European Cruise Questions

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Seven to eight days is not a waste, but we like to plan at least two weeks when we go to Europe. It is a long way from home for only a week and it takes a couple of days to get used to the time change. Ten-eleven nights is perfect. Not too short and not too long, it also allows a couple of sea days to relax and enjoy the ship. Although we prefer longer itineraries this summer we are doing only one week on a cruise. We are cruising on the Equinox, departing from Civittavechia. We are planning to fly to Madrid before the cruise and stay there for almost a week. This cruise ends in Barcelona. Like Hoopster we prefer pre-cruise stays but this time we are going to stay two days in Barcelona at the end of the cruise.

Enjoy the planning!!!:)

 

I know what you mean, I'm afraid that 8 nights will just feel too short when I factor in the travel. I'll have to think about it. But I guess I should wait for Royal to release their 2016 itineraries first! Maybe there'll be an itinerary that works out perfectly with my schedule! :D

Edited February 8, 2015 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[FoxyBride14]

My husband and I went on a western med cruise this past summer. We did a cruise from Rome and ended in barcelona. We spent 2 days before in Rome and 3 nights - 4 days after in barcelona.

 

I liked that we did a shorter 7 day cruise and were able to spend an extended time in Rome & barcelona before and after. I actually enjoyed my time there more than I did on the cruise because I felt like we were able to really enjoy the culture. And the food is way better in those European countries than on the ship.

 

We both enjoyed the Western Med itinerary. Rome was wonderful and I LOVED barcelona. Definitely get a ship that goes to Florence and Nice. we absolutely loved Nice. We went to Sardinia and Corsica too. Didn't really enjoy corsica too much. But Sardinia was nice.

[tidygirl]

I want to get opinions on this, because if everyone recommends a longer itinerary, I may consider waiting a few years to go to Europe?

 

We did one night in Barcelona we arrived in the morning at 9:45 and was on the ship at 3:00 PM the next afternoon ?Went to see Guadi museum we just went to the outside and the next morning we went to Sagrada (a must see!) We stayed 1 night after the cruise and went up to Monserrat the day we disembarked.

Only a 7 night cruise would have liked longer but who wouldn't? If I had to choose a 7 night cruise or wait years I'd definitely go on the cruise!! You never know what can happen in life in that time and circumstance could change and you would be saying I should have went when we could!

[cynicalscotsman]

I would go for a 7/8 night sailing and spend 3 nights in Rome before you depart...

 

Rome is my favourite city and you will definitely be able to fill 3/4 days doing things around the city - i still find places to visit and I've been a good few times!

[FoxyBride14]

I think a 7/8 night itinarary is fine. I honestly wouldn't have wanted a longer one. But that's just me.

 

And I liked spending more time after the cruise in Barcelona. It was really nice being able to extend our stay and that the end of the cruise wasn't the end. I didn't mind opening up my suitcase again and staying at the hotel. In fact, that was my favorite part of the whole trip. I loved it.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

I would not stay post cruise... pre-cruise is the best. Once you've fully packed and are going down the gangway, you will not want to unpack again for just two days, and then re-pack again to go home.... imho better to do a pre-cruise stay.

 

All 3 of your choices Barcelona, Rome & Venice really need 2 days, and in a row would absolutely be the best :)

 

p.s. Btw, my Serenade review below in my signature has a pre-cruise stay in Rome review so that you can have an idea. On that cruise I reviewed our overnight stop in Venice also... tons of pics so you can see the sail-in and what to do for 2 days in Venice as well

 

I just scanned through your review. AMAZING, I think you just convinced me that this cruise MUST include Venice!!!

 

Also...I just happened to look on the Celebrity website since their 2016 Europe itineraries are already out. What everyone's opinion of the Celebrity Constellation?

 

The itinerary:

Venice

Venice (til 1pm)

Dubrovnik

At Sea

Rome

Florence

Provence

Barcelona

 

With that itinerary, I'd be able to add a pre-night in Venice, and I'd like to do a post-night or two in Barcelona.

