European Cruise with Kids on the MSC Grandiosa: Everything You Need to Know

Last Updated on August 6, 2026 by Tori Pines

Taking a European cruise with kids sounds either like the most brilliant idea you’ve ever had or the most chaotic one, and honestly? It can be both at the same time. We just got back from a 7-night cruise on the MSC Grandiosa in July 2026 with our three year old and our eleven month old, and I have SO many thoughts, tips, honest opinions, and port-by-port recaps to share with you.

The short version: we loved it, we would do it again, and there are a few very specific things you need to know before you book.

Why a European Cruise with Kids is for You

Before I get into the details of our specific trip, I want to talk about why we chose a cruise for our European vacation with little ones in the first place, because I think it’s worth addressing.

Traveling in Europe with young kids is incredibly rewarding but also logistically exhausting. Moving between cities means packing up, navigating transportation, checking into new hotels, unpacking, settling the kids, repeat. Over and over. With a toddler and a baby that is a LOT.

A cruise solves that problem completely. You go to sleep in one place and you wake up in another. Your hotel comes with you. You unpack once. The kids have their beds, their routine, their familiar space every single night, and all the transportation happens while they’re sleeping. For families with young children especially, that is genuinely such a game changer and the single biggest reason I would recommend a European cruise with kids over any other kind of multi-city trip.

That said, the tradeoff is real: port stops are short. You get a few hours in each city and then you’re back on the ship. For Europe specifically, where there is SO much to see and experience in every single destination, that can feel really rushed. We felt it. We understood it, that’s just the nature of cruising, but especially for Europe it’s worth knowing going in. If you want to go deep on any one destination, a cruise may not be the right trip for you. Instead check out my 2 week Italy itinerary! But if you want to get a taste of multiple incredible cities without the transportation chaos? It’s pretty hard to beat.

We decided to spend a few nights in Florence with kids first and then get on the cruise, so we got the best of both worlds. Because with a long and difficult flight with kids to Europe, you might as well spend as much time there as possible!

Our Cruise: MSC Grandiosa, July 2026

We sailed on the MSC Grandiosa, a massive and absolutely stunning ship that departed from the port of Civitavecchia, which is the Rome port. Our 7-night itinerary included a day at sea, then stops in Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Cannes, Genoa, and La Spezia (Cinque Terre) before returning to Civitavecchia.

Overall the ship was really lovely. It’s big, it’s beautiful, and the staff throughout were genuinely wonderful and so kind to us and our kids. A few honest notes on the food: the sit-down dinner restaurant was our least favorite part of the ship, the food there was just okay and nothing we were excited about. The service was lovely, and we really enjoyed our servers. Plus we felt INCREDIBLY lucky with possibly the best 4 person table in the entire dining room. We were the second row back from the windows in the very center of the ship…honeslty could not have been better.

BUT the buffet food was absolutely fantastic. The pizza, the fresh mozzarella, the focaccia, the variety of dishes from all over Europe, it was really, really good and we ended up preferring it to the sit-down most nights. The buffet also has a dedicated kids section which makes mealtime with little ones so much easier. And a huge plus? The toddler could wiggle around on the booth and make some noise and no one noticed because the dating in the buffet is much much more casual. So my husband and I got to enjoy our meals so much more without having to manage the children as much during meal time.

One thing I was so pleasantly surprised by: you can buy diapers and other baby and child necessities in the ship’s on-board shop, and the prices were actually very reasonable. If you run low on diapers mid-cruise, do not panic. They’ve got you covered.

MSC Grandiosa Kids Amenities: Why We Picked This Ship

We specifically chose the MSC Grandiosa because of its reputation as one of the best cruise ships for families, and it absolutely delivered on that front.

On Deck 19 at the aft of the ship, the Wild Forest Aquapark features two twisting waterslides, a splash area for younger kids, a family wading pool, and an overhead ropes course. Our three year old was obsessed with the splash zone and we spent a lot of our sea day there. It’s jungle themed, really fun, and the dedicated little kids area means even the smallest cruisers can get in on the water fun without the big slides being a concern.

The Doremiland kids club spans Deck 18 and is divided into age-appropriate areas. The Baby Club is for children up to 35 months, Mini Club with LEGO activities is for ages 3 to 6, Junior Club for ages 7 to 11, and Young Club for tweens 12 to 14.

Tips for Taking a European Cruise with Kids

Motion Sickness: Come Prepared

Both myself and our three year old got seasick on our day at sea, and it was not a fun experience for either of us. We brought motion sickness patches and they worked really well for us once we got them on, so whether or not you or your kids are prone to motion sickness, please come prepared. Bring whatever form of motion sickness prevention works for your family, whether that’s patches, bands, gummies, or medication, and have it ready before you board the ship. What’s funny is, I had bought them for my husband since he’s the one prone to motion sickness, and he was totally fine!

