Cruise Vacation

Europe is the den of rich culture, amazing art, splendid natural beauty and history that make it a fantabulous cruise destination. Being relatively compact, Europe is a popular spot for the cruisers. Europe has a smart network of roads and rail stations that allow quick and easy access to any corner and this lets cruisers see many of the offshore attractions as well. Most cruise ships sail during the night and reach the ports of call early in the morning which frees the travelers to sightsee for the entire day. Some cruise ships even offer guided tours to the important sites. You need to unpack only once while on the cruise, irrespective of an ocean cruise or a European river cruise? Thus if you are opting for a comfortable vacation, then European cruise is the answer.

Also planning a European cruise may be quite economical as compared to cruises to many exotic destinations – so this is a good option for those who want to experience cruising for the first time.

Wondering which are the best destinations to cruise in Europe? Well, there are lots to choose from. The majority cruises to Europe fall into categories like Eastern Mediterranean cruises and Western Mediterranean cruises. Then there are cruise liners that will take you to the Scandinavian countries as well. A detailed study will give a clear picture.

Eastern Mediterranean Cruises

The major ports of call are Venice, Italy and Croatia. The archeological sites and the sunny islands of the gracious Greece allure most tourists to enjoy the Eastern Mediterranean cruise destinations. The Greek Isles and Turkey also add to the wonder. Even if you are not a history buff, then too the natural beauty of these places will thrill you.

Western Mediterranean Cruises

The stretch from the southern tip of Italy to the straits of Gibraltar makes up the Western Mediterranean itinerary. There are quite a few attractions here for the cruise lovers here. Mount Etna and Sicily are as captivating as are the den of arts and architecture like Rome, Barcelona and Florence. Sail the French Riviera or visit the amazing island of Capri.

Scandinavia and the Baltic

These cruise itineraries cover the northern capitals of Europe like St. Petersburq, Helsinki, etc. that house gracious architecture, interesting history and friendly people which make these places one of the best cruise destinations. The fjords of Norway are not be missed as well.

British Isles

Planning a European cruise from London to Ireland, Wales or Scotland covers these islands with natural beauty. One classic cruising experience can be a sail from Edinburgh to Amsterdam.

Black Sea

While cruising from Athens to the Black Sea, visit the ports of calls in many east European countries that flaunt a mixed culture from different periods of history.

Islands of the Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean with a number of islands could be a very interesting cruise destination. The islands Madiera and Canary are all-time favorite destinations with interesting geologic characteristics like volcanic activity, serene beaches and hilly terrains.

Repositioning the cruises from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean

For planning a European cruise, you should know when to cruise.

The cruise ships sail through the Northern Europe from May through September while the late summer provides the best weather. Whereas the Mediterranean cruise season is just year round. Norwegian Coastal Voyages operate cruise ferries year-round along the western coast of Norway. Thus repositioning cruises between these two parts of Europe would be a good deal and interesting too. France and Normandy are the ports of call between the UK and the Mediterranean; Lisbon, Balboa and Bordeaux and some few islands on the Atlantic Ocean are a few more ports of call.

Best timings for a European Cruise vacation

April to November is the ideal time for cruising in Europe since you can choose from a wide range of ships. However, the period between June and August is supposed to be the “high season” thereby making the other months a little cheaper. Mid-June to early July is especially interesting because of the midnight sun, which only disappears for 3-4 hours each night. For Great Britain and Ireland the best timings are late summer and early fall when the temperature is in the low to mid sixties. The Atlantic Islands have a good weather and moderate temperature throughout the year. Late spring and early fall is a good time for cruising through the pots of call in Portugal and Western France when ships are repositioning between the Mediterranean and northern Europe.

Planning a European Cruise: a bit different from the other cruise vacations

Planning a cruise to Europe is far different from planning a cruise to the Caribbean or Alaska since Europe has beautiful beaches and awesome natural beauty apart from art, culture and history in most ports of call that are far too much to cover in a single day tour. Thus to enjoy Europe with all our senses you need to plan a rather long cruise vacation to cover the Eastern and western Mediterranean parts and the British Isles, Black sea and islands of the Atlantic Ocean. Or you may want to go on more than one single European cruise vacation to see the many attractions of Europe. Europe as a cruise destination can be fantastic.