buy them per adult. I assume the number of pieces is also per adult? In other words, if we sign my wife and I each up for the 20 piece package, we would get two pickups of up to 20 items. Same if we did 40 pieces -- it would be 40 per person for whom we pay? 

 

I understand that the Baby's Club has time periods when you stay there with the child and other times where you can drop off the child, but only for 1 or 2 hours, while older kids can pretty much stay in the Kids Club all day. So we're assuming we'll bring both kids on all excursions.

 

Some questions about excursions --

 

I've been to Aix-en-Provence and Barcelona in the past and we're excited about both. The port in Barcelona seems close enough to the Barri Gotic that we can take the shuttle and walk around on our own. We're more concerned about transportation to Aix-en-Provence and about excursions or independent options in Tunisia and Palermo.

 

Are the walking tours in Aix-en-Provence and Tunisia (Shopping tour of the Medina and Sidi Bou Said) stroller-friendly? Is the pace of walking difficult for small children? We would put our 1 1/2 year old in her stroller, but expect our 5 1/2 year old to walk. We're concerned that walking tours would be too fast-paced for our children and are considering touring on our own. For Aix-en-Provence, we would need a taxi with car seats or third-party excursion that provides transportation but largely leaves you on your own. For Tunisia, we're primarily interested in Sidi Bou Said and have read that you can easily hire taxis at the port for a round-trip tour (and that you pay at the end after they wait for you), which would be fine, but we're concerned about the car seats. Any experience and guidance would be greatly appreciated!

 

For Palermo, we're considering whether to do the coach trip to Mondello with four hours of free time on your own, but worried that the kids will get bored with that much time at the beach in April. The coach tour that includes Palermo and Mondello, with two hours in Mondello, seems like the perfect pace, but, while I can add it to our cart, the fine print says it only runs in the summer. Does anyone know whether its inclusion in the options you can select means it will be offered in April? If not, any experience with travelling independently in Palermo? It looks like there is a hop-on-hop-off bus stop not far from the cruise terminal, which could be an option.

 

We also understand that MSC will not allow bringing drinks on board and has restrictions on bringing food on board unless it is packaged. Can we buy local wine in each port and "check" it for pickup at the end of the cruise? We're resigned to assuming that, if we buy Brunello or Chianti in Tuscany before the cruise, we'll have to have it shipped, but hoping to pickup some good local French and Spanish wines in Aix and Barcelona without needing to spend large amounts on shipping it back to the states. As for food, it seems like coffee, nuts and chips are ok. Any trouble with boxes of calissons or other candy?

 

Thank you!

 

[Frugal Traveler Lady]

Hi Bandit and Chilli,

My elderly parents are taking this cruise and I am trying to organize  shore excursions for them as well. For Aix de Provence, the problem for my parents seems to be finding transportation from the cruise ship to Gare St. Charles in Marseille. I understand that near the train station, there is the bus station as well, where they can take bus 50 (direct) to Aix. I am thinking to get an Uber for the distance from the ship to train station in Marseille, since the walk from where the free ship shuttle goes to Marseille to the train station St. Charles is long for my parents. In Barcelona, I will get them the hop on, hop off bus, Palermo and Mondale sounds good, even Palermo hop on, hop off. I am trying to arrange a private tour in Tunisia, but need more people in addition to my 2 parents. Sidi Bou Said and the Roman ruins is what my parents are interested in so would be nice to put together a private tour with people that want to see the same things. If you are interested (or anyone that reads this & is on MSC Grandiosa on the cruise starting on April 21, 2024 in Livorno, ending April 27 in Naples) please let me know.

Thank you!

[perakcruiser]

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

Does MSC have any shuttle service from Florence to Livorno?

Maybe. But you will not know before arriving in Florence and look out for MSC staff in the airport. 

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

I assume we'll need to book a taxi with car seats (my wife has read that our American ones are not considered legal in Italy)

Child seat rules are indeed a problem (everywhere in Europe). Be prepared that you maybe only can use trains and local busses. Which is not a big thing, there is a bus from Florence airport to Pisa you can use and kids under 4 are free on this bus as well. MSC excursions can be done will kids and your little one is free here as well. 

 

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

How flexible is the embarkation time? The ship doesn't depart until 8 pm, but we've been assigned a noon embarkation time. We would rather have lunch in Florence and then head to Livorno and board mid-afternoon.

If your ship departs at 8pm you should check in until 6 pm. If you arrive later then that, call them. Embarkation time in Livorno has zero meaning, you can show up anytime until 6 pm.

 

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

I understand that the Baby's Club has time periods when you stay there with the child and other times where you can drop off the child, but only for 1 or 2 hours, while older kids can pretty much stay in the Kids Club all day. So we're assuming we'll bring both kids on all excursions.

Correct. Don´t be too optimistic that the baby will stay in the baby club alone the whole two hour slot 🙂

 

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

The port in Barcelona seems close enough to the Barri Gotic that we can take the shuttle and walk around on our own.

Yes, no problem. 

