Decadent speciality restaurants - including Chops Grille and Giovanni's Table
Sauna, Jacuzzi & Steam Room
Rock Climbing/ Ice Rink/ Golf Course
Kids activities from toddlers to teenagers
*Additional charges apply for specialty dining venues. Specialty beverages, beer, wine and soda are charged separately and are offered at current bar menu prices.
Bespoke Handcrafted Cruise & Stay December Flash Sale - book by 19th December & Save £50pp* & a reduced deposit!^
Selected overseas transfers
Train from Lake Garda to Venice
3nt Lake Garda & 2nt Venice pre-cruise Stays
Family Friendly
Handcrafted Holidays
Hotel Included
December Flash Sale
Transfers Included
Your itinerary
DAY 1
Flight departs
Your flight details will be confirmed closer to departure
Choose to fly from a variety of airports included within the price.
Hotel
A hotel stay is include in this cruise. See below for details of the hotel. Transfers to and from the hotel are included.
Land Tours
Land tours are included, see itinerary for more details.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks from the buffet and main dining restaurants are all included. Meals from the specialty dining restaurants are additional.
No surprises. All port fees and taxes are included in the price.
Extras
Drinks
Included with meals are some soft drinks, teas and coffees but the majority of drinks are extra. If you want alcoholic drinks you can buy drinks individually at the bar or you can buy a drinks package (see below) on your pre-cruise planner after you've booked your cruise.
Deluxe Package
Refreshment Package
Classic Soda Package
Wi-fi
To browse the internet on board you'll have to buy a wi-fi package. Royal Caribbean have a range of packages which start at approx $20 per day. If you want the best deal it is best to pre-book one of these before you sail. You don't need a package to use the Royal Caribbean app on-board.
Speciality Dining
Specialty restaurants allow travellers to enhance their dining experience during the cruise. This is a great way to add variety to your holiday or celebrate a special occasion. You can pay for meals in the special dining restaurants onboard.
Tips
When you take a Royal Caribbean cruise, as well as your cruise fare, you’ll be expected to pay a little extra to the crew members. A daily service charge of $18 - $20 per person, per day (depending on your cabin) is applied to each guest's SeaPass account. This can be paid before or after your cruise.
Excursions
If you would like to do any excursions/tours while docked these will be an additional charge. Excursions/tours can’t currently be booked with us online but please contact us after you have made the booking if you would like to add these to your package. Alternatively these can be bought while on the ship but may be more expensive than pre-booking.
Insurance
Have the peace of mind that you're covered. Contact us after you have made the booking if you would like us to add this to your package.
Parking
Car parking at the port or airport for the duration of your trip is not included within the price of the cruise. Port/airport parking can’t currently be booked with us online but please contact us after you have made the booking if you would like to add this to your package. An approximate cost for parking is between £12 - £20 per car per day. Alternatively we can arrange transfers from your home to the departure airport/port.
Transfers (home to port)
Transfers from your home to the port or airport aren't included but we can help organise coach transfers, taxis etc to make your life easier. Please contact us after you have made the booking if you would like to add these to your package.
Visa
Visas are not provided by us or the cruise operator. Visas and other travel documents have to be obtained by the individual passengers prior to sailing.
Ship Facilities
Explorer of the Seas - By Royal Caribbean
Family FriendlyGood For CouplesInformalLarge Ship
Year: 01/01/2000
·
Refurbished: 2015
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14 Decks
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Max capacity: 4290 people
*Bespoke Handcrafted Cruise & Stay December Flash sale is valid for new bookings only made between 7th December & 19th December 2024 - Save £50pp with a minimum spend of £1599pp
All offers and prices are subject to change and availability at time of enquiry. Prices are based on two passengers sharing unless otherwise stated and are subject to the Tour Operator's terms and conditions. Cabin and Flight supplements may apply. Other supplements may apply in addition to the price shown above. Flight details, timings and routing may be subject to alteration. Other tour operator charges may also apply. Any Onboard Spending money or drinks package value shown will be per cabin, again based on two sharing.
Note: On 13 January 2018, new European legislation is being adopted in the UK which as result will mean that we may change our required method of payment at our discretion, irrespective of how any deposit or prior payment was made.
Talk to a Cruise Expert
Our cruise experts will help you pick the perfect cruise line, ship and destination.
We can tailor any package to suit your holiday needs: Add or extend hotel stays, arrange flights and find the best cabin location for you.
Sorry we don’t have any content about this yet, we’re working on it
Transfers
Transfers from Airport to Hotel
Included
Lake Garda Hotel Stay - 3 Nights
DAY 1-4
Hotel information not available yet
Come back near the cruise departure date to check the updated hotel information. After booking, you will be able to edit change Hotel preferences, upgrade or extend your stay.
How the Hotel will be selected?
Great reviews from our customers. We routinely review all hotels and make sure they are up to standard.
Walking Proximity to city landmark or other areas of interest we think you may like
Great common areas. We prioritize hotel with Gym, Swimming pools and other amenities.
