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Eastern Mediterranean Cruise: Italy, Greek Isles & Sicily aboard the Costa Romantica Costa Romantica

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Includes airfare, fuel surcharges, great hotels, transfers, many meals, touring and more!

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Eastern Mediterranean Cruise: Italy, Greek Isles & Sicily

Trevi Fountain, Rome
Trevi Fountain, Rome
Join us on this fantastic celebration of the cultural riches and natural beauty of the Eastern Mediterranean as we set sail aboard the Costa Romantica, one of the most comfortable and elegant ships in the fleet of Italy's premier luxury cruise line.

Our journey is an exotic living mosaic, where every port recalls another magnificent era of castles and fortresses, steaming volcanoes, ancient cultures, exotic art, and architectural treasures and grandeur. We'll visit fascinating ports of call in Italy, Greece and Sicily, while enjoying the lavish Italian lifestyle aboard our cruise ship.

If you're dreaming of a luxury cruise vacation without compromise, this is one opportunity you can't afford to miss. But hurry and reserve your space before your magnificent Mediterranean dream vacation is all sold out.

Itinerary at a Glance & Port Call Times

Eastern Mediterranean Cruise: Italy, Greek Isles & Sicily
Day Port of Call Arrive Depart
2 Citavecchia/Rome, Italy 7 pm
3 Catania, Sicily 1 pm 7 pm
4 At sea
5 Rhodes, Greece 9 am 7 pm
6 Patmos, Greece 7 am 1 pm
Mykonos, Greece 6 pm 11 pm
7 Heraklion/Crete, Greece 8 am 1 pm
8 At sea
9 Citavecchia/Rome 9 am

Detailed Itinerary

Costa Romantica Cruise: Italy, Greek Isles & Sicily tour itinerary Day 1: Depart USA. Your Mediterranean journey begins this evening as you check-in for your overnight jet flight.

Day 2: Rome. Arrive in Rome, vibrant capital of Italy. After customs formalities, you'll be escorted to Civitavecchia to board the Costa Romantica for your exciting Mediterranean cruise. (D)

Day 3: Catania, Sicily. Located at the base of the active volcano Mount Etna, Catania was founded by the Greeks and then taken over by the Romans. Explore independently or select from optional tours to Taormina (the most popular Sicilian beach resort), a Jeep tour of Mount Etna or a tour of historic Catania including Saint Agatha's Cathedral, the Ursino Castle, Biscari Palace and the Roman Ampitheatre (B,L,D)

Day 4: At sea. All the fantastic facilities of the ship are available to you as you spend a leisurely day at sea. Stroll the ample decks, enjoy an invigorating dip in the pool, and take advantage of the many leisure activities aboard your luxury ship. (B,L,D)

Port of Rhodes
Port of Rhodes
Day 5: Rhodes, Greece. Today you'll visit Rhodes, the beautiful "Island of Roses." In the heart of the island's biggest city, also named Rhodes, is the largest inhabited medieval town in Europe, a fascinating web of Byzantine, Turkish and Latin ruins. Its mighty fortifications provide the finest surviving examples of defensive architecture of the time. Lindos, with its whitewashed houses clustered beneath a soaring castle-capped acropolis, is Rhodes' most picturesque village and most important Doric settlement because of its natural harbor and vantage point built 125 meters above sea level. Wander about on your own or take advantage of optional shore excursions. (B,L,D)

Patmos, Greece
Patmos, Greece
Day 6: Patmos & Mykonos, Greece. Disembark this morning in Patmos, a lively island with whitewashed houses, flowered courtyards, tavernas and shops. Patmos is famous in history as the place where St. John wrote the Book of Revelation. An optional tour takes you to the cave where St. John lived and the nearby Monastery, built on one of the island's highest points, housing priceless icons and manuscripts in its Treasury. Return to the ship to continue sailing to Mykonos.

Mykonos  © easyGroup
Mykonos   © easyGroup
Arrive early this evening in Mykonos, where chic crowds flock to the island's trendy restaurants, discos and clubs each night, and where you can sit seaside, sipping ouzo and watching the sunset while listening to traditional Greek music. Before heading back to the ship, enjoy a stroll through Mykonos town with its labyrinth of winding alleyways and whitewashed buildings, basket-laden donkeys, cascading geraniums and upscale shops and cafes. (B,L,D)

