Maiden Port Calls, Unique Itineraries Herald Record Year for Cruises in Europe

If Europe was popular last year -and it definitely was among the hottest cruise destinations in the world- 2008 promises to be even more sizzling.

Members of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) are committing a record number of ships, including some of the world’s newest and biggest, to homeports in Europe and the Mediterranean in order to satisfy the tremendous interest on the part of North American and European travelers in exploring western civilization’s greatest cities and treasured landmarks in style and comfort.

For Americans, cruising in Europe will be an even bigger value this year thanks to the current exchange rate that makes European cruise vacations purchased in dollars the most relaxing and cost-effective way to explore Europe.

To accommodate the demand, cruise lines have increased capacity in Europe. Several CLIA members expanded their European fleets substantially and will do so again in 2008, in some cases positioning ships in Europe for year-round cruises.

Particularly popular in 2007 were cruises in the eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic and that trend is continuing this year, with a wealth of unique cruise ports in Slovenia, Croatia and Albania.

Among CLIA cruise lines, Azamara is the newest kid on the water in Europe this year. Founded in 2007, the company offers high-end, destination-driven voyages, with Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest in Europe this Spring and Summer.

Carnival Cruises, for its part, inaugurates its first-ever northern Europe cruise season with the 2008 debut of Carnival Splendor. Featuring a 21,000 square-foot Cloud 9 luxury Spa, the 3,006-passenger ship will sail roundtrip from London to Copenhagen, Helsinki, St. Petersburg and Amsterdam between mid-July and the end of August. Earlier in the summer she will cruise the Mediterranean and Greek Isles.

Costa will offer 53 itineraries to 112 ports on year-round departures this year in the Mediterranean and northern Europe. In addition, Costa, which represents one of the youngest and largest fleets in Europe, will feature two of the newest and largest ships in Italian history.