Advice for First-Time Cruisers to Europe

Advice for First-Time Cruisers to Europe: Embracing History and Culture

For many travelers, their first cruise experience is to the Caribbean, where the focus is often on relaxation, lounging on the beach, strolling around the port, buying souvenirs, and enjoying drinks near the ship. Caribbean cruises are typically about escaping the cold or unwinding in a tropical paradise, rather than immersing oneself in deep historical or cultural exploration.

However, cruising to Europe and other historically rich regions such as Asia, South America, or Oceania offers a completely different experience. These destinations are filled with centuries-old architecture, world-class museums, breathtaking cityscapes, and cultural traditions that have shaped civilizations for millennia. To truly appreciate what these ports have to offer, it’s essential to go beyond the typical cruise mindset of simply stepping off the ship and seeing what’s nearby.

While there’s nothing wrong with choosing to relax on a Mediterranean beach, treating an entire continent as if it were just another Caribbean stop is a missed opportunity. Some travelers may gravitate toward the familiar visiting McDonalds or Starbucks instead of trying local cuisine, or opting for a quick glance at a famous site rather than delving into its history. While this is a personal choice, a little preparation and curiosity can make the experience far more rewarding.

To get the most out of a European cruise, I highly recommend researching each port in advance. Create a list of the top five historical or cultural sites you like to visit, as well as five key facts about the destination. Whether you choose a private tour, a ship-sponsored excursion, or independent exploration, having some background knowledge will deepen your appreciation of what you are seeing. A well-informed local guide can bring history to life, but the experience is even more meaningful when you already have some context.

Destinations Best Explored with a Local Guide

Some places are simply too complex, historically significant, or logistically challenging to fully appreciate without an expert guide. In these locations, investing in a guided tour isn just recommended—it’s essential.

—-Giza & Cairo, Egypt

Seeing the Pyramids, the Sphinx, and the treasures of ancient Egypt is a bucket-list experience, but navigating Cairo can be overwhelming. A local guide provides invaluable insight into the history, culture, and hidden details of these ancient wonders.

—Pompeii & Herculaneum, Italy

These Roman cities were buried in ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. A knowledgeable archaeologist or historian can help you understand the daily life of ancient Romans and interpret the well-preserved ruins.

—Penguin Rookeries in South America

If you’re visiting penguin colonies in places like the Falkland Islands, Punta Tombo (Argentina), or Magdalena Island (Chile), a naturalist guide ensures you follow conservation guidelines while providing fascinating insights into the penguins’ behaviors and habitats.

—The Acropolis & Athens, Greece

The Parthenon and surrounding structures have centuries of history, mythology, and architectural significance. A professional guide will help you understand their place in Western civilization.

Ephesus, Turkey 

This sprawling ancient city, home to the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre, is best appreciated with a historian or archaeologist who can bring its ruins to life.

—Petra, Jordan 

The Rose City is an architectural marvel carved into rock, and a guide can explain its Nabatean history, hidden tombs, and religious significance.

—Machu Picchu, Peru

The Incan citadel in the Andes is stunning on its own, but a guide can provide crucial information about its construction, purpose, and rediscovery.

The Great Wall of China

Understanding its vast history, strategic importance, and the different sections worth visiting is best done with a guide.

—Angkor Wat, Cambodia

This massive temple complex has deep religious and historical significance, and a guide helps make sense of its carvings, structures, and layout.

—The Vatican & Sistine Chapel, Italy 

A guided tour is essential to navigate the Vatican Museums efficiently, appreciate Michelangelo’s frescoes, and learn about the historical and religious significance of the artworks.

—Stonehenge, England 

A visit to this ancient monument is enriched by learning about its possible purposes, astronomical alignments, and the Neolithic people who built it.

My personal travel philosophy is simple: I seek out experiences I can’t have at home. That means prioritizing historical landmarks, cultural institutions, and local traditions over beaches, bars, and touristy shopping areas. The more you prepare in advance, the richer your memories will be and the more rewarding your journey will feel.

For me, learning about a destination before I arrive is almost as enjoyable as being there. I encourage all first-time European cruisers to embrace that mindset. A cruise to a region with a deep historical and cultural legacy is an incredible opportunity make the most of it!

About the Author

Karla Scott – A Passionate Explorer and Cultural Enthusiast

Karla Scott is a seasoned traveler with over four decades of solo travel experience, visiting more than 100 countries across six continents. Her love for exploration began during a junior year abroad in Normandy, France, where she discovered the thrill and empowerment of solo travel.

