Italian Cruises

Introduction

Italy is located right in the middle of the Mediterranean making it a very popular cruise destination in the European summer. There are numerous different options when looking for an Italian cruise, with many companies also offering travel to neighbouring countries such as Greece and Croatia, and islands such as Malta. Most of the major cruise companies have cruises to Italy, although almost all will require passengers to fly into one of the main European destinations to begin the cruise. One style of cruise that is becoming increasingly popular is the Italian river cruise and the water taxi excursion, which enables passengers to see the beauty of Northern Italy whilst travelling on a smaller boat through the many rivers of the country.

Costa Cruises

‘Costa Cruises’ are the largest cruise company based in Italy. They have a total of 25 ships with five more on the way in the near future. One of the more popular cruises with Costa is onboard the Costa Fortuna. The cruise begins with a water taxi through the canals of Venice which takes passengers to the port where the cruise ship will be waiting. The ship then departs from Venice with stops in Bari, Katakolon, Santorini, Rhodes and Dubrovnik before returning to Venice on the seventh day. The excursion costs $1299 per person for an interior room. The whole cruise has a uniquely Italian feel to it with the Costa Fortuna feeling like an Italian grand palace, and a deliciously authentic Italian pizzeria onboard.

MSC Cruises

‘MSC Cruises’ is an American cruise company which originated from Italy. They offer a range of Mediterranean cruises with stops in Italy along the way. Originating from Italy, the company also offer a number of Italian tours and excursions whilst on dry land, which they claim will unveil new sights and sounds to even people who have travelled to Italy before. The company offer a huge number of Mediterranean cruises with stops in Italy and other Mediterranean countries, with prices ranging from as low as $779 per person for a seven night cruise.

Carnival Cruises

‘Carnival Cruises’ are a reliable and reputable company who offer a wide variety of cruises for many different passengers. They offer shore excursions to a number of Italian cities enabling passengers to get even more out of their Italian cruise, and it is even possible to get married onboard. One of their most popular cruises leaves from Barcelona in Spain for a tour around Italy. Stops include Monaco, Rome, Livorno, Naples and Sicily before returning to Spain on the seventh day. Prices start at $749 per person for an interior room and increase to $2049 for a spacious suite room with VIP check in. ‘Carnival Cruises’ ships have numerous entertainment activities onboard including swimming pools, mini golf, separate areas for adults, a theatre and bar. There are also a huge variety of restaurants and dining areas.