Cruising will most likely be a little more expensive...but you have to weigh the options. One thing to keep in mind is cruising includes all of your meals and you can eat 24/7 (although I wouldn't advise it). You also unpack just once, and you don't have to pack up and leave for the next destination every 2-3 days.
Looking into my crystal ball, it's probably going to cost between $1,800 and $2,200 for just the cruise portion of the trip. Figure another $1,000+/- for air fare. And don't forget your spending money. You'll also have some incidentals, like shuttle from and to the airport, tips, meals you may eat in town, things you'll want to see and do in the various ports, etc. Bottom line - about $3,500 to $4,000 a person.
A lot of variables contribute to the cost: the cruise line, the length of the cruise, where we go, when we go, and whether we can get any special deals. That's one of the reasons why we start planning so far in advance. It gives us time to figure out where we want to go so if a great deal comes along, we're ready to make a decision and make a deposit.
So...how are you going to come up with the money you need for the trip? No time like the present to start saving your pennies...um, dollars. If you start saving tomorrow, by this time next year, you could have a big chunk of your cruise paid for. Seriously. Save a $1 in week 1, $2 in week 2, and you have $3, and so on, finishing up on a high note of $52 in week 52. By the time you get to week 52, you should have a little more than $1,300...and if you do the same thing next year, you will have about $2,600 by the time we're ready to pay for the cruise.
When we get ready to book the cruise, the deposit will be around $450. The final payment will be due about 60 days prior to sailing, so figure sometime in the spring of 2016.
Start feeding that piggy bank and make your dream of cruising in Europe come true!
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