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Arrive | Depart | ||||||
22nd22 | SepSep | 201919 | Venice, Italy, embark on the MSC Opera | 16:30 | |||
Venice is a city unlike any other. No matter how often you've seen it in photos and films, the real thing is more dreamlike than you could imagine. With canals where streets should be, water shimmers everywhere. The fabulous palaces and churches reflect centuries of history in what was a wealthy trading center between Europe and the Orient. Getting lost in the narrow alleyways is a quintessential part of exploring Venice, but at some point you'll almost surely end up in Piazza San Marco, where tourists and locals congregate for a coffee or an aperitif. | |||||||
23rd23 | SepSep | 201919 | Kotor, Montenegro | 14:00 | 20:00 | ||
Backed by imposing mountains, tiny Kotor lies hidden from the open sea, tucked into the deepest channel of the Bokor Kotorska (Kotor Bay), which is Europe's most southerly fjord. To many, this town is more charming than its sister UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dubrovnik, retaining more authenticity, but with fewer tourists and spared the war damage and subsequent rebuilding which has given Dubrovnik something of a Disney feel.Kotor's medieval Stari Grad (Old Town) is enclosed within well-preserved defensive walls built between the 9th and 18th centuries and is presided over by a proud hilltop fortress. Within the walls, a labyrinth of winding cobbled streets leads through a series of splendid paved piazzas, rimmed by centuries-old stone buildings. The squares are now haunted by strains from buskers but although many now house trendy cafés and chic boutiques, directions are still given medieval-style by reference to the town’s landmark churches.In the Middle Ages, as Serbia's chief port, Kotor was an important economic and cultural center with its own highly regarded schools of stonemasonry and iconography. From 1391 to 1420 it was an independent city-republic and later, it spent periods under Venetian, Austrian, and French rule, though it was undoubtedly the Venetians who left the strongest impression on the city's architecture. Since the breakup of Yugoslavia, some 70% of the stone buildings in the romantic Old Town have been snapped up by foreigners, mostly Brits and Russians. Porto Montenegro, a new marina designed to accommodate some of the world’s largest super yachts, opened in nearby Tivat in 2011, and along the bay are other charming seaside villages, all with better views of the bay than the vista from Kotor itself where the waterside is congested with cruise ships and yachts. Try sleepy Muo or the settlement of Prčanj in one direction around the bay, or Perast and the Roman mosaics of Risan in the other direction. | |||||||
24th24 | SepSep | 201919 | At Sea | ||||
25th25 | SepSep | 201919 | Mykonos, Greece | 09:00 | 23:59 | ||
Although the fishing boats still go out in good weather, Mykonos largely makes its living from tourism these days. The summer crowds have turned one of the poorest islands in Greece into one of the richest. Old Mykonians complain that their young, who have inherited stores where their grandfathers once sold eggs or wine, get so much rent that they have lost ambition, and in summer sit around pool bars at night with their friends, and hang out in Athens in winter when island life is less scintillating. Put firmly on the map by Jackie O in the 1960s, Mykonos town—called Hora by the locals—remains the Saint-Tropez of the Greek islands. The scenery is memorable, with its whitewashed streets, Little Venice, the Kato Myli ridge of windmills, and Kastro, the town's medieval quarter. Its cubical two- or three-story houses and churches, with their red or blue doors and domes and wooden balconies, have been long celebrated as some of the best examples of classic Cycladic architecture. Luckily, the Greek Archaeological Service decided to preserve the town, even when the Mykonians would have preferred to rebuild, and so the Old Town has been impressively preserved. Pink oleander, scarlet hibiscus, and trailing green pepper trees form a contrast amid the dazzling whiteness, whose frequent renewal with whitewash is required by law. Any visitor who has the pleasure of getting lost in its narrow streets (made all the narrower by the many outdoor stone staircases, which maximize housing space in the crowded village) will appreciate how its confusing layout was designed to foil pirates—if it was designed at all. After Mykonos fell under Turkish rule in 1537, the Ottomans allowed the islanders to arm their vessels against pirates, which had a contradictory effect: many of them found that raiding other islands was more profitable than tilling arid land. At the height of Aegean piracy, Mykonos was the principal headquarters of the corsair fleets—the place where pirates met their fellows, found willing women, and filled out their crews. Eventually the illicit activity evolved into a legitimate and thriving trade network. Morning on Mykonos town's main quay is busy with deliveries, visitors for the Delos boats, lazy breakfasters, and street cleaners dealing with the previous night's mess. In late morning the cruise-boat people arrive, and the shops are all open. In early afternoon, shaded outdoor tavernas are full of diners eating salads (Mykonos's produce is mostly imported); music is absent or kept low. In mid- and late afternoon, the town feels sleepy, since so many people are at the beach, on excursions, or sleeping in their air-conditioned rooms; even some tourist shops close for siesta. By sunset, people have come back from the beach, having taken their showers and rested. At night, the atmosphere in Mykonos ramps up. The cruise-boat people are mostly gone, coughing three-wheelers make no deliveries in the narrow streets, and everyone is dressed sexy for summer and starting to shimmy with the scene. Many shops stay open past midnight, the restaurants fill up, and the bars and discos make ice cubes as fast as they can. Ready to dive in? Begin your tour of Mykonos town (Hora) by starting out at its heart: Mando Mavrogenous Square. | |||||||
