It is, in my view, the world's greatest cruising sea.
No other body of water -- not the Caribbean, not Alaska's Inland Passage nor Asia's fabled China Sea -- gives cruise passengers the opportunity to visit such varied lands and peoples as does the Mediterranean Sea.This summer, a record number of cruise ships will sail the storied sea, retracing the paths of Jason and Hercules, of Antony and Cleopatra, of Columbus and Marco Polo, of Hannibal and Napoleon. Some of their passengers will climb marble steps to the Parthenon atop the Acropolis in Athens and sip ouzo at a harborside cafe in Rhodes. Others may take a gondola ride in Venice and see how the Romans lived -- and died -- in volcano-ravaged Pompeii.
In Monaco they can join the trendy set in Jimmyz disco, in Barcelona they can join hands with the native Catalans and dance the sardana.
Cruising the Med is doing a grand tour of Europe by sea -- and never having to pack and unpack. It's exhilarating because passengers are meeting new peoples and seeing new lands. It's exciting, because the ship offers entertainment and activities. And it's restful because the ships usually spend a couple days at sea during the cruise.
"I see the Med as one of the classic cruising markets in the world," said Peter Ratcliffe, president of Princess Cruises. "It's a combination of culture and places to see, a dynamite destination."
That's just one of the reasons more ships are going to the Med this year. Experienced passengers, who've been there and done that in the Caribbean, are looking for fresh cruise destinations -- and Europe fits the bill. And because a record number of new vessels are coming on line, cruise lines are looking for new itineraries and new ports for their ships.
Celebrity Cruises, for instance, is sending a ship to the Med for the first time this year. "There's a lot of interest from North America, and European interest in cruising is at an all-time high," said Rick Sasso, the line's president. "Bookings are good for us, even being the new man on the block."
Holland America, which had one ship in Europe last year, will put two there this year and three the next. Royal Caribbean again will send two liners to Europe this summer but is planning to add another in 2000. Princess will base four ships there, while Costa is sending all six of its ships to the region. And the Med is a favorite cruising sea for smaller, upscale lines like Seabourn, Sea Goddess, Silversea and Renaissance.
All told, the number of Mediterranean cruises should top 1,000 this year for the first time, and this comes on top of a 39 percent increase from 757 in 1997 to 948 in 1998.
Whether it's a circle tour of the Greek islands or a continent-spanning voyage from Istanbul to Gibraltar, a Mediterranean cruise becomes both a window to history and a portal to the contemporary pleasures of life in many lands -- shopping, dining, sightseeing and night life experiences that are unique in every port.
Whatever the itinerary, each port in the Med presents a different face. Caribbean cruises call at many islands, but there's a certain sameness to them. In the Med, one can be in Italy one day, France the next and Spain the third, all with vastly different cultures.
"It was tremendous to see so many places," said Larry Kramer of New York City, who honey-mooned with his bride, Victoria, on a Grand Princess cruise from Istanbul to Barcelona last year. "I had never been to Europe, so I didn't have any expectations. You can see it in a movie, read about it in a book, but it doesn't mean anything until you're there."
To be sure, cruise passengers get only a taste of Europe, a smattering of culture experienced during day tours from the ship. But for Kramer and many other people, that's fine. They'll know which destinations are worth longer stays and which aren't in planning their next European visit.
For some destinations, a day is sufficient. Cruises to the eastern Mediterranean, for instance, often stop in Izmir or Kusadasi, Turkey, for one purpose only: to make a shore excursion to the great Greco-Roman ruins of Ephesus. For most visitors, a day is just the right time. The same is true of some Greek islands or destinations that are concentrated in a small area, such as Monaco and Dubrovnik.
Realizing that some Mediterranean destinations offer much more than can be seen in a single day tour, however, many cruise lines have their ships stay overnight in certain ports.
"That's important," said Kramer. "The places we enjoyed most -- Istanbul, Venice and Barcelona -- were all where the ship stayed overnight."
Mediterranean cruisers tend to be in the upper income levels, for two reasons: price and price. First, getting to an embarkation port in Europe costs a lot more than getting to an American port, and second, just about everything costs more in Europe than in America, including cruise fares.
Despite that, demand for European cruises is taking a sharp upturn among Americans.
And the cost, while substantially more than a Caribbean cruise, need not be prohibitive. A 12-night cruise from Istanbul to Barcelona on the Princess Cruises' Grand Princess, for instance, is now priced at $2,737, Chiron said. A seven-night trip on RCI's Legend of the Seas is $1,299. In both cases, air fare to and from Europe is additional, but port charges are included.
