El Cheapo Cruises Thread

[Swissmiss6253]

European trains, particularly Swiss trains, are amazing. I was lucky enough to have part of this route http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/voralpen-express.html as my daily commute for a while!

 

We have driven the Rhone/Rhine route and I think a river cruise would be amazing. Hard to gawk when driving. The train along there is a good second best though.

[MicCanberra]

European trains, particularly Swiss trains, are amazing. I was lucky enough to have part of this route http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/voralpen-express.html as my daily commute for a while!

 

We have driven the Rhone/Rhine route and I think a river cruise would be amazing. Hard to gawk when driving. The train along there is a good second best though.

 

It would be wonderful.:D

[OzKiwiJJ]

We have done something similar. We cruised the Rhine to Basel in Switzerland, then trained it to Italy....it was spectacular.

 

We started off flying into London, overnight train to Paris then Venice, then a train to Florence, with a day trip by train to Pisa. We picked up a rental car for a week from Florence as we were staying in a villa near Arezzo with friends. From Arezzo we went to Naples by train, back to Rome, then to Zurich via Milan. From Zurich we joined a Rhine Cruise (the cruise actually departed from Basel but the meeting point was at a hotel near Zurich airport) and had a lovely week cruising to Amsterdam. From Amsterdam we caught a train to Brussels, with day trips by train to Antwerp and Bruges/Ostend. Finally we caught the train to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and flew home.

 

Travel in Europe is so easy by train. We did learn, on a previous Europe trip, not to take large suitcases as they can be difficult to store safely. A medium suitcase with an overnight bag that fitted on top works much better on trains.

[Swissmiss6253]

OzKiwiJJ that sounds like a perfectly planned trip.

[MicCanberra]

We started off flying into London, overnight train to Paris then Venice, then a train to Florence, with a day trip by train to Pisa. We picked up a rental car for a week from Florence as we were staying in a villa near Arezzo with friends. From Arezzo we went to Naples by train, back to Rome, then to Zurich via Milan. From Zurich we joined a Rhine Cruise (the cruise actually departed from Basel but the meeting point was at a hotel near Zurich airport) and had a lovely week cruising to Amsterdam. From Amsterdam we caught a train to Brussels, with day trips by train to Antwerp and Bruges/Ostend. Finally we caught the train to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and flew home.

 

Travel in Europe is so easy by train. We did learn, on a previous Europe trip, not to take large suitcases as they can be difficult to store safely. A medium suitcase with an overnight bag that fitted on top works much better on trains.

 

Great trip, I think I would like to do something like that one day.:D

[Esilef]

When William was 2 we did a very long trip of Europe via rail staying in apartments. We went Munich -Paris-Lucerne-south of France-Rome a week at each.

 

We have a lake front apartment booked in Lucerne where we stayed last time. The apartment is right on the lake front. We have this for Christmas for 8 nights 2016.

 

Old plan was to fly into Zurich-Lucerne-Zermatt-st Moritz- Innsbruck- Salzburg-Vienna.

 

Now Dad wants to add in a river cruise or cruise ship into this. Wondering If we could cruise into a major European port and then get to Lucerne? We are also doing the markets for Christmas.

[Esilef]

It appears your dad is now hooked on cruising.

 

 

Dad has advised that he reserves the right to withhold his opinion on cruising until after he has done a European river cruise...

 

One must make an educated and informed judgement.......

[OzKiwiJJ]

OzKiwiJJ that sounds like a perfectly planned trip.

 

It was a great trip, took just on six weeks. We left home in late August 2008 and arrived back early October. The Rhine cruise was in late September and it was getting a bit cool then, especially through the Rhine Gorge.

 

The planning for that trip was fairly easy compared with our more recent seven week Ireland and UK trip which involved lots of one and two night stops, trains, a ferry, and rental cars.

Edited February 28, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[Swissmiss6253]

Your Ireland trip is appropriate considering how green I am with jealousy!

