Thanks to the ailing greenback, a single ride on the
London tube costs about $8 these days. A gelato in
Florence can run upwards of $5. And those are just the "little things" -- it gets uglier when you add in
hotel stays and
airfare.The U.S. dollar has been on the decline against the euro for almost five years now. In the past year, it suffered a severe drop, pushing prices for everything from gold jewelry to imported cars higher. Try paying for your next vacation to
Europe with that weak currency, and you'll easily end up paying about 20% more than you did just two years ago.
It's enough to make anyone refrain from pulling out their passport. In fact, a growing number of Americans -- who are also facing a recession -- are skipping vacations abroad altogether, opting instead to stick close to home. A recent survey by the U.S. Tour Operators Association, found that more than half of its members said their bookings to
Europe and
the U.K. have dropped off significantly, some by as much as 20% in the past year. And bookings for 2008 aren't expected to be any better.
For Americans who can't seem to fend off the international travel bug, there are ways to get to
Europe (or get the feeling that you're in
Europe) for much less. Here's how:
CruisesFor travelers intent on visiting the art museums of
Barcelona or the cathedrals of
Italy, cruises are now one of the most affordable options. Cruise packages are typically all-inclusive (the cost covers the room, meals and onboard entertainment), which will help you better budget your trip. But now there's an added bonus: In an effort to fill their ships, cruise lines are throwing airfare into the price, says Stewart Chiron, industry expert and president of cruiseguy.com. With some of these deals, cruise goers can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars off the regular price.
"Passengers who can get away in April, May or June are going to find some fantastic deals," says Chiron.
Norwegian Cruise Lines, for example, reduced its price on a seven-night Western Mediterranean cruise from
Barcelona to cities like
Naples,
Nice and
Monte Carlo by more than 50% to $1,549 per person from $3,599. The price includes roundtrip air from select U.S. cities and a two-night hotel stay in
Paris or
Barcelona. Another pick of Chiron's is a Celebrity 12-night cruise that leaves from
Southampton, England and goes to cities in
France,
Portugal, and
Spain. The cruise's regular price can run as high as $5,000, but is now a much more affordable $2,650.
Discount AirlinesIf you've never heard of Zoom or Eurofly, you're not alone. These U.S.-based start-up airlines are a good option for those who have their hearts set on visiting big European cities but don't have the big budget to get there, according to Judi Janofsky, co-publisher of travel e-newsletter WheretoGoNext.com. But travelers should know that their options will be limited. Zoom currently only flies out of
New York and has scheduled flights to
London just twice a week (the airline will begin flying out of
Ft. Lauderdale in May and
San Diego in June). Eurofly flies only from
New York to about a dozen cities in
Italy. The airline is currently promoting a $399 roundtrip fare from
New York's JFK Airport to
Rome.Another option, says Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com, is to fly to one of the big
European hubs like
London or
Paris on a major carrier and switch to a discount airline to get to your final destination.
Europe's two main low-cost airlines are RyanAir and EasyJet. Because these airlines are ultra-low-cost, Banas says travelers should be wary of added fees for things like checking baggage that can quickly add up.
