If Europe was popular last year – and it definitely was among the hottest cruise destinations in the world – 2008 promises to be even more sizzling.

Members of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) are committing a record number of ships – including some of the world's newest and biggest – to homeports in Europe and the Mediterranean in order to satisfy the tremendous interest on the part of North American and European travelers in exploring western civilization's greatest cities and treasured landmarks in style and comfort.

For Americans, cruising in Europe will be an even bigger value this year thanks to the current exchange rate that makes European cruise vacations purchased in dollars the most relaxing and cost-effective way to explore Europe.

"As the cruise industry continues its global expansion, nowhere are seagoing vacations growing at a faster rate than in Europe," said Terry L. Dale, CLIA's president and CEO. "Travelers are discovering that a cruise vacation is the most convenient, comfortable and enjoyable way to explore new places, including some of the most famous cities and landmarks in the world. They are choosing voyages that encompass the entire continent of Europe, from Turkey and the Greek Isles to Iberia to western Europe to Scandinavia and the Baltic."

To accommodate the demand, cruise lines have increased capacity in Europe. Several CLIA members expanded their European fleets substantially and will do so again in 2008, in some cases positioning ships in Europe for year-round cruises. Particularly popular in 2007 were cruises in the eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic and that trend is continuing this year, with a wealth of unique cruise ports in Slovenia, Croatia and Albania.

Here is a sampling of what's on the horizon for CLIA member lines operating in Europe in 2008:

AZAMARA CRUISES
Among CLIA cruise lines, Azamara is the newest kid on the water in Europe this year. Founded in 2007, the company offers high-end, destination-driven voyages, with Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest in Europe this Spring and Summer. Offering open-jaw itineraries between major cities as well as roundtrip cruises, the ship will roam from the western Mediterranean to the Adriatic, throughout western Europe, pay visits to Morocco and offer a handful of 12-night Scandinavia and Russia trips. Two voyages encompass Egypt and Israel as well as the Mediterranean.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES
Carnival inaugurates its first-ever northern Europe cruise season with the 2008 debut of Carnival Splendor. Featuring a 21,000 square-foot Cloud 9 luxury Spa, the 3,006-passenger ship will sail roundtrip from London to Copenhagen, Warnemunde (Germany), Helsinki, St. Peterburg, Tallin and Amsterdam between mid-July and the end of August. Earlier in the summer she will cruise the Mediterranean and Greek Isles.

CELEBRITY CRUISES
Celebrity brings four ships to Europe again this year, offering Scandinavia and Russia, Norwegian fjords, western Mediterranean, north Africa, and eastern Mediterranean itineraries. Returning to shipboard life will be "Passaporto di Europa," an onboard activities/entertainment program featuring the cultures of Europe. Examples include a French wine and cheese fair, a "taste of Spain," "Dining under the Santorini Stars," and "Carnevale di Venezia." Itineraries also feature five new ports for Celebrity: Harwich, Cherbourg, Gijon (Spain), Brest and Split.

CRYSTAL CRUISES
In addition to offering its first world cruise, which includes European ports, Crystal has expanded its North Cape cruises to the Polar Ice Cap and offers a choice of 15 Mediterranean itineraries, including voyages through the Black Sea, Greece, Turkey and the Middle East. The line also features a series of "port-intensive" Med cruises and summer British Isles cruises featuring overnights in Dublin and Edinburgh. Perched on the far reaches of Europe, Greenland and Iceland are featured in Crystal's fall transatlantic crossing.

COSTA CRUISES
Costa will offer 53 itineraries to 112 ports on year-round departures this year in the Mediterranean and northern Europe. In addition, Costa, which represents one of the youngest and largest fleets in Europe, will feature two of the newest and largest ships in Italian history. Costa Concordia and Costa Serena both offer the largest spas at sea, complete with spa accommodations, and the largest enclosable pool deck on a cruise ship, thus making them ideal for year-round European cruises.

CUNARD LINE
Queen Victoria's inaugural season offers a wide variety of maiden call voyages throughout Europe and the Mediterranean including the 12-day Jewel of the Mediterranean voyage, departing Southampton on August 1, the August 25 Jewel of the Mediterranean sailing from Barcelona and the 12-day Connoisseur's Mediterranean voyage departing November 29 from Rome with prices starting at $2,295.

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
Offering its most expansive and most innovative European season ever, Holland America will position six ships, including the brand new ms Eurodam, in the region. They will sail on 57 unique itineraries from March through November in northern Europe, the Norwegian fjords, the Mediterranean, Greek Isles and western Europe. Nine maiden port calls will be featured including three in Sweden (Lulea, Hudiksvall and Karlskrona); Aalborg, Denmark; Newcastle upon Tyne and Barrow in Furness in England; Santander, Spain; Portimao, Portugal; and Split, Croatia.

HURTIGRUTEN
In 2008, Hurtigruten's year-round Norwegian Coastal Voyage will again feature a variety of theme cruises, including "Bridge Players," "Watercolors and Art," "Harmony at Sea" and "Winter Digital Photography." The Coastal Voyage between Bergen and Kirkenes, above the Arctic Circle, calls at 34 ports and are available in 12-day roundtrips, seven-day northbound and six-day southbound voyages.  MS Lofoten joins MS Polar Star and MS Nordstjernan offering a new 16-day air-inclusive "Spitsbergen Ultimate Voyage" from Bergen to the North Cape to the Arctic's Spitsbergen Islands. And, MS Fram offers a second season of air-inclusive sailings in Greenland, with PolarCirkel boat landings from May through September. 

