Mediterranean Cruise OR London, Paris, Italy instead?? Please help!

[Lauren Ashley]

My boyfriend and I are graduating law school and trying to plan a post-bar trip. Initially we were going to travel on our own to London, Paris, and all through Italy (my favorite country!). We'd plan to get cheap hotels, no hostels, so as to maintain a budget. While I have been to Europe (and these places) a few times, my boyfriend has never been. However, I started looking at Mediterranean cruises and they seem to go to some very interesting ports of call. Maybe it would be the best for both of us - I'd be traveling to places I've never been and he'd still see Europe?!? Plus, some of the prices for late August aren't sky high as I'd expected.

 

Any advice on the subject would be greatly appreciated! Which ships/itineraries are the most worthwhile? Would you do a cruise versus a trip on your own to the aforementioned cities? Please let me know! Thanks so much!

[kitty9]

It all depends on what you want to do. Do you want a more intensive look at all the places you're interested? If that's the case, then a cruise isn't the best idea. But, if you want to get a general look at places in the Med, and getting just a general overview of the cities you'll be visiting, then a cruise is the best choice.

 

Pros of a Cruise: More relaxing. Pack and unpack only once. Everything is included such as food and entertainment. No hassles from trying to transport from one city to another. No hassles of things like trains or rental cars.

 

Cons of a Cruise: Too short a time in each port. Tours just give you a quick taste of each port/city.

 

My choice is always a cruise. I've done the land based tours including a 33 day tour in Asia where we switched hotels every 3 to 4 days and it was exhausting. But, we did get to see some of the most interesting parts of the countries we visited such as riding elephants in Chitwan National Park in Nepal and staying at a refugee artisans center in Mongolia. Those are the types of things you can't get with a cruise.

 

What cruise line and itinerary? Again, that all depends on what you want. I've done the Med 5 times and the Baltic 4 and I love both areas. In August, the Med is horribly hot and humid and VERY crowded. The Baltic is much cooler, comfortable and less crowded. I love the Med, especially places like Barcelona, Florence, Rome and Venice. But, I also love St. Petersburg and for me, the British Isles cruise is something special. As for cruise lines, again, it depends on what you want to spend. I like Celebrity because they have the best food and service for a mass market line. If you want luxury, then it's Crystal or Seabourn. Their smaller ships afford the cruiser a more personalized experience with much better shore excursions. If you want something less expensive then try RCCI. But remember, on the mass market lines, there will be lots of kids, which might impact your decision.

[houstonathome]

Take a look at Easy Cruise...I think that is the name of it. They are bright Orange boats. From what I have read, they offer bare minimum accomodations, so are quite inexpensive and they sail the Med, I believe. I'm sure you can google and find additional info. There was a review here on Cruise Critic not too long ago, but I am not sure how you would go about finding it at this point.

 

Congratulations!

 

M.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

I've cruised Europe and I've taken long land tours. For a first (or almost first) trip I would focus on London and Paris to really get the feel of the cities and the differences between the US and Europe.

 

You didn't say how long you planned to travel, but if possible, I would spend at least a week or if possible, a minimum of 10-14 days in each city. You will feel so comfortable after a few days - they will become "your" cities. Transportation is excellent in both cities - the Underground in London and the Metro in Paris go everyplace and they have travel cards that make train and bus travel very easy and cheap.

 

London and Paris are also wonderful walking cities. What a treat to explore new neighborhoods and districts with your special person. Both cities cater to the young (which I assume you are) and have an interesting blend of the cultural (museums and West End shows) and the almost tawdry (late night clubing).

 

By focusing on two major cities, you can avoid the dreaded "pack and unpack" but still have an adventurous and exciting time, albeit two very different experiences.

 

While I enjoy cruising, you can never have the same experience in a single 6-8 hour shore excursion (with up to one-half of that in a bus traveling to the city) that you can have by an immersion stay in the city.