Cruising cheaper than backpacking
By: Louise Goldsbury and Bruce Piper, Cruise Weekly

Cruises in Europe are now priced as low as $100 a day - less than many backpackers spend on hostels, food, entertainment and travelling between countries.

European cruises are now priced from 60 Euro (AU$100) per day, including taxes, meals, entertainment, luxury accommodation and transportation between countries.

Diana Siderova, of Creative Cruising, told CW that an average backpacker on a budget in Europe would pay 15-20 euro for a hostel, 20-40 euro for intercity land transport, 20-30 euro for meals and 10-15 euro to go to a club or pub.

"When you add it all up, the total for a backpacker on a tight budget would be 55 to 90 euro per day; while if one likes to indulge a bit more, say, in three-star hotels, better meals and more activities, they could spend anything from 140 to 300 euro per day," she said.

"By comparison, a cruise includes all of these things but you don't have to get yourself from country to country, the cabins are ensuite, the food is gourmet and unlimited, and there is a lot more entertainment, leisure activities and classes onboard."

Creative Cruising has released "cheaper than backpacking" fares on Louis Cruise Lines, which operates the four-star Louis Majesty out of Genoa, Italy.

Several of its Mediterranean sailings also extend to ports in Africa and Egypt.

A 13-day roundtrip voyage, priced from AU$1327pp and departing on 31 January and 12 March 2010, visits Marseilles, France; Valletta, Malta; Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt; Ashdod, Israel; Limassol, Cyprus; Heraklion, Crete; and Naples, Italy. A six-night/seven-day Christmas cruise of the Mediterranean, departing 20 December, is priced from $673pp; while a similar ten-day cruise in January and March 2010 costs from $923pp twin-share.

Ecruising.travel is also offering low prices on 2009 European cruises. A seven-night voyage onboard Concordia from Barcelona, visiting Italy, Spain and Provence, is priced from $599pp for the 13 November departure.

Megan Hill, director of Cruise Express, said: "Cruising is definitely a more affordable, relaxing and easier way to see more of Europe than a land-based tour, and that's because everything is included in your fare."

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