Gilded Riviera Traverse – Marseille, Ajaccio & Genoa

About this cruise

If you want the classic cruise without a massive time commitment, this is a strong option. 7 nights from Barcelona on September 5, 2027, visiting Palma de Mallorca, Marseille, Genoa, Ajaccio, La Spezia and Civitavecchia (Rome). You get off in Civitavecchia (Rome), which is a good excuse to tack on a few days on land. 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. 3 countries (Spain, France and Italy) across the Western Mediterranean, each with its own character. Most ports give you about 11 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, Sun Princess (2024) is one of the newer ships out there, with current design and recent tech throughout. Being shoulder season helps: golden light, comfortable weather, and shorter queues at the popular spots. 7 nights of not thinking about anything except where to eat next. That's the pitch.