Sail away on a European family adventure with one of these luxurious lines.
European cruises are old-worldly, charming and completely unique. They can range from a summer bask in the Mediterranean to a wintry exploration through the Arctic and often feature multiple countries throughout each journey.
Traversing the waters, you’ll be blessed with skylines of spires that break from historical town centres, crumbling castles and forts that stand mightily above cliff faces, epic monuments that hide behind medieval walls and colourful port towns that welcome you with open arms.
Yup, a European cruise is like no other, and if you’ve got your heart set on a coastal cruise through this entrancing continent with the family in tow, we know a few liners that can take you there.
Searching for river cruises? Check out the top European river cruise companies here.
1. MSC Cruises
Make it a grand trip with MSC Cruises and its signature range of MSC Grand Voyages which take you and your brood from one corner of the world to the other.
- European departure points: Various departure points including Spain, France, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, England, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Morocco, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Malta and Monaco.
- On board experience: This Italian liner specialises in Mediterranean cruises and captures the essence of this destination with sleek European-style rooms and freshly prepared cuisine. Yes, this includes pizza, done to perfection.
- For kids: MSC offers a range of entertainment for children of all ages including an Aqua Park, swimming pools, virtual world, 4D cinema and kids' clubs. Children aged 12 years and under travel free when sharing the cabin with fare-paying parents.
2. Costa Cruises
Whether you want to sail through the Eastern Mediterranean, Western Mediterranean or the Norwegian Fjords, Costa is Europe’s largest cruise line and sails through them all.
- European departure points: Multiple ports in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece and the Greek Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Montenegro, Morocco, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Scotland, Spitsbergen, France, England, Sweden and Belgium.
- Onboard experience: Costa is a British/American-owned cruise line based in Italy, and this cultural heritage shows in its European-style furnishings and cuisine. Perfect for those who want a European experience both on and off board.
- For kids: Costa offers a variety of activities for kids of all ages including activity spaces, kids' clubs and a special baby pool and meet-and-greet with Peppa Pig for little ones.
3. Celebrity Cruises
One of the world’s premium cruise lines, Celebrity Cruises offers over 100 fun-filled cruises throughout Europe for families.
- European departure points: Southampton, Rome, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Athens and Stockholm.
- Onboard experience: Celebrity Cruises is based in Greece and features a truly Grecian feel from its sleek blue and white detailing to bevy of Greek island port of calls.
- For kids: Celebrity is one of the most kid-friendly cruise lines out there. Each ship offers kids' clubs, kid-friendly sports and entertainment. Discounts are available for 3rd and 4th passengers sharing the same room as two full-fare paying adults.
4. Princess Cruises
Carrying you across the continent, Princess Cruises offers memorable journeys for families through the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and British Isles.
- European departure points: Rome, Southampton, Athens, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Dover, Berlin, St Petersburg and Venice. As Princess is an American liner, it also offers departures from Fort Lauderdale and New York.
- Onboard experience: Princess features a modern fit-out with an international atmosphere. European trips often include destination-specific experiences and cuisine.
- For kids: Princess offers activities the whole family can enjoy. This includes cultural festivals and activities, pools, ship tours, sports and video game rooms. Family suites are available on some ships.
5. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
British cruise company Fred. Olsen offers a traditional cruise experience to classic destinations around Europe including the Mediterranean, British Isles, and the Baltic and Adriatic seas.
- European departure points: Belfast, Dover, Edinburgh, Falmouth, Glasgow, Harwich, Liverpool, London Tilbury and Southampton. The cruise line also offers fly-cruises for non-UK departures.
- Onboard experience: A classic cruise atmosphere featuring a modern fit-out, and entertainment options such as shows, bingo, dance classes and shuffleboard.
- For kids: On peak holiday cruises Fred. Olsen offers a kids' club with daytime and evening activities for kids under 12.
6. Norwegian Cruise Line
Offering over 190 sailings to 65 European ports of call, it’s little wonder this luxury liner has been voted Europe’s Leading Cruise Liner at the World Travel Awards eight years in a row.
- European departure points: Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Rome, Southampton, Rotterdam, Marseilles and Venice.
