20 best Mediterranean cruises for a great seagoing getaway (2024)

It’s no surprise that the Mediterranean is one of the most popular cruise destinations. It’s close enough to the UK to avoid long-haul travel, yet it covers a decidedly different array of cultures and experiences, from sun-kissed coastlines to cities steeped in history. The region is often divided in two, with western cruises visiting the likes of Gibraltar, Spain, France, Italy and Morocco, while eastern Mediterranean itineraries encompass the Greek islands, Turkey and Cyprus. With more ships sailing than ever before, the choice of vessels ranges from sleek superyachts to fun-filled megaships for all the family. These are some of the best cruises in the Mediterranean.

Main photo: Windstar Cruises’ Star Pride docked in Argostoli, Greece

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1. Windstar Cruises

Best for unexplored ports of call
Windstar steers clear of large ports in favour of tiny harbours and hidden coves that bigger ships can’t reach. The line’s 312-passenger Star Pride can sail up the Guadalquivir, the only major navigable river in Spain, to reach Seville while other vessels have to moor a 90-minute drive away in Cadiz. See a new port almost every day with never more than one sea day.

2. Crystal

Best for space
The much-loved luxury brand Crystal has been revived under the ownership of A&K Travel Group, which has taken on ocean ships Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, which sail throughout the Mediterranean. The number of suites has been reduced so ships carry 740 and 606 passengers respectively, a drop of 300 and 248. Land experiences curated by A&K include a cookery class at a privately owned villa in Corfu and tour of Cefalu in Sicily, the backdrop of the classic Italian film Cinema Paradiso.

3. Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Best for service
Enjoy some of the best service at sea on the Ritz-Carlton superyachts. They were created to replicate the lifestyle and atmosphere of the brand’s upmarket hotels at sea, so there is nearly one crew member to every passenger. Shore excursions reflect the hospitality industry heritage with a visit to Tenerife’s clifftop Ritz-Carlton Abama to recharge with yoga and relaxation or co*cktails on the roof terrace of a five-star Mallorcan hotel built around a 19th-century mansion.

4. Princess Cruises

Best for accessibility
This line stands out for its inclusive excursions varying from energetic family fun to fully accessible tours. For a different take on bustling Naples, 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.

5. Variety Cruises

Best for the Greek islands
This line comes to the fore for an authentic taste of the Greek islands. The fleet of small Greek-owned ships carry 34 to 72 guests and visit the smaller, untouched islands that only local fishing boats usually reach. On Ikaria, known for the longevity of its inhabitants, you can join a cookery class in a village house or, on Levitha, meet members of the one family who live there and run a tiny restaurant for visiting yachts.

varietycruises.com

6. CroisiEurope

Best for a small-ship experience
River line CroisiEurope has two ships in its oceangoing fleet. The latest, the 130-passenger La Belle des Oceans, departs from ports such as 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.

croisieurope.co.uk

7. MSC

Best for families
From Ajaccio in Corsica to Zadar in Croatia, this line’s encyclopaedic list of ports of call reads like an A to Z. MSC covers the whole of the Med on its big, blingy ships that are family-friendly and come with a staggering choice of embarkation ports. MSC Virtuosa had a starring role in the Channel 5 drama series Good Ship Murder, which was filmed on board the ship that sails from Southampton for the Mediterranean.

8. Star Clippers

Best for tall ships
Experience the golden age of sailing — without having to discover new worlds — with Star Clippers. The tall-ship cruise line sails in the Mediterranean with its three recreated clipper ships; Royal Clipper, Star Clipper and Star Flyer. There are chances to explore the Balearic Islands, top up your tan in St Tropez and see the luxury and extravagance of Monaco. 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.

9. Celestyal Cruises

Best for the eastern Mediterranean
This line sets sail in the Greek islands and the eastern Mediterranean. It has two vessels, Celestyal Olympia and Celestyal Journey, which carry 1,664 and 1,260 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. 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.

celestyal.com

10. Costa Cruises

Best for younger children
Costa is a fun-loving line that sails in the Mediterranean year-round and attracts an international mix of passengers. Try the 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.

costacruises.co.uk

11. SeaDream Yacht Club

Best for luxury
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 here 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.

12. Viking

Best for adult-only
This adult-only line runs Mediterranean cruises that last from a week up to month or more, with a wide choice of departure points. Viking has a reputation for providing passengers with an in-depth insight into destinations through both its shore tours and on-board 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 Gaudi’s famously unfinished Sagrada Familia.

13. Azamara

Best for F1 fans
Get trackside at the Monaco Grand Prix on one of Azamara’s voyages that coincides with this world-class sporting event. The line’s French Riviera sailings include the chance to visit this tiny principality, which is a magnet for the rich and famous and, consequently, where people-watching is an irresistible pastime. The glamour continues at the resort of St Tropez — a celebrity hideaway since Brigitte Bardot immortalised the white sands of Pampelonne beach during the filming of And God Created Woman in 1956.

14. Oceania

Best for food
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. Oceania’s Europe cruises include an itinerary taking in Spain, France, Monaco, Italy and Croatia. 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 savour calzone (folded pizza), a Neapolitan speciality.

15. Marella Cruises

Best for Adriatic itineraries
Get to know the Adriatic with Marella. You can sail to Croatia’s headline city of Dubrovnik, just-on-the-radar Kotor in Montenegro and enjoy shore tours to Cetinje, once the smallest European city and known as the “Valley of Gods”. Then there’s Venice, where you can tick off the classic sights of St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge on a tour, topped off by a gondola ride. All ships have children’s clubs apart from adult-only Marella Explorer 2.

16. P&O Cruises

Best for children
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. The 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.

17. Celebrity Cruises

Best for Aegean itineraries
Sail to Turkey and the port town of Kusadasi to discover the gateway to Ephesus: ancient ruins of a city that was once home to 250,000 people. You’ll also stumble upon the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Celebrity’s Aegean Sea itineraries are steeped in history and other options include marvelling at the architectural masterpiece of the Acropolis in Athens and taking a boat ride to Delos — said to be the birthplace of Apollo.

18. Silversea

Best for style
This all-inclusive small-ship cruise line, with its Italian heritage, is the top choice for those who want to sail in style. The Grand Mediterranean itinerary from Lisbon to Athens on Silver Spirit ticks off 34 destinations and 13 countries in 43 days. You’ll wander along the gondola-filled canals of Venice, cruise through the striking Bay of Kotor and drop anchor in Malta with a full day ashore where you’ll hear the boom of the noon gun. Back on board, expect spacious suites, all-inclusive gourmet dining and a staff-to-guest ratio you’ll find hard to beat on any other cruise line.

19. Ambassador Cruise Line

Best for a British vibe
Aimed at British cruisers, Ambassador has two ships; the 1,400-passenger Ambience and Ambition, carrying 1,200 guests. Round-trip sailings from Tilbury and Bristol to the Mediterranean call at Naples, with views of Mount Vesuvius and the preserved Roman city of Pompeii, and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, where you’ll visit the namesake rock and meet the resident Barbary macaques.

20. Saga

Best for older travellers
If you’re looking for a fuss-free sailing, try a no-fly cruise departing from Portsmouth on Spirit of Discovery or Spirit of Adventure. The adult-only line sails throughout the Mediterranean to islands such as Mallorca, Corsica and Sardinia and the culture-rich cities of Lisbon and Barcelona. You don’t need to worry about getting to the airport as cruises include a door-to-door chauffeur service.

saga.co.uk

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