Do you like flickering outside the window of countries and cities, but are not active enough to move on foot or by bicycle? You are not tempted by the shaking on the bus and the long trip by rail, but is the lazy beach holiday boring too? Then there is nothing better than to go on a sea cruise in Europe on a liner.
Do you think it's fun only for millionaires? You are mistaken! With early booking, you can go on a ten-day sea ​​voyage for 53 and a half thousand rubles. In this article, we will make a small 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. You will find out what features a cruise travel has and what to count on when going on a tour aboard such a ship.
Below are the most popular routes that do not go beyond Europe. After all, you can buy a ticket for a fragment of a grand voyage (transatlantic or around the world).
What you need to know about cruises in Europe
The choice of routes and liners is simply huge. But if we limit ourselves to short trips to European countries, it becomes clear that most cruises are repositional. This means that the same ship changes its route depending on the season.
So, in the summer, when the northern seas warm up and the likelihood of large storms is minimal, and heat reigns in the south, most liners rush to high latitudes. There they ride tourists on the fjords of Norway, the cities of Sweden, Denmark, go to the Baltic.
In the fall, liners, like migratory birds, migrate to the south of Europe. In order to somehow differ from their competitors, companies that organize cruises come up with interesting routes. They can be extended in time (from 10 to 25 days), or the ship makes stops at unusual ports.
Do not forget about the rivers of Europe. They are interconnected by a system of canals, so you can start the journey in Budapest on the Danube, and end it in Amsterdam, at the mouth of the Rhine. Such a river trip on a liner in Europe will be no less, and in many ways even more interesting than sea.
Comfort liners
Those who watched the movie “Titanic” might think that passengers in economy cabins were ordered entry to 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 applies. The 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, as well as land hotels by star rating. In fact, they are floating resort hotels, with a beach on the upper deck, numerous bars, restaurants and animation on board.
Do not be afraid of bouts of seasickness during a cruise in Europe. A new generation of liners has a balancing system against pitching.
For example, consider the amenities on a typical four-star ship. Modern cruise liners do not even look like skyscrapers, but small floating towns. Some even have tennis courts and treadmills. A gallery of shops has been created for shopaholics, and a casino for lovers of gambling.
Cruise ship cabins
River ships, as a rule, do not have cabins without windows. Even in the issue of “basic” (which corresponds to “economy”) there is a porthole, though it does not open.
But ocean-going vessels are very large. And many cabins in them are located not at the sides, but in the middle. They do not have windows. Such cabins are also divided into categories - in accordance with the services in the room. Most often they are located on different decks.
Cruises on liners across Europe practice the classification of cabins “basic”, “standard”, “premium” and “suite”. These latest rooms always have not only a window, but also a luxurious balcony. The remaining categories of cabins can be in the middle of the deck, with a window, with a balcony.
What is included in the cost of the cruise
At first, it might seem that 47 thousand rubles per week of sea vacations (and this is the lowest price) is too expensive a pleasure. But let's see what is included in the price of such a cruise on a liner in Europe.
In addition to living in a cabin of the selected comfort class, the passenger receives:
- food on the Ultra All Inclusive system with round-the-clock buffet service,
- cocktail party with captain
- all recreational activities
- free access to all public areas (pool, saunas, gyms, etc.),
- fitness instructor help,
- the services of educators in the mini-club.
Harbor dues and boat transportation to the shore (if the ship does not moor to the pier) are also included in the tour price.
On some ships, the package also covers ground excursions. In others, drinks during lunch and dinner are not included in the price.
Cruises from St. Petersburg on liners in Europe
A lot of tours begin and end in the great ports - Genoa, Kiel, Dover. Naturally, you will have to get to the place where the ship starts under its own power, and a flight will also have to be included in the budget. 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 called Northern Europe. The liner "Costa Magic 4 *" leaves from St. Petersburg in the evening of July 4. The next morning, the ship arrives in Tallinn, and a day later - in Stockholm. In the capital of Sweden, the liner costs two days. Then he goes to Helsinki and completes the circle in St. Petersburg.
The cost of such a weekly tour starts from 47152 rubles (a place in the basic cabin) to 125 370 rubles. (in the suite). There are longer cruises from St. Petersburg to 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, Flom).
Mediterranean Cruises
Even if you have been to Venice before, in a new perspective, from the side of a huge motor ship, the Pearl of the Adriatic will look very different. There are a lot of tours in the Mediterranean Sea, 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 begins and ends in Savona. Passengers of the Costa Smeralda 5 * ship 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 Fascinoza 4 * ship. It starts from Barcelona on September 29 and runs the route Savona, Naples, Catania and Valletta. The cruise ends in the capital of Catalonia.
Travel with compatriots
It is good when a person knows many languages. Then he feels at ease in any company. But if you are not strong in languages, and you still have knowledge of English at the school (and already thoroughly forgotten) level, then listen to the reviews on European cruises on the liner.
Travelers recommend finding a Russian group. And it is not necessary to sail with them on Lake Onega or from St. Petersburg to Helsinki. There are more interesting and long tours. For example, on board the Costa Fascinosa 4 *. The liner departs from Barcelona and makes a circular trip through the Mediterranean Sea, stopping in 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 is attractive about traveling with a group of compatriots? The fact that the animation, both adult and children's, is performed by Russian-speaking staff. There are also channels of the Russian Federation on television. The package may include ground excursions with a Russian-speaking guide.
Cruise around Europe on a liner
Fans of sea travel have the opportunity not to make a round trip, but to get from one country to another on board a comfortable ship. Such cruises, as a rule, take place in the spring in the north direction, and in the fall - in the south.
On November 26, the AIDAMar 4 * liner leaves from Rotterdam. During the twelve days of travel he will make stops in Dover (passengers have the opportunity to see 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 Warnemunde aboard the Costa Favolosa 4 *. The liner starts on May 21, 2019 and runs in 10 days Lisbon, Vigo, Le Havre, Harwich, Amsterdam and Aarhus. 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 on the sea. But there is another option.
You can come by air or land to Budapest, Amsterdam, Cologne or any other large river port to go on a cruise along the Danube, Rhine, Main and other wonderful rivers.