Cruising Your Way Around Europe

A great way to see parts of Europe without a lot of the usual hassle is to book a cruise. In mid-May, we flew to Barcelona from Phoenix via British Airways direct flight to London with a short second flight to Spain. From there, we boarded a Royal Caribbean ship, the Splendor of the Seas, for the beginning of a seven day exploration. Our trip would begin in Southern France stopping at Villefranche-sur-Mer and Nice, then Livorno, Citavecchia, and Naples in Italy.

The large ship was our floating hotel, which not only took us to our destinations, but provided our meals, entertainment and offered a plethora of excursion choices. For instance, the first port allowed us to tour Marseille and gave us the historic and scenic overview in the luxury of a first-class motor-coach. It would then stop for lunch and give us shopping time. The same was true for all other ports of call. As we slept, the ship would move on to the next adventure. There was no need to pack and unpack and book another hotel. We would wake up in the next town refreshed and ready for the newest experience. We explored Marseille with its amazing beaches and then saw Cannes, just at the time of the Grand Prix, which traverses the entire city. Grandstands were everywhere. The harbor is magnificent and loaded with expensive yachts.

Then it was on to Italy. We bypassed Pisa and headed for Florence, an hour inland. I am an artist and greatly enjoyed the rich architectural wonders and artistry that defines this unique Renaissance city. Michelangelo's sculpture from David to Moses are a must see. We used a full day to exhaust the cobblestone streets and ate pizza in an outdoor café with a view of the main square. Awesome! The next day it was on to Rome, also an hour inland. The tour included the Coliseum, the highlight of any Roman visit. To see it in person is breathtaking.

Our final tour showed us Sorrento in the morning and Pompeii in the afternoon. The first was exhilarating as you drive high along the soaring cliffs with the sea below. The latter is fascinating to view the 2000 year-old ruins that are sill under excavation with acres left to uncover. Seeing a bakery with actual loaves of bread in the oven is almost as chilling as seeing the preserved bodies. Mount Vesuvius still looms large in the background.

The final day at sea brought us back to Barcelona where he stayed an extra day to view the beautiful city. It was a bit disconcerting eating dinner at nine at night, but that's Spain. In summation, we saw a good chunk of Europe in style and safety while letting the cruise line help us pick the best tours. On our own, I doubt if we could have seen all the sights we saw in a week. Check the Internet for available places to explore. From England to Norway to Russia and beyond, ships sail to almost every part of Europe. Bon voyage!