Large, International Cruise Ships
Most international cruise ship companies offer Mediterranean itineraries that include at least one stop in Italy. You will often see the port of Civitavecchia on the schedule. This is the main port of Rome, from which countless day tours depart for the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, and the rest of the city's historic sites. The longer the Mediterranean itinerary, the more sites within Italy you are likely to see. On a ten-day cruise, you might see Civitavecchia alone, while on a twenty-day cruise, you might find an itinerary that also includes Sicily and Livorno (the latter is a port city on the western edge of Tuscany, within easy striking distance of Florence).
Some cruise lines incorporate Roman history into their itineraries. Holland America (
Celebrity offers an “Ancient Empires” itinerary that cruises round-trip from Civitavecchia. It includes stops in Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel before returning to Italy with a visit to Naples. Other itineraries from Celebrity incorporate the ports on Sicily, in Livorno, and in Venice. The “specials” tab at
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You don't always have to fly to Europe to board a cruise ship that makes stops in Italy. Some itineraries begin in Fort Lauderdale or Miami and cross the ocean as part of sixteen-day or longer journeys into Europe. Interestingly, these cruises can be about the same price as round-trip plane fares from the United States.
Different cruise lines go into different ports, so one company's Italy-based itinerary is likely to be different from the next. If you have your heart set on a specific port of call, such as Naples or Venice, be sure that your chosen cruise ship actually goes there. Some companies do not operate in certain ports, even though their ships do stop in Italy.
Costa Cruises
You might not be as familiar with this international cruise line as you are with, say, Carnival or Princess, but that's only because its marketing program in the United States is not as strong. Costa's tagline is “Cruising Italian Style,” which makes it ideal for an itinerary that includes Italy. Even if you visit other parts of Europe along the way, you will get to enjoy Italian culture and hospitality the entire time on your ship.
Costa has ships that visit nine ports in Italy: Civitavecchia, Catania (at the foot of Mount Etna), Genoa, Livorno, Naples, Olbia (on Sardinia), Portoferraio (on the island Elba), Palermo (on Sicily), and Savona (near Genoa). No single itinerary includes them all, but various options let you choose the ports that most interest you as parts of broader schedules that can also include Spain, Portugal, Egypt, and Israel. There's a “hot deals” section on the company's website,
Cunard
As an upscale cruising choice, Cunard is a line whose ships visit multiple Italian ports including Alghero and Cagliari (both on Sardinia), Livorno, Messina, Naples, Palermo, Civitavecchia, Trieste (near the Slovenia border), and Venice. Shore excursions include everything from walking tours of Rome to rides in Venetian gondolas. Details are online at
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line offers seven- to twenty-one-day Mediterranean itineraries, and some of the shorter ones include multiple stops in Italy. Some of the seven-day schedules, for instance, include full days in Naples, Civitavecchia, and Livorno. Some ten-day itineraries add a day in Messina as well.
In either case, you would spend nearly half your time ashore in Italian ports — a good ratio compared with a lot of other cruise companies' Mediterranean itineraries. Learn more at
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Do you have to take pre-arranged excursions from cruise ships? Absolutely not. You can get off your ship, hop in a taxi, and go see anything you would like — as long as you are back at the ship in time for departure, often later the same day. If your chosen ship is going into Venice, for instance, but has no excursions of interest, then you can walk around on your own.
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises offers multiple Mediterranean itineraries, some of which include several stops in Italy. The twelve-day “Greek Isles and Mediterranean” option, for instance, cruises up and down both sides of the Italian peninsula with stops in Civitavecchia, Livorno, Naples, and Venice. The twelve-day “Mediterranean Collection” itinerary stops in Venice, nearby Ravenna, Messina, Sorrento (near Capri), Portofino, and Civitavecchia.
Princess offers a land-based add-on called CruiseTours. You can extend your vacation in Italy beyond your stay on the ship by purchasing the “Classic Italy” CruiseTour in addition to a cruise departing from or ending in Italy. The package includes three nights in Rome and two in Florence, with group tours as well as time for exploring on your own. Details are online at
