Cruise · 42 nights · with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Turkey & the Islands of the Canaries & Greece
A 42-night cruise aboard Fred. Olsen’s Balmoral, tracing a wide arc from the Greek islands through Turkey, Egypt and Malta to the Canary Islands and Portugal before heading home to Southampton.
- Duration
- 42 nights
- Departs
- 29 Oct 2026
- Sails from
- Heraklion
- Returns to the same port
- Ship
- Balmoral
- From
- £7,619
- per person, sharing
Highlights
What makes this one worth it
Sight of Mount Athos monastic peninsula from the ship
Two stops in the Canary IslandsIncluding Tenerife and Gran Canaria
Visit to Alexandria, EgyptWith ancient Mediterranean heritage
Time in Istanbul, Turkey’s city spanning two continents
Ports across the eastern MediterraneanIncluding Rhodes and Lesbos
About the trip
This extended cruise on Fred. Olsen’s Balmoral begins and ends in Heraklion, Crete, following a varied route through the eastern Mediterranean and beyond. Early calls include Greek highlights such as Ermoupoli on Syros, Thessaloniki with its mix of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture, and Rhodes with its medieval Old Town. The ship passes Mount Athos, where only monks can step ashore, before stopping at Lesbos and Kos.
The itinerary broadens out with a visit to Alexandria in Egypt, an occasional port for cruise ships and home to the ancient Great Library's remnants. Sailing further, Balmoral reaches Istanbul, with its skyline dotted by domes and minarets, before touching Malta’s capital Valletta and Trapani on Sicily. After Cartagena, the ship calls at Gibraltar, then heads south to Agadir on Morocco’s Atlantic coast.
A cluster of Canary Islands follows – Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas, and Arrecife – before crossing to Funchal on Madeira and continuing to Lisbon and Matosinhos in Portugal. The voyage concludes with a transfer northwards to Southampton, a proper English port and sensible place to disembark after 42 nights at sea. Balmoral, one of the smaller ships in the Fred. Olsen fleet, makes these diverse seas feel manageable, with the chance to see a wide variety of cultures and coastlines without the hustle of larger cruise liners.
- 1 Heraklion
- 2 Thessaloniki
- 3 Alexandria
- 4 Istanbul
- 5 Valletta
- 6 Gibraltar
- 7 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
- 8 Lisbon
- 9 Southampton
Itinerary
The route, day by day
Day 1
Heraklion, Greece
Day 2
Ermoupoli, Greece
Day 3
Pass Mount Athos, Greece
Day 4
Sithonia coastline, Greece
Scenic cruising
Day 5
Thessaloniki, Greece
Day 6
Mytilene, Lesbos, Greece
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 Heraklion
- 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 Turkey & the Islands of the Canaries & Greece?
- Turkey & the Islands of the Canaries & Greece is a 42 nights cruise holiday.
- Where does Turkey & the Islands of the Canaries & Greece depart from?
- Turkey & the Islands of the Canaries & Greece departs from Heraklion.
- Who operates Turkey & the Islands of the Canaries & Greece?
- Turkey & the Islands of the Canaries & Greece is operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines aboard Balmoral.
- How much does Turkey & the Islands of the Canaries & Greece cost?
- Prices for Turkey & the Islands of the Canaries & Greece start from £7,619, 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 Greece? Our Greece guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.
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