Europe offers a wide selection of itineraries and departure points. Cruise lengths also vary from a few days to over three weeks. The selection is vast and there are not many fixed, standard "classic itineraries" as there are in Caribbean or Alaskan cruises. The main cruise season in Europe is from April to October. During these months, the largest variety of itineraries is offered, both in the Mediterranean and in Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and the Baltic Sea.
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Considerations in choosing the right cruise, cruise line, agent, which ship to choose, which cabin to select, tips for port excursions, and much more.
Symphony of the Seas by Royal Caribbean, part of the largest ship class in the world (until the launch of Icon in 2024), was the most successful cruise ship in the Mediterranean for family cruises in 2023.
The article includes a description of the ship and the Western Mediterranean cruise itinerary.
Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia in Spain, is considered one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in Europe. It is a city of contrasts combining old and new. It is known for its architecture, an interesting blend of Gothic and modern, characterful neighborhoods, lively pedestrian malls, markets, fashionable shops and restaurants, and of course, football.
The great advantage of a cruise departing from Barcelona is combining an interesting tour of Barcelona with an enjoyable cruise, as well as the convenience and ease of reaching the port from both the airport and the city center.
The ship "Norwegian Epic" was the first of the company's ships to feature an advanced water park alongside other cool sports and entertainment facilities. Every summer from late April to early November, it sails the most popular itinerary in the Western Mediterranean: a weekly round-trip itinerary starting in Rome or Barcelona, including the departure port plus five additional ports in France, Italy, and Spain.
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The Celebrity Reflection is about 125,000 tons, accommodates a maximum of 3,046 passengers, and was launched in 2012. The article describes the ship and its facilities, along with the Mediterranean cruise itinerary departing from Rome and visiting ports in France, Spain, and more.
The cruise offered by Costa on the Costa Pacifica takes place year-round and combines interesting ports, historical sites alongside walking trails, and mesmerizing landscapes. The cruise gives vacationers the opportunity to relax in special locations, all combined with a cruise on a beautiful, modern, and vibrant ship....
The Sanctuary Collection is the new luxury brand of Princess Cruises, launched in 2024 and currently available only on the Sun Princess and Star Princess ships. It is intended for suite guests and also select mini-suites.
It is essentially an "exclusive club" within the ship, designed to provide a more private, calm, and luxurious experience inside the mega-ship.
Venice port serves as a departure point for Western Mediterranean cruises as well, but primarily as a departure point for Eastern Mediterranean cruises. This port also serves as a popular destination port in many cruises throughout the year.
Since 2014, El Al has operated several direct scheduled weekly flights from Israel to Venice airport.
To get from Venice airport to the cruise pier, a combination of land transportation (train/taxi/bus) with a ferry ride is required.
A cruise among the Greek islands is an ideal solution for island, sea, and Mediterranean vacation lovers who want variety—visiting different islands in their character, style, and scenery—but prefer a hub-and-spoke trip - not moving between islands on ferries with all the luggage, and not spending long hours in airports and tiny airplanes.
In this article, I will describe a weekly round-trip cruise from Venice with Italy's Costa Cruises on the ship Costa Deliziosa, featuring five port days and one fun day at sea.
Mediterranean cruises have become increasingly popular in recent years. European cruise companies have upgraded and now offer magnificent ships, similar to those of American companies, and American companies like Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian also sail in the region....
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Sun Princess by Princess Cruises is the company's newest ship, launched in late February 2024 and since sailing the Mediterranean primarily between Athens, Barcelona, and Rome. The ship was built in shipyards in Italy. It has 21 decks, 2,157 cabins, including 80 suites, 51 accessible cabins, and 100 connecting cabins.
The ship sails the Mediterranean and the Caribbean alternately
A wonderful and recommended cruise I took at the end of summer to the British Isles on the Regal Princess of Princess Cruise Lines lasted 12 nights and visited 9 different ports in England, Ireland, Scotland, and even one port in Normandy, France.
A cruise to the Spain, Portugal, and Canary Islands region combines unique ports, pleasant weather, and attractions suitable for all ages. The cruise provides a great opportunity to tour volcanoes, sand dunes, natural pools, and more, all combined with a cruise on a luxurious and pampering ship, which is nothing less than a floating city where you can find everything from everything...
