![Sun Princess docked in Santorini, Greece](https://assets.princessjourney.co.uk/heroes/_1200x600_crop_center-center_82_line/MED_Hero-3.jpg)
© Princess
Five benefits of a Mediterranean fly-cruise
From extending your holiday time, to flying from a regional UK airport, here’s why a cruise that starts and ends in southern Europe is such a brilliant option
Excited by the idea of a holiday filled with sunshine, flavoursome food and stop-offs in a series of splendid coastal cities, even if you’re short on time? A Princess Mediterranean fly-cruise – in which you fly to board your ship in southern Europe, instead of embarking from a UK port such as Southampton
or Dover – offers exactly that.
If you’re new to cruising, or have always sailed from home soil, we’ve rounded up five reasons why a fly-cruise in the Mediterranean could be a strong contender for your next summer holiday…
![A couple taking a selfie onboard, Princess Cruises](https://assets.princessjourney.co.uk/content/_800x532_crop_center-center_82_line/MED_Chairs.jpg)
Fly straight to the Med and reach the sunshine sooner © Princess
You’ll get straight to your destination
While there’s plenty to enjoy on a Princess ship – excellent entertainment, luxurious wellness spaces, world-class dining venues, vibrant kids’ clubs and much, much more – we understand that some guests like to reach their holiday destination as soon as possible, and don’t want to spend days at sea sailing to it. With a Mediterranean fly-cruise, you can fly directly to the Med, board your ship, and begin your sun-drenched adventure around the region with us straight away.
You can fly from a regional airport
You don’t have to travel from a London airport for our Mediterranean fly-cruises either. For some of our itineraries, we’ll be offering a selection of Jet2 flights to our departure destinations from the airports of Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester, as part of our holiday packages. These Jet2 regional flights, which are available for select 2025 Med fly-cruises on Majestic Princess, are from just £350 per person and include 22kg hold luggage as well as 10kg hand luggage. Book directly with us, or through one of our travel agent partners.
![Sagrada Familia, Barcelona](https://assets.princessjourney.co.uk/content/_800x533_crop_center-center_82_line/MED_Sagrada-Familia.jpg)
Extend your stay in Barcelona for maximum time exploring the Sagrada Familia © Princess
You can easily extend your holiday
Our Mediterranean fly-cruise itineraries begin and/or end in Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Piraeus and Trieste, so you may choose to extend your holiday by spending some time in your destination region on either side of your sailing.
Greece’s ancient capital, Athens, is less than a 30-minute drive from the port of Piraeus, so why not tick off climbing the Acropolis and reaching the famous Parthenon? Rome is accessible from the port of Civitavecchia in under 90 minutes, giving you the opportunity to see bucket-list landmarks like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Sistine Chapel. Barcelona is home to Antoni Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia, a beautiful Gothic Quarter, and plenty of cosy pintxos bars, while Trieste in north-east Italy is worth exploring for its buzzing café culture, grand architecture and superlative art galleries.
Planning a few days in one of these destinations is an ideal way to start your holiday before even stepping onboard the ship, or to prolong your time away once you’ve disembarked.
![Couple in a bar in Rome](https://assets.princessjourney.co.uk/content/_800x532_crop_center-center_82_line/MED_Rome.jpg)
Get used to the Med's sunshine and laid-back lifestyle ahead of your departure © Princess
You can acclimatise
If you add on a stay in your port of departure ahead of your cruise, you’ll have the chance to get accustomed to your new time zone. Barcelona in Spain, and Trieste and Civitavecchia in Italy, are one hour ahead of the UK, while Piraeus in Greece is two hours ahead. And arriving in the Med early also means you can acclimatise to the balmier climate, particularly in the height of summer, when temperatures can reach the mid-30°Cs. Between the months of June and August, it can be more than ten degrees hotter than the UK in the more southern ports of Piraeus and Civitavecchia. Getting used to the heat in advance means you’ll be ready and raring for your cruise around the region.
You’ll tick off an array of incredible places in one trip
Whether you’re looking for a holiday that’s short and sweet, or a longer, more extensive adventure, our Mediterranean fly-cruise sailings, spanning from five days to 21 days, all call at an array of incredible European destinations.
For example, our 10-Night Grand Mediterranean itinerary, which is a round-trip from Civitavecchia, stops in six different destinations: Piraeus (for Athens), Corfu, Santorini, Kusadasi in Turkey, Sicily and Naples. It also includes three days at sea, so you can relax onboard your ship. It’s easy to see numerous wonderful places – and enjoy incredible experiences while there, with our shore excursions – on a Princess fly-cruise in the Med.
Ready to book your next cruise holiday?
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