Trip Bacon — The secret ingredient to the perfect getaway logo

The 12 MISTAKES to AVOID on a European cruise, from an expert

Cruise Blog
Cruise Blog
🏅Authority
👁️ 157K views📅 3 years ago⏱️ 11:12

Key Moments

Editorial Summary

The creator provides a comprehensive guide to twelve common mistakes travelers make when embarking on European cruises. Drawing from personal experience in both professional and leisure capacities, the video advises against waiting too long to book excursions or overbooking them, which can make a vacation feel rushed. The creator emphasizes the importance of reading tour fine print to accommodate mobility needs and suggests obtaining tender tickets early to avoid long waits. Regarding logistics, the video recommends flying into Europe at least two days before departure to mitigate flight delays and suggests exploring the embarkation country via land before the cruise begins. Other practical advice includes preparing for intense Mediterranean heat, choosing smaller ships to access unique ports, and prioritizing local cuisine over shipboard dining. Finally, the creator touches on packing essentials like broken-in walking shoes and financial preparedness, noting that travelers should carry Visa or Mastercard instead of relying solely on American Express or Discover, and should avoid carrying excessive amounts of cash.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.

What This Creator Said
Creator RecommendsTips & Advice🏅Authority Creator
MediterraneanVeteran Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

as someone who cruises for both work and Leisure I've seen Cruisers make a lot of the same mistakes over and over again on European sailings

do not wait to book those excursions as soon as you're able it is best to book those excursions and lock in a spot

I actually prefer a smaller Cruise in Europe because you often visit more of those unique ports that you can't always visit on a bigger ship

I love getting to experience local dishes rather than trying to save money and only eating on the ship

Creator's Tips & Advice

Book excursions as soon as they are available to secure a spot.
Avoid booking an excursion in every port to prevent a rushed vacation.
Read the fine print on tours to ensure they match your mobility needs.
Obtain tender tickets early and choose the earliest time possible.
Fly into your departure port at least two days before your cruise.
Explore the embarkation city or country before your cruise.

🆕New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Booking excursions too lateBook as soon as possible to secure a spot, and remember you can cancel within 24-48 hours for a full refund.
Overbooking excursionsOnly book excursions for ports that are not easily accessible or require more time.
Not reading tour fine printCheck mobility requirements and choose accessible options if needed.
Flight issues leading to missing the cruiseFly in at least two days early to account for delays and jet lag.

Questions This Creator Answers

QWhat are common mistakes to avoid on a European cruise?
QHow can first-time cruisers better plan their European sailing?

Topics Covered

Excursions2 Happy BaconPort Destination2½ Happy BaconItinerary Route2 Happy BaconValue Pricing2 Happy Bacon

Port Highlights

France3 Happy Bacon
Greece3 Happy Bacon
Israel2½ Happy Bacon
Top: Full day excursions
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon — creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon — creators took issue with this
Meh — no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = “meh”, 5 = “bacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology

Video content sourced from the creator's original upload. Watch on YouTube