- Onboard experience: Norwegian offers freestyle cruising options which allow you to eat, play and sleep whenever it suits you. Its American-based fleet comprises modern ships with international cuisine and popular American-style entertainment.
- For kids: Norwegian provides some of the best entertainment options for young and old. This includes musicals, circus and magician shows and rock climbing walls for kids, in addition to the onboard kids' clubs. Connecting and family staterooms are available.
7. Royal Caribbean Cruises
Sailing much more than just the Caribbean, this Top Cruise Line for Families winner has eight dedicated cruise ships that sail through Europe following both classic and more adventurous routes.
- European departure points: Dubai, Rome, Venice, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Southampton, Stockholm, Barcelona and Malaga.
- Onboard experience: This American-based liner prides itself in providing a fun and innovative onboard experience the whole family can enjoy. It offers an international atmosphere with a variety of cultural cuisine options.
- For kids: Generous family cabins are available on most Royal Caribbean cruises as well as a variety of on-board activities including roller skating, bumper cars, mini-golf and DreamWorks shows and parades.
8. Disney Cruise Line
For an extra injection of magic that will put a smile on their faces, sail into the enchanting world of fjords and castles onboard a family-friendly Disney cruise ship.
- European departure points: Barcelona, Copenhagen and Dover. As Disney Cruise Line is a US-based line, cruises also depart from various North American ports including Miami and New York.
- Onboard experience: Signature Disney stylings run throughout the ships, making them feel like gigantic playgrounds for kids young and old. Some rooms are themed, and restaurants drip with Disney flair.
- For kids: Each Disney cruise ship comes equipped with family staterooms, Walt Disney theatre, music and dance deck parties and family-friendly port activities and kids' pools.
Where to Europe cruises go?
With dozens of countries to see and endless cities, towns and villages to visit, you can explore Europe for years and barely see it all. European cruises are great for giving a taste of what the continent has to offer. Some of the most common itineraries for European cruises include:
- Western Mediterranean: Spain, Portugal, France and Italy
- Eastern Mediterranean: Italy, Greece, Malta
- Adriatic: Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania
- Aegean: Greece, Turkey, Cyprus
- Baltics and Northern Europe: Norway's fjords, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Denmark
- British Isles: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
When should you cruise in Europe?
Mediterranean cruises run year-round, while cruises in cooler European areas, like the Baltic, only sail during the warmer months.
If you're looking for the best time to go, peak season for Mediterranean cruises would be during the middle of European summer in July and August. This is also generally the most expensive time to go. If you're looking for a mix of favourable weather and prices, look into a cruise in the shoulder seasons - May and June or September and October - you should still find warm days where temperatures hit the low to mid 20s, especially for cruises going to Italy and Greece.
Importance of cruise travel insurance
Family holidays don't come cheap - especially when you're flying your brood all the way over to Europe for the cruise of a lifetime. And if something doesn't go as you planned - be it a missed port due to bad weather, a bag getting lost on the way to your cabin or someone in your family gets sick and is confined to the cabin - you'll want to make sure you're covered for it.
All those scenarios can be covered by the right cruise travel insurance policy.
Best Europe cruise deals
Groupon
Up to 50% off Vivid Sydney cruises
Valid from 24 May - 15 June 2019. Inclusion depends on the selected cruise. T&Cs apply.
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Cudo
Up to 62% off Vivid Sydney cruises
Valid from 24 May - 15 June 2019. Inclusion depends on the selected cruise. T&Cs apply.
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RedBalloon
Up to 10% off Vivid Sydney Catamaran cruises
Valid from 24 May - 15 June 2019. Inclusion depends on the selected cruise. T&Cs apply.
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P&O Cruises
Free room upgrade
Valid on select Oceanview rooms subject to availability with P&O cruises. Destinations include Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Auckland. T&Cs apply.
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Travel Talk
Croatia: Up to 45% off sailing tours + 2 for 1 deals
Valid for travel on select dates from June - September 2019 across Croatia. Destinations include Split, Dubrovnik and more. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
50% off deposits + up to $1,000 airfare credit with Princess cruises
Valid for travel on select dates in 2019 - 2020 with select Princess Cruises. Destinations include Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Bali, Perth, Sydney and more. Includes bonus $100 onboard credit. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Free upgrade + up to $200 OBC with Royal Caribbean
Valid on select 2019 and 2020 departures. Destinations include Australia, South Pacific, New Zealand and more. T&Cs apply.
