Are you seeking a 2022 or 2023 upscale European cruising experience? Interested in knowing what your best bets are for Spain luxury cruising in 2022 /2023? As a complete vacation or complementing your land tour, the Iberian Peninsula gets a strong nod by travelers for its location.
Simply put, it’s far from the current conflict on the continent’s eastern front. Home to Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar (U.K.), the peninsula is separated from France by the towering Pyrenees. It is just five miles across the sea from exotic North Africa. Today we’ll share a beautiful sampling of oceangoing upscale cruise lines that call on Iberian Peninsula ports. Read on to learn more about what’s new and what’s now.
Reimagined Ships and Iberian Itineraries
Oceania: Ultra Premium
As part of the OceaniaNEXT program, Oceania Cruises plans to do a bow-to-stern update for its 1,210-passenger vessels, Riviera and Marina, in December 2022 and November 2023, respectively. You’ll enjoy lighter, brighter and more spacious accommodations. Suites and staterooms will receive new bespoke furnishings, exotic stone, polished wood finishes, Italian marble, new bathrooms with oversized showers, designer accessories and convenient techie device plug-ins.
Public areas also become transformed with a new color palette, refreshed fabrics, designer furnishings and new lighting fixtures. The Grand Bar will be restyled and the Grand Dining Room will gain soft leather armchairs and new carpeting. Plus, you’ll enjoy new alfresco dining options including a new Trattoria for wood-fired pizzas, Italian specialties, salads and desserts.
Oceania Voyages
Both ships’ first post-revision voyage will touch the Iberian Peninsula. Riviera offers a 16-day “Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Caribbean” cruise from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, to Miami, FL, on December 7, 2022. During a port call at Barcelona, Spain, we love Oceania’s half-day excursion “Wellness — Born to Yoga in the Bohemian Quarter”. Guests will walk through Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, practice yoga in a serene studio operated by German model Veronica Blume and stop for photos of Barcelona at a Montjuic hilltop lookout. This cruise also calls at Gibraltar (U.K.), Spain’s Canary Islands and other ports.
On November 13, 2023, the reimagined Marina will debut on a shorter, yet more Iberian intensive “Rhythms of Spain and Portugal” itinerary from Barcelona to Lisbon, Portugal. During this week-long voyage, port calls will include Cartagena, Malaga, and Cadiz, Spain, plus Casablanca, Morocco, and Gibraltar. The ship will also overnight in Lisbon.
In Cartagena, Spain, Oceania offers the half-day “Roman Cartagena” excursion for history buffs. During this in-depth experience, cruisers will tour the second century B.C. Roman theater (rediscovered in 1988) with seating for 6,000, explore the House of Fortune, which is a recreated Roman home, and view Roman artifacts and mosaics at Cartagena’s Municipal Archaeological Museum.
Regent Seven Seas: Ultra Luxury
Oceania’s sister line, ultra-luxury Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers an interesting, 10-night “Idyllic Iberia” sailing this year. It offers some of the best luxury cruising in Spain in 2022. From Barcelona to Bilbao, Spain it departs on June 6, 2022. The 680-passenger Seven Seas Voyager will sail into Palma de Mallorca in Spain’s Balearic Islands and four mainland Spanish ports. Additionally Cartagena, Malaga, Cadiz (for Seville) and Gijon — as well as Portimao and Lisbon, Portugal are included. Similar itineraries are available for 2023.
Another Iberian option? Cruise from Southampton, U.K., to Barcelona (Tarragona) with a fabulous set of ports in between. Regent’s “Joyous European Journey” itinerary departs September 24, 2023. Are you a port collector? You’ll appreciate the 732-passenger Regent Seven Seas Splendor’s call at La Coruna, a lesser-visited, northwestern Spanish port. In addition, there are calls at Bilbao, Motril (for Granada) and Alicante; Leixoes (Porto) and Lisbon (overnight), Portugal; Palma de Mallorca; Gibraltar and such other ports as Bordeaux (overnight), France.
Wonderful Excursions
Continually optimizing its offerings, in 2022 Regent Seven Seas introduces specialty shore excursions, including architectural design tours. A “Behind the Design — La Coruna Highlights” tour gives you commentary by an architectural historian about two ultramodern structures. First, visit Domus, the seaside science museum. Its futuristic façade resembles a full sail. And the back of the museum is jagged in design, akin to a rocky shoreline. Next, head to “The City of Culture of Galicia. A cultural complex in Santiago de Compostela with design contours that appear to be part of the rolling countryside.