26th26 | SepSep | 201919 | Mykonos, Greece | 02:00 | |||
Although the fishing boats still go out in good weather, Mykonos largely makes its living from tourism these days. The summer crowds have turned one of the poorest islands in Greece into one of the richest. Old Mykonians complain that their young, who have inherited stores where their grandfathers once sold eggs or wine, get so much rent that they have lost ambition, and in summer sit around pool bars at night with their friends, and hang out in Athens in winter when island life is less scintillating. Put firmly on the map by Jackie O in the 1960s, Mykonos town—called Hora by the locals—remains the Saint-Tropez of the Greek islands. The scenery is memorable, with its whitewashed streets, Little Venice, the Kato Myli ridge of windmills, and Kastro, the town's medieval quarter. Its cubical two- or three-story houses and churches, with their red or blue doors and domes and wooden balconies, have been long celebrated as some of the best examples of classic Cycladic architecture. Luckily, the Greek Archaeological Service decided to preserve the town, even when the Mykonians would have preferred to rebuild, and so the Old Town has been impressively preserved. Pink oleander, scarlet hibiscus, and trailing green pepper trees form a contrast amid the dazzling whiteness, whose frequent renewal with whitewash is required by law. Any visitor who has the pleasure of getting lost in its narrow streets (made all the narrower by the many outdoor stone staircases, which maximize housing space in the crowded village) will appreciate how its confusing layout was designed to foil pirates—if it was designed at all. After Mykonos fell under Turkish rule in 1537, the Ottomans allowed the islanders to arm their vessels against pirates, which had a contradictory effect: many of them found that raiding other islands was more profitable than tilling arid land. At the height of Aegean piracy, Mykonos was the principal headquarters of the corsair fleets—the place where pirates met their fellows, found willing women, and filled out their crews. Eventually the illicit activity evolved into a legitimate and thriving trade network. Morning on Mykonos town's main quay is busy with deliveries, visitors for the Delos boats, lazy breakfasters, and street cleaners dealing with the previous night's mess. In late morning the cruise-boat people arrive, and the shops are all open. In early afternoon, shaded outdoor tavernas are full of diners eating salads (Mykonos's produce is mostly imported); music is absent or kept low. In mid- and late afternoon, the town feels sleepy, since so many people are at the beach, on excursions, or sleeping in their air-conditioned rooms; even some tourist shops close for siesta. By sunset, people have come back from the beach, having taken their showers and rested. At night, the atmosphere in Mykonos ramps up. The cruise-boat people are mostly gone, coughing three-wheelers make no deliveries in the narrow streets, and everyone is dressed sexy for summer and starting to shimmy with the scene. Many shops stay open past midnight, the restaurants fill up, and the bars and discos make ice cubes as fast as they can. Ready to dive in? Begin your tour of Mykonos town (Hora) by starting out at its heart: Mando Mavrogenous Square. | |||||||
26th26 | SepSep | 201919 | Santorini, Greece | 07:30 | 15:00 | ||
Undoubtedly the most extraordinary island in the Aegean, crescent-shape Santorini remains a mandatory stop on the Cycladic tourist route—even if it's necessary to enjoy the sensational sunsets from Ia, the fascinating excavations, and the dazzling white towns with a million other travelers. Called Kállisti (the "Loveliest") when first settled, the island has now reverted to its subsequent name of Thira, after the 9th-century-BC Dorian colonizer Thiras. The place is better known, however, these days as Santorini, a name derived from its patroness, St. Irene of Thessaloniki, the Byzantine empress who restored icons to Orthodoxy and died in 802. You can fly conveniently to Santorini, but to enjoy a true Santorini rite of passage, opt instead for the boat trip here, which provides a spectacular introduction. After the boat sails between Sikinos and Ios, your deck-side perch approaches two close islands with a passage between them. The bigger one on the left is Santorini, and the smaller on the right is Thirassia. Passing between them, you see the village of Ia adorning Santorini's northernmost cliff like a white geometric beehive. You are in the caldera (volcanic crater), one of the world's truly breathtaking sights: a demilune of cliffs rising 1,100 feet, with the white clusters of the towns of Fira and Ia perched along the top. The bay, once the high center of the island, is 1,300 feet in some places, so deep that when boats dock in Santorini's shabby little port of Athinios, they do not drop anchor. The encircling cliffs are the ancient rim of