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Crowds are smaller, too, making shoulder season a boon for budget-conscious travelers. Mediterranean cruises come with a vast range of price tags, with variables like ports of call, ships, sailing dates, and the number of nights all coming into consideration. If you are looking for a similar peak-season cruise but have more time to spare, a 10- to 14-night cruise will easily balloon to $2,000 and counting.
April
I boarded my first European cruise. How different is it from a USA cruise? - Cruise Blog
I boarded my first European cruise. How different is it from a USA cruise?.
Posted: Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
If this is your first time, you’ll likely want to see some of the top things to do in Rome, and the cruise line excursions will not disappoint. Many include transportation and tickets to a variety of site like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain as well as the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Other excursions that may appeal to return visitors include tours of Civitavecchia or a pasta-making class. Packing for your Mediterranean cruise may be different based on the ports in your cruise itinerary and shore excursions, but here are some guidelines on what to pack. Sometimes flight delays or other problems out of your control happen on even the most well-planned vacations.
Thessaloniki, Greece
Expect average highs of 68°F (20°C) in Tenerife, and six hours of sunshine. Visit Ephesus in Turkey and you’ll have the ancient site virtually to yourself. Cities like Athens, Malaga, Barcelona, and Rome will be buzzing with locals, rather than tourists. Maximize your cultural activities in these historic cities as you’ll be able to fit in far more sights than you would in the heat and bustle of summer.
Night Lands Of Legends & Eternal CitiesDetails
My favorite is April for the confluence of reasonable fares, pleasant weather, manageable crowds and an abundance of itinerary and ship choices, but I have loved sailings in other months as well. Beginning in March, we found dozens of ships scheduled to visit Venice, Corfu and Santorini. Holland America, Princess, Seabourn, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas Cruises all have ships ready to sail the Med in March. In April, the list of mainstream, premium and luxury lines cruising Mediterranean waters grows larger, and includes Windstar, Royal Caribbean, Silversea and Celebrity Cruises.
Regent Seven Seas
While Australia's weather varies, winter temperatures between June and early September are rarely as extreme in North America. Crowds are fewer, and there are bargains to be had, especially on larger ships and Great Barrier Reef cruises that are available year-round. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S.
The tours are usually led by locals, which means the guides can also give you some good recommendations if you have time before you need to return to the ship. If you're looking for a unique excursion that still gives you the highlights of a European city, I recommend booking a food tour. I've done tours in places like Amsterdam, Budapest, and Paris, and I've never been disappointed. Some ports of call, like Nice, France, were easy to get around, but others like Rome were packed to the gills. • Inside These have no windows but offer the same room service and room stewards as other cabins.
Weather and Climate
While you might be able to find a cruise during this period, the number of ports options on itineraries decrease and options for shore excursion are limited. The tradeoff is not having crowds, with the exception of holiday markets in December, which are popular throughout much of Europe. Shoulder season is a favorite travel season for people who can be flexible with their travel times and don’t need to wait for spring break or summer break from school. (It can also be a more sustainable way to travel.) Shoulder season for cruises to the Mediterranean is spring and fall — March, April, September and October. These months will have fewer options for ships and excursions compared to the summer months, but the fares are reduced.
Check out a few shore excursions, or go it alone, knowing you have the perfect place to call home, even for a few days, each night. Travelers vacationing with the entire family — from grandma to kids — should check out Celebrity Cruises. The cruise line offers more options for everyone onboard (think kids club to casinos), as well as varied shore excursions and affordable pricing options to make it a more viable trip for larger groups. The trip takes guests to seven countries, including Spain, Greece, Montenegro, Croatia, Italy, Monaco, and France, with stops in both major and smaller ports. Guests can also book pre- and post-trip stays in ports of call if they aren’t ready to go home after three weeks on the water.
Do You Want More Port Options?
With 15,000 people in port, I don't know how you'd be able to walk through town at all. Santorini is a good-sized island, but most of the things cruisers want to see are perched on the narrow rim of the cliffs. If your dream is to see Venice or Santorini, or to cruise with one of the mainstream lines, you can rule out winter but should find ample choices between March and October. By the end of November, the number of ships calling at Mediterranean ports has dropped to winter levels.
Allowing a cushion of a day or more will ensure that you don’t miss your cruise (although you can catch up with it later). Even if everything goes as planned, you’ll have a relaxing day to explore the port city without having to rush to board the ship. Although no one definition of the Western Mediterranean’s boundaries is set in stone, one can rightly consider the region to stretch from Agadir, Morocco, and the Canary Islands to the western coast of Italy. The Western Med averages around 65 to 80 cruises per month during the summer high season, with over 20 options for embarkation – more than twice that of the Eastern Mediterranean. Travelers will encounter stunning beaches, remarkable landmarks of architecture and history, picturesque small towns, and thriving metropolises. During this period, you’ll have the widest range of ships from most cruise lines, and the most varied options of excursions are offered.
Longer itineraries are ideal for experiencing a greater variety of destinations and traversing more of the Med. Early June should come with fewer crowds than later in the month, as many families do not vacation as soon as the school year is over, preferring to wait until a bit later in the summer. However, the draw of ideal summer vacation weather in June will bring more crowds than you’ll see in the shoulder season. Pricing during shoulder season tends to be slightly cheaper than mid-summer.
Adventure seekers can take a boat tour around Pigeon Island or explore some of the nearby caves. For shopping, head to the bustling bazaars or pick up some souvenirs at the local markets. For example, the Greek islands are vibrant and lively in the summer, while Italian cities like Florence and Rome are less crowded in the shoulder seasons. Rain is more common across the Mediterranean in October and November than most other months, but the average monthly rainfall, even in the fall, is three inches or less. The northern ports in the Adriatic see a bit more rain than most of the Med. Don't forget the famed Acqua Alta, or mega-tides in Venice, which will leave you sloshing through St. Mark's Square in rubber boots.
I'm also a travel advisor with extensive training and certifications in cruise vacations and Disney properties. When I'm not under a palm tree in the Caribbean, I can usually be found hiking the National Parks! Escape to Nice, France for a truly unforgettable experience during your Mediterranean cruise. Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais for breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea and take a dip in the crystal-clear waters.
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