Add Lagniappe: Make the Voyage Uniquely Yours
For the ultimate in Spain touring, Luxury Travel Authority suggests completing your journey in Iberia by adding Regent’s five-day “Journey to the Heart of Spain” at the end of your cruise. This escorted tour includes an English-speaking destination expert, breakfasts, lunches some days, luggage handling at hotels and more. Firstly, you’ll explore Barcelona’s Poblet Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the medieval village of Montblanc and Zaragoza, the province’s capital. A one-night stay at the Hotel Alfonso Zaragoza (or similar) finishes your day.
Next, on day two, you tour Zaragoza’s Old Town and the ancient town of Medinaceli. Then move on to Madrid to check into the Melia Madrid Princesa (or similar) for three nights. Visit Toledo on day three, another UNESCO World Heritage site. The city’s Gothic cathedral is home to two El Greco paintings. Don’t miss them! On day four you’ll tour Segovia and visit the 16th-century Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.
Designed by Miami’s Studio DADO, the new 750-passenger Regent Seven Seas Grandeur, debuts November 2023. It sails a 14-night Mediterranean cruise roundtrip from Barcelona on April 24, 2024. Spanish ports are Valencia and the Balearic Islands. Plus cruisers can include other Iberian cities and towns with a pre-or post-cruise stay. They also offer the new “Behind the Design” architect-led tour option in Valencia this year.
Silversea: Ultra-Luxury
Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises christened its third Muse-class ship recently, the new 596-passenger Silver Dawn, in Lisbon, Portugal. Most notably, the ship debuted Silversea’s new, Roman-inspired Otium spa. Imagine the indulgent decadence the ancient Romans experienced when lounging around their villas. With staff always nearby to ensure their expectations are exceeded. The spa offers many new spa treatments. Including four new 100-minute treatments. Why not have some champagne on ice and a few sweet treats in the Relaxation Room?
More Pampering
A nifty Otium off-shoot extends the extreme pampering concept to several new suite services. If you plan a movie night or social get-together in your suite, you can order truffle-flavored popcorn or “comfort foods” from a new menu. Or, while relaxing on your private balcony, ask your butler for new Otium-focused services such as a blanket and hot chocolate in cool weather or, alternatively, suntan lotion and a cool drink on a hot day. Think of it as upscaling the already upscaled. Sounds like a rich experience, yes? One of the best new additions to Spain luxury cruising in 2022.
Looking for an exciting culinary experience? Silver Dawn is now the second Silversea ship (first was Silver Moon) to offer new S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) programming. More Bourdain than Michelin in style, this new culinary program dives deeply into dishes and drinks popular with “the locals”. While onboard, S.A.L.T. Bar and S.A.L.T. Kitchen offer cocktails and dinner. The program also extends to S.A.L.T. Lab culinary classes and time ashore on S.A.L.T. Excursions.
Story-Worthy Itineraries
What’s more, if you’re looking for a very rich set of Iberian Peninsula port calls, Silver Dawn’s April 4, 2023 departure from Lisbon to Civitavecchia (Rome)may fit the bill. Go ashore in Cadiz (for Seville), Malaga, Valencia and Barcelona, Spain. The 12-day itinerary also calls at Palma de Majorca in Spain’s Balearic Islands; Tangier, Morocco; Portofino, Italy; Monte Carlo, Monaco; and Marseilles, France. A lovely itinerary, without a doubt.
You also have Silver Dawn cruising a 12-day itinerary with port calls in northern Portugal and Spain. Departing May 5, 2023 from Lisbon, she sails to Southampton, U.K. Ports include Leixoes (Porto), Portugal; La Coruna, Vigo, and Bilbao, Spain. In addition, there are three French ports and Guernsey in the U.K.’s Channel Islands.
While in Porto, one perfect-fit option for wine lovers is Silversea’s “Douro Valley Wine Tour”. Following a one-hour drive to Amarante, an enclave for artists and writers over the years, you’ll will take a guided walking tour, cross the old Roman Bridge and view historic churches and rustic merchant shops. Then, enjoy a drive through the vineyard-laden Douro Valley to the Quinta do Crasto Estate. The highlight will be a delicious, three-course lunch paired with five wines, served within the estate’s family dining room. These experiences are some of the best in luxury cruising in Spain during the 2022 & 2023 cruise seasons.
Seabourn: Ultra-Luxury
Clearly a Luxury Travel Authority favorite, ultra-luxury Seabourn will also explore the Iberian Peninsula. On October 9, 2022, the 458-passenger Seabourn Sojourn departs on a 14-day “Iberian Autumn” sailing between Barcelona and Lisbon.
