Discover Mediterranean Charm With Royal Caribbean This Season

A Mediterranean cruise means admiring the sites in Venice or Rome, exploring the historical Greek isles or marvelling at Croatia’s pristine coastline. And what a better way to experience all that than sailing with Royal Caribbean, the world’s most innovative cruise ships on the seas.

This season Royal Caribbean is taking travellers into a dream like vacation visiting some of the best known cities across Europe and the Mediterranean. With many cruise lines available, you can choose to depart from Rome, the city of a thousand faces, then land in Santorini, the city of postcard images, before reaching Naples, the city of contrasts. This is just an example of over 43 lines designed to explore the Mediterranean’s elegance and to take travellers into an unforgettable experience.

With Royal Caribbean, your holiday is not only about the destination, but also about the ship. When choosing to sail the Mediterranean from Europe, you’ll get the chance to experience what the Oasis of the Seas, one of the biggest ships in the world, has to offer. It is the first ship to feature seven distinctly themed neighbourhoods. The one representing “Central Park” is the first-ever park at sea, with 12,175 plants, 62 vine plants, 56 trees and bamboo. Oasis of the Seas took the leadership in implementing unique experiences onboard, and it is the first ship ever to have a 25 meters long zip line, two FlowRiders, beach pool, and aquatic amphitheatre among many other features.

If you are seeking an experience like no other, Royal Caribbean combines two of the “jewels” in this Mediterranean area “Greece” and “Croatia”. Departing from Venice in Italy, you will hit Split, Croatia’s second largest city, on the following day. Croatia boosts a wealth of treasures both natural and man-made with shimmering waters and Roman ruins. When in Split, the Diocletian’s Palace, one of the world’s most dominant Roman ruins, is a must see. Construction of the palace took over 10 years in the mid-4th century and it constitutes approximately half of Split’s old town. Leaving Split, Dubrovnik comes next on the trip schedule. This city is known as the crown of Croatia, and thanks to its location at the Adriatic Sea it promises adventures packed with water-based activities.  Dubrovnik welcomes guests with picturesque beaches, medieval sculptures, and a wealth of well-preserved landmarks. For the best views in town, you must climb Mount Srd where you can also browse museum exhibits housed in the 19th-century Fort Imperial and enjoy lunch overlooking the city.

Leaving Dubrovnik, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the bespoke services on board the ship while sailing for a whole day. You will have plenty to explore; from playing golf, to watching your favourite movies on the big screen, or compete with your friends and be the first to ascend the 12-meters high climbing wall. This is not to mention all the restaurants, spa and fitness centre, pools, jogging track and much more on board of Rhapsody of the Seas ship. Time will pass fast, before reaching Greece, the birthplace of poetry and art. This destination welcomes visitors with idyllic beaches and ancient ruins; temples, amphitheatres and villages preserved in volcanic ash and archaeological digs that are still revealing the mysteries of the past for you to explore. What better way to enjoy the beauty of Greece than starting your adventure at Santorini, one of the world’s most popular islands. Santorini is famous for its glorious views, beautiful beaches, volcanic landscapes and attractive white and blue coloured architecture. Trek the rocky landscapes of Nea Kameni then soak in the soothing hot springs of Palea Kameni. Take a stroll down the main pedestrian street or take a cable car to see Fira’s old cathedrals and enthralling museums. You will never run short of options while in Santorini, however the trip only gets more exciting after reaching Athens where ancient history meets modern life. The scene of ruins will make you feel as if you’ve travelled in time. Take a stroll in the old stone-paved alleys among the boutique shops and many restaurants. Visit the Acropolis of Athens and learn about the golden age of Greek history, then walk down to the Hellenic Maritime museum and see how ancient ships were crafted. To end your journey, shop your favourite souvenirs from Athena’s small shops before heading back to the ship and embarking for Italy where the cruise ends as it began; with a life time of experiences added to your memories.