Luxury Cruises On The Mediterranean

A classic Mediterranean cruise visits major port cities located on the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the countries of Spain, France, Italy, Monaco, Greece and Turkey and the islands of Malta, Crete and Sicily. Some cruises also include stops in Egypt. The Mediterranean cruise season is April to November when the weather is generally sunny and mild. Many cruise lines sail the Mediterranean and while there is most likely a cruise that appeals to any style and budget, we'll focus on luxury cruises here.

Radisson Seven Seas is a luxury carrier in the small cruise line category. As such, a small number of passengers (only 198 to 700 based on individual ship capacity) are treated to personal service by a cruise line that has been selected by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure to be the "World's Best Small Cruise Line". Radisson Seven Seas appeals to the sophisticated traveler. Based upon service, quality dining, upscale accommodations, and service, Radisson Seven Seas has earned a six-star rating. The cruise line's special accommodations include two 700 passenger all-balcony suites ships, Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner, and one 490 passenger all-suites ship, Seven Seas Navigator. The Radisson Diamond is another unique ship due to its twin hull design. The Radisson Diamond carries 350 guests in luxury.

The Seven Seas Voyager and the Radisson Diamond routinely cruise the Mediterranean Sea, departing from or terminating at ports such as Rome, Venice, Athens, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Istanbul normally for a 7-night cruise. These cruises stop at some of the most famous European cities that occur between the start and end points such as Florence, Italy; Marseilles, France; St. Tropez, France; Dubrovnik, Croatia; the island of Sicily; and others.

Crystal Cruises is another award-winning six-star cruise line. A reader's poll by Travel + Leisure magazine named Crystal "World's Best" in cruise line service. Conde Nast Traveler magazine has awarded Crystal "Best Large-Ship Cruise Line" while Travel + Leisure called Crystal the "World's Best Large - Ship Cruise Line", both titles being given for the past nine years. Crystal Cruises boasts "extraordinary cuisine" coupled with impeccable service.

Crystal offers a large number of 7- to 12-night Mediterranean cruises, many with romantic overtones. For example, the Renaissance Reflection cruise originates in Lisbon and stops in Barcelona, Cannes and Monte Carlo. The Italian Treasures cruise spends seven nights on the west coast of Italy. The Path of the Phoenicians is a twelve-night odyssey from Athens to Istanbul followed by stops at the historically famous Greek islands of Kusadasi, Rhodes, and Santorini before terminating at Venice.

The Yachts of Seabourn cruise line advertises that they provide "Ultra Luxury" by "delivering the highest levels of personalized service to an exclusive group of guests aboard intimate, elegant ships that could visit the most enticing destinations worldwide." Seabourn sails three identical all-suite ships that cater to only 208 passengers each. Of course, dining and service is world-class.

Seabourn offers longer, leisurely cruises that can explore a small or unique area in-depth. For example, the 17-day Spring Time in Spain cruise originates in Lisbon, Portugal, stops at six Spanish ports plus ports in Monaco, France and the Balearic Islands. Many of the stops were selected due to the availability of golf courses. The 16-day Mediterranean Odyssey II begins at Istanbul; spends six days at Greek ports, four days at Italian ports along with several days at sea before terminating at Lisbon. The 7-day Capitals of Antiquity cruise begins at Cairo, Egypt; tours the historic Greek islands of Rhodes, Mykonos, and Kusadasi before terminating at Istanbul.

If luxury is your objective, there are a large number of out of the ordinary Mediterranean cruises to choose from beyond those discussed here.

Looking for information about cruises? Go to: http://www.whatcruises.com 'What Cruises' is published by Colin Hartness - An excellent resource for Cruises! Check out more cruise articles at: http://www.whatcruises.com/archive

In The News:


Ed Perkins on Travel: It's a great time to cruise
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - 7 hours ago
An early season (April 25) seven-night sailing to Alaska on the Norwegian Star starts at $429 per person. A mid-January 10-night trip to the Canary Islands, ...

Boston Globe

Pirate attack on cruise liner is 'unlikely to put off cruisers'
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 9 hours ago
The attack on Nautica happened at around 9.30am on November 30, when the ship was sailing through the Gulf of Aden, in an area patrolled by anti-piracy task ...
Video: Cruise Ship Attacked by Pirates Is Now Docked AssociatedPress
Cruise lines react to pirate attacks TTG live
Could Pirates Attack Your Cruise Ship? Cruise Critic
NYU Local - CBS Newsall 1,153 news articles

Cruise lines slash prices to lure consumers
Palm Beach Post,  United States - 21 hours ago
That dictates that cruise ships sail full with two passengers per berth; often, they fill the third and fourth berths available in cabins. ...