The ship calls in Valencia on the Spanish mainland; Palma de Majorca and Mahon, Menorca, Balearic Islands; three ports in France; return visits for more time in both Barcelona and Valencia; followed by calls in Cartagena, Malaga and Leixoes (Porto). It also calls at Gibraltar, where guests can go ashore to the top of “The Rock” and have stellar views of the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa beyond. Further, after visiting these amazing ports, you return back to your unpretentiously luxurious ship, sip some champagne and have a little caviar.
Tours as Unique as You Are
Of course, Seabourn has many special opportunities. As the official cruise partner of UNESCO World Heritage, they offer “Splendor of Porto: A UNESCO Partner Tour.” You will walk historic Porto, visit the Palacio da Bolsa or Stock Exchange. See the Gothic Sao Francisco Church, glittering with an elaborate, gilded, carved wooden interior. Then, be transported across the river to Gaia for a port wine cellar tasting, followed by a panoramic city tour.
When booking through Luxury Travel Authority, you can choose the private car and driver as your included Virtuoso Voyages perk. And Porto has many savory Michelin-star restaurants. Luxury Travel Authority recently experienced the one-Michelin-star Cantinho do Avillez, a casual, urban bistro in Porto. This is Chef José Avillez’s first culinary venture beyond Lisbon. What you’ll find is delish fresh and local seafood, along with contemporary versions of Portuguese favorites. We highly recommend and can secure your reservations, as part of your custom journey with us to the Iberian Peninsula.
Short on Time?
For a shorter getaway in the fall, be enticed by Seabourn’s seven-night “Iberian Gems” voyage on October 16, 2022. After traveling from Barcelona to Lisbon, Seabourn Sojourn calls at Valencia, Cartagena, Malaga, Gibraltar, UK, and Leixoes (Porto). While Malaga is a gateway for a trip to Granada and its magnificent Alhambra Palace, for those who’ve “been there, done that,” we think “The Very Best of Cordoba: A UNESCO Partner Tour” is a winner.
Visit Cordoba’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Three of Cordoba’s Roman city gates still survive today. The city’s glory period is reflected in its structures built after the eighth century A.D. and during the Moorish conquest. The Moors built palaces and public buildings to rival those in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), Damascus in Syria and Baghdad, Iraq. In the 13th century, Cordoba’s Great Mosque became a cathedral and new defensive structures were erected. As part of this excursion, you’ll see many historic sites. Take a guided walking tour through the Jewish Quarter’s narrow-and-winding streets. And maybe enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Seabourn offers some of the best 2022 Spain luxury cruising options if you can’t get away for too long.
Azamara: Ultra-Premuim
Azamara, a destination-focused premium cruise line operates a 10-night “Wine and Culture” voyage between Southampton, U.K. and Lisbon, Portugal. Leaving August 30, 2022, the 704-passenger Azamara Quest calls in France before visiting Bilbao, Gijon, La Coruna, Leixoes (Porto) and Lisbon. A post-cruise stay is always recommended, if time is available to our travelers, to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of Lisbon.
One fun Azamara shore excursion in Porto is the three-hour “Porto by Tuk Tuk” tour to the São Bento Train Station, famous for its interior blue-and-white tiles, and the 12th-century Cathedral of Porto. In Lisbon, you might opt for the “Walk Through Lisbon with Wine Tasting” excursion. Take a narrated walk along old Lisbon’s cobbled streets before stopping for wine tasting at one of the pretty squares.
Do you seek the ultimate in Iberian Peninsula journeys? Azamara’s 13-night “Spain Intensive Voyage” from Bordeaux (overnight), France to Barcelona may be right for you. Departing September 17, 2022, the 702-passenger Azamara Pursuit stops in a generous seven ports while in Spain. Travel to Bilbao, La Coruna, Vigo, Malaga, Cartagena, Valencia and stay overnight in Seville. This ship is small enough to sail directly to Seville, while larger ships must use Cadiz and transport guests via motorcoach to Seville. Rounding out the itinerary is Lisbon and Gibraltar.
In Cartagena, equine fans should check out Azamara’s three-hour shore excursion, “The Beauty and Grace of the Andalusian Horse.” You’ll get an up-close look at Spain’s famous dancing horses during a visit to a local ranch where they’re bred and trained. In Valencia, there is a four-hour “Silk Exchange: UNESCO World Heritage” shore excursion. Enjoy Valencia’s silk museum, a Valencian silk shop, the Central Market and the 1492-era Valencia Silk Exchange, a superb example – perhaps the best – of Gothic civil architecture.
