Europe for First Timers

[SCGirl3211]

We have been on many cruises but are planning our first cruise to Europe.  Have a few questions: Please rank in importance - ship, ports, number of days, time of year.  If paper guides are still used, anyone have a recommendation for a good travel guide?  Should we consider using a travel agent for our first venture or do you tend to learn more about what you are going to see by doing the research on your own?  This may be a one-time trip so we want to get it right.  Thanks

[Arizona Wildcat]

30 minutes ago, SCGirl3211 said:

We have been on many cruises but are planning our first cruise to Europe.  Have a few questions: Please rank in importance - ship, ports, number of days, time of year.  If paper guides are still used, anyone have a recommendation for a good travel guide?  Should we consider using a travel agent for our first venture or do you tend to learn more about what you are going to see by doing the research on your own?  This may be a one-time trip so we want to get it right.  Thanks

Going to Europe the first time is a choice that will vary for almost everyone.  The biggest variable is time.  If you have time and it is a one time trip then Definately spend time there before or after your cruise.  Port visits offer a teeny tiny taste of cities and many such as Paris or London only allow a few hours as a port call.  Also everyone has different interests 

DW and I usually do a TA and Then rent a car for 3 weeks.  Fly to another city and tour another area for another 3 weeks. 

We self drive but most would do fine fine booking a tour or tours.  

[mom says]

It would help if you said where in Europe you want to visit. The British Isles? The Med? Scandinavia? The Baltics? Much depends on that answer.

Rankings will vary according to personal preference, but as with many itineraries, ports would rank first, then length of cruise. Time if year is usually dependant on where you are cruising. High summer IMO is ideal for the more northern cruises while shoulder seasons are better for the Med. For most people, the ship is secondary to the ports on these types of cruises, which tend to be port intensive. But we all have lines we prefer and those we avoid at all costs.

 

As to the use of a TA- we always use one when selecting a cruise. But we do our own research and bookings when it comes to excursions. A visit to your local bookstore or library should yield a few shelves full of guidebooks on different countries or regions. If sailing the Med, Rick Steves has one tailored to cruisers.

[rdt10]

For a first trip, the Mediterranean offers a good sampling of Europe. We prefer a cruise that starts and ends in different cities, allowing a few days before and after to better explore those cities. Rome to Barcelona or opposite is a good route. The Greek isles are also very nice and most of the sites are close to Port. Many sites on a med. cruise are some distance from the port such as Rome and Florence which are 1 1/2 hours or more from the port.

 

The Rick Steve's guides are very helpful. Also check out the port of calls forum for DIY help and recommended tour operators.

 

We prefer the spring and fall for the med. The summer months can be hot and very crowded.

Edited January 3, 2021 by rdt10

[chemmo]

13 minutes ago, SCGirl3211 said:

We have been on many cruises but are planning our first cruise to Europe.  Have a few questions: Please rank in importance - ship, ports, number of days, time of year.  If paper guides are still used, anyone have a recommendation for a good travel guide?  Should we consider using a travel agent for our first venture or do you tend to learn more about what you are going to see by doing the research on your own?  This may be a one-time trip so we want to get it right.  Thanks

 

The key thing about cruising Europe is recognising it will give you a ‘taster’ of a specific region. For example, Western Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean, Norway, British Isles...You cannot see it all.

 

So firstly decide on your preferred area, the places you most want to see then start looking at itineraries. If you have a couple of ‘must see’ places (like Barcelona and Rome or Venice and Santorini) it will help you to narrow down possible cruises.

 

This is the point to consider ships...Most of us have one or two preferred lines, your cruise will be port intensive and if you are going to make the most of it you will return to the ship pretty tired! You may be willing to compromise a little on cruise line/room for a better itinerary. If I was you cruising Europe for the first time I would do lots of browsing!

 

Once you have decided on an itinerary and ship see if you can add on a couple of land stays pre and post cruise. Europe (outside these unusual circumstances) has great train and flight options so it is relatively easy to independently do this. For example, if you were cruising from Barcelona you could spend a few nights there pre cruise and then post cruise head to Paris...Some cruises have different starts and ends (Rome/Venice) which can make this easier still.

