Where to cruise to in Europe/Mediterranean?

[VPKara]

I buried this post in one of my older posts, so I am re-posting so it doesn't land on page 15 again. If you read it already, I apologize. But I did add to my original post, so you may want to read it again. :)

 

I have been waiting patiently and finally the time is near for the Europe 2018 itineraries to be released. I have looked through the current itineraries and have done some research to get an idea of where I want to go. My original choice was to see Venice and Dubrovnik but then I saw Barcelona and WOW.

 

I am trying to decide if we (husband and I) should go the Spain, France, Italy route or Spain, Croatia, Italy route or throw Greece in there too. I know the itineraries may not be exactly what I see today, but I am curious what your choice would be and why. There are so may wonderful places that it is a bit overwhelming to pick because I want to see it all.

 

We have 2 weeks to enjoy, so staying on land before or after in addition is an option also.

 

Let me know what you would pick.

 

Thanks.

[Cruise Junky]

I would try and find a Barcelona to Venice route. Right now Connie is the only Celebrity ship going into Venice.

[anniebea]

Sailing in/out of Venice that was top of my list, I did it this year ( with another cruise company) and I'm doing it for the second time next year on the Venice to Rome Cruise in June.

[2theship]

There's really no bad choice here. All of the ports you mention are well worth seeing. The downside is that there is more to see than can be done in a day - so you'll have to go back :D. If you start or end in Venice or Barcelona, plan some extra time pre or post cruise. Also, study up on each of your ports and decide what means the most to you and figure out the best way to get there.

[Lastdance]

We have cruised all over Europe and loved all of our cruises. The eastern med is great for Greece. However, the Adriatic was fabulous also. Pick your favorite and plan to return. You really can't go wrong. The Amalfi Coast and Sicily are excellent too. This next year we are doing our first TA on the Reflection from Miami and cruising all along the Med and ending up in Rome! Rome is history, education and just my third time there! Love all the ports and enjoy the S class ships so much better! I just don't think you can go wrong. If you choose the right tours and go private, you will enjoy it even more!!!

What are your priorities in a cruise? Are you connecting the cruise with some nights on land? My DH and I flew to Switzerland, stayed in Lucern several nights, then took the train to Venice and did the Adriatic. It was fantastic. Another year we flew to Venice, rented a car and drove to Castelrotto, in the Dolomites, then drove to La Spezia. From there we took the train to Monterosso (Cinque Terre) then trained to Civi and did the Med to Barcelona! There are just so many ways to enjoy Europe!!!! Can you tell I am a big fan of Europe? Always stay a few nights on land at one of the ports....[

Montserrat, Amalfi and Adriatic- photos

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Edited October 29, 2016 by Lastdance

[Adammara]

Venice, Dubrovnik and Greek Islands any day, then try Barcelona next time!

[irishayes]

Venice, Dubrovnik and Greek Islands any day, then try Barcelona next time!

We did the Classic Med cruise on the Equinox 2 years ago. Started in Barcelona (NOT to miss. One of my favorite cities ever) and hit Monte Carlo, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast, Rome (loved Rome, but wouldn't do it from a cruise again), Greece, Dubrovnik, and ended in Venice. In our opinion, this was a perfect itinerary.

 

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[Azulann]

Did a Iberian Pennisula 14 day cruise on the Constellation in July. It was more than amazing.... ports in both Spain and Portugal. This unique sailing does not appear in 2017 but did hear while on board that Celebrity is thinking of doing it in 2018. It was sold out cruise that was fabulous.

[Cruise Junky]

Did a Iberian Pennisula 14 day cruise on the Constellation in July. It was more than amazing.... ports in both Spain and Portugal. This unique sailing does not appear in 2017 but did hear while on board that Celebrity is thinking of doing it in 2018. It was sold out cruise that was fabulous.

 

I'm waiting for that one to come back.

[4774Papa]

Venice, Dubrovnik and Greek Islands any day, then try Barcelona next time!

 

Agree, the 14 day cruise we did out of Venice that included Split, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Crete, Naphilon, Ephesus, Athens, Santorini, Mykonos was great.

[Travel Pat]

We're looking at the Silhouette 8 night that starts in Barcelona, cruising to Spain, France and Italy, ending in Rome. I liked this because we will be able to add a few days on to both Barcelona and Rome to see them both in more depth. Has anyone done this itinerary? How did you like it?

 

 

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[bigbenboys]

It really comes down to what you want to get out of a vacation. We have done Western Med 2 times. I'm thinking Eastern Med 4 times.

 

Crete, Ephesus, Santorini and Mykonos are the must see. Athens only need to see once. Greece is the place for me. The sun, food, history and the people. I also like Turkey very much. The one other place I just loved was Taormina, Sicily. I'm going to have to put Taormina on my list of places to stay before a Eastern Med cruise for 2018.

[villauk]

Kotor is fantastic, not seen it mentioned yet :). Sailing from Venice is spectacular and Connie has some lovely itineraries. You need to narrow it down to specific places you'd really not want to miss. We try to visit mainland Europe at least once a year, both cruising and land trips (always something new to see) ;).

[cruisequeen4ever]

My favorite Med ports are Venice, Mykonos, and Naples (for Capri and the Amalfi coast). It was hard to narrow it down to those 3, though, because so many Med ports are glorious. My advice is to do a B2B to see as much as possible and save your pennies for future trips back because Europe really gets in your blood!!

*Disclaimer- We haven't been to Malta or Croatia yet.

 

 

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[Lastdance]

We're looking at the Silhouette 8 night that starts in Barcelona, cruising to Spain, France and Italy, ending in Rome. I liked this because we will be able to add a few days on to both Barcelona and Rome to see them both in more depth. Has anyone done this itinerary? How did you like it?

