Mediterranean Magic – Split & Dubrovnik

About this cruise

You sail from Ravenna on October 17, 2027 and spend 7 nights visiting Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Messina and Barcelona. It's a well-tested route and there's a reason people keep booking it. You wind up in Barcelona, so it's worth planning a night or two there. 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 Eastern Mediterranean route takes in Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Italy and Spain, 5 countries, and the differences show up in the food, the architecture, and the mood. Most ports give you about 11 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, Norwegian Gem keeps you well fed. 14 places to eat, with 7 included in the fare and a few specialty spots if you're in the mood. The sweet spot for most travellers: you get to know the ship, see the ports, and come home before the laundry piles up. Being shoulder season helps: golden light, comfortable weather, and shorter queues at the popular spots. Hard to ask for much more than that, honestly.