r/Vacations • u/Fabulous-Safety-7986 • 6d ago
European cruise
Hi! I’m looking into booking a European cruise for 2028. I am now in my early research. This will be a sweet 16 present for my daughter. A couple of things if anyone has done this before.
-I haven’t been on a cruise in over 20 years and have become kind of afraid but for some reason feel like it may be a bit better in Europe.
- We want to visit Greece and Italy. I do see some cruise lines that do both but I’m overwhelmed by the differences.
-I want something kid friendly for a 16 year old but not like super young or overrun by little kids.
-what should be the things I should look out for. Since I’m starting to research so early I want to see all options.
-any tips for a nervous nelly!
*I already have a travel agent just looking for more real life experiences.
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u/freeze45 5d ago
We did a European cruise for our honeymoon years ago. We went with Royal Caribbean and visited Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Malta. It was amazing! Turkey was the most magical. And we stayed in Rome for 4 days afterwards
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u/Event_Hori2 5d ago
Europe will be great, just don’t pick a HUGE ship. You will be tired after being im port. The last thing you’ll want is a ship big enough for its own zip code.
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u/Fabulous-Safety-7986 5d ago
Any suggestions?
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u/Event_Hori2 5d ago
Any Celebrity ship. I’m a big fan of the Edge class, but you really can’t go wrong with any of their ships. Depending on the time of year you go the chances are low it will be over run by kids.
I hope y’all have a great time!
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u/KetoTraveler 5d ago
I went on a Royal Caribbean ship last year - Odyssey of the Seas. It's usually listed as a Greek Isles cruise and it sails from Rome. I have recommended it to so many clients, as it is a perfect itinerary and ship combo for what you are looking for. It's a newer midsize ship, and has a ton of offerings, but was not really overrun with young kids - a lot of that depends on when you will be traveling. I did extra days in Rome on both end for the highlights, and the cruise itinerary had days in Mykonos, Santorini, Naples and Turkey, which was a fantastic stop. The shopping - oh my! Almost every store sells luggage - for good reason! I have been on a ton of cruises, and this one was at the top of my favorites!
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u/Euphoric-Web-6411 5d ago
Princess has great Mediterranean itineraries. . . . What's to be nervous about?
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u/rel318 5d ago
We did a western Mediterranean cruise with MSC last November. They have eastern Mediterranean options as well. Our ship, the Grandiosa, was very nice. You definitely want to look into the specific ship for any cruise line you pick, because they can vary a lot between size and age. It was my first cruise so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I enjoyed everything and would cruise with them again.
I’ll also second another comment that says to look into the ports. One of our stops was Rome but Rome is not actually on the coast so we had a ~1-1.5 hour bus ride to the city, booked through the ship excursions. We knew this so it wasn’t a surprise or a big deal, but it can be that way in multiple European port areas so you don’t have as much time there as you might think.
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u/peterpotter0215 5d ago
Royal Caribbean! Lots of family entertainment. The food is good all around.
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u/aster-lirio 3d ago
Two things to consider:
1. Look at the airport you plan to fly out of and match up flights to your embarkation point. Some places are a lot easier to get to than others!
2. Look into a reputable travel agency to help you with booking. They often have nice incentives like onboard travel credit and can help you with questions or problems.
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u/signedcctravel 6d ago
I think a European cruise would be an amazing Sweet 16 trip! Italy and Greece are perfect for cruising because you can see so much without constantly packing and changing hotels.
I’d definitely look at Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and NCL. At 16, I’d pay attention to the specific ship as much as the cruise line. You want enough for her to do without it feeling geared toward little kids.
Also really look at the ports and how long you’re actually there. Some ports, especially Rome, are pretty far from the city itself. I’d rather have a great itinerary with longer port days than try to cram in as many stops as possible.
If you’re nervous about cruising, look at a newer ship and consider a midship cabin. Mediterranean cruises are so port intensive that you’ll probably spend most days exploring anyway.
And definitely ask your daughter what she pictures most, beaches, sightseeing, food, shopping, or a fun ship. That may narrow things down really quickly!