Eastern Mediterranean Cruises

Cruising the Eastern Mediterranean

Gliding past St Mark's Square as your ship slips down the Grand Canal in Venice is just one of many breath-taking moments to expect when cruising in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The great thing is the enormous variety of cruise lines, ships and itineraries available, from the small and intimate right through to bold mega ships offering every facility imaginable.

All the major cruise companies sail in the region, from American giants such as Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises and NCL through to Italian lines Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises as well as British companies P&O Cruises, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Cunard.

And don't think that cruises only run in the summer. More cruise lines are offering year-round departures both from ports in the region and from the UK, a trend which is set to continue.

Increasing numbers of Eastern Mediterranean cruise itineraries even offer the opportunity to stay overnight in such iconic cities as Venice and Istanbul, enabling you to really soak up the local atmosphere.

The region offers so many memorable travel experiences that can only really be enjoyed from the comfort of a luxury cruise ship.

Few other holidays give the ability to combine quite so many UNESCO World Heritage sites together. Eastern Mediterranean cruises give the option to visit Venice, Kotor in Montenegro as well as glorious Dubrovnik and Split on Croatia's Adriatic coast.

Then there's the draw of Ancient Greece with the ruins of Olympia, where the original games took place 2,700 year ago, and the former Greek city of Ephesus, reached from the Turkish resort of Kusadasi.

Stepping further into the past - 5,000 years to be precise - on the outskirts of Cairo sits the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still remaining.

Beyond dispute is the immense range on offer in the Eastern Mediterranean, from grand voyages from Southampton of 20 nights or more to seven-night fly-cruises where you conveniently join your ship in Italy Greece or Turkey.

Cruise-and-stay options, which combine a week's hotel accommodation on a Greek island with a seven-night cruise, are a great alternative for families.

Western Mediterranean Cruises

From sunny beaches to stunning cities, cruising the Western Mediterranean brings the delights of Spain, France, Italy and North Africa to your cabin doorstep. A diverse range of cruise itineraries cover the region, with both fly-cruise options and departures from the UK available for seven nights, two weeks or more.

Adriatic Cruises

There's no better way to soak up the beautiful rugged Croatia coast than on an Adriatic cruise. Besides breathtaking scenery, Croatia cruises provide the perfect opportunity to drop into some of the best preserved medieval cities in the Mediterranean. Nothing beats arriving by sea into picturesque harbours that dot the coastline.

Cyprus Cruises

The position of Cyprus in the far east of the Mediterranean makes the island the perfect stopping off point for cruises around the region. You can expect Cyprus cruises to take in Egypt and Israel along with the Greek islands and Turkey. Ships on cruises to Cyprus will call at Limassol, the largest coastal resort on the island.

Greece and Turkey Cruises

Picture a scene of perfect beaches, laid back bars and some of the most historic sites to be found a anywhere in the world and you get an idea of the enduring appeal of Greek islands cruising. Add on the excitement of cities such as Athens and Istanbul plus Turkey's many coastal resorts and you have the perfect combination for a cruise holiday of a lifetime.