Cruise · 53 nights · with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean
Fred. Olsen’s Balmoral sails a carefully paced 53-night route from Alicante through Italy, the Eastern Mediterranean and as far as Morocco, including close coastal cruising of the Amalfi Coast and calls in Istanbul and Alexandria.
- Duration
- 53 nights
- Departs
- 8 Oct 2026
- Sails from
- Alicante
- Returns to the same port
- Ship
- Balmoral
- From
- £10,219
- per person, sharing
Highlights
What makes this one worth it
Close coastal cruising of the Amalfi Coast
Visits to Cinque Terre from La Spezia
Two days sailing along the Mediterranean
Calls in Istanbul and Alexandria
Cruising past the volcanic island of Stromboli
About the trip
This 53-night cruise from Alicante on Fred. Olsen’s Balmoral offers an extended look at southern European coasts and eastern Mediterranean shores, combined with a few further-flung stops. After Spanish calls at Mahon and a full day at sea, the ship docks in northern Italy’s Savona and La Spezia, near the cliff villages of Cinque Terre. From Salerno, the ship passes the Amalfi Coast, too steep and tight for the ship to stop but spectacular for those who like their cliffs close to the deck.
Corsica’s Bastia and Propriano, and several ports along Italy’s southern and eastern shores, add more variety, with a moment or two of volcanic spectacle near Stromboli and the Strait of Messina. Malta, Croatia, Montenegro and Greece follow, each with its own coastal character: Dubrovnik with its stone walls, Corfu’s pine forests and the great monastic complex on Mount Athos, glimpsed offshore.
From Turkey’s Marmaris and Istanbul to Egypt’s Alexandria, the cruise swings south and east before turning west through the Mediterranean back to Spain. Gibraltar and the Moroccan Atlantic port of Agadir break up the long sea days. There is a notable mix here, at a steady pace, on a ship small enough to thread narrow channels but large enough for a proper choice of spaces aboard.
- 1 Alicante
- 2 Mahon
- 3 Savona
- 4 La Spezia
- 5 Bastia
- 6 Salerno
- 7 Valletta
- 8 Split
- 9 Koper
- 10 Kotor
- 11 Dubrovnik
- 12 Corfu (Kerkira)
- 13 Heraklion
- 14 Thessaloniki
- 15 Rhodes
- 16 Limassol
- 17 Alexandria
- 18 Marmaris
- 19 Istanbul
- 20 Piraeus
- 21 Trapani
- 22 Cartagena
- 23 Gibraltar
- 24 Agadir
- 25 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Itinerary
The route, day by day
Day 1
Alicante, Spain
Day 2
Mahon (Menorca), Spain
Day 3
At sea
Day 4
Savona, Italy
Day 5
La Spezia, Italy
Day 6
Bastia Corsica
When to go
Departures and prices
Lowest price each month, per person.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines confirms exact dates, availability and prices when you book.
Need to know
Before you book
- Price based on
- Two people sharing a cabinThe operator confirms the exact basis when you book.
- Travelling alone
- Check with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
- Flights
- Not needed if you join at Alicante
- What’s included
- Check with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
- Accessibility
- Check with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
- Cabin
- Superior Ocean View
For full details of what’s included, check with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. See the full details on their site
Questions people ask
- How long is Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean?
- Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean is a 53 nights cruise holiday.
- Where does Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean depart from?
- Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean departs from Alicante.
- Who operates Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean?
- Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean is operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines aboard Balmoral.
- How much does Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean cost?
- Prices for Italy & the Eastern Mediterranean start from £10,219, subject to availability.
The operator
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Smaller-ship cruises, many from UK ports
A Norwegian family name in shipping since the nineteenth century, known for smaller ships that can reach the narrower fjords and harbours.
You book with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines directly. They confirm your place, take payment, and look after you from the moment you leave home; Atlas & Passage’s part ends when you click through.
New to Spain? Our Spain guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.
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