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For the term "label/Europe".

Cruise Tips

I Discover The Best & Worst Of A Nile River Cruise

…iver cruises too, but a difference here created another problem. Unlike in Europe, there is no shore side power to plug into. In Europe, the river cruise ships mostly switch their engines off and use electricity when docked. In Egypt the noisy and fume generating petrol engines run 24 hours a day, seven days a week whether they are sailing or not. And because they dock in rows close in front, I discovered that a cabin like mine close to the front…

Cruise Tips

Questions I Should Have Asked BEFORE Cruising the Nile!

…en to go on AmaWaterways because I knew and loved it from my experience in Europe, and though that familiarity would be reassuring. However, what I didn’t ask is if they really were running the show. I discovered it was not. By law they must be Egyptian owned, operated, and only use Egyptian crew. AmaWaterways, like other well-known cruise lines are just partnerships with Egyptian companies. My cruise was much more a Wings cruise, which is their p…

The Highs And Lows Of Cruising French Polynesia

Cruise Tips

The Highs And Lows Of Cruising French Polynesia

…ghts long. While it’s 26 hours travelling and 12-hour time difference from Europe, it’s still at least 15 hours from East Coast USA with 7-hour difference and 8- to 9-hour flight from West Coast and 3-hour time difference. So, a downside I found is that I really needed to build in time before and afterwards to make sure that I was in the zone. So I could appreciate it, see as much as possible and be ready for the busy schedule once on the cruise….

Cruise Tips

2024 Cruise Watch Outs! Changes That You Need to Know And Worry About

…ere. However, I have seen cruise line leaders asking travel agents to push Europe, both the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. North American tourists seem to be steering clear of booking 2024 here due to the ongoing and uncertain situation between Russia and Ukraine, and in the Middle East. There will be more deals. Second, the biggest opportunity in 2024 for deals will be when final balance payment is due, so if you want to cruise at shorter not…

Cruise Tips

“Naughty” Tips ONLY Cruisers Over 18 Should Know About

…18-year-old niece reminds me, while she is happy to go cruising with us in Europe, she does not want to go cruising with us in the Caribbean, or anywhere in and out of the USA until she is 21, as she wants to be able to drink on board. Lines sailing in and out of the USA have the drinking age set as from 21, as it is on land. But when in Europe, and most of Asia, the drinking age is 18 and the lines usually follow that. So, if you’re taking friend…

Most Asked Questions About River Cruises

Cruise Tips

Most Asked Questions About River Cruises

…ristmas market river cruise is great. Obviously, it’s chilly and cold, but Europe really does have amazing Christmas markets. It’s a way of intensively seeing quite a few of the Christmas markets in one trip. I haven’t done a themed Christmas market cruise, but I’ve been on a river cruise in November. During which some of the Vienna River cruise markets had opened. It was great getting off the ship and seeing different things. If you really want t…

Cruise Tips

7 Reasons Smart Cruisers Stay On Board During Port Days

…o. And especially if I have been to them before. These ports are common in Europe and Asia. For example, ports like Le Havre are up to two hours from Paris, Livorno 1.5 hours to Florence, Civitavecchia about that to Rome, La Spezia about the same to get to Cinque Terre, and so on. My top tip is if your itinerary has the name of a famous city like say Florence, but in brackets after it has another name like in this case Livorno or say Venice with e…

Cruise Tips

Which Cruise Line Is The VERY BEST By Region And Why?

…t to them but first let me cover what is the third biggest region. Rest Of Europe That is, based on passenger numbers, the non-Mediterranean parts of Europe, with over 3 million passengers according to CLIA. There are two key routes I want to talk about, UK/Ireland, and the Norwegian fjords. As with the other regions, you should consider the lines with on-board experience you want. But, I do have some specific recommendations. UK & Ireland For the…

Cruise Tips

What Cruise Lines Are Non-USA Owned? You’ll Be Surprised. Guaranteed!

…ified, time to dive into the lines owned and operated 100% out of the USA. European Owned Lines There are four privately owned cruise groups in Europe. MSC Group The largest and most significant are the two lines owned by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, a family-owned company. MSC Cruises is their main cruise line, which is the third largest cruise line in the world based on passengers carried, after Carnival and Royal Caribbean, and bigger th…

Cruise Tips

Seniors Cruise Tips: Too Many Cruisers Over 55 Fall For These 8 Cruising Traps

…always have these in my plans. The most popular are Transatlantics between Europe and Caribbean, and Transpacifics between Alaska and Japan. But you can also find them moving between the Mediterranean and Asia, and from Australia to Alaska via the South Pacific and Hawaii. They’re usually fantastic value, and because they include plenty of sea days (around 5 or 6), they’re more relaxing than port-intensive itineraries. That leads me to another iti…

Cruise Tips

Repositioning Cruises Explained: Bargains, Hidden Traps, and Must-Know Tips

…spring and autumn. Spring (March–April): Ships move from the Caribbean to Europe or Alaska. Autumn (October–November): Ships move back to the Caribbean for the winter season. Instead of sailing empty, cruise lines sell these trips at discounted fares, making them a hidden gem for experienced cruisers. The most common repositionings are: Transatlantic (Europe ↔ Caribbean) Panama Canal / Pacific Coast (Alaska ↔ Caribbean or Mexico) Transpacific (Al…