7 Reasons I Love Mediterranean Cruises

Wondering if a Mediterranean cruise is really as great as it sounds? Why Mediterranean cruises are one of my favorite ways to vacation and my top recommendation for first-time travelers to Europe.

Cruising the Mediterranean was always on my bucket list.  After taking one Med cruise myself, I found I just couldn’t stop.  I’ve got 3 under my belt now and am considering a 4^th.  So why might you want to consider taking a Mediterranean cruise?

1. Visits Multiple Cities in One Trip

Most of us -if lucky- can afford the time and money to take maybe one European trip per year. If you have as many as 10 places you’d like to visit, it would take a decade to make all the trips. On top of that, some cities may not meet your expectations for a full week. Why not take an “introductory” trip that gives you a taste of multiple cities that you can either check off your list or make plans to revisit for a longer stay? If you haven’t visited the western Mediterranean countries, I recommend a 7-day cruise to experience the diversity of Mediterranean culture.

2. Unpack Once

You’ve packed for 4 or 5 countries—beaches, metropolitan cities, and evenings out. Why not unpack it all once, organize your clothes and toiletries, and relax. No more re-organizing and packing until the cruise is over!

3. The Mediterranean… Need I Say More

What can you expect on a 7-day cruise of the Med? Mediterranean cruises can be one way or roundtrip, but you will likely depart from Barcelona or Rome. There is usually one day at sea. Ports can include:

• Spanish resort islands with beautiful beaches
• French Riviera stops at ports like Cannes or St Tropez
• Napoleon’s home on the island of Corsica
• Marseilles, gateway to Provence
• A wide variety of small, picturesque Italian ports

4. Endless Customization (or Relax and Leave It Up to The Cruise Lines!)

The cruise lines spend a lot of time and money researching port excursions and will offer you a wide variety of options. I’ve taken many cruise line excursions and enjoyed them. I’ve also taken a number of excursions and had not-so-good experiences, for reasons like this:

• Losing an hour or more to the logistics of getting all the passengers off the ship and on to our buses
• Waiting an extra 15 minutes at a stop for the ONE couple in line to buy something
• Mandatory stops agreed to by the cruise line which can be anything from a large jewelry store to a snack bar
• Delayed departure while waiting for all the women to cycle through the comfort stop

Many people don’t realize that you can safely take customized excursions off the ship that are booked through companies like Expedia or respected local agencies. Of course they need to be vetted before you part with your money. Many of these companies will also guarantee on time arrival to the ship and are probably even contracted by the ships for their excursions.*

I like these type experiences because they are often private- just for your group-and only go where you want to go. Some of my favorite private tours included:

• An art historian guided tour of Rome for our group of 8 with no lines
• A family trip to a small castle outside of Florence which offered wine tasting in the cellar and a picnic on the grounds with an incredible homemade meal
• A private tour to Montserrat from Barcelona in a luxe van with a gourmet picnic enroute from the monastery to Cava tasting in the countryside

*Since COVID, some cruise lines will only allow you to leave the ship on one of their excursions which allow them to keep you in a “bubble.” Be sure to ask before you book a private tour.

5. Amazing Departure Ports

Mediterranean cruises can be one way or roundtrip, but you will likely depart from Barcelona or Rome. These are amazing cities and you may want to consider pre- and post-cruise packages for your trip.

Pre- and post-cruise packages can be done through the cruise line itself—or if you are more adventurous you can build one yourself. However, most cruise packages don’t include much touring so you may want to take some time to look at what activities you want to do in port. Since most of the cruises start or end in Rome or Barcelon here are some of my favorite experiences for those ports:

Rome

• Day Trip: a private trip to the Pope’s Summer Palace, lunch on the lake, and wine tasting in the hills above Rome
• Exclusive Vatican Tour: behind the velvet ropes tour of the Vatican with one of the Vatican partner agencies that expedite entry and provide unique access to things not open to the public

Barcelona

• Rooftop party after hours at Gaudi mansion with live entertainment and Cava (champagne)
• Private transfer to or from ship with city tour

For more information on Pre- and Post- Cruise Packages, check out my blog on the subject LINK

6. Leave the Details to the Cruise Line

• Know that you have someone to contact if you run into trouble.
• Have picky eaters? Take comfort in the fact they can always find something to eat on the ship.
• There’s always something to do at night on the ship if you’re uncomfortable checking out bars in an unfamiliar place where you don’t know the language
• Relax knowing the ship has curated adventures for you to take in port and you don’t have to worry about getting back in time for sailing

7. The Best Way to Travel for First-Time Europe Visitors

Traveling overseas for the first time can be overwhelming. Many of my clients are surprised to find just how difficult a language barrier can be. Rest assured that all of the activities on the boat will be offered in English and you’ll never have trouble reading a menu or asking for help. Its even more important for first-time visitors that you have a safety net with the ship in whatever country you visit

Final Thoughts

Having taken 3 Med cruises myself, I’m a firm believer in what an amazing and memorable vacation this can be. That’s why I brought my husband’s family who had not done much (if any) overseas traveling on a Mediterranean cruise and they loved our trip together. They came home having visited 3 countries and 3 of the most popular Italian cities. They stood on the steps of the Cannes Film Festival and watched the sunset over the Spanish island of Majorca.

Still undecided? Review the positives about a Mediterranean cruise:

• Visit multiple bucket list locations on one trip
• Customize your bucket list items and let the cruise line do the heavy lifting
• First timers to Europe can relax knowing you have a safety net while you travel

If you want to experience all that the Mediterranean has to offer, try the sampling offered by a 7-day Med cruise, make sure you see what YOU came to see, and let the pros handle the stressful stuff. You won’t regret it!