Karla’s journeys have taken her from the ancient ruins of Egypt to the bustling markets of India, the serene fjords of Norway, and beyond. With her extensive travel experience, she has honed her expertise in navigating diverse cultures and solo travel strategies, coaching others on cross-cultural communication and teaching English online.

Her mission is to inspire and empower women to embrace the transformative power of solo travel. Whether you’re a first-time traveler or a seasoned adventurer, Karla’s insights offer the guidance and encouragement you need to step boldly into the world.

More recently, Karla has explored the world through solo cruises, journeying across the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Northern Europe, and beyond.

Santiago de Compostela

Santiago de Compostela

Camino de Santiago (de Compostela) known as the way of Saint James.

Not only was I raised Catholic but I attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through high school. I’ve lived in and traveled throughout Europe numerous times but I have never explored the Camino de Santiago, even though it carries significant meaning for Christians

If you have never heard of the journey—Camino de Santiago (de Compostela), you might find this interesting.

Imagine a 2-6 week long journey, taken by more than 350,000 people (per year), from all over the world, in order to visit a sacred place, inside a grand Cathedral in Spain.

Welcome to the Camino the Santiago!—-The pilgrimage to shrine of the apostle of Saint James in northeastern Spain.

The Camino DeSantiago is a network of paths that Pilgrims take to visit the shrine of St. James the apostle, whose remains are believed to be stored in the main church, St. James in Santiago de Compostela. The church is located in north eastern Spain, in the region known as Galicia.

In all, there are a approximately a dozen caminos or paths.

Since the pope made a declaration in 1492, this is considered one of the three main pilgrimages in Christianity, alongside visits to Jerusalem and Rome.  During the Middle Ages, pilgrims believed that making the journey would reduce their sentence in purgatory by 1/2. That’s not such a bad deal!

Although the Camino DeSantiago had virtually disappeared from the hearts of many, it experienced a revival in the late 20th century regaining its popularity of the medieval times. It is now a popular bucket list item.

Many of the women in my Solo Women Traveler Facebooks group have trekked the Camino DeSantiago.

The journey encompasses several different routes beginning in and including France, Spain, and Portugal. Each route has its own unique history, heritage, landscape, and charm. Sites along the way consist of green valleys, stone villages, medieval monasteries, vineyards, and some may even encounter the traditional Galician bagpipers.

There are many starting points for the routes because the original pilgrims would’ve commence their journeys from their own homes.

Most pilgrims arrive on foot to Santiago and come from nearby towns and cities. Some travel by bicycle and historically, some made the pilgrimage by horse or donkey. Like hiking the famous Appalachian Trail in the United States, many consider this a retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life and often seek spiritual meaning. Those who start out alone often meet fellow travelers along the way and sometimes make lifelong friends as they chart their course. Some of the trails are more conducive to making friends.

The most popular route, and considered the most sacred, is the French Way that begins from the small town of St Jean Pied de Port  in South eastern France.  The longest of all, this hike is estimated to be 500 km or 300 miles. 2/3 of pilgrims takes The French Way. 

The Portuguese Way is the second most popular trail and begins along the northern coastline of the city of Porto in northern Portugal.

The Northern Way begins in San Sebastian in Basque Country, and takes pilgrimages on a more off-the-beaten track trail through Cantabria and Asturias, and along side coastal villages and lush green towns.

The Primitive Route is the oldest and  known as the original way. It’s one of the most challenging routes and offers an option to do the last 100 km into Santiago.

The English Way was popular among pilgrims from Britain and Ireland who were required to take a boat to one of the coastal cities of Ferrol or A Coruna to begin their journey. This is the shortest Camino route.

The French Way and many Spanish routes are on The UNESCO world heritage list.

For those who take the French Way, and some other routes, they face a 30-to 35 day journey and often walk for at least eight hours per day. 

Many pilgrims begin their Camino in the Galician town of Sarria and walk the last 100 km of the French way, in about a week.

As I write about this, I reminded why this was never a bucket list item for me. I have never been a fitness buff and typically must get tricked into exercise.

Pilgrims are known by their signature walking sticks, gourds for drinking water from wells, a clock, a cloak, a pointy flappy hat, and a scallop shell attached with red yarn 🧶 to their backpacks. 🎒

Travelers stay in a variety of accommodations, mostly hostels/communal dormitory-style facilities. 

