Dollar Dazzlers: How You Can Save $450 On A Last Minute European Cruise

A weakening American dollar and falling airfares make the perfect conditions for an escape to Europe this summer.
While it might seem last minute, there are still plenty of good deals out there.
Here are the airlines to fly with and some cruises to consider.

You might think that if you haven’t got a European trip already planned for this year, you’ve missed out. But the good news is that you might have lucked into the perfect time to book.

Great flight deals are adding to the savings with prices dropping about 10 per cent from last year, and even higher to some countries like Spain, France and Greece.

This means there are plenty of affordable flights for less than $2000 return per person that are available over the next few months.

The Australian dollar is also performing well against the American dollar. This comes in handy when cruising on ships that charge in American dollars onboard.

If you still want to make your European summer come true, here are some flight options and some cruises to check out and make it happen.

Last-minute Europe Flights

There are still plenty of great flight deals to major European hubs like Barcelona, Roma, Paris and London. These cities all work as well as being either cruise ports, or nearby major cruise hubs, to kick off a European cruise.

Even in the high month of June, flights from Sydney to London can be found in the $1500 to $1700 range for return flights with airlines like Cathay Pacific and British Airways. If you’re willing to save more money and sacrifice shorter layovers, China Southern has even better deals.

If you want to start your travels from Paris instead, Sydney to Paris return flights in the range of $1500 – $1800 can be found in June with Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Cathay Pacific. China Southern has cheaper options available.

If you’re to start your holiday in Rome, June return flights from Sydney can be found in the range of $1700 to $1800, with Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways.

To start your European holiday in Barcelona, which is the perfect location for a Mediterranean cruise, you can find plenty of options in the range of $1500 to $1700 for a return flight from Sydney, with airlines like Qatar Airways and Virgin Airlines.

Similar deals for flights can be found across July and August, so the flexibility is there depending on what you’re looking for.

rome — Could Rome be the perfect base for your Euro trip?

Cruise deals for Europe 2026

Here are great last-minute deals for a steal this summer in Europe. While demand is generally high for a European summer cruise, there’s always something available, so be sure to check the websites of your favourite cruise lines to see if there’s something that suits your trip.

Celebrity Cruises – 10 nights – Best of Italy and Croatia – Ravenna to Rome – from $2475 per person – Celebrity Constellation leaves June 19

The best deal Celebrity still has going price-wise is this one, with a great European exploration on offer for less than $250 per night. The cruise visits Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Sicily, the Amalfi Coast, Florence and more.

Royal Caribbean – nine nights – Spanish Flair Cruise – Southampton round trip – from $2735 – Liberty of the Seas – leaves June 26

This Royal Caribbean cruise leaves out of England, making it an easy connection for Australians, before heading to Spain. Cruisers get a deep dive into Spain with visits to Vigo, Seville, La Coruna, Bilbao and Lisbon in Portugal as well.

Carnival Cruises – 12 nights – Iceland and British Isles – London (Dover) round trip – from $2651 – Carnival Legend – leaves June 28

For something a bit different, take a more Scandinavian trip with Carnival. You’ll visit all sorts of coastal and landscapes with an easy round-trip out of London.

Princess Cruises – seven nights – Mediterranean and Aegean – Rome roundtrip from $1519 – Enchanted Princess – multiple departure dates in June, July and August

Princess prides itself on its Mediterranean offerings and this is the perfect chance to take them up on it. The great value one week Princess cruise visits the Amalfi Coast, Santorini, Kusadasi in Turkey, Katakolon in Greece and then leaves you back in Rome for more exploration.

Oceania Cruises – 10 days – Lisbon to Rome – from $3360 – Oceania Nautica – departs July 24

For something a bit more upscale, but at a surprisingly great price, you can navigate through Europe on this Lisbon to Rome cruise with Oceania. Enjoy luxurious inclusions as you visit Madeira, Seville, Gibraltar, Malaga, Cartagena, Barcelona and more.

iceland — Have you considered a cruise to Iceland?

So, how much can you save?

Considering the drop in flight prices from this year to last and the stronger dollar, a European fly cruise holiday can actually take less of a toll on your bank account this year than it would have in 2025.

For example, let’s say you were going to take the Iceland cruise out of London on Carnival Legend, your cruise fare of AUD$2651 comes out to USD$1848.28. If you were to have booked at the same price in USD a year ago, with the then exchange rate, this cruise would have cost $2938.76, a $288 difference.

Then if we consider that flights to Europe have dropped 10%, the London roundtrip of $1600 would have cost about $1780 a year ago, $160 more.

Adding this two numbers together you have $448 in savings on a last minute deal to Europe this year, and that’s before considering any special cruise line promotions.

Right now Aussies have the unique chance to spend less rather than extra by booking last minute, so why not snap it up and head to Europe this summer?