Mediterranean cruises 2028

Where do Mediterranean cruises go in 2028?

The Mediterranean is the most popular long-haul cruising region for Australian travellers in 2028, and the range of itineraries reflects that. The broadest share of sailings covers the sea as a whole — multi-week voyages that move freely between coasts. Western Mediterranean itineraries are the next most popular, typically calling at ports across Spain, Italy and Portugal. Eastern Mediterranean sailings add Greece and Turkey to the mix, and a small number of transatlantic crossings connect the Mediterranean to the Americas at either end of the season.

Most sailings in the sample run between 7 and 14 nights, with a median of 10 nights — long enough to cover serious ground without feeling rushed. The longest itineraries stretch to 31 nights for travellers who want a genuinely immersive experience. A good portion of itineraries are one-way, meaning the ship embarks in one port and disembarks in another. On those voyages, a domestic or international flight connects the two ends of the trip, and our team can book both legs so you don’t need to piece it together yourself.

Western Mediterranean

The western basin is where most of the action concentrates in 2028. Sailings in this zone typically move between the Iberian Peninsula and the Italian coast, with Barcelona serving as the dominant embarkation port. It is one of the most convenient gateways in Europe: well-served by international flights from every Australian capital, with the port close to the city centre. From there, voyages fan out across the western sea.

Civitavecchia — Rome’s port — is both a popular embarkation and disembarkation point. Sailing in or out of Rome gives you a natural reason to add a night or two in the city before or after the cruise, and our team can arrange that hotel stay as part of the same booking.

Eastern Mediterranean

Eastern Mediterranean itineraries draw travellers whose priority is Greece, Turkey and the Adriatic. Venice and Trieste are the main Adriatic embarkation points, while Istanbul features as a highlight port in its own right. Piraeus — Athens’s port — is among the busiest disembarkation points in the region, so one-way eastern itineraries often connect Athens at one end with Venice or Istanbul at the other.

Which ports do 2028 Mediterranean cruises sail from?

All 2028 Mediterranean sailings depart from European ports, so every Australian traveller will need an international flight to reach them. The good news is that CruiseAway can book that flight, plus pre-cruise hotels and transfers, as a single package. The main embarkation ports are:

• Barcelona, Spain — the single busiest departure point, with sailings year-round and excellent flight connections from Australia.
• Athens (Piraeus), Greece — the main gateway for eastern Mediterranean and Greek island itineraries.
• Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy — ideal if you want to combine a few nights in Rome with your cruise.
• Venice, Italy — a spectacular way to begin or end a voyage, particularly for Adriatic and eastern Mediterranean routes.
• Lisbon, Portugal — especially popular for sailings that span the western Mediterranean or cross the Atlantic.
• Istanbul, Turkey — a starting point for eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea itineraries, and a destination worth pairing with extra nights ashore.

Other disembarkation ports include Valletta, Malta, Ravenna and Genoa. If you are sailing one-way, we can connect the city you disembark in — whether that is Athens, Venice or Lisbon — back to Australia with a return flight, hotel and transfers all arranged in one booking.

Which cruise lines sail the Mediterranean in 2028?

The Mediterranean in 2028 draws a strong mix of lines, from expedition-style small ships to full-scale ocean liners. The lines below are those with the most 2028 sailings on sale through CruiseAway. Note that the list also includes Viking River Cruises sailings — if you are specifically looking for ocean itineraries, it is worth filtering by ship type when you search.

• Viking Ocean Cruises — the most popular line for 2028 Mediterranean sailings, with a fleet of intimate, all-balcony ships that keep group sizes small and focus on destination immersion.
• MSC Cruises — a wide range of itineraries and ship sizes, with strong value across interior, balcony and suite categories.
• Viking River Cruises — river itineraries that pass through European waterways; worth considering alongside ocean sailings if a slower-paced, closer-to-the-shore experience appeals.
• Silversea — ultra-luxury small-ship sailings with butler-serviced suites, unlimited beverages and Wi-Fi included in the fare.
• Oceania Cruises — mid-size ships with a strong culinary focus and itineraries that tend to favour longer port calls.
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises — all-inclusive luxury with every shore excursion, flight and hotel included in the fare on many itineraries.