a still-active volcano, and you are sailing east across its flooded caldera. On your right are the Burnt isles, the White isle, and other volcanic remnants, all lined up as if some outsize display in a geology museum. Hephaestus's subterranean fires smolder still—the volcano erupted in 198 BC, about 735, and there was an earthquake in 1956. Indeed, Santorini and its four neighboring islets are the fragmentary remains of a larger landmass that exploded about 1600 BC: the volcano's core blew sky high, and the sea rushed into the abyss to create the great bay, which measures 10 km by 7 km (6 mi by 4½ mi) and is 1,292 feet deep. The other pieces of the rim, which broke off in later eruptions, are Thirassia, where a few hundred people live, and deserted little Aspronissi ("White isle"). In the center of the bay, black and uninhabited, two cones, the Burnt Isles of Palea Kameni and Nea Kameni, appeared between 1573 and 1925. There has been too much speculation about the identification of Santorini with the mythical Atlantis, mentioned in Egyptian papyri and by Plato (who says it's in the Atlantic), but myths are hard to pin down. This is not true of old arguments about whether tidal waves from Santorini's cataclysmic explosion destroyed Minoan civilization on Crete, 113 km (70 mi) away. The latest carbon-dating evidence, which points to a few years before 1600 BC for the eruption, clearly indicates that the Minoans outlasted the eruption by a couple of hundred years, but most probably in a weakened state. In fact, the island still endures hardships: since antiquity, Santorini has depended on rain collected in cisterns for drinking and irrigating—the well water is often brackish—and the serious shortage is alleviated by the importation of water. However, the volcanic soil also yields riches: small, intense tomatoes with tough skins used for tomato paste (good restaurants here serve them); the famous Santorini fava beans, which have a light, fresh taste; barley; wheat; and white-skin eggplants. | |||||||
27th27 | SepSep | 201919 | Corfu, Greece | 14:00 | 20:00 | ||
Corfu town today is a vivid tapestry of cultures—a sophisticated weave, where charm, history, and natural beauty blend. Located about midway along the island's east coast, this spectacularly lively capital is the cultural heart of Corfu and has a remarkable historic center that UNESCO designated as a World Heritage Site in 2007. All ships and planes dock or land near Corfu town, which occupies a small peninsula jutting into the Ionian Sea.Whether arriving by ferry from mainland Greece or Italy, from another island, or directly by plane, catch your breath by first relaxing with a coffee or a gelato in Corfu town's shaded Liston Arcade, then stroll the narrow lanes of its pedestrians-only quarter. For an overview of the immediate area, and a quick tour of Mon Repos palace, hop on the little tourist train that runs from May to September. Corfu town has a different feel at night, so book a table at one of its famed tavernas to savor the island's unique cuisine.The best way to get around Corfu town is on foot. The town is small enough so that you can easily walk to every sight. There are local buses, but they do not thread their way into the streets (many now car-free) of the historic center. If you are arriving by ferry or plane, it's best to take a taxi to your hotel. Expect to pay about €10 from the airport or ferry terminal to a hotel in Corfu town. If there are no taxis waiting, you can call for one. | |||||||
28th28 | SepSep | 201919 | Bari, Italy | 07:00 | 13:00 | ||
Bari, capital of the province of Apulia, lies on southern Italy's Adriatic coast. Its busy port is a leading commercial and industrial centre as well as a transit point for travellers catching ferries across the Adriatic to Greece. Bari comprises a new and an old town. To the north, on a promontory between the old and new harbours, lies the picturesque old town, or Citta Vecchia, with a maze of narrow, crooked streets. To the south is the spacious and regularly planned new town, which has developed considerably since 1930, when the Levant Fair was first held here. The heart of the modern town is Piazza della Liberta. The busy thoroughfare, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, separates the new town from the old. At the eastern end of the Corso begins the Lungomare Nazario Sauro, a magnificent seafront promenade that runs along the old harbour. Bari and the Apulian region were long recognized for their strategic location, attracting a succession of colonizers such as the Normans, Moors and Spaniards, each leaving their mark. | |||||||
29th29 | SepSep | 201919 | Venice, Italy, disembark the MSC Opera | 09:00 | |||
Venice is a city unlike any other. No matter how often you've seen it in photos and films, the real thing is more dreamlike than you could imagine. With canals where streets should be, water shimmers everywhere. The fabulous palaces and churches reflect centuries of history in what was a wealthy trading center between Europe and the Orient. Getting lost in the narrow alleyways is a quintessential part of exploring Venice, but at some point you'll almost surely end up in Piazza San Marco, where tourists and locals congregate for a coffee or an aperitif. |
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
Features a double bed, which can be converted into two singles. Also includes: air conditioning, spacious wardrobe, bathroom with shower, hairdryer, towels, shampoo & shower gel, TV, telephone, mini-bar, safe deposit box.
