Cruising through Europe is the rage!

There is nothing hotter in the tour industry right now than cruises in the Mediterranean, Aegean, Adriatic and Baltic seas. Caribbean cruising has been hot for the past 25 years. But as popular as Caribbean cruising is, the astonishing phenomenon which was not fully foreseen even by the cruise industry itself is how "developing the cruise habit" has spun off a tremendous surge in World Cruising.

Visit four to eight of Europe's most intriguing cities or regions without ever having to change hotels.. For example, you can tour Rome, Naples, Sicily, Dubrovnik, and Venice in just 7 days having only unpacked and repacked ONCE! No hassles! No checking in and out repeatedly; no trips to rail stations or airports; no long bus rides or self-drives. And on a cruise there’s no rushing around trying to cover all you want to do and see in the time allotted. Nothing is left to chance! Cruise vacations present unequalled value. Everything is included—even your wine and cocktails on some lines. Everything is right there for you. Dining choices, evening entertainment, lively casinos and lounges to suit every mood and extraordinary service. And - there's one more reason to 'think cruises'... prepaying for your your vacation in US dollars is the perfect hedge against the weak dollar! (Read our blog post on this topic.)

To illustrate the growth in popularity consider this data from the Italian Trade Commission: Crise ship calls at the Port of Genoa is up 67% from last season; Livorno (Florence) is up 38%; Venice is up 15%; Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, Messina, and Savona are up around 10% each. Virtually every major cruise line has moved more ships to Europe for this season. While Costa and Windstar moved their entire fleets there for 2008, virtually every major line has increased their European presence!

The 2008 season has broken records and 2009 is expected to surpass that! Back in mid-March, we started looking for our annual Autumn Mediterranean Cruise. Even WE were astonished to find that we actually had to settle for our 5th choice because the first four that we liked were already sold out! Throughout these web pages you'll see some nice bargains for 2009 bookings! Most cruise lines including Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland America, Carnival, Silversea, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas are offering "early booking" incentives. For example, Celebrity Line is offering Vacation.com agencies 10 and 11 day sailings for as little as $2,200 per person for Oceanview staterooms!

Put yourself in this picture: After a gorgeous day of walking and shopping in Venice, you are greeted back at your ship with a cold oshibori towel and an ice cold bottle of spring water. After a relaxing cocktail hour, an elegant dinner, a lavish nightclub show and, perhaps, a bit of gaming in the casino you retire for the night. In the morning you awake in Dubrovnik, Croatia - one of the world's most dramatically beautiful cities - relaxed and ready for another memorable day.

Gateway Express will guide you to the right line, the right ship and the right itinerary!
The nuances of European Cruising are much more complex than those of a Caribbean Cruise. Which cruise line best caters to your lifestyle? What ships in that line's fleet are newer or more recently renovated? What sequence and combination of port visits will best enhance your experience? We've Been There! For advice in getting started and for some current specials, e-mail Ellie or Dick - or phone them at 952/831-3525.