 

I'm not making my decision any time soon, but what's everyone's opinion of that?

Edited February 9, 2015 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[FoxyBride14]

I just scanned through your review. AMAZING, I think you just convinced me that this cruise MUST include Venice!!!

 

Also...I just happened to look on the Celebrity website since their 2016 Europe itineraries are already out. What everyone's opinion of the Celebrity Constellation?

 

The itinerary:

Venice

Venice (til 1pm)

Dubrovnik

At Sea

Rome

Florence

Provence

Barcelona

 

With that itinerary, I'd be able to add a pre-night in Venice, and I'd like to do a post-night or two in Barcelona.

 

I'm not making my decision any time soon, but what's everyone's opinion of that?

 

That sounds like a really nice cruise. We went on celebrity last summer and we liked it. We sailed on the Equinox though. It was a great ship. Spend 2 days in Barcelona for sure! So much to see there and the food is delicious. If you do end up going - Barcelona Day Tours is awesome for after the ship. They pick you up, you go on a tour and then are dropped off at your hotel. I wish I could go back.

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

That sounds like a really nice cruise. We went on celebrity last summer and we liked it. We sailed on the Equinox though. It was a great ship. Spend 2 days in Barcelona for sure! So much to see there and the food is delicious. If you do end up going - Barcelona Day Tours is awesome for after the ship. They pick you up, you go on a tour and then are dropped off at your hotel. I wish I could go back.

 

Thanks for the tips! This is getting me excited, so much stuff to read up on regarding Europe!

 

With that said, I can't forget about my Oasis cruise coming up in just over 100 days! Lol :D

Edited February 9, 2015 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[Cruzin-K]

I've only done one Med cruise, and it was fabulous. Sailing out of Venice was awesome.

 

I say, if you only have enough time for a shorter cruise, then that's what you do.

 

You might decide to wait a few more years until you can swing a longer cruise but are you guaranteed those few years? Nobody knows if they have tomorrow. If you can go sooner rather than later, then go. It will be a fabulous trip. I've made trips from the U.S. to Europe for five days before (super cheap airfare back in the day). Totally worth it!

[Hoopster95]

I just scanned through your review. AMAZING, I think you just convinced me that this cruise MUST include Venice!!!

 

Also...I just happened to look on the Celebrity website since their 2016 Europe itineraries are already out. What everyone's opinion of the Celebrity Constellation?

 

The itinerary:

Venice

Venice (til 1pm)

Dubrovnik

At Sea

Rome

Florence

Provence

Barcelona

 

With that itinerary, I'd be able to add a pre-night in Venice, and I'd like to do a post-night or two in Barcelona.

 

I'm not making my decision any time soon, but what's everyone's opinion of that?

 

I did the Constellation in Turkey/Greece and it was excellent, great cabins, excellent aft open bar for sailaways, great service & food... great ship for port intensive cruise (it's the size of Vision approximately). The above would make an absolutely excellent compromise for you to get a taste of what Europe would have to offer with most of the best Med ports all in one cruise! In this case I would arrive the night b4 embarkation so that you can have that entire full day in Venice to explore day & night. In this specific case, I would also include a night in Barcelona so that you can drop your bags off in a hotel (before check-in) and grab the Hop On/Hop Off bus which is excellent in Barcelona so you can see pretty much the entire city.

 

Great find!! Maybe this is the cruise for you :D

Edited February 9, 2015 by Hoopster95

[nekzaadvakil]

Definitely some great advice already posted by fellow CC members:

 

- My first cruise was a 5N from Barcelona. My wife and I both swore never to do such a short cruise in Europe again. We've done three 11+ night cruises after that in Europe and loved them all.

 

- Definitely check out Celebrity's S class ships. The only reason we 'switched' from RCCL to Celebrity was for the amazing European itineraries. The S class ships are similar to the Voyager class.

 

- Santorini, Kotor (including the sail in & sail out), Rhodes, Kusadasi, Malta are absolutely brilliant ports apart from the BIG 3 (Barcelona, Rome and Venice). Istanbul is also excellent.

