Luxury Mediterranean Cruises: All You Need to Know
Luxury Mediterranean cruises have it all, from the cultured European destinations of Spain, France, Monaco, Italy, Greece and Croatia, to the upscale dining and personal service found onboard the ships. Most luxury cruises to the Mediterranean offer an eclectic mix of ports of call that showcase a touch of the finer things, like Monte Carlo, Tuscany and Provence.
Many people choose a luxury Mediterranean cruise even when they typically opt for mainstream cruising elsewhere. It can feel like a once in a lifetime kind of trip that calls for a step up to a more luxurious way of cruising, where the nickel-and-diming is non-existent or minimal and the port immersion is deeper.
If you're considering a luxury cruise to the Mediterranean, read on to see what your options are, what's included and what might sound like the cruise for you.
What to Expect on a Luxury Cruise to the Mediterranean
Your cruise options include true luxury cruise lines, booking a luxury suite on a mainstream cruise line, plus a handful of high-end premium cruise lines that fall somewhere in between. All three choices visit some of the same Mediterranean ports of call. Think Rome (Civitavecchia), Barcelona and the larger Greek Isles.
Luxury and premium lines have smaller ships that can call on smaller, less touristy ports. Those include Portofino and Trapani in Italy and the charming port of Gythion in Greece. Smaller ships also tend to come with fewer children and more pampering. Most luxury Mediterranean cruises are seasonal, but you’ll find a few cruising year-round.
On a luxury Mediterranean cruise, port calls tend to be longer or even offer overnight stays, making it possible to sightsee all day and into the evening. This flexibility is a luxury in itself -- most mainstream lines provide only a few hours in each port of call, with tight turnaround times for tours and rarely a chance to experience dinner or nightlife on shore.
For Maximum Pampering on a Mediterranean Luxury Cruise, Choose a Luxury Cruise Line
Top luxury lines cruising in the Med come complete with butlers, inclusive fares and suites to spread out in. Guests are offered a selection of complimentary excursions along with some that come with hefty price tags. The food on these lines will likely be the best you’ve ever had, and service is at the level of “make-you-feel-like royalty.”
There are almost always opportunities to level up for a price, like opting for a bigger suite, super premium beverages, a more exciting shore excursion or an extra dining venue that comes with a fee. Skipping those extras, however, is not likely to leave you feeling like you’ve missed out on anything. There are ample luxuries that are included in your fare.
Crystal Cruises plies the waters of the Mediterranean with five- to fourteen-night sailings that stop in Dubrovnik, Venice, Athens, Monte Carlo and elsewhere. Tips, premium drinks, most specialty dining, Internet and select excursions are included in the cruise fare.
Emerald Yachts is the luxury super yacht division of Emerald Cruises, best known for its European river cruises. If the idea of exploring the Mediterranean by sea sounds delightful, but not if it means you’ll be on a cruise ship with almost a thousand passengers, then a luxury super yacht is probably for you. Emerald yachts visit tiny ports, with some excursions included.
Explora Journeys is the luxury brand launched by MSC Cruises. The line’s motto is, “Turning luxury cruises into ocean journeys.” They do that with a high crew-to-guest ratio, all-inclusive pricing with drinks, Wi-Fi, dining experiences and gratuities. Booking lengths follow a similar design as are available on MSC. Guests can choose a start date, then choose a length that might range from seven to 28 nights onboard.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers all-inclusive, all-suite voyages to the Mediterranean with round-trip air, unlimited shore excursions, specialty dining and all drinks, a pre-cruise hotel stay, gratuities and more. Itineraries include seven- to 15-nights visiting ports like Saint-Tropez and Palma de Mallorca.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Club takes the level of luxury found at a Ritz-Carlton hotel and squeezes it into a roughly 400-guest luxury yacht. The result is an all-inclusive luxury yachting experience that even awards guests with Marriott Bonvoy points. The yachts offer seven- to 12-night tours of the Med in absolute luxury that is even family friendly, as is the line’s namesake hotel chain.
Seabourn Cruise Line visits the Greek Isles, sailing the Adriatic and the Aegean, and offers longer itineraries (seven to 30 days) cruising Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Portugal and Croatia. Seabourn's all-suite ships include dining, sipping and crew tips.
Silversea Cruises will whisk you from Nice to Barcelona by way of the French Riviera, or Lisbon to Monte Carlo, to name a few itineraries. Butler service in every suite, beverages throughout the ship with a tailored mini bar, most restaurants, complimentary Wi-Fi and select shore excursions are included in your fare. The line offers a choice of door-to-door pricing or port-to-port with air and transfers included.
