Researching first cruise, Mediterranean from Canada

[Lambo62]

I've just started researching for our very first cruise and came upon this site. Great site, lots of usefull information, I am sure I will spend hours here as I am a planner. I thought I would start by asking a question.

I am planning a Mediterranean cruise for our 30th wedding anniversary next year, and am looking at July or August. I am thinking 7 days or maybe 9. My question is.... the choice seem a bit overwhelming to me as I am just starting to look. So many ports to depart from and so many choices. I wondered if anyone could advise as to which ports would have direct flights from either YYZ or BUF as either airport works for us. I was pricing out a couple cruises and the additional airfare for two people was about $3000. This seems high to me, certainly there should be more affordable flights to europe.

I guess the first thing I need to decide is where I want to depart from. Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you

Lambo

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

The first thing to do is narrow down the possible embarkation and debarkation ports (start and end of cruise). We try to pick cities that we want to spend a few days before or after the cruise. I would not worry too much about the cruise line. Med cruises tend to be port intensive, so you will not be spending as much awake time on the ship as you would with other itineraries. That does not mean to blindly take the cheapest.

[Beopthtuh]

alot of cruise lines sail out of barcelona and rome (civitavecchia)

wonderfull ports of call you just need to choose the itinery right.

[soccerref]

IMHO it is very expensive to fly from Canada to anywhere in Europe so I would suggest that, if you are able, you should extend your time in Europe to at least 2 weeks. You could then do a 'grand Med' cruise covering many of the major sights (Venice, Rome, South of France, Dubrovnik, Barcelona, Greek Islands etc) or a shorter cruise + a stay pre and/or post cruise. The Med has such a diversity of attractions - historical,cultural and scenic -that it would be a shame not to see as much as possible.

 

Have a wonderful time whatever you choose.

[6rugrats]

I've just started researching for our very first cruise and came upon this site. Great site, lots of usefull information, I am sure I will spend hours here as I am a planner. I thought I would start by asking a question.

I am planning a Mediterranean cruise for our 30th wedding anniversary next year, and am looking at July or August. I am thinking 7 days or maybe 9. My question is.... the choice seem a bit overwhelming to me as I am just starting to look. So many ports to depart from and so many choices. I wondered if anyone could advise as to which ports would have direct flights from either YYZ or BUF as either airport works for us. I was pricing out a couple cruises and the additional airfare for two people was about $3000. This seems high to me, certainly there should be more affordable flights to europe.

I guess the first thing I need to decide is where I want to depart from. Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you

Lambo

You are asking about nonstop flights, which are not the same as direct. A direct flight can have stops and even plane changes.

 

If you leave from BUF, there are no nonstops to any large European cities; you're going to have to connect somewhere on the east coast. There are nonstops to many European cities from YYZ; look at Air Transat. They have many nonstop flights from YYZ-FCO for next July and August for around $1100. Anything around $1000 is a good fare for summer.

 

If you want to cruise in July or August, just be aware that these are two of the hottest and most crowded months in the Med.

 

You need to decide where you'd like to go first, so start researching itineraries.

[CruiserBruce]

A good place to start doing some research is on the Med Port boards here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=603

[Keith1010]

I agree with CruiseBruce, I would start getting information at the Mediterranean Board.

 

I would also recommend meeting with a Travel Agent who specialized in Cruises who can really help you navigate all of the cruising choices.

 

Keith

[Lambo62]

Thanks for the feedback folks, I've spent the whole afternoon researching and I feel better already. Its going to be fun forsure. Any recomendations as to how far in advance one should book the cruise? On some cruise lines next July is already sold out! so I am guessing sooner better than later.

[Daisyloo]

Are you tied to July or August? April or May or even June might be better because of the temperatures in the summer. My daughter did a 1 week Med. cruise in August this year and it was almost unbearably hot. They found any tour that had lots of walking was very uncomfortable by the end, and several folks on them ended up with heat stroke. She said if they did the Med. again, they would try to avoid the summer.

 

There are lots of cruises out of Barcelona, and what they liked is that it's not far from the airport to the city center and from there it's close to the cruiseport. Rome is quite far from the port, about an hour or so.

She flew from YYZ to Barcelona - Air Canada has nonstop there. As far as cost, by the time they paid for cruise, air and a hotel for 2 nights in Barcelona, transfers, food in Barcelona they figure they spent about $2500.00 each.. Add the cost of excursions, any liquor or spa treatments and you're looking at even more. They enjoyed every minute of it though!

[CruiseLuvver]

Don't forget that you don't have to leave from a country actually in the Med - there are lots of ex-UK cruises to the Med, and several airlines run a Canada-UK route.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

You might want to think of a 12 day cruise