A typical day aboard a cruise ship in Europe starts with breakfast being delivered to your room and placed on your balcony so you can watch as you gently glide into port. If you don't have anything planned for that day go the restaurant deck and enjoy a hearty meal.

If you have a tour booked, head for the meeting area that has been designated by the cruise line. In most cases the tours are four to five hours long giving you the rest of the day to explore more fully. If you have planned it right you can do your tour, then return to the ship for lunch, then go out in the afternoon to hit the spots you have chosen to see.

Most cruise lines set sail for the next port in the early evening around 5 or 6 o'clock. After you have watched the sail away, you have time to get cleaned up, have a drink and then have a leisurely dinner. There is always entertainment after dinner to enjoy. The casino and the bars will be opened to the late hours but remember you have an early start the next day.

If there are a couple of days where you are not in port the cruise ship will provide plenty of activities that you can join. They have art auctions, trivia, bridge, lectures, fitness classes and much more. And don't forget the spa. Make your spa appointments early since the sea days tend to be booked solid.

So if you have decided to cruise the coasts of Europe you need to consider a few things. There are many destinations to choose from with the Mediterranean being the most popular. But you can opt to do the Baltic, Scandinavia or the British Isles.

Now you have to pick a cruise line that sails in to your chosen itinerary. Some of the cruise lines, like Radisson, SilverSea, and Windstar are small and intimate. These cruise lines emphasis luxury and service. The other main stream cruise lines, Princess, Celebrity or Holland America, to name a few, carry thousands of passengers, from 1500 to 3000. They are really floating resorts. Of course the costs should be considered too.

If you can afford it choose to sail on a luxury cruise line. Now you have to compare the amenities of each luxury cruise line. The cabins on a luxury cruise ship tend to be the size of a suite on the mega cruise lines. Check the cruise lines brochure for square footage.