Many clients come to us asking for advice on whether to take a Europe cruise or a Europe land tour. Many people feel a cruise is the better choice. The answer, at the risk of being evasive is yes and no. It’s like comparing apples and oranges, and although both taste great, they are quite different.
A rather simplistic answer could be that you won’t really see Europe on a cruise ship. You’ll see piers and ports which are usually industrial areas that you will want to hurry through to catch the tour bus that will take you on a tour of the region for a few hours. So you’re back to the land tour option, and a brief one at that. For example, a cruise of the Mediterranean stops in Rome, well that’s not true. The port of Rome is really the city of Civitavecchia which is 50 miles from Rome and takes about one and a half to two hours by bus in each direction. So, if your ship is in port for 12 hours you will be spending almost a third of your precious time shore traveling to and from the ship. You will have time to see a few, (very few if you are traveling in the summer months when things are crowded,) of the must see sights and perhaps enjoy an espresso or gelato before your bus ride back to the port. Another popular port of call is Barcelona for usually 8 hours. The port is close to the city vs. Rome, but it is not nearly enough time to see and taste what this wonderful city has to offer. WHen you cruise through Russia, most ships give twelve hours in St. Petersburg. That only gives you time for a run-through of the Hermitage, a glimpse of Peter-Paul Fortress, a blini and then back to the ship.
Another point to consider is that shore excursions on cruises can also be quite expensive. To spend the day in Rome could easily cost $150 – $200 USD pp. If you are taking a cruise that has several ports of call, you could be talking about spending as much on your sightseeing’s tours as you did on your cabin. Now don’t misunderstand me, I love cruising! The leisurely dining, great shows and live entertainment, breakfast on the balcony, cocktails at sunset, unlimited ship-board activities, unpack once for the entire trip and sleeping in the same bed every night are all wonderful, but not, in our opinion, a way to really get the flavor and see a country. Let’s point out though that cruises offer a wonderful advantage to families by having programs to keep the children occupied on sea days versus trying to entertain them on a long bus ride.
On the other hand, land tours are not perfect either. There’s that suitcase to pack and unpack every few days and a different hotel. Depending on the itinerary, you would experience long bus or train rides between your highlighted cities. The plus side is that there will be much more time for sightseeing, and if you plan properly and in advance, free time to visit areas on your own, unhurried and in depth. A ten day tour of Italy will typically visit at least the three major cities of Rome, Florence and Venice giving plenty of time to visit museums and cathedrals, small shops and mysterious back streets as well as wonderful restaurants and trattorias. However, unlike your cruise ship, not all of your meals will be included in the price and as on-site gyms, spas, beauty salon and gracious service are not at your fingertips. Also look at itineraries closely to see how much sightseeing is included in the price versus having to purchase optional tours.
There is one way to combine your apples and oranges and make a nice fruit salad, which is the packaged “cruise-tour” offered by many of the best ship lines and some tour operators. This is your chance to combine the best of both. Depending upon the cruise and the area involved, you can tour an area for five, six or seven days then board your ship for a wonderful restful sail, and even make brief visits to other cities.
This answer would not be complete without pointing out that ships vary depending on the cruise line you choose. Smaller, luxury ships can stop in ports that the larger ships cannot, but they also offer less to do onboard.
Another option growing in popularity are independent vacations, but you are not completely on your own either. Globus Tours has been around for over 80 years, and they realized a few years ago that a bus tour is not for everyone. Their answer was Monograms Travel. So Globus takes their expertise and provides you with the essentials. They will do your airfare if you need it, arrange private transportation to and from the airport, hotel accommodations and a half day of sightseeing in each city that you are visiting. If you need transportation between cities for example a train from Rome to Florence, Monograms takes care of that for you as well. If you need a flight from Hong Kong to Beijing or Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires, they will arrange that as well. The rest of the time you are on your own, but there is a host available should you have questions on sightseeing, best places to dine and more.
No matter how you travel, Europe is filled with gems, amazing history, architecture and cuisine, so you are sure to enjoy your vacation. The key is knowing what to expect in advance so you are not disappointed.
Europe cruise versus a Europe tour? Well, what ever floats your boat.