A diverse cruise itinerary with ports in both Norway and Iceland, where the duration of stay in most ports is long and allows for tours of 9 hours or even more, with scenic sailing between ports in long and photogenic fjords, at the most successful time in terms of weather and day length on the Sky Princess.
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The Baltic Sea is a particularly calm and quiet sea, making it wonderful for a cruise because the chance of a storm or seasickness, even for the most sensitive, is very low. This is also a very scenic cruise, including passing under towering bridges, between an archipelago of islands, and impressive entries into beautiful port cities.
A cruise to Norway is a very successful combination of a pampering and convenient mode of transport with a tour of a breathtaking destination featuring wild nature of long fjords, towering mountains, countless lakes, rivers, and waterfalls alongside large cities and charming towns...
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The Silver Ray by luxury line Silversea is one of the most innovative and impressive luxury ships in the cruise world today. Launched in 2024 as part of Silversea's "Nova" class, it is considered a pioneer in sustainability and luxury design. The article describes the ship and its itinerary.
In the fall of 2025, I took a very pampering two-week cruise on Oceania's new and lovely Allura, departing from Lisbon, Portugal, and ending in New York. Allura is a mid-sized ship with a maximum of 1,200 passengers and 800 crew members (an excellent ratio of 1.5 passengers per crew member), and 612 passenger cabins. The article describes the ship and port excursions.
Cruises crossing the Atlantic Ocean usually take place twice a year: in the spring (mostly from mid-March to early May) from America to Europe and in late fall from Europe to America, with most cruises taking place in October-November, but a few also before or after. This article describes a 16-night cruise that "closed" the transatlantic cruise season in early December. The cruise departed from Italy from the port of Civitavecchia (near Rome) and ended in the port of Miami, Florida.
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A particularly long transatlantic cruise, 20 days long, departing from the port of Savona on the Italian Riviera and ending in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The cruise includes stops at two ports in Spain, a port in Morocco, five days of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, including crossing the equator, five different ports along the coast of Brazil, a port in Uruguay, and a full day in Buenos Aires.
River Cruise in the Sarthe Region, France
Imagine cruising along a wide river between medieval-style towns, picturesque villages, decorated bridges, towering castles, and green hills adorned with snoozing sheep, horses, and well-fed cows.
Two years after the launch of Harmony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean does it big again, just like they know how:
In March 2018, it launched the fourth ship in the "Oasis" class: Symphony of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean launched in 2016 the third ship in the Oasis class
There is no doubt that the appearance of Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas constitutes a true revolution in the shipping industry. Amazing and unique ships, simply the pinnacle of creation and technology, with facilities beyond imagination!
Launched the ship from the creator of Princess Cruises, it is a sister ship to the Royal Princess and Regal Princess series.
Two articles about the modern Carnival Vista, one half a year before its launch and the second after its launch:
Description of the ship and its facilities, restaurants, show lounges, pools, water slides, and more.
In May 2016, "Carnival Vista" was launched as Carnival's largest ship up to that time, including many surprises and innovations. It weighs 134,000 tons and accommodates nearly 5,000 passengers and 1,450 crew members. It naturally features all the familiar and beloved facilities found on the company's ships, plus a wealth of innovations and inventions not yet found on any ship of any other company.
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In recent years, more and more luxurious cruise ships are arriving in Israel from the world's leading companies, like Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Costa, and many other companies, but it is not every day that the true queens of cruise ships arrive at the Port of Haifa:
Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth belonging to Cunard....
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All cruise companies on all their ships make sure to entertain passengers, and every evening a “main show” takes place, alongside various music and dance events, trivia, game shows, and more.
But the differences in the level and quality of the shows and theater halls are enormous:
From amazing Broadway productions: full-length musicals with dozens of actors, dancers, and singers lasting two hours, ice skating shows, shows with lots of stunt work and pyrotechnics, rich in advanced technologies with the use of giant screens, to a performance by a single singer, magician, or clown lasting 40 minutes gross.
Recommendations for Choosing a Cruise and Important Tips for a Successful Cruise
Cruising, or a cruise as it is called in the industry, is one of the most pampering and delightful experiences in life.
No matter where you sail, if you do it on one of the modern ships of the leading companies in the industry, you will not forget this wonderful vacation for the rest of your life.
For details on recommendations for choosing cruises:
