Four reasons why a cruise is the best way to see Europe

I have so many adventures planned this year already; with a European break and somewhere a little further afield on the horizon, I have officially caught the wanderlust bug. Recently, whilst thinking of all the places I’d like to visit over the next few years, one style of trip that really appeals to me is a cruise after the fun we had last August. Depending on the package, you have the option to see a selection of cities, and when it comes to seeing more of Europe, I think this is a better way than booking individual trips. We loved doing this when we did our cruise. If you’re not convinced, here are my top reasons why:

It’s all included in the price

Firstly, on a practical level, everything on a cruise is completely paid for. From the moment you step on board, the food, drink, live entertainment, leisure facilities, dance classes and so on are all included in your holiday. So, if anything should happen to you during your stay, such as losing your wallet or not taking enough cash with you, you can rest easy knowing that everything on board is still available to you. I find this to be hugely reassuring.

You can plan everything in advance

Before setting off, you’ll be given a day-by-day itinerary of where the ship will be heading. Not only will you also be given a set of optional excursions into whatever city your ship is docking at, but you can also do your own thing. Look for what activities are happening in the city on those given days, and whether it’s booking a local tour around a medieval town in Dubrovnik, or booking your own opera tickets via www.viennaoperatickets.com, you’ll know exactly what you have planned each day, months before you set sail, and those will be paid for too.

You get to explore several cities rather than one

I think this is the biggest draw for me. Whenever I go on a city break, I usually only stay there for a long weekend or five days maximum, and I always think it would be brilliant to be able to just hop on a train or plane and go to a neighbouring city. There are so many places in Europe that I’d like to visit, so being able to sit back and relax, or take a dip in the on-board pool while I’m being transported to a new and exciting capital is definitely something I want to try out.

Far more activities than a hotel

Speaking of taking a dip in the pool, are you aware of just how many activities you can get on today’s cruise ships? Of course, this will be dependent on who you travel with, but some of the larger cruise ships have multiple pools and sunbathing areas, full shopping districts, rock-climbing walls and even zip-lines. Many people are concerned that they won’t find anything to do on a cruise ship, but I think this is probably the old-style association.

Have you been on a cruise recently? I would love to know your thoughts and feedback…