 

- Venice currently doesn't allow large ships to sail into Venice (which I read has been overturned). However none of the Venice itineraries have any large ships going there. I'd wait and see if the S class ships went back to Venice.

 

- These itineraries usually are port intensive and hence have only 2 sea days out of 10-13 nights. Hence the Oasis class ships really don't do justice to this area.

 

- Personally I preferred the ports east of Rome - Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Kusadasi, etc v/s the ports closer to Barcelona (which the Allure does)

[Miryam1234]

Good points given here already. I would like to add one tip, being an European:

I would choose a cruise which has a stop outside European union. That means in Mediterranean cruises Turkey (Kusadasi, Izmir, Istanbul etc), Gibraltar or in Scandinavian cruises St Petersburg Russia.

 

This will allow tax free purchases onboard. If cruise does not leave EU, VAT comes on all of your onboard purchases. That is 20-24%.

 

Maybe it does not bother you, as European cruises are more about ports than the ship especially for people outside Europe, as many have already pointed out. But I just wanted to let you know. So that you'd be aware.

[londongal796]

I know what you mean, I'm afraid that 8 nights will just feel too short when I factor in the travel. I'll have to think about it. But I guess I should wait for Royal to release their 2016 itineraries first! Maybe there'll be an itinerary that works out perfectly with my schedule! :D

 

So I just wanted to confirm that I think that your guesstimate of around 10 days in total for your trip, 7/8 days tied up on a cruise, 1-2 days in port before or after is a lovely lovely idea.

 

I honestly think that sometimes people bite off more than they can chew. Touring Europe is absolutely about the sights, but cruising is about relaxing and getting away from it all. The Mediterranean cruises are already port-packed and can almost feel EXHAUSTING. Nearly every day is a port day, and because every port is a new place, you feel compelled to get off and see the sights. I am from the US but I have lived in the UK for 7 years now and I am relatively 'well-travelled'. I have been on four Med cruises, and during my third one I was travelling with my US father and my UK husband. My father, having travelled all the way from the US, wanted to make the most of things. We had day-long itineraries nearly every day. We sailed out of Rome and went to Athens & Turkey among other ports of call, and by the end of it, I was SO TIRED!!! It hardly felt like a 'vacation' at all! My father went back home while my husband and I stayed on in Rome for another night (2 whole days). The first day I spent almost entirely in the hotel room as I was just too exhausted from all of the running around we did!

 

That being said, we also did a one-way 5-night cruise (repositioning) from Palma de Mallorca over to Venice, and stayed on in Venice for 2 nights, 3 whole days (just husband and I this time). We absolutely loved it and really had a leisurely time to get to visit around Venice.

 

I should also add--I had been to Rome before, and Venice as well, so I was comfortable getting around these ports.

 

My recommendation: A cruise out of Venice, if you can snag one, that goes to Athens & somewhere in Turkey. I don't think it matters if you stay in Venice pre or post-cruise. I've never done a pre-cruise stay before, always a post-cruise, but we will be going to Barcelona a few days before our Transatlantic to do some sight-seeing so I guess I will see what it's like at that stage. I almost want to suggest, because of the MASSIVE time difference you will be facing, that you do POST-cruise instead, because otherwise you are subject to lose an entire day of sight-seeing from jetlag. If you instead basically board the ship (or stay the night in a hotel, and then board the ship) whilst dealing with jetlag, the most you will miss is a few Sailaway drinks and a meal or two in the MDR or Windjammer!

 

In any case, I am sure you will have a fantastic holiday. You can't really go wrong in the Med!!!

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

I did the Constellation in Turkey/Greece and it was excellent, great cabins, excellent aft open bar for sailaways, great service & food... great ship for port intensive cruise (it's the size of Vision approximately). The above would make an absolutely excellent compromise for you to get a taste of what Europe would have to offer with most of the best Med ports all in one cruise! In this case I would arrive the night b4 embarkation so that you can have that entire full day in Venice to explore day & night. In this specific case, I would also include a night in Barcelona so that you can drop your bags off in a hotel (before check-in) and grab the Hop On/Hop Off bus which is excellent in Barcelona so you can see pretty much the entire city.