 

On the cruise lines website you will get a good idea of easy/usual places to visit at each port from their excursions. Once you have browsed this you can also look at trip advisor or join the roll call for your cruise and arrange to join trips organised by others...

 

If this is a ‘one time trip’ don’t spoil it by trying to squash too much in. Much as I understand you will want to see as much as possible I do think you need to find time to just sit in a local cafe and simply watch the world go by....Getting a flavour of the ambiance of a place is as important as its churches and castles.

 

Whatever ship and itinerary you choose I hope you have a fantastic time!

 

 

[Bruin Steve]

36 minutes ago, SCGirl3211 said:

We have been on many cruises but are planning our first cruise to Europe.  Have a few questions: Please rank in importance - ship, ports, number of days, time of year.  If paper guides are still used, anyone have a recommendation for a good travel guide?  Should we consider using a travel agent for our first venture or do you tend to learn more about what you are going to see by doing the research on your own?  This may be a one-time trip so we want to get it right.  Thanks

What is important is really a product of what is important to YOU...but MY take would be this:

First, look at the itineraries...There are many different variations--Baltics, Norwegian Fjords, British Islands, Western Europe...and various versions of Mediterranean itineraries concentrating on different parts of the Mediterranean--Western, Adriatic, Greek Islands, etc.  What is it YOU want to see...and where do YOU want to go.  Personally for a first timer in Europe, I would look first at Mediterranean Itineraries...maybe a Barcelona to Venice or Barcelona to Athens long itinerary to get a little variation in countries and types of ports.  There are some smaller more compact ports that are very interesting--like Malta or Santorini, for example, where everything is close to port...and there are some bigger cities--like Rome, for example, with a LOT to see...but often quite a distance from port.  It is nice to get a mixture.

 

As to length of time, I strongly prefer a longer cruise (like a 14 night cruise...or two 7 nighters with different itineraries back-to-back)...If you are taking the time and undergoing the expense to get over to Europe, make the most of it.  Also, I recommend looking for a cruise that starts in one port and ends in another...and spending AT LEAST a couple of nights in a hotel on each end.  Often a cruise starts or ends in Barcelona or Rome or Venice...and, if you just fly in the day of or leave right at the end, you don't have time to really see that great port city.  Also, flying in a few days early allows you to catch up with the major time zone changes and travel fatigue.

 

A lot of people THINK time of year is important...But my opinion is don't worry about it...go when it fits into YOUR schedule... Yes, in the Med, it will be hot in July and August...and crowds will be bigger in tourist spots because those are Europeans' traditional vacation months as well.  And, you'll get slightly lower prices on hotels, airfares and cruise fares going in the "shoulder seasons" as well...But, if you, say, work in the schools or have children, you may not have a choice...but, yes, for the most part, May/June is the "better" time to go...but don't let any of it deter you.  With a wife working in the schools, we have most often gone in July/August...and still loved every visit.

 

Last consideration would be the ship...especially if you are on a line, like Celebrity, that does it all so well...The itineraries are generally port intensive and there will be long days touring...it's really not an area where you will be spending that much time on the ship...and, when you are on the ship, you mostly will want to rest up for the next long day of touring.

 

Do your own planning...use the internet as a source, read up on your ports as much as possible, print stuff out if you want it--because using the internet or your cell phone will be sketchy and expensive.  Personally, I recommend connecting with others on the Roll Call boards here and joining small group private tours where you can.  You'll often save money over the shorexes--especially if you have a group of 8 or more...but smaller groups let you see more and move faster--and actually hear your guide.  Many will do some ports on their own--and I do at times--but I would not recommend that for a newbie to Europe--Remember, local transportation may be daunting and hard to figure out...and, especially where the port i far from the sites, you may have difficulty judging the timing.  Tours are well worthwhile, especially for a newbie.

 

Overall, use a travel agent for your booking--to get the best deal--but don't count a local travel agent here in the US to do any specific planning for you.  Find hotels using tripadvisor.com and the port and roll call boards here.  Find tours and guides through the same sources.  This site is the best for gathering advice.  Good luck...

[Fouremco]

Debbie, you started an identical thread in August 2019:

 

At that time, you concluded that you were going to book both a British Isles and a Baltic cruise because you couldn't decide. You also made reference to not wanting to start your cruise in "a crowded, high crime big city", which might limit choices.

