Holland America Line will launch 42-day Mediterranean cruise from Florida for under $5,200
If you want to visit the Mediterranean but long-haul flights aren’t your thing, Holland America Line has an alternative.
The cruise line is launching a new Legendary Voyage, the 42-day Ultimate Mediterranean & Atlantic Passage, that will take guests to 16 ports in nine countries in 2024 round-trip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The itinerary, which includes stops in Portugal, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Spain and more, was inspired by a similar 1925 voyage on the line’s Rotterdam IV ship. Paul Grigsby, Holland America’s vice president for deployment and itinerary planning, found a brochure for the cruise as he was rummaging around in his files.
“It's an opportunity for North Americans to really see a full coverage of the Mediterranean in one cruise,” Grigsby said.
When is the 42-day Ultimate Mediterranean & Atlantic Passage cruise?
The sailing on the line’s 1,432-passenger Volendam ship will sail between Nov. 9 and Dec. 21, 2024.
Comic-Con at sea: New cruise will set sail in 2025 starting at $990
Where will the 42-day Ultimate Mediterranean & Atlantic Passage cruise sail?
The cruise will cross the Atlantic Ocean and make its first stops in Horta and Ponta Delgada in the Azores in Portugal. Those will be followed by visits to Tangier, Morocco, and overnight stays in Livorno and Civitavecchia in Italy, giving guests more time to explore and offering easy access to Florence or Pisa and Rome, respectively.
From there, the ship continues its tour of Italy, sailing to Naples and Catania before heading to Piraeus, Greece.
Haifa, Israel; Alexandria, Egypt; and Cadiz, Spain – among other destinations – round out the trip before the ship returns to Florida. Holland America is still finalizing programming for the voyage, but plans on offer include a behind-the-scenes excursion at the Vatican and a late departure from Gibraltar, giving guests time for a concert at St. Michael’s Cave.
How much does the 42-day Ultimate Mediterranean & Atlantic Passage cruise cost?
The sailing starts at $5,189 per person based on double occupancy for an inside stateroom. The fare includes most food on board, drinks such as regular coffee and tea and more.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cruise the Mediterranean for over a month for less than $5,200