[OzKiwiJJ]

Dad has advised that he reserves the right to withhold his opinion on cruising until after he has done a European river cruise...

 

One must make an educated and informed judgement.......

 

River cruising is quite different to ocean cruising. Smaller boats, much less people, fairly intensive sightseeing excursions, limited dining - possibly only one restaurant and set times for meals. Very enjoyable and interesting but not as relaxing as an ocean cruise.

[Swissmiss6253]

Esilef, can I recommend the Einsedeln Christmas markets? They aren't as big as many of the others but they are in a spectacular setting with the Abbey behind them.

http://www.visit-einsiedeln.ch/info/en/christmas-market.html

[OzKiwiJJ]

Your Ireland trip is appropriate considering how green I am with jealousy!

 

We only had 8 days in Ireland, just enough to spend a few days in Dublin, including Bloomsday for DH who is an avid James Joyce fan, a day trip to Northern Ireland, and a short car tour around the south of Ireland. Not nearly enough time. I'd love to go back there.

[The_Big_M]

European trains, particularly Swiss trains, are amazing. I was lucky enough to have part of this route http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-au/voralpen-express.html as my daily commute for a while!

 

We have driven the Rhone/Rhine route and I think a river cruise would be amazing. Hard to gawk when driving. The train along there is a good second best though.

 

Love it.

 

Sailing along the European rivers is so relaxing. I remember looking out at trains and traffic travelling past and marvelled at how peaceful it is.

 

Ocean cruising is more frenetic as there's more onboard to do, so you wind up doing that instead of just watching the scenery.

[Esilef]

Esilef, can I recommend the Einsedeln Christmas markets? They aren't as big as many of the others but they are in a spectacular setting with the Abbey behind them.

 

http://www.visit-einsiedeln.ch/info/en/christmas-market.html

 

 

Sounds amazing! Thank you

[icat2000]

This seems like a reasonable price for a NYE cruise.

 

Ship Name: Legend Of The Seas

Cruise Code: LG30DEC16

Departure Date: Friday, 30 December 2016

Cruise Name: South Pacific

Nights: 7

Departing: Brisbane - Australia

 

From $1175 pp inside, $1334 oceanview

 

Short cruise less than $100 per person per day

 

Ship Name: Pacific Jewel

Cruise Code: J647N

Departure Date: Tuesday, 29 November 2016

Cruise Name: Sydney to Melbourne

Nights: 4

Departing: Sydney

 

From $342 pp inside $401 pp oceanview

[icat2000]

This is still floating around cheap

 

Explorer Of The Seas Sydney to Seattle Cruise in April 2016

Explorer Of The Seas Cruise - Ozcruising

Ship Name: Explorer Of The Seas

Cruise Code: EX23APR16

Departure Date: Saturday, 23 April 2016

Cruise Name: Sydney to Seattle

Nights: 24

Departing: Sydney - Australia

 

From $1334 pp inside, $1529 oceanview pp

[icat2000]

Ship Name: Pacific Eden

Cruise Code: PAE642

Departure Date: Saturday, 27 August 2016

Cruise Name: Singapore to Cairns

Nights: 14

Departing: Singapore

 

From $1224 pp inside or $1665 ocean view pp

 

Ship Name: Legend Of The Seas

Cruise Code: LG20APR16

Departure Date: Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Cruise Name: Brisbane to Hong Kong

Nights: 18

Departing: Brisbane - Australia

 

From $1146 pp inside

 

 

Ship Name: Voyager Of The Seas

Cruise Code: VY16APR16

Departure Date: Saturday, 16 April 2016

Cruise Name: Sydney to Singapore

Nights: 14

Departing: Sydney - Australia

 

$1171 pp inside or splash out Junior Suite $2455 pp

 

 

Ship Name: Pacific Eden

Cruise Code: PAE637

Departure Date: Monday, 18 July 2016

Cruise Name: Fremantle to Singapore

Nights: 12

Departing: Fremantle (Perth)

 

From $1077 pp inside, $1195 oceanview pp $1861 pp balcony

 

Ship Name: Pacific Dawn

Cruise Code: W709N

Departure Date: Thursday, 2 March 2017

Cruise Name: Singapore to Brisbane

Nights: 14

Departing: Singapore

 

From $1126 pp inside or $1322 pp oceanview, balcony $1665 pp

[MicCanberra]

Dad has advised that he reserves the right to withhold his opinion on cruising until after he has done a European river cruise...

