Even those going on 7-day cruises will usually extend their European stays or go early. Most travelers going to Europe stay longer, so many cruises are 10 days or more. The second downside is timing. If you are eating and sleeping on the ship and touring with the other cruise passengers, your contact and exposure to the local culture is limited. The first is that you will not have much interaction with the local citizens without some european cruise line effort on your part. The Downsides of European Cruising There are only three possible downsides of a European cruise vacation. European hotels and restaurants are much more expensive than comparable North American accommodations or food. Euro or British pound is not good for travelers.