• A floating escape can be a fun way to see Europe.cruise ship image by Albert Lozano from Fotolia.com
  
  There are many choices when picking a cruise ship. Cruise ships can be a great way to see Europe yet keep costs under control. They also provide a nice sampling of many locations so you can decide if you would like to go back for a longer period of time. With all the cruise lines you are sure to have many options, finding the one that is in your price range and fits your schedule is probably the easiest way to choose between the ships. Convenience is key.
  
  

Princess Cruises

• Princess Cruises offers many different ways to explore Europe. With "cruisetours" you can choose to do a land tour before boarding the boat to see further inside a country such as Italy. For those looking for a typical cruise vacation the line will travel through the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, Scandinavia, British Isles, and Northern Europe. With 39 different itineraries, Princess attempts to fit everyone's needs when it comes to where you travel.
  
  Princess Cruises
  
  800 5th Avenue, Suite 2600
  
  Seattle, WA 98104-3176
  
  800-774-6237 (PRINCESS)
  
  princess.com
  
  

Holland America

• Holland America cruises Europe in the summer months. From short cruises to longer journeys you can depart from the United States and cruise over or sometimes find ships that leave from Europe. Greece and Italy tend to be the destinations with the most options but they also travel to the Netherlands and England as well. Often times running specials, if you check back often you might be able to find a discounted price on a cruise you are interested in.
  
  Holland America Inc
  
  300 Elliott Ave West
  
  Seattle, WA 98119
  
  206-626-9000
  
  877-932-4259
  
  hollandamerica.com
  
  

Celebrity Cruise Lines

• Celebrity Cruise Lines will allow you to explore Europe in a shorter amount of time as the cruises leave from a port overseas. This gives you more time to discover Spain, Italy, Greece, England, France and Northern Europe as your travel time from the United States is not included in your number of days. This can also be quite convenient for those who do not have has much vacation time to utilize during their travels. With 64 itinerary options you should be able to find something that fits within your price range and schedule.
  
  Celebrity Cruises
  
  369 South Doheny Drive
  
  Beverly Hills, CA 90211-3577
  
  800-647-2251
  
  celebritycrusies.com
  
  

Carnival Cruise Lines

• Carnival Cruises offers a more limited tour of Europe. This company concentrates solely on Spain and Italy when it comes to the European packages. If these are the places you are looking to explore, Carnival might be the right fit for you as it runs more stops in each of the countries. Instead of giving you a significant variety of countries, it focuses on providing you a well-rounded view of the two countries. A few of the itineraries throw in a single stop in France or Croatia, bur for the most part the majority of stops are in Italy.
  
  Carnival Cruise Lines
  
  3655 NW 87th Avenue
  
  Miami, FL 33178
  
  888-227-6482
  
  carnival.com