When you’re looking for a laid-back holiday, there’s nothing like a cruise. But, when you get only a week’s vacation, you may not want to spend all of it on a ship. So, how about planning a holiday that divides your time between the ship and the end ports… Let’s say you spend 2 nights exploring Barcelona, then catch a 3-night cruise to Sicily where you spend another 2 nights before heading back. Doesn’t that sound exciting?

Short cruises or sampler cruises as they are also known are a great way to get a taste of the cruise experience. Here’s what you can expect from these cruises and some of the most popular short cruise itineraries in Europe.

How ‘short’ are short cruises?
A short cruise usually gives you between 2 to 4 nights onboard the ship. You might find an overnight cruise but a single night isn’t enough to understand the allure of a cruise.

In most cases, these cruises will have itineraries that take you to a new place every day. You’ll probably be sailing through the night and exploring the port during the day. That said, cruises like the 3-night Western Mediterranean Cruise give you an entire day of sailing in the Mediterranean Sea.

Short vs longer cruises
While every cruise is a unique experience, there are a few perks to picking shorter cruises over the traditional 7-10-night cruises.

To begin with, shorter cruises have a lower price tag attached. This doesn’t mean you’re compromising on anything. You’ll still get to use all the amenities onboard, have gourmet dining experiences, go on exciting shore excursions, watch live performances in the ship’s theatre, and enjoy yourself. Because of this, many first-time cruisers feel like they’re getting more value for money on these short cruises.

The short itineraries also make it easier for you to fit a cruise into your vacation time. If you’re in Europe on a long holiday, you could even slide a spontaneous weekend cruise into your schedule without too much preparation.

Another reason why short cruises are popular with first-time cruisers is because they don’t involve a long commitment. It’s a good way to see what a cruise feels like and figure out how it compliments your holiday style. If you’re a seasoned cruiser, this could be a good metric to evaluate a cruise line or a ship you haven’t been on before.

Intrigued? Today, almost all the major cruise lines offer short cruise itineraries. Let’s look at a few options for short cruises in Europe.

Short cruises in the Mediterranean
You can take a short Mediterranean cruise from any of the major ports around this sea. The 3-night Iconic Aegean Summer cruise is a beautiful way to see the highlights of Greece. If it’s the French palaces and Italian vineries calling out to you, there’s a 3-night cruise by Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruises that will bring your dreams to life. MSC Cruises also runs a 4-night round-trip Mediterranean Cruise from Venice that gives you a day in Montenegro and Croatia. You can find more short cruise itineraries here.

Short cruises in Western Europe
There are several short, round-trip cruises from London that let you explore the western coast of Europe. At the top of the list are the Royal Caribbean’s 2-night Bruges Weekend Getaway Cruise, the 4-night Belgium And France Cruise by P&O Cruises, Disney’s 4-night Spain Cruise, and Celebrity’s 4-night Rotterdam and Bruges Cruise. You’ll find similar itineraries from ports on the Western European coast too. Check out this link for more short cruise itineraries like this.

Short cruises in Scandinavia
Further north, you’ll find a number of short cruises that take you to ports along the Scandinavian coast. A cruise in these waters is all about Viking history, breathtaking cliffs and fjords, and wildlife that you might not see anywhere else. The Hurtigruten 4-night West Fjords to the Arctic Capital Cruise is a beautiful way to sample the magic of Scandinavian cruises.

Planning and Booking a Short Cruise in Europe
If you’re thinking of taking a short cruise from India, you’ll probably need to fly to the embarkation port and fly back home. The beauty of a short cruise is that you can combine it with a traditional holiday on land to get the best of both experiences on one holiday. You can check out some of the benefits of this 2-in-1 style holiday here.

Of course, going on a cruise with a land holiday does require some planning. You’ll need to book flight tickets, get a visa, find hotel accommodation for your land holiday, and more. Don’t worry, you don’t need to do this alone. At CruiseBay, we’ll be with you every step of the way. From getting your visa application in order, to picking cabins and shore excursions for your cruise, we’ll help you plan a holiday that’s relaxing and stress-free. So, reach out, give us a call, and let’s start planning your dream holiday.