Western Mediterranean Cruise Excursions

Enjoy your Western Mediterranean cruise excursion.cruise ship image by Kate Jones from Fotolia.com

Cruises typically offer vacationers an affordable way to travel since the prices include meals and onboard activities. Several cruise lines offer trips exploring the western Mediterranean, which encompasses parts of Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. Visit exotically enchanting cities like Nice, Barcelona and Monte Carlo, where you can shop, explore museums and historical landmarks. Beware of extremely hot summers. If you book a summer cruise, either carry lots of water or stay near the beach.

Carnival Cruises

Carnival Cruises offers a nine-day, roundtrip voyage from Barcelona, Spain, that stops in Monaco, Italy and France. See Naples, Rome and Sicily in Italy, along with Marseilles, France. In Monaco, an independent country near France, take a helicopter ride or sit by the sea. Drink coffee at a Roman sidewalk cafe and then explore the Amalfi Coast near Naples. Walk the historic streets of Marseilles, a city that dates back 2,500 years.

Guest rooms range from the least expensive interior rooms without windows, to rooms with ocean views or balconies. Luxury seekers can book suites complete with whirlpool baths. The boat, Carnival Magic, features a water park, miniature golf and an adults-only quiet area. Test your luck in the casino before dinner in the onboard steakhouse or one of the two main dining rooms. The ship also offers 24-hour room service. Guests can book spa services or work out in the fitness center.

Royal Caribbean's seven-night western Mediterranean cruise departs from Malaga, Spain, before traveling to Valencia in Spain, Rome and Livorno in Italy, and then to Ajaccio, Corsica. Historic Malaga features beaches and gardens, and was Pablo Picasso's birthplace. In Ajaccio, the birthplace of Napoleon, explore a waterfront promenade and the city's many plazas.

Book land excursions with tours of cities and museums. Explore the Caves of Nerja near Malaga. From outside the caves, spot views of the Roman Aqueduct. Guests will sail aboard the Adventure of the Seas, which holds 3,114 guests. Enjoy an onboard ice skating rink, rock climbing wall, Ben and Jerry's ice cream shop, Johnny Rockets old-fashioned burger joint and a miniature golf course.

Splurge with a 12-day Crystal Cruises voyage from Rome to Barcelona, which visits St. Tropez, France, and spends the night in Monte Carlo, Monaco and Portofino, Italy. The Crystal Serenity ship features an onboard Enrichment Program, which includes presentations from professors discussing art and architecture.

See musical performances led by Oscar- and Emmy-winning conductors. Take music, art or computer lessons while sailing to inspiring locales. Learn a foreign language and use your newfound skills while roaming around Western Mediterranean cities.

The Crystal Serenity can hold 1,070 guests and features a sushi bar, main dining room, casual grill and ice cream parlor. Onboard shopping includes boutiques selling Hermes, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. Relax in the ship's spa, library or one of the many lounges.