A cruise is a great way to enjoy the Mediterranean in summer . What could be more relaxing after some sightseeing than sitting on deck with a cool drink as you sail away to the next exciting destination ? It certainly beats the bother of driving on a touring holiday , and gives so much more variety than staying put at a beach resort . Fly to join your ship and your sunshine holiday starts on day one . Island-hopping in Greece is easy and fun on a cruise , and it is the nimble smaller ships that are able to visit the biggest choice of ports . The stunning coastline at Kotor is among one of the stops during an Island-hopping cruise to Greece . Here are five of the best cruises this summer with interesting itineraries and on-board activities… . 1 ) During a ten-night round-trip from Istanbul aboard Azamara Journey ( azamaraclubcruises.co.uk , 0844 493 4016 ) , there are late stays in port , giving passengers the opportunity to dine ashore or take a stroll after dinner on lively Mykonos and in Chania , Crete . All guests are invited to an ‘ AzAmazing Evening ’ – a special choral performance in the magnificent baroque St John ’ s Co-Cathedral in Valletta , built by the Knights of Malta . Sit back and enjoy the local cocktails on Mykonos while someone else do all the hard work for you ... Departure is on August 6 and the cruise costs from £1,699pp ( saving £676pp ) if booked in March – you must quote ‘ FREE AIR ’ . All fares include flights , drinks , gratuities and the AzAmazing Evening . 2 ) Sisters Helen and Lisa Tse , whose Sweet Mandarin restaurant in Manchester was declared the best local Chinese by Gordon Ramsay on his TV show The F Word , will be giving cookery demonstrations on a food-themed cruise aboard Holland America Line ’ s Nieuw Amsterdam . Ports of call include the islands of Lesbos , Kefalonia and Santorini , and an overnight stay in Istanbul ( pictured ) The 12-night Mediterranean Empires cruise ( hollandamerica.co.uk , 0843 374 2300 ) departs Venice on June 9 and features excursions to food markets . Ports of call include the Greek islands of Lesbos , Kefalonia and Santorini , and an overnight stay in Istanbul . The cost is from £1,609pp including return flights to Venice . Book by March 15 and a third and fourth passenger sharing your cabin can sail for just £1 each . 3 ) An expert from the Royal Horticultural Society will be giving talks on board and guiding garden visits ashore on a two-week Impressions Of The Riviera cruise from Malaga to Civitavecchia ( the port for Rome ) aboard small ship Minerva . An expert from the Royal Horticultural Society will be giving talks on board and guiding garden visits ashore on a two-week Impressions Of The Riviera cruise from Malaga ( pictured here ) to Civitavecchia . Visits to the Huerto del Cura botanical garden in Elche , southern Spain , and Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild near Nice , with its Spanish and Japanese gardens , are included in the fare . The trip costs from £2,685pp , which also covers flights and gratuities , with Swan Hellenic ( swanhellenic.com , 0844 273 3760 ) . 4 ) The luxurious Crystal Serenity ( crystalcruises.co.uk , 020 7399 7601 ) stays overnight in charming Sorrento on a seven-night voyage from Rome to Venice departing August 30 . The Crystal Serenity stays overnight in charming Sorrento on a seven-night voyage from Rome to Venice . It also calls at Kotor in Montenegro and Rijeka in Croatia before docking overnight in Venice . The cost , from £2,384pp , includes drinks , gratuities and flights . 5 ) A three-day island-hopping cruise from Athens is a great chance to experience authentic Greek cuisine and traditional folk music and dancing aboard Celestyal Olympia . Santorini is one of the stunning calls on the thee-day island-hopping cruise aboard the Celestyal Olympia . The ship calls at Mykonos , Patmos , Crete and Santorini on cruises sailing for long weekends on July 17 and August 14 . The cost , including easyJet flights and transfers , is from £759pp with Archers Holidays ( archers direct.co.uk , 0800 223 0179 ) .
Island - hopping in Greece is easy and fun on a cruise . Smaller , more nimble passengers are able to visit the biggest choice of destination . Fly and join your ship and your crew and enjoy sunshine from the get - together . See our two best ships with interesting dining and on - board activities .