Tripaddiction Travel Blog

Cruising tips for non-cruisers -- Part 3.

Our third tip for helping non-cruisers enjoy a cruise is simple: do your homework.

If you're not planning to take a lot of shore excursions, do as much research beforehand as you would if you were traveling independently.

Cruise lines make money selling shore excursions. So making it easy for independent travelers to go it alone ashore isn't a top priority. And the ship's staff aren't much help either. Ask an officer on the gangway in Piraeus where to catch the train for Athens and you'll likely be met with a blank stare.

Cruising tips for non-cruisers -- Part 2.

A couple of weeks ago, we posted the first in a series of tips designed to help independent travelers enjoy cruising. European cruises are such a good deal this year, even hardened non-cruisers might want to reconsider.

Our first tip was to get away from the hoards by renting a car. You can read that post at http://www.tripaddiction.com/blog/post.cfm/cruise-tips-for-people-who-dont-like-cruising.

Tip number two is to book a cruise that goes to less frequently visited ports. These off-the-beaten-path destinations are usually more intimate and easier for independent travelers to explore on their own.

Cruise tips for people who don't like cruising.

It’s estimated that 10.5 million Americans will cruise this year. But despite steady growth in the industry – and efforts to make cruising more appealing to a broader audience – many people are still turned off by the whole idea. Myself include, and I’ve been on seven.

But these days, if you’re jonesing to go to Europe, cruising will make your pitiful little dollars go a lot farther. So even if the thought of a buffet makes you shudder, you might want to reconsider. After all, there’s a lot to be said for waking up in Sicily on Monday, Malta on Tuesday, and Corfu on Thursday.