MSC CRUISES
April 2008 marks the arrival of MSC's highly anticipated MSC Poesia, the third sister ship of the line's "Musica" class of new ships.  The 2,550-passenger vessel will be joined by the company's 3,300-passenger MSC Fantasia in December. The company is also offering special air/sea packages from North America for seven-night European itineraries on all seven of its ships operating in Europe, featuring  the Eastern Mediterranean, Greek Isles, Western Mediterranean, Russia & The Baltic and Scandinavian fjords.

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
NCL offers its largest European deployment ever with three of its newest Jewel-class ships -- Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Jewel -- in Europe for an extended season from May through November, offering a wide range of itineraries and a memorable Freestyle Cruising experience.  In an NCL first, Norwegian Jade will offer several sailings out of the UK designed specifically for the local UK market, departing roundtrip from Southampton.

OCEANIA CRUISES
With destination-rich voyages a top priority, Oceania has added several new ports this year in its 42 different Mediterranean and Greek Isles itineraries. Among the new ports are Pula, Croatia and Alghero, Italy and the line also features a new 14-day Barcelona to Istanbul trip that includes Egypt and Israel as well as Greece, Turkey and Italy. With a range of itineraries that traverse of virtually all of Europe, from Russia to the Greek Isles and Black Sea, sailings range from 10 to 16 days.

PRINCESS CRUISES
"More than ever before" is the theme for Princess Cruises' European season. Six ships will call on 115 ports, including five new ones, on 32 unique itineraries. Two ships – Crown Princess and Pacific Princess – make their European debuts, and Princess will offer five new itineraries, including a "Classical Europe" option that combines the best of Scandinavia and Russia with the Mediterranean in a single voyage featuring the 710-passenger Royal Princess. New ports include Sarande, Albania; Dartmouth, England; and Scrabster, in Scotland.

REGENT SEVEN SEAS CRUISES
Seven Seas' newest offerings in Europe include several maiden port calls in the Adriatic, including Kotor, Montenegro (on Seven Seas Navigator's Venice to Istanbul itinerary departing May 24), Koper, Slovenia (Seven Seas Voyager's Piraeus to Venice voyage departing May 26), and Hvar, Croatia (Seven Seas Navigator's voyage from Venice to Piraeus, July 26). The company is also featuring a series of "air inclusive" cruise packages, with Economy Class or Business Class air included depending on category of accommodations chosen. 

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
Debuting in April, Independence of the Seas, the third of Royal Caribbean's new Freedom Class ships, will be deployed in Southampton in the United Kingdom where she will be the largest ship ever to be home-ported in Europe. In all, the line will have a record seven ships sailing European itineraries that encompass 63 ports. Home ports for Royal Caribbean will include Barcelona (Voyager of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas), Rome (Legend of the Seas), Venice (Splendour of the Seas), Southampton (Independence of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas) and Harwich (Jewel of the Seas).

SEABOURN CRUISE LINE
Seabourn is introducing two new "Grand Harbors of Europe" cruises mixing marquee ports with less-known "Seabourn Secrets" along the western coast of Europe. Departing from Lisbon on May 12 and Dover on September 18, the 14-day cruise features overnight stays in such ports as Amsterdam, Antwerp and Dublin as well as intriguing ports like Pembroke, Wales; Belfast, St. Mary's in the Isles of Scilly and Liverpool. Two-for-one international business class airfares add value to available savings to 35%.

SEADREAM YACHT CLUB
Operating two of the smallest ships in the CLIA fleet (100 passengers), SeaDream will spend 176 days in Europe in 2008, with SeaDream I and II sailing the Mediterranean, the Adriatic, the Aegean (including Croatia), and even to North Africa (Tunisia). Embarkation and debarkation ports include Barcelona, Seville, Tenerife, Lisbon, Nice, Monte Carlo, Rome, Venice, Athens and Dubrovnik.

SILVERSEA CRUISES
Silversea's Silver Cloud, Silver Wind and Silver Whisper offer nearly 60 voyages of seven to 15 days to the Mediterranean and Europe. New destinations include Formentera, the smallest of Spain's Balearic Islands; Belle Ile, the charming French island off the coast of Brittany; Germany's Sylt island in the North Sea; and historic Sibenik on Croatia's southwest coast.

UNIWORLD GRAND RIVER CRUISES
Uniworld, the pioneer in elegant river cruising in Europe, will introduce several new itineraries this year. These include two new seven-night cruises: the Rhine Discovery, from Nuremberg to Basel; and the Danube Discovery, from Vienna to Nuremberg. The company also will feature a 17-day cruise and tour to the Ukraine, Black Sea and Istanbul. Uniworld provides intimate, boutique hotel-style ships that carry no more than 134 guests, with one English-speaking crew member per every three guests.

WINDSTAR CRUISES
Windstar will offer 40 sailings in Europe and 30 sailings in the Greek Isles. New this year are two Adriatic itineraries. One, offered on specific departure dates in June, July and September, is a seven-day voyage on Wind Surf or Wind Star, from Venice to Dubrovnik featuring Koper, Slovenia; and Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Split and Korcula, all in Croatia. The other, departing in June, August and September, is a seven-day trip between Dubrovnik and Venice, with stops in Koto, Montenegro; Ploce, Hvar, Sibenik and Rab in Croatia as well as Trieste.