 

One must make an educated and informed judgement.......

 

Fair enough, I would run with that and then hold it against him for the next cruise as he cannot pass judgement until he has done it.;)

[MicCanberra]

Ship Name: Pacific Eden

Cruise Code: PAE642

Departure Date: Saturday, 27 August 2016

Cruise Name: Singapore to Cairns

Nights: 14

Departing: Singapore

 

From $1224 pp inside or $1665 ocean view pp

 

Ship Name: Legend Of The Seas

Cruise Code: LG20APR16

Departure Date: Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Cruise Name: Brisbane to Hong Kong

Nights: 18

Departing: Brisbane - Australia

 

From $1146 pp inside

 

 

Ship Name: Voyager Of The Seas

Cruise Code: VY16APR16

Departure Date: Saturday, 16 April 2016

Cruise Name: Sydney to Singapore

Nights: 14

Departing: Sydney - Australia

 

$1171 pp inside or splash out Junior Suite $2455 pp

 

 

Ship Name: Pacific Eden

Cruise Code: PAE637

Departure Date: Monday, 18 July 2016

Cruise Name: Fremantle to Singapore

Nights: 12

Departing: Fremantle (Perth)

 

From $1077 pp inside, $1195 oceanview pp $1861 pp balcony

 

Ship Name: Pacific Dawn

Cruise Code: W709N

Departure Date: Thursday, 2 March 2017

Cruise Name: Singapore to Brisbane

Nights: 14

Departing: Singapore

 

From $1126 pp inside or $1322 pp oceanview, balcony $1665 pp

 

Thanks for getting us back on thread topic.:D

[OzKiwiJJ]

Love it.

 

Sailing along the European rivers is so relaxing. I remember looking out at trains and traffic travelling past and marvelled at how peaceful it is.

 

Ocean cruising is more frenetic as there's more onboard to do, so you wind up doing that instead of just watching the scenery.

 

Interesting! I found it to be the other way around. We really only had one afternoon of relaxing cruising on the Rhine (not counting the Rhine Gorge) as the boat mostly travelled from place to place overnight and the days were filled with excursions or towns to visit. Staying onboard at stops didn't seem to be an option.

 

I love ocean cruising that has plenty of sea days. There is no pressure to get involved in onboard activities and plenty of time to gaze out on the ever-changing vista of the ocean.

 

Oops! Sorry, Mic, I just went off-topic again. :(

Edited February 28, 2016 by OzKiwiJJ

[MicCanberra]

 

Oops! Sorry, Mic, I just went off-topic again. :(

 

No worries, I am a repeat offender myself.:eek:

Nice weather we are having, isn't it.

Edited February 28, 2016 by MicCanberra

[GUT2407]

No worries, I am a repeat offender myself.:eek:

Nice weather we are having, isn't it.

 

 

Off thread, something I'd never do :D:cool:;)

[windsor26]

Just returned from the Voyager now got withdrawal symptoms but NOTHING offered here at present?

 

Where are the bargains for July August PLEASE:D:D

[MicCanberra]

Just returned from the Voyager now got withdrawal symptoms but NOTHING offered here at present?

 

Where are the bargains for July August PLEASE:D:D

 

Plenty of bargains for March and April, some for June July but you will need to fly to Europe or the USA.

[windsor26]

Plenty of bargains for March and April, some for June July but you will need to fly to Europe or the USA.

 

Bummer do not want to add air fares to a 'bargain'