Premium Lines That Come Close to Offering Full Luxury Mediterranean Cruises
The below list of premium cruise lines offers semi-inclusive pricing (often upgradeable to fully inclusive for a reasonable bump). The food is fabulous and mostly included. As on true luxury lines, expect an older crowd, with few if any children. Onboard amenities like spa thermal suites are complimentary, as is room service. Shore excursions and crew gratuities are extra costs to consider.
Service is a bit more relaxed on these lines than on the luxury lines, but still wow-worthy.
Azamara is well known for providing a choice of guest-pleasing cruise extensions and overnights in ports. Mediterranean cruises run between five and 14 nights on ships carrying only 700 guests. This allows Azamara to visit ports of all sizes. Standard beer, wine and select spirits by the glass are included in the cruise fare. Upgraded beverage packages are available.
Oceania offers relatively longer near-luxury Mediterranean cruises, ranging from ten to 30 nights. The line is known for its add-on fare packages that often include shore excursion credit and even Wi-Fi. Oceania has ships that range in capacity from 675 guests to 1,250.
Viking Ocean cruises in the Mediterranean attract older, but active cruisers seeking immersive vacations in comfort. The line’s nearly identical ships feature modern Scandinavian décor and even better, a truly Scandinavian thermal suite with saunas, snow rooms and a thalassotherapy pool. That and the specialty dining are included in the cruise fare. Beer and wine are complimentary at lunch and dinner.
Windstar cruises the Mediterranean with both sailing yachts and motor yachts providing cruisers a choice of experience. Fares include specialty dining and fun experiences like deck barbecues and an evening dinner at Ephesus -- something you’d expect to find only on a much higher-priced line. An all-inclusive fare add-on includes Wi-Fi, drinks and gratuities.
Build-Your-Own Luxury on Premium and Mainstream Cruise Lines in the Med
There are also mainstream, big ship cruise lines that offer a luxury Mediterranean cruise experience, thanks to their lavish suites and exclusive, suite-access-only amenities. You get all the plusses of cruising mainstream, like entertainment, casinos, water features, and family-friendly activities. Afterwards, you can retreat to your quiet suite enclave to enjoy your personal luxury.
Celebrity Cruises, a popular premium line, rates highly for Mediterranean cruises. The Retreat for suites provides access to a suite-passenger-only lounge and a dedicated restaurant. Also included in this higher-tier subsection are specialty dining, beverage packages, Wi-Fi, concierge services and a free mini-bar setup, depending on the type of suite. Edge-class ships have a selection of mind-blowing luxury suites.
Holland America Line offers a full slate of Mediterranean cruises during the spring and summer months. Guests booking Neptune Suites enjoy access to the exclusive Neptune Lounge, priority embark and disembark service, breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill and other niceties.
MSC Cruises considers itself a European cruise line, and its port calls pepper the Mediterranean from Cannes to Ibiza. Escape the crowds with MSC's Yacht Club, a suite complex with areas like the Top Sail Lounge providing a private sanctuary for suite passengers. Also available are concierge and butler service, a dedicated restaurant, bar and lounge, and private access to the spa.
Norwegian Cruise Line sails all over Europe, including the Mediterranean, with a dedicated ship in the region. You can find your own piece of luxury onboard within the line's all-suite enclave, The Haven. A ship within a ship, The Haven offers a private restaurant, concierge service, sun decks and a solarium, early embarkation and other perks that separate you from the masses.
Virgin Voyages is another possibility for creating your own luxury Mediterranean cruise, especially for those who aren’t into the traditional cruise vibe. The line is known for its "non-cruisey" cruise, and that applies to its suites as well. Mega Rock Star Suites (yes, that’s what they are really called) get you early access via a VIP entrance, a members’ only outdoor lounge area and bottomless beverages.
What Does a Luxury Mediterranean Cruise Cost?
Now that we’ve covered the choices, let’s take a quick peek at the potential cost of a luxury Mediterranean cruise across some of the cruise lines.
It’s relatively easy to find suites onboard most of the mainstream lines that come with all-inclusive packages and are tucked away in suite-class areas of the ship priced under $500 per person per night. That’s the low end. Fares for the largest suites can easily top $1,000 per person per night. Don’t forget port fees, excursions and airfare, which are rarely included on mainstream lines, even at the luxury level.
Stepping up to a near-luxury cruise line raises the costs a bit. Suites with at least an ocean view but with all-inclusive features like Wi-Fi and beverage packages added start around $700 per person per night. In most cases, that won’t include shore excursions or airfare.
For a Mediterranean cruise on a completely inclusive cruise ship with all the pampering you could dream up, the cost of the lowest priced suites can be a surprisingly low $1,000 per person per night -- even with airfare included in some cases. Of course, that’s the starting point. The only things you’ll pay extra for on these ships are select specialty dining, high-end shore tours and spa treatments.