Mediterranean Cruises 2028 from the UK

Mediterranean Cruises in 2028: Where Are These Sailings Going?

The Mediterranean is the most popular destination for UK cruisers in 2028, and with good reason. Sailings range from around 8 nights to 70 nights, with a median voyage of 18 nights — long enough to cover serious ground without rushing. The bulk of the programme focuses on the Western Mediterranean, followed by a strong spread of broader Mediterranean itineraries. Alongside those, there are round-Britain sailings, a Norway voyage and a transatlantic crossing for anyone who wants something different. Most sailings are round trips, but 13 are one-way — if yours ends abroad, Cruise1st can book the flight home, plus any hotels and transfers needed either side.

Which Cruise Lines Are Sailing the Mediterranean in 2028?

P&O Cruises leads the programme with the largest number of sailings, followed closely by Cunard Line. Ambassador Cruise Line brings a strong showing of boutique-style sailings, while Azamara, MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises each have their own programmes in the mix. If you are weighing up lines, our cruise experts can talk through the differences in style, size and included fare benefits — it is the kind of decision that is much easier with someone who knows these ships first-hand. Browse the full cruises catalogue, or explore P&O 2028 cruises and Princess Cruises 2028 in more detail.

Where Do the 2028 Sailings Go?

Southern Europe and the Mediterranean

The Western Mediterranean is where the greatest concentration of 2028 sailings is aimed. These voyages take in the sun-soaked coasts of Southern Europe — an ideal fit if you want warmth, culture and variety in a single trip. Broader Mediterranean sailings extend the range further east, opening up more of the sea’s historic coastline. Some itineraries disembark in Rome (Civitavecchia) or Barcelona, so if your sailing ends at a foreign port, we can arrange the flight home and any extra nights you want ashore. The Canary Islands also feature for those who want an Atlantic detour — explore the islands as a standalone stop or as part of a longer voyage.

Round Britain and No-Fly Sailings

Not every 2028 Mediterranean sailing starts in the Med. A handful of voyages are routed around England and Scotland, making them genuinely no-fly options where you board in the UK and stay aboard as the ship works its way south. If you prefer to travel entirely without flying, these — alongside the direct Southampton departures — are the sailings to look at. Most of Britain can reach Southampton, Liverpool or Dover by road or rail, so you can drive, take the train or use a transfer we arrange for you. For passengers travelling via London, Tilbury (London) and Dover both appear as embarkation ports; Southampton is a short journey from either and carries a much wider selection of sailings. Our page covering no-fly cruises from the UK in 2028 gives you the full picture.

Norway and the Transatlantic

If you want something beyond the Mediterranean, there is a Norway sailing and a transatlantic crossing in the 2028 programme too. The transatlantic departure is a one-way sailing, so a flight will be needed at one end — Cruise1st can book that, together with any hotels and transfers, as part of a single holiday package. For a deeper look at Norway from Southampton, see our Norway 2028 cruises from Southampton page, and for Atlantic crossings with P&O, the transatlantic 2028 P&O Cruises page has more detail.

Which UK Ports Can I Sail From?

Southampton is the dominant departure point, with the vast majority of sailings leaving from there. It is easy to reach by road or rail from most of England and Wales, and Cruise1st can arrange parking, a pre-cruise hotel night or a transfer as part of your booking. Other departure options include Liverpool — see 2028 cruises from Liverpool for what is available there — as well as Portsmouth, Dover, Tilbury (London) and Belfast.

A note on London sailings: some departures leave from London itself — Tilbury, Greenwich and Dover all appear — but Southampton is a short journey away and carries considerably more choice. If you are planning around London as a base, it is worth checking both. Our broader guide to cruises from the UK covers all departure ports in one place.

One-Way or Round Trip — Which Is Right for You?

Around 30 of the 2028 sailings on this programme are round trips, meaning you leave from and return to the same UK port — Southampton in most cases. Those are the simplest option: no flights, no logistics beyond getting yourself to the dock.

The remaining 13 are one-way sailings. Several of these disembark at Mediterranean ports such as Barcelona or Rome, while others are repositioning crossings that end further afield. A one-way itinerary opens up longer, more ambitious routes, but you do need to plan the return leg. Cruise1st can arrange flights, hotels and transfers home as part of the same booking, so you are not left to sort that out separately. If you need a reference point for what is available in a neighbouring year, our 2027 cruises from Southampton page shows the shape of a comparable programme.

