Sunken Empires – Rhodes, Limassol & Split

About this cruise

The kind of trip where you lose track of what day it is, and nobody cares. 11 nights from Venice on December 17, 2026, visiting Katakolon, Heraklion and Rhodes, with additional stops along the Eastern Mediterranean. 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. Crossing 4 borders through the Eastern Mediterranean: Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Croatia. You'll notice the culture shift at every stop. Most ports give you about 10 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, MSC Lirica takes the food seriously, with 5 restaurants to choose from. 4 are included, and the rest are worth the splurge. By night three you start recognising faces; by night ten you're swapping numbers. That's the magic of a longer sailing. A proper voyage for people who like to take their time and hate rushing through destinations. Pro tip: fly in the day before. Venice has plenty to offer, and you'll board relaxed instead of rushed. The timing adds to it: swapping cold weather for sunshine and sea air is the whole pitch for a winter cruise. You start in Venice and come back with stories from Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Croatia.