Featuring an unbeatable combination of scenery, attractions and activities, the crystal-blue waters of the Western Mediterranean offer one of the best cruise experiences in the world.
With fabulous ports of call, outstanding local food and wine and UNESCO-listed cultural and historic sites, the main challenge is picking the right itinerary and cruise operator for you.
Plan your perfect cruise with my essential tips for cruising the Western Mediterranean and an honest review of my experience sailing on NCL Epic. To make the most of your time onshore, you’ll find guides to exploring the most popular ports of call in Italy and Spain.
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How I Cruised the Western Mediterranean
My Top Western Mediterranean Cruise Tips
1. Try to avoid sailing in July and August
For optimal weather conditions, the best time to cruise the Mediterranean is from early April to November.
However, unless you are confined to the school holidays, I would avoid the peak season in July and August. Searing Mediterranean heat and jostling crowds are never a good combination. You will also pay more to cruise in these months.
If you cruise the Mediterranean during the winter months there will be fewer crowds and prices will be lower. However, during the winter, many locals close up shop.
I took a Mediterranean Sea cruise in October. Although there was a little rain and wind, the temperature was pleasantly balmy.
Cruisers can experience rough seas in the Mediterranean, which tend to be worse in the autumn and winter. However, rough seas in the spring and summer are not unknown.
2. DO A LITTLE HOMEWORK TO PICK THE CRUISE THAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU
There is a Western Mediterranean cruise for everyone.
Itineraries typically include ports of call in Spain, France and Italy. Destinations in Portugal (usually Lisbon, Porto and Madeira), Monaco and the Canary Islands (Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura) can also be featured.
Although mini-cruises are also available, the duration of Mediterranean cruises generally ranges from seven to 14 days.
As there is considerable variety in itinerary lengths, ports of call and types of ship, you will need to do a little homework to pick the cruise that is right for you. Check out the Western Mediterranean cruise itineraries on offer to see which combination of ports is the right one for you.
Also, consider where your cruise starts.
For example, many sail from Barcelona or Civitavecchia. Whilst Barcelona’s cruise terminal is close to the city centre, Civitavecchia is 70 km from Rome. Other embarkation ports include Southampton (UK), Venice, Tenerife and Genoa.
There is a spectrum of ships that sail along the Mediterranean, accommodating all budgets.
These range from mainstream behemoths to smaller ships offering a more intimate experience. Just pick the one that is the right fit for you.
3. PACK APPROPRIATELY
Except for the winter months, the weather in the Western Mediterranean is predictably warm. This makes packing easy.
For exploring the ports of call, wear t-shirts with shorts, linen trousers/chinos or skirts. I also like to pack a few easy-to-wear cotton summer dresses.
For cooler days and evenings, pack a jumper or lightweight jacket. Weather in the Mediterranean in April / May or late September / October and be unpredictable; stuff a few more warm layers in your suitcase.
Ditch the stilettos for sensible walking shoes or trainers. And don’t forget your glad rags for any formal evenings on board!
Pack an umbrella or raincoat at any time of year in case of unexpected downpours.
4. BOOK A BALCONY CABIN
Consider booking a balcony cabin when cruising the Western Mediterranean
Part of the appeal of cruising is admiring the scenery as you sail by. And where better to take in the view than on your private balcony with a glass of fizzy stuff?
That said, I recommend that you examine your cruise itinerary before booking your cabin. If this is port-intensive and features only one or two days at sea, a balcony stateroom may not be a worthwhile investment.
A final cautionary note: not all cruise cabins are equal. Therefore if you don’t want to end up next to the laundry or under the promenade deck, research your cruise cabin before you book.
It shouldn’t matter which side of the cruise ship your cabin is on when sailing the Mediterranean. As most Mediterranean cruises sail at night, there isn’t much land to see.
Western Mediterranean Cruise Itinerary and Ports of Call
This one-week cruise included five ports of call: Palma de Mallorca, Cagliari, Livorno, Civitavecchia and Barcelona.
DAY ONE: LEAVING BARCELONA
At 6 pm, NCL Epic released her moorings and set sail for Palma de Mallorca, 112 nautical miles southeast of Barcelona.
DAY TWO: PALMA DE MALLORA, SPAIN
Historic Palma de Mallorca, the capital city of Spain’s Balearic Islands, is brimming with beauty.
Casco Antiguo, Palma’s elegant old town, is a labyrinth of honey-coloured stone buildings that wraps itself around an awe-inspiring Gothic cathedral. Within the old town, there are magnificent Arab Baths, the last vestige of Medina Mayurqa, the former Islamic city.
