12 nights Eastern Mediterranean from Ancona (Urbino)

The 12 nights Eastern Mediterranean from Ancona (Urbino) is a 12-night Mediterranean cruise aboard MSC Lirica, operated by MSC Cruises. Departing Ancona on October 23, 2026, the voyage visits 9 ports. Fares start from $1,850 per person.

Length: 12 nights
Departs: Oct 23, 2026
Returns: Nov 4, 2026
Ports of call: 9
Days at sea: 3

from $1,850

$154 / night per person, incl. taxes & fees

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Itinerary

Day 1 Oct 23, 2026 Ancona Departs 20:30 Discover the Renaissance spirit in Urbino, with its towering city walls built according to designs by Leonardo daVinci. Visit the Ducal Palace, the architectural masterpiece, which has stood for over 500 years in the Piazza Duca Frederico. Browse through the bookstore then stroll to Raphael’s House, birthplace of the great painter. Galleries and shops invite exploration: look for simple glazed white ware ceramics unique to Urbino, fine leather goods, wines, locally made cheese and smoked meats. View the incredible frescoes of Saint John the Baptist in the Oratorio di San Giovanni. Take lunch in an outdoor café, enjoying dishes made with locally harvested truffles, fresh cheese, prosciutto and homemade pasta. Enjoy an after lunch espresso and gelato in this vibrant cultural center set high amid the Appenines. Ancona port guide Search cruises visiting Ancona

Ancona photo — Day 1 Oct 23, 2026 Ancona Departs 20:30 Discover the Renaissance spirit in Urbino, with its towering city walls built according to designs by Leonardo daVinci. Visit the Ducal Palace, the architectural masterpiece, which has stood for over 500 years in the Piazza Duca Frederico. Browse through the bookstore then stroll to Raphael’s House, birthplace of the great painter. Galleries and shops invite exploration: look for simple glazed white ware ceramics unique to Urbino, fine leather goods, wines, locally made cheese and smoked meats. View the incredible frescoes of Saint John the Baptist in the Oratorio di San Giovanni. Take lunch in an outdoor café, enjoying dishes made with locally harvested truffles, fresh cheese, prosciutto and homemade pasta. Enjoy an after lunch espresso and gelato in this vibrant cultural center set high amid the Appenines. Ancona port guide Search cruises visiting Ancona

Day 2 Oct 24, 2026 Marghera(Venice), Italy 08:00 – 19:00 11.0 hrs ashore Delve into ancient palaces, century-old galleries, and modern-day exhibits as you whirl through Venice. Walk through masterpieces, catch an opera, gaze at medieval buildings, blow Murano glass and drift down the Grand Canal by gondola to visit churches, convents and campi “squares” that vary in spirit and scale. Cross hump-backed bridges, reach teeming Piazza San Marco’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace, or duck down passages to escape reality. From palazzos to perfumeries and the must-see Bridge of Sighs, you’re only moments from a place of beauty in this liquid-gold city of treasures. Marghera(Venice), Italy port guide Search cruises visiting Marghera(Venice), Italy

Day 4 Oct 26, 2026 Olympia (Katakolon), Greece 10:00 – 17:00 7.0 hrs ashore The small Greek port of Katakolon was developed in the 19th century to serve the thriving local trade in currants. Today it is your starting block for Olympia - birthplace of the Olympic Games. A pretty town on the banks of the River Alpheios, Olympia lies only a short drive away from the port and its historic stadium - where the first Olympic torch was lit in 776 BC and is a fascinating site to explore. You can still see the marble starting blocks used by early athletes in the 45,000-seat arena, as well as the ruins of the Temple of Hera and the gigantic Temple of Zeus - its gold and ivory statue of Zeus was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. If you have already visited Olympia, you could spend your day exploring the lush wine country north of Katakolon and sampling the local vintages. Olympia (Katakolon), Greece port guide Search cruises visiting Olympia (Katakolon), Greece