Other lines with 2028 Mediterranean departures include Princess Cruises, Explora Journeys, Azamara and more. Our luxury ocean cruise lines page is a useful starting point if you are deciding between the premium end of the market.

What do the fares include?

What is covered in your fare varies significantly by line and by the tier you choose — and getting this right is one of the most useful things our cruise experts do. Here is how the main lines structure their fares for 2028 Mediterranean sailings.

Silversea

Silversea operates on an all-inclusive model across its Mediterranean 2028 sailings. Every guest in every suite has a dedicated butler, access to all dining venues, unlimited wines and spirits, onboard Wi-Fi and pre-paid gratuities included in the fare. The entry-level Classic fare covers all of that; the Plus tier adds a shore excursion credit based on the length and region of the voyage, plus a fully refundable deposit — worth considering if your travel plans are not yet locked in. For Silversea sailings, the difference between fare tiers is mostly about flexibility and how much of your shore time is pre-arranged.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises offers 2028 Mediterranean sailings across 3 main fare levels. The Standard fare covers the cruise itself; drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities and casual dining are add-ons. The Plus package bundles in beverages up to A$15 each (with a daily drinks limit), MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, 4 casual dining meals per voyage and reserved theatre seating — a solid all-in value if you plan to drink and connect regularly. The Premier tier adds further perks on top. Princess also runs promotional fare types such as last-minute offers and tactical fares that appear through the year, so it is worth asking our team what is current at the time you book. See the full Princess Cruises 2028 programme for itinerary options.

Explora Journeys

Explora Journeys offers a Journey fare covering the cruise, and a Sky & Sea fare that bundles international return flights, private transfers and hotel stays into a single airport-to-airport package — a genuinely useful option for Australian travellers who want the whole Europe trip arranged in one go. Our team can match you to the right tier based on where you are flying from.

Ships to know for 2028

The ships below are the ones with the strongest presence in 2028 Mediterranean sailings through CruiseAway. Each has something specific worth knowing before you choose.

Allura — Oceania Cruises (new in 2025)

Allura joined the Oceania Cruises fleet in 2025, making it the newest ship in the Oceania line-up for 2028 sailings. Every cabin and suite on board comes with a private balcony — there are no interior or ocean-view grades — so the question is not whether you get outdoor space but how much. The ship keeps guest numbers intimate, which means longer waits at gangways are rare, and the wellness-inspired menus at its newer restaurants reflect a genuine shift in how Oceania thinks about food at sea. See Allura’s cabins and deck plans for the full grade breakdown.

Viking Jupiter — Viking Ocean Cruises

Viking Jupiter carries 930 guests — small by ocean-cruise standards — and every stateroom has a private balcony. The ship is built around the idea that you sail to see the destination, so dining is included and focused on where the ship happens to be rather than on celebrity-chef theatrics. Explore Viking Jupiter’s cabins and deck plans to see how the stateroom categories compare.

Seabourn Ovation — Seabourn

Seabourn Ovation is built for travellers who want the cruise to feel like a private yacht scaled up just enough to carry a full kitchen brigade. The experience is classical luxury: elegant, quiet and unhurried, with complimentary dining across all venues and a crew-to-guest ratio that means staff know your name by day two. The flagship cabin grade is the Grand Wintergarden Suite — at 115 m², nearly twice the footprint of the Owner’s Suites, with a separate bedroom, full living area, kitchen and a private outdoor hot tub. View Seabourn Ovation’s cabins and deck plans for the full suite range.

• Grand Wintergarden Suite GR — 115 m², sleeps up to 4. Private hot tub, separate bedroom, generous living area and a full kitchen with bar. Approximately twice the size of an Owner’s Suite on the same ship.

Queen Elizabeth — Cunard

Queen Elizabeth is the liner for travellers who want cruising to feel like an event rather than a holiday. The Art Deco interiors run from the chandeliers in the grand lobby to the teak promenade deck, and Cunard’s White Star Service means the standard of the dining room is set to match. The Royal Court Theatre stages large-scale production shows, and the Queens Room ballroom holds formal dances on sea days. Cabin grades span a wide range:

• Britannia Inside cabin Deluxe GB — 19.2 m², sleeps 2. Around 5 m² larger than the standard inside grade — a meaningful difference in a small cabin.
• Britannia Ocean-view cabin EB — 18.3 m², sleeps 2. A cabin window brings in natural daylight and sea views that the inside grades cannot offer.
• Britannia Club Balcony cabin A1 — 24 m², sleeps 2. A private balcony with sea views — the step that gives you your own outdoor space on deck.
• Queens Grill Grand Suite Q1 — 127.7 m², sleeps 2. The outdoor balcony alone runs to approximately 90 m² — more open-air space than most hotel suites have inside.

