Mediterranean Cruises

By David Barclay | August 23, 2023

One of the most popular regions for ocean cruises is the Mediterranean and not surprisingly, this means it’s one of the most popular destination for first time cruisers. There are many aspects of Mediterranean cruises that make them attractive to experienced cruisers and new cruisers alike. First, Mediterranean cruises visit multiple European ports and Europe has always been a popular destination for U.S. travelers. Second, the relatively short distances between ports means few, if any, sea days, so travelers can maximize their time exploring seaside towns and cities. Third, the short travel distances allow even a modest 7-9 day cruise to visit 3-4 different countries. Fourth, many cruise itineraries start and end in major European cities, making flights to/from the embarkation/disembarkation ports readily available from a number of airlines. Finally, many cruise lines offer 7-night cruises which start and end on a weekend. These itineraries are very travel friendly for travelers who are still working and/or still have children at home, limiting time away to a single long week.

The cruise season in the Mediterranean stretches from April to November, providing a plethora of options. Families and multi-generational groups can cruise during the summer months when children are on summer break. Couples and adult groups can also travel during the summer or in the shoulder seasons to avoid the summer heat and visit when ports are less crowded with tourists.

Just as Mediterranean cruises are popular overall, they are also very popular in the luxury cruise segment. The Mediterranean is dotted with numerous smaller oceanside towns and villages, allowing the luxury lines to get away from the crowds brought by larger mainstream ships and deliver unique experiences to guests. If these itineraries below contain ports that are not familiar to you, that just means they provide the opportunity to explore some of the undiscovered beauty of the Mediterranean.

With the start of the 2024 Mediterranean cruise season still roughly 8 months away, you may wonder why today’s blog post is focused on this region. It’s because cruises in the Mediterranean have become so popular that ships are filling up many months earlier than they have in the past. A few years ago, I would have said travelers should start looking at cruise options 6 months in advance and make sure they book their cruise at least 4 months out to ensure they get a good stateroom location. But recently, as I’ve looked at Mediterranean cruise options for my clients, I’m seeing a lot of 2024 cruises with very few staterooms remaining. Several 2024 itineraries are completely sold out and waitlisted. And not just during the peak travel months of June-August, recently I looked for cruise options in September/October for a client and more than a quarter of the cruises that were a good match for that client were completely sold out.

If you’ve been thinking about a Mediterranean cruise for 2024, I’d suggest you start planning soon or consider changing your plans to cruise in 2025 where there is still good availability of staterooms.

---

Oceania (Riviera)

7-night Enchanting Rivieras
Barcelona to Rome
Jun 10 – 17, 2024

Barcelona to Rome is a very common Mediterranean itinerary for 7-10 night cruises and is very popular with cruisers. Guests are treated to a few stops along the Spanish or French Riviera and visit a few of the islands between Spain and Italy. Most itineraries continue from the French Riviera to one or more ports in northern Italy (e.g. Portofino) before arriving in Rome. This itinerary is different as it travels south to Sicily and then up the coast of Italy, with a stop at Amalfi. Travelers with extra time can spend a few days in Barcelona pre-cruise and/or Rome post-cruise as both cities have a lot to offer, even to returning visitors.

Oceania is a great cruise line for cruisers new to luxury cruising who want to “test the waters” without investing in a cruise with one of the ultra-luxury lines (and associated higher cruise fares). It is known as a cruise line for foodies and earlier this summer changed its fare structure to become even more all-inclusive. The new “simply MORE” fares include free round-trip economy air and airport transfers, free dining in the specialty restaurants, free beverage packages, free Wi-Fi, and credits for shore excursions (the amount is based on the cruise itinerary length). Guests who book a Concierge level or higher stateroom receive additional onboard perks and services.

---

Seabourn (Encore)

7-night Adriatic & Greek Treasures
Venice to Athens
Jul 28 – Aug 4, 2024

Another very common Mediterranean itinerary is between Venice and Athens. While ships will cruise both this route and the reverse, I prefer cruises that start in Venice as I think a few pre-cruise days in this fascinating city is a great way to start a vacation. In Athens, those who have never visited before can add on a post-cruise day or two for exploration, while those needing to get home can easily schedule a flight back to the U.S. the afternoon after disembarkation. This itinerary with Seabourn also demonstrates how even a shorter 7-night cruise can visit 4 countries (Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, and Greece).

Seabourn is one of my favorite ultra-luxury cruise lines, combining great food, incredible service, and beautiful ships with a more country-club relaxed atmosphere on board. The Encore, and sister ship Ovation, are the largest ships in the fleet, accommodating up to 600 guests. The size allows these ships to offer multiple dining options (including the famous Thomas Keller Grill) and many spacious common areas.

---

Explora Journeys (EXPLORA I)

8-night A Journey into Ancient Empires
Rome to Athens
Aug 15 – 23, 2024

Rome to Athens might be the most common itinerary among the luxury cruise lines, and the most varied in the itinerary options. The numerous ports along the Italian and Greek coastlines offer an almost unlimited combination of stops for the itineraries, allowing the lines to create unique experiences and not rehash the same itinerary multiple times in a summer. This itinerary skips the southern Italian coast in favor of Sicily before traveling to Greece. Also relatively unique, the EXPLORA I will travel past Athens to visit the island of Mykonos before heading back for its final port of call.

Explora Journeys is a new ultra-luxury cruise line that launched this year. The EXPLORA I is the largest ship among the luxury lines, accommodating up to 900 guests. Her size means she can offer an incredible number of dining venues (10) and bars/lounges (12). But don’t let her size make you think she’s like the large mainstream and premium line ships. She’s still small relative to those ships and offers one of the best space-to-guest ratios among any of the lines, meaning guests will never feel crowded. She also offers 4 separate pool areas, allowing guests to relax in more secluded common areas around the ship.

---

Silversea (Silver Moon)

7-night Athens to Athens
Jul 1 – 9, 2024

While most Mediterranean itineraries have different embarkation and disembarkation ports, Athens is a common port for a looping cruise itinerary. This cruise has a very Greece intensive itinerary, with only one stop outside of Greece (in Kusadasi, near the famous ruins of Ephesus). This itinerary is perfect for someone who has never visited Greece and wants to stop at many of the most popular islands.

The Silver Moon is one of the newest ships to join the Silversea fleet, launching in 2020. She can accommodate up to 596 guests and with her launch Silversea started offering its Sea and Land Tastes (S.A.L.T.) program. In addition to her many on board dining venues and common areas, she added the S.A.L.T. Kitchen where guests can dine on local cuisine, the S.A.L.T. bar for local beverages, the S.A.L.T. Lab for interactive cooking experiences, and unique S.A.L.T. excursions accompanied by Silversea’s food experts and chefs.