Royal Caribbean to Open Office in Australia in Response to Rise in ...
MarketWatch - Dec 2, 2008
... cruise experience." Next year, Rhapsody of the Seas will embark on its third season in the South Pacific and Australia. Rhapsody of the Seas will sail ...

Home and Away

Kids Cruise Free, Ships Add Balconies
Home and Away - Dec 2, 2008
By Marge Peterson Kids sail free this winter on Costa Cruises when traveling with their parents. This value is available on all 12 seven-day ...

North Sails - A wealth of experience
Sail World, Australia - 1 hour ago
... and his love of sailing brought him to New Zealand in 1999, when he purchased a Lidgard 44 called ‘Hijacker’ and spent two and a half years cruising the ...

2008 Sailing Industry Study
Cruising World, FL - Dec 2, 2008
Simply fill out this form to receive a complimentary issue of Cruising World! If you like it, pay just $19.97 for 11 more issues (12 in all) and receive ...

Carol Cronin's first book is full of surprises
Jamestown Press,  USA - 6 hours ago
She has since retired from Olympic sailing and now focuses her life on writing for magazines such as Sailing World and Cruising World, as well as Seahorse, ...

Sailing in Hawaii at King's Cup
Sail World, Australia - Dec 2, 2008
As Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore Matt Allen said after winning the IRC Division 1 aboard his Beneteau 44.7 Ichi Ban, ‘Today it was like sailing ...
Phuket King's Cup Day: Classic conditions YACHTe.com.au
all 3 news articles

UK & France. 'Gordon Brown could learn from Fountaine Pajot' says ...
BYM News (press release), Spain - 14 hours ago
Sales success has also coincided with further improvements with the fleet’s sailing performance, with the option of Fountaine Pajot’s new CST (Cruising ...
cruising sailing - Google News

Buying a Used Sunfish Sailboat: Know The Ins and Outs Before Sailing Away

As anyone who's ever bought a used car knows, you... Read More

Sailing Hints & Tips

I spend almost all my summers sailing around the Greek... Read More

Asia Cruise Expert Guide

Ever since Marco Polo returned from his 24-year trek to... Read More

Caribbean Cruise: An Enchanting Experience

A Caribbean cruise is the world's most popular cruise. The... Read More

Boat and Yacht Detailing - Teak Reconditioning and Care, Detailing the Deck

If you find your boat with gray and weathered teak,... Read More

Are you Ready for the Cruise of a Lifetime?

Cruises are one of the best ways to unwind and... Read More

Luxury Cruising

A great cruise is much more than a journey. Blending... Read More

Luxury Cruises On The Mediterranean

A classic Mediterranean cruise visits major port cities located on... Read More

The Merchant Navy and the Internet

A web site dedicated to the writings of the sea,... Read More

Carribean Cruise

Caribbean Cruises are among the most demanded cruise vacations in... Read More

School for Sails, by Capt. Cary Hanna

Gorgeous, acrobatic, and lit-up, Sailfish rank as the # 1... Read More

The Absolute Best Romantic Gift Idea!

We all want to please and impress that special someone... Read More

Whats Involved With Honeymoon Cruise Packages?

With so many honeymoon cruise packages to choose from, it... Read More

Internet Cruises - Shopping Online

"If you build it, they will come."That advice, which prompted... Read More

Interesting 5 Tips that First-Timer Cruisers Need to Know

First-time cruisers sometimes confuse about choosing the destination for neither... Read More

Shape Up and Ship Out

For some, the ideal cruise consists of a lounge chair,... Read More

Yacht Chartering in Greece - A Few Things to Consider

When to GoThe sailing season in Greece lasts from March... Read More

Preventing Boat Propeller Injuries

Each year hundreds of propeller accidents leave tragedy in their... Read More

Learning How to Sail

When it comes to sailing, there are all kinds of... Read More

Silversea Cruises! Committed To Elegance, Luxury, And Gracious Hospitality

Committed to elegance, luxury and gracious hospitality, Silversea Cruises is... Read More

Carnival Cruise - A Perfect Holiday - Rock and Rolling with Carnival Cruise

If you want to have fun for one low price,... Read More

Types of Cruise Ship Cabins

Many cruise ships today have standard cabins of similar size... Read More

Boat Hull Cleaning; Equipment Needed

How do you clean the hull on a boat when... Read More

Cruising Glacier Bay

You can watch movies about it, you can hear about... Read More

Six-Star Cruising on Luxury Cruise Lines

A luxury cruise is just what the name implies, a... Read More