Religious pilgrims are issued a “Camino de Santiago” passport and are guided to collect official passport stamps from all the major check points along the pilgrimage. If all qualifications are met, they will receive an official certification they have completed the Camino DeSantiago. At least 100,000 such certificates are issued each year. Walkers must walk for at least 100 kilometers and cyclists must cycle for at least 200 kilometers of their journey.

Every day at 10 AM, in front of the church of Santiago de Compostela, newly arriving pilgrims gather to celebrate and engage in the ritual of touching the scalloped shell in front of the church.

Every day at noon a mass is held for pilgrims and the names of all countries from which the pilgrims hail are read during the service.

During the last pre-Covid year, more than 345,000 pilgrims walked the Camino de Santiago. It will be interesting to see the numbers for 2022, now that international travel has resumed.

Easy Paris On Your Own!!

Karla's Tips for 1st Paris Visit

If this is your first trip to Paris, I can help you navigate and sink into the rhythm of the city.

Paris is my favorite city in the world and I have been visiting Paris as a student, business person, and tourist for more than 25 years. Here are my recommendations (prices are based upon my last visit in fall of 2013).

 

Before you go!

1. STUDY city map and metro (maps) BEFORE going in order to familiarize yourself with the city.  (I do this for every city I visit).

2. Buy a good, pocket-sized guidebook such as Rick Steves’ Paris and/or Marco Polo guide to Paris.  Read BEFORE you go to Paris!!!!

Paris Overview: The city is divided into 20 arrondisments—Everything is coded (even zip codes) by arrondisement.  My favorites are the the, 1^st,  4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 8^th and 9^th.  http://www.parisnet.com/parismap.html  Of note, The Eiffel Tower is in the 16th (16ieme).

From Paris.net------In Paris arrondissements are named according to their number. For example, you might live in the 5th arrondissement, which would be written as 5ème (or 5e) in French. Looking at the Paris Map you can see that the districts spiral out from the center in numerical order. If you know the postal code of any address in Paris, you can easily identify which arrondissement it is located in because Parisian postal codes take the form of - 75XXX - with the last two digits being equal to the arrondissement (e.g. 75008 is the postal code for the 8th arrondissement). The suburbs are called the banlieues. The areas to the west of the city (Neuilly, Boulogne, Saint Cloud, Levallois, Versailles) are the most desirable and they are generally more peaceful than the city. Each of the Paris neighborhoods and arrondissements has its own special character.

-Latin Quarter/Boul-Miche (St Michel Metro in 5th) near Notre Dame is my favorite spot.  There are great cafes, Greek Gyros, and Moroccoan  restaurants there.  It is vibrant, youthful, and diverse.

-Le Marais/ Place Des Voges/Bastille (3^rd/4^th arrondisement) is my second favorite area.

--Other favorite spots and must sees: Jardin Du Luxembourg, Champs Elysees(PM), Trocadero metro(AM and PM for best Eiffel tower photos) , MontMartre, "Beaubourg" and the Centre Pompidou and  Canal Saint-Martin

My Paris recommendations/tips:

---Paris is a great walking city and the Metro and buses are convenient for moving around.  Buy Metro booklets of 10 tickets and you can use these tickets on both the metro and the buses.   I used my Metro App to guide me on how to connect.  A book of 10 metro tickets cost 13euros30.  The single ticket price is 1,70€.   (September 2013)  See excellent article on how to use the Paris Metro here: http://parisbytrain.com/tag/paris-metro/

 

---Take the metro to St. Michel and walk all around Notre Dame area , up and down the Blvd. St Michel and St Germain des Pres, then back across and along to the Seine river.

 

 

---Take long bus rides from one end of the city to the other where you will pass some of the most famous sites such as the Opera house and famous plazas such as the Place de la Republique, while you are completely above ground. This is obviously a great alternative to taking the Metro because you are able to see all the sights along the way.  Also, whenever I took the bus, it was never crowded. I could easily get two or four seats to myself and I had ample room to take out my camera and snap sights along the way.  Buses #69  gives a scenic east-west city tour.  Bus line # 20 stopped right near my hotel, at my metro stop: Chemin Vert.  Of note, metro tickets are valid on city buses.

---Take nightly strolls through vibrant areas.  Tops were lively quartiers of St Michel area, Champs-Elysées, Bastille area, Montmatre (Nice sunset panoramic views over the city) and Le Marais. 