 

Could you go through your earlier thread and tell us whether your thoughts have changes at all. Are British and Baltic cruises still your top choices, or are you completely open to other ideas? CC members are always willing to help out, but if you were set on booking those two itineraries just over a year ago, what has changed?

Edited January 3, 2021 by Fouremco

[MamaFej]

One thing you didn't ask about, but is good to consider, is that many public toilets require payment. It's a good idea to have several Euro's worth of coins (or whatever the local currency is) on hand when you land. In my experience, restrooms are free to use in the airport, and it's hit or miss in train stations. 

 

Generally, you'll be fine with a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees (always pay in the local currency) but it's good to have a bit of cash on hand. It's generally cheaper to get it from an ATM (not in an airport or train stations) than to get it from a currency exchange place at home. You may be able to get/buy the few coins needed early on from a friend at home. 

 

I fully agree with those saying that it's good to spend time on land before and after the cruise. We prefer small private tours and doing things on our own. Some of our best experiences have been with Tours By Locals, Air BnB Experiences, and With Locals. There are other companies which offer similar small-group and unique experiences. 

 

Also, I recommend getting off the beaten path. In cities, get a few blocks away from the tourists, and you'll find a whole new, much more authentic world. Some of the best meals we have ever eaten were in small, 3-5 table neighborhood restaurants, where the menus are not in English. 

 

I also agree with the recommendation to join your cruise's roll call. You will likely find people interested in small group tours, and you may find people who are well-acquainted with the ports, who might have specific recommendations for you. 

 

I hope you enjoy your research and planning, and that you enjoy your trip even more. 

 

 

[cruisequeen4ever]

Oh how exciting!! We spent countless hours blissfully researching our first Med cruise!  If you enjoy travel research, I’d recommend booking the cruise and airfare through a travel agent and then doing the shore excursion and Europe travel research on your own, while using the TA as a sounding board. If you don’t have time or desire to research a lot, then go all in with a TA to get the most out of your one and done Europe trip and to ensure you’re wise and safe throughout the trip. 
 

Ranking:

1) Ports- the reason you’re going 

2) Number of days- the longer you can do, the better because you’re flying all that way and want to see as much as possible 

3) Time of year- Are you restricted to certain times due to work? Do you want it hot, warm, cool, or cold? How do you feel about crowds?
4) Ship- For Europe, the ship is really lowest priority because you spend most of your time ashore and are zonked when you go back onboard each day. 
 

Happy planning!! I miss Europe so much!

[shiphound]

4 hours ago, SCGirl3211 said:

We have been on many cruises but are planning our first cruise to Europe.  Have a few questions: Please rank in importance - ship, ports, number of days, time of year.  If paper guides are still used, anyone have a recommendation for a good travel guide?  Should we consider using a travel agent for our first venture or do you tend to learn more about what you are going to see by doing the research on your own?  This may be a one-time trip so we want to get it right.  Thanks

I would put ports and time of year as more important for European cruises than ships.  We spend a lot more time off the ship on cruises in Europe than on cruises in say the Caribbean.  And, you want to make sure you have plenty of budget for shore excursions (whether with the cruise line, a private guide, etc.).  IMHO, the reason to go on a European Cruise is to see Europe.  

[shiphound]

3 hours ago, rdt10 said:

For a first trip, the Mediterranean offers a good sampling of Europe. We prefer a cruise that starts and ends in different cities, allowing a few days before and after to better explore those cities. Rome to Barcelona or opposite is a good route. The Greek isles are also very nice and most of the sites are close to Port. Many sites on a med. cruise are some distance from the port such as Rome and Florence which are 1 1/2 hours or more from the port.

 

The Rick Steve's guides are very helpful. Also check out the port of calls forum for DIY help and recommended tour operators.

 

We prefer the spring and fall for the med. The summer months can be hot and very crowded.

I agree that the Spring and Fall are better for Mediterranean cruises for the reasons stated.  But, look at your ports at different times of the year and make sure you are not going at a rainy time.  It is less fun to sightsee in the rain.

 

[markeb]

Honestly, I think chemmo had a number of great points. Europe is a big place. Like the United States, most of it isn't close to an ocean going cruise port. And everyone has different interests.