Knossos, Heraklion, Greece
Knossos, Heraklion, Greece
Day 7: Heraklion & Crete. The ruins of Knossos—the capital of Minoan Crete and today the island's major tourist attraction—are just five kilometers from Heraklion city center. Other points of interest here include Heraklion's Archaeological Museum, one of the finest in Greece, housing exquisite findings from Knossos and other Minoan ruins, numerous Venetian fortresses, fountains and loggias scattered throughout the city and the Historical Museum of Crete, with its Byzantine and folklore collections. The open air market is a must-see, where a boisterous crowd buys and sells everything from goats and sheep to huge cauldrons of fresh yogurt. (B,L,D)

Day 8: At sea. Rest and relax onboard after yesterday's long day of touring. (B,L,D)

Ruins of the Roman Forum on Palatine Hill
Ruins of the Roman Forum on Palatine Hill
Day 9: Rome. Arrive in Rome this morning. After breakfast, disembark from your cruise and enjoy a full day to explore Rome, the Eternal City. You'll find a treasure trove of ancient ruins, art, music and architecture, religious passion, all juxtaposed against the frenetic pace and cutting edge modern fashion of an ultra-modern European city. Your hotel is ideally located within short distance of many major attractions, as well as the best shopping and dining. (B)

Colosseum, Rome
Colosseum, Rome
Day 10: Rome/USA. Your memorable Mediterranean journey ends as you say arrivederci Italia and transfer independently to the airport for your return flight to the USA. Arrive in the USA later today. Or, continue your stay in Italy by adding a late return and extra nights to your package. (B)


Destination FAQs

For quick answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Italy, click here.

For quick answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Greece, click here.


About Your Cruise Ship, the Costa Romantica

The Costa Romantica
The Costa Romantica
The Costa Romantica cruise ship epitomizes Italian design, contemporary comforts, and luxury cruising. Marble accents, sleek furnishings, and modern Italian artwork create an atmosphere that is vibrant, chic, and restful. The Romantica's well-appointed staterooms, sweeping public areas, and array of leisure facilities make it one of the most comfortable and elegant ships in the upscale Costa fleet.

Inside stateroom
Inside stateroom
Paneled in light cherry wood, the Romantica's 678 staterooms are fairly spacious and have ample storage. All cabins feature pastel hues in an elegant minimalist style and include a personal safe, TV, refrigerator, private bathroom with shower and hairdryer, and small sitting area with a table and two chairs. Outside cabins and suites are also available.

The Costa Romantica is registered in Italy.


I judge the value of a vacation by the desire to return. After seeing Greece on this tour, I most certainly want to go back.

— Carol Gargan

testimonial photo [Italian Treasures] was wonderful and we are very pleased that we chose Friendly Planet as our tour provider. Our tour director, Flavio Nicoletti, was top-notch in every way. He was professional, knowledgeable, friendly and fun-loving. He went out of his way on many occasions to ensure that our group had the best possible experience. He arranged wonderful excursions, including an evening at a Tuscan Farmstead which my travelmates and I will always remember as a highlight of our trip. I co-host a radio Morning Show in North Carolina. During the trip I called into the show to report on the trip. Flavio even agreed to join me during the call and go on the air with us! He did a great job! My friends and I now feel that we have a friend in Rome. We are so thankful to Flavio and to Friendly Planet for making our once-in-a-lifetime trip so special and memorable.

— Tamera Rumfelt, Kernersville, NC

The trip of a lifetime! Friendly Planet did everything it promised and more. I have never seen such beautiful scenery and dealt with such wonderful people. I felt very safe and would even venture to go on one of your tours alone. Everything was taken care of. Our tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and spoke very good English. One of our guides even arranged for another extension after the trip. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND FRIENDLY PLANET TOURS! I tell everyone who is interested in an exotic trip to be sure to check Friendly Planet out. I will definitely go with Friendly Planet again.

— June Garst, Conroe, TX

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Eastern Mediterranean Cruise: Italy, Greek Isles & Sicily
Included Features

  • Round trip flights from New York via scheduled wide-bodied jet service including fuel surcharges. Other gateways at inexpensive through fares are available on request.
  • All ground transportation and group transfers except final transfer from Rome hotel to airport
  • Deluxe Eastern Mediterranean cruise aboard the Costa Romantica (inside cabins) with private bath
  • Special discounted upgrades to deluxe outside cabin with picture window or veranda
  • 21 bountiful meals including 8 American buffet breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners
  • Comprehensive optional touring program including entrance fees (available for purchase on board)
  • Bonus overnight in Rome including buffet breakfast
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Taxes & Fees
Service Price
Additional Taxes, Fees & September 11 Security Fee +$165
Port Taxes +$159
Optionals & Upgrades
Service Price
Single Cabin Supplement  
Sep 20 +$929
All other departures +$689
Cabin Upgrades
Category I5 (Inside cabin) +$139
Category E2 (Outside w/ window) +$279

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