Three Generations, One Ship: Our Family Adventure on MSC Grandiosa

Recently, I travelled with my family on a cruise aboard MSC Grandiosa. We began in Barcelona and sailed to Cannes, Genoa, La Spezia, Civitavecchia and Palma de Mallorca. It was a week of fine dining, cocktails, sunsets, pool days and plenty of family time, all wrapped up in one floating hotel.

Why a cruise worked so well for three generations

When you travel with different ages and energy levels, the planning can feel a bit overwhelming. A cruise turned out to be a great solution for us because:

• Everyone could do things at their own pace, then meet back together.
• We unpacked once but still woke up somewhere new every morning.
• There was always something to eat, drink or do without anyone needing to organise it on the day.

On MSC Grandiosa we enjoyed:

• Fine dining and cocktails: The drinks package meant we could try new cocktails in the evenings without worrying about the bill each time. Dinner became a lovely family ritual where we caught up on everyone’s day. There was also a huge variety of food across the ship, from buffets to more formal dining, so even the fussiest eaters were happy. At any time of day there was always something to nibble on, and the pizza in particular was a real highlight: fresh, hot and absolutely delicious.
• Relaxing at the pool: Some of us were happiest stretched out on a lounger with a book, while the kids loved the pools, slides and general buzz on deck. During the day there was plenty of entertainment around the pool too, with table tennis and table football tournaments keeping the children (and some very competitive adults) entertained.
• Themed nights: With white nights, gala nights and tropical nights we could all join in with the atmosphere on board and create amazing memories together, dancing the night away.
• Beautiful sunsets at sea: Watching the sky change colour from the ship was one of the simple highlights of the trip. It is amazing how quickly “let’s just watch the sunset” becomes the favourite part of your day. Some mornings we balanced that with peaceful breakfasts delivered to our cabin, eaten out on the balcony as we watched the wake of the ship or the view of whichever port we had arrived into that day.

The ports

We opted to enjoy the ship as much as we could, but I had researched all the ports in advance in case we did decide to visit.

• Cannes: A taste of the French Riviera, with its chic harbour and people-watching opportunities. This was a tender port, so we had the added bonus of seeing Grandiosa from a distance as we headed ashore by boat, which really showed off how beautiful the ship is. We enjoyed a fun beach day with the kids on a stunning stretch of sand, and there was also the easy option of hopping on a train if you wanted to explore more of the town and surrounding area.
• Genoa and  La Spezia: Perfect for wandering, stopping for coffee and soaking up a more local Italian feel.
• Civitavecchia: The gateway to Rome, ideal if you want to add some big-hit sightseeing into your cruise.
• Palma de Mallorca: A lovely balance of history and sunshine, from the impressive cathedral to the waterfront.
• Barcelona: Wandering through the bustling La Rambla and, of course, every "tweenage" girl’s dream: no trip to Barcelona is complete without trying out the slide in Sephora El Triangle.

The moments that really made it special

• Morning coffees on deck, watching the sea and planning the day.
• Breakfasts in our cabin, eaten out on the balcony with views of the wake or the port we had just arrived into.
• Many photos on the balcony and photoshoots in the many stunning areas of the ship.
• The kids playing in the pool, joining in with table tennis and football, while the grandparents enjoyed a slower pace.
• All of us together at dinner, phones forgotten, just talking, laughing and reconnecting.

These are exactly the kinds of memories I want to help my clients create, whether that is on a cruise or a different style of holiday that suits them better.

Ready to chat about your own family adventure?

If you have been thinking about a family holiday but are not sure where to start or how to keep everyone happy, I would love to share what I have learned from our own three-generation trip.

I would love you to:

• Get in touch with me to chat about what your ideal family holiday might look like.
• Share this post with someone you would love to travel with.
• Or leave a comment with where your dream cruise or next getaway would be.

Your own sunsets at sea, lazy or busy pool days and family memories could be just a conversation away.