Cheap Europe Cruises

Where Do Cheap European Cruises Go?

The Western Mediterranean is where the bulk of affordable European cruising is concentrated — sailings taking in the coastlines of Spain, France and Italy, departing from ports including Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Italy and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. A wide range of Mediterranean sailings follows, from roundtrips to one-way itineraries ending in foreign ports — on those, you will need a flight home, and we can book that along with any hotels and transfers. The Eastern Mediterranean also features for those wanting to explore further. Alongside the Mediterranean, a strong selection sails around England and the broader British Isles, making Europe’s affordable cruise scene genuinely accessible without leaving home waters. Norway and transatlantic sailings also appear for anyone planning something a little more ambitious.

Which Ports Can I Sail From?

Southampton is the UK’s most active embarkation port for cheap European cruises, and most of Britain can reach it by road or rail — no flight needed for these sailings. Some sailings leave from London itself: Tilbury, Greenwich and Dover are all used, though Southampton is a short journey away and has a far wider choice. You can explore London departures from Tilbury if you prefer to start closer to the city.

For Mediterranean itineraries, departures run from Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Rome (Civitavecchia) and Savona. These sailings typically work best as part of a fuller holiday — fly out, cruise, then fly home — and our team can bundle the flights, pre-cruise hotel and transfers into one booking so you are not juggling separate arrangements.

Which Cruise Lines Offer the Best Europe Cruise Deals?

MSC Cruises has the largest volume of cheap European sailings, making it the go-to choice if you want wide availability and regular departures across the Mediterranean and beyond. Costa Cruises follows closely, with an Italian-flavoured fleet that sails heavily out of Mediterranean ports. Cunard brings a different style altogether — a classic ocean-liner experience with White Star Service® — and their sailings from Southampton appeal to those who want elegance without compromise on price. Ambassador Cruise Line and P&O Cruises both specialise in no-fly sailings from UK ports, while Royal Caribbean rounds out the selection with a range of European itineraries.

If you are weighing up fare types, Costa sailings offer tiers from full board with unlimited drinks through to last-minute fares where you trade flexibility for a lower price. Cunard’s Saver fare gives access to deeply discounted staterooms in exchange for a pre-allocated cabin and full payment at booking — good value if you are flexible. Royal Caribbean has fare types such as last-minute offers and promotions for larger groups. Our experts can walk you through which tier makes sense for your trip.

Europe Cruise Deals — How Much Can I Save?

Reductions on European sailings can reach up to 51% off the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that particular sailing — though that is the maximum on a single departure. Most reduced sailings carry a discount closer to 10%, so the majority of the savings are meaningful rather than spectacular. The right time to look is when itinerary dates align with your calendar rather than when you think a sale might be running — deals come and go, and the best cabin grades go first.

Prices start from £54 pp* for the shortest sailings. Median durations across the range sit at around 6 nights, which gives a genuine week at sea for a price that compares well with an equivalent land holiday.

Which Ships Sail These European Routes?

MSC Preziosa

Preziosa is one of MSC’s more distinctive ships — Swarovski crystal staircases and a cobbled Italian piazza run through the public spaces and give it a character that larger, newer vessels rarely match. On deck, Vertigo is one of the longest waterslides at sea, and there is also a 4D cinema, F1 simulator, Platinum Theatre and bowling alley. The MSC Preziosa cabins and deck plans include the MSC Yacht Club, which delivers butler service, a private pool deck and exclusive dining for guests who want a quieter, more elevated experience within the same ship.

• Deluxe Inside Cabin Fantastica — 16 m², sleeps up to 4; 4 m² more space than the standard inside cabins
• Premium Ocean View Fantastica — 20 m², sleeps up to 4; a window cabin with sea view and more space than the deluxe ocean-view grade
• Balcony Aurea — 18 m² with a 4 m² private balcony, sleeps up to 4; larger than the standard balcony grades
• Grand Suite Aurea — 38 m², sleeps up to 4; includes an espresso machine, premium minibar and walk-in wardrobe
• MSC Yacht Club Executive & Family Suite — 40 m² with a separate living room and butler service; the most spacious Yacht Club option for families

MSC Sinfonia

Sinfonia belongs to MSC’s Lirica class, which at 65,542 GT is compact enough to call at smaller harbours that larger ships cannot reach — a genuine itinerary advantage for European coastal routes. It carries 94 balcony cabins, a top-deck water park with slides, and the Aurea Spa with its thermal suite. The Teatro San Carlo stages Broadway-style productions in the evenings, and dedicated LEGO and Chicco children’s zones make it a solid choice for families. See the MSC Sinfonia cabins and deck plans for grade-by-grade detail.