Olympia (Katakolon), Greece photo — Day 4 Oct 26, 2026 Olympia (Katakolon), Greece 10:00 – 17:00 7.0 hrs ashore The small Greek port of Katakolon was developed in the 19th century to serve the thriving local trade in currants. Today it is your starting block for Olympia - birthplace of the Olympic Games. A pretty town on the banks of the River Alpheios, Olympia lies only a short drive away from the port and its historic stadium - where the first Olympic torch was lit in 776 BC and is a fascinating site to explore. You can still see the marble starting blocks used by early athletes in the 45,000-seat arena, as well as the ruins of the Temple of Hera and the gigantic Temple of Zeus - its gold and ivory statue of Zeus was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. If you have already visited Olympia, you could spend your day exploring the lush wine country north of Katakolon and sampling the local vintages. Olympia (Katakolon), Greece port guide Search cruises visiting Olympia (Katakolon), Greece

Day 5 Oct 27, 2026 Heraklion 10:00 – 18:00 8.0 hrs ashore It may not be the prettiest place in Crete, but Heraklion's patchwork of history, bustling activity and cultural intrigue makes it the perfect change of pace. This is certainly no sleepy island fishing village, and Greece's fifth-largest city is adorned with a rich collection of quality museums, ancient ruins from antiquity, and a lively culture of its own. View less A refreshing shift-up from the many quaint beach towns and fishing villages you'll encounter in the Greek islands, Heraklion – also known as Iraklio - has great shopping, extraordinary history and is the ideal base for ventures to the archaeological treasures of Crete. Traded by the Arabic, Venetian and Ottoman empires over the years, Heraklion is a multi-layered place with fascinating tales to tell. The city's impressive Venetian fortress, which waits over the gently rolling waves of the gleaming Mediterranean, welcomes you ashore. A stroll out along the seawall, alongside creaking fishing boats, will take you out to the squat fortifications that have stood since 1540. Climb to the top for views out across the water, back towards the city's waterfront. The sun-roasted earth outside the city hides treasures from the realms of history, including the Bronze Age remnants of Europe's oldest city, Knossos. A visit to the fantastic Archaeological Museum of Heraklion ties all of this history together and exhibits relics from the civilisations and eras of Crete's past. Elsewhere, Daidalou's pedestrianised paving is a charming stroll through Heraklion's shops, with streets branching off to café-lined plazas and twinkling fountains. Stop to try local food - like fresh feta and olive sprinkled dakos mezze – all washed down with a sample of local raki brandy. Heraklion port guide Search cruises visiting Heraklion

Day 6 Oct 28, 2026 Rhodes 08:00 – 17:00 9.0 hrs ashore Located only seven miles from the Turkish coast, Rhodes is one of Greece's favored vacation centers. In ancient times, the entrance to its harbor featured a celebrated landmark, the Colossus of Rhodes. The 105-foot statue rose from a 35-foot stone base and was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Rhodes was an important cultural center with a well-known School of Rhetoric attended by such historical figures as Cicero and Caesar. From a school for sculptors came the famous Laocoon group, which is now in the Vatican Museum. Rhodes' most famous attractions originated with the Knights of St. John, who occupied parts of the island from 1308 to 1522. As their legacy they left a medieval town, dominated by the Palace of the Grand Masters and the Knights' Hospital. The Old Town is encircled by one of the best-preserved walls in Europe. In addition to buildings that showcase the legacy of the Knights of St. John, there are plenty of shops and dining opportunities throughout the Old Town. Rhodes port guide Search cruises visiting Rhodes

