Travelling with children can be intimidating, but a cruise ship experience is a great option for the solo parent
Yvonne Reddin
Sun Jul 28 2024
Sitting on my private balcony, sipping a glass of champagne, listening to the lapping waves as we sail out of the port of Civitavecchia in Rome – it’s a pinch-me moment that will stay with me forever.
I started travelling with my 10-year-old twins around Ireland in 2022. Our first trip abroad together was to Lake Garda in Italy in September 2023. Travelling as a solo parent can be intimidating at first, but after a few trips you develop a routine and it becomes addictive.
I now plan road trips for every bank holiday, midterm break and school holiday, to the point where my children eagerly ask about our next destination. We’ve stayed in a variety of accommodations including hotels, AirBnbs, cabins, luxury hideaways and now I can add a cruise ship to our travel list.
We began our cruise experience in Rome, where, stepping into the welcome foyer of the Odyssey of the Seas Royal Caribbean cruise ship, we were mesmerised by the size and scale of what lay before us. Odyssey of the Seas boasts 16 decks, each with unique areas catering to different preferences.
The passengers are a diverse mix of ages and backgrounds. There are glamorous holidaymakers, couples on their post-pandemic dream holiday, multigenerational families making memories, millennials, honeymooners and travellers like me with my two young children. The atmosphere is vibrant. Even though I was travelling as the sole adult in the group, I didn’t feel any sense of isolation. I spoke to people in whirlpools, in the pool, at the bar, in the kids area – it was probably more sociable for me than staying at a resort on land would be.
We spent the first two days finding our way around the ship. Our favourite spot quickly became the pool on deck 15, because of the vibrant decor, lively music and daily entertainment. The Lime and Coconut bar buzzed with multicoloured cocktails, live music, water games and various entertainment activities. My twins also enjoyed the Flowrider, an outdoor surf ride/bodyboard experience, and the Rip Cord, a skydiving simulator. We tried out several dining options, including a teppanyaki-style dinner, an Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurant, and Giovanni’s pizza restaurant. For those looking to shop, the couture shops offer jewellery, perfume, handbags and more, giving the ship a touch of Las Vegas at sea. (There’s also an over-18s-only casino on board.)
There’s a wide array of entertainment on offer: shows can be booked upon boarding and the phone app and Royal Caribbean TV channel make everything easy to navigate. The Royal Theatre is impressive, with an intimate feel. The shows are popular and operate on a first-come, first-seated basis, so be sure to allow enough time to find the theatre, which might be on the opposite end of a deck.
Enjoyable as the shows were, for me, the best part of the cruise was opening my curtains every morning and discovering where I was. Our itinerary included stops in Santorini, Kusadasi, Mykonos and Naples, with Rome as the starting and ending point. Each destination offered a unique and memorable experience.
Perhaps the most iconic of the Greek islands, Santorini is perched high atop mountains, accessible by cable car, donkeys, by walking 587 steps or via a 30-minute boat trip excursion to the picturesque village of Oia followed by a bus ride to the capital, Fira.
We opted for the boat and bus route, and enjoyed wandering through Oia, soaking up the island’s exceptional beauty and tranquil atmosphere. We purchased trinkets, jewellery, printed sundresses and towels. We stopped at bars tucked into the mountainside for refreshments. A cable car ride back down to catch our boat allowed us to enjoy the sunset from the ship, capping off a perfect day in Santorini.
The following morning, we eagerly pulled back the curtains to reveal the coastal town of Kusadasi in the Republic of Türkiye, a popular stop for cruise ships traversing the western Aegean Sea. Excitement filled the air as we disembarked and explored the bustling bazaar area.
Men sat outside shops sipping coffee, chatting and waiting for their cruise customers. We haggled for bags, football kits, designer polo tops, trainers, jewellery and more. We took a 10-minute taxi ride to Ladies Beach, where we jumped into the blue sea while Bollywood-style music played from a nearby hotel.
After docking the next morning, we hopped on a sea bus and arrived in Mykonos town in under 10 minutes. Mykonos is easy to navigate on foot, although the cobblestone paths can be challenging for wheelchair users and parents with strollers. The narrow laneways are lined with shops selling clothing, mementos, jewellery and skincare products. We found a small beach near the port and enjoyed a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear azure sea. Even at the end of May, the area was busy but still enjoyable and stress-free. I learned that the buildings stay so white because they are painted once a year. The pelican, I am told, is also a symbol of Mykonos, adding to its unique charm.
Unlike our previous stops, Naples greeted us with bustling noise. Docked just a 10-minute walk from the city centre, we found an abundance of taxis, tour buses and excursion offices ready to serve cruise passengers. We chose to visit Pompeii, a place I’ve always wanted to see after reading about the volcanic eruption in primary school. While a Blue Grotto tour was tempting, it required a full day and cruise schedules are tight for some stop offs.
Pompeii exceeded our expectations – fascinating, sombre and much larger than anticipated, with many structures still intact. Next time, we plan to explore Capri, Sorrento and the Amalfi coast. Naples, vibrant and rich in history, deserves several days to fully explore. Each stop on our cruise offered distinct and enriching experiences, leaving us with lasting memories of the Mediterranean.
Top tips for travelling with kids on a cruise –
1. Research where you are going and what is there for the children.
2. Know your destination, accommodation and transfer options in advance (GoOpti are the best value I have found for airport transfers)
3. Don’t overpack. Packing cubes are great for saving on space in the suitcase.
4. Keep copies of your boarding passes, travel documents, ID, on a separate device or print them out in case your phone dies.
5. Bring Calpol and any necessary medications, just in case.
6. Check for any solo meet ups, there could be other solo parents travelling too (there was one on the cruise ship)
7. Book through an agent, they will help with everything
8. Download the cruise app – everything you need to know is at your fingertips
9. Make sure your travel insurance has cruise cover
10. Check your passports have at least six months left before their expiration
11. Although the ship is cashless, bring some euro currency as you will need it for the sea buses and some taxis
12. Bring US dollars for tips if they are not included in your package
13. Towels are provided, so there’s no need to pack them, and you can also bring them on your excursions
14. Book your excursions in advance and also any speciality dining preferences
15. Dress code on board the ship is whatever you like – people wore everything from ball gowns and suits to casual outfits
Yvonne Reddin was a guest of Royal Caribbean International and Tour America.
This article was published in the Irish Times on 27/28th July 2024 Read the online article here
