Cruise Guides > European Cruises

European Cruises

If you love cruising and you've always dreamed of traveling abroad, you can combine the two by booking an exciting European cruise. European cruises reach far and wide, from the shores of England and the fjords of Norway to the mystique of Istanbul and the elegance of old St. Petersburg.

Most of the major cruise lines offer European cruises. Some specialize in specific sections of Europe while others offer itineraries that include enticing ports of call literally all over the continent.

In the British Isles, ports may include Dover, England; Edinburgh, Scotland; and Dublin or Cork, Ireland. Excursions in these wonderful cities are quite diverse. If you're in Dover, located just across the Strait from France, you can enjoy the magnificent and famous White Cliffs on a bus tour or head to London for a sightseeing trip. Visitors to beautiful Edinburgh can participate in a game of golf in the country that invented the sport. Ireland guests might gather for a rowdy pub tour.

On a European cruise to continental Western Europe, the possibilities are endless. In Italy, you can visit Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples, Venice, and Sicily. Enjoy historic tours of any of these ancient cities or go diving in the waters around Sicily and Sardinia, considered one of the best scuba destinations in the world.

In Spain, you may find yourself in Barcelona, the center of the Catalonian region and a great place to indulge in a shore excursion that might include surfing on Barceloneta Beach. Other cruises travel to Spain's Balearic Islands, like the Moorish city of Palma de Mallorca, where you can learn to windsurf or watch a pearl-diving demonstration.

Scandinavian cruises are among the most popular European cruises on the market. One of Scandinavia's most enticing ports is Copenhagen, Denmark, with its picturesque canals, offering an ideal place for cruise passengers to enjoy a boat or kayak cruise. If, instead, you arrive in Stockholm, you can tour the many, many museums that make this city special.

For those looking for something a bit more rugged, choose a visit to Finland, where you can explore the fjords and even spelunk in a cave in Aelusund that's said to have once hidden the Holy Grail. The same cruise may make a stop in St. Petersburg, Russia, home to the great czars of days past and a delight to explore with your shipmates.

Whatever itinerary you choose, you're sure to be wowed by your cruise. Check out the cruises offered by Carnival, Celebrity, Crystal, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Windstar, and get ready for a trip you'll never forget!