Which Ships Are Sailing in 2028?

Several well-known ships make up the 2028 Mediterranean programme from the UK. Below is a guide to the key vessels, what they are like aboard, and the cabin grades available.

Britannia — P&O Cruises

Named by Queen Elizabeth II in 2015, Britannia sails year-round from Southampton and is about as quintessentially British as a ship gets. Thirteen restaurants and cafés carry menus contributed by Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochhar and James Martin, so the dining alone is worth the journey. Evenings lean into entertainment: the Headliners Theatre uses LED immersive technology, the Limelight Club hosts cabaret, and the Crystal Room is there for something more intimate. You board at Southampton and you are at sea the same afternoon — no airport involved.

Cabin grades on Britannia run from inside cabins through to suites. See the full deck plans for exact positions and sizes.

Aurora — P&O Cruises

Aurora is a mid-sized, classic ship with a distinctly British character. She sails straight from Southampton, making her one of the easiest ships on the programme to board without flying anywhere. Her scale — smaller than the newer P&O ships — means a more personal feel on board, which suits passengers who prefer a calmer, less resort-style experience. Aurora’s cabin grades and deck plans are available if you want to check specific decks before you book.

Arcadia — P&O Cruises

Arcadia is an adults-only ship, which changes the feel considerably. The Palladium is an impressive 3-tier theatre for evening entertainment, while Marco Pierre White’s Ocean Grill brings a serious dining option that the main restaurants do not replicate. The onboard hydro-therapy pool is genuinely useful on longer voyages. Cabin choices on Arcadia span four grades:

• Inside Cabin OA — 19 m², around 2 m² more than standard inside grades, so noticeably roomier at the entry price point, sleeping 2
• Sea View Cabin LB — 17 m² with a window giving natural daylight and unobstructed sea views, sleeping 2
• Deluxe Balcony Cabin EA — 24 m² with a private balcony, sleeping 2; your own outdoor space for fresh air and breakfast without sharing public deck areas
• Suite B1 — 56 m² with a private balcony and dedicated butler service throughout the voyage, sleeping 2

Queen Elizabeth — Cunard

Art deco design runs throughout Queen Elizabeth — glittering chandeliers, sweeping staircases and a grand lobby that evokes the golden age of ocean travel. The Royal Court Theatre stages West End-calibre musicals and shows; Gala evenings fill the Queens Room ballroom with live orchestral dancing. Dining is tiered across Britannia, Princess Grill and Queen’s Grill, and Cunard’s famous white-gloved afternoon tea service runs daily. Queen Elizabeth cabin grades and deck plans span four levels:

• Britannia Inside Cabin Deluxe GB — 19.2 m², around 5 m² more than standard inside cabins, sleeping 2
• Britannia Ocean-View Cabin EB — 18.3 m² with a sea-view window providing natural daylight, sleeping 2
• Britannia Club Balcony Cabin A1 — 24 m² with a private balcony and direct sea air, sleeping 2
• Queens Grill Grand Suite Q1 — 127.7 m² including a private balcony of approximately 90 m², sleeping 2, for the most spacious experience on board

Cunard also has a world cruise programme for 2028 — see our world cruise 2028 with Cunard page if you are considering a longer voyage.

MSC Meraviglia — MSC Cruises

If scale and variety matter, MSC Meraviglia is worth a close look. The ship’s centrepiece is the Galleria Meraviglia, a 96-metre LED sky promenade running through the ship’s interior — boutiques, restaurants and nightly entertainment all arranged around it. The Polar Aquapark, a full-sized bowling alley and Formula 1 simulators give families and groups plenty to do; the MSC Yacht Club offers a ship-within-a-ship experience for those who want private sun decks and butler service without leaving the vessel. Check MSC Meraviglia cabin grades and deck plans to find the grade that suits your group. 2028 fly cruises with MSC Cruises are also available if you want to combine a flight with your booking.

