European Cruise Specials
Cruising Europe allows you to explore, Northern & Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Greek Islands, & the Baltic Sea.
Popular European Departure Ports: Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, London, Dover, South Hampton, Lisbon, Barcelona, Venice, Rome, Athens and Istanbul
Europe defies easy categorization, with its compact size and complex history. Its size lends itself to travel by rail, car or bus. There are no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the “Schengen Agreement”. These countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland (voted in, but not yet formalized, nor implemented).
Five Regions of Europe:
Western Europe - Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and France;
Northern Europe - Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark;
Central Europe - Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland;
Eastern Europe - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Russia and Ukraine;
Mediterranean Europe - Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Spain, Turkey and Vatican City.
Most Popular European Destinations:
France - France is the country that gave the world champagne, and casseroles and you'll find there are plenty of places to indulge yourself. Paris, Nice, Marseille, Chamonix - these are all popular tourist destinations in France. Spring offers the best weather to visitors, with beach tourism picking up in May. Temperatures are not too bad in autumn, although the short days mean limited sunlight and the cold starts to make itself felt towards the end of the season. Winter means playing in the snow in France's Alps and Pyrenees. Mid-July through to the end of August is when most city dwellers take their annual five weeks' vacation to the coasts and mountains, and the half-desolate cities tend to shut down a bit accordingly.
Italy - Italy is home to the renowned cities of Venice, Florence, Siena and Naples, each with its own unique identity and architecture, Italy features romantic medieval hill towns, such as San Gimignano in Tuscany, and unspoilt fishing villages, like Positano on the Amalfi coast. Italy combines art, history and contemporary fashion with stunning natural landscapes. Italy has Europe's most beautiful stretches of sand, sea and sunshine, while the snow-covered slopes of the Dolomite Mountains are a haven for winter sports enthusiasts.
Ireland - Ireland is a lush place of striking coastlines and sweeping, unspoilt country landscapes, perfect for outdoor people. Interesting attractions range from castles and prehistoric sites to the Guinness brewery. The people are friendly and yet the country is uncrowded, so Ireland is a place where you really can get away from it all.
Spain - Spain is more than bullfights, flamenco dancers and crowded beaches. It's a spectacular and diverse country, the north resembling the rolling, green hills of Ireland and the south giving you a taste of Moroccan landscapes and architecture. Its tremendous history is reflected in its prehistoric cave paintings, Moorish palaces, crumbling castles, Roman ruins, Gothic and Renaissance cathedrals as well as some very unique modern architecture. The uniqueness of Spain lies in the separate kingdoms which made up the original Spanish nation. These regions remain diverse in their language, culture, cuisine and art.
Switzerland - Small, mountainous and wealthy, with a population of just seven million, Switzerland is renowned for its enviable quality of life. Its products are sought after the world over, from dangerously delicious cheese and chocolate to luxurious watches. The conveniently central location in the middle of Europe has also made Switzerland a favorite meeting place for conventions and international conferences. Switzerland is a mecca for skiing and winter and mountain based sports.
Great Britain - The vibrant city of London is one of Europe's largest and most visited cities with great nightlife and a vast amount of events and attractions. The countryside is a mix of pleasant green grass fields, forests, sea shores, mountain peaks and deep lakes. Britain’s thousands of years of history provides a magnet for historians and travelers alike. London Heathrow Airport is one of the world's busiest airports. Train and bus travel are both easy and efficient ways of getting around. England has an extensive road and motorway network.
Austria - The home to many of the classical composers, and art and culture, Austria is one of the highlights of Europe. Austria is a country of startling contrasts, from the Austrian Alps in the west to the Danube Basin in the east. It is not only famous as one of the world's premier skiing regions, but also for its historical buildings, world-class museums and galleries, breathtaking scenery, and magnificent mountains.
Belgium - Often called the Essence of Europe, Belgium is both multicultural and multilingual. Belgium is situated between France and Holland. Within the span of one day you can take a romantic cruise down a canal in Bruges, hunt for diamonds in Antwerp, enjoy waffles on the beach in Oostende, frolic in a festival in Binche, get lost in a castle in Namur, discover antiques at an outdoor market in Liege, and explore a fine art museum in Brussels.
Netherlands - The Netherlands is often called Holland, because of the role the two western provinces North and South Holland played in its history. This region encompasses Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and other well-known Dutch cities such as Delft, Leiden and Haarlem. However, officially, it is the Kingdom of the Netherlands. When you visit the Netherlands you can take in the famous Dutch landscapes with windmills and millions of tulips, or wander through the museums enjoying Van Gogh and Rembrandt's masterpieces.
Denmark - Denmark is the littlest and most southern of the Scandinavian countries. Denmark is a mix of rural and urban with ancient castles and modern designs found throughout. Denmark is a country where cycling is a popular pastime with thousands of kilometers of established cycling routes. Swimming, windsurfing, yachting and fishing are other outdoor opportunities to enjoy.
Sweden - Sweden offers beautiful cities and simple joys of fresh air, landscape and culture. Its forests are starkly beautiful, its lakes giant. Stockholm, the country's capital, is a progressive city with pockets that maintain a village feel. Gothenburg and Malmo also beckon with urban delights. Away from the cities, Sweden takes in vast areas of scenic coastline and idyllic islands. The wilderness areas of Norrland have the legendary midnight sun in summer, Arctic Scandinavia's highest mountain and marvelous hiking trails.
Norway - You will find two of the world's three longest fjords in Norway. The fjords were curved out in a succession of Ice Ages. The ice retreated 10-12,000 years ago and has made the Norwegian fjords famous worldwide. Experience a fjord cruise, try hiking on a glacier or go skiing in the middle of the summer. The North Cape's midnight sun is rightly famous - here, far above the Arctic Circle, lies the spectacularly situated town of Tromsø, where the sun never rises in winter, nor sets in midsummer. And each of Norway's three major cities offer distinct appeal; Oslo as the present-day capital, Bergen as a major trading port and Trondheim as lthe ong-established centre of Christian pilgrimage.
Germany - Situated at the very heart of Europe, Germany's diversity astounds the visitor. Travel to Germany and discover fairytale castles, picturesque villages, crystal-clear lakes and snow-capped mountains, the mystical Black Forest, stunning Rhine River cruises, traditional Christmas markets and of course the world-famous Oktoberfest. Germany's elegant cities, including the hip and stylish capital city of Berlin, are vibrant cultural and historical centers and their sidewalk cafés are the perfect place to sit down, relax and watch the world go by.
Poland - Poland is one of the major destinations for European travelers. Its beauty can be admired in both its old cities and in the wild scenery of its national parks and nature reserves. The country's regions are largely divided into horizontal bands: the Baltic Coast and the hilly post-glacial Lake District. Central Poland is split into northern lowlands and southern uplands, including the Krakow-Wielun Upland with its limestone areas, caves and medieval castles. The Carpathian Mountains, including the Tatras, lie in the extreme south; their mountain scenery, folklore and sports facilities are important parts of their charm.
