Our Mediterranean Cruise with 5 Kids: Why We Loved Odyssey of the Seas

I’ll be honest, before this trip I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy cruising with five children.

This was our first proper Mediterranean cruise as a family, and I think I went into it expecting the destinations to be the main event. We were visiting Santorini, Kusadasi, Mykonos and Naples, so naturally I assumed these would be the parts of the holiday we talked about most afterwards.

It turns out, for us, it was actually the ship.

Getting to Civitavecchia from Rome

We had spent a few nights in Rome before the cruise, staying in an apartment near Roma Termini. I’ve written about our Rome stay separately, so I won’t go into all of that here.

Getting the train from Rome to Civitavecchia was actually really easy. It was quick, inexpensive and straightforward. The only part I wouldn't particularly recommend with five children, five sets of luggage and all the general chaos that comes with travelling as a family of seven was arriving at Civitavecchia station.

It was busy. Very busy.

Getting off the platform and making our way through the crowds with all of our cases took quite a while and, honestly, it wasn't my favourite start to the holiday. If I were doing it again, I would absolutely take a taxi straight to the port. Obviously, this will also depend on which port you are travelling from, but it is something I would consider when travelling with children and lots of luggage.

Once we were at the station, the transfer bus to the cruise terminal was really easy.

When we arrived at the terminal, everything was incredibly straightforward. We dropped our bags, went through security and before we knew it we were walking onto the ship.

The boys' faces when they saw Odyssey of the Seas for the first time were priceless. It looked absolutely enormous to them and they were completely fascinated by everything onboard. We spent the first couple of hours exploring because there was so much to see, and then it was time to find our rooms.

Our balcony cabin

We had a balcony cabin which was connected to the boys' room, and this worked brilliantly for us. We had requested in advance for the balcony divider between the two rooms to be opened, which meant we effectively had one huge shared balcony.

I had actually worried that having a balcony with five children might make me nervous, but I needn't have worried at all. In fact, the balcony ended up being one of my absolute highlights of the entire cruise.

I loved sitting out there early in the morning with a cup of tea. In the evenings, once the boys had gone to bed, Chris would go and get us some drinks and we'd sit outside watching the world go by while they slept inside. I could have spent hours sitting out there.

Having that outdoor space made such a difference. The boys could come in and out between the rooms, while Chris and I had somewhere that felt like our own little bit of space. I'd always wondered whether I'd pay extra for a balcony on a cruise, but now I know the answer.

I don't think I could cruise without one.

Sail away!

Once we'd unpacked and explored our rooms, it was time for the sail-away party. We headed up to the pool deck, grabbed some drinks and watched the boys dancing around the pool to the music. There was a lot of Macarena happening, and it was one of those moments where you realise the holiday has officially started.

We'd also opted for the Deluxe Beverage Package, which worked really well for us as a family. Chris and I had our drinks, the older boys had refillable cups and there were plenty of soft drinks, juices and mocktails available for everyone else.

The older boys loved being able to go and get their own drinks, while the younger three had plenty of choice without us constantly having to buy something separately. It made everything feel very easy, which is exactly what I want from a holiday with five children.

Our first sea day

Our first full day was a sea day, and I'm not going to sugar-coat this one. It was busy. Very busy.

The pool area was packed and it was definitely one of those days where you have to accept that you're sharing the ship with a lot of other people. That didn't stop the boys though. They were straight into the pool and having the best time.

Chris and I grabbed drinks, found somewhere to sit and had a chance to relax while the boys entertained themselves. We also spent plenty of time exploring the ship, and there was always something else to discover.

Santorini – the port we didn't get off at!

This might be controversial, but we didn't get off the ship in Santorini.

Santorini was a tender port, so getting ashore wasn't as simple as just walking off the ship. Once ashore, there was then the decision of how to get up to the main town, including the famous cable car.

With five children, we looked at the logistics and decided that we would rather enjoy the ship instead.

Because almost everyone else had got off, the ship was practically empty. The younger two had the Splashaway Bay area almost entirely to themselves for the majority of the day, while the older boys were in the main pool with hardly anyone else around.

We were able to wander around without crowds and really enjoy everything the ship had to offer. On port days, the activities onboard are also available, so we took advantage of that.

