Mediterranean cruises are the dream of every traveler. Recently, it has become available to middle-class people, vacationers no more than once a year. A cruise allows you to combine a vacation at sea with a visit to the most interesting and beautiful points of the planet (cities, islands). A cruise is a vacation on a luxury liner where you can sit in a cozy restaurant and watch the sea surface.
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea, located in an almost enclosed space of continental land, connects through the Strait of Gibraltar with the Atlantic Ocean. The lands that surround the sea are a treasury of civilizations, preserving the atmosphere, landscapes and architecture of ancient times.
Mediterranean is considered the largest inland sea on our planet, so sea cruises on its waters can offer tourists a variety of different, unusual, interesting and memorable routes.
The Mediterranean gives tourists both beach and sightseeing vacations. Reviews of cruises on the Mediterranean Sea indicate that this type of travel is perfect for both individual, romantic and family vacations. Each port city gives visiting tourists new experiences, meetings and a variety of souvenirs and gifts (leather and fur products, jewelry).
Holidays on an all-inclusive system on cruises on the Mediterranean Sea are quite accessible for every tourist who wants to spend his vacation unforgettably.
Key departure points
Mediterranean cruises on modern liners are the favorite routes for tourists from all over the world. All travel companies prepare cruise offers to their customers. In spring, liners flock to the Mediterranean, and in the fall they return to the Caribbean or fly along the shores of Asia, Australia and South America.
The main cruise routes in the Mediterranean Sea are as follows:
- Mediterranean cruise from St. Petersburg.
- Flights from Sochi and Odessa to the Mediterranean Sea.
- Cruises in the Mediterranean from European cities.
Flights from St. Petersburg
A cruise through the Mediterranean Sea from the Northern capital is quite problematic to find. Most cruises from St. Petersburg are made on the Baltic Sea to the countries of Northern Europe.
Europe from north to south
Amigo-S, a Mediterranean cruise tour operator, is a progressive team of advanced employees. The company has been specializing in tourism in European countries for more than ten years. Cruise "Europe from north to south" is designed for seventeen days. It includes visits to countries such as Russia, Finland, Germany, France, Portugal, the UK, Spain and Italy. Departure port is the city of St. Petersburg. The trip takes place on the liner MSC Meraviglia.
The cost of a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea depends on the class of cabin that the traveler chooses, varies from one hundred thousand to one hundred eighty thousand rubles.
The cost of the cruise includes:
- accommodation in a cabin;
- meals in restaurants (drinks from the bar are paid extra);
- animation on the liner;
- use of the pool and gym;
- the services of educators for children;
- assistance in loading and unloading baggage;
- translation services.
Additionally, the passenger can pay:
- medical travel insurance;
- service charge;
- drinks at the bar;
- air flight;
- Transfers
- hotel accommodation before and after the cruise.
Liner MSC Meraviglia
MSC Meraviglia is one of two comfortable ships built at the STX France shipyard. He became the largest cruise ship built by a European company. Its length is three hundred and fifteen meters, and the carrying capacity is 167 600 tons. The liner can simultaneously accept 5700 people.
This is an innovative vessel with:
- Near Field Wireless Communication.
- Ability to use on-board mobile applications and smart devices.
- A huge LED screen placed on the ceiling, an area of four hundred and eighty meters.
- New cabins Family and Super Family.
- Beauty salon, solarium and premium restaurants.
- Theater.
- Amusement park connected to the water park.
- Performances of the circus du Soleil.
Judging by the reviews of cruises in the Mediterranean Sea, rest on the MSC Meraviglia is remembered for a long time.
Flights from Sochi
Sea cruises from Sochi to the Mediterranean Sea will be of interest to tourists starting a journey from the south of Russia. An alternative is Odessa. A Mediterranean sea cruise allows people to choose the right tour for them at any time of the year. Sea flights from Sochi and Odessa to the Mediterranean provide an opportunity to visit the ports of our Black Sea coast and visit European cities.
The length of the trip from the port of Sochi to the Mediterranean Sea will be approximately two and a half thousand kilometers and it will pass through the following seas:
- Aegean
- Adriatic.
- Ionian.
- Marble.
Two main routes
The duration of cruises when following the liner along a linear route is about eight days, and along the ring - a little more than two weeks.
If a tourist decided to travel along a linear path, then he will arrive from Sochi to Venice in eight days, visiting Turkey, Greece and Italy during the tour. On the territory of these states, excursions will be held for all interested tourists, where they can get acquainted with the sights of these lands. This is a unique opportunity for the inhabitants of our country to get acquainted with the culture of Greece, Turkey and Italy, to see a huge number of unforgettable places that they will remember for a long time and will never be able to forget. The most extensive excursion program is held in Greece. You can return back by taking another cruise, now from Venice to Sochi, or by buying a plane ticket in the right direction.