Rhodes photo — Day 6 Oct 28, 2026 Rhodes 08:00 – 17:00 9.0 hrs ashore Located only seven miles from the Turkish coast, Rhodes is one of Greece's favored vacation centers. In ancient times, the entrance to its harbor featured a celebrated landmark, the Colossus of Rhodes. The 105-foot statue rose from a 35-foot stone base and was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Rhodes was an important cultural center with a well-known School of Rhetoric attended by such historical figures as Cicero and Caesar. From a school for sculptors came the famous Laocoon group, which is now in the Vatican Museum. Rhodes' most famous attractions originated with the Knights of St. John, who occupied parts of the island from 1308 to 1522. As their legacy they left a medieval town, dominated by the Palace of the Grand Masters and the Knights' Hospital. The Old Town is encircled by one of the best-preserved walls in Europe. In addition to buildings that showcase the legacy of the Knights of St. John, there are plenty of shops and dining opportunities throughout the Old Town. Rhodes port guide Search cruises visiting Rhodes

Day 7 Oct 29, 2026 Limassol 10:00 – 17:00 7.0 hrs ashore Limassol on Cyprus' south coast is the island's largest seaside resort. It meanders for ten miles along the coast with the Troodos Mountains providing a magnificent backdrop. Sunshine, blue sky and beaches are the criteria that attract scores of vacationers each year. The more adventurous traveler, too, finds worthwhile attractions, such as medieval castles, remote mountain villages, archaeological sites dating back to 7,000 B.C., and inviting cedar forests, orange groves and vineyards. Although the easternmost island of the Mediterranean, eastern culture is augmented by a large dose of European. Rome and Byzantium, the Crusaders and the Venetians, the Turks and the British have all left their traces. Since the Middle Ages, when the Crusaders held Cyprus under Richard the Lionhearted, Limassol has been known to traders for its wine and sugar cane. Today, the island's second largest city is the hub of its wine-making industry and an important commercial center. Limassol port guide Search cruises visiting Limassol

Limassol photo — Day 7 Oct 29, 2026 Limassol 10:00 – 17:00 7.0 hrs ashore Limassol on Cyprus' south coast is the island's largest seaside resort. It meanders for ten miles along the coast with the Troodos Mountains providing a magnificent backdrop. Sunshine, blue sky and beaches are the criteria that attract scores of vacationers each year. The more adventurous traveler, too, finds worthwhile attractions, such as medieval castles, remote mountain villages, archaeological sites dating back to 7,000 B.C., and inviting cedar forests, orange groves and vineyards. Although the easternmost island of the Mediterranean, eastern culture is augmented by a large dose of European. Rome and Byzantium, the Crusaders and the Venetians, the Turks and the British have all left their traces. Since the Middle Ages, when the Crusaders held Cyprus under Richard the Lionhearted, Limassol has been known to traders for its wine and sugar cane. Today, the island's second largest city is the hub of its wine-making industry and an important commercial center. Limassol port guide Search cruises visiting Limassol

Day 8 Oct 30, 2026 Port Said 07:00 – 21:30 14.5 hrs ashore A place of myth and legend that simmers with heady mix of romance, action, adventure, pharaohs and Pyramids. Choose to crawl through chambers to discover ancient hieroglyphics, gaze at the Great Sphinx, visit Luxor, the Valley of Kings (and Queen) and Tutankhamun’s exhibition at G.E.M. For a different experience, you may prefer to drop into a health spa for pure relaxation, and later share stories as you gracefully sail along in a hot air balloon. Passionate Egyptologists will talk you through the lineage of the Pharaohs, whilst architects and engineers walk you through the construction of the Suez Canal. Come evening, slow down for some Eastern cuisine in the curiously quaint Port Fouad where choice and variety is the order of the day. An incredible global crossroads that you truly need to see and experience to believe.

