Cruises

A cruise – yes, but which one?

I was sceptical for a long time: 4,000 people on one ship, buffet, entertainment programme. Then I learnt two things. First: river cruises are something else entirely – 150 guests, a new city right outside the door every day, no swell. For the Danube, the Rhine or the Nile it is the most comfortable way to travel I know. Second: at sea, the ship is what matters. The fleets of Mein Schiff, Costa and MSC all call at the same ports; the difference lies in the language on board, the food, the size and the price.

The best time for cruises from Europe is, of all seasons, winter: Canary Islands, Dubai and the Caribbean from November to March, the Mediterranean from April to October. Northern Europe and Norway in June and July.

How I book cruises

River cruises on the Danube and the Nile I book through TourRadar – the genuine reviews are right there, and the Nile cruises are among the most-booked trips of all. For ocean cruises I go straight to the cruise line: Mein Schiff for German-speaking ships with premium all-inclusive, Costa for Italian flair and the inexpensive Mediterranean. If you want to compare, look at Dreamlines or HolidayCheck, which show all the cruise lines side by side. Flight and hotel before sailing via Booking.com and, if the port is not in the city, a hire car from Discover Cars.

Doing it yourself here means: comparing the cruise lines’ own sites, using early-booking discounts (up to 30 % in January for the summer) and watching out for the “Bella Vita” and last-minute deals at Costa and MSC – from Genoa there are Mediterranean weeks for under 600 francs.

River cruises I recommend

Danube and Nile – the two rivers that have tempted me most. The Nile cruises are unbeatably cheap, because the flight to Cairo and the domestic flights are often included.

Danube from Bucharest to Vienna – MS Fidelio11 days · Crucemundo · full board · ★ 4.3 / 20 reviewsThrough the Iron Gates to Belgrade, Novi Sad, Budapest and Bratislava and on to Vienna – the whole lower Danube, excursions in the big cities included.from approx. CHF 2,200

Nile cruise with pyramids – 8 daysfrom Cairo · Beyond The Nile Tours · domestic flights included · ★ 4.7 / 1,707 reviewsPyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, then three nights on the Nile from Luxor to Aswan – the most-booked river cruise on TourRadar.from approx. CHF 700

Nile Jewel – 5-star Nile cruise + Hurghada9 days · from Cairo · Timeless Tours · ★ 4.6 / 1,116 reviewsNile cruise Aswan–Luxor on a 5-star ship, followed by three days on the Red Sea in Hurghada.from approx. CHF 600

Prices are indicative, converted from TourRadar prices (as of November 2026, per person in a double cabin, rate 1 US$ = 0.82 CHF); TourRadar shows the exact price when you click. Photos: operators via TourRadar. Affiliate links: if you book through one of these links I earn a small commission – the price stays the same for you, and sometimes you even get an extra discount.

Ocean cruises: my favourites by season

Winter, Canary Islands from Las Palmas or Tenerife: seven days, 20 degrees, Madeira and Lanzarote included – the classic starter package from Mein Schiff and Costa, often with a flight from Zurich.

Winter, Dubai and the Emirates: Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Doha in one week, 25 degrees, modern ships. Note: Costa and AIDA have cancelled the 2026/27 Gulf season because of the situation in the Middle East; whether MSC and Mein Schiff will sail is being decided at short notice. This winter the Canaries are the safe choice.

Spring and autumn, western Mediterranean from Genoa: Marseille, Barcelona, Palma, Rome – by train to Genoa, no flight, Costa’s home port. The cheapest option for a first try.

Summer, Norway and the North Cape: fjords, midnight sun, Lofoten – from Kiel or Hamburg with Mein Schiff, or the classic coastal mail-boat route with Hurtigruten.

The quickest way to compare all the offers is Dreamlines or HolidayCheck.

Cruises for autumn and winter 2026/27

Specific departures I would book now – prices per person as a guide (as of November 2026, inside cabin unless stated otherwise), up to date at the provider. All links open in a new window.

Canary Islands: 20 degrees in December

MSC Fantasia: Rome – Canary IslandsItaly, Canary Islands · 6 nights · 7–13 December 2026 · from CivitavecchiaBy train to Rome and from there out into the Atlantic: Gran Canaria, La Palma and Tenerife. An inexpensive start, no flight needed.from CHF 319 (inside cabin)

Mein Schiff Relax: Canary Islands with MoroccoCanary Islands, Morocco · 7 nights · 6–13 December 2026 · from/to Las PalmasThe newest ship in the fleet, premium all-inclusive (drinks, restaurants, gratuities). Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Agadir, Tenerife – 20 degrees in December.from approx. CHF 840 · with flight from approx. CHF 1,340

Mein Schiff 7: Canary Islands with Cape VerdeCanary Islands, Cape Verde · 7 nights · 3–10 December 2026 · from/to Las PalmasA little further out: Mindelo and Praia in Cape Verde, plus Tenerife and Lanzarote. If you already know the Canaries, take this route.from approx. CHF 1,020 · with flight from approx. CHF 1,510

Costa Smeralda: Canary Islands & MadeiraCanary Islands, Madeira · 8 days · winter 2026/27 · from TenerifeCosta is sending its flagship to the Canaries for the first time this winter: Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Madeira, with an overnight stay in Santa Cruz. Italian cuisine, wide choice of restaurants.Price at the provider

Mediterranean in late autumn: by train to the ship

MSC World Europa: western MediterraneanItaly, France, Spain · 6 nights · 8–14 November 2026 · from GenoaGenoa, Marseille, Barcelona, Rome, Messina on the largest ship in the fleet – by train to Genoa, no flight. Ideal for a first cruise.from CHF 339 (inside cabin)

MSC Magnifica: Genoa – Naples – Malta – BarcelonaItaly, Malta, Spain, France · 7 nights · 27 November – 4 December 2026 · from GenoaThe classic loop with Naples, Messina, Valletta, Barcelona and Marseille – pleasantly empty in late autumn, cities without the heat.from CHF 359 (inside cabin)

Costa Pacifica: Savona – Barcelona – Tunis – Palermo – RomeItaly, France, Spain, Tunisia · 7 nights · 15–22 November 2026 · from SavonaFrom Savona (two hours beyond Genoa) with Tunis as the exotic stop. Costa’s home port, get there by train from Zurich.from approx. CHF 460

Caribbean: sun guaranteed

MSC World America: Caribbean from MiamiUSA, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico · 7 nights · 28 November – 5 December 2026Miami, Puerto Plata, San Juan and MSC’s private island Ocean Cay on the newest ship in the fleet. Flight to Miami separate – in winter often from CHF 600.from CHF 410 (inside cabin, without flight)

MSC Meraviglia: eastern CaribbeanUSA, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, St. Kitts, Dominican Republic · 8 nights · 5–13 December 2026 · from MiamiSan Juan, St. Thomas, Basseterre and Amber Cove – the island route with more days ashore. Eight nights for the price of a week.from CHF 493 (inside cabin, without flight)

Mein Schiff 5: Caribbean island worldsDominican Republic, Lesser Antilles · 14 nights · 2–16 December 2026 · from La RomanaTwo weeks of island hopping from La Romana with a flight from Zurich and premium all-inclusive. The all-round carefree package for the winter.from approx. CHF 2,510 incl. flight