Wise Owl Simone's reflections on her first family cruising holiday

This page has 0 threads | Add post

Blogs

Finding our blogs useful? Please consider helping us to share more!

Wise Owl Simone's reflections on her first family cruising holiday
Continuing our series of blogs from Wise Owls on what they do when not at work, our marketing manager Simone gives her thoughts on the first family cruise that she, Rick and their children went on recently. Was it for them?

Posted by Simone Tyler-Gould on 14 July 2025

In this blog

Day 1: Valletta, Malta
Day 2: At sea
Day 3: Mykonos, Greece
Day 4: Athens via Piraeus
Day 5: Chania, Crete
Day 6: Katakolon and Olympia
Day 7: At sea
Day 8: Return to Valletta
Conclusion

When planning a holiday, the idea of a cruise can either spark excitement or raise eyebrows. So, is cruising the dream escape for a family of 4? Having once worked on a cruise ship sailing through the Caribbean, I wasn’t sure a cruise would be the right fit for my family. Would we feel confined on the sea during the days and in the evening, would we have enough time in port and, crucially ... would the children enjoy it?

Day 1: Valletta, Malta

We flew in with TUI and boarded our P&O ship Azura. Although a little dated it still had charm. After lunch, we explored the streets of Valletta, with highlights including a scenic land train ride and views of the Grand Harbour.

The Goulds (in disguise) meet their home for the next week.

Day 2: At sea

A relaxing day onboard—breakfast in the Peninsular restaurant, swimming in the 3 pools and soaking in the jacuzzi. In the evening, we dressed up for the Black Tie Night, and enjoyed a five-course dinner and live music at Malabar.

Day 3: Mykonos, Greece

We wandered Mykonos Town’s charming alleys, enjoyed gelato, and relaxed on the beach.

Still in disguise, here we are enjoying the Greek sun!

Day 4: Athens via Piraeus

We took a taxi from Piraeus to Athens to explore at our own pace. Standing before the Parthenon was surreal, and wandering through the charming Plaka district was also a highlight.

Day 5: Chania, Crete

From Souda Bay we explored Chania’s Venetian harbour, markets, and cobbled streets. After a beach stop and souvenir shopping we caught a taxi back to the ship.

A scene from a Greek island.

Day 6: Katakolon and Olympia

We visited ancient Olympia, where the children raced on the original stadium track.

Ready, steady ...

After exploring the site and museum, we returned to the ship for lunch and walked to the beach near the port.

Day 7: At sea

A final day to unwind—swimming, relaxing, and enjoying ship life. We ended the day with Unbelievable, a fantastic magic and illusion show.

A poster promoting the show.

Day 8: Return to Valletta

After an incredible week of exploration and adventure, we returned to Malta for our flight home.

Conclusion

As Rick put it, we are now "cruise people". A P&O Mediterranean cruise turned out to be the perfect choice for us — new destinations each day, all-inclusive dining, and no travel stress. We didn’t feel confined, as the sea days were relaxing and the restaurant choice and entertainment at night gave us plenty to look forward to — whether it was a quiet dinner, a lively show, or simply watching the sunset from the deck.

Would we recommend a family cruise? We enjoyed it so much we have already booked another cruise for 2027!

This blog has 0 threads

Add a new post