Europe!

So rather than think about classes starting tomorrow i am practicing avoidance and thinking about summer of 2008. My parent's 30th wedding anniversary is in Feb '08 and to celebrate my sister and I are taking them to Europe. We are trying to decide what we want to do. We have already narrowed it down to two options:
1) Tour of Southern Italy
2) Mediterranean Cruise
My parents have never been to Europe (well besides London and maybe Paris briefly) and we want to show them around. When my sister and I went, we both loved Italy so that is why we would do the tour of Italy. My parents want something very well planned which is why we would do a booked tour a cruise. There are advantages and disadvantages to both options. With the cruise you get to see more places, but you really don't get to see anywhere in depth. You have a short amount of time (I think in some cases 1/2 a day) in most cities. We would be able to see Spain, Greece and Italy which would be pretty cool. However, with a cruise you don't really get to enjoy the local cuisine (a big plus in Europe) and you don't get to really explore places since you are in each place for such a short time.
With a tour you are in places for longer and you get to explore the local cuisine. However you get to see fewer places. Also, you are stuck with people you don't really know, although i guess you could meet some cool people that way too. We are also trying to get some family friends to join for the tour. Like i said, positives and negative points to both. For me personally it doesn't matter what we do because I will probably spend at least two weeks afterwards visiting Europe and i can see what i want to see, I just want what's best for my parents.
Dave is planning on coming once the family trip is done and my friend Athena might join too and take me Greece. It would be awesome to see Greece with her since she has family there and can actually speak the language. And it will be really nice to have at least a week with Dave in Europe since for all the travelling we have done together we have never really travelled alone.
Anyway, I am getting pretty excited planning this trip and I have spent the past few days looking up tours etc. I don't know how i feel about the whole tour thing, if it is was up to me, i would just go to Europe, book hotels, travel by rail and do my own thing, but i know my parents would like the tour. Anyway, what are your thoughts, tour or cruise?