Baby Boomers love Europe. They love cruising Europe and touring by train. But, with this economy, the best way to see Europe is with a discount cruise or by crashing for the night in a cheap, but friendly, hotel. It's never a bad time to look around for trips to Europe. Off season is cheap and Europeans are friendlier when they are unhurried.
Cruise or Land?
Many Baby Boomers have raised their kids and now it’s time for them to travel. Even single Boomer Chicks can afford Europe once they learn the tricks.
So, which is better, taking a European cruise or staying in European hotels? Well, cruising is fabulous. And, traveling by train is amazing. So, it depends upon your idea of a fun vacation. Which of these scenarios sounds like you:
- You like planned, well-scheduled itineraries without worry or effort. You like to see new places. You think, “Tomorrow is the Gaudi Park in Barcelona! Woo hoo.” (Take a cruise.)
- You're into serendipitous, freewheeling adventure. You are likely to think, “I’ve got a credit card, so I’m Okay anywhere.” (Travel by train.)
- You find yourself saying, "I want to see the Musee d'Orsay, then see La Basilique du Sacre Coeur Montmartre, and then get a quick lunch. After I see the highlights of Paris, I want to boogie on down the road and see what the next town has to offer." (Take a European River Cruise, a Baltic Cruise, or a Mediterranean Cruise.)
- You say to yourself, "We have a few extra days before our flight home. Should I ask the concierge to find us a room in Buda or in Pest? (Travel by train.)
Well, there is a bit of overlap between the different options, but that’s the gestalt of traveling. It’s not that expensive to travel around Europe these days, either by ship or by train (2nd class). It takes some creativity and flexibility, but Baby Boomers (and their senior cousins) should make sure that those passports are stamped and they're ready to rock-and-roll.
Cheap Cruises
Patience and flexibility, added to the current economy, plus a glut of cruise ships, equals cheap cruises. Is that too much like a math equation?
Try this. The key to finding a cruise deal is to be:
- Flexible about time
- Flexible about itinerary (hey, it’s all good in Europe)
- Willing to book a cruise with only a few weeks' lead-time
Booking a cruise closer to the sailing date means huge discounts. Empty cabins, like empty airline seats, represent major losses in revenue, so cruise lines will eat the loss on a stateroom, with the hope that they can make it up in other income:
- Shore excursions
- Alcohol
- Casinos
- Miscellaneous: Pop, gift shops, spa, art auctions
This is why cruise ships are the favorite vacation venue of Boomers and Seniors, whose nest eggs have shrunk, due to losses in the stock market, the revaluation of homes, and reduced income from CDs.
Find cruise deals at:
- VacationsToGo.com, CruCon.com, CruisesOnly.com, LastMinuteCruises.com, BookCheapCruises.fimark.net, and places like that. Sign up for every site you can find. It doesn't cost anything to get on a mailing list.
- Forums at CruiseCritic.com
- Cruise-line websites (sign up for email alerts)
- Travel agents
- Sunday newspaper’s travel sections
A recent deal on a Venice to Florida Princess cruise (inside room) was $80 a day for two. (The Holiday-Inn Express in Boise is $109 a night.) This cruise stopped in several European cities and had fabulously warm weather for the last three days.
The trick is to watch for emails and book quickly. That Princess deal was gone in two days.
Cheap European Hotels
Even though Europe can be very expensive, there are ways around this.
The best bet is to get a Rick Steves’ Travel Book (try the library) and follow his recommendations. Boomers, who once traversed Europe in their youth, will be amazed to find that almost all European signs are in English. Traveling solo (or with a pal) on the continent is almost as easy as vacationing in Kansas, but a lot more interesting.
Baby Boomers must be in reasonably good shape to use Rick Steves' Europe-Through-the-Back-Door method. That's because cheap European travel includes lugging one’s own bags from train stations to hotels, traversing Paris by subway, and eating in cheap delis with European locals.
However, a Boomer can pick up a Rick Steves’ Paris guidebook, read it all, and really know The City of Light. Or, he/she can read Italy, learn how to catch a train in Rome, get to Florence, and take another to Venice. Travel tips:
- Travel light.
- Missed train? Get in line at the station; exchange ticket for the next train.
- Sign language and a smile are worth a thousand words.
Whether, Boomers or Seniors want to see Europe by cheap cruise ship, cheap tour, or on their own, there is a way to do it. And, nothing is more fun than visiting Europe, except maybe cruising in Europe.
(Author has lived in Europe for one winter. Snow is fun.)
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Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
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