Cruise in Europe

[Ju1es]

We are looking into going to Europe next summer and are having a hard time figuring out what to do. One person wants to go to Italy, one wants to go to France, I want to go to Greece and DH wants to go on a cruise. Are there any cruises that you recommend that go to all of these places?

 

I have looked on some of the websites but would rather hear from people who have actually been there.

 

Thanks in advance.

[montlee]

I've been to Italy twice - once on a tour and once on a cruise. They were both great! I'd go back in a minute. But I do have to say that a cruise doesn't allow you much time in the ports. For instance, in Rome it takes an hour or more just to get to Rome from the port. Those that took the Vatican tour were gone 11 hours and paid $200. for it. (a little side note - we had already been there, so we stayed on the ship. It was virtually empty - one of the greatest days we've ever spent on a ship)

 

The cruise did include Sicily, several other islands, Monte Carlo, Nice and Croatia, but still not enough time to really enjoy them. However, it's a good 'taste'; then you can go back, either on your own or on a tour and see more of the places you liked best!

 

We did ours on Holland America, but there are others that include France, Spain, Greece and even England. Get brochures from the top lines and start making a 'list'.

 

To confuse you even more - the Scandanavian countries are also a great cruise.

[BobbiOh]

I haven't looked at next summer yet. But, I do know that this year there were a couple of cruise lines that had Athens to Monte Carlo. Mostly Italy in between but it gave a good chance to get all three in.

 

Good Luck,

 

Bobbi

[wwinfl91]

We did a Med cruise that included visits in Monaco, 3 ports in Italy, 1 in Greece 2 in Turkey and 1 in Spain. Personally I think a cruise is a great way to sample Europe while still having a great place to sleep and eat that moves with you. Only having to unpack once and visit multiple countries without long bus or train trips is also a great advantage.

 

My suggestion would be to find a cruise that hits ports that satisfies some of your families requests and that leaves and finishes in ports where you can plan a before and after cruise stay to see those areas in more detail. Cruises that leave from Venice or Rome would let you spend 2 or 3 days before or after the cruise to satisfy the Italy request. There are some cruise lines, Costa and MSC, that have cruises that leave from Genoa which might allow a pre-cruise stay that could include a trip to Southern France and then a post cruise stay in Northern Italy, Florence, Pisa, Tuscany.

 

To me a cruise is the perfect way to get a first taste of Europe and still have the security and comfort of a floating hotel that moves with you.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[kitty9]

We're doing a cruise next May on Celebrity Millennium and the ports are Barcelona, Nice, Monte Carlo, Florence, Rome, Venice, Athens, Santorini and Dubrovnik. Sounds like that hits all the ports you're interested in. This will be my 5th time doing such an itinerary, and my mom's first time, for her 80th birthday.