You need to know some key information before booking your European cruise.
While Caribbean cruises are quite the popular destination, Royal Caribbean cruises also offer great European destinations.
A Royal Caribbean cruise to Europe could include stops at England, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Corsica, Greece, or Croatia.
Whether you're looking forward to tasting French wine, touring classic Italian art museums, or winding down in the Aegean Sea, a European cruise offers unique and exciting sightseeing opportunities.
But before you book your cruise, you should know some details unique to cruising in Europe.
From learning local phrases to the best time to cruise, we'll go over the most important things to know before taking a European cruise.
1. The best time to cruise is during the shoulder season
The summer season is the peak of cruising Europe.
You'll find that a cruise to the region between May and September will be packed with fellow tourists.
Not only that, but the summer months can get extremely hot, forcing you to conduct tours and explorations in the scorching sun.
If you'd like to avoid hot weather and crammed crowds, you'll want to sail during the off-season.
The two shoulder seasons fall in the fall and spring: between April and May and between September and October.
Read more: The worst months to cruise to Europe
Booking a cruise during these months gets you a lower price and fewer crowds.
The weather also won't be as hot.
However, if you're sensitive to the cold, you should know that the nights can get chilly in the fall and winter. Pack lots of layers.
2. Shore excursions will feel long and tiring
An often-shared piece of advice for European cruises is to expect a lot of walking.
A good pair of walking shoes is essential!
Shore excursions can involve a lot of foot travel, whether you're walking the cobblestone streets of an ancient city, touring a museum, or exploring old architecture.
While on a European cruise, you'll quickly learn that the days feel long and tiring.
As well as preparing for your health, you'll want to plan by not cramming too many tours into one port day.
Since European cruises often visit one or more vibrant, historical cities on each port day, it's easy to want to try everything: visit this museum, see this landmark, or try this specific restaurant.
Pad your schedule with lots of downtime. Don't force yourself to rush around on a port day.
If possible, I'd even recommend not purchasing shore excursions or tours for every port.
If you have to, make sure they're not all in the early morning! Your body will need lots of time to rest.
Read more: 7 ways to have a great time in port without a cruise ship shore excursion
3. Fly in to your cruise port at least two days early
Especially if you're flying in from another continent, I recommend arriving at your cruise port as early as possible.
With international flights, extra transit, and the potential for delays along the way, arriving at least a day early will ensure you don't miss your cruise.
Arriving early also gives you more time to recover from intense jetlag.
The jetlag from switching time zones can be one of the most challenging parts of a European cruise: it makes you exhausted all day long, and if you don't recover quickly, it could limit your cruise experience.
Additionally, arriving in your port city early gives you extra time to explore. Whether it's Athens, London, or Barcelona, you'll get some more days on the ground to discover a new, exciting destination.
4. Research your destinations beforehand
Before you set sail on your cruise, it's important to do research beforehand.
Because so many of the countries in Europe are quite old and have so much history, there are so many things to explore.
Don't assume that your tour guides will (or have the time to) tell you everything.
Before your cruise, research each country you'll be visiting, as well as the specific destinations you're interested in.
For example, when I took a 7-night Mediterranean cruise that stopped at Naples, I checked out a library book about Italy and read up on Pompeii, since I'd be visiting the famous site on a shore excursion.
Investigating before your cruise gives you something to do on the plane, and provides helpful context.
You'll better understand the sights you visit, as well as local customs and cultures.
5. Learn the local language
Don't expect everyone in an European country to speak English.
It's a common language, and of course, the mother tongue in England. However, Europe is a diverse continent, and other countries speak everything from Spanish to Greek and Italian.
I also recommend reading up on a few phrases in the languages local to the countries you'll be visiting.
Even if you're not good at learning new languages, learning just a few words or phrases can go a long way.
Pull up a short YouTube video, and teach yourself "hello" and "thank you."
Also learning to ask if something speaks English is a great way to extend politeness, instead of assuming.
When I was visiting Rome, Italy, I saw a fellow American cruiser walk up to a local bathroom attendant.
Without any greeting, the American jumped into her question in English, leaving the attendant staring at her blankly.
The bathroom attendant refused to respond, and the American had to walk away with her question unanswered.
I find that politely using the local language shows respect for the culture, even if your pronunciation is bad.
Not only will your attempt endear you to shopkeepers and restaurant owners, but you can also take your cruise as an opportunity to learn more.
Who knows, you might leave your European cruise inspired to learn a new language.
