Would You Cruise in Europe During the Winter?

Cruising in Europe used to be strictly a summer affair. The major North American brands would dispatch ships to the region just before Memorial Day and pull them out in early fall.

But the season for European cruises has widened markedly in recent years as demand for cruises in the region has grown, with lines sending ships across the Atlantic as early as March and keeping them in Europe as late as December. And now a few North American brands are launching year-round cruising in Europe -- something that was once unthinkable in the industry.

This year Royal Caribbean has begun year-round Mediterranean voyages aboard the Brilliance of the Seas, which will remain in Barcelona throughout the winter. And just Thursday Royal Caribbean announced it would continue the year-round sailing in Europe into 2010 with Brilliance sailing out of Malaga, Spain.

Norwegian Cruise Line, meanwhile, has announced that one of its ships, the 2,400-passenger Norwegian Jade, will remain in Europe year-round through 2010 -- a first in the line's 41-year history.

Executives at the lines say they expect much of the demand for the winter voyages on the ships to come from Europeans, who are discovering cruising in growing numbers. But they're also marketing them to Americans looking for a lower-cost way to visit Europe.

For more information on Europe cruises, visit www.cruisecafe.com or call us at 1-800-788-2545.