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Mediterranean

The busiest, easiest cruising in the world: warm sea, short hops between ports and a city worth a day at almost every stop.

Season

Apr – Oct

Typical length

7 – 14 nights

Sea temp

72 – 79°F

A historic European harbour town visited on Mediterranean cruises

The Mediterranean is where most people take their first cruise in Europe, and with reason: the ports are close together, so you wake up somewhere new almost every morning without long stretches at sea, and the shoulder months are warm enough to swim but cool enough to walk a city at midday. The western route — Barcelona, Palma, Marseille, the Italian Riviera — is the gentler introduction. The eastern route trades beaches for archaeology.

Choose May, June or September if you can. July and August are hot enough that the ruins become an endurance test, and the ports are at their fullest. Whichever month you pick, the ship matters less here than the itinerary: you will spend most days ashore, so read the port times before you read the deck plan.

Port guides

Barcelona

Barcelona

Docks in the city

Ships tie up at Adossat, twenty minutes from the Ramblas by shuttle. Enough time for Gaudí in the morning and the Gothic Quarter after lunch, with a beach hour if you skip the second church.

8 – 10 hours ashoreReserve Sagrada Família tickets in advance

Civitavecchia (Rome)

Civitavecchia (Rome)

Docks 50 miles out

Rome is a ninety-minute transfer each way, which makes this the one port where the ship tour earns its price — it guarantees the ship waits if the traffic turns.

11 hours ashoreTake the ship excursion here

Palma de Mallorca

Palma de Mallorca

Docks in the bay

The cathedral, the old town and a good lunch are all within a mile of the gangway. The easiest port of the whole western route.

7 – 9 hours ashoreWalk, skip the tour

Kotor

Kotor

Docks in the old town

The fjord approach at sunrise is the single best morning in Mediterranean cruising. Climb the walls early, before the heat.

6 – 8 hours ashoreOnly smaller ships fit

Sailings to Mediterranean

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Browse Mediterranean sailings with dates, ships and current US-dollar fares from our supplier feed. Cabin availability is checked when you view cabins.