Resources on Luxury Cruises in the Mediterranean Sea

Luxury Cruises in the Mediterranean Sea

Mediterranean Sea Cruise Vacations
The very heart of the ancient world, the Mediterranean Sea provides a treasure-trove of destinations. From great cities of antiquity to tiny harbors unspoiled and little changed in centuries, cruise ships explore them all. From Portugal and Spain through France, Italy, Croatia and Greece to Turkey and Egypt, the luxury and intimate ships spend a long, leisurely season exploring lost civilizations and colorful cultures that thrive today beneath the Mediterranean sun.

Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar on the west and to the Sea of Marmara and Black Sea, by the Dardanelles and the Bosporus respectively, on the east. The Sea of Marmara is often considered a part of the Mediterranean Sea, whereas the Black Sea is generally not. The man-made Suez Canal in the south-east connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea.

Tides are very limited in the Mediterranean as a result of the narrow connection with the ocean.

The Mediterranean climate is generally one of wet winters and hot, dry summers. Special crops of the region are olives, grapes, oranges, tangerines, and cork. The region has a long history of civilization.

Large islands in the Mediterranean include:

• Cyprus, Crete, Euboea, Rhodes, Lesbos, Chios, Kefalonia and Corfu in the eastern Mediterranean
• Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily, and Malta in the central Mediterranean
• Ibiza, Majorca and Minorca (the Balearic Islands) in the western Mediterranean

Excerpt of "Mediterranean Sea." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 7 Jun 2006, 22:40 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 8 Jun 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mediterranean_Sea&oldid=57433735

Cruise Ships
A cruise ship, or less commonly cruise liner or luxury liner, is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the amenities of the ship are considered an essential part of the experience.

Cruising has become a major part of the tourism industry, with millions of passengers each year as of 2006. The rapid growth of the industry has seen nine or more new-build ships catering to a North American clientele added every year since 2001.

The practice grew gradually out of the transatlantic crossing tradition, which despite the best efforts of engineers and sailors into the mid-20th century, rarely took less than about four days. In the competition for passengers, ocean liners added many luxuries — most famously seen in the Titanic, but also available in other ships — fine dining, well-appointed staterooms, and so forth.

Excerpt of "Cruise ship." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 30 May 2006, 05:57 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 31 May 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cruise_ship&oldid=55878206