Norwegian Pearl

With Three Generations

This was one of those trips that I know we will talk about for the rest of our lives. In June 2026, we sailed the Mediterranean aboard Norwegian Pearl with my husband, our 10-year-old son, who turned 11 in Santorini during the cruise and my mother- and father-in-law, who had never experienced this part of the world before.

We began our adventure in one of my absolute favorite cities, Venice, Italy. We spent time exploring the city, toured the neighboring islands, visited a traditional glass factory, and quite literally walked until our feet felt like they were going to fall off! There is something about Venice that never gets old for me, and being able to experience it this time with our family made it even more special.

From there, we boarded Norwegian Pearl in Ravenna and began an incredible journey through the Mediterranean, visiting Dubrovnik, Croatia; Kotor, Montenegro; Corfu, Olympia, Mykonos, and Santorini in Greece, before ending our cruise in Athens. Each destination brought something completely different. From ancient history and beautiful old cities to incredible coastlines, Greek islands, food, culture, and experiences that you simply can't replicate anywhere else.

A MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE

MORE THAN JUST A VACATION

As much as I love Europe and the Mediterranean, what made this particular trip so meaningful wasn't necessarily where we went, it was who we experienced it with.

There is something incredibly special about traveling with multiple generations of your family.

Watching our son explore a completely different part of the world alongside his grandparents was something I will never forget. I think there is tremendous value in giving a child the opportunity to see their grandparents outside of everyday life to experience new places together, laugh together, learn together, and create memories with them that they'll carry for the rest of their lives.

It was equally special for my husband. Life gets busy, and uninterrupted time with our parents becomes harder and harder to find as we get older. Watching him have that time with his mom and dad without work, schedules, chores, or everyday responsibilities getting in the way made this trip even more meaningful.

And then there was our son's 11th birthday in Santorini. Of all the places in the world to celebrate a birthday, that is going to be a pretty difficult one to top!

ENDING OUR JOURNEY IN ATHENS

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After the cruise, we weren't quite ready for the adventure to end, so we spent a couple additional nights in Athens.

We toured the city, explored its incredible ancient history, and once again immersed ourselves in the stories of Greek mythology and the Greek gods. Athens is one of those destinations we have been fortunate enough to experience more than once, and its history continues to fascinate us every time we return.

Traveling through Europe is incredible on its own. But experiencing it with three generations of our family turned this into something much bigger than a vacation. It reminded me why I believe so strongly in taking the trip when you have the opportunity. Someday, the photographs, stories, inside jokes, and memories are what remain and there are some experiences you simply can't recreate later.

This was, without question, a trip of a lifetime for our family, and exactly the kind of meaningful travel experience I love helping my clients create with the people they love most.