Cruising through Europe with my mother

14.08.2024 - 13:52 / lonelyplanet.com / John Steinbeck

Aug 13, 2024 • 8 min read

Lonely Planet’s Senior Director of Content recently returned from an 11-day cruise through the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. Here she shares some highlights from the trip, and some advice for traveling with an older parent.

For as long as I can remember, my 83 year-old mom has wanted to see Positano , Italy . She’s not alone, mind you; this picturesque spot on the Amalfi Coast has drawn everyone from Goethe to John Steinbeck to Jacqueline and Aristotle Onassis – its bona fides and popularity are undeniable. 

I’ve been wracking my brain for years about how to get her there, if only for an afternoon, but the idea made my head hurt. Then I came across a Silversea cruise through Europe that stopped in Sorrento (a short drive to Positano), and I threw caution to the wind (despite my many misgivings about the crowds and heat we’d encounter). We booked it in May, and we were ready to embark from Rome at the end of June.

Even before we confirmed, I thought about all the logistics to manage for us: traveling with an older parent means you’re doing the work, sorting flights , packing lists, excursions and reservations. It wasn’t always easy, but we both got what we wanted: an incredible experience spending time and traveling together.

Before I get into what we did and what I learned, here's a quick digest of details that I hope help you plan a similar trip:

The 11-night cruise aboard a Silversea Cruises ship, the Silver Whisper. We embarked from Citivecchia in Rome and visited the following ports: Sorrento (and the Amalfi Coast); Trapani in Sicily; Tunis, Tunisia; Valletta, Malta; Monopoli, Italy; Kotor, Montenegro; and Korčula, Šibenik and Rovinj in Croatia. We disembarked in Venice and flew home from there.

This was my second Silversea cruise, so I when I booked with only a month to spare, I did it knowing that the caliber of care and the small ship size would be ideal for my mom. Silversea is a small luxury line known for its polished service (every suite has a butler and attendant); all-inclusive meals and drinks from four different restaurants; a bar that also serves coffee and snacks all day; room service (the food is really good, and not just "for a cruise"); specialized excursions (some included, some not) and on-board entertainment (a nightly show, live music, games). We stayed in a Classic Veranda Suite, which is the second-level option.

Our day trip along the Amalfi coast was exactly what I expected. It was, putting it mildly, a challenge. That said, this was the entire reason for the trip, so we selected a special add-on excursion that would bring us by minibus to Positano. 

Our 9am Friday excursion took us by tender to the port in Sorrento , where we met our guide and