 

I will say that if you're asking, I'd rank ports highest on my list, and time second. I've not done the start at one port end at another routine; our cruises in Europe were northern European (Baltics and Norway) out of Harwich at the time. But the real question is what are your interests? Are you looking to explore the outdoors? Are you looking for beaches? Do you want to visit museums? Historical sites? Are you looking for relatively easy travel from home? Those all enter into the discussion.

 

Outside of Northern Europe (and I really mean Norway and Baltics there, maybe the British Isles but I honestly haven't done those cruises), you really need to look at a map and understand the geography.  For instance, if you're looking at stops in Italy, at least some ships stop or stopped at Livorno. That's an easy tour to Pisa. It "should" be an easy tour to Pisa and Florence, but if your heart if set on seeing David (which is even more awesome in person than you imagine, although the last time we were there was 26 years ago...), understand that the Autostrata can become a parking lot at any time. I've never been to Le Havre, but you'll find excursions to Normandy, Brittany, and Paris. It's a trip to Paris. If the most important thing to you is seeing the Louvre and Eiffel tower, then I'd suggest a land trip to enjoy Paris. In the Baltics, you can walk off and take a ship's shuttle from the port to the heart of Copenhagen. No major highways, no real traffic. It's been a long time since we were in Greece, but it was pretty easy to get around the islands at the time; Athens could take time. Kuşadası and Ephesus on a Mediterranean cruise wasn't too bad for travel if memory serves (long time ago).  

 

If there's something you must see or do, like London or Rome or Venice, I'd try to begin or end there and take some time before the cruise. I think there are cruises that stop in Southampton with excursions to London. You're not going to see anything or experience anything that way. Being able to spend at least an extra day or two at the end, especially if it's a different port, would also be nice as well.

 

Those are my thoughts. I've been traveling to Europe, mostly for business, for close to 20 years. And I've lived in Germany. I love cruising, but many of the places I've visited I'd be frustrated beyond belief to have an 8-10 hour port call rather than several days to explore. But that's me...

 

 

[Bruin Steve]

31 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

...I've never been to Le Havre, but you'll find excursions to Normandy, Brittany, and Paris. It's a trip to Paris. If the most important thing to you is seeing the Louvre and Eiffel tower, then I'd suggest a land trip to enjoy Paris.

Seeing a couple of these comments, I had to add a few extra notes here.  I HAVE been to LeHavre as a cruise port several times...also to adjacent Honfleur.  We've tried to do something a little different every time.  There are a lot of things one can visit out of that port...but Paris definitely isn't the one to choose.  Many use the port to visit the Normandy Beaches and WWII D-Day sites.  There are also a number of historical smaller towns nearby.  One of our favorites from here is a trip to Rouen (where Joan of Arc was killed) and Giverny (Monet's home replete with lily ponds).  The summer before last, we found ourselves with another LeHavre port stop...and puzzled over where to go when we realized we hadn't been to Paris in several years (We've typically done it in the past on multi-day land vacation visits)...and we had some OBC to burn, so we figured "Why not?"  Well, we actually had a nice day doing a shorex to Paris--but I would not recommend it to everyone--especially not those who have never been to Paris before.  It's an almost three hour bus ride each way--which left us enough time for a tour boat down the Seine...and a little free time we used for a nice lunch near the Eiffel Tower...Then it was back on the bus for the ride back to port.  Relaxing in a way, but not really seeing a lot of Paris.

 

A note on Livorno:  We've never done a ship's excursion from there into Florence.  We've typically visited Florence on LAND trips as well.  From Livorno, however, there IS lots to visit without braving the trip into Florence (where a worse problem than traffic would be walking to the sites from the inconvenient bus parking).  We've visited San Gimignano and Volterra...and Pisa, Luca and the home of Puccini.  This coming July (HOPEFULLY), we dock in La Spezia instead and plan to visit the Cinque Terre...If you want to really see Florence, my personal recommendation would be to find a cruise that begins or ends in Rome or Venice...and plan a pre-or post-cruise visit to Venice.  We've flown into Milan pre-cruise as well and rented cars to visit many places in Italy including Florence.  One trip, we rented a car in Civitavvecchia post-cruise and drove to Florence, stayed in the wonderful Hotel David there, leaving the car parked at the hotel the whole time, walking and using the buses into the center of Florence...and visited other places in Tuscany on the way up and back--Siena and Pitigliano--both of which are really fantastic and visited less than the big cities...A couple of other great destinations we've visited pre-and post cruise are Orvieto and Tivoli--both fairly close to Rome...We've also flown into Milan, rented a car and visited Lake Como, St. Moritz, Merano, Verona and Padua before boarding a ship in Venice...a wonderful 8-night pre-cruise.