 

Great find!! Maybe this is the cruise for you :D

 

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the Constellation, if this is the cruise we end up choosing. One of the reasons I'm going to be hesitant to book this cruise is the fact that its on Celebrity. I've never tried Celebrity, but I just love my RCI cruises! :D But if Royal's itineraries for 2016 end up being exactly the same as this year, I'll be sticking with something on Celebrity!

 

I think I've decided that an Oasis class ship will not be in my options, too many other great itineraries! I want to do Europe on a smaller ship (Radiance size or below)! I'm still waiting anxiously for Royal's 2016 itineraries though, but we'll see! :)

Edited February 9, 2015 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Definitely some great advice already posted by fellow CC members:

 

- My first cruise was a 5N from Barcelona. My wife and I both swore never to do such a short cruise in Europe again. We've done three 11+ night cruises after that in Europe and loved them all.

 

- Definitely check out Celebrity's S class ships. The only reason we 'switched' from RCCL to Celebrity was for the amazing European itineraries. The S class ships are similar to the Voyager class.

 

- Santorini, Kotor (including the sail in & sail out), Rhodes, Kusadasi, Malta are absolutely brilliant ports apart from the BIG 3 (Barcelona, Rome and Venice). Istanbul is also excellent.

 

- Venice currently doesn't allow large ships to sail into Venice (which I read has been overturned). However none of the Venice itineraries have any large ships going there. I'd wait and see if the S class ships went back to Venice.

 

- These itineraries usually are port intensive and hence have only 2 sea days out of 10-13 nights. Hence the Oasis class ships really don't do justice to this area.

 

- Personally I preferred the ports east of Rome - Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Kusadasi, etc v/s the ports closer to Barcelona (which the Allure does)

 

Thanks so much. I definitely want to sail in/out of Venice at some point during the cruise, however, I'll still be considering other itineraries if the ports/price/ship work out. If I end up sailing from Venice, would you recommend a cruise that goes to Athens/Turkey/Greek Isles or one that goes to Italy and Barcelona, like the one I mentioned above?

 

So I just wanted to confirm that I think that your guesstimate of around 10 days in total for your trip, 7/8 days tied up on a cruise, 1-2 days in port before or after is a lovely lovely idea.

 

I honestly think that sometimes people bite off more than they can chew. Touring Europe is absolutely about the sights, but cruising is about relaxing and getting away from it all. The Mediterranean cruises are already port-packed and can almost feel EXHAUSTING. Nearly every day is a port day, and because every port is a new place, you feel compelled to get off and see the sights. I am from the US but I have lived in the UK for 7 years now and I am relatively 'well-travelled'. I have been on four Med cruises, and during my third one I was travelling with my US father and my UK husband. My father, having travelled all the way from the US, wanted to make the most of things. We had day-long itineraries nearly every day. We sailed out of Rome and went to Athens & Turkey among other ports of call, and by the end of it, I was SO TIRED!!! It hardly felt like a 'vacation' at all! My father went back home while my husband and I stayed on in Rome for another night (2 whole days). The first day I spent almost entirely in the hotel room as I was just too exhausted from all of the running around we did!

 

That being said, we also did a one-way 5-night cruise (repositioning) from Palma de Mallorca over to Venice, and stayed on in Venice for 2 nights, 3 whole days (just husband and I this time). We absolutely loved it and really had a leisurely time to get to visit around Venice.

 

I should also add--I had been to Rome before, and Venice as well, so I was comfortable getting around these ports.

 

My recommendation: A cruise out of Venice, if you can snag one, that goes to Athens & somewhere in Turkey. I don't think it matters if you stay in Venice pre or post-cruise. I've never done a pre-cruise stay before, always a post-cruise, but we will be going to Barcelona a few days before our Transatlantic to do some sight-seeing so I guess I will see what it's like at that stage. I almost want to suggest, because of the MASSIVE time difference you will be facing, that you do POST-cruise instead, because otherwise you are subject to lose an entire day of sight-seeing from jetlag. If you instead basically board the ship (or stay the night in a hotel, and then board the ship) whilst dealing with jetlag, the most you will miss is a few Sailaway drinks and a meal or two in the MDR or Windjammer!

