Mediterranean Cruise Recommendation

[atljb2]

We have done many cruises, but never a Mediterranean one.  We have cruised primarily on NCL.  Let me hear your recommendations for a Med Cruise for this spring/ Summer.  We are in our 50’s and won’t have kids with us.

[CruiserBruce]

Well...NCL does the Med, so that is a choice.

 

As commonly discussed on the Ports boards, the Med is all about itinerary. Lots of full, 8-12 hour days with extensive touring. So what do you want to see.

 

We are doing 24 days on Holland America's N. Amsterdam in May/June , focusing on the Eastern Med. Our second Med cruise on Holland America.

 

 

[Essiesmom]

How long do you have?  Do you want Eastern or Western Med?  A 7 day cruise will get you one or the other.  You can get some of both on a 10-12 day; to get both you need 14 days.  Not counting travel...  I would look for a cruise that leaves from or visits Venice.  We don't know how long it will be before Venice really gets serious about banning cruise ships...  I recommend you get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports, read it and decide which ports you want to visit and then look for a ship that visits the most.  You probably won't get all...  Spring/Summer 2020 is fast approaching.  There might not be much choice left in cabins...EM

[atljb2]

8 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

How long do you have?  Do you want Eastern or Western Med?  A 7 day cruise will get you one or the other.  You can get some of both on a 10-12 day; to get both you need 14 days.  Not counting travel...  I would look for a cruise that leaves from or visits Venice.  We don't know how long it will be before Venice really gets serious about banning cruise ships...  I recommend you get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports, read it and decide which ports you want to visit and then look for a ship that visits the most.  You probably won't get all...  Spring/Summer 2020 is fast approaching.  There might not be much choice left in cabins...EM

Thank you!

[lynncarol]

Try to get one that visits Ephesus Turkey.  Probably one of our favorites.

[John Bull]

The Med is all about the ports, the ship is secondary.

So look for the itinerary you want.

Check the hours in port, some ships - especially Italian ones - have a number of half-days in port which is far from ideal.

 

Visiting cities by cruise ship is very limiting, you’ll only get a foreshortened day in each port, and no evenings.

so look for one - way cruises. For instance Rome to Venice. And give yourselves a few days pre and post cruise. Buy open-jaw (aka multi-city) return air tickets, so that you fly into one city and home from the other without incurring horrendously expensive one-way air tickets.

 

And a cruise which includes an overnite in port is a bonus..

 

JB 😀

[ducklite]

Take a look at the offerings Windstar has. They've got a lot of great Med itineraries.  You'd fit in well with their demographic and you'll love the lack of lines and the personalized service.  You'll never go back to a mass market ship again.