Even world travelers need a vacation every once in a while. We thought it would be relaxing to take a cruise with our worldschooling family. It was their first cruise. It was nice not having to cook and clean or decide where to go next, but it was still a busy, jam-packed week of fun and chaos.
We set sail on the MSC Lirica out of Athens, and experienced seven busy days at sea and in port. Our itinerary included stops in Izmir and Istanbul, Türkiye; Corfu, Greece; and Bari, Italy, with two sea days mixed in. We hit the ground running from day 1.
Ports, Old Towns, and Lots of Steps
At every port, we got off the ship and explored. Wandering through old towns has become second nature for our worldschool crew, and this cruise was no exception. From historic streets to seaside promenades, we soaked up as much culture and history as we could—often with gelato or strong coffee in hand.
Istanbul was especially meaningful, bringing us back to a place we had explored earlier in the year, while Corfu and Bari had a charming Mediterranean feel. Each stop felt like a mini field trip, the kind of learning that doesn’t require worksheets. Also, we squeezed in Henry’s Orthodontics appointment on our port day in Istanbul. When you travel the way we do, you have to get creative. It saved us a flight to Istanbul for the appointment.
Life Onboard: Cozy Cabins and Constant Activity
Cruise cabins definitely feel smaller now that our boys are bigger. Tight quarters were part of the experience, but we made it work—and honestly, we weren’t in the room much anyway.
There was always something happening onboard. We leaned fully into cruise life:
- Nightly entertainment shows
- Dance classes
- Quiz games
- Napkin folding and flower making
- Bingo, ping pong, and plenty of wandering the decks
While some of us admired the pool from a distance, Vicki, Chris, and Dexter bravely faced the very cold ship pool. True champions. Henry quickly decided the teens club wasn’t for him and managed to sneak his way back into the kids club, where he was clearly having more fun. Sometimes you just have to know your people.
Food, Fitness, and Vegan Wins
We ate… a lot. Cruise food has a way of doing that. Thankfully, we balanced it out with trips to the ship’s gym, which helped us feel slightly less indulgent.
For our vegan crew, the beginning was a little bumpy—but the kitchen truly stepped up as the week went on. And when our waiter brought out vegan butter, I may have been unreasonably excited. It’s the little things.
Captain’s Night
We also dressed up for Captain’s Night, which is always a fun excuse to get a little fancy at sea (thank you thrift stores in Cyprus). It was fun watching the kids get dressed up.
Seven Busy Days, Made Better by Community
Seven days flew by in a blur of ports, activities, meals, shows, and laughter. It was busy, a little exhausting, and completely worth it. Cruising is fun. Cruising with friends—especially your worldschool family—is even better. We are glad we experienced the cruise with our friends.