Food: There Is Something for Everyone

The food situation on an MSC cruise with kids is really well thought out and completely impressed me. The buffet has an enormous variety including a dedicated kids buffet with kid-friendly options that are always available. At the sit-down dinner restaurant, there is a full kids menu broken into three different age groups, each with their own appetizer and entree options specifically designed for that age group. And here is the detail that really impressed me: they had a wide variety of pureed options for babies on the kids menu, which is SO thoughtful and not something I expected at all. We were also told they could puree additional items from the buffet upon request if needed, though we ended up not needing it.

Port Stops: How to Make Them Kid-Friendly

Getting the most out of your port stops with little ones takes a bit of strategy. Here are my best tips:

Bring a stroller and a baby carrier. This is non-negotiable for a European cruise with young kids. You will be doing a lot of walking at each port and you need to be able to move efficiently. A lightweight, narrow stroller is especially important because European streets, alleys, and restaurants are often very tight. We used a stroller like this and the incredible Mabē Monarch Baby Carrier.

Use hop on hop off buses. These are genuinely one of the best inventions for cruise port stops with kids. You get a full tour of the city without having to walk miles in the heat, kids love riding on the top deck, and you can hop off at any stop that interests you. We used them in Palma and they were fantastic. We considered it for Barcelona too, but our plans didn’t make sense for it.

Look for kid-friendly activities at every port. Aquariums, zoos, carousels, Ferris wheels, boat rides, and playgrounds are great options in most European cities and tend to be shorter, more contained experiences that work well within limited port time. We found an amazing playground right at the Sagrada Família in Barcelona that our daughter absolutely loved. And we visited the largest aquarium in Europe in Genoa!

Book excursions or tours in advance. Popular options fill up fast, especially in summer. If there’s a specific tour or activity you want to do at a port, book it before you board the ship.

Fill Ziplocs with snacks at the buffet for the day. I cannot encourage this enough. Bring tons of baggies with you and take a few to breakfast at the buffet each morning. Fill them with cereal, cut up apples or peaches or oranges, even throw some bagels and cream cheese or croissants in there! They will get your kids through the long port days without having to stop and spend money on snacks. This was a huge win for us.

Port by Port: Our European Cruise Itinerary with Kids

Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Palma was such a lovely first port stop and a great introduction to cruise port days with little ones. We hopped on the hop on hop off bus which was $32 per adult and free for kids 7 and under, and it took us to all the major sights we wanted to see including the stunning Gothic cathedral that sits right along the waterfront. It was a perfect, low-effort way to see the city without wearing anyone out.

Along the bus tour we stopped at the beach, paid 30 euros for two chairs and an umbrella for the day, and spent a few wonderful hours in the Mediterranean. The beach has a beautiful view of the cathedral which makes for incredible photos. One thing to know: it is legal in Spain for women to be topless on the beach. We saw several women without tops, so just be prepared for that if you are planning to go!

We finished our time in Palma with an absolutely incredible lunch at a restaurant right off the beach called Restaurant Alma Portixol. Our spread included tapas, paella, and the most amazing sangria piled high with fruit that I am still thinking about. What a way to start the trip.

After the beach we walked the one mile stroll along the water to the cathedral and shopped at the little market held there before hopping back on the bus and riding it all the way around and back to the cruise port to send our day.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is a truly spectacular city and also one of the most challenging port stops on a cruise with kids, just because there is SO much to see and it is large and hard to navigate in a limited amount of time. You can get a shuttle or taxi from the port into the city center.

We decided to focus on a couple of specific things rather than try to do too much. First we went to see the Sagrada Família, which is absolutely jaw-dropping even just from the outside. We didn’t go inside since that takes a lot of time and we didn’t think it would be a great fit for our little kids, but just seeing it from the exterior is a wow moment. And right there at the Sagrada Família there is an amazing playground that our three year old was absolutely in heaven at. It was such a dream to let her run and play for a bit in the shadow of one of the most incredible buildings in the world.

After the Sagrada Família we made our way to the Arc de Triomf, which is stunning and another great photo stop. We had also wanted to do a boat ride on the pond in Parc de la Ciutadella but by that point everyone was tired and we were running low on time. Lesson learned: pick two or three things in Barcelona and do them well rather than trying to squeeze in everything.

We also did a food tour with Secret Food Tours in Barcelona and it was really wonderful. A great way to taste a lot of different things in a short amount of time and learn about the city from a local perspective. We tried so many delicious dishes during our tour and learned so much about the city and the food! Plus we met many other tourists and had so much fun spending a few hours with them. Honestly, this tour was incredible and I cannot recommend it enough for you to book during your time in Barcelona!

Cannes, France

Cannes was honestly one of the biggest delightful surprises of the entire cruise and we ended up enjoying it more than almost any other stop. The city is beautiful, walkable, and just has this gorgeous French Riviera energy that is really special.