 

 

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We did it in reverse, as part of our own land tour and cruise. Also, we spent several days in Barcelona and enjoyed all of it...I am sure you will enjoy it, especially since you are spending land time on both ends!

 

 

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Edited October 30, 2016 by Lastdance

[Beanb41]

The lack of the 2018 itineraries post April 2018 is a bit of a concern as current perks on offer for future cruises only go up to April 2018. X have yet to determine what perks they will offer post April 2018. We have just got off the Solstice and were told that 2018 itinerary probably wont be released until the New Year. That is only a guess by the Future Cruises people as they are in the dark like we are. I had hoped to book my 2018 European cruise over the past couple of weeks. I have to be in the UK in May 2018 and want to see what is available around that timeframe. Fortunately we are booked on the Barcelona to Venice cruise on the Constellation in May 2017 so we should be able to take advantage of any future perks. The big benefit of the May 2017 cruise is that we are going to be in Monaco and Nice for the Grand Prix. This cruise is already filling up with limited cabins available and the price starting to escalate due to demand. We booked this cruise 10 months ago so are very happy with what we have done. We get an overnight in Venice at the end of the cruise which is also very helpful

[Wiltonian]

Don't try to do it all. Doing the headline ports across the Med means that there'd be duplications when you went back to any area. I'd prioritise east over west, but you need at least 2 and possibly 3 cruises to 'do' the Med and Portugal properly.

 

Stuart

[villauk]

Don't try to do it all. Doing the headline ports across the Med means that there'd be duplications when you went back to any area. I'd prioritise east over west, but you need at least 2 and possibly 3 cruises to 'do' the Med and Portugal properly.

 

Stuart

 

We've done a few more than 2 and not seen it all :D.

[chemmo]

We've done a few more than 2 and not seen it all :D.

 

We have been land touring and cruising the Med for more than 30 years and still feel we have barely touched it......The snag is some places are so beautiful, interesting or unique you end up with the dilemma of returning to somewhere you know you love and are desperate to revisit or to go to somewhere new! The problems of cruising! We now have two bucket lists, one of places still to visit and one of places we must return to!

 

Major highlights for us have been land tours from Athens (could be a precruise option) including Delphi, Sounion, Mycaenie, Corinth (forgive the spelling!), cruising out from Venice, Valletta in Malta, Santorini and Pompey (from Naples).

[villauk]

We have been land touring and cruising the Med for more than 30 years and still feel we have barely touched it......The snag is some places are so beautiful, interesting or unique you end up with the dilemma of returning to somewhere you know you love and are desperate to revisit or to go to somewhere new! The problems of cruising! We now have two bucket lists, one of places still to visit and one of places we must return to!

 

Major highlights for us have been land tours from Athens (could be a precruise option) including Delphi, Sounion, Mycaenie, Corinth (forgive the spelling!), cruising out from Venice, Valletta in Malta, Santorini and Pompey (from Naples).

 

Our kids love Pompeii; we've been a couple of times and they still want to return. Capri is also ideal from Naples. Regarding Malta, our last cruise on Connie called there this year and I hadn't been for over 30 years - loved it. Another place we'd like to return to and explore more ;).

 

Above, I mentioned Kotor because it was a real surprise for us. We walked to the top of the fort and the views were spectacular. Finishing off with a cold refreshment after the gruelling trek was the icing on the cake :D.

 

From Livorno last year, I organised a great tour that included Lucca and Forte Dei Marmi - super day that was something totally different from Florence and Pisa (places we'd previously visited). As you say, there are so many places to visit aside from the usual sites of certain ports :).

[Texed]

We have cruised all over Europe and loved all of our cruises.

 

We try to visit mainland Europe at least once a year, both cruising and land trips (always something new to see) ;).

 

And sailing with nice folks always makes it nicer. :)

Edited October 30, 2016 by Texed

[rmalbers]

I just scanned the previous posts and it looks like someone mentioned it briefly but if you are interested in Rome, start the cruise there or end there so you can spend several days there, if you really want to see the sites in Rome. The cruise port is north of Rome and is a bit of a trip.

[villauk]

And sailing with nice folks always makes it nicer. :)

 

Feeling's mutual, Ed ;).

[chemmo]

Our kids love Pompeii; we've been a couple of times and they still want to return. Capri is also ideal from Naples. Regarding Malta, our last cruise on Connie called there this year and I hadn't been for over 30 years - loved it. Another place we'd like to return to and explore more ;).

 

Above, I mentioned Kotor because it was a real surprise for us. We walked to the top of the fort and the views were spectacular. Finishing off with a cold refreshment after the gruelling trek was the icing on the cake :D.

 

From Livorno last year, I organised a great tour that included Lucca and Forte Dei Marmi - super day that was something totally different from Florence and Pisa (places we'd previously visited). As you say, there are so many places to visit aside from the usual sites of certain ports :).

 

Agree....The beauty of returning to a port is you do not have to do the 'must see' locations associated with it. Having time to sit down to a little cold refreshment, take in the view, watch the world go by is also such an important part of the cruise and Mediterranean experience where 'people watching' is an art form.

 

We always try to do our homework pre cruise wherever on the planet we are visiting. Frequently it is a new sight but sometimes it is a restaurant, a vineyard, church or even an animal sanctuary.

 

When our son was young we loved sharing with him books, videos (yes, it was a few years ago) and other information about the places we were to visit...He gained a love for history, mythology, plate tectonics and volcanoes which he still has....real education I would say!

[1982CruzStart]

We recently returned from the Barcelona to Lisbon and back 13 day cruise on the Equinox and it was a great itinerary. Overnight in Lisbon, which turned out to be my favorite port, overnight in Barcelona and overnight in Malaga as well as other interesting stops in Spain and a stop at Gibraltar. i would definitely recommend this cruise.