Day 9 Oct 31, 2026 Alexandria, Egypt 08:00 – 22:00 14.0 hrs ashore Alexander the Great founded this city, but never lived to see it. When he took Egypt from the Persians in 332 BC, he decided to move the capital from Memphis to the Mediterranean. Leaving instructions with his architect, he traveled on to Asia where he died. Egypt passed under the control of his general, Ptolemy I, who made Alexandria a great intellectual center. The city was designed with grand proportions. Its lighthouse, the Pharos, was a beacon to all. The Mouseion, from which our word "museum" derives, incorporated laboratories, observatories and a vast library. With the fall of the Ptolemies, Alexandria slumbered in obscurity until revived as an international seaport. A cosmopolitan, decadent colonial era, captured such works as Lawrence Durrell's Alexandrian Quartet, ended in the 1950's, but the beaches, restaurants and architecture still draw visitors, along with such excavations as Cleopatra's Palace, where this Queen of Egypt shared her love with Mark Anthony. Alexandria, Egypt port guide Search cruises visiting Alexandria, Egypt

Alexandria, Egypt photo — Day 9 Oct 31, 2026 Alexandria, Egypt 08:00 – 22:00 14.0 hrs ashore Alexander the Great founded this city, but never lived to see it. When he took Egypt from the Persians in 332 BC, he decided to move the capital from Memphis to the Mediterranean. Leaving instructions with his architect, he traveled on to Asia where he died. Egypt passed under the control of his general, Ptolemy I, who made Alexandria a great intellectual center. The city was designed with grand proportions. Its lighthouse, the Pharos, was a beacon to all. The Mouseion, from which our word "museum" derives, incorporated laboratories, observatories and a vast library. With the fall of the Ptolemies, Alexandria slumbered in obscurity until revived as an international seaport. A cosmopolitan, decadent colonial era, captured such works as Lawrence Durrell's Alexandrian Quartet, ended in the 1950's, but the beaches, restaurants and architecture still draw visitors, along with such excavations as Cleopatra's Palace, where this Queen of Egypt shared her love with Mark Anthony. Alexandria, Egypt port guide Search cruises visiting Alexandria, Egypt

Day 12 Nov 3, 2026 Split 09:00 – 17:00 8.0 hrs ashore With its seafront cafés and ancient alleyways, shouting stallholders and travellers on the move, bustling, exuberant Split is one of Croatia’s and the Mediterranean’s most compelling cities, it’s easy to see this feeling when you step aground from your MSC cruise. It has a unique historical heritage too, having grown out of the palace built here by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in 295AD. The palace remains Split’s central ingredient, having been gradually transformed into a warren of houses, tenements, churches and chapels by the various peoples who came to live here after Diocletian’s successors had departed. Adapted long ago to serve as Split’s town centre, Diocletian’s Palace is certainly not an archaeological “site”. Although set-piece buildings such as Diocletian’s mausoleum (now the cathedral) and the Temple of Jupiter (now a baptistery) still remain, other aspects of the palace have been tinkered with so much by successive generations that it is no longer recognizable as an ancient Roman structure. Best place to start exploring with an MSC excursion the seaward side of the palace is Split’s broad and lively Riva. Running along the palace’s southern facade, into which shops, cafés and a warren of tiny flats have been built, the Riva is where a large part of the city’s population congregates day and night to meet friends, catch up on gossip or idle away an hour or two in a café. Nearly everything worth seeing in Split is concentrated in the compact Old Town behind the waterfront Riva, made up in part of the various remains and conversions of Diocletian’s Palace itself, and the medieval additions to the west of it. You can walk across this area in about ten minutes, although it would take a lifetime to explore all its nooks and crannies. Split port guide Search cruises visiting Split