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G Adventures
Up to 35% off 2019 Mediterranean sailing tours
Valid for travel until 31 October 2019. T&Cs apply.
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My Cruises
Get up to $4,000 free in extras with Transpacific cruises
Valid on select 2019 - 2020 dates. T&Cs apply.
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My Cruises
Up to $4,000 in free extras cruises + flights worldwide
Valid on select 2019 - 2020 dates. Destinations include Vietnam, Philippines, England, Dubai and more. Inclusive of additional bonus nights, return flights, onboard meals and more. T&Cs apply.
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My Cruises
Get $3,000 in free extras with 15-night Asia and Australia cruises + flights
Valid on select 2019 - 2020 dates across Asia and Australia with Carnival cruises. Inclusive of additional three bonus nights, return flights, onboard meals and more. T&Cs apply.
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My Cruises
Get $4,000 in free extras with 18-night Vietnam and Philippines cruises + flights
Valid on select 2019 - 2020 dates across Vietnam and Philippines with Royal Caribbean cruises. Inclusive of additional two bonus nights, return flights, onboard meals and more. T&Cs apply.
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Uniworld
Up to $3,000 off tours + cruises worldwide
Valid for sailings until December 2019. Destinations include Central Europe, France, Italy, Asia, Portugal, Spain, India, Egypt and Russia. T&Cs apply.
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Cudo
Sydney: 4-day P&O cruises from $299
Valid for travel on 19 July 2019 with P&O cruises. Ship features a water park, rock-climbing walls, water slides, live entertainment and more. Cruise departs from Sydney. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Royal Caribbean cruises from $310
Valid for travel on select dates in 2019 - 2020 with Royal Caribbean local cruises across Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and more. Sample price is for Voyager of the Seas local cruises. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Free upgrade with Cunard cruises
Valid on select 2019 and 2020 dates. Destinations include Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Yokohama, Singapore, Hong Kong and more. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Up to 50% off cruises + $500 OBC
Valid on select 2019 and 2020 dates with Azamara. Destinations include Melbourne, Tasmania, Sydney, Hobart, Perth and more. T&Cs apply.
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Uniworld
Free economy airfare with Europe cruises
Valid for travel between 1 March - 15 November 2020 across Europe. Other destinations include France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Russia and more. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Royal Caribbean: Free balcony upgrade
Valid for travel for departures after 20 September 2019 with select Royal Caribbean cruises. Destinations include Singapore, New Zealand and more. T&Cs apply.
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Let's Ferry
Up to 20% off Greek ferry tickets
Valid until 31 October 2019. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Christmas sale: 38% off Australia and New Zealand cruises
Valid for travel until December 2020 across Australia and New Zealand. Destinations include Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Auckland and more. T&Cs apply.
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G Adventures
Up to 15% off Polar region trips
Valid for cruise on select 2020 - 2021 departures. Destinations include Antarctica, Arctic and Norway. T&Cs apply.
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CruiseAway
Up to $400 OBC with Princess Cruises
Valid for cruise on select 2019 - 2020 dates. T&Cs apply.
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Let's Ferry
Blue Star Ferries from just 20€
Valid on select dates for travel until 31 October 2019. Destinations include Cyclades routes, Dodecanese routes and Northern Aegean Routes. T&C's apply.
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P&O Cruises
Up to $200 on board credit on last-minute cruises
Valid from October - December 2018. Destinations include Moreton Island, Noumea, Hamilton Island, Vanuatu, Brisbane, Sydney and more. Cruises start from $315 per person for 3-night comedy cruises. T&Cs apply.
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Popular Cruises coupon codes
| Last checked | Code description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr 2019 | Up to 35% off 2019 Mediterranean sailing tours | 19G**** |
| 11 Apr 2019 | Up to 50% off Vivid Sydney cruises | ******** |
| 5 Apr 2019 | Up to 62% off Vivid Sydney cruises | ******** |
| 5 Apr 2019 | Up to 10% off Vivid Sydney Catamaran cruises | ******** |
| 19 Apr 2019 | Free room upgrade | ******** |
