These are, in fact, places linked mainly by the sea, and much of their history, commerce and traditions have their origins there.
Cruises in this part of the world fall into three broad categories:
Eastern Mediterranean/Aegean Sea cruises visit ports in Turkey, Greece and islands such as Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos and Crete. Ships traveling this itinerary on seven-day cruises often departing from Piraeus (Athens), Greece, or Istanbul, Turkey, though some longer voyages sail from ports farther west.
Western Mediterranean/Southern Europe cruises sail among the cities and villages of Southern Europe from the Adriatic to the Straits of Gibraltar, including Venice, Naples, Civitavecchia (Rome) and Genoa, Italy; Monte Carlo, Monaco; St.-Tropez, France; Barcelona, Spain; and a host of others, ranging from small villages to major cities.
Southern Mediterranean cruises visit the more exotic ports of call along the coast of North Africa from Morocco to the Holy Lands, including Tunis, Tunisia; Tripoli, Libya; Alexandria, Egypt; and Haifa, Israel, among others.
7 Day Eastern Mediterranean Cruise Special!
Explore the richness and beauty of Europe in a totally new way with Royal Caribbean International. The Navigator of the Seas will set sail from Rome cruising Greece and Italy for 7 nights this summer. Don't delay as space on this popular cruise is selling fast! One of the best things about Europe is that there are seemingly endless ports of call. From Naples, Italy to Bergen, Norway, Royal Caribbean International; makes it easy for you to explore more historic European cities and countries in one fantastic vacation. The hardest part is choosing where to start.