Traveling along the ring route takes twice as much time, and during such a trip a tourist visits twice as many beautiful places and cities. The cruise ends at the same port where it started.
MSC Opera liner
Cruises from Sochi to the Mediterranean are carried out on the first-class ship MSC Opera. Service at this snow-white beauty at the highest level. The liner was recently reconstructed. On board today there are many attractions for tourists of all ages. We list the main places of leisure on the liner:
- Bars and restaurants.
- Shops selling products of the most famous brands.
- Bathhouse and beauty salon.
Every tourist traveling on the MSC Opera ship must attend two required events:
- A drill. This event is formal in nature and lasts a little less than an hour. During the exercise, each tourist puts on a life jacket and moves towards the boat deck for further evacuation.
- Grand opening of the voyage on the liner. It is held on the first night of a sea cruise in the form of a concert. Tourists personally get acquainted with the captain of the liner and the staff, enjoy the dishes and drinks prepared in the restaurant.
The cost of the tour from Sochi
The prices for sea cruises from the southern port of our country to the Mediterranean depend on several determining factors:
- The duration of the trip (time, distance).
- Type of liner.
- Cabin level.
- Level of consistent nutrition.
- Additional charges.
The minimum price for a cruise is three and a half thousand per day for one person. The conditions are as follows:
- Accommodation is provided in cabins without windows.
- The price includes three meals a day and guide services.
The cost of living in cabins with windows will be from three and a half to seven thousand rubles per day per person. A room with a balcony will cost a tourist from seven to ten thousand rubles a day. When traveling with children, discounts are provided for their placement in cabins. For example, a third child under the age of eighteen can travel for free.
If the couple goes on a cruise along a linear route, then they need to pay for eight days of rest. When placed in cabins without windows for two, the cost of living is seven thousand rubles a day. Taking into account all the additional fees (port, fuel), the trip will cost the family about sixty-five thousand rubles. It is relatively inexpensive for visiting three European countries.
Domestic Cruises
Inland sea cruises usually start from ports in Italy or Spain, where a tourist needs to fly by plane. Here, in an Italian or Spanish city, a vacationer transfers to a white liner and sets off on a journey to enjoy the culture and history of Naples and other wonderful European cities.
Here are the routes of famous sea cruises in the Mediterranean Sea:
- Enchanted Coast Cruise - Italy, Greece and Montenegro).
- Cruise "Cote d'Azur" - Italy (Genoa), Spain (Palma, Barcelona) and France (Cannes, Ajaccio). The cruise lasts seven days.
- Mediterranean Classic Cruise - Italy (Genoa), Spain (Palma) and France (Marseille). The cruise lasts seven days.
Pros of Cruises
A sea cruise is a wonderful vacation, consisting, at first glance, of one plus. We list the main ones:
- For one trip you can visit several countries (Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Croatia, Israel, Tunisia), different cities.
- Rest takes place on first-class liners equipped with the latest science and technology.
- A cruise combines beach and sightseeing vacations.
- Russian-speaking groups on popular routes with an interesting excursion program in their native language in each city along the liner's route.
- The ability to order services individually, plan a trip on a liner and relax in the cities of residence.
- Acceptable prices. Cruises are an elite type of vacation. They are not as expensive as many people think. The cost, of course, depends on the route, liner class and type of cabin. Tour operators always have special offers and early booking discount programs.
Cons of cruises
The cruise, consisting, at first glance, of some advantages, still has a number of disadvantages. We list the main ones:
- A huge liner often cannot go right to the shore of the host city. For example, in Nice, the liner is on the roadstead, and passengers get to the coast by boat.
- The cost of the cruise does not include many interesting excursions. The tourist, if desired, can purchase them on board the ship.
- It will be very problematic and unprofitable for a tourist to interrupt his cruise even in case of urgent need, since he will not have the opportunity to fly in the direction he needs at every point of his stay.
Summary
Sea cruises have always been in demand among travel enthusiasts, but for a long time they were inaccessible to tourists with a modest budget. Today, a traveler on a budget can afford a cruise. Citizens of our country who love to conquer the seas, go on excursions and enjoy the sun's rays on the deck of the liner very often choose Mediterranean cruises from Russia. Having set sail in the Mediterranean, travelers visit many European cities. Modern liners at the level of fashionable hotels offer relaxation and entertainment for every taste (gyms, beauty salons).
Tourists who love the sun and sea will be able to relax perfectly by choosing a summer cruise on the Mediterranean Sea. This is a great way to relax in the sun on the deck of a liner. If you are in doubt whether to go on a cruise on the Mediterranean Sea or not, then don’t hesitate, buy a ticket and go on a fabulous trip! During the trip, any tourist will get acquainted with many interesting people, visit more than a dozen places of interest and get a lot of positive emotions.