 

But, that is a great way to add to your European cruise--fly in several days early or stay late...Rent a car if you dare, or take the trains.  Tour places in Italy OFF the coast for a week or so, then end up at the cruise port and board the cruise.  You get the best of both worlds that way--getting an in-depth look at local life, then a relaxing cruise to hard-to-get-to ports...

 

Also, another thing we've done is to fly in somewhere completely different (We've done Madrid and England/Scotland/Wales that way), then fly on to the cruise embarkation port...

Edited January 4, 2021 by Bruin Steve

[markeb]

5 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

Seeing a couple of these comments, I had to add a few extra notes here. 

 

Thanks! I was trying to think of places I've been, and the only times I've been to Florence were by train from Pisa while visiting Camp Darby. But I think we're both making a similar point that if you're looking for something inland, the travel time and difficulties can make it far more complicated than you think, and if you picked that itinerary for that stop, you're likely to be disappointed!

 

And personally, I'm looking for an actual land vacation to Tuscany when travel really becomes an option. Probably without a cruise involved!

[George C]

6 hours ago, SCGirl3211 said:

We have been on many cruises but are planning our first cruise to Europe.  Have a few questions: Please rank in importance - ship, ports, number of days, time of year.  If paper guides are still used, anyone have a recommendation for a good travel guide?  Should we consider using a travel agent for our first venture or do you tend to learn more about what you are going to see by doing the research on your own?  This may be a one-time trip so we want to get it right.  Thanks

We have only done a couple of Europe cruises but about 70 cruises in total. 
Ship and line isn’t as important on a European cruise as it is on a Caribbean cruise , because Europe cruises are port intensive, so you spend way more time in port and on tours .

i like Rick Steves shows most are available on YouTube so you can see the different ports.
i would do a minimum of 10 days fo a cruise and also spend at least one day or more on embarkation port and possibly another day at disembarkion port if it’s different.

i would avoid summer since it’s more crowded and expensive and if it’s Southern Europe it will be very warm. 
Our last Europe cruise was great we left from Barcelona which is a amazing city that deserves at least a couple of days and it lasted 12 day with 9 different ports, including 5 in Italy .

travel agents can be good or bad

After picking cruise I would avoid ships shore excursions when possible we did almost all excursions with fellow passengers from roll call.

good luck.

[Bruin Steve]

2 minutes ago, markeb said:

And personally, I'm looking for an actual land vacation to Tuscany when travel really becomes an option. Probably without a cruise involved!

For me, I love cruising SO MUCH, that I always start my planning with that as a "base"...then, I add on extra time and work into the trip places I want to visit in addition to the cruise.

 

THIS July (provided the Pandemic situation allows it), we have two cruises booked.  Originally, they were back-to-back, but, with the move to 2021, the itineraries changed and we had to adjust it.  So, what we now have planned is this:  We are flying into Barcelona 4 nights prior to our 7-night Apex cruise.  This allows us to relax, acclimate and take a day tour into Andorra one of those days.  The Apex then goes to Ibiza, Valencia, Villefranche, Marseilles and La Spezia before ending in Rome (Civitavecchia).  We are going to spend two nights in Rome, then return to Civitavecchia and board the Infinity...which goes to Sicily, Malta, Kotor, Split and Trieste...then ends in Venice.  We are renting a car in Venice and driving to Innsbruck for two nights, then Salzburg, Vienna for three nights, Graz, Villach and back to Venice.  Turning in the car and spending two nights in Venice then flying home...Overall, it's about a month's vacation.  We get a variety of ports--and ten different countries (Spain, Andorra, France, Monaco, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria)...We've got about half the time on a cruise ship...and half in hotels, eating dinners in local restaurants, etc.  All tours/shorexes remain fairly close to port.  None of our driving stretches in the car will be more than about 3 hours...In my mind, a PERFECT European vacation!!

