Cruises from Malta – Mediterranean Departures

Cruising from Malta: What to Expect

All sailings here depart from Valletta, Malta, the island’s historic capital and its main cruise port. Malta sits at the heart of the Mediterranean, which makes it a natural launch point for exploring the wider region — and because the island is a short flight from most UK airports, getting there is straightforward. Once on board, sailings range from short breaks of 4 nights to more generous voyages of up to 21 nights, with a median of 14 nights. Most are round trips returning to Valletta, though a share of sailings are one-way — ending at ports including Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Rome (Civitavecchia) or Piraeus (Athens), Greece — so if your sailing ends elsewhere, you will need a flight home, and our team can book that for you alongside hotels and transfers.

Where Do Malta Cruises Go?

The Mediterranean is the dominant region for cruises from Malta, accounting for the largest share of sailings. The Western Mediterranean is also strongly represented, covering the western arc of the sea. The Canary Islands feature too, with sailings heading out into the Atlantic approaches for island-hopping itineraries before returning — or, on one-way departures, ending in the islands. A smaller number of itineraries cover the Eastern Mediterranean, which suits anyone drawn to ancient history and classic coastlines.

Mediterranean Sailings

This is where the bulk of Malta’s cruising is concentrated. The Mediterranean itineraries from Valletta tend to be mid-length to longer voyages — 14 nights is the midpoint across the range — giving you time to explore a variety of ports rather than rushing. Because Malta itself sits centrally in the sea, itineraries can arc east or west from the first day, covering coastlines across southern Europe.

Western Mediterranean Sailings

Western Mediterranean departures from Valletta are the second largest group. These routes explore the western half of the sea and are popular with anyone who wants a well-rounded tour of the region’s ports without flying further afield to join the ship. Mediterranean cruises in 2027 cover both the broader Mediterranean and the western side, so there is strong choice across departure dates. If you are interested in a shorter format, 7-day Mediterranean cruises are also available. For fly-cruise options to the Mediterranean, see our Mediterranean fly-cruises page and, for upcoming sailings, Mediterranean 2027 fly-cruises.

Canary Islands Sailings

A number of sailings from Valletta head towards the Canary Islands, making them a good choice if you want to combine the warmth of the islands with a departure that avoids flying across Europe to join the ship. P&O Canary Islands cruises include departures in this region, and Canary Islands 2027 cruises cover upcoming sailings in detail. For a fly-cruise approach to the Canaries, see Canary Islands fly-cruises.

Which Cruise Lines Sail from Malta?

P&O Cruises is comfortably the most active line from Valletta, with the vast majority of departures on this route. MSC Cruises sails a smaller selection of itineraries from Malta. Explora Journeys offers a luxury option with 2 sailings. Cruise1st Packages — cruise-inclusive holidays with flights, hotels and transfers bundled together — are also available for Malta departures.

The Ships Sailing from Malta

Azura — P&O Cruises

Azura is the ship behind the overwhelming majority of sailings from Malta. Refreshed bow-to-stern in 2025 — with new restaurants, bars, cabin décor and corridor carpets throughout — she feels considerably more current than her age suggests. Specialty dining includes Sindhu for modern Indian cuisine and the Glass House, curated by TV wine expert Olly Smith. The 800-seat Playhouse theatre runs West End-quality aerial acrobatics and shows, and the SeaScreen open-air cinema on deck is a highlight on warm Mediterranean evenings.

Cabin grades on Azura range from a practical interior to a full penthouse suite. If you are weighing up options, here is what is available:

• Larger Inside Cabin OB — 15 m², located exclusively on Riviera Deck, giving you a clearly defined position on the ship and easy access to facilities
• Sea View Cabin LB — 15 m², everything an inside cabin offers plus natural light and an unobstructed view of the sea
• Superior Deluxe Balcony Cabin DA — 29 m², with a private balcony for sea air and open views that inside and sea-view cabins cannot offer
• Penthouse Suite A1 — 69 m², the largest suite on board with a full separate lounge area and significantly more living space than standard suites

For full cabin layouts and deck plans, see Azura cabins and deck plans.

MSC World Asia — MSC Cruises (New for 2026)

MSC World Asia joins the fleet in December 2026, making her one of the newest large ships in the world when she enters service. At 215,863 GT she is among the largest cruise ships ever built, and she arrives with a distinctively Asian-inspired design — including a 12-metre floating dragon sculpture on the World Promenade and an 81-metre spiral slide spanning 12 decks. The Harbour outdoor theme park features the Cliffhanger swing 50 metres above the ocean, free-fall waterslides and 7 pools.

