Guide to Mediterranean Cruise Holidays

Cruises have become overwhelming popular within the travel industry in the last several years. This is in part because of the high satisfaction that cruisers leave with, which causes them to become repeat customers of the cruising travel industry. When you are looking for cruise holidays , an idea that you may not have considered is Mediterranean cruise holidays with Cunard. These cruises are full of exotic and wonderful destinations that you might otherwise not get to enjoy.

You will certainly discover that Eastern Mediterranean cruises provide you with the opportunity to partake of numerous different countries and cultures while on only one vacation. The eastern half of the Med proves to be particularly interesting and mixed. Here, you will find the place in the world where the Western and Eastern cultures start to merge. A variety of unique ports of call exist in Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Malta. In all of these stops, you will be able to encounter the tremendous wealth of western and eastern cultural traditions that are provided here.

Your Eastern Mediterranean cruise will likely depart from an Italian port of call. Venice is an extremely popular departure point for such cruises. Others of them leave from Rome, Bari, or Savona in Italy.

One fascinating and beloved Eastern Mediterranean cruise stop is Dubrovnik, the medieval walled city of Croatia. The location of the city in the south of Croatia makes it a warm, sunny, beautiful place. There is a thriving festival scene here in the summer, along with great museums, culture, and arts to experience.

Cruises will have many interesting ports to choose from when they pass through the wonders of Greece. On the mainland, many cruises call at either Piraeus, the port of Athens, or at a port near Olympia. These two cities are strewn with ancient architecture, ruins, and monuments to antiquity. All of them are worth investigating. Athens offers its star attraction the Acropolis. Olympia shelters the original site of the Olympic Games from the ancient world. Piraeus shows off three beautiful natural harbours.

The majority of cruises through the Eastern Med will also call in at one of the lovely Greek island ports. Among these are popular cruise ship stops Corfu, Rhodes, Samos, Delos, Patmos, Mykonos, and Santorini. Every one of these islands has its own unique character to share with visitors. From the medieval crusader knights’ fortress island of Rhodes, to volcanic Santorini with its white washed houses, everyone will be amazed by the incomparable Greek Islands. All of them offer amazing beaches and crystal clear seas.

Turkey also provides visitors with a number of interesting ports in which to call. There is fantastic nightlife and food here, along with a sampling of history, culture, and ruins. In Turkey, most cruise ships either stop at the largest city of Istanbul, or the Aegean Sea resorts of Bodrum or Kusadasi.

In Egypt, Alexandria stands out as a beautiful and exotic port of call. The city is overflowing with ancient ruins, impressive museums, and gorgeous vistas. Not all Eastern Mediterranean cruise deals will call at this Egyptian gem, but some will.

Malta is a notable last stop for many cruises of the Mediterranean. This lovely tiny island nation offers two world class medieval cities to explore in La Valetta and Mdina. History and culture seem to rise from every stone on the island. With natural beauty, spas, crystal clear seas, and water sports, the only thing friendlier than the island’s idyllic climate are its charming people.