Aegean Sea Cruise Holidays

The Sea takes in the eastern coast of Greece and the western coast of Turkey to include such popular destinations as Athens, Thessaloniki, Izmir as well as the islands of Kos, Rhodes and Crete.
The Aegean played an important part in expanding both the Roman and Byzantine Empires and helped Ancient Greece to trade with Europe and Asia.
It will come as not too much of a surprise that many of the areas main attractions for holidaymakers are historic sites of importance whilst the region’s major cruise port is the port of Piraeus on the outskirts of Athens.
Cruises To Aegean Sea
When looking for a cruise around the Aegean, you will usually have to start in a port such as Athens, Corfu Town, Civitavecchia or Istanbul, so it really comes down to where you would like to fly into and if you would like to spend a few days before or after your cruise exploring.
Cruise Holidays in the Aegean Sea
If you are looking for warm weather, crystal blue seas and fascinating ports full of history and culture, a cruise of the Aegean Sea is the right choice for you.
Aegean Sea Cruise Guide
If you have already booked a cruise of the region and are looking to make the most of your time on shore or if you are still at the research stage and are trying to decide whether visiting the Aegean Sea region on a cruise is right for you, this is the guide for you are we bring you everything you need to know.
Popular Ports
There are several ports that accept cruise ships in the Aegean Sea but as is the case everywhere, some are more popular with holidaymakers and lines, giving the wider variety of options.
On the Turkish side of the Sea, the ports of Bodrum and Izmir are used by a wide variety of small and large cruise ships whilst on the other side of the Sea, the port of Thessaloniki welcomes numerous lines, but it is the Greek capital city of Athens that stand s out as the main cruise port in the region.
The port of Piraeus is not only a popular port of call for cruise ships on itineraries around the Ionian Sea, Aegean Sea and Greek Islands but it is also the main cruise port in the region for starting and ending your holiday.
The islands of Kos, Rhodes and especially the city of Heraklion in Crete all welcome ships of numerous sizes.
Aegean Sea Cruise Destinations
Greece is famed for its incredible history, and it is easy to take in many of the key sites of interest by visiting the country on a cruise.
The port of Piraeus offers easy access to the nation’s capital city of Athens whilst many ships call into the historic Thessaloniki.
The ports of Bodrum and Izmir offer lots of opportunities to see the history of Turkey directly from the Aegean Sea whilst many cruises of the region also head to the capital of Istanbul where you can explore one of the world’s most unique cities that takes influence from both Europe and Asia.
Popular Cruise Lines
Most cruise lines operate in the region, especially the port of Piraeus, with the likes of Princess Cruises, Oceania Cruises, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises, Marella Cruises Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruises all offering a wide range of itineraries.
Aegean
Location: Eastern Mediterranean
Main Cities: Athens, Izmir, Thessaloniki
Basin Countries: Greece, Turkey, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria
Currency: Euro, Turkish Lira
Language: Greek, Turkish
Demonym(s): Aegean
Top Ports: Athens, Izmir, Crete, Thessaloniki
The Aegean region has long been a popular destination for holidaymakers looking to explore the history and culture of Greece and Turkey but for people, it is a destination that makes for the perfect weekend getaway.
With so much on offer and the size of the region, that limits what you can see and with so much of the main attractions of the Aegean Sea region been on or near the coast, the best way to really see the best of the Aegean is to visit on a cruise.
Best Time To Visit
The region can be visited on a cruise all year around and thanks to its relatively mild winter temperatures, it can make for a great winter sun getaway.
The widest choice of itineraries is found in the main May-September cruse season but if you were to visit during the summer months, we would recommend avoiding July and August when both the cities and attractions that you will visit are incredibly crowded.
Aegean Sea Cruises From The UK
Whilst it is possible to visit the region directly from the United Kingdom, it will be a repositioning cruise that will be the only option available to many.
If you want to do a round trip to the region directly a port such as Southampton, it will often be on an itinerary of around 28-32 days whilst a repositioning cruise to Athens can be done in a regular 2-week getaway.
Aegean Sea Cruises From Southampton
There are only a handful of itineraries that head to Athens directly from Southampton, with some offering reposition cruises usually at the start or end of the summer season whilst smaller ships from lines such as Ambassador and P&O may offer the opportunity to visit the region on a round trip.
Here at CruiseHols.co.uk we bring you all of the information you will ever need to choose the right cruise destination for you and your family.
Our destination guides include everything from ports to attractions and excursion to the positives and negatives of the destination.