Mediterranean Cruises 2010 & Europe Cruises 2010

A cruise is a great way to explore Europe.  With so many diverse countries, each with their own language and customs, many North Americans feel overwhelmed at the thought of a vacation to Europe.

A cruise makes a vacation to Europe very easy and fun!  Imagine unpacking and packing only once, sleeping nights in the same bed in your luxurious cabin and dining in familiar surroundings every evening with your favorite waiter while you explore exotic cities every day.  Your cruise ship is your home for one, two or even three weeks taking you from one incredible place to another.  During the day, after a full breakfast, you can join a comprehensive tour of the port city that your ship is docked in or just wander on your own to art museums, view classical architecture or just sit at a café and enjoy the passing scenery.  The choice is yours!

After a full day exploring the treasures of Rome or St Petersburg or walking through the breathtaking towns of the Amalfi Coast, you just go back to your floating hotel, sip a martini and later dine on a sumptuous five course dinner.  Your ship will then sail from today's port to tomorrow's exotic destination while you wine and dine and rest.  After a string of three or four exciting ports, you may enjoy a day of two of relaxation while sailing the open seas as your ship heads towards the next port of call.

The most popular destination for cruises to Europe is the glittering  Mediterranean.  You can cruise from seven to twenty days calling at ports such as Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Florence, Sorrento and Athens amongst dozens of other famous places.  Many cruises sail seven night roundtrip voyages from Barcelona calling at Marseilles , Villefranche, Monte Carlo, Florence or Rome.  Some sail from Venice calling at Dubrovnik, Split, Athens and the Greek isles of Mykonos and Santorini and even Kusadasi and Istanbul in Turkey.  Most recommended is the twelve or fourteen night cruises from Venice to Barcelona calling at the famed resorts of the Dalmation coast of Croatia, the beautiful island of Sicily, the classical cities of Rome and Florence and the jet set playgrounds of Monte Carlo or Cannes.

If you prefer to see the historical capitals of the Baltic counties, many cruise lines offer seven, ten and twelve night voyages from London, Amsterdam or Copenhagen.  You will explore impressive St Petersburg, Russia, once the glorious capital of the Russian Czars; gracious Stockholm, the capital of Sweden and the charming medieval city of Tallinn with her stone walls and fairy tale castles.  You will have a chance to take a full day excursion to Berlin, one of the most exciting cities in Western Europe or to visit the Little Mermaid, the famous mascot of the lively city of Copenhagen.  No wonder that this itinerary is one of the most popular cruises to Europe.

Some lesser travelled but still popular cruise itineraries include a ten to twelve day cruise up the scenic Norwegian coast to the North Cape.  Norway's rugged coastline offers spectacular mountains, deep fjords and rustic fishing villages populated by friendly locals.  Many take a British Isles cruise that visits the historical cities, pastoral countryside and majestic castles and palaces of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Another popular cruise takes in the Western Capital cities such as Amsterdam ( the Hague ), Brussels, Paris, London and Lisbon together with the wine region of Bordeaux and the northern Spanish cities of Bilbao or Vigo.

During the Winter months, there are cruises to the sunny Canary Islands and the Atlantic ports cities of exotic Morocco.  Also available are cruises from Athens or Rome to the Holy Land .  Visit Jerusalem and Bethlehem in Israel and Cairo and Alexandria in Egypt and the beach resort of Kusadasi in Turkey .         

As you can see, the choice is wide!  Cruising to Europe is a luxurious yet economical way of exploring the great continent.  Your meals, accommodations, entertainment and transportation costs from port to port are all included in your cruise fare.  Some lines even include complimentary shore excursions or offer generous onboard credits to help pay for spa treatments, shopping or that bottle of bubbly with dinner.  Add in the air fare option offered by all cruise lines and you will be met upon arrival and escorted to your ship and at the end of your cruise, you will be taken to the airport to board your flight home.  Cruising is indeed a totally seamless way to a great European vacation!