Europe Cruises - See Europe For Less

They may sound lavish, but Europe cruises are actually one of the least expensive ways to see the continent. The all-inclusive nature appeals to travelers, which allows you to budget for your other activities more accurately. With the economy suffering, many Americans have cut travel out of their plans, which paves the way for cheap Mediterranean cruises and cheap European adventures. In some cases, free airfare or waived port fees are offered and one cruise line even offered $1 companion fare on an 8-day voyage!  

First time travelers often choose the 12-Night Western Mediterranean cruise to get highlights of all the major cities. For instance, Carnival Group's "Carnival Freedom" will sail you from Italian stops Civitavecchia (Rome's port) to Naples (to visit Pompeii and Capri), Venice, Sicily and Livorno (to see Florence, Pisa and Cinque Terre). Next you'll sail to Croatia (Dubrovnik), Spain (Barcelona) and France (Cannes). Princess Cruise's "Ruby Princess" will also take you on a comprehensive 12-day Grand Mediterranean trip with cities like Barcelona, Florence, Rome, Venice, Athens and Istanbul starting at $3,200/person. These Europe cruises (sometimes called "highlights" tours) will let you experience some of the most exciting ports so you can decide where to take more intimate vacations later. The downside with choosing this type of excursion is that sometimes you're surrounded by more tourists than you'd like and the experience may seem a little less magical on such a generic tour.

Other travelers opt for a shorter 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise, which will allow them time for land tours or a briefer stay if work won't allow more time off. The Royal Caribbean Mediterranean cruise line will set you off aboard "Voyager of the Seas" to Villefranche (France) and Livorno, Civitavecchia, Napes and Sicily (Italy). You'll also get a day at sea, where you can relax guilt-free, without feeling like you're missing something. Starting at just $709/person, you'll wonder why you didn't plan Europe cruises sooner.

Europe cruises may also traverse the Baltic Sea to show you another side of the continent that is less jam-packed full of tourists. Holland America will take you on a 14-night cruise starting in Amsterdam and weaving through Germany (Warnemunde/Berlin), Finland (Helsinki), Russia (St. Petersburg), Estonia (Tallinn), Sweden (Stockholm and Kalmar), Poland (Gdansk), Denmark (Copenhagen) and Norway (Oslo). Unlike Mediterranean cruise deals, you'll get a more intimate glimpse at the waterways that large cruise ships can't access, like the Kiel Canal, a pre-WWI water feature that's gotten rave reviews from previous cruisers.

More about europe cruises

Panama Canal Cruises

In the past, Panama Canal cruises were pretty standard, beginning in Florida and sweeping through the Caribbean and Central America, briefly stopping in Mexico. Today's offerings are much broader, lasting from a week to a month, with a number of exciting stops along the way.