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Cruise ships at the dock by Pontus Wellgraf – Unsplash
Best Mediterranean Cruises
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin, and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant. Whether you’re exploring the vibrant streets of Barcelona or immersing yourself in Istanbul’s historic sites, the Mediterranean region offers unlimited adventures. And the best way to see it is aboard a cruise ship.
The Mediterranean region is easily one of the most diverse in the world. You get to revel in Spanish and Italian architecture, soak up some sun in Greece, explore antiquities in Istanbul and Malta, or get a taste of the French countryside on the outskirts of Nice, Monte Carlo, or Cannes. Some Meditineraries dip down into northern Africa and the Canary Islands are also a popular stop for repositioning cruises. Here are the best 10 Mediterranean Cruises you can explore.
1. Oceania Cruise Line
Oceania’s Europe cruises include an itinerary taking in Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, and Croatia. Follow in the wake of the world’s great seafarers and explorers with an itinerary departing from Lisbon, the Portuguese capital during the Age of Discoveries.
This is a line that prides itself on its reputation for fine food and wine and this theme continues on land; excursions include a market tour in Marseilles, a tapas-making class in Seville, and a walk through Naples’ old town with time to savor calzone (folded pizza), a Neapolitan specialty.
2. P&O Cruises
On a cruise Ship called Allure of the seas by James Thomas – Unsplash
The P&O Cruise line offers a wide range of cruise sailings on its adult-only ships Aurora and Arcadia along with itineraries on child-friendly vessels including special school holiday sailings packed with activities to keep mini mariners happy.
The Amalfi coast has attracted a star-studded guest list for decades, seducing Frank Sinatra, Jennifer Lopez, and every big name in between with its Unesco-listed charms. Follow in their footsteps with P&O, which will take you on a dizzying drive along those winding clifftop roads.
3. Viking Cruises
This adult-only line has recently introduced round-trip sailings from Malta on its newest vessel, Viking Venus. Viking has a reputation for providing passengers with an in-depth insight into destinations through both its shore tours and onboard lectures by historians and other guest speakers.
Unusually for an ocean line, complimentary shore excursions are included in every port be it the highlights of Athens with a trip to the National Archaeological Museum or a tour of Barcelona with a stop at Gaudí’s famously unfinished La Sagrada Família.
4. SeaDream Yacht Club
A cruise ship by Colin Lloyd – Unsplash
Make the most of a sun-heated Mediterranean with the watersports platforms on the award-winning luxury cruise with one of two yachts: SeaDream I and SeaDream II both of which sail from May to October.
Small sailing boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and even a floating island are among the grown-up toys carried on board both yachts. Alternatively, chill out on the huge outdoor day beds just one of the many luxuries on this line where 112 guests are looked after by a crew of 95.
5. Costa Cruises
Costa is a fun-loving line that sails in the Mediterranean year-round and attracts an international mix of passengers. Try the new 6,500-passenger flagship Costa Toscana for ports of call including Marseilles, Valencia, Ibiza, Naples, and Civitavecchia, close to Rome.
Youngsters of all ages are made to feel welcome and some ships have dedicated baby pools. Shore excursions from other ships include an activity-filled trip to a Greek farm where kids can meet and feed the animals before burning some pre-bedtime energy at a barbecue party back on deck. Conveniently, there are plenty of different embarkation ports along the way on both its summer and winter sailings.
6. MSC
Sunrise on the cruise ship MSC Seaside during a drive through the Caribbean in January 2018 by id23 – Unsplash
From Ajaccio in Corsica to Zadar in Croatia, this line’s encyclopedic list of ports of call reads like an A to Z. MSC covers the whole of the Mediterranean on its big, ships that are family-friendly and come with a staggering choice of embarkation ports.
7. Star Clippers
Experience the golden age of sailing closer to home with Star Clippers. The tall ship cruise line sails exclusively in the Mediterranean with its three recreated clipper ships; Royal Clipper, Star Clipper, and Star Flyer.
Vessels sail under wind power whenever possible and the sight of the creamy billowing sails is a spectacle to behold. Lounge in the bowsprit nets as the ship glides through the blue waters of the Med or scale the mast to the crow’s nest.
8. Celestyal Cruises
A cruise ship by Adam Gonzales – Unsplash
Celestyal is one of the few lines that welcome tiny sailors from the age of three months, you’ll find plenty of youngsters on summertime sailings.
This line sets sail in the Greek islands and the eastern Mediterranean. It has two vessels, Celestyal Olympia and Celestyal Crystal, which carry 1,664 and 1,200 passengers respectively. Expect Mediterranean cuisine and port-intensive itineraries that can include two stops a day allowing you to pack as many sights as possible into your trip.
9. CroisiEurope
River line CroisiEurope has expanded its seagoing offering with the addition of La Belle des Oceans the second ship in its ocean fleet. This 130-passenger luxury vessel departs from Nice and will whisk you to the bone-white beaches of the Mediterranean’s fourth-biggest island, Corsica.
It switches to sailing the Atlantic in winter, taking you to the sunshine of the Canary Islands on an in-depth itinerary covering six islands. By day, visit the lesser-known isle of La Gomera, home to Unesco-listed Garajonay National Park, and listen to the curious whistling language used by the islanders. By night, look up and discover celestial secrets in the clear skies above La Palma on a star-gazing trip.
10. Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises stands out for its inclusive excursions varying from energetic family fun to fully accessible tours. For a different take on bustling Naples, the birthplace of the pizza, search for clues on a guided treasure hunt through Italy’s third largest city.
There’s also a dedicated coach tour for passengers in wheelchairs, plus another excursion along wheelchair paths at the ruins of Pompeii, the Roman city buried in ash and preserved after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79.