 

In any case, I am sure you will have a fantastic holiday. You can't really go wrong in the Med!!!

 

Thanks for your input. As I just mentioned above, would you prefer a cruise to Greece/Turkey over one that goes to Italy/France/Spain like the one I mentioned in an earlier post? Just trying to get some more opinions here! :)

Edited February 9, 2015 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[critterchick]

If you are going to do a Med cruise, then also look at Splendour OTS' sailings R/T from Venice, if they repeat those itineraries. They are 6-7 nights and offer Greece, Turkey and Adriatic Sea ports, depending on the itinerary you choose.

 

You could spend a couple of days pre-cruise in Venice or take a train to some place like Lake Como for a couple of days to get a little more depth to your experience.

 

With limited time, I would recommend concentrating on a small part of the country where you embark for 2-4 days, then taking your cruise any flying home the afternoon that you disembark.

 

I also love Northern Europe - you could take a -night cruise from Copenhagen or Stockholm on Serenade OTS. Both cities are fabulous and well worth a couple of days pre- or post-cruise. The Stockholm departures overnight in St. Petersburg and have only one sea day - if you're flying all that way, then more ports and fewer sea days seem the better option to me.

 

Good luck choosing, and I hope you get to return many times.:)

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

If you are going to do a Med cruise, then also look at Splendour OTS' sailings R/T from Venice, if they repeat those itineraries. They are 6-7 nights and offer Greece, Turkey and Adriatic Sea ports, depending on the itinerary you choose.

 

You could spend a couple of days pre-cruise in Venice or take a train to some place like Lake Como for a couple of days to get a little more depth to your experience.

 

With limited time, I would recommend concentrating on a small part of the country where you embark for 2-4 days, then taking your cruise any flying home the afternoon that you disembark.

 

I also love Northern Europe - you could take a -night cruise from Copenhagen or Stockholm on Serenade OTS. Both cities are fabulous and well worth a couple of days pre- or post-cruise. The Stockholm departures overnight in St. Petersburg and have only one sea day - if you're flying all that way, then more ports and fewer sea days seem the better option to me.

 

Good luck choosing, and I hope you get to return many times.:)

 

I haven't really been considering Northern Europe, but it has caught my attention, because I love the Radiance Class ships, and all the ports are new to me. What's you opinion on how Northern Europe compares to the major cities throughout the Eastern and Western Med? I haven't really researched Northern Europe, so I'm kind of in the dark! :)

[londongal796]

Thanks for your input. As I just mentioned above, would you prefer a cruise to Greece/Turkey over one that goes to Italy/France/Spain like the one I mentioned in an earlier post? Just trying to get some more opinions here! :)

 

The Venice to Barcelona itinerary you mentioned (hitting Rome and Florence) would be a lovely itinerary. I have done a number of Med cruises and also some general travel (without a cruise ship involved) and ultimately the two 'big' locations that were left on my list about 2 years ago were: Athens & Pisa (which you can get to for ships calling at 'Florence'. I had been to Florence by train many years before).

 

Rome is an excellent place to visit but because of how far out the cruise ship docks, a 'port day' is simply not long enough to see all of the sights. It would literally be a 'taster' and leave you wanting much much more!!!! But it certainly would be a lovely itinerary.

 

As someone who has been through Spain & France more times than I can count, they don't fascinate me anymore. I have also been to Italy quite a few times, but I still absolutely adore it so I always love to visit there. The Eastern Med cruises still hold an appeal for me PERSONALLY, but I should not push that on to you! So for your first cruise, one out of Venice and going around the 'boot' of Italy would I am sure be more than fantastic. You will love the Med no matter what itinerary you do!