[markeb]

6 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

We've got about half the time on a cruise ship...and half in hotels, eating dinners in local restaurants, etc. 

 

We're a few years from having enough time off to do that long of a trip, so we're still in an either/or mode...

 

I know we're on a cruise forum, and I love cruising, but the land part of that trip is what would have my attention! Innsbruck... I'd want to head north through Mittenwald to Garmisch-Partenkirch, or Oberammergau, grab eine Bier in Ettal. Look out from Hohensalzburg (in July, you can imagine Julie Andrews on those hills!)

 

My current obsession is Modena. Eat at Osteria Francescana, throw in a visit to a few Ferrari related sites, etc. And then head into some of the wine regions around Florence!

 

But, yes, that cruise itinerary sounds wonderful! And you've accounted for the reality that so much of your itinerary is well away from the coast!

[George C]

12 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

We're a few years from having enough time off to do that long of a trip, so we're still in an either/or mode...

 

I know we're on a cruise forum, and I love cruising, but the land part of that trip is what would have my attention! Innsbruck... I'd want to head north through Mittenwald to Garmisch-Partenkirch, or Oberammergau, grab eine Bier in Ettal. Look out from Hohensalzburg (in July, you can imagine Julie Andrews on those hills!)

 

My current obsession is Modena. Eat at Osteria Francescana, throw in a visit to a few Ferrari related sites, etc. And then head into some of the wine regions around Florence!

 

But, yes, that cruise itinerary sounds wonderful! And you've accounted for the reality that so much of your itinerary is well away from the coast!

I definitely prefer a cruise we did have a great tour and wine tasting at a vineyard outside of Florence on our cruise 4 years ago. Also spent two weeks at a computer class in Oberammergau while in the army 50 years ago, definitely best two weeks of my two years of service. 

[morechances]

Ports, time of year, number of days, and finally, ship.

 

Remember to check how close a port is to where you are going. For example, Rome is an hour or so from the port. 

 

I agree with others who have said start in one place and end in another. And add a  day or 2 to each end.

 

 It can be very busy mid summer, and hot.

 

Too late, and it could be cool and rainy. 

 

Small private tours are definitely good. I have been on several where we were able to get in front of the big tours, and got to see way more.

 

A lot of places where you dock in the city have Hop On Hop Off busses. That is a great way to get around. 

[Bruin Steve]

48 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

We're a few years from having enough time off to do that long of a trip, so we're still in an either/or mode...

You really don't have to be old and retired to travel like that.  We've been doing it for years...while both holding down jobs.  I worked for a company for 23 years with a very liberal vacation policy...and my wife worked for the school district... so she was off about 6 weeks plus in the summer, three in December/January, a week at thanksgiving and a week at spring break...so we always took a LONG trip during that summer break.  We have both now retired (early)...She retired the end of this last school year..and we figured that, now, we weren't restricted to school vacation times.  We were all set to leave for back-to-back Med cruises last July...and our first ever LONG cruise trip during a school year--Japan and a Transpacific--29 nights at sea (with 4 nights in Tokyo pre-cruise and several days in Portland after)--for this coming April/May...AND THEN COVID HIT!!!

Edited January 4, 2021 by Bruin Steve

[Tapi]

Before our first European cruise, it had literally been decades since I’d been there. At the time, I traveled with my parents and we took a land based, month long vacation where I covered 10 countries and everything from big cities to tiny villages. It was a wonderful experience. 

But when it came time to introduce my own family to Europe, we had a small window of time to make it happen:

 

- FIRST, we had 9 specific days over the kid’s Thanksgiving week. So that was the most important consideration. It greatly narrowed our choices since at that time of year, it’s basically Mediterranean cruising only.

 

- SECOND consideration was where to sail from to make it as easy as possible. We learned that the only port of embarkation we could fly nonstop to from where we live (Atlanta) was Rome during that low season time of year, so we honed on ships sailing from there. 
 

- THIRD, we looked at itineraries. In late November, only Costa and MSC offered Mediterranean cruises from Civitavecchia. 
 

