Winter sails: cruising the Med out of season

The Mediterranean has long been the favourite place for Britons to cruise – 595,000 of us cruised there in 2009, according to Passenger Shipping Association figures – but until quite recently, few thought to go there in winter.

With temperatures struggling to make it into double figures between December and February in Rome and Florence, and a good chance of rain and rough seas, somehow it just didn’t seem the best choice for a winter holiday.

However, things have been slowly changing since Italian cruise line Costa Cruises based a ship in the Med all year round in 2001.

The decision was forced upon them as the vessel had been due to go to the Caribbean, but they changed the itinerary because people were reluctant to fly after the terrorist attacks on New York.

Surprisingly, they discovered plenty of people liked the idea of cruising the Med out of season, escaping the searing summer temperatures and the crowds that go with them.

These two reasons encourage Britons to consider a cruise in the Med during the winter. It means visitors can go to Pompeii and Rome and actually see the Roman remains rather than swarms of other tourists; most importantly, they can get a very reasonably priced cruise.

Most cruise lines that sail the Med in the winter steer away from Rome and Florence, going to Alexandria in Egypt or Haifa in Israel instead, where there’s a better chance of sun. Many alternate the Med with cruises to the Canary Islands.

Inspired by its rival’s success, MSC Cruises also tried cruising the Med in the winter, and it was so impressed with the results that it ordered two ships designed specifically for year-round cruising in the Med.

MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida, launched in December 2008 and spring 2009 respectively, are big ships with more places to eat, more lounges and, importantly, a sliding roof on one pool so it can be used even on cold days.

MSC Cruises UK managing director Giulio Libutti says: “Many people prefer to cruise the Med out of season because there are no crowds, there are fewer families and they can do a longer cruise for the same price as a week in the summer. Flights are also cheaper and easier to book as there is less demand.

“But it is important to have bigger ships as these cruises appeal to older people who will be spending more time on board and want more facilities.”

Royal Caribbean has winter cruises to the Med from Southampton for the first time this year, while Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is about to start its third series of out-of-season Med and Canary Island sailings from Barcelona.

NCL UK general manager Stephen Park says: “Our Canary Island cruises are popular with the British, while the Americans, Germans and Spanish like the eastern Mediterranean.”

New for 2011, Norwegian Jade will be based in Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, sailing alternate 10-night eastern Mediterranean and 11-night Mediterranean and the Holy Land cruises.

Starting winter 2011-12, P&O Cruises is offering its first out-of-season cruises to the Med from Southampton, book-ended around winter cruises to the Canaries and the Caribbean.

P&O Cruises managing director Carol Marlow says: “A lot of people don’t want to fly and don’t have time to cruise all the way to the Caribbean from the UK so we are giving them another choice.

“It’s the first time we’ve done winter Med cruises. I believe they will appeal to older couples interested in seeing historical places without the crowds.”

Cruising the Med in winter

P&O Cruises

Ship: Oceana
Itineraries: Oceana has two 24-night eastern Mediterranean cruises on November 21, 2011 and February 26, 2012, visiting Spain, Libya, Egypt, Cyprus, Israel, Sicily and Portugal. A 14-night western Mediterranean voyage leaves Southampton on March 21 taking in Portugal, Italy, Spain and France.
Sample product: From £1,756 cruise-only for Oceana’s 24-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise on November 21, 2011.
On the web:pocruises.com

MSC Cruises

Ships: MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia and MSC Magnifica
Itineraries: MSC Splendida is sailing 11-night cruises from Genoa that call at Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Italy and Malta. MSC Fantasia is offering 11-night cruises from Barcelona and Genoa to the Canary Islands and Morocco. MSC Magnifica has eight and 11-night cruises from
Venice to Greece, Egypt, Croatia, Cyprus and Israel.
Sample product: From £720 for eight nights on MSC Magnifica including flights and transfers.
On the web:msccruises.co.uk

Costa Cruise Line

Ships: Costa Pacifica and Costa Magica
Itineraries: Costa Pacifica is sailing 11-night cruises from Civitavecchia (for Rome) to Greece, Israel and Egypt, while Costa Magica has seven-night cruises from Savona to Italy, Tunisia, Spain and France.
Sample product: From £719 for an 11-night Holy Land and Mediterranean cruise on Costa Pacifica between the end of November 2010 and the end of April 2011.
On the web:costacruises.co.uk

Norwegian Cruise Line

Ship: Norwegian Jade
Itineraries: Eight 12-night eastern Mediterranean cruises from Barcelona alternate with seven Canary Island voyages. Med cruises include calls at Civitavecchia (for Rome), Piraeus (for Athens), Izmir in Turkey, Alexandria in Egypt and Valetta in Malta. In 2011-12, the eastern Mediterranean cruise is 10 nights and departs from Civitavecchia. It will alternate with a Mediterranean and the Holy Land cruise that includes calls at Alanya in Turkey, Haifa and Ashdod in Israel, and Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt.
Sample product: From £922 for a 12-night eastern Mediterranean cruise in winter 2010/11 including flights and transfers.
On the web:ncl.co.uk

Royal Caribbean International

Ship: Independence of the Seas
Itineraries: Offers six 18-night Ultimate Mediterranean cruises between November 2010 and February 2011, with ports including Lisbon, Barcelona, Livorno (for Florence and Pisa), Civitavecchia (for Rome), Naples and Cadiz.
Sample product: From £1,042 cruise-only for an 18-night Ultimate Mediterranean cruise on January 26, 2011.
On the web:royalcaribbean.co.uk

Louis Cruises

Ship: Louis Majesty
Itineraries: Louis Majesty has two eight-night Iberian Coasts cruises from Genoa on January 5 and February 12 calling at Marseilles, Barcelona, Alicante, Gibraltar, Tangier, Casablanca, Malaga and Almeria. An eight-night Christmas cruise departs on December 19 and a 10-night New Year’s cruise on December 27.
Sample product: From £329 cruise-only for an eight-night Iberian Coasts cruise in January or February 2011.
On the web:louiscruises.com