Do you like flashing countries and cities outside the window, but are not active enough to move around on foot or by bike? You are not attracted by the jolting on the bus and the long train ride, but are you also bored with a lazy beach holiday? Then there is nothing better than to go on a sea cruise in Europe on a liner.
Do you think only millionaires can afford this pleasure? Wrong! With early booking, you can go on a ten-day sea voyage for 53,500 rubles. In this article, we will make a short overview of cruises to European countries from Russia, as well as from other ports of the world.
We will also talk about what modern sea liners are like. You will learn what are the features of a cruise trip, and what to expect when going on tour on board such a ship.
Below are the most popular routes within Europe. After all, you can buy a ticket for a fragment of the grand voyage(transatlantic or circumnavigation).
What you need to know about cruising Europe
The choice of routes and liners is simply huge. But if we confine ourselves to small trips around European countries, it becomes clear that most of the cruises are repositioning ones. This means that the same ship changes its route depending on the season.
So, in summer, when the northern seas warm up and the probability of big storms is minimal, and the heat reigns in the south, most liners rush to high latitudes. There they ride tourists through the fjords of Norway, the cities of Sweden, Denmark, enter the B altic.
In autumn, liners, like migratory birds, migrate to the south of Europe. In order to somehow differ from their competitors, cruise companies come up with interesting routes. They can be extended in time (from 10 to 25 days), or the ship makes stops in unusual ports.
Don't forget about the rivers of Europe. They are interconnected by a system of canals, so that you can start your journey in Budapest on the Danube and end it in Amsterdam, at the mouth of the Rhine. Such a river trip on a liner across Europe will be no less, and in many ways even more interesting, than a sea trip.
Comfort of liners
Those who watched the movie "Titanic" might think that passengers in economy cabins are ordered to enter the decks of VIP guests. However, the classification of cruise participants by class has now been canceled. All passengers are equal.
Only the difference in cabin category is valid. ATthe rest - restaurants, swimming pools, saunas, animation, gyms and other infrastructure - are available to all passengers without exception.
Sea and river liners are classified by comfort, just like land-based hotels by star rating. In fact, they are floating resorts, with a beach on the upper deck, numerous bars, restaurants and animation on board.
Don't worry about seasickness while cruising in Europe. The new generation liners have a balancing system against pitching.
For example, consider the amenities on a typical four-star ship. Modern cruise ships do not even look like skyscrapers, but like small floating towns. Some even have tennis courts and treadmills. A gallery of shops has been created for shopaholics, and a casino for gamblers.
Cabins on cruise ships
River ships generally don't have windowless cabins. Even in the "basic" room (which corresponds to "economy") there is a porthole, though not opening.
But ocean-going ships are very big. And many cabins in them are located not at the sides, but in the middle. They don't have windows. These cabins are also divided into categories - according to the services in the room. Most often they are located on different decks.
Cruises on liners around Europe practice the classification of cabins "basic", "standard", "premium" and "suite". These last rooms always have not only a window, but also a luxurious balcony. Other categories of cabins can be in the middle of the deck, with a window,with balcony.
What's included in the price of the cruise
At first it may seem that 47 thousand rubles for a week of sea vacation (and this is the lowest price) is too expensive. But let's see what is included in the cost of such a cruise on a liner in Europe.
In addition to staying in a cabin of the selected comfort class, the passenger receives:
- Ultra All Inclusive with 24/7 buffet service,
- cocktail party with the captain,
- all recreational activities,
- free access to all public places (pool, saunas, gyms, etc.),
- fitness instructor help,
- caretaker services in the mini club.
Port fees and transportation to shore by boat (in case the ship does not dock at the pier) are also included in the tour price.
On some ships, the package also covers land excursions. In others, drinks during lunch and dinner are not included.
Cruises from St. Petersburg on liners in Europe
A lot of tours start and end in the great ports - Genoa, Kiel, Dover. Naturally, you will have to get to the place of the launch of the ship on your own, and the flight will also have to be included in the travel estimate. But you can go on a sea or river cruise directly from Russia, in particular from St. Petersburg.
Let's look at the shortest, seven-day route thatcalled "Northern Europe". The liner "Costa Magica 4 " departs from St. Petersburg on the evening of July 4th. The next morning the ship arrives in Tallinn, and the next day in Stockholm. In the capital of Sweden, the liner stays for two days. Then he heads to Helsinki and completes the circle in St. Petersburg.
The cost of such a week-long tour starts from 47,152 rubles (a place in the basic cabin) to 125,370 rubles. (in a suite). There are also longer cruises from St. Petersburg in Northern Europe - for 11 and 15 days. Such tours cover: Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, the fjords of Norway and Oslo, the ports of Germany and Denmark (Kiel, Geiranger, Bergen, Flåm).
Mediterranean Cruises
Even if you have been to Venice before, from a new perspective, from the board of the huge ship "Pearl of the Adriatic" it will look completely different. There are a lot of tours in the Mediterranean, and their routes are so tempting that you want to go in all directions at once.
The shortest liner cruise in Europe lasts 5 days. It starts and ends in Savona. Passengers of the ship "Costa Smeralda 5 " will see Marseille, Barcelona and Civitavecchia. The cost of the cruise starts from 700 euros (52 thousand rubles). The tour is scheduled for November this year.
A cheaper cruise (679 euros or 50 thousand rubles)), but also a longer one - 7 days - can be ordered on the Costa Fascinosa 4ship. It starts from Barcelona on September 29 and runs along the route of Savona, Naples, Catania and Valletta. The cruise ends in the capital of Catalonia.
Travel withcompatriots
It's good when a person knows many languages. Then he feels at ease in any company. But if you are not strong in languages, and your knowledge of English is still at the school (and already thoroughly forgotten) level, then listen to the reviews about cruises in Europe on the liner.
Travelers recommend finding a Russian group. And it is not necessary to swim with them on Lake Onega or from St. Petersburg to Helsinki. There are more interesting and longer tours. For example, on board the Costa Fascinosa 4. The liner departs from Barcelona and circles the Mediterranean, stopping at Savona, Naples, Palermo, Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca.
The cost of such a tour is from 580 euros (43 thousand rubles) per person. Costa Magica offers a cheaper 7 day cruise from Marseille. There, a place in the inner cabin costs from 27 thousand rubles.
What makes traveling with a group of compatriots attractive? The fact that animation, both for adults and for children, is performed by Russian-speaking staff. There are also Russian channels on television. The package may include land excursions with a Russian-speaking guide.
Cruise around Europe on a liner
Sea travel lovers have the opportunity to make not a circular tour, but to get from one country to another on board a comfortable ship. Such cruises are usually made in the spring in the north direction, and in the fall - in the south.
On November 26, the AIDAmar 4 liner leaves Rotterdam. For twelve days of travel, he will make stops at Dover (passengers have the opportunitysee London), Le Havre (Paris), Ferrol, Lisbon, Cadiz and Palma de Mallorca. The cost of such a trip is from 56,135 rubles.
Early booking allows you to buy a wonderful tour from Barcelona to Warnemünde aboard the Costa Favolosa 4. The liner starts on May 21, 2019 and passes Lisbon, Vigo, Le Havre, Harwich, Amsterdam and Aarhus in 10 days. The price of such a cruise is from 51 thousand rubles.
River cruises
Thanks to the system of gateways and canals, you can travel across Europe from Moscow. The liner will take you to St. Petersburg, from where you will continue the cruise by sea. But there is another option.
You can travel by air or land to Budapest, Amsterdam, Cologne or any other great river port to cruise on the Danube, Rhine, Main and other wonderful rivers.