Ambition — Ambassador Cruise Line

Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition carries just 1,200 guests, which gives the whole experience an intimate atmosphere that larger ships simply cannot match. She covers itineraries across Europe, Africa and beyond, with 5 different dining venues on board. If you are curious about cabin options, Ambition offers four grades:

• Inside Cabin INS07AFT — approximately 10 m², sleeping up to 4; the entry-level choice for couples or groups watching their budget
• Ocean View Cabin OUT08MIDS — approximately 10 m² with a sea-view window, sleeping up to 4; natural light and views that an inside cabin cannot offer
• Balcony Cabin BAL09AFT — 15 m² with a private outdoor space, sleeping up to 4
• Suite PRM07AFT — 47 m², sleeping up to 4; considerably more living space and privacy than the other grades

Cunard also sails with Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria in 2028; check their individual ship pages for itineraries and Queen Mary 2 cabin grades or Queen Victoria cabin grades if either is on your shortlist. Princess Cruises sails with Sky Princess — see Sky Princess cabin grades and deck plans for detail — and Azamara with Azamara Journey, whose cabin grades and deck plans are also available.

What Do the Fares Include?

What is covered by your base fare varies considerably by cruise line, and choosing the right tier up front can save you money on board. Here is how the main lines on this programme structure their fares.

Cunard Fare Tiers

Cunard offers two main fare types. The Cunard Fare is available on all voyages regardless of when you book and gives you choice of stateroom number, priority for upgrades, a low 15% deposit with flexible balance payment and the ability to amend your booking up to the balance due date. Complimentary shuttle buses at ports are included. The fare is available in variants that add on-board credit, drinks, coach travel or car parking at the port — so you can tailor what is bundled based on how you are travelling. The Saver Fare is for last-minute bookers who are happy to pay in full immediately and accept a pre-allocated stateroom; it offers the lowest price in exchange for no amendments and a 100% cancellation fee.

Princess Cruises Fare Tiers

Princess Cruises uses a tiered structure. Princess Standard is the base cruise fare covering the voyage itself, with beverages, MedallionNet Wi-Fi, crew appreciation and casual dining available to add separately. Princess Plus bundles in 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to a daily limit, MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs plus 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating — a strong mid-tier option if you know you will use those inclusions. Fare types such as promotional and last-minute offers also appear from time to time; our team can advise on what is current when you call.

Are There Any Discounts on 2028 Mediterranean Cruises?

Selected sailings on this programme are reduced from their previously listed cabin-grade price, with savings of up to 26% available on one departure. That headline figure applies to a single sailing; most reduced sailings are discounted by around 5%. If a deal is live on a sailing you are interested in, our team can tell you what is currently on the table and whether it is worth booking now or waiting. For a wider view of current offers, the all-inclusive 2028 cruises from the UK page shows sailings where more is bundled into the fare from the outset.

Make It a Full Holiday

A cruise is the centrepiece, but there is often more to organise around it — especially on one-way sailings or fly-cruise departures. As cruise specialists, Cruise1st can put the whole trip together: flights, hotels the night before embarkation or after disembarkation, transfers between airport and port, tours ashore and travel insurance, all on a single booking through our Cruise1st Packages. You make one call, we handle the rest. Trustpilot rates us 4.5 out of 5 from over 7,000 reviews, and we are ABTA and ATOL protected.

For passengers sailing from Southampton who want to extend their trip, we can arrange a hotel the night before and sort the transfer to the terminal, so embarkation day is straightforward. On one-way sailings ending in Barcelona or Rome, we book the return flight and any extra nights you want in the city — nothing is left as a loose end.

Not Quite What You Are Looking For?

If 2028 Mediterranean sailings from the UK are close but not quite right, there are several related programmes worth checking. The Mediterranean 2028 cruises page covers a broader set of sailings not restricted to UK departures, and Mediterranean 2028 fly cruises lists options where the flight is part of the deal. For the year before, Mediterranean 2027 cruises from the UK and our Mediterranean 2026 cruises from the UK page show what was available on a similar programme. The wider 2028 cruises hub covers every destination and departure for the year.

If you are drawn to a specific line or region, these pages go deeper: P&O 2028 cruises, Princess Cruises 2028, 2028 Christmas cruises, Adriatic 2028 cruises, and Norway cruises from the UK. Southampton regulars may also want to look at all-inclusive no-fly Southampton 2027 cruises and cruises to Greece from Southampton for context on what the port offers across the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.