A Mediterranean cruise is a cruise that takes place in the Mediterranean Sea, or at least a major part of the cruise takes place in this body of water, which is surrounded by Europe, Africa, and the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, and Cyprus, as well as some of southern Turkey) making it almost entirely landlocked. A cheap Mediterranean cruise, the subject of this article, is therefore self-explanatory: it is merely a discounted cruise that sails in the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean cruises are extremely popular because the Mediterranean is such an attractive place to cruise (just like, say, the Caribbean). They are so popular, in fact, that there is an abbreviation for them – Med cruises – that is commonly used and understood, and because they are so popular, it should come as no surprise that people are after cheap Mediterranean cruises (or “cheap Med cruises,” to keep with industry parlance). To this topic we now turn our attention.
To begin, some basics about Mediterranean cruises. For many, a cruise in this part of the world represents an ideal vacation. First and most obviously, it is a cruise, so all of the benefits of cruising – long days by the pool, lots of entertainment options, and so on – accompany a trip through the Mediterranean. Basically, you can expect a Mediterranean cruise to be much like any other cruise. The big cruise lines you are used to (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, etc.), and several more besides, offer cruises in this part of the world that are similar to the other voyages they offer. Second, the Mediterranean is a famously beautiful place, filled with bright sunshine and scattered with glorious golden beaches, not to mention the deep green and blue waters that make up the sea itself. And third, a trip to the Mediterranean is an almost unsurpassable cultural experience with so many nations and peoples in such close proximity. A Mediterranean cruise in a sense combines the best elements of a Caribbean and European cruise: the climate is excellent, but you are still right at the center of some of great civilizations of the world. As we said, a Mediterranean cruise is for many an ideal vacation.
Given the general desirability of taking a Mediterranean cruise, it is only natural that people want to find them for the lowest possible price. In general, the prices for a cruise in the Mediterranean are comparable to other popular cruise vacations like Alaska or the Caribbean, although a quick review of different travel options at the moment suggests they might be slightly more expensive. And regardless of the price, it must be kept in mind that almost all of the ports of departure are in the Mediterranean area (especially Europe, with a particularly high number of cruises leaving from Italy). So, at least if you live in North America, a flight to the port of departure will radically increase the price of the vacation. (In many cases, the flight will be more than the cruise itself.) For this reason, a Mediterranean cruise should probably be incorporated into a larger trip to Europe (or Africa or the Middle East) if you are leaving from a distant shore. Of course, if you are based in the Mediterranean region, this isn’t much of a concern, and at any given time you should be able to find discounted cruises, particularly in the off seasons (i.e., not summer, with “summer” being understood fairly inclusively in terms of May and September).
If you are a fan of cruising, you’ll likely feel a strong temptation to go to the Mediterranean. You’ll also likely to be keenly interested in booking the most affordable cruise possible. However, depending on where you live and when you want to travel, it might be hard to find any option for a sufficiently low price. If you are near one of the ports of departure, you should be fine. If not, it will be hard to keep your vacation costs in a range that could reasonably be described as “cheap.” Deals are always out there, though, and if you can seize one and the timing is right, you could definitely find yourself enjoying a Mediterranean cruise without wiping out your bank account.
For more information, check out our articles on the cruise lines that offer cheap Mediterranean cruises and the places you can visit on a cheap Mediterranean cruise.