My European cruise wasn’t what I anticipated: this is why
After I boarded a flight for Europe en path to my first European cruise, I used to be uncertain a cruise can be the easiest way to journey Europe. Whereas I used to be definitely excited to cruise across the continent, I didn’t have the best expectations that cruising Europe can be higher than a land-based trip.
Solely spending 8 hours in world-renowned cities? Spending extra time on the cruise ship than in port? Navigating round 1000’s of different passengers in vacationer areas? At first look, the drawbacks appeared to outweigh the advantages.
The second I stepped foot in my first European cruise port, nevertheless, I noticed my considerations had been completely pointless. My European cruise expertise wasn’t in any respect what I initially anticipated, and it rapidly grew to become my favourite vacation spot to cruise on the planet: right here’s why.
Sluggish journey versus cruising
Earlier than I labored for Royal Caribbean Weblog, most of my journey was carried out at a slower tempo. I might frequently spend a number of months residing or touring in numerous international locations around the globe, giving me time to actually soak in a area’s tradition, delicacies, and language.
There’s little question that touring slowly means that you can achieve a greater understanding of a spot in comparison with spending simply 8-10 hours there on a cruise. I definitely skilled extra of Puerto Rico on my two week trip, for example, in comparison with my 8 hour port day.
That being mentioned, though I nonetheless love touring slowly, I’ve grown to understand the extra fast-paced nature of touring through cruise ship.
I’ve been pleasantly stunned by how a lot you’ll be able to expertise in only a few hours on a port day, and having the ability to go to a number of locations on one cruise offers you a small style of locations you’ll be able to go to on longer, land-based holidays.
Whereas planning my European cruise trip, I wished to maintain an open thoughts, remembering that though this is able to not be a “sluggish journey” kind of journey, it might include its personal set of advantages.
Let’s check out the expectations versus realities I encountered on my European cruise expertise.
Expectation: Europe is best for a land-based trip
A lot of Europe’s hottest cities will not be positioned alongside the coast, so I used to be skeptical of cruising as a technique to expertise Europe’s prime points of interest.
Spending solely 8 hours in Rome? 5 hours in Paris? These cities simply require a number of days, and I didn’t really feel spending such a brief period of time in these locations would do them any justice.
Associated: Western Mediterranean cruise information
Due to this, I seemed for itineraries that had little journey time from port to metropolis. I knew I didn’t need to spend hours in transit on port days, as this will rapidly get exhausting.
I ended up choosing two itineraries in two very totally different areas of Europe:
- A 7-night Spain & France cruise visiting La Rochelle and Le Havre (France) and Bilbao and La Coruna (Spain)
- A 7-night Greek & Adriatic cruise visiting Mykonos, Chania, and Zakynthos (Greece), Kotor (Montenegro), and Break up (Croatia)
Regardless of choosing itineraries visiting each touristy and lesser-known locations, I couldn’t assist however stay skeptical of whether or not or not this is able to be the easiest way to journey Europe.
Actuality: Cruising Europe could be a good technique to see sure cruise ports
Whereas I initially thought I wouldn’t take pleasure in a European cruise as a lot as a land-based trip, I used to be stunned at how a lot I beloved my expertise. I discovered that many ports had been higher to go to through cruise ship than independently.
Whereas cruising round Greece, for instance, it was arduous to overlook the crowds of vacationers embarking and disembarking ferries. Getting across the Greek Isles requires touring through boat or continually flying from island to island.
Touring through cruise ship meant I might journey to a number of islands with out reserving separate ferries that will, undoubtedly, be much less snug than a Royal Caribbean ship.
On two 7-night cruises, I visited 9 ports in 5 international locations. Once you rely embarkation and disembarkation ports, I skilled 12 distinctive locations in Europe, from the bustling metropolis of Athens to the quaint village of Ravenna, Italy.
