Marella Cruises ships sail various itineraries to destinations throughout the Mediterranean, such as the south of France 2 7 The popularity of the Mediterranean is down to the superb weather during the summer, mild temperatures in winter and the many ports and destinations that can be reached during a single voyage, says Elisabetta De Nardo, vice president of port development at MSC Cruises. “It’s our home; there’s no other part of the world that offers such a range of different and wonderful itineraries with such a variety of shoreside experiences, whether they be cultural tours, amazing sightseeing opportunities, culinary experiences, fun on the beach or water sports in the sea.” The Mediterranean has also been the home of Costa Cruises since its origins over 70 years ago, says Davide Truscello, the company’s director of itinerary and pricing. “It is a destination with unique features. First, the extraordinary variety of cultures, traditions, history, landscapes, fantastic art, cities and beautiful beaches. Then the mild climate, which allows you to travel even in winter. Equally important is the availability of ports and infrastructure dedicated to cruise ships. Finally, the proximity to important source markets, such as Italy, France, Spain and Germany.” As the only Greek homeporting cruise line, Celestyal Cruises is another company that lives and breathes the Mediterranean, in particular its Eastern region, including the Adriatic coast of Italy and Croatia, the islands of Greece, Turkey’s ports of Istanbul, Kusadasi (for Ephesus) and Canakkale (to visit Troy), as well as Cyprus, Israel and Egypt. “We proudly consider ourselves experts in the region and offer our guests an immersive experience not only to the marquee destinations such as Mykonos and Santorini but also to the lesser-known side of Greece,” says Chris Theophilides, the company’s CEO. According to Saga Cruises’ head of trade sales and commercial partnerships Iain Powell, the region is popular with guests of all ages and demographics. “We often hear from our guests that the Mediterranean makes such a great cruise destination because of its mix of weather and the variation you get when travelling around the coast. The mix of
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