Explora Journeys: Ultra-Luxury
Explora Journeys is a new luxury concept, owned by MSC Group. It will sail its 11-night “Inaugural Journey into History” voyage from Barcelona to Piraeus (Athens), Greece on May 31, 2023. Explora I, the first of four ships planned by the luxury brand, calls in France, Italy, Turkey and Greece. Discover the new vessel’s sizable interior space. Boasting 461 all-oceanfront accommodations with a minimum of 377 square feet, they are comfortably sized. In addition, Explora I capitalizes on outdoor deck space.
Perhaps you’re looking for an even longer inaugural voyage? Then try the 25-night “Inaugural Grand Journey into History” sails on the same date. Roundtrip from Barcelona, you’ll visit the same countries mentioned above with additional port visits in Turkey, the Greek Isles, Malta and Ibiza.
For a larger selection of Iberian destinations, try Explora I’s sailing from Piraeus (Athens) to Lisbon, Portugal, sailing June 17, 2023. This 15-night “Extended Idylls of Southern Spain and Portugal” features calls at Barcelona, Malaga, Cadiz (for Seville), Ibiza and Portimao, prior to the Lisbon arrival. Equally impressive is a shorter version of that journey. The seven-night “Moorish Gems of Andalusia, the Algarve and Lisbon,” starts in Barcelona on June 25, 2023, and finishes in Lisbon.
Viking Ocean: Ultra- Premium
Similarly, Viking (the ocean cruise division) offers an eight-day “Iberian Explorer” voyage aboard the 930- Viking Venus, sailing from Barcelona to Tilbury (London), U.K., departing January 12, 2023. Along the way, you go ashore in Spain at Cartagena (Murcia); Malaga, the gateway to magnificent Granada or coastal boutique shopping; and Vigo along northwestern Spain’s Atlantic coast.
Like to add whimsy and fun to your trips? “Vigo by Segway,” lets you zoom through the city via a two-wheeled electric Segway. In contrast, if your thing is food and wine, check out the “Galician Roots and Wine Tasting” tour. Featuring samplings of wines at a local winery and sightseeing in the Galician region. Another tasty choice is the “Rias Baixas Tapas Workshop,” where you learn to make regional tapas. Viking includes four guided tours in this itinerary’s cruise fare, a unique offering in the premium cruise line category.
You’ll also find the series of “Trade Routes of the Middle Ages” voyages between Bergen, Norway and Barcelona. A seemingly strange route, you sail either the 930-passenger Viking Jupiter or sisters Viking Venus, Viking Mars or Viking Neptune. What’s super cool is these 15-day voyages offer you both a northern European/Scandinavia perspective and a totally different experience within the sun-drenched Iberian region.
Conversely, the southbound departure starts with a shipboard stay overnight in Bergen, Norway. A European hidden gem we love sharing. Then you spend a day at sea before landing in Amsterdam; Zeebrugge (Bruges) Belgium; Le Havre (for Paris), France; Portsmouth and Falmouth, U.K. Cruise the Atlantic one more day, then go ashore at Leixoes (Porto). Enjoy another sea day before porting in Malaga (for Granada), Murcia (Cartagena) and Barcelona (overnight). Viking’s luxury cruising experience offers some of the best in Spain during 2022.
Upscale and Premium
Firstly, this article focuses on ultra-premium to ultra-luxe cruises. However, if that’s not for you, know that you can still enjoy Spain and Portugal in style. Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Celebrity Cruises all have a presence in Spain in 2022/2023. And the Disney Dream will begin sailing the area in 2023. For multigenerational family cruising, Royal Caribbean International’s 2,191-passenger Jewel of the Seas is one upscale ship calling in the area. It sails from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on September 9, 2022, ending in Barcelona. Ports include a Belgium port; Vigo, Malaga and Valencia, Spain; and Madeira (Funchal), Portugal.
Specialty: Ultra-Premium to Ultra-Luxury +
Enjoy small-ship sailing with a focus on finding the most interesting destinations? If so, then you’re bound to love this category of boutique and expedition-type cruise ships. Likely you haven’t heard of many of these. Think unique itineraries with calls even in the smaller, more difficult-to-access ports around the Iberian Peninsula.
Scenic
In 2023, Scenic’s luxurious, 228-passenger Scenic Eclipse sails an “Incredible Iberian Discovery” itinerary between Lisbon and Barcelona; departing April 13, May 29 and September 30. This Discovery yacht is also small enough to sail directly into Seville (rather than dock at Cadiz, as bigger ships must). Scenic Eclipse also calls at Portimao, Portugal; Puerto Banús, Malaga and Cartagena, Spain; and Spain’s Balearic Islands. One complimentary evening Scenic Enrich guest experience offered is an equestrian flamenco show with dancing and the Andalusian School Spanish horses.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Club
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection debuts its first unbelievable superyacht in 2022, the 298-passenger Evrima. They recently also announced they are building two, slightly larger new-build superyachts, Ilma and Luminara, expected to sail in 2024 and 2025. Evrima’s seven-night “Barcelona to Lisbon” voyage will call at Valencia, Malaga and Alicante, Spain as well as Tangier, Morocco and Lisbon (overnight).