Cabin options on MSC World Asia include:

• Deluxe Inside Cabin Fantastica — 15 m², offering 50% more floor space than a standard inside cabin
• Infinite Ocean View Fantastica — 20 m², a window cabin that is twice as spacious as a standard ocean-view grade
• Balcony Aurea — 17 m², with a private balcony giving direct access to fresh air and views
• Grand Suite Aurea — 35 m², 40% larger than standard suites with a separate seating area, sleeping up to 4
• MSC Yacht Club Owner’s Suite — 104 m², the largest suite on board, with nearly twice the space of other Yacht Club suites, sleeping up to 4

See MSC World Asia cabins and deck plans for full details.

MSC Seaview, MSC Seashore and MSC Splendida — MSC Cruises

MSC Seaview carries more than 13,000 sq metres of open deck — the highest ratio of outdoor space in the MSC fleet — wrapping the entire ship in a 360° glass-railed Waterfront Promenade on Decks 7 and 8. The Aqua Park has 5 waterslides and a 120-metre zip line, the longest onboard zip line at sea. For cabin options, see MSC Seaview cabins and deck plans.

MSC Seashore offers 13,000 m² of outdoor space, including a glass-floored bridge 22 metres above the sea and glass-bottomed promenades along both sides of the ship. The Pirates Cove Aquapark connects to the Long Island Pool on Deck 18, and a zip line and MSC Formula Racer simulator add to the on-deck offering. MSC Seashore cabins and deck plans cover the full range of grades.

MSC Splendida is a 137,936-tonne Fantasia-class ship with 5 swimming pools and the exclusive Top 18 Solarium. The MSC Yacht Club provides a ship-within-a-ship experience with 24-hour butler service, a private pool deck and exclusive access to the L’Etoile gourmet restaurant. Evenings centre on the Strand Theatre, with The Purple Jazz Bar and Club 33 disco among 20 bars and lounges. See MSC Splendida cabins and deck plans for your cabin options.

EXPLORA II — Explora Journeys

EXPLORA II represents the luxury end of the Malta sailing programme, with Explora Journeys offering an ocean-resort style of cruising aimed at travellers who want more space and fewer fellow guests. The Owner’s Residence — at 183 m² of interior plus a 132 m² terrace positioned across the full width of the stern — is the largest living space on board, and it is unlike any other grade available from Valletta. For the full range of cabins and suites, see EXPLORA II cabins and deck plans.

What Do Explora Journeys Fares Include?

Explora Journeys offers fare tiers that go beyond the cruise itself. The Sky and Sea fare — available from Barcelona or Madrid — covers the cruise journey fare, international return flights in Economy Class, private transfers and hotel stays (terms apply). A comparable Sky & Sea fare is available from Geneva or Zurich on the same basis. These are airport-to-airport packages, so everything from the departure gate to the ship and back is handled in a single booking.

Are There Any Deals on Malta Cruises?

Reduced fares do appear on Malta sailings, with discounts of up to 31% measured against the price previously listed for that cabin grade on the same sailing — though the headline figure applies to a small number of departures, and most reduced sailings are closer to 10% off. Fare types such as early-booking savings and last-minute offers come and go throughout the year, so checking regularly pays off. Our team can tell you which sailings currently carry a reduced rate and whether the saving is worth taking over a more flexible fare. For a broader look at Mediterranean cruise deals, that page covers the wider region.

Why Fly to Malta to Start Your Cruise?

Malta is a short-haul flight from most UK airports, which means you can be standing in Valletta’s grand harbour in a matter of hours. Joining the ship there rather than in a UK port gives your holiday a head start — the island itself is worth a night or two before you sail, and we can book that as part of the same holiday. Cruise1st can put flights from the UK, a pre-cruise hotel in Valletta, transfers to the port and insurance together as a Cruise1st Package, so you are not juggling separate bookings from different providers.

If your sailing is one-way — ending at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Rome (Civitavecchia) or Piraeus (Athens) rather than returning to Malta — we can arrange the flight home from there too, along with a hotel if you want to extend your stay at the disembarkation port.

Cruises from Malta by Year

If you have a specific year in mind, the year-filtered pages make it easier to narrow down dates and availability. Cruises from Malta in 2026 covers sailings departing within the 2026 calendar year, while cruises from Malta in 2027 covers the following year, and cruises from Malta in 2028 is available for anyone planning further ahead.

For the full range of cruises across all departure ports and regions, or for cruises from the UK more broadly, those pages give you a wider starting point. If you would rather not fly at all, cruises from Southampton and 2027 cruises from Southampton cover no-fly options from the UK’s busiest cruise port.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.