One of the reasons to visit Spain is to sample its fabulous food. Whilst you are in Palma, make sure you order an ensaïmada, the island’s tasty pastry.
NCL Epic berthed at Estacio Maritima, a 45-minute walk to Palma Cathedral.
Cruise shuttle buses and a local bus (No. 1) are also available. Depending on how long you have in port, a hop-on-hop-off bus (HOHO) may be a cost-effective option.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR PALMA HOHO BUS TICKET
Although most ships berth at Estacio Maritima, a few dock at Porto Pí on the western edge of Palma.
DAY THREE: CAGLIARI, SARDINIA, ITALY
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean. Situated west of mainland Italy and south of the French island of Corsica, it has a rich history dating back to the Neolithic period and has been home to many civilisations, including the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans.
Today’s Cagliari is home to wonderful historical buildings, has a charming marina and is close to the longest beach in Italy. Further afield, discover more about Sardinia’s mysterious nuraghi at the UNESCO site of Si Nuraxi di Barumni.
Cruise ships dock at the busy Molo Rinascita, a 15-minute walk from the town centre. However, be aware that Cagliari has steep hills and traffic around the port is lively.
A better option is the free shuttle bus, provided by The Port Authority of Cagliari, which runs the cruise port to Piazza Matteotti, close to the centre of town. From here, bus number 7 runs up the hill to the Castello district.
DAY FOUR: CIVITAVECCHIA, ITALY
Although Civitavecchia serves as the cruise port for Rome, it is around 80 km from the Italian capital or over an hour’s train journey.
Civitavecchia Port has an interesting history. It was founded in the 2nd century by the Roman Emperor Trajan and rebuilt as a fortress in 1537 by Michelangelo.
However, it’s safe to say that not many cruise passengers linger in Civitavecchia. This is an opportunity to take a whistle-stop tour of Rome, explore the wonders of ancient Ostia or visit Lazio’s under-the-radar hilltop towns.
The train station is a 20-minute walk from the port. This excellent guide will tell you all that you need to know about getting to and from the Civitavecchia cruise terminal.
If you decide to visit Rome independently, just make sure that you will be able to get back in time before your cruise leaves.
DAY FOUR: NAPLES, ITALY
Naples is Italy in hyperdrive.
Yes; it can be noisy and chaotic. But, equally, it has a rich history and proud culture and it has a spectacular setting on the Bay of Naples, in the shadow of Vesuvius.
Furthermore, it is home to the best pizza in the world.
Most cruise ships dock at Molo Beverello, the main pier of Stazione Maritima, an easy 10-minute walk from Naples’ historic centre.
Walking is the easiest way to explore Naples. To reach places that are further out, your best bet is to take line 1 of the city’s metro system. Municipio is the closest metro station to the cruise terminal.
There is also a hop-on-hop-off (HOHO) bus. There is a bus stop outside the terminal, adjacent to Castel Nuovo.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS FOR NAPLES HOHO BUS
DAY FIVE: LIVORNO, ITALY
Livorno is the cruise port for the Cinque Terre and Tuscany.
But don’t expect to see a picturesque coastline or the vineyards and rolling hills of Tuscany from your cabin’s balcony. This is very much an industrial port
Although Livorno itself is worthy of a visit, most cruise passengers use this cruise stop as an opportunity to explore the great towns and cities of Tuscany, including Florence, Lucca and Sienna or to explore the Cinque Terre. I went completely left field and took the chance to visit the marvellous marble quarries at Carrara.
In common with 90% of cruise ships, the Epic docked in the industrial port, near Darsena Calafati and Darsena Petroli. If you are arriving on a smaller ship, you may berth at the cruise terminal at Porto Mercantile which is within walking distance from the town.
Not many people linger in Livorno, taking excursions to Tuscany or the Cinque Terre instead. But if you do decide to stay in Livorno, shuttle buses will take you from the port to Piazza Grande in the centre of Livorno. From here, the best way to explore the town is on foot.
DAY SIX: AT SEA
A relaxing day at sea and an opportunity to see if my origami skills had improved since my last attempt. They hadn’t.
DAY SEVEN: DISEMBARKATION AT BARCELONA
And just like that, it was over.
Whilst you can see the best of Barcelona in a day, it is well worth lingering in town either before or after your cruise.