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

The Venice to Barcelona itinerary you mentioned (hitting Rome and Florence) would be a lovely itinerary. I have done a number of Med cruises and also some general travel (without a cruise ship involved) and ultimately the two 'big' locations that were left on my list about 2 years ago were: Athens & Pisa (which you can get to for ships calling at 'Florence'. I had been to Florence by train many years before).

 

Rome is an excellent place to visit but because of how far out the cruise ship docks, a 'port day' is simply not long enough to see all of the sights. It would literally be a 'taster' and leave you wanting much much more!!!! But it certainly would be a lovely itinerary.

 

As someone who has been through Spain & France more times than I can count, they don't fascinate me anymore. I have also been to Italy quite a few times, but I still absolutely adore it so I always love to visit there. The Eastern Med cruises still hold an appeal for me PERSONALLY, but I should not push that on to you! So for your first cruise, one out of Venice and going around the 'boot' of Italy would I am sure be more than fantastic. You will love the Med no matter what itinerary you do!

 

Awesome! Thanks so much for your opinion and the tips!

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Alright, so I'm becoming obsessed! :D:rolleyes:

 

I was just looking at the Celebrity website again... I found another cruise, still on the Constellation, but dates work better for us, but I'd like to hear some opinions:

 

Itinerary:

 

Venice

Zadar

Kotor

Rome

Livorno(Florence)

Toulon(Provence)

Barcelona

 

I liked the overnight in Venice on the other cruise, but as I said above, these dates are more convenient... I'd still be able to arrive in Venice a day or two early, and stay in Barcelona post-cruise. But is Dubrovnik really a not-to-be missed port? How's it compare to Zadar and Kotor?

 

The other cruise is not out because I can make the dates work if necessary, but I just want to hear opinions on this one.

Edited February 11, 2015 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Anyone?! :D

[tidygirl]

Honestly the way we feel we will go with one that works for us on all of our schedules and check flights. We are open to any ports we have never seen so it's cool to us!

We usually go with RCI but would go with others if they had something interesting. I did check Celebrity but it seemed more expensive to us!

I am a budget traveler and go for as cheap as possible so I can put my savings towards another trip!

I did notice you aren't going till summer of 2016 do you have to travel in the summer or could you check Sept or Oct or springtime?

Edited February 12, 2015 by tidygirl

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

Honestly the way we feel we will go with one that works for us on all of our schedules and check flights. We are open to any ports we have never seen so it's cool to us!

We usually go with RCI but would go with others if they had something interesting. I did check Celebrity but it seemed more expensive to us!

I am a budget traveler and go for as cheap as possible so I can put my savings towards another trip!

I did notice you aren't going till summer of 2016 do you have to travel in the summer or could you check Sept or Oct or springtime?

 

Yes, summer 2016, and that's one of the reasons I have been checking out Celebrity, because Royal doesn't have 2016 Europe itineraries released yet. :) I'm still anxiously awaiting Royal's itineraries though, as they're my line of choice. Crossing my fingers that I can find a nice itinerary starting or ending in Venice!

 

The earliest we can go is the last week of May, and the latest we can go is like approximately the ~20th of August.

Edited February 12, 2015 by OfTheSeasCruiser

[tidygirl]

I'm guessing it will be cheaper the end of May. I hope you find something you like. We did a cruise out of Barcelona in Sept and am working on one out of Venice for Oct. Lots of planning but that's part of the fun for me!

[OfTheSeasCruiser]

I'm guessing it will be cheaper the end of May. I hope you find something you like. We did a cruise out of Barcelona in Sept and am working on one out of Venice for Oct. Lots of planning but that's part of the fun for me!

 

Yeah, usually it's cheaper in the end of May, however, a lot of the Celebrity itineraries are one-off, only occurring a couple times throughout the season...the itineraries I mentioned above take place in either the end of June or end of July. And I'm not going to sail an itinerary I don't like, so I'm getting stuck with certain dates. Just waiting on Royal's deployment at this point...hopefully some more 7night itineraries that include Venice. I know there's the ones that go from Venice to the Greek Isles, but I think I'd prefer to visit Italy/France/etc for my first trip over to Europe.