Cruise itinerary
21-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Istanbul
21 nights · Mediterranean · 13 ports of call
21-night Mediterranean cruise aboard Sun Princess, departing Istanbul and calling at Kusadasi, Santorini Island, Mykonos Island, Souda-Chania, Messina and Naples and 6 more.
- Free advisor
- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Ship
- Sun Princess
- Cruise line
- Princess Cruises
- Duration
- 21 nights
- Region
- Mediterranean
- Departs
- Istanbul
- Returns
- Piraeus-Athens
How NestCruise works:we're advisor-led, not a booking engine. No fares are listed and there are no booking fees — tell an advisor your dates and party and they price your exact Sun Princess sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Istanbul
The city straddling Europe and Asia along the Bosphorus, once Byzantium and then Constantinople. Ships dock near the historic peninsula, within reach of the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the covered Grand Bazaar's labyrinth of stalls.
- Hagia Sophia
- Blue Mosque
- Grand Bazaar
- Day2
Istanbul
Arrive 12:00 · Depart 12:00
The city straddling Europe and Asia along the Bosphorus, once Byzantium and then Constantinople. Ships dock near the historic peninsula, within reach of the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the covered Grand Bazaar's labyrinth of stalls.
- Hagia Sophia
- Blue Mosque
- Grand Bazaar
- Day3
Kusadasi
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 19:00
A resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast that serves as the cruise gateway to ancient Ephesus, one of the best-preserved classical cities in the Mediterranean. Pigeon Island guards the harbour, and the marble Library of Celsus lies a short drive inland.
- Ephesus ruins
- Library of Celsus
- Pigeon Island
- Day4
Santorini Island
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 21:00
The crescent rim of a flooded volcanic caldera in the Greek Cyclades, its whitewashed villages strung along cliffs high above the sea. Fira and Oia draw crowds for sunset views, while the caldera's dark beaches and the ancient site of Akrotiri lie below.
- Oia sunset
- Fira town
- Caldera cliffs
- Day5
Mykonos Island
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 21:00
A Cycladic island in the Aegean known for whitewashed houses and a lively summer scene. Ships anchor off the main town, where windmills overlook the sea, the Little Venice quarter meets the waves and sandy beaches stretch along the south coast.
- Windmills
- Little Venice
- Chora town
- Day6
Souda-Chania
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 18:00
The port of Chania on the northwest coast of Crete, set beside Souda Bay, one of the Mediterranean's deepest natural harbours. It opens onto the old Venetian quarter of Chania, with its lighthouse, harbour-front, and lanes of the former Turkish town.
- Chania old town
- Venetian lighthouse
- Souda Bay
- Day7At sea
- Day8
Messina
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 18:00
A Sicilian port on the strait that separates the island from mainland Italy, framed by the Peloritani mountains. Its harbour clock tower performs an elaborate noon display, and the town is a common gateway to Taormina and the slopes of Mount Etna.
- Etna day trips
- Taormina gateway
- Astronomical clock
- Day9
Naples
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 19:00
A southern Italian port on its namesake bay, in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Ships dock near the historic centre, the gateway to Pompeii, the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri, in a city that claims to have invented pizza.
- Mount Vesuvius
- Pompeii
- Gateway to Capri
- Day10
Civitavecchia-Rome
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 21:00
The deep-water port serving Rome, roughly 80 kilometres up the coast. Ships dock here for shore excursions to the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Roman Forum, while the town itself keeps a working harbour and a Michelangelo-designed fortress.
- Gateway to Rome
- Fort Michelangelo
- Vatican excursions
- Day11At sea
- Day12
Barcelona
Arrive 06:00 · Depart 17:00
Catalonia's seafront capital and one of the Mediterranean's busiest cruise homeports. Gaudí's Sagrada Família and Park Güell crown the city, while the tree-lined Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter's medieval lanes lie a short ride from the terminal.
- Sagrada Família
- La Rambla
- Gothic Quarter
- Day13
Marseille
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 17:00
France's oldest city and biggest Mediterranean port, set around the old harbour of the Vieux-Port. The hilltop basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde watches over the bay, with the Calanques inlets and bouillabaisse stalls a short way off.
- Vieux-Port
- Notre-Dame de la Garde
- Calanques
- Day14
Genoa
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 18:00
Italy's great maritime city, stacked up the Ligurian hills above one of the Mediterranean's busiest harbours. Its old town is a maze of tall, narrow caruggi, and it claims pesto and focaccia as local inventions; the Aquarium and Renaissance palaces of Via Garibaldi sit close to the port.
- Old-town caruggi
- Genoa Aquarium
- Via Garibaldi palaces
- Day15
Civitavecchia-Rome
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 19:00
The deep-water port serving Rome, roughly 80 kilometres up the coast. Ships dock here for shore excursions to the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Roman Forum, while the town itself keeps a working harbour and a Michelangelo-designed fortress.
- Gateway to Rome
- Fort Michelangelo
- Vatican excursions
- Day16
Naples
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 18:00
A southern Italian port on its namesake bay, in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Ships dock near the historic centre, the gateway to Pompeii, the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri, in a city that claims to have invented pizza.
- Mount Vesuvius
- Pompeii
- Gateway to Capri
- Day17At sea
- Day18
Heraklion
Arrive 10:00 · Depart 20:00
- Day19
Santorini Island
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 21:00
The crescent rim of a flooded volcanic caldera in the Greek Cyclades, its whitewashed villages strung along cliffs high above the sea. Fira and Oia draw crowds for sunset views, while the caldera's dark beaches and the ancient site of Akrotiri lie below.
- Oia sunset
- Fira town
- Caldera cliffs
- Day20
Kusadasi
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 19:00
A resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast that serves as the cruise gateway to ancient Ephesus, one of the best-preserved classical cities in the Mediterranean. Pigeon Island guards the harbour, and the marble Library of Celsus lies a short drive inland.
- Ephesus ruins
- Library of Celsus
- Pigeon Island
- Day21
Mykonos Island
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 21:00
A Cycladic island in the Aegean known for whitewashed houses and a lively summer scene. Ships anchor off the main town, where windmills overlook the sea, the Little Venice quarter meets the waves and sandy beaches stretch along the south coast.
- Windmills
- Little Venice
- Chora town
- Day22
Piraeus-Athens
Arrive 06:00
The ancient harbour of Athens and Greece's principal cruise port. Ferries fan out to the Aegean islands from its quays, while the Acropolis, the Plaka district and the National Archaeological Museum sit a short metro ride inland.
- Gateway to Athens
- Acropolis
- Aegean ferries
Upcoming departures
- 4 Jul 2027
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
21-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Istanbul FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 21-night Mediterranean cruise calls at Istanbul, Kusadasi, Santorini Island, Mykonos Island, Souda-Chania, Messina, Naples, Civitavecchia-Rome, Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Heraklion and Piraeus-Athens.
How many days are spent at sea?
3 days are spent at sea; the rest are in port.
Where does this cruise depart from?
It departs from Istanbul and ends in Piraeus-Athens.
How long is this cruise?
21 nights aboard Sun Princess.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 4 Jul 2027. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.