Cyprus Cruise Ports
The small Mediterranean island of Cyprus maybe best known as a sunny getaway for those wanting to head to the beach and unwind or for those wanting to take advantage of the hedonistic fun of Ayia Napa but what many visitors miss out on is the fantastic history and culture of the country.
Located in the eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus is easy to visit on a trip around the Med, the Adriatic, or the Aegean Sea but even if it were not so well positioned for a cruise holiday, it would be well worth visiting as by choosing a Cypriot cruise port on your holiday of the region, you get to spend time on shire exploring a fascinating country that maybe small is landmass but that is full of contrasts that make for a fascinating day.
The island has a small number of cruise ports but it is the countries largest cruise port of Limassol that is by far the main destination for the majority of cruise lines, with some offering cruises that start in the country, so if you prefer, you can even add on a few days either side of your cruise in one of the great Cypriot towns and city or seaside holiday resorts to really get to the know the island.
A visit to the island allows you to experience the many historic sites of interest that have come from many years of either been at war or defending themselves from war, which has sadly been much of the history of Cyprus as has constantly been in the firing line between Europe to the west of the island, the Middle East to the east, Asia to the north and Africa to the south.
That unique blend of cultures have all impacted the island and left there mark as has years of been a split country between Greece and Turkey but now in a more settled time period, all of those cultures have blended together with the islands own way of life to create a unique lifestyle and culture of its own that can only be truly experienced on a cruise holiday to Cyprus.
Cruises To Cyprus
Cruise Holidays To Cyprus
If you are looking to enjoy a cruise holiday mixed with a visit to Cyprus, the great news is that there is lots of options in all aspects of cruising, including the cruise line you sail with and the cruise ships that you sail on but there is also lots of choice when it comes to where you start and finish your holiday.
A small number of cruises start in the country’s leading cruise port of Limassol that allows you to add on a few days either before or after your cruise and explore all that is on offer on the fantastic island.
These itineraries often visit either the Greek Islands or the nearby Middle Eastern countries.
If you would like to fly but would prefer to start elsewhere in the region, there are also lots of options with the ports of Piraeus (Athens, Greece), Civitavecchia (Rome, Italy) and Istanbul (Turkey) offering the chance to explore another great city before or after your cruise before calling the country as a port of call.
It is also possible to enjoy a reposition cruise where you start in the country or in the region and then sail back to the Western Mediterranean and from time to time there will be cruises that start in Southampton, but any that do will require a longer holiday with a higher cost.
Cyprus Cruise Guide
If you have already booked a cruise holiday either from Cyprus or visiting the island as part of itineraries, we are sure you will be in for an enjoyable time and if you have found this page, you will likely be researching just what is on offer in your chosen port of call.
Our guides bring you all that you need to make the most of your time on shore and turn an enjoyable time into a memorable one.
If you are yet to book your cruise and you are currently trying to decide on whether a stop in the country is the right choice for you and your family, our guides give you all that you need to know to make an informed decision.
Popular Ports
As a small island, there are only a few ports that are capable of hosting cruise ships but aside from the nation’s leading cruise port of Limassol, only smaller cruise ships will dock.
Limassol plays host to many of the world’s biggest cruises lines and largest ships and will more than likely be your port of arrival, or departure for those starting their cruise in the country.
Larnaca is one of the biggest cities on the island but it is only a few small cruise ships that will dock in the cities port.
The historic coastal city of Paphos in the southwest of the island is visited by a limited number of small ships each year.
Popular Cruise Lines
With the Mediterranean and the Greek Isles been such popular cruise destination for the majority of cruise lines that operate in Europe, it will be no surprise that many of them decide to offer itineraries that include visits to Cyprus.
Amongst the lines to offer the widest range of options include the local favourites Celestyal Cruises as well as Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL), Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and MSC Cruises.
Country
Location: Eastern Mediterranean Sea
Capital City: Nicosia
Currency: Euro
Language: Greek and Turkish
Demonym(s): Cypriot
Top Ports: Limassol
The Republic of Cyprus is both the third largest and third most populous islands that is located in the Mediterranean Sea and offer a fantastic location from a cruising point of view as it is encircled not just by a number of great countries and cites that can also be visited whilst on holiday but by continents.
Turkey is just to the north of the island with Syria to the east. In the southeast of the country are the Middle East countries of Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine whilst Egypt is to the south of Cyprus and Greece to the northwest.
That has put the country in the middle of many powers and empires including the Mycenaean Greeks, the Assyrians, the ancient Egyptians, the Persians, the Roman Empire, the French, the Venetians, and it was also under Ottoman rule before been taken over by the British Empire.
In more recent times both Turkey and Greece has laid claim to the country, which can be seen by huge divisions in the country between the 2 largest ethnic groups of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
All of that has left the country with many fascinating historical sites, normally as part of the countries defence against invaders or from the conquering powers building in the country.
Cyprus’ modern day capital city is Nicosia, which is located relatively centrally and can be visited on a shore excursion.
Best Time To Visit
The islands location on the edge of the Middle East means that it is a great destination to visit all year around as even in the winter months it is warm and sunny although it is perhaps best to avoid visiting in July and August as not only is it at its warmest but the country is crowded with tourists from across the globe staying in its cities and holiday resorts.
Cruises From UK
If you want to visit Cyprian cruise ports directly from the United Kingdom, you can do, although you will need to very flexible, have plenty of time and have a decent budget.
Due to the country’s location, cruise ships heading to Cyprus from the UK from also call into ports across both the Western and Eastern Mediterranean and will take around 19-24 nights for a round trip.
Cruises From Southampton
Only a select number of itineraries start from the UK and head to cruise ports in Cyprus, so you will need to be ready to go whenever the ships go.
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.