Split photo — Day 12 Nov 3, 2026 Split 09:00 – 17:00 8.0 hrs ashore With its seafront cafés and ancient alleyways, shouting stallholders and travellers on the move, bustling, exuberant Split is one of Croatia’s and the Mediterranean’s most compelling cities, it’s easy to see this feeling when you step aground from your MSC cruise. It has a unique historical heritage too, having grown out of the palace built here by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in 295AD. The palace remains Split’s central ingredient, having been gradually transformed into a warren of houses, tenements, churches and chapels by the various peoples who came to live here after Diocletian’s successors had departed. Adapted long ago to serve as Split’s town centre, Diocletian’s Palace is certainly not an archaeological “site”. Although set-piece buildings such as Diocletian’s mausoleum (now the cathedral) and the Temple of Jupiter (now a baptistery) still remain, other aspects of the palace have been tinkered with so much by successive generations that it is no longer recognizable as an ancient Roman structure. Best place to start exploring with an MSC excursion the seaward side of the palace is Split’s broad and lively Riva. Running along the palace’s southern facade, into which shops, cafés and a warren of tiny flats have been built, the Riva is where a large part of the city’s population congregates day and night to meet friends, catch up on gossip or idle away an hour or two in a café. Nearly everything worth seeing in Split is concentrated in the compact Old Town behind the waterfront Riva, made up in part of the various remains and conversions of Diocletian’s Palace itself, and the medieval additions to the west of it. You can walk across this area in about ten minutes, although it would take a lifetime to explore all its nooks and crannies. Split port guide Search cruises visiting Split

Pricing

Lowest fare we've tracked over the observed 66-day span: $1,850 · range $1,850–$1,908

Current prices

Per person · 2 guests · incl. taxes & fees

Inside

from $1,850

$154 / night

Fare rows

INTERIOR BELLA GUARANTEED

Cabin grade

Available

from $1,850

$154 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR INTERIOR FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $1,950

$162 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR INTERIOR FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $1,970

$164 / night

per person · incl. taxes

INTERIOR BELLA GUARANTEED

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,498

$208 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR INTERIOR FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,598

$216 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR INTERIOR FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,618

$218 / night

per person · incl. taxes

INTERIOR BELLA GUARANTEED

Cabin grade

Available

from $3,582

$298 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR INTERIOR FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $3,778

$314 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR INTERIOR FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $3,822

$318 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Oceanview

from $2,140

$178 / night

Fare rows

OCEAN VIEW BELLA GUARANTEED

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,140

$178 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW WITH OBSTRUCTED VIEW FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,170

$180 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,280

$190 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,300

$191 / night

per person · incl. taxes

OCEAN VIEW BELLA GUARANTEED

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,788

$232 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW WITH OBSTRUCTED VIEW FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,818

$234 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,928

$244 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $2,948

$245 / night

per person · incl. taxes

OCEAN VIEW BELLA GUARANTEED

Cabin grade

Available

from $4,170

$347 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW WITH OBSTRUCTED VIEW FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $4,236

$353 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $4,454

$371 / night

per person · incl. taxes

JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA

Cabin grade

Available

from $4,498

$374 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Balcony

Not available

Suite

from $3,290

$274 / night

Fare rows

DELUXE SUITE AUREA

Cabin grade

Available

from $3,290

$274 / night

per person · incl. taxes

DELUXE SUITE AUREA

Cabin grade

Available

from $3,938

$328 / night

per person · incl. taxes

DELUXE SUITE AUREA

Cabin grade

Available

from $6,482

$540 / night

per person · incl. taxes

Prices verified Jun 28, 2026

Prices come from third-party data feeds via MSC Cruises and may differ from the cruise line's current fare. Confirm the final price before booking. How our pricing works

Show all 13 cabin grades

Cabin grades and pricing
Name	Supplier code	Type
BALCONY BELLA GUARANTEED	BB	Balcony
JUNIOR BALCONY FANTASTICA	BM1	Balcony
INTERIOR BELLA GUARANTEED	IB	Inside
JUNIOR INTERIOR FANTASTICA	IM1	Inside
JUNIOR INTERIOR FANTASTICA	IM2	Inside
Inside	SPL	Inside
OCEAN VIEW BELLA GUARANTEED	OB	Oceanview
PREMIUM OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA	OL1	Oceanview
JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA	OM1	Oceanview
JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW FANTASTICA	OM2	Oceanview
JUNIOR OCEAN VIEW WITH OBSTRUCTED VIEW FANTASTICA	OO	Oceanview
DELUXE SUITE AUREA	SR1	Suite
JUNIOR SUITE AUREA	SR2	Suite