One of the highlights was North Star, the glass observation capsule that rises high above the ship for incredible views. Neither Chris nor I particularly like heights, so I volunteered to go up with three of the boys. I'm so glad I did because the views were incredible and we could actually see Santorini from the top.

The boys also spent the day playing giant games, chess and rock climbing and generally exploring the ship. This was when I really started to realise that the ship itself was becoming a destination.

Kusadasi, Turkey

Our next stop was Kusadasi, which was another really easy port because you can simply walk off the ship.

Most people visiting Kusadasi head out to Ephesus, and I completely understand why. It's one of the major attractions in the area. For us, we'd already spent time exploring ancient ruins in Rome and we didn't really fancy a long coach journey with five children.

Instead, we jumped in a taxi and headed to a beach. We spent the morning there, came back into the port and did a little shopping, because who doesn't love a Turkey handbag?

One of the highlights for the boys was actually stopping for ice cream. We came across one of the traditional Turkish ice cream sellers and the boys were absolutely blown away by the tricks they do before finally handing over your cone. There was lots of teasing, spinning the cone around, pretending to hand it over and then taking it back again. The boys' faces were brilliant and they were completely fascinated by it. They thought it was hilarious and, of course, they all wanted to have another go.

We then headed back onboard for lunch and more pool time, with the ship still being lovely and quiet.

Mykonos – my favourite stop

Then came Mykonos, and this was definitely my favourite stop.

It was another walk-off port, so it was nice and easy. We hopped onto a little sea bus that took us from the new port to the old port, where we started exploring.

We didn't have a plan. We simply wandered through the small lanes, past the white buildings and famous windmills. Even the trees were painted white in places, which I absolutely loved.

We wandered, got lost, found our way again and stopped along the sea for a drink. It was exactly what I wanted from a Greek island before heading back onboard for lunch and some more pool time.

Another sea day

Our next sea day was another busy one, and this was probably the point where I realised that sea days on a busy cruise ship are very different from a quiet day at a hotel.

You have to expect crowds, but there was still so much going on that we didn't have time to get bored. We went to the Captain's talk, did Disney trivia, although sadly we didn't win, went to karaoke and ate a lot of food.

There was also plenty of time around the pool, although finding a quiet spot was definitely more of a challenge.

Naples – and another day onboard

Our final port was Naples, another easy walk-off port.

The obvious big excursion from Naples is Pompeii, but we'd visited before and didn't really want to take the boys on a long coach trip to something we'd already seen.

We did pop off for a quick wander around Naples, but then headed straight back onboard to make the most of the ship while it was quieter.

The boys loved the FlowRider surf simulator and we also tried the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator. I gave it a go too, although I can safely say I wasn't a fan! The boys, however, absolutely loved it and all wanted to go again.

We also played in the arcade, spent time around the pool and went to karaoke, all while finding plenty of time to eat.

We also had an incredible meal in Teppanyaki that evening as we sailed away from Naples. Watching Mount Vesuvius as we left, through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the restaurant, was pretty special.

The chefs were brilliant at keeping everyone entertained while they cooked, with lots of tricks and interaction. One of the things the boys still talk about was an egg-catching trick. R was blindfolded while the chef pretended to throw an egg towards him, and somehow managed to convince him that he'd caught it. He hadn't, of course, but R was absolutely convinced that he had. It was one of those silly little moments that had all of us laughing, and R still genuinely believes he caught the egg!

It was one of those meals that became part of the holiday memory rather than just being dinner, and it's probably something the boys will remember for years.

Let's talk about the food…

Because honestly, the food was incredible.

We ate breakfast and most lunches in the Windjammer buffet, which gave us an enormous amount of choice. The buffet changes throughout the cruise and offers food from lots of different cuisines, so there was always something for everyone.

There were even themed touches based around where we were in port, which I thought was such a lovely detail.

Then there was El Loco Fresh by the pool. I could have eaten their tacos every day, and the boys loved being able to help themselves and grab food whenever they wanted.

After the evening shows, we'd often head to Sorrento's for pizza, which was also amazing.

There are also lots of specialty restaurants onboard, and we tried Teppanyaki, which was one of our absolute favourites. The food was some of the best we'd eaten, but the whole experience was brilliant for the boys too.

