Sovereign Passage – Barcelona, Cádiz & Madeira

About this cruise

Somewhere around day five the ship stops being transport and starts being home. This 11-night sailing from Civitavecchia (Rome) on November 11, 2026 visits Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona, with additional stops along the Western Mediterranean. The trip wraps in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 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. The Western Mediterranean route takes in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal, 4 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, Costa Smeralda: 5,224 guests, 20 decks. Entertainment, dining, and enough space that it never feels cramped. By night three you start recognising faces; by night ten you're swapping numbers. That's the magic of a longer sailing. If you like having options (restaurants, bars, activities, entertainment), a big ship delivers that. Being shoulder season helps: golden light, comfortable weather, and shorter queues at the popular spots. Whether you've cruised before or not, this 11-night itinerary is a genuinely good one.