Associated: 30 greatest European cruise ideas
I might by no means have carried out this on a land-based trip in the identical period of time. Catching trains, buses, and ferries from vacation spot to vacation spot would have been exhausting. Being on a cruise ship meant we traveled after I was consuming dinner, catching a present, or sleeping.
It was so good to not have to fret about transportation logistics, which is commonly an enormous ache when taking a land-based trip.
Expectation: Each port can be a vacationer entice
Hundreds of passengers disembarking from a number of cruise ships in port every day appeared like it might be the precise reverse of what I used to be on the lookout for in a trip.
Whereas I do not thoughts visiting vacationer websites, I a lot want touring to small cities the place I can really expertise a area’s tradition. I loved seeing the Colosseum in Rome simply as a lot as sipping an espresso in small city Sicily. I don’t journey simply to tick gadgets off an inventory, however to immerse myself in a vacation spot.
I used to be nervous every cruise port can be manner too busy and I might spend the entire day in enormous crowds unable to find even a touch of native tradition.
Actuality: All ports, even touristy ports, provided genuine experiences
Whereas strolling alongside the quiet streets of Le Havre, France (baguette in hand), I used to be stunned at how native town felt. After so many Caribbean cruises full of ports constructed particularly for vacationers and much too many Señor Frog places, it was refreshing to really feel like I used to be having a extra real journey expertise.
I didn’t have to fret about navigating enormous crowds, worrying about pickpockets, and getting scammed into paying increased costs. My days had been easy: stroll round city, go to a neighborhood espresso store, take pleasure in an out of doors lunch, hang around at a park or seaside, and chat with locals to be taught extra about every vacation spot.
My Greek & Adriatic cruise was undoubtedly extra touristy than my Spain & France crusing, however I by no means discovered the crowds insufferable. When you awoke early and had been off the ship by ~8 AM, there have been nearly no crowds in any cruise port.
I had the bottom expectations for Mykonos, Greece after realizing how touristy the island might be, however this ended up being one in all my favourite ports I visited all summer season.
Though there have been three ships in port the day we visited, we disembarked the ship early and had been capable of discover with out a ton of crowds. Whereas the island definitely obtained busier within the afternoon, it wasn’t arduous to flee the crowds by strolling additional away from the primary streets.
Associated: Final Greek Isles cruise information
Exploring the aspect streets of Mykonos led us to a small, hole-in-the-wall bakery shaped in 1420.
Little English was spoken on the bakery, which was a shock in such a touristy space, and I navigated ordering by a mix of signal language, pointing, and laughing. The consequence?
Among the best meals I had all through my trip that was worlds away from the eating places close by the place you’re continually being pushed to buy overpriced meals and drinks.
I by no means anticipated to have a lot of these experiences in touristy cruise ports after I initially booked my cruise, so I used to be pleasantly stunned.
Expectation: I wouldn’t have the ability to style native delicacies
If there’s one factor that makes me enthusiastic about exploring a brand new nation or metropolis, it’s meals. Whether or not empanadas in Argentina or pho in Vietnam, meals has been an essential a part of my travels over the previous decade.
One in all my preliminary considerations about cruising to Europe is that I wouldn’t have the ability to attempt native delicacies because of what number of meals I might have on the cruise ship.
Don’t get me flawed… I really like eating on a Royal Caribbean cruise, however consuming Greek salad on the ship didn’t appear as interesting as consuming Greek salad at an oceanfront restaurant in Crete.
Actuality: I had wonderful delicacies each port day
When cruising, you must decide of whether or not you need to spend cash on meals in port or head again to the ship for meals you already paid for in your cruise fare.
Though I might technically get “free” meals onboard, I made a degree to funds roughly $20 for meals in port every day. I couldn’t think about cruising to Greece and never attempting moussaka, visiting Spain and never ordering sangria, and exploring Italy with out consuming contemporary pasta!
Associated: Should-eat meals on a cruise to Italy
From spanakopita in Mykonos to tapas in Bilbao, I beloved the number of delicacies I might take pleasure in when visiting a brand new port every day.