The cosmopolitan Catalonia capital city is famous for its art and architecture – notably Antoni Gaudi – sandy beaches, vibrant nightlife and a world-beating food scene.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR SKIP-THE-LINE TICKET FOR LA SAGRADA FAMÍLIA
Most cruise ships dock at the Moll Adossat terminals (Terminals A, B, C and D). Terminal D is the farthest away of the four quays and is approximately 4 km from La Rambla.
Making the journey on foot will take you 25 minutes from Terminal A and 45 minutes from Terminal D. There is also a Cruise Bus.
The easiest way to get around Barcelona is on foot, using the city’s metro system for attractions that are further out.
Barcelona also has a hop-on-hop-off bus. You can choose from a one or two-day ticket and access two routes with stops that include stops in this Barcelona itinerary and more. An audio commentary is available.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR BARCELONA HOHO BUS TICKET
My Experience Onboard Norwegian Epic: Ship Review
Norwegian Epic is a colossal beast.
Launched in 2009, this is one of the largest ships in the NCL fleet and can accommodate 4,100 passengers. Spread over 19 decks, the Epic is 61 meters in height and 329 meters long and weighs 153,000 tonnes.
NCL Epic has 1,724 crew members resulting in a decent passenger-staff ratio. This is reflected in its levels of customer service. More about that later.
With a dark-wood-and-cream colour scheme, like many ships of this size, it features a hotel lobby-like central space. However, this space could be put to better use. It was largely occupied by passengers staring slack-jawed at the enormous TV screen showing promotional videos on a loop.
Many of the public areas, especially those near the main dining rooms felt enclosed, verging on claustrophobic. Sightlines out to sea were restricted and you could be forgiven for forgetting that you were on the ocean.
Navigating around the ship was initially challenging, not helped by poor signposting.
Access from deck 5 to deck 6 (the interior public decks) was via an almost incidental escalator. Across the ship, there were lifts and stairs at aft and stern but none at midship.
Although these aspects were occasionally frustrating, they are not deal-breakers.
EMBARKATION AT BARCELONA CRUISE PORT
Embarkation at Barcelona was flawless.
At the time I travelled (October 2021) pre-boarding Covid lateral flow tests at the port were mandatory. From rocking up at check-in to opening my cabin door, it was 45 minutes.
NCL EPIC CLUB BALCONY CABIN
I had a Club Balcony cabin, which featured a tasteful brown and cream palette.
Let’s start with the elephant in the (state)room; its design. This is the Marmite of cruise ship staterooms. You will either love it or loathe it.
The first thing that strikes you on entering the cabin is its curviness. Reflecting the waves on the sea outside the balcony door, the walls of the cabin gently curve, as do the sofa and the bed.
I can live with that, but the bathroom is another story.
This is a deconstructed bathroom. As you enter a cabin, the toilet is on one side of the entrance passageway, and one of the longest showers in the world is on the opposite side. Each is enclosed by a sliding frosted-glass door.
The shower was adequate but could have been more powerful for my liking. Inside the cubicle, there is a washing line.
Just beyond the toilet and shower was one of the smallest sinks in the world. But the large drawer under the sink for used towels is a good design feature.
Almost as an afterthought, there was a naff curtain you could pull across the entrance passageway /bathroom area for privacy.
A decent range of toiletries was provided, including hand soap, shower gel and shampoo in wall-mounted dispensers, a 30ml bottle of lemongrass body lotion and a bar of fragrant soap. There was also a powerful hairdryer.
The large, comfortable bed had good-quality linen and plump pillows. There was also a two-seater sofa in the cabin.
Lighting in the cabin was plentiful and thoughtfully placed. That said, it verged on the atmospheric rather than the functional.
One thing you won’t be short of in an NCL Epic Club Balcony cabin is storage space.
I was still discovering new cupboards in the stateroom two days into the cruise. They were everywhere.
Ditto mirrors. I counted five in total, including two full-length mirrors. It’s a narcissist’s dream.
There were only four plug sockets in the cabin, cunningly concealed beneath the TV. Two of these were US sockets; the other two were European two-pin sockets.
A small fridge housed the cabin’s mini-bar. There was also an in-stateroom safe.
There was a coffee maker in the room which you could also use to make tea. Coffee and tea supplies were available from the cabin steward on request.
I found the television was most useful as an onboard information system, allowing you to book restaurants and shore excursions.
Disappointingly, the limited movie library wasn’t free, with each film costing 9.95 USD. The choice of TV channels was limited to a handful of news channels, sports channels, one showing TV shows and a free movie channel.
The balcony was spacious, accommodating two chairs and a small table.
FOOD AND DRINK
There were 16 bars on NCL Epic from which to choose, each with its own theme.
