Need help picking a European cruise

[nikel]

I would take the Eurostar TGV from Paris (Gare du Nord). It's a fun trip to London, just a little over two hours. Then you can transfer to a train for Southampton.

 

 

Would the trains to Southampton leave from the same place that the Eurostar ends up in London? I know this may sound strange, but have only travelled by plane from point A to point B...trains are a new concept for me.

[Twickenham]

Would the trains to Southampton leave from the same place that the Eurostar ends up in London? I know this may sound strange, but have only travelled by plane from point A to point B...trains are a new concept for me.

 

Unfortunately, no, you would have to transfer from St. Pancras station to Waterloo. Doable by underground, but easier by taxi, especially with luggage.

Trains in Europe are really very efficient. Yes, you have to be able to handle your own luggage, but the trade-off is a travel experience that is much more comfortable than planes - just hop on and go!

[CathyCruises]

Unfortunately, no, you would have to transfer from St. Pancras station to Waterloo. Doable by underground, but easier by taxi, especially with luggage.

 

Trains in Europe are really very efficient. Yes, you have to be able to handle your own luggage, but the trade-off is a travel experience that is much more comfortable than planes - just hop on and go!

 

What he said, and you can get a whirlwind tour of London traveling from St. Pancras to Waterloo by lovely taxi, and even cross the Thames! Or, spend a few days pre-cruise in London--it's a fantastic city!

[UKBayern]

I looked on the website of a well known American cruise vacation website which cannot be named here, and did a custom search "stops in Barcelona, Venice and Rome". There are actually many cruises that start and end there.

 

The Norwegian Spirit is the only ship that ONLY does 12 night cruises from Barcelona to Venice and vice versa all 2014, stopping in Rome and a bunch of other interesting places on the way. You would have to do a custom search like I did for the other 50 or so cruises in 2014 from Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Oceania, Celebrity. It really depends on your budget, preferred cruiseline, date of travel, port stops on the way, which one is right for you.

 

Since flying into one port and flying out of another will require an open jaw anyway, and this will mean normally a transfer through a hub anyway, why not make that hub Paris and arrange for a stop-over there.

 

Sorry, there is no way you can squeeze St. Petersburg in all of this as well. You would need a 40 or 50 night world cruise or multiple back-to-backs to get all the way from St. Petersburg to Venice. DIY to St. Petersburg on a side trip is very difficult due to visa issues.

[buggins0402]

I looked on the website of a well known American cruise vacation website which cannot be named here, and did a custom search "stops in Barcelona, Venice and Rome". There are actually many cruises that start and end there.

 

The Norwegian Spirit is the only ship that ONLY does 12 night cruises from Barcelona to Venice and vice versa all 2014, stopping in Rome and a bunch of other interesting places on the way. You would have to do a custom search like I did for the other 50 or so cruises in 2014 from Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Oceania, Celebrity. It really depends on your budget, preferred cruiseline, date of travel, port stops on the way, which one is right for you.

 

Since flying into one port and flying out of another will require an open jaw anyway, and this will mean normally a transfer through a hub anyway, why not make that hub Paris and arrange for a stop-over there.

 

Sorry, there is no way you can squeeze St. Petersburg in all of this as well. You would need a 40 or 50 night world cruise or multiple back-to-backs to get all the way from St. Petersburg to Venice. DIY to St. Petersburg on a side trip is very difficult due to visa issues.

 

And, using a similar search engine limiting to the cruise company the OP asked about (Celebrity) - it appears Equinox is the only ship that does all three (Rome, Venice and Barcelona), and has a few 12 days Venice to Barcelona (or vice versa). That May 20 itinerary is really cool - with 2 days in Istanbul in the middle.