Our final choice was a 7 night Mediterranean cruise aboard the (brand new at the time) MSC Meraviglia. We spent two nights pre-cruise in Rome where we spent the majority of our time exploring the Vatican and other landmarks like the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. After that, we sailed to Palermo (Sicily), Valletta (Malta), Barcelona (Spain), Marseille (France) and Genoa (Italy). 
 

We booked over a year in advance, so that gave me plenty of time to research every destination and every little aspect of this vacation. That allowed us to enjoy this trip without having to rely on organized excursions. 
 

It was far from the ideal itinerary, and with such a limited amount of time we barely scratched the surface. But it was an absolutely wonderful vacation! We enjoyed it tremendously and cherish every minute of it. 
 

There will be time in the future to return with more time and either explore more in depth destinations that we already visited, or to visit new ones. Europe is definitely not a “one time and done” kind of destination. There’s SO much to see that there’s simply no way to see it all in one trip. Not even remotely. 
 

Sailing in November turned to be a huge blessing in disguise. Temperatures were cooler which provided great sightseeing weather. Traveling off season meant that crowds were much thinner, specially at popular landmarks. Finally, airfare and cruise fare were considerably cheaper than traveling during the more popular summer months. The only drawback was that days are shorter (with sunset around 4:30-5:00pm), but usually by that time we were back on the ship anyway. 
 

Have fun selecting your first European cruise! Make a list of your priorities and narrow things down from there. Your final choice will probably be very different than ours or anybody else, but what’s important is that you pick something that fulfills your wants.

Edited January 4, 2021 by Tapi

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, markeb said:

 

 

And personally, I'm looking for an actual land vacation to Tuscany when travel really becomes an option. Probably without a cruise involved!

 

Living in the U.K. it has been easy over the years to take land based 1/2 week holidays to Italy, Spain, Mainland Greece, the Greek islands...Each holiday would be based in a resort then we would hire a car. We thought we had found the perfect way to travel.

 

However, a couple of years ago we found another way to holiday, we hired a villa in the middle of the Mallorcan countryside...It was probably the most relaxing and cultural holiday we had ever experienced. We had panoramic views over the countryside, shopped in local stores, made a few visits to local towns and historical sites but the best part of the holiday was to simply relax on our veranda watching the views, swimming in our private pool and eating the local food...I mention this as it is definitely the option we would look at for Tuscany. My husband has visited Tuscany on business (it has been on our holiday ‘to do’ list ever since). I was concerned when we booked the villa that it would be hard work (cooking/cleaning) after years of mainly cruising and staying in hotels but it simply wasn’t the case...Cost wise it was comparable to a mid range hotel. 

 

Just an idea! 

[upwarduk]

10 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Port visits offer a teeny tiny taste of cities and many such as Paris or London only allow a few hours as a port call

Be aware that both London and Paris are a long journey from the ports of Southampton and Le Harve- at least 3 hours one way depending on traffic.

My advice would be to fly into Heathrow, stay for a few days in London, to do the touristy things, then travel to Southampton to embark on your ship.

[emmas gran]

A lot of talk of doing your own thing regarding excursions but we do not know if this is possible when cruising restarts so a word of caution on that.

[chemmo]

1 hour ago, emmas gran said:

A lot of talk of doing your own thing regarding excursions but we do not know if this is possible when cruising restarts so a word of caution on that.

 

Agree, I wouldn’t want to be booking ‘a holiday of a lifetime’ where sightseeing was the focus until I knew I could book it as I wanted it. I would assume the OP is beginning to plan for 2022 rather than 2021? Our next cruise (September)  is from Southampton and we have visited all the ports before. We intend it to be a ‘crash out’ and all about the ship rather than ports of call. We are also still only seeing it as a possible rather than a definite plan, the ship may not come over or we may not feel comfortable boarding.

 

Much as I understand the cruise lines reasons for bubbling tours I genuinely have concerns about full coaches and all those hand rails etc and how well they will be cleaned (exactly the same concerns I presently have with air travel). If this is what is offered on our next cruise we will simply stay on board....

 

After saying all this it has been really nice to reply to a post on real cruising again and to remember how great cruising is to give you a taste of the world.