 

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

We're more concerned about transportation to Aix-en-Provence

Here I would consider the MSC tour Aix and Avignon. Handle this individually is already a hassle without kids. If your budget allows you only one MSC tour on this trip, choose this one. By no means the pace of the MSC tour is too fast for the kids. 

 

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

As for food, it seems like coffee, nuts and chips are ok. Any trouble with boxes of calissons or other candy?

No problem. 

 

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

For Tunisia, we're primarily interested in Sidi Bou Said and have read that you can easily hire taxis at the port for a round-trip tour (and that you pay at the end after they wait for you), which would be fine, but we're concerned about the car seats.

My impression of Tunisia is that no one cares about the car seats there. Or any other driving rules. 

 

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

We also understand that MSC will not allow bringing drinks on board and has restrictions on bringing food on board unless it is packaged. Can we buy local wine in each port and "check" it for pickup at the end of the cruise?

Yes, but all the Italian wines you will get in Naples also. Certainly also Barolo, Chianti, ... No use to buy them in Florence already. Allow me my harsh opinion that there are no local wines in Barcelona that are worth the hassle to be brought home. Of cause Marseille is different, I fully understand that you want to shop wine in France.

 

On 1/7/2024 at 2:00 PM, Bandit and Chilli said:

If not, any experience with travelling independently in Palermo?

The ship docks very close to the town center, there is a lot to see on a stroll that can easily be done with the kids, no need to plan anything. Beach in April is not really attractive.

 

 

[Frugal Traveler Lady]

Hi Perakcruiser,

Saw your answer to Bandit and found some great info I can use since my parents will be on the same cruise, thank you very much! The MSC tour to Aix & Avignon is sold out, unfortunately now. Any idea if there are enough taxis at the terminal willing to take people to the train station in Marseille or even to Aix-en-Provence? Also, do you know if is easy to find a taxi in Tunisia for driving to Sidi Bou Said, Carthage and maybe the Bardo museum? For Palermo you are saying that beach in April is not that attractive. Is that valid for Amalfi Coast? Do you think is worth going to Sorrento, Positano, etc or doing Pompeii from Naples and just do a tour of Naples at the end of the cruise?

I hope to hear from you. I am trying to do this for my elderly parents, they are going on this cruise to celebrate their 50 years anniversary and I need all the help I can get to make it a great vacation for them.

Thank you so very much

[perakcruiser]

1 hour ago, Frugal Traveler Lady said:

The MSC tour to Aix & Avignon is sold out, unfortunately now.

This is normal, but usually MSC adds more slots. Just check regularly before the cruise and then head straight to the excursions desks and try to book or get on the waiting list. If this fails, which I don´t think, then plan B. 

 

1 hour ago, Frugal Traveler Lady said:

Any idea if there are enough taxis at the terminal willing to take people to the train station in Marseille or even to Aix-en-Provence?

I don´t know. I always took the free port (not MSC) shuttle bus to town center. From there it is a 1,5 km walk to the train station. I would not count on any taxis, but Uber, Bolt and others are available if your parents can´t do the walk. Not sure if they are allowed to enter the port area. 

 

1 hour ago, Frugal Traveler Lady said:

Also, do you know if is easy to find a taxi in Tunisia for driving to Sidi Bou Said, Carthage and maybe the Bardo museum?

This I also don´t know. But for all of North Africa the answer "It depends on your negotiation skills" is never wrong. Speaking some French also helps.

 

1 hour ago, Frugal Traveler Lady said:

For Palermo you are saying that beach in April is not that attractive. Is that valid for Amalfi Coast?

No, no, no! Amalfi coast is a totally different world, it is one of the best places of all Europe! Not just an ordinary beach. Great in April as well as November. 

 

1 hour ago, Frugal Traveler Lady said:

Do you think is worth going to Sorrento, Positano, etc or doing Pompeii from Naples and just do a tour of Naples at the end of the cruise?

Actually my first advice after many cruises in the Med, choose Naples as your starting or ending point. And then enjoy some days in the area that has so much to offer. If you like pasta, a visit to the pasta capital Gragnano is a must. On the ship on one or two nights MSC is generous and offers dishes with pasta from Gragnano in the MDR, in YC of cause you can have it every day. Go to Gragnano and buy some for home. Strolling along the „Sentiero degli Dei“ (path of the gods) is breathtaking. My mom had no problems at age 72, but if it is suitable for your parents you need to check. If not you still have the road trip from Salerno to Positano (and onwards to Sorrento for Capri). Whatever, yes, Pompeii and Naples itself, sure, great, a must, but don´t limit yourself to that. I would not be surprised if you rate at the end of your trip the Amalfi coast as No. 1 of all you have seen.  

[Bandit and Chilli]

Thanks, Perakcruiser! Very helpful!

 

We'll take another look at the Aix & Avignon tour, understanding it may be sold out. We were just concerned it would be too much walking for the kids. I've been to both cities, but as a single traveler many years ago. Much different with kids in tow. 

 

Very reassuring about the embarkation time -- we really want to be able to leave Florence after (an early) lunch.

 

We're leaning towards hiring a taxi in Tunisia.

 

For Palermo, we booked the Cefalu excursion since it seems to give us a mix of culture and seaside without too much walking.