Archipelago Adventure – Lisbon & Madeira

About this cruise

A trip this long changes your rhythm entirely, and that's very much the point. 12 nights from Southampton on August 7, 2027, visiting Vigo, Funchal, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Arrecife and Lisbon. The final stretch is open ocean, which gives you time to process everything you've seen and use the ship one last time. Black-sand beaches on one island, dense laurel forests on another. The Canaries are surprisingly varied. You get around 10 hours in each port, which is enough for an excursion, lunch, and some wandering around on your own. When you're not ashore, MSC Meraviglia takes the food seriously, with 9 restaurants to choose from. 3 are included, and the rest are worth the splurge. One of the underrated parts of a longer cruise: you actually get to know people. The couple from dinner, the group at trivia, the bartender who remembers your drink. If you like having options (restaurants, bars, activities, entertainment), a big ship delivers that. Pro tip: fly in the day before. Southampton has plenty to offer, and you'll board relaxed instead of rushed. An August departure puts you in the best summer conditions: long days, warm nights, plenty of sun. You start in Southampton and come back with stories from Spain and Portugal.