One of the largest bars was the gloomy O’Sheehan’s Bar and Grill, the ship’s Irish pub.
My favourite was Shaker’s Martini Bar, which served a range of excellent cocktails. If sipping sake is more your style, you will love the Wasabi Sake Bar.
Or snuggle up in warm layers at the Ice Bar. Made entirely made of ice, from the bar itself to the glasses, this unique bar serves six speciality cocktails.
Norwegian Epic offered 21 dining choices, some of which incurred an extra charge.
The quality of food in the main dining rooms was generally good.
The food from the buffet service at The Garden Room was acceptable but unexceptional.
My favourite dining venue was Shanghai’s Noodle Bar & Shanghai’s Chinese Restaurant. Whereas this would be a speciality restaurant on most other cruise lines, it was complimentary on NCL.
I also ate at La Cucina, one of the ship’s speciality dining options. This was unremarkable and pricey if you don’t have a dining deal.
RELAXING ON DECK
The ship’s busy main deck and swimming pool area are on deck 15.
If you are seeking refuge from the hustle and bustle of the main deck area, head for the H2O Spice Zone at the aft of the ship on Deck 16. This adult-only area had a bar, snack bar and a small swimming pool.
There was also a climbing wall, a jogging track and a gym.
ENTERTAINMENT ON NORWEGIAN EPIC
This is where the Norwegian Epic excels.
Along with Royal Caribbean, NCL has a reputation for offering the best entertainment at sea today. And the glowing reports are justified.
I am usually so underwhelmed by onboard entertainment that I skip the shows. Not so with Norwegian who put on a dazzling production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert on its theatre’s stage.
Also on NCL Epic, you can step into the Cavern Club, a recreation of the legendary Liverpool venue where the Beatles performed. This intimate space hosts live music and a Beatles cover band.
NCL CUSTOMER SERVICE
This is the jewel in Norwegian’s crown.
Without exception, service onboard the Epic was exemplary. Despite sailing in challenging times – we were still living with the coronavirus pandemic and the cruise industry was cautiously restarting – staff were friendly, courteous and helpful.
This factor alone would persuade me to book with NCL again.
What Was it Like as a Single Traveller on NCL Epic?
Cruising alone is a fabulous choice for solo travellers.
Cruises are very social environments with plenty of opportunities to meet other travellers. However, it’s also easy to be alone if that’s your preference.
This Western Mediterranean cruise on NCL Epic is an excellent solo travel experience, especially if you are travelling alone for the first time. The ship had lots of organised activities during the day and entertainment laid on at night.
Historically, the downside of cruising as a solo traveller has been its cost. The absence of single cruise cabins and single supplements approaching 100 per cent have penalised those travelling alone.
Norwegian Cruise Line has led the charge in the introduction of stylish single cruise cabins. Rebranding them as ‘Studio Cabins’, they are clustered together and include an exclusive singles lounge.
Fellow passengers on this NCL Epic cruise were a cosmopolitan bunch of all ages and from all walks of life.
Should You Take a Western Mediterranean Cruise on Norwegian Epic?
If you are lucky, there are some great deals to be had with NCL. In 2021, I paid less than £1000 for the sole occupation of a Club Balcony Cabin for this Western Mediterranean cruise on NCL Epic. A drinks package, 50 USD off each shore excursion and 280 USD onboard credit were thrown in for good measure.
By any stretch of the imagination, this is astonishing value, affordable luxury travel at its best. My one niggle is that bottled water is not included in the drinks package, which feels a little cynical.
This was a fantastic itinerary, even for someone like myself who has visited Spain and Italy on multiple occasions. However, this is a port-intensive itinerary and if you are someone who relishes days at sea it may not be right for you.
NCL Epic is a handsome ship. Although some of her design aspects were frustrating, these would not deter me from booking a cruise on her again.
But ultimately, it is the first-class customer service that will tempt me to book another cruise with Norwegian.
Ready to cruise the Western Mediterranean?
This was a terrific solo cruise and a cost-effective way of experiencing some wonderful Mediterranean destinations. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
If you have found this article helpful, take a deeper dive into the stops on this cruise:
- One Day in Palma de Mallorca, Spain: 8 Awesome Things to Do
- One Day in Naples: Cruise Port Guide & 10 Best Things to Do
- Visiting the Carrara Marble Quarries, Italy
- Tips for Visiting Sagrada Família: Things You Should Know Before You Go
- How to Spend One Day in Barcelona from a Cruise Ship
Happy sailing!