Epic Mediterranean – Alicante & Genoa

About this cruise

You sail from Lisbon on June 7, 2026 and spend 10 nights visiting Alicante, Port Mahon and Olbia, with additional stops along the Western Mediterranean. It's a well-tested route and there's a reason people keep booking it. 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. The Western Mediterranean route takes in Spain, Italy and France, 3 countries, and the differences show up in the food, the architecture, and the mood. Most ports give you about 9 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, MSC Opera keeps you well fed. 4 places to eat, with 4 included in the fare and a few specialty spots if you're in the mood. 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. It's peak season, so the weather is at its best and the ship will be full. That's part of the fun. Whether you've cruised before or not, this 10-night itinerary is a genuinely good one.