--- Take self-guided tour: Historic Paris Walk from Rick Steves book---5ieme
---Prisunic and Monoprix are good stores for basic needs.  The larger ones are like Target—with everything from food  and wine to toiletries and clothing.  There are 24-hour ones on Champs Elysees.

---Have a meal from a pastry shop.  My favorite is to go window-shopping in a pastry shop and settle on a quiche Lorraine or quiche with 3 cheeses, freshly baked, hot from the oven.  These rich snacks cost under 3 euros.

---Have picnics in Jardin du Luxembourg or in park in front of Eiffel Tower.

---Visit my favorite history museum of the city of Paris, Carnavalet.  This museum showcases art and artifacts of Paris with an emphasis on the Revolution and new republic periods.  What I like most is the variety of artifacts from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries including metal shop signs, guillotine miniatures, personal items (hair combs, cutlery, pistols, hair of famous Parisians), and portraiture. 

---Stay in hotel near a Metro stop.

---Consider taking walking tours from Paris – walks.com. Expert guides provide about 10 or 15 different 2- hour-long walking tours daily, for only €12. There are tours at 10:30 AM and it 2:30 PM, daily.   http://www.paris-walks.com/
I took 4 excellent walking tours conducted by smart, passionate, witty guides from a company that offers 3-6 daily tours, rain or shine.  They feature more than 20-themed tours.  My small group tours cost 12 euros each.  Here are the brief tour descriptions, of tours I took, written by Paris-Walks.com:

THURSDAY 2:30pm The Marais Circuit 2 Stories of royalty, mistresses and intrigue in this beautiful historic neighborhood. On circuit 2 we explore the Northern side of the Marais. Elegant classical mansions with graceful courtyards and gardens, the old Jewish quarter with the picturesque rue des Rosiers, and the peaceful place des Vosges, the city’s oldest square. Meet at metro St Paul There is always an extra tour on Sunday.

 

FRIDAY 10.30am Hemingway's Paris Explore this charming district in the Latin Quarter with the old houses of the Mouffetard market street, an impressive fragment of the medieval city wall, and the lovely historic church of St Etienne-du-Mont. It is associated with many writers: Joyce, Orwell, Balzac, Hugo, and Verlaine and immortalized by Hemingway in A Moveable Feast. Meet at metro Cardinal Lemoine.

I took this tour IN THE RAIN!

SUNDAY 10.30am The Village of Montmartre On this picturesque walk you will discover old winding streets, the vineyard, artists' studios (Renoir, Lautrec, Van Gogh) quiet gardens, historic cabarets, the place-du-Tertre with its artists and the Sacré Coeur Basilica. Meet at metro Abbesses (use the station elevator, it is quite deep!) (All year)

MONDAY 10.30am Ile de la Cité and Notre Dame Read the stories in the medieval sculptures, and hear how the cathedral was built. We explore the history and architecture of the Island, the old streets, the flower market, quiet gardens, secret courtyards and the poignant memorial to the deported. Meet at metro Cité    BTW, Notre Dame turned 850 in 2013.

---Go to Trocadero (metro stop) (Eiffel Tower observation point)—This is a great photo spot! (for the best shots of you in front of the Eiffel Tower.)
---The Marais is a charming area just north of the Seine in the third and fourth arrondisements 

---Have café and croissant in the AM.

---Prisunic and Monoprix are good stores for basic needs.  The larger ones are  like Target—with everything from food  and wine to toiletries and clothing.  There are 24-hour ones on Champs Elysees.

---Neighborhood shops—every neighborhood has its own boulangerie/patisserie bakery/pastry shop (buy your morning croissant and quiche snack from here.  (They will heat up/warm treats for you) and alimentation grocer. 

---Visit market streets i.e., Mouffetard market street and Sunday Bastille Market

---For a memorable evening, sit on the steps of the Sacré Coeur with a Perrier or a bottle of wine and watch the Eiffel Tower come to life and sparkle every hour on the hour until midnight.

---Visit some of Paris’ 200 museums. Choose them based upon your time and interests.

---Visit the breathtaking and serene Jardin de Luxembourg.  It was as much of a feast for the eyes as I had remembered.

---Remember---on the menu, “entrée” is the appetizer. 

---Sit in a café (near a window or outside) to people watch.

---Say, “bonjour” when entering shops and “au revoir” when exiting!!

------------------------I have lots more to add but I want to send now!!!