When I was growing up, cruising was a rich person's hobby. I used to joke that the goal was not travel but hedonism: See if you can eat five meals a day and still snorkel when you get into port. (Not that I've got a problem with hedonism â€" after all, I'm a Lutheran.)
I still believe that travelers in search of engaging, broadening experiences should eat, sleep and live Europe. It's less caloric, perhaps, but certainly much more fulfilling. A Mediterranean cruise does have its advantages, however.
Cruises provide a good introduction for travelers who prefer to tiptoe into Europe rather than dive in. They let you sample different destinations and then decide where you'd like to return someday. And they're efficient. You can see several dynamically different destinations in a single week without wasting valuable hours packing, hauling your bags to the station and sitting on a train.
Short of sleeping on a park bench, there is no more affordable way to see Europe than cruising. On the cheapest cruises, you and your partner can travel for less than $100 per night, and you get a comfy place to sleep, transportation between multiple destinations and all the chocolate-dipped strawberries you can eat.
Though cruising is affordable, extra expenses, such as alcohol, Internet access, spa treatments, casino games, and cheesy gangway photos can add up quickly. I've talked to passengers who have unwittingly racked up bills that exceeded the original cost of the trip. To avoid surprises, check your balance at the front desk every few days.
To keep your bill from bloating, buy as little as possible while onboard, because things usually are more expensive on your ship. To check email, visit an Internet cafe in port rather than onboard. For souvenirs, do your shopping in port (ideally away from the main tourist areas) rather than on the ship.
One of the biggest optional expenses on a cruise is a shore excursion. Though these can make sightseeing easy and efficient, saving you the time and hassle of figuring out how to get into town on your own, in many destinations they simply aren't worth the expense.
For instance, in cities such as Barcelona, Nice, Dubrovnik, Venice and Istanbul, the cruise ports are so close to town that you can easily reach the major sights on your own. In Barcelona, a cheap shuttle bus goes directly from the port to the bottom of the Ramblas, the lively pedestrian drag that runs through the heart of the Old City. In Venice, an express boat zips passengers straight from port to St. Mark's Square in 20 minutes, or you can walk through the magical, tourist-free back streets in about an hour.
Excursions aren't always a rip-off. Certain sights, such as the ancient Roman ruins of Ephesus in Turkey, involve a complicated journey by public transit. An excursion takes care of transportation and comes with a knowledgeable local guide who can bring the ruins to life.
Not all food is included in your cruise fare. Many ships have specialty restaurants, such as a steakhouse or sushi restaurant, which cost extra. Skip these restaurants in favor of the main dining room, where the food is typically good, and even better, included. If you're heading out for a long day in port, help yourself to a big breakfast and bag up the leftovers to keep you going until dinnertime. It may not be classy, but at least it's cheap.
Because alcohol, name-brand soft drinks and specialty coffee drinks all cost extra, beverage tabs can rise quickly. Instead of Diet Coke, develop a taste for iced tea or juice, which usually is included. (To satisfy a craving for pop, get it cheap at local grocery stores.) Some cruise lines ban passengers from bringing alcohol onboard, but others allow limited bottles of wine and beer. Before you set sail, find out your cruise line's policy on taking alcohol aboard; if it's more lenient, BYOB to save some bucks.
Take advantage of other onboard freebies. Rather than buy a book, check one out from the ship's library. Instead of watching a pay-per-view movie in your cabin, enjoy the free shows. Hang out by the pool, take an art class or join a trivia game. Read your daily program: There's something free going on virtually every minute of every day.
You don't have to avoid extras entirely. After all, you're on vacation. Go ahead and have a cocktail, or stick a $20 bill into a slot machine. As long as you're aware of these expenses and keep your spending under control, a cruise can still be one of the cheapest ways to experience Europe.
Rick Steves (ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.
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