As a matter of truth, the ratatouille crepe I ordered in La Rochelle was so scrumptious that I briefly thought-about packing up and shifting to France!
I might cruise to Europe repeatedly only for the chance to attempt so many cuisines in a brief period of time.
The key good thing about cruising Europe: unpacking solely as soon as
At any time when I image a European trip, I image stunning squares, fairly sunsets, out of doors dinners, and historic monuments. What I at all times overlook about, although, is how horrible it’s to hold baggage from place to put whereas touring by Europe.
I’ve not so fond recollections of strolling round Europe with my massive backpack on my again, ready on the ground of prepare stations with my baggage, and continually residing out of a bag from metropolis to metropolis. Whereas visiting a number of cities round Europe is at all times an incredible expertise, continually unpacking and packing my luggage will get previous rapidly.
It was past releasing to have the ability to disembark the cruise ship at a brand new port with only some gadgets in our daypack. At any time when we noticed a gaggle of flustered vacationers strolling round Europe’s cobblestone streets with tons of bags and luggage, we had been extraordinarily grateful our baggage was on the cruise ship.
Associated: The Final Cruise Packing Checklist
It definitely spoiled us, and we struggled immensely as soon as off the ship and touring on our personal all through Italy after the cruise! Solely having to unpack as soon as was one of many greatest advantages of cruising Europe.
Another excuse to cruise Europe: The improbable worth
Cruises at all times provide an ideal worth for a trip, and I discovered this to be very true in Europe.
My 7-night cruise to Greece, for instance, was priced at solely $1300 for two friends in an inside stateroom together with gratuities. This introduced the each day value to solely $92 per particular person, per evening.
Associated: How a lot does a Mediterranean cruise value?
Contemplating this value included lodging, meals, and transportation to five totally different ports, I assumed it provided an unbeatable value in comparison with doing this itinerary on a land-based trip.
Even when I had stayed at an inexpensive hostel and located budget-friendly eating places every day, I nonetheless would have spent an identical amount of cash on a land-based trip with far fewer comforts. I’d a lot moderately keep in a snug cruise cabin than a hostel dorm room!
So… do I want touring Europe through cruise ship or taking a land-based trip?
Whereas I used to be initially involved cruising wouldn’t be a pleasant technique to journey Europe, it rapidly grew to become my favourite area to cruise on the planet.
Every cruise port provided a lot historical past, tradition, and actions to find. From eating at out of doors cafes to mountain climbing alongside beautiful coastal paths and exploring quaint alleys, day by day provided genuine, numerous experiences.
I typically discover Caribbean cruise ports manner too touristy, and it may be troublesome to seek out native tradition in between touristy eating places and memento retailers. Whereas I’ll take laying on a pristine, white-sand seaside over working within the workplace any day, I discovered {that a} European cruise matches my journey model higher.
I’ve to say that I’m nonetheless a bit skeptical {that a} Western Mediterranean cruise can be value it in comparison with touring that area on a land-based trip. It’s arduous for me to justify spending 1-2 hours in transit every technique to go to world-class cities like Rome and Florence simply to spend only some hours within the metropolis.
I feel I am going to simply should plan one other European cruise to go to the Western Mediterranean and expertise it for myself!
Will I cease planning land-based holidays to Europe? Undoubtedly not. I nonetheless love touring slowly not solely in Europe, however anyplace on the planet, and it affords a technique to immerse myself in new cultures that’s unattainable to do on a cruise. In truth, I not too long ago spent two weeks touring Portugal and Spain by bicycle. It doesn’t get a lot slower than that!
So whereas I’ll definitely nonetheless plan land-based holidays in Europe for extra in-depth journey, I’m already wanting ahead to discovering extra coastal locations in Europe through cruise ship.
Norway? Canary Islands? Sicily? Turkey? Iceland? Depend me in.