I do want to give you a heads up: Cannes is a tender port, which means you don’t dock directly at the pier but instead take a small boat from the ship to shore. Getting off the ship took almost two hours, which was frustrating and ate into our time significantly. Factor that into your planning. If it’s important to you to have the most time possible, then i recommend booking an excursion through your cruise line so that you get priority exiting the ship.

Once we were ashore though it was wonderful. We rode Le Petit Train which is a little tourist train that takes you through the whole city in under an hour with a great audio guide. It was so perfect for kids and honestly one of the highlights of the whole cruise. After the train we walked through the market, had the most delicious French lunch at Le Caveau 30, did a little shopping, and found a crepe that was obviously incredible.

The highlight of our afternoon was spending a couple of hours at a beach club, called Maëma, taking the kids in the water, and sipping Aperol Spritz with views of the Mediterranean. Really not a bad way to spend a Monday.

Genoa, Italy

Genoa was our least favorite port, I’ll be honest with you! We visited the Genoa Aquarium, which is the largest in Europe, and while it was fine it wasn’t anything super special and we left feeling a bit underwhelmed. The walk from the port to lunch through parts of the old city was a bit sketchy feeling in spots, so just be aware of your surroundings there.

BUT. The lunch we ended up at was absolutely incredible and completely made the stop worth it. We found a wonderful little local restaurant called Osteria Il Cadraio and had the most delicious food, with a ton of pesto since Genoa is the birthplace of pesto and they take it very seriously. Everything we ordered was fantastic and it was a great reminder that the best food finds in Europe are often the unexpected ones.

La Spezia / Cinque Terre, Italy

La Spezia was my personal favorite port of the entire cruise and one of the most magical days I’ve had traveling. We used La Spezia as our jumping off point to spend the full day exploring the Cinque Terre, which I cannot recommend highly enough.

We took a taxi from the port up to the La Spezia train station since it’s uphill and we wanted to arrive fresh, and then hopped on the train to Riomaggiore, the first of the five Cinque Terre villages. The town is absolutely stunning and we had a beautiful breakfast right on the water. One heads up for families: Riomaggiore is gorgeous but not super stroller-friendly since there is a lot of walking and quite a few stairs, so keep that in mind.

From Riomaggiore we walked the famous Via dell’Amore, the paved coastal path to Manarola. It’s about a 20-minute walk and is completely stroller-friendly, stunning, and so peaceful. The combo ticket for the trail access and a full-day train pass was around $30 per person and totally worth it. Buy your tickets in advance!

Manarola is arguably the most picturesque of all the Cinque Terre villages and we spent some time there exploring, walking up to the famous viewpoint for photos, and doing a little shopping. It is just unbelievably beautiful.

We finished the day at a beach club in Monterosso, the largest of the five villages, where we rented chairs, ate pizza, and cooled off in the water for the rest of the afternoon. It was genuinely a perfect day from start to finish.

European Cruise with Kids Packing List

I have an entire post about packing for Italy (and a YouTube video!!) plus a packing for toddlers and packing for babies list. But here is everything we packed specifically for the cruise that we were really grateful for:

• Stroller (lightweight and narrow for European streets and tight ship corridors)
• Stroller fan (it gets hot on deck and in ports in the summer)
• Baby carrier (essential for ports and for carrying baby around the ship)
• Motion sickness prevention (patches, bands, or medication, whatever works for your family)
• Magnet hooks (cruise ship walls are magnetic and hooks are incredibly useful for hanging wet swimsuits and towels in the cabin)
• Stain spray and Tide sink packets (you will spill things, kids will spill things, being able to do a quick hand wash in the sink is a lifesaver)
• Ziploc bags (we used these constantly: packing snacks from the buffet to eat at ports, storing wet swimsuits, keeping things organized)
• Sunscreen stick and powder sunscreen (so much easier to apply on the go to kids than traditional lotion sunscreen)
• Teema towels (quick-dry microfiber towels are so handy for beach days at ports)
• Power converter strip (cruise ship cabins have very limited outlets, a multi-plug converter is essential)
• FuelRod portable battery pack (you will be out at ports all day with your phone working hard for maps and photos, take a battery with you)

Final Thoughts: Is a European Cruise Worth It with Kids?

Yes, with the right expectations. A European cruise with kids is not the way to deeply explore any one destination, and if you’re hoping for that, a traditional city-based trip will serve you better. But as a way to get a beautiful, varied taste of the Mediterranean while keeping life manageable for little ones? It is really wonderful.

We came home with memories from five different countries, incredible food, gorgeous photos, and two kids who spent their first summer in Europe sleeping peacefully in the same cozy cabin every single night while the ship carried us to the next adventure. That is pretty special.

If you are thinking about booking a European cruise with kids, do it. Just pack the motion sickness patches and book the Cinque Terre day trip.