A Mediterranean cruise for the whole family: a good idea or a bad one? During our tour of Southern Europe, we tried the experience between Barcelona and Civitavecchia, passing between Corsica and Sardinia. It was our first time on an all-inclusive cruise, with a children’s area and no logistics to manage.
Here we tell you what we really thought of this way of traveling.
Why we chose a cruise during our tour of Southern Europe
During our tour of Southern Europe in a motorhome, we lived an adventure at our own pace, between nature, villages and coastal roads. It was intense and exciting… but also logistically demanding. After several weeks of managing the journey, meals, showers and nomadic school in our vehicle, we felt the need to take a real break. That’s when the idea of a cruise came up, as a way of taking a breather without having to stop traveling.
➡️ And if you’d like to try your hand at adventure, you can already discover Costa cruises.
A smart way to travel between Spain and Italy
The itinerary was just right: we needed to get from Barcelona to the Rome area. Rather than drive all the way in our camper van, we decided to take it on a boat to Civitavecchiab (north of Rome).
The result: a journey that would have been made by road has become a travel experience in itself, with breathtaking Mediterranean scenery between Corsica and Sardinia.
A real break in our nomadic rhythm
On board, we forgot about filling up with water, changing oil, finding parking and preparing meals. Everything was taken care of: the cabin, the meals, the activities. As a family, that changes everything. It was a real interlude in our trip, a way of taking care of ourselves before getting back on the road in our motorhome.
If you’re interested, you can read all about our trip here: traveling Southern Europe in a motorhome.
A smooth transition for children
Our daughter loved the change of decor. Having a real room, being able to play in a space designed just for her, eating what she likes without us doing the cooking…
She quickly found her feet on board. And we took advantage of this moment to release the pressure and simply enjoy the trip.
What we liked about our cruise
We’re not going to lie, we had a few preconceived ideas before embarking. We imagined a slightly old-fashioned, over-organized atmosphere, not necessarily our style of travel. And yet, we were pleasantly surprised. The cruise offered us an interlude of comfort, discovery and rest, at a time when we really needed it.
The feeling of total disconnection
On board, we quickly let go. Away from the road, with no constant signal, no plan to organize or GPS to monitor, we rediscovered a feeling we’d somewhat forgotten since traveling by motorhome: that of having nothing to do. Just being there, watching the sea, having a coffee in the sun, enjoying the moment. Even our daughter felt this calm. And that’s priceless.
Every day, a new setting
One of the great pleasures of this cruise was waking up each morning in a different place. An Italian port, an offshore island, a big city or a small cove… The “wow” effect of opening the curtain in the morning is quite addictive. There’s no need to repack, find a new site for the camper van or calculate the number of kilometers: you’re on the move, but you’re not.
Smooth, headache-free organization
Everything on the boat is seamless: schedules, services, ports of call. You get off in the city without stress, you get back on board when you want (on time, of course), you eat when you’re hungry, you keep busy or rest when you feel like it. There’s clear information everywhere, staff on hand, and you get the feeling that everything’s running smoothly. For a family on the move like ours, that’s really nice.
Onboard activities and children’s area: peace and quiet for parents
One of the real pluses of this cruise was the space designed for children, even toddlers. Our daughter was a year and a half old at the time of the trip, and even though she was a little small for some of the activities, we found accessible play areas, quiet zones for families and caring staff.
And for family time, there was plenty to do too: pools, adapted slides, playrooms…
The time just flew by, and above all, we really felt like we were sharing quality moments together, without chasing the program.
A real break in our travel rhythm
When you’re on the road, you’re always in the thick of things. The cruise, on the other hand, allowed us to breathe. For a few days, we didn’t drive, we didn’t cook, we didn’t plan. We just let ourselves go. And that did us a world of good, before we set off again more serene for the rest of our adventure.
On arrival, we were able to visit the Naples region and its magnificent archaeological sites, Pompeii and Herculaneum, completely rested!
So, is it a good idea to take a Mediterranean cruise with your family? For us, the answer is clearly yes. The experience was a real breath of fresh air on our long-haul trip, a comfortable break with a change of scenery. Cruising is no substitute for adventure on land in a motorhome, but it’s a great way to discover new things, without the mental burden, and with a taste of affordable luxury.
If you’re in the middle of a road trip, or just fancy a stress-free break with your kids, this is an option we definitely recommend you consider. And why not let yourself be tempted?