• Inside Cabin Aurea — 15 m², sleeps up to 4; 2 m² larger than the standard inside cabins
• Premium Ocean View Fantastica — 22 m², sleeps up to 4; 9 m² larger than the junior ocean-view grade
• Suite Fantastica — 26 m², sleeps 2; private balcony with direct sea air and views
• Family Balcony Cabin Fantastica FLA — 20 m², sleeps up to 4; extra bed and more room than a standard balcony cabin, ideal for families

Costa Smeralda

Costa Smeralda carries the world’s first Frescobaldi wine restaurant at sea — Osteria Frescobaldi is found nowhere else in the fleet and is reason enough for food lovers to look at this ship first. The Solemio Spa covers 4,500 m² and includes a rare snow grotto; the Colosseo Theatre spans three decks for evening entertainment; and the Food Lab cookery school is available for those who want to bring something home other than a tan. Check the Costa Smeralda cabins and deck plans to find the right grade for your party.

• Inside Cabin I1 — 10 m², sleeps up to 4; the most affordable grade, on the lower decks
• Ocean-View Cabin with Sea View E1 — 17 m², sleeps up to 4; a window brings in daylight and an ever-changing view without the cost of a balcony
• Balcony Cabin with Sea View B1 — 14 m², sleeps up to 4; exclusively on deck 5, a lower, more stable position with less wave motion
• Grand Suite GS — 33 m², sleeps up to 4; considerably more space than the standard 28 m² suites

More Ships on These European Routes

Costa Toscana takes the dining offer a step further: Archipelago brings together 3 Michelin-starred chefs — Barbieri, Darroze and León — in a 12-course tasting experience found nowhere else in the Costa fleet. The Ferrari Spazio Bollicine wine and champagne bar and a 4,500 m² Solemio Spa with a thalassotherapy pool, salt grotto and snow cave round out an exceptional onboard offer. See the Costa Toscana cabins and deck plans for full grade detail.

MSC Lirica is MSC’s original flagship — the very first ship the line built — and its compact scale of around 1,984 guests gives it a more personal atmosphere than the mega-ships. The MSC Aurea Spa, a Broadway-style theatre, a Las Vegas-style casino and a family waterpark all sit on the one vessel. Cabin and grade detail is on the MSC Lirica cabins and deck plans page.

MSC Magnifica carries a Kneipp circuit and a salt grotto in its Aurea Spa — a wellness offer that stands apart in this ship class — alongside a Royal Theatre seating 1,200 guests for Broadway-calibre productions and a 4D cinema. The MSC Yacht Club on Magnifica provides a private ship-within-a-ship: exclusive sundeck, dedicated pool, private restaurant and 24/7 butler service. The MSC Magnifica cabins and deck plans page covers all grades.

How to Book a Cheap European Cruise With Cruise1st

As one of the UK’s leading cruise specialists, Cruise1st gives you access to expert advice on every aspect of your booking — not just the headline price, but the cabin grade that suits your group, the fare tier that matches your flexibility, and the inclusions that make the difference once you are on board. Our cruise experts are on the phone before you book, which means you are not relying on a web form when you have a genuine question.

When your sailing starts abroad, a Cruise1st Package can bring together the cruise, your outbound and return flights, a hotel the night before, airport transfers and travel insurance in one booking. That means one call, one confirmation and one point of contact if anything needs changing. We are ABTA and ATOL protected, so your money is covered from the moment you pay.

For a broader look at what is sailing in Europe at every price point, or to compare cruises from the UK across all destinations, our full listings carry the complete picture. You might also find value in our Mediterranean cruise deals page, our last-minute Cunard cruise deals, or if you are considering something further afield, our Caribbean cruise deals. Those after British Isles sailings specifically will find a focused selection on our cheap cruises around the British Isles page, and anyone comparing all sailings under £599 pp* can browse the wider cruises under £599 pp* collection.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate.