Mediterranean Cruise|Cruise Mediterranean

Mediterranean Cruise

Cruise the Mediterranean and you get it all—easy access to ancient civilizations and easy hours relaxing on blazingly beautiful beaches. Nowhere else can such an array of culture and history be found in such a relatively small and stunning vicinity, where the weather ranges from ideal to mild and the cruises range from amazing to spectacular.

Conquer ports during the day and return to the vast comfort of your ship at night, savoring new cultures without the hassle of transferring between airports and hotels. Unpack once, and let the world revolve around you.

Cruise itineraries generally split the Mediterranean Sea in two, keeping passengers either in the west near Spain, France and Italy, or in the east near Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. With so many places in and around the Mediterranean Sea, choosing just a few to visit can seem a daunting task. From Moroccan marketplaces to Venetian gondoliers, to the towering cliffs of the French Riviera to the ample vineyards in Spain’s Andalusian countryside, the ports of the Mediterranean offer it all and have for centuries.

The Mediterranean cruise season is from late April to October, although a few ships cruise this region year-round. Mediterranean cruises are seven to 14 days in length.

Western Mediterranean cruises will typically call at ports in Spain, France and Italy, and may also visit ports in Portugal, Monaco, Tunisia or Morocco. Eastern Mediterranean cruises may include Italy, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria or the Ukraine. Holy Land cruises usually combine Eastern Mediterranean cruise ports with Israel and Egypt, while some Mediterranean cruises concentrate solely on the Greek Isles.

Which cruise lines sail to the Mediterranean?

Almost every cruise line sails to the Mediterranean, from lower-priced mainstream to upper-class luxury lines. Short cruises are rare with one- to two-week sailings the norm. Here's what the cruise lines are offering:

Carnival: Carnival sails 12-night itineraries from Civitavecchia/Rome aboard the Carnival Freedom and Carnival Liberty.

Celebrity: Celebrity sails seven- to 14-night itineraries from Barcelona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Piraeus/Athens and Venice aboard the Century, Galaxy and Millennium.

Crystal: Crystal sails seven- to 12-night itineraries from Civitavecchia/Rome, Istanbul, London, Monte Carlo, Piraeus/Athens and Venice aboard the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony.

Cunard: Cunard sails 10- to 24-night itineraries from New York and Southampton aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the Queen Mary 2.

Holland America: Holland America sails 10- to 28-night itineraries from Civitavecchia/Rome, Lisbon, Piraeus/Athens and Venice aboard the ms Noordam, ms Prinsendam, ms Rotterdam, ms Veendam and ms Westerdam.

Norwegian: Norwegian sails seven- and 12-night itineraries from Barcelona, Istanbul and Piraeus/Athens aboard the Norwegian Jewel.

Princess: Princess sails seven- to 19-night itineraries from Barcelona, Civitavecchia/Rome, London, Piraeus/Athens and Venice aboard the Emerald Princess, Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Royal Princess, Sea Princess and Star Princess.

Regent: Regent sails six- to 11-night itineraries from Barcelona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Dover, Funchal, Istanbul, London, Monte Carlo, Nice, Piraeus/Athens and Venice aboard the Seven Seas Navigator and Seven Seas Voyager.

Royal Caribbean: Royal Caribbean sails three- to 14-night itineraries from Barcelona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Istanbul, Southampton and Venice aboard the Brilliance of the Seas, Legend of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

Seabourn: Seabourn sails six- to 18-night itineraries from Barcelona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Istanbul, Lisbon, Monte Carlo, Nice, Piraeus/Athens and Venice aboard the Seabourn Legend, Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Spirit.

Silversea: Silversea sails seven- to 15-night itineraries from Alexandria, Barcelona, Civitavecchia/Rome, Genoa, Istanbul, Lisbon, Monte Carlo, Nice, Piraeus/Athens, Venice and Villefranche-sur-Mer aboard the Silver Cloud, Silver Whisper and Silver Wind.

Costa, Disney, MSC Cruises, Oceania and Windstar also sail Mediterranean voyages.

Monte Carlo, Monaco, located between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, is a glamorous departure port for a cruise. This is the scenic Cote d'Azur, where the natural beauty attracts the world's rich and famous. Monaco is known for the casino, luxury hotels, and exclusive shops. Three luxury cruise lines offer Mediterranean cruises from Monte Carlo.

Lisbon is the pulsating heart of the region with a colourful history and tradition permeating its streets. It is an international city too, boasting fashionable shops, modern art exhibitions and cultural centres. It has esplanades paved with black and white mosaics, open squares where one can buy freshly cut flowers and roasted chestnuts, mazes of cobbled alleys and steeply winding streets.

For the first time, Disney Cruise Line is adding European flair to its itinerary offerings, repositioning the Disney Magic for the summer of 2007 to the Port of Barcelona in Spain and offering alternating 10-night and 11-night Mediterranean cruise vacations to Europe.

Mediterranean Cruise Ports

Venice is a very popular port for Mediterranean cruises. Its singular appearance, attractions and art treasures make it unique. Venice can easily be visited on foot or by boat, stroll through Piazza San Marco, visit the Doge's Palace or walk to the Accademia. All of the cruise lines offer cruises from Venice, Italy.

Passengers on cruises from Barcelona can take advantage of the city's great food, shopping, nightlife, architecture and art galleries. It is arguably the Mediterranean's most cultured, cosmopolitan port. The city itself is a great excursion. Use the efficient metro or take a bus or trolley tour of the major sights. Celebrity, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean cruises depart from Barcelona.

Rome cruises depart from nearby Civitavecchia. The first settlements in the Rome area can be traced back to the early Etruscan civilization. Rome grew to rule a vast empire and, as the empire began to divide, the city became the center of the Christian world. Artists and architects flocked to work for the popes and other notables in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Just about every cruise line offers Mediterranean cruises from Rome, including Carnival Cruises and Radisson Seven Seas.

The Ports of Cannes and Nice - Villefranche welcome every year an increasing number of cruise liners. All the ports offer access to the traditional heritage and cosmopolitan culture of the French Riviera and host huge international events such as the Cannes Film Festival or the Carnival of Nice. They are the “stars” of the ports in the Mediterranean thanks to their privileged geographic position.

The port of Naples is conveniently accessible to further connection by air or train. The passenger pier is located in the very heart of Naples, a minute's walk from the Municipio the city hall. The main airport, Capodichino, can be reached in 15 minutes by road. Alternatively, travellers arriving in the port can proceed to either of the city's two modern railway stations, the Centrale and Mergellina, which both offer rapid trains to Rome. The new high-speed rail-link will make it possible to travel to Rome in only 45 minutes.