Also, if you add the preceding voyage from Nice, France to Barcelona, Spain, on October 22, 2022, you can go ashore at the less-visited Roses, Spain. There, we highly suggest trying a tasty local lunch ashore – the “suquet de peix,” a potato-based Catalan fish stew. Pair it with an Empordà wine and you’re living local!
Windstar
Boutique line, Windstar Cruises’ recently updated 312-passenger Star Pride, sails a 10-day “Souks & Sherries: Iberia and Morocco” voyage from Barcelona to Lisbon on June 17, 2022. Calls include Cartagena, Malaga and Cadiz, Spain, as well as Portimao, Portugal, and Gibraltar, U.K. In Portimao, if you opt for the four-and-a-half-hour “Portimao, Wine Tasting & Charming Silves” tour you’ll visit Quinta dos Vales for a winery tour and tasting before touring Silves, a former provincial Moorish capital.
Ponant
Sail small-ship luxury brand Ponant on an 11-night “Fortified Cities of the Atlantic and the Iberian Peninsula” cruise from Honfleur, France to Lisbon, Portugal on September 20, 2023. The 184-passenger Le Champlain’s itinerary includes calls in Bilbao, Vigo and Leixoes (Porto). Bilbao, an avant-garde city with incredible architecture is nestled within the Spanish Basque country. Further, you can take a cable car ride to the city’s Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum, or explore the old city’s narrow streets, Ensanche district and Vizcaya bridge, the world’s first transporter bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Atlas Ocean Voyages
New to the Iberia cruising scene, luxe-adventure cruising can be had on Atlas Ocean Voyages’ 196-passenger World Navigator. It sails a seven-night voyage from Barcelona to Malaga, Spain on October 1, 2023. Calls include Valencia, Alicante and Almeria (Granada) in Spain, plus Melilla, a Spanish port in North Africa. Often overlooked within Andalusia, Almeria is a gateway to Granada’s Alhambra and also Cabo de Gata National Park’s sand dunes, cacti and mountains. Moreover, northwest of Almería is Desierto Tabernas, Europe’s only desert. It was the movie set for the Sergio Leone “spaghetti western” flics starring Clint Eastwood.
SeaDream Yacht Club
Little-known SeaDream Yacht Club’s 112-passenger SeaDream I sails a seven-day “Spanish Riviera Revealed” itinerary from Barcelona to Malaga on November 5, 2023. The intriguing itinerary includes calls at Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Almeria and Cadiz, plus Ceuta, a North African Spanish port and Tangier, Morocco. In fact, it even gets better. SeaDream I emerges this month from a multimillion-dollar drydock update. This is a designated “Wine Voyage” so as SeaDream guests you also enjoy exclusive wine tastings and a special Winemaker’s Dinner paired with top cuvées from the visiting winemaker.
Hapag-Lloyd
15-days and three Iberian port calls, ultra-luxe Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ 230-passenger, expeditionary Hanseatic Inspiration departs from Hamburg, Germany to Tenerife, Canary Islands on October 7, 2022. Calls include La Coruna, Leixoes (Porto), Portimao and Funchal/Madeira, Portugal.
Making A Good Cruise Choice
Did you enjoy this overview of the best of luxury cruising through Spain and the Iberian Peninsula 2022/2023? There are so many lovely cruise lines and sailings. In addition, you have exciting and culturally unique places and things to experience in this safe and beautiful part of the Mediterranean. The best of which is unknown to the general public.
You can cruise only and be very fulfilled, going to multiple ports of call and getting to know an entire region in a short period of time. Or, with a bit more time, you can extend some time on land. Immerse yourself in the local customs, sights, sounds and tastes for a few days.
Thus, either way, you have a win-win in our book. We can certainly provide you with a few more win-wins. First – explore to your heart’s content. Learn more about each of these cruise lines and search itineraries on our Virtuoso cruise page: CLICK HERE Next, take advantage of a fun, complimentary discovery chat. Tell us all about where you’d like your next trip to take you. Our goal is to listen first, then present you with a wonderful VIP experience and valuable amenities, keeping your lifestyle and wishlist in mind. It’s your trip as you’ve never imagined it! Want to know more about how our 6 continents of know-how can help make your trip planning experience enjoyable and exciting again? We’d be delighted to show you how!
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