See Queen Elizabeth’s cabins and deck plans for the complete grade listing.

Azura — P&O Cruises

Azura was comprehensively refurbished in 2025 — new restaurants, bars and cabin interiors throughout — so 2028 sailings are on a ship that feels contemporary rather than tired. The 800-seat Playhouse stages West End-quality aerial acrobatics, and the SeaScreen outdoor cinema lets you catch a film on deck after dark. The Glass House wine bar, curated by TV wine expert Olly Smith, offers matched pairings that go well beyond the standard ship wine list. For cabin choices and deck layouts, see Azura’s cabins and deck plans.

Other ships

Several other ships are worth knowing if the lines above do not quite fit. Azamara Journey is built for longer port calls and overnights in port — useful if you want to explore after other ships have left. Silver Dawn sails for Silversea and carries all the inclusions of the Silversea fare model in a small, all-suite format. Seven Seas Grandeur is Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ newest addition to their fleet, with the line’s fully inclusive fare structure covering shore excursions, flights and pre-cruise hotels. Viking Mira offers the same intimate, all-balcony experience as Viking Jupiter for travellers whose preferred itinerary falls to Mira rather than Jupiter.

How much do 2028 Mediterranean cruises cost?

Mediterranean cruises in 2028 start from A$459 pp* for shorter sailings on selected lines. The median itinerary is around 10 nights, and at that length prices vary considerably by line, cabin grade and fare inclusions — a Silversea suite fare with butler service and unlimited drinks is priced very differently from a Princess Standard interior, even on a comparable itinerary. The most useful comparison is fare-inclusive: what does the price actually cover? Our cruise experts can lay that out side by side so you are comparing the same things, not just the headline number.

Some sailings carry reduced pricing — our team can tell you which departures have current availability at reduced rates when you enquire. We never state a discount percentage we cannot verify, so if you see a figure elsewhere, ask us to check it against what we actually hold.

Make it a full holiday

Every 2028 Mediterranean sailing departs from Europe, which means every Australian traveller is building a longer trip around the cruise. CruiseAway’s DreamAway Packages exist exactly for this: we combine the cruise with international return flights, pre- and post-cruise hotels, private transfers and tours into a single booking. You pay one deposit, deal with one team, and arrive knowing every part of the trip is confirmed.

You might want 2 nights in Rome before boarding at Civitavecchia, or a few days in Barcelona at the end. You might be flying from Perth, Sydney or Auckland — the routing matters, and so does the timing. Our cruise experts handle all of it, including travel insurance, so the only thing left for you to do is pack.

We are members of ATAS and CLIA, which means we are held to industry standards on how we handle your booking, your money and your travel arrangements.

Thinking about a different year or region?

If 2028 is not quite the right window, Mediterranean cruises in 2027 are also on sale and cover similar itineraries with earlier departure dates. For a broader look at what is available this year, the full 2028 cruises listing covers every destination and line. If the Mediterranean appeals but another region is also on your list, Alaska cruises in 2028 and Caribbean cruises in 2028 are worth a look alongside. Travellers whose priority is the Adriatic end of the Mediterranean may also find the Mediterranean Sea cruises hub page useful for comparing eastern and western options in the same place.

For travellers who have already settled on a line, the Princess Cruises 2028 and Regent Cruises 2028 pages show the full programmes for those lines, including itineraries outside the Mediterranean. The Princess 2027–2028 season launch page covers the broader deployment if you are planning across both years. For sailings from Australian ports in 2028, Princess Cruises Australia 2027/2028 has the local itineraries. And if you are looking specifically at cruises from Barcelona in 2028, that page filters the Mediterranean results to that single embarkation port.

River cruising is a genuinely different experience from ocean sailing — slower paced, with smaller vessels and stops in riverside towns rather than major ports. If you are weighing up the two, our river cruises page explains what to expect and what is on sale.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.