Thread: cruising the mediterranean

hi cruise fans, If you haven't cruised the meditarranean, i strongly recommend it. I have taken two cruises there so far and will be going again in june. Sailing through france, spain, italy, greece, the culture is so different in each country, and on each cruise we have visited so many different ports.the reason i prefer the smaller ship Flying from london to many airports such as rome, venice, athens, barcelona, and istanbul all added excitement to a wonderful trip. Give it a go sometime. kiki

Commodore Dave's Blog


Fantastic Fares on European Cruises


A cornucopia of ancient cultures and legendary landmarks are waiting for you along the beautiful shores of Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa. And it’s all available at incredibly attractive cruise fares that start at just US$86 per day – far less than you’d pay for a comparable trip on land.
For example, take a look at the extraordinary value offered by these fall departures in the Mediterranean when the weather is still warm but the landmarks are less crowded:
7-Night Mediterranean from Barcelona departing October 9: This classic itinerary aboard the Celebrity Constellation will take you to Nice on the beautiful French Riviera, the UNESCO world heritage city of Genoa in northern Italy, the Tuscan port of Livorno for visits to nearby Florence or Pisa, Civitavecchia for the eternal city of Rome, and the southern Italian port of Naples for visits to Capri, the ruins of Pompeii, or Sorrento. And with prices starting at just C$669, you’ll have money left over for shopping!
11-Night Mediterranean from Genoa departing November 2: You’ll sail from Genoa aboard the MSC Melody to the Spanish ports of Almeria and Cadiz before passing through the Pillars of Hercules on your way to the Portuguese capital of Lisbon and the Moroccan souks of Casablanca. Then you’ll cruise back to Genoa via the Balearic Island of Mallorca, the charming city of Valencia on Spain’s Costa del Azahar, and the beautiful town of Villefranche on the French Riviera. And the starting price for this cruise is just as idyllic as the itinerary – only US$949!
If you find the intrigue of North Africa and the raw beauty of the nearby Canary and Madeira Islands more appealing, take a look at this bargain cruise:
9-Night Canary Islands & Morocco from Barcelona departing December 3: The Norwegian Jade will take you to the scene of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman’s famous love story in Casablanca, before sailing to the Moroccan seaside resort of Agadir. Then it’s on to the lush Atlantic islands of the Canaries and Madeira before stopping at the charming city of Malaga, Spain. Sound romantic? So is the starting cruise fare of just C$828!
Further north, there’s a cruise to Scandinavia and Russia at prices that may never be this low again:
7-Night Northern Europe from Oslo departing May 29:The beautiful waterfront of Copenhagen and the old world charm of Tallinn are reason enough to cruise the Baltic Sea, but it’s the museums and palaces of St. Petersburg that make this voyage a truly remarkable experience. But what’s even more remarkable is that prices for this once-in-a-lifetime voyage start at just C$669 aboard Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas.
And finally, the ancient cultures of Croatia, Greece and Turkey are beckoning with bargain fares:
7-Night Adriatic, Greece & Turkey from Venice departing July 24: Sail aboard the Norwegian Gem as it cruises along the Adriatic Sea to the walled city of Dubrovnik, into the Saronic Gulf for the ancient city of Athens, through the Aegean Sea to the old Turkish port of Izmir and nearby Ephesus, and to the historic town of Nafplion on the Peloponnese Peninsula of Greece. This classical itinerary will not only fascinate students of history, it will delight accounting grads with a starting price of just C$1,085!
If it’s beginning to sound like prices for a European cruise may never be lower than they are this year, you’re getting the message.
A number of cruise lines have already announced price increases and/or the removal of special incentives like generous onboard credits, while others are quietly ratcheting up base cruise fares for 2011. For example, the price of a 15-night Norwegian Fjord cruise with luxury line Crystal Cruises starts at just US$7,440 this year. However, next year the price jumps to US$9,230.
So if you’ve been thinking it’s time you cruised the beautiful shores of Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa, this might be the year to walk up the gangplank

hi tom, i have visited all the places in photos, and many more.. The mediterranean gives such a selection of ports. i always do 12 to 14 nts and usually around may or june or september , october. too warm inbetween and too late in november. i am sailing with pacific princess in june, the smaller ships can dock at more ports than the bigger ones. kiki

Originally Posted by kiki

hi tom, i have visited all the places in photos, and many more.. The mediterranean gives such a selection of ports. i always do 12 to 14 nts and usually around may or june or september , october. too warm inbetween and too late in november. i am sailing with pacific princess in june, the smaller ships can dock at more ports than the bigger ones. kiki

We are doing our first European in Mid November, wanted Alexandra. Looking forward to it we sail out of Barcelona for 12 nights, will give us a good taste of what we might like to go back and see.

I couldn't agree more Kiki! After having done dozens of Med cruises I agree it's a must-do for everyone!
As you said...the culture is so different in each country! It's so exciting to get off the ship every day and hear a completely different language, taste different foods and drinks...mousakas, souvlakis, baklavas and ouzo in Greece; raki, apple tea and turkish delight in Turkey; some chianti in Florence, pizza in Naples, esspresso in Rome, fresh sea food in Croatia...
Sailing the the same seas that ancient Greeks used to sail, walk the same pavements that old Romans used to walk, seeing where the Seven Wonders of the World used to stand or still stand, following the routes of Alexandre the Great...all that in only 7 or 10 days!
And let's not forget you are visiting some of the most stylish places in the world, birthplaces of fashion...There's nothing like getting your Italian shoes or butter-soft leather jacket in Florence, your branded handbag in Rome...Morover, when do you ever get a chance to buy some 22-24 kt gold? in Greece you do! How often do you get a chance to buy a hand made silk rug? Hand blown Murano chandelier? Or a necktie tie in the country that invented it-Croatia?
And I haven't even mentioned all the sights to see, churches, ruins, museums and galleries...
There's no place like the Med and I do agree...give it a go sometime!
Med Chick

hi , many thanks for your reply. You explained it all, a great advert for the mediterranean. I am so looking forward to going in june, this time flying to rome and cruising for 12 nts , flying back from venice. I will be visiting different ports than before, and returning to my favourites. What part of europe are you from? kiki

Thanks for the many great tips and ideas I can't wait for November, just hope we get great weather.