Features a porthole and a double bed, which can be converted into two singles. Also includes; air conditioning, bathroom with shower, hairdryer, towels, shampoo & shower gel, TV, telephone, mini-bar, safe deposit box.
Features a double bed, which can be converted in to two singles. Also includes: air conditioning, spacious wardrobe, bathroom with bathtub, TV, telephone, cable internet connection (for a fee), mini-bar, safe deposit box.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A cafeteria style, self-service buffet.
MSC Opera offers 2 main restaurants, La Caravella and L’Approdo and an outdoor restaurant, Il Patio. Each one boasts a top gastronomic selection thanks to the variety of dishes and the high quality of the foods, from choice Italian meats, scrupulously controlled, to fresh fruit. Every product is fresh and carefully handled, such as bread baked on board with the passion and knowledge of the most distinctive boulangerie.
Dishes range from traditional and tasty Mediterranean fare, to the most refined international recipes.
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, tables seat anywhere from 2-8 guests.
A Gala Buffet is held every night at midnight with the exception of the first and last night of the cruise.
Alfresco restaurant, serving pizza and fast-food styled dishes.
MSC Cruises is proud to bring the very best in artisanal gelato to our travellers. Venchi has been making superlative desserts since 1878 and owes much of its success to the use of 100% natural ingredients and exclusive recipes, from its intense extra dark chocolate to luscious gianduja and refreshing fruit sorbets.
Freshly made daily on board
Bar with vitamin drinks made from fresh fruits and juice such as Orange Delight and Carrot Fantasy.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
On MSC Opera guests can choose from 8 bars, inspired by different themes and inimitable in their wine and food selection, thus satisfying even the most sophisticated and demanding palates. These include the Caruso Lounge and The Cotton Club Bar.
The ship's card room is located on deck 7 and seats 28 guests.
Late-night bar and nightclub with a 450 square foot dance floor.
Show lounge, with piano and bar and 193 square foot dance floor.
Full gaming casino which offers roulette, poker, blackjack, and slot machines. It is open until late at night whilst at sea. Tournaments are regularly held onboard, and there are surprise promotions offered for those who play the slots - the winners are picked at random.
713 seat theatre, and the main show lounge onboard. Offers tiered seating, and features small-scale production shows and cabaret performances.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
A children's playroom, open to all kids onboard.
An onboard arcade, with a variety of video games and digital options. Open to all children onboard.
Comes in five different age groups, with dedicated services and entertainment activities for each, open from 9am to 11pm.
Baby Club is for those under 3 years.
Mini Club is for those 3-6 years old.
Juniors Club is for 7-11 year olds.
Young Club is for 12-14 years old.
Teens Club caters for 15-17 year olds.
The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.
7 nights aboard the MSC Opera | |||
Drinks packages available. | |||
Evening entertainment & Broadway style shows | |||
Speciality Restaurants (charges may apply) | |||
Award winning MSC Aurea Spa (charges apply) | |||
Gratuities Included | |||
Port Taxes and Fees | |||
ABTA and ATOL Protection* |
Date 22nd Sep 2019 |
Nts 7 |
Please Call for Availability |
Date 22nd Sep 2019 |
Nts 7 |
Please Call for Availability |
Interior staterooms | |||
I1 | Inside Bella | ||
I2 | Inside Fantastica | ||
Oceanview staterooms | |||
O1 | Outside Bella (With Partial View) | ||
O2 | Outside Fantastica | ||
Balcony staterooms | |||
B1 | Balcony Bella | ||
B2 | Balcony Fantastica | ||
B3 | Balcony Aurea | ||
Suite staterooms | |||
S3 | Suite Aurea | ||
Interior | Oceanview | Balcony | Suite | |
(All prices are £GBP per person) | ||||
Sun 29th Sep 201929 Sep 19 | Please call for availability | |||
Sun 6th Oct 201906 Oct 19 | 679 | |||
Sun 6th Oct 201906 Oct 19 | 929 | |||
Sun 6th Oct 201906 Oct 19 | 929 | |||
Sun 13th Oct 201913 Oct 19 | 749 | 899 | ||
Sun 13th Oct 201913 Oct 19 | 949 | 1,099 | ||
Sun 13th Oct 201913 Oct 19 | 949 | 1,099 |
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Book with Confidence. We are a Member of ABTA which means you have the benefit of ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct.
Some of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme but ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services offered on this website. This website will provide you with information on the protection that applies in the case of each holiday and travel service offered before you make your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.caa.co.uk