If you’ve considered visiting the Mediterranean in the QUIET SEASON, then there are a few trade-offs for you to be aware of. Bob and I are in Greece and Turkey right now (follow along on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/), so I thought I’d outline some of the considerations of travelling to the Med at this time of year.
First… some clarity: The Mediterranean is MUCH further north than we generally perceive it to be. We think of it as a tropical place, when in fact it is middle latitude. Here are a few places in the Mediterranean that share a parallel of latitude with North American Cities:
- Venice = Montreal
- Istanbul = New York City
- Athens = San Francisco
- Marseilles = Toronto
- Barcelona = Chicago
OK… now we’ve established where the Mediterranean sits on the planet. Here are the considerations:
- Weather. There are never any guarantees, but typically the weather in the Med is a bit more moderate than in North America. In Istanbul this week, the highs were to 65, and the lows were to 40. We brought jackets!
- Fewer People. This is a huge benefit of the Quiet Season. We visited Ephesus, and there were a small fraction as many people at this time of year, as opposed to when we’ve been here in the summer.
- Daylight Hours. The weather may be variable, but daylight hours are not. Much like when I lived in Chicago… the days are short in December and January. It is the same in Barcelona.
- Number of Ships. May through September, literally every cruise line has ships in the Med. Most of those ships leave in the quiet season. However, I ran a quick search for November 2024 through February 2025, and found a surprising number of cruise lines present in the Med: Azamara, Celebrity, Explora Journeys, HAL, Oceania, Princess, Regent, Seabourn, SilverSea, Star Clippers, Viking Ocean, and Windstar.
- Will attractions be closed? Most things are open, but if a tourist site must close for maintenance, it will definitely be in the winter months, when there is less impact on the tourist trade. There are also shorter open hours in many cases.
- Will Air be Cheaper? Probably… but there’s also not as many flights to Europe in winter, so you might end up paying just as much, AND if you’re flying from a smaller airport, you may have to connect in one of the big US Gateway airports.
- Will my cruise be cheaper? Yes… but count on 10% or 20% less – not 50% less.
Today’s Travel Opportunities
Here are a few options for Quiet Season Mediterranean:
OCEANIA VISTA
- Visit Greece (3 ports), Croatia (2 ports), Malta, Sicily, Italy, Spain, Tenerife, St. John’s, Puerto Rico.
- Depart Athens for Miami on November 11 for 24 days with Verandas from $6699, OR
- Athens to Rome for 9 days with Verandas from $3449, OR
- Depart Rome for Miami on November 20 for 15 days with Verandas from $4349
- If you ride the ship back to Miami you only have to endure one trans-Atlantic flight!
- See our VISTA ship tour video here: https://youtu.be/nN5lyXCEy_g?si=4s-bkiU-K9JsELC_
Regent Seven Seas Quiet Season Mediterranean:
- Lisbon to Barcelona for 7-nights departing April 16, 2025
- Visit Lisbon, Portimao, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Malaga, Melilla, Alicante, Barcelona
- Suites from $5049 with a $150 per person on board credit
OR
- Athens to Istanbul for 7-nights departing April 30, 2025.
- Visit Santorini, Rhodes, Bodrum, Ephesus, Istanbul (overnight).
- Suites from $4649 with a $150 per person on board credit
Regent Fares include an open bar, gratuities, a choice of shore excursion in every port, specialty dining, transfers, wifi and laundry service on the ship.
Tauck River in Quiet Season
Prague to Paris departing April 25, 2025 for 14-days
- 2-nights in Prague, with a 9-night cruise, and 2-nights in Paris
- Visit Prague, Regensburg, Nuremberg, Wurzburg, Rothenburg, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Cochem, Trier, Luxembourg, Paris
- Fares from $10,790
OR
Douro River: Spain & Portugal departing April 11, 2025 for 8-days
- Round-trip Porto
- Visit wine estates, lush vineyards, idyllic riverside villages, baroque castles, hilltop medieval ruins, and rock art from the valley’s earliest inhabitants…
- Fares from $6590 per person
VIKING FREE AIR to MEDITERRANEAN
Viking is offering Free Air on a handful of Mediterranean itineraries THIS spring if you’re ready to leave in the next month or two:
Athens to Istanbul for 7-nights departing June 23 or 30, 2024
- Visit Athens (overnight), Crete, Rhodes, Ephesus, Troy, Istanbul (overnight). This is the cruise we’re on right now, so follow along on Facebook if you want more information.
- Fares from $3499 per person including round-trip air.
London to Bergen for 14-nights departing May 31, or June 12, 14, 26, 2024
- Visit London (overnight), Edinburgh, Kirkwall, Shetland Islands, Honningsvag, Tromso, Leknes, Geiranger, Bergen (overnight)
- Fares from $5699 per person including round-trip air.
Recently booked a Viking Cruise?
Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online, by phone, or on board. Our clients worry that if they book on-line (or on board), that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation.
We’ll check over your reservation to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal, and we will also add some onboard credits that are not available on direct bookings.
We can add at least $100 per person onboard credit to any direct Viking reservation made in the last 60 days.
There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).
If you recently booked a Viking Cruise, please let us know as soon as possible.
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If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