There was the cooking show, the tricks, the entertainment and then that incredible view as we sailed away from Naples. It was one of those meals that becomes part of the holiday memory rather than just being dinner.

But the staff...

We stay at a lot of 5-star hotels, but this was another level.

Our main dining room team, Daz and Kiki, were absolutely incredible. I genuinely cried when we said goodbye to them.

They remembered our drinks orders, including my very specific request for only one ice cube. They knew what food the boys liked and even chopped up the little ones' dinner for us so we could carry on eating our own meal.

They always did a little magic trick or show for the boys, and there were also the big group dances from the waiters and chefs that everyone loved.

They just made us feel completely looked after.

But it wasn't just them. The service all around the ship was exceptional. Even the lifeguards knew the boys' names.

The boys still talk about the people they met on the ship, and Daz and Kiki in particular have a very special place in our hearts.

That's one of the things I hadn't really appreciated about cruising before. The people become part of the holiday.

The entertainment

There was so much going on that there genuinely wasn't enough time to do everything.

We watched shows, did quizzes, went to karaoke and joined in with different activities around the ship.

The boys also loved the Bionic Bar, where robotic bartenders make and deliver the drinks. Watching them choose their drinks and then seeing the robots make them was a highlight for them.

There were also all the activities onboard, including the FlowRider, iFLY, rock climbing, arcade, pools and Splashaway Bay. There was always something happening, which meant the boys were never bored.

The biggest surprise for me? Freedom.

This might sound strange, but I don't think I've ever given my boys more freedom on holiday than I did on this cruise.

I felt completely comfortable doing it. I knew they couldn't simply get off the ship, and I knew they weren't going to get lost somewhere. The older boys could go off together and explore, while the younger ones could be in the pool with us.

Chris and I could actually sit poolside with a drink while the little ones played, knowing they were being looked after brilliantly by their new lifeguard friends, while the older ones went off to play and explore.

That freedom was huge for me.

Anyone with any number of children will understand what I mean when I say that being able to relax while the children are still having the time of their lives is pretty special.

Getting off the ship

Eventually, of course, the holiday had to end.

Getting off was surprisingly straightforward. We were given our exit time, although it felt fairly fluid on the morning. We left our large cases outside the room the night before and just kept a small bag with us.

We had breakfast, got off the ship and made our way to the bus. There was a queue for the bus back to the station, but once we were on our way everything was easy.

We caught the train back towards Rome and then the fast train to the airport, making the journey home really straightforward.

And just like that, our cruise was over.

Would I recommend a cruise with children?

100%. Without a doubt.

But here's the interesting thing about our cruise.

We didn't actually choose this trip because we wanted to see as much of the Mediterranean as possible. We chose it because we wanted to enjoy the cruise.

We deliberately stayed onboard in Santorini. We stayed onboard for most of our day in Naples. We chose the beach in Kusadasi rather than travelling for hours to Ephesus.

And we absolutely loved it.

For us, the destinations were a bonus. The ship was the holiday.

The food, the drinks, the entertainment, the pools, the balcony, the activities and, most importantly, the incredible staff all made this one of those holidays where the memories are as much about what happened onboard as they are about the places we visited.

Would I cruise again?

Absolutely.

I've already decided what comes next. I want a bigger ship!

Odyssey of the Seas felt absolutely enormous when we first saw it, but after experiencing everything it had to offer, I'm now very intrigued by the even bigger Royal Caribbean ships.

So, Icon of the Seas, I'm coming for you!

Because apparently I've now become a cruise mum, and I didn't see that coming.

When the boys still talk about Daz and Kiki, the balcony, the pools, the iFLY, the FlowRider, the robot bar and all the ridiculous little moments from that week, I know we've created some pretty brilliant family memories.

And that's really what travel is all about.

Thinking about a family cruise?

If you're considering a cruise but don't know where to start, that's where I can help.

There are so many ships, itineraries, cabin types, dining options, drinks packages and excursions to choose from that it can feel overwhelming, especially when you're travelling as a family.

I can help you find the right ship and itinerary for your family, whether you're looking for a Mediterranean adventure, a Caribbean cruise, a Disney cruise or something completely different.

And, just like I did with our own family holiday, I'll help you work out what actually matters to you, rather than simply booking the biggest or most expensive option.