European Cruise Advisor

So it is time now to start thinking about next summer’s ( that’s 2010 ) European cruise if you want to get the ship, date and cabin of that you want. And, after taking cruises in Baltic, Mediterranean and northern European waters, I have been looking at the necessary requirements for picking a ship to be different than in the Caribbean.

On a Europe cruise the focus is much more on what is not on the ship itself but whats going on ashore. You will normally be going  ashore at roughly 8:30 a.m in the morning and you are driving or walking until late afternoon. In the Caribbean though,  there are many more days spent at sea and the focuses are on the ship and all its activities, facilities and entertainment. On European cruises, many passengers simply miss the floor shows and head for bed earlier, tired out and in need of rest for the next early morning start.

Here are three very important criteria in choosing the right ship for a European cruise:  1) Itinerary, 2) Time in spent port and 3) dress policy.

When comparing boats, check the length of stay in each port — you will want as much time as possible in sightseeing-orientated destinations, after all how many times in your life will you visit cities like Rome and Florence?

On a Baltic cruise, the two best ports are St. Petersburg and Stockholm.  In the first city, aim for a ship that stays in port three days instead of two.  Believe me, there is so much to see that you’ll want a longer visit to get the most out of the city!

These days, however more and more cruise lines are removing or greatly reducing nights when formal wear is necessary.  If you don’t want to bring along a suitcase full of nice clothes, check the suggested dress codes of ships.

On a European cruise, you may want to not choose the extra cost of a balcony cabin since the ship is in port nearly every day. It is much better to spend the money you will save on shore excursions and shopping. Another critical area is shore excursions.  Princess is the pick for the best excursions available at the moment. They just have the edge over other cruise lines because of the volume of passengers they carry every year.  They have first shot at the best guides, and can demand special treatment and have the ground arrangements perfected.

To conclude; the perfect European ship will offer casual dining in the Lido restaurant at night, important when you are worn out from sightseeing to get dressed up and dine for several hours. Oceania, Princess and Norwegian Cruise Line offer the best casual dining options.

Given how well the European Cruise market has held up in 2009, even with the recent credit crunch, it probably well worth your while to start looking into cruises scheduled for the summer of 2010, that’s if you want to make sure that you get the date, cabins and ships of you choice before all the best bargains are snapped up.

If you’ve previously this summer, been cruising the Caribbean, then choosing a ship for European waters is a whole different kettle of fish!

On a European cruise, you will find that spending time aboard ship is not one of the main activities, its the shore excursions that count. This is totally different from a Caribbean cruise experience. For example, if you have been on the atypical Caribbean cruise you will remember that you will have spent far more days at sea, so therefore the crux of you enjoyment aboard ship is what facilities and entertainments it has to offer. This differs somewhat to the European Cruise where passengers can expect to spend much less time at sea and more time travelling and touring the ports of call.

This, of course means that the criteria for picking the ideal European cruise, in my opinion should be as follows; The Itinerary, Your stay in Port and finally the expected Dress Code.

When it comes to ships, try and compare the length of time that each will be docked at port, especially if you are visiting a destinations that’s got lots too see and do, for example Venice in Italy. That way you will make the most of the time you have ashore.

Check the dress code of the ships you are looking at too, make sure that you don’t end up packing loads of formal wear and suites when the expected attire is casual, equally the opposite is true, if there lots of evening functions you will need to have enough suitable outfits for the entire cruise.

Another good tip is to not bother with getting a cabin with a sea view, since most of your travelling is overnight and you spend each day in port, there’s not much point really. Much better to save some money and get and internal cabin leaving more money to spend on the critical shore excursions and day tours. After all there not alot of point having a room with a view that you are not spending a great deal of time in.

If you are looking for casual dining options then Norwegian cruise line, Princess and Oceania are you best bets, this is a great option if you intend to spend all your time out and about each day, after all who wants to get dressed up every night when your all worn out for having some much fun exploring those European destinations!

An Italian holiday will always involve a necessary amount of planning before you go any where near packing your bags or purchasing boarding tickets. Whilst you are deciding and weighing up your options, you should consider that as a romantic cruise destination, a European river cruise across Italy is hard to beat. Whether you finally opt for a large cruise liner or a much more intimate yacht or pleasure cruiser and Italian river cruise makes an excellent choice for a vacation.

If exploring the nooks and crannies of Italy, with a number of islands and inland waterways to visit, you can quite easily combine the sea with the land to create yourself a unique holiday experience where you will get plenty of time to take photographs and take home memories of this wonderful place.

With regard to the times of year that are most suitable for river cruises in Italy you should probably choose sometime between May and August, for an optimal weather conditions, consider the extreme heat of the Summer months however, because Italy can get quite hot during this time.

Getting a one or two week river cruise in Italy is really easy, simply search on the Internet to find respectable tour operators that will be able to line you up with a vacation package that meets your needs. Prices will vary depending on the levels of accommodation that you want as well as the duration of your stays. If you want to have pre-arranged tours for shore excursions that this will be usually included in teh package you choose, or if you are more adventurous, you can arrange all your own trips.

Making sure that Venice is one of the destinations that’s included in your River cruise is a must. With its winding waterways steeped in architecture and history its breathtaking an unmissable.

Overall Italy as a destination for a River cruise is highly recommended with much to do a see you can have a wonderful vacation here no matter the weather.