Cruise Family

Today (on my birthday, no less) I won New-to-Cruise Extraordinaire Star of the Year at the Cruise Star Awards!

"This award recognises an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and creativity in attracting new-to-cruise audiences. The recipient will be celebrated for their innovative strategies, customer events, campaigns, or initiatives that have successfully introduced the joys of cruising to first-time guests."

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6 days ago | [YT] | 6

Cruise Family

This is exciting... @Cruise.Family has reached 10,000 hours watch time on YouTube 😍

1 month ago | [YT] | 3

Cruise Family

Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady videos incoming!

Always bring swimwear to a ship visit... just in case 😅

3 months ago | [YT] | 2

Cruise Family

COMING NEXT WEEK - Cruise Family has been invited to visit the brand new Virgin Voyages ship Brilliant Lady.
Obviously they'll be lot's of videos covering this.
Subscribe so you don't miss them!

4 months ago | [YT] | 2

Cruise Family

4 months ago | [YT] | 2

Cruise Family

Cruise Family has been nominated for a Wave Award - "The Oscars of the Cruise Industry"
🤞 for later this year!

5 months ago | [YT] | 3

Cruise Family

First drink of the cruise: Piña colada
Currently on Independence of the Seas - videos incoming!

6 months ago | [YT] | 3

Cruise Family

A good first 6 months. Need many more subscribers though 🫣

11 months ago | [YT] | 0

Cruise Family

Just started packing for my cruise on P&O Arvia next week. Which means lot's of P&O content heading your way!

1 year ago | [YT] | 1

Cruise Family

Our Journey to the Port of Civitavecchia and Embarkation of Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas.


Civitavecchia is the port of Rome, Italy, and is often used as the main port of embarkation and disembarkation by Royal Caribbean and other major cruise lines for their Mediterranean cruises. Having used this port twice, we found it easily accessible, though the journey can be tricky if you’ve never done it before. Here’s how we managed our journey from our home in Cumbria, Northern England, to Civitavecchia and onto Odyssey of the Seas for our seven-night Mediterranean cruise!



Step 1: The Drive to London Stansted
We decided to fly with Ryanair from London Stansted to Rome’s Ciampino Airport. Stansted is the closest London airport to our home, making our drive down shorter and less complicated. Ciampino is a relatively small airport, which we thought would help us navigate it as a family of five. The first leg of our journey was the drive to Stansted, which we did the day before our flight.

Leaving early was crucial as our flight departed at 8 am the next morning. The drive took us 4-5 hours, which was quite relaxed. We stayed in a hotel close to the airport, all five of us in one room. One child was in a sleeping bag on the floor, but they saw it as an adventure! It was fine for one night, cheaper than two rooms, and easy to manage.


Step 2: Early Morning Transfer and Flight
The next day started early with a drive to the car park, a shuttle bus to the airport, and check-in. Despite the early start, the pressure of time and unfamiliarity with Stansted airport added stress. There were queues even at 5.30 am, but the kids were busy with activities and snacks.

Having checked in online beforehand, we mainly needed to sort our luggage – two large suitcases and five small ones. Ryanair’s bag-weighing machines were temperamental, but staff were on hand to help. The flight, though a bit bumpy on landing, went smoothly, and we arrived without issues.

As our children are under 14, we went through immigration at Ciampino with a real person, which was quick and allowed us to collect our bags promptly.


Step 3: Private Transfer to the Port
Our early start meant we should reach the port by mid-afternoon. We’d booked a private transfer for this leg of our journey, a decision that paid off. It allowed us to head to the port immediately without waiting for others, relying on train times, or managing our luggage on public transport.

The private transfer was convenient, and our driver was pleasant. The journey from the airport to the port took about an hour and a half, without the hassle of navigating through Rome.


Step 4: Embarkation at the Port
The driver dropped us right outside the port terminal. Despite the chaos and crowds, the check-in process for Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas was straightforward. We handed over our pre-tagged luggage to staff, who managed it efficiently.

There was a queue to go through scanners and check ourselves onto the ship. Although it was hot and crowded, the queue moved quickly thanks to numerous staff. Our earlier preparation – checking in online and pre-filling our details – expedited the process, even though we missed our time slot.

Seeing Odyssey of the Seas for the first time was fantastic. The ship’s size and features excited the children, and we eagerly explored the pool deck and other attractions as soon as we boarded.


Overall Experience
Even though this was one of the longest journeys we’ve done with the children, it was probably one of the smoothest. The day was long and tiring, but the preparation and planning we did beforehand made everything more manageable.

I recommend preparing as much as possible before your journey. Complete online check-ins as soon as they open, print your tickets and baggage labels, and have all documents ready. This preparation helps keep things moving smoothly on the day.

I also highly recommend the private transfer from the airport to the port. Although it’s an added expense, it simplifies the journey, especially for larger families or those less confident navigating foreign transport systems.

Despite the long travel day and managing three children and seven suitcases, we were all still smiling as we embarked on our cruise, making the journey a memorable part of our holiday.

1 year ago | [YT] | 0