arlene17

Can't decide if we should take a cruise or spend our money traveling through Spain, France and Italy. There will be two couples, all in our 60's. Time (2 wks) and funds limited so we can't do both. Suggestions?

Michael

2 weeks a very little if you intend to travel through Spain, France and Italy. If by land I would stick to two countries at the most, and even then you would have to decide what you want to see in each country. Guidebooks might be useful in this respect.

nytraveler

I fyou cruise you spend most of your time on the boat - not in europe. So - you need to decide which you want. If you love cruising and relaxing and seeing just a couple of sight - then do it. If you really want to see parts of europe in depth - then land is the only option.'

In two weeks you can do 3 major cities quickly - or parts of 2 counties. If you are thinking of a bus tour do understand what the language means before you start out. And look carefully to see where the hotels are - many are at the end of hell and gone. In tour language a view is seeing something out of the window while you drive by, a stop is a 5 minute photo op in front and a visit means you actually go inside. Although it may be for only an hour when you wuold rather spend 2 or 3.

Figure out which sights are YOUR must sees - then check to see if any tour you're looking at matches them.

StCirq

I wouldn't do a cruise because you're really not in Europe much at all. You're on a boat, which could be anywhere.

I wouldn't do two weeks in three countries either, because that's really impossible unless you flit around and just catch the major tourist sites and it's all a blur.

I'd figure out what country really appeals to you and plan a trip that allows you to relax and do some investigative, insightful traveling.

mnapoli

I also vote for a land tour. On a cruise you will spend a lot of time getting on and off the boat, and your time in each place is greatly restricted. And you hardly ever get to have a nice, leisurely dinner anywhere. I agree with others - pick a few places and enjoy them to the fullest!

latedaytraveler

Hi Arlene,


Two questions – have you cruised before and have you gone to Europe before? If you have cruised, you know how limited your time would be on individual stops. Many of the cities/destinations on the Mediterranean are far from shore and require quite a bit of time to access. Examples – Rome and Florence which are inland. Also these excursions are costly, but you would not want to miss them. If you and your companions really love cruising, it may be the way to go. I have only seen the Med from shore, but I am sure that you would also enjoy many scenic vistas from the ship.


For those going to Europe for the first time, Italy is a sure bet. You will get a great many suggestions on this board on how to proceed independently. If you want to do an additional country, I would suggest the French Riviera (Nice and environs) which is not far from northern Italy.


The Med is beautiful, enjoy….

Sassafrass

I have done both (and enjoy a cruise), but if you actually want to see and experience much of Italy, Spain or France, don't take a cruise. With two weeks, I would stick with one country and try to see cities, small towns and country side so you get a real flavor of the country. I have a personal bias, but any of those three countries would be fantastic.

greg

The way you stated, it can be interpreted as spending money is needed only if you travel through three countries on land, but I am assuming you have to spend money either way.

I suspect that the decision difficulty comes from lack of clarity on what you want to get out of the trip. Only you can decide what the take away you want from your trip. Asking others, you will get responses comparing different aspects that matter to the posters which may not be relevant to you.

I would first recommend you and the other couple answer the basic question: just after the trip, what would you feel you were glad you did? And imagine yourself several years afterwards, say 5 yrs after the trip and ask yourself, what was meaning from the trip? The answer to this question would help you decide what you need to do for the trip.

Here are some general possibilities. I don't make judgments. What is meaningful to you is what you need to think about.

If you want an European experience at some sort at minimum total cost, the cruise may be more favorable. Others have posted the characteristics of "experiences."

If avoid making trip arrangements appeals to you, the cruise may be favorable.

If you want to optimize European experience per dollar spent as opposed to number days per dollar, then doing the land trip would be more favorable. Look at the cruise itinerary. Look at amount of time you are given on land. Is it how you want spend your time and funds?

If you only want to brag others that you went to Europe, cruising is probably cheaper. I have actually seen an ad for travel packages at an older adult oriented site claiming ability to brag cheaply as the selling point.

Even if you decide to do land tours, choosing between them would be difficult without clear objectives. Define what you want to get out, identify your constraints: time, funds, mobility,hassles,etc and list several options side by side and list pros and cons of each options. Trying to choose between options in your head would lead to further confusions.

Sassafrass

Just MHO, but I do not believe you actually get any kind of European experience on a cruise. You get some sight seeing - Yes, but all the other experiences on the trip are cruise experiences. No small European hotels in towns or villages where you meet and talk with people. No long evenings sitting outside at a cafe or plaza where you see children playing and old folks meeting at the end of the day,and where you may be asked to join locals in celebrating something. No searching out some little restaurant that becomes a favorite memory, etc. No just walking and getting lost and trying to communicate in another language. No changing your mind at the last minute and deciding to stay longer in one place. No riding trains usually.

On the cruise, you will meet other people at dinner and chat, perhaps hang out together. You will perhaps take some tours with other people from your ship and become friends. We have. That is lots of fun, but again, IMHO there is nothing of the European experience in that.

We did a 12 day Greek Island cruise that included Ephesus. We saw some amazing archeological sites, and that was the main purpose of the trip. Though we had lunch in a few places, did some walking and took a few tours, I felt I had not experienced any sense of or feeling for Greece. My DH loves cruises, but that is really a compromise for us. I get to see things. We go a few days early or stay a few days after the cruise so we can have some local experiences.

arlene17

Thanks - your comments have all be very helpful. We love cruising, but living in Florida we have done many cruises. Three of the four of us have traveled in Europe (one was stationed in Germany for several years). We have decided to do Ger., Italy and N. Spain (where I have family) and extend our trip to three weeks.

latedaytraveler

Arlene, glad you decided. Enjoy...