Is Cruising the Best Way to See the Mediterranean?

When I embarked on a 10-night Mediterranean cruise, I anticipated a leisurely journey. Little did I know, it would turn out to be anything but slow-paced.

Within just over a week, I explored 11 ports spanning Turkey, Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Montenegro. This jam-packed itinerary would have been exhausting if attempted through air and land travel. It made me realize that cruising can be one of the most efficient ways to experience the Mediterranean, especially if your aim is to visit multiple destinations in one trip rather than staying put in one place.

I have a penchant for busy schedules, and added stress doesn’t faze me. I’ve spent more nights than I care to admit sleeping in airports. I’ve navigated an eight-hour bus ride followed by three train connections without batting an eye. However, on the cruise, I was able to see a lot without the hassle of repacking my suitcase or dealing with multiple airport transfers.

I also discovered that cruising wasn’t significantly pricier than traveling by air or land. Norwegian Cruise Line sponsored my voyage on the Norwegian Viva and covered my expenses. When I independently priced a similar trip using other modes of transportation, I found the costs to be comparable to the regular rates of the cruise.

Unlike much of mainland Europe, which boasts well-connected train, bus, and budget airline networks, the Mediterranean region is fragmented by islands, peninsulas, and borders. Traveling between destinations can be slow, expensive, and surprisingly complex.

Here are the stops I made on my cruise, in chronological order:

Consider the logistical challenges of traveling between the Greek islands alone. A ferry journey from Santorini to Mykonos typically takes two to three hours and costs around $100 per person, depending on the season and type of ferry.

Then there are routes that are even more arduous. Getting from Corfu, Greece, to Kotor, Montenegro, involves significant backtracking as there are no direct flights or ferries between the two destinations. The most feasible option is a roughly nine-hour drive.

The greatest advantage of cruising was the time saved. A one-hour flight often translates to three times that once you factor in airport travel, security, boarding, potential delays, and baggage logistics. Ferries, trains, and hotel check-ins can also consume more time than you anticipate. Independent travel entails constant packing and unpacking.

Upon arriving in Santorini, our ship docked at 6:30 a.m. I was eager to start exploring right away. My husband and I embarked on a hike from Fira to Oia and back, covering over 20 miles with our meandering route included.

We made the most of every hour until the ship’s 10 p.m. departure, culminating in watching the sunset in Fira. I returned to the ship exhausted, devoured a second dinner, and promptly collapsed. The next morning, I woke up refreshed in the same room, already docked in Mykonos.

In contrast, independent travel would have entailed waking up early, packing, checking out, navigating to the ferry terminal, enduring hours on the water with luggage, checking into a new hotel, and only then beginning to explore — already fatigued.

This $283 rate encompasses:

Additional expenses, such as drink packages or spa visits, could increase the overall cost, but the same applies to a land-based vacation.

On a cruise, accommodation and transit between cities are included in the fare. In independent travel, these are among the costliest components.

Here’s a breakdown of the expenses for my hypothetical air-and-land itinerary:

Hotel costs: $2,350. I computed the costs for an independent trip using mid-range hotels, such as Hilton DoubleTree establishments, in the same cities on the same dates as the cruise.

Santorini proved to be the priciest, with hotel rates averaging over $450 per night during peak season, according to TripAdvisor.

Primary transportation costs: $2,200. I factored in practical transportation options between destinations, including a ferry from Santorini to Mykonos, renting a car to drive along the Adriatic coast from Kotor to Trieste, with stops in Dubrovnik and Zadar, and opting for the most affordable flights between certain cities, often on Ryanair.

Food costs: $800. I allocated $40 per person per day for meals, which seemed conservative compared to the all-you-can-eat nature of cruise dining.

Tips and airport transfers: $310. I considered tipping at hotels and estimated taxi expenses for airport transfers. For gratuities, I budgeted a few dollars each night for housekeeping and the bell desk, especially if the bell desk stored my luggage after checkout. (Gratuities are typically included in cruise fares.)

Total cost: Based on my estimates, the air-and-land itinerary would have amounted to approximately $5,660 — nearly identical to the cruise fare of $5,658.