Believe it or not, cruising Europe can be affordable -- and that's great news, since there's so much to explore in the Mediterranean, whether you're a first-timer or a repeat visitor. Foodies adore this region and for very good reasons!

Mediterranean Ports: Athens - Barcelona - Cannes - Capri - Corfu - Corsica (Ajaccio) - Crete -Dubrovnik - Elba - Florence - Fuerteventura - Genoa - Gibraltar - Haifa - Ibiza - Istanbul - Izmir - Jerusalem - Katakolon - Kusadasi - La Palma - Lanzarote - Las Palmas - Limassol - Lisbon - Madeira (Funchal) - Malta - Marseille - Monaco - Mykonos - Naples - Nice - Palermo - Palma de Mallorca - Portofino - Rhodes - Rome - Santorini - Sardinia - Sete - Seville - Sorrento - Split - St. Tropez - Taormina - Tenerife - Tunis (La Goulette) - Varna - Venice - Villefranche - Volos

It's no secret that cruising is an exceptional way to see Europe. First of all, seeing Europe by cruise is cheaper than touring by land.

Cruise fares typically cover accommodations, meals in main dining venues, kids club activities, and entertainment, from enrichment classes to theatrical performances (though it's important to note the extras, such as spa treatments, meals in boutique restaurants, fitness classes, casino gambling, and cocktails and specialty drinks).

And don't forget, too, that cruise fares include the cost of transportation between ports. On any given voyage, you'll visit a variety of European cities (in some cases covering three or more countries). Some cruises combine two regions (such as Western Europe and the Baltic or the Eastern and Western Mediterranean). Most include what we classify as the "greatest hits" cities of Europe (such as Civitavecchia for Rome, Venice, Stockholm, Barcelona and Piraeus for Athens); some of these also offer tantalizing tastes of lesser-known places (including Tunisia's Tunis, Malta's Valletta and Estonia's Tallinn).

However, this pro can also be a con. Yes, European cruises cover a lot of ground on one trip and offer great value -- but at the same time, you can only cover so much ground before suffering from vacation burnout! - sometimes too port intensive.

There are other challenges, too. Europe is huge, so there are a great many itineraries from which to choose. It can seem daunting if you don't know where to start. Europe's main regions include Northern Europe (Norway's fjords and the Baltic); Western Europe (England, Atlantic France, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium), and the Mediterranean. In fact, the Mediterranean is so vast that it's actually divided into two regions for cruise: Eastern, which focuses on the Greek Isles and Turkey, and Western, which includes Italy, Spain and France. Some itineraries focus strictly on one region; others blend ports in the two.

This is the one region where you really do need the assistance and guidance of a travel professional who can help you sort through the choices and make the one choice that is right for you!

Contact us today to see how we can help make your dream trip a reality.