10 nights - Mediterranean Highlights and Beautiful Islands - from Heraklion/to Palma

About this cruise

This one leaves Heraklion on October 16, 2026 and spends 10 nights visiting Piraeus (Athens), Valletta and Catania, with additional stops along the Western Mediterranean at a pace where every day has something going on but there's always time to just sit and watch the water too. The trip wraps in Palma de Mallorca, so you won't retrace your steps. There's a stretch of back-to-back port days, so those days are busy, but the sea days around them give you time to recharge. Crossing 4 borders through the Western Mediterranean: Greece, Malta, Italy and Spain. You'll notice the culture shift at every stop. Most ports give you about 11 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, Mein Schiff 5 takes the food seriously, with 11 restaurants to choose from. 8 are included, and the rest are worth the splurge. 10 nights is long enough to build a routine on board: favourite restaurant, favourite deck chair, favourite people. It starts to feel like a floating village. The sweet spot for most travellers: you get to know the ship, see the ports, and come home before the laundry piles up. Pro tip: fly in the day before. Heraklion has plenty to offer, and you'll board relaxed instead of rushed. Being shoulder season helps: golden light, comfortable weather, and shorter queues at the popular spots. Whether you've cruised before or not, this 10-night itinerary is a genuinely good one.