Explora Journeys hadn't intended to cruise the Mediterranean in winter, but the luxury line needed to redeploy a ship away from the Middle East due to the Iran war.
And even though sales for the winter Med cruises launched just seven months before the first departure, bookings were brisk, said Chris Austin, Explora's president of North America. The line is "absolutely" considering keeping winter Med cruises in the rotation, he added.
Explora isn't alone in testing the Mediterranean's winter waters. A growing number of cruise lines, particularly in the luxury and small-ship space, are devoting hardware to the Med winter, meeting travellers' desire for an offseason experience in the region with fewer crowds.
Sister lines Oceania and Regent Seven Seas Cruises are both doing their first full winter seasons in the Med this year.
Celestyal Cruises will sail the Mediterranean this winter, too. Like Explora, it redeployed a ship away from the Middle East on short notice. Windstar has been sailing the Med in the winter since 2023.
"I think it's great that more travellers are discovering there isn't an off switch on the Mediterranean when summer ends," said Windstar chief commercial officer Janet Bava.
The winter itineraries are particularly popular with travellers who have already been to Europe, cruise executives said. Those guests are craving a more relaxed and immersive travel experience on a return visit, which is what offseason travel offers, said Oceania senior vice president and chief sales officer, Nathan Hickman.
Lower prices are also a draw, said David Crooks, World Travel Holdings' chief product officer for cruise.
"I like to describe winter Mediterranean cruises as Europe's value season," he said. "Travellers are attracted by fewer crowds, attractive pricing and the opportunity to experience iconic destinations at a more relaxed pace. For many clients, it's a chance to see Europe in a different and often more authentic way."
The winter product is unique
Plus, there are experiences unique to the winter, like Christmas markets and Carnevale in Venice in February, Bava said. Windstar has found New Year's sailings in Europe to be particularly popular, she said.
Regent Seven Seas is offering new shore excursions and pre- and post-cruise land tours for the holidays to complement its Europe sailings. A complimentary shore excursion in Malaga, Spain, in December includes a visit to the Malaga Cathedral's Nativity scene and a private flamenco performance paired with traditional Christmas pastries.
The Explora II will visit Cartagena, Spain, this winter during its full season on the Mediterranean. Photo Credit: Explora Journeys
Explora Journeys has arranged a private Christmas concert for guests in St. Michael's Cave in Gibraltar.
In addition to seasonal experiences and the itineraries crafted around them, cruises often feature extended and overnight port stays.
Windstar is not merely "treating winter like summer with a different jacket," Bava said, because some tourist attractions and restaurants operate differently in the offseason. "We have to be thoughtful about where we go and how we build the experience," she said.
Explora was also intentional about making its winter season unique, "rather than simply taking our summer itineraries and extending them into another season," Austin said. It introduced new ports, including San Sebastian de La Gomera in Spain's Canary Islands and Palamos in Spain's Catalonia region.
It is also highlighting gastronomy and wellness programming. Explora's Shore-to-Table experiences will include a market visit with an Explora chef, followed by a cooking class onboard. One Explora itinerary includes a complimentary 12-day wellness program featuring yoga, journaling and electronic music meditation as well as expert-led workshops.
Winter allows for a different perspective on the Mediterranean, "not only through where we go, but through the entire experience we create around the season," Austin said.
And then, of course, there's the temperature. Europe was plagued with severe heat this summer, with June being Western Europe's hottest June on record, according to the World Meteorological Organisation. As summer travel in Europe is becoming increasingly associated with more frequent heat waves, winter visits offer a respite.
"People do talk about how hot it is in the summer, particularly this year," said John Diorio, Celestyal's vice president and managing director for North America. "We are positioning the new sailings as a way to escape the crowds and the heat if you can travel over the winter."
Oceania and Regent Seven Seas have already committed to their second full winter on the Med before completing the first.
Celestyal has also announced that the Celestyal Discovery will sail two consecutive Western Mediterranean winters instead of its originally planned Arabian Gulf season.