Still too expensive? For $1,999, Renaissance offers a five-day cruise of the Greek islands, including round trip air from New York, two nights in Athens and two nights in Istanbul.
Here's a short resume of what to expect at the most frequently visited Mediterranean ports:
Barcelona, Spain: The Dali-like architecture of Antonio Gaudi, expressed most famously at the soaring Sagrada Familia church, is like no other.
Gibraltar: Europe's only apes live here, and they are a tourist attraction. From the summit of the rock, reached by cable car, there's a splendid view of the island and beyond to Morocco in Africa.
Majorca, Spain: "It is known in Britain as a package holiday destination," Paul Theroux writes in his "Pillars of Hercules," "and so is a synonym for cheapness." Despite that negative assessment, Majorca is an island with busy shopping and lovely sea vistas, particularly from the cliffs at Soller.
French Riviera, France: Cruise ships call at Monaco, Nice (Villefranche) or Cannes. Shore excursions give a quick view of the Riviera, or you can explore the area on your own. Commuter trains run every 20 minutes or so between Monaco and Cannes.
Portofino, Italy: It possesses a small but intensely picturesque harbor, but the place is terribly touristy and overpriced. Take a hike up to the lighthouse on the headland for a sea gull view of the port.
Livorno, Italy: The only reason ships dock here is that it's the gateway to Pisa and Florence. An hour is more than enough time for Pisa -- there's little to do but shoot a few photos of the Leaning Tower. A day in Florence, however, is not nearly enough time. Be sure to visit the cathedral and the Santacroce Church, where Galileo and Dante are buried.
Civitavecchia, Italy: It's the port of Rome. You can't see very much of Rome on a day excursion, but you can try.
Naples, Italy: Shoppers will peruse a wide choice of jewelry and leather goods. A cherished memory is having lunch at a restaurant where the waiters sang operatic arias. Mount Vesuvius overlooks the city, and the famous ruins of Pompeii are a short drive away.
Venice, Italy: Truly, this is a unique city. Though it is crowded beyond belief with tourists, it retains immeasurable charm. Your time is limited, but you'll find artistic treasures in some of the less known churches, beauty in odd corners and countless opportunities to buy Venetian glass.
Dubrovnik, Croatia: Though it was shelled by the Serbs, few scars remain in the walled old city. It's safe to visit now, though it has not yet regained its former tourism levels.
Piraeus, Greece: Athens is a 20-minute cab drive away from this port. The Acropolis, with its Parthenon and the Agora, is a must, but one should also visit the National Archaeological Museum, whose exhibits span the remarkable history of Greece.
Greek islands: Are the ruins at Akrotiri on the island of Santorini the remnants of the lost continent of Atlantis? Judge for yourself on a visit there, then stroll on the lively streets of Fira, the island capital, high above the water-filled caldera. Mykonos is noted for its night life, while its companion island, Delos, is the site of temples built to honor the Greek gods. Rhodes has become a major tourist destination, with good beaches and hotels as well as historical monuments. Crete, Greece's largest island, was the home base of the Minoans: Remnants of their art and architecture can be viewed at the majestic ruins of Knossos.
Istanbul, Turkey: Straddling the Bosphorus, the channel that separates Europe and Asia, Istanbul blends the ways of the East and the West. Its Hagia Sofia church, overwhelming in its immensity, was the biggest in Christendom for more than 1,000 years. Six minarets rise above the lovely Blue Mosque. The sultans of old lived in the opulent Topkapi Palace, with its 400-room harem and treasury of gold and jewels.
Izmir/Kusadasi, Turkey: These two ports are the gateways to the great Greco-Roman ruins of Ephesus, once a bustling city of 250,000. Most striking are two-story Library of Celsus, the 2,400-seat Great Theater, the few remains of the Temple of Artemis (one of the world's seven wonders), and reminders of everyday life of the period -- the public toilets, the brothels, the broad Arcadian Way that led to the now silted-over port.
Ashdod, Israel: Jerusalem is the shore destination of choice here. Shrines of three religions are side by side in the Old City -- Judaism's Western Wall, Christendom's Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and Islam's Dome of the Rock.
North Africa: A stop at Egypt's Port Said, at the north end of the Suez Canal, permits passengers to explore the great pyramids of Giza as well as the antiquities in Cairo's Egyptian Museum. Tunis has a fascinating casbah in its old city, beaches of the Tunisiam riviera to the south and the ruins of Carthage to the north.