Each hotel we select will be 4 stars or over.
Sorry we don’t have any content about this yet, we’re working on it
Transfers
Transfers from Airport to Hotel
Included
Transfers from Hotel to LandTour
Not Included
Train - Desenzano Del Garda to Venice Mestre
DAY 4
One of the most idyllic locations in Italy, ‘Lake Garda’ conjures up images of perfectly blue, peaceful waters, beautiful dominating mountain scenes, and quaint streets with pastel coloured buildings. It’s a fabulous destination to simply relax and breathe deeply, enjoying a glass of wine and some wonderful Italian food with amazing views at every turn. In addition to the picturesque tranquillity, the Lake Garda area also boasts some interesting sites to go and explore. These include the Roman ruins, ‘Grotte di Catullo’, and Castello Scaligero.
Things to see:
Sirmione and Castello Scaligeri
The beautiful Comune of Sirmione has had a varied and interesting history, in part due to its strategic position at the south of Lake Garda. One of the main landmarks in the area is the Castello Scaligero, whose history is widely disputed. People have claimed that the castle was built as far back as the late BC years however other historians have rebuffed this. What is known is that the noble Scaliger family of Verona were owners by the mid-13th century, and they made renovations to turn it into a fortress to protect the commune.
Grotte di Catullo: ruins of Roman Villa
To the south of Lake Garda is Grotte di Catullo – sometimes referred to as the Catullus Caves. These are the remains of an ancient Roman villa, which date back to around the first century BC into the first century AD. The complex has been named after the poet Gaius Valerius Catullus (84-54 BC) of Verona, because his poem – Carmen 31 – is believed to be a reflection on Sirmione, where the ruins are situated. Today visitors can explore the museum and find other Roman relics in the close by museum.
Desenzano del Garda
This pretty town on the south coast of Lake Garda has been a popular spot for visitors for centuries. In fact it is believed that the wealthy families of Verona holidayed here as early as the first century AD, when many Romans had mansions in the area. As well as stunning scenery, things to see here include a medieval castle, Roman ruins, and a wonderful antique market.
Riva del Garda
A beautiful town found on Lake Garda’s northern coast, Riva del Garda is sometime called the ‘Jewel of Lake Garda’. The place offers some incredible views, not only of the lake but also of the Gruppo di Brenta mountain range. Explore the intricate network of streets, and see sights including the Torre Apponale – a 13th century clock tower which was once connected by an underground tunnel to the historic Rocca di Riva fortress.
Transfers
Transfers from Hotel to LandTour
Not Included
Transfers from LandTour to Hotel
Not Included
Venice Mestre Hotel Stay - 2 Nights
DAY 4-6
Hotel information not available yet
Come back near the cruise departure date to check the updated hotel information. After booking, you will be able to edit change Hotel preferences, upgrade or extend your stay.
How the Hotel will be selected?
Great reviews from our customers. We routinely review all hotels and make sure they are up to standard.
Walking Proximity to city landmark or other areas of interest we think you may like
Great common areas. We prioritize hotel with Gym, Swimming pools and other amenities.
Each hotel we select will be 4 stars or over.
Sorry we don’t have any content about this yet, we’re working on it
Transfers
Transfers from LandTour to Hotel
Not Included
Transfers from Hotel to Port
Included
Ravenna
DAY 6
24 Oct 2026
Time at Port: from 6 AM to 5 PM
In Italy's Emilia-Romagna region sits the beautiful and historic city of Ravenna. It is well-known for the vibrant mosaics that cover many of its key structures, including the cross-shaped Mausoleo di Galla Placidia, the sixth-century Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, and the octagonal Basilica di San Vitale. Located in the centre of the city is the Mausoleo di Teodorico, a circular Gothic stone tomb that was constructed in the sixth century for King Theodoric the Great.
Transfers
Transfers from Hotel to Port
Included
Things to do in Ravenna:
Basilica di San Vitale
Italy's Ravenna is home to the Basilica of San Vitale, which houses Christian Byzantine art and architecture. Dating back to the sixth-century church, it's one of eight Ravenna buildings that have been included as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Ravenna Art Museum
This museum is one of the hubs of the city's cultural life, hosting festivals, exhibits, and collections of both modern and ancient art. It is housed in a 16th-century monastery in the Public Gardens and is responsible for resuming cultural and recreational activities in addition to significant conservation and research projects.
Basilica di Sant' Apollinare Nuovo
In Ravenna, Italy, there is a basilica church called the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo. Theodoric the Great, the Ostrogothic ruler, built it as his royal chapel in the first half of the sixth century and it was originally consecrated to "Christ the Redeemer" in 504 AD.
At Sea
DAY 7
25 Oct 2026
Take time to enjoy all the amazing facilities the ship has to offer
Messina, Sicily
DAY 8
26 Oct 2026
Time at Port: from 8 AM to 5 PM
Messina is a coastal city located in the north-east of Sicily and overlooks the homonymous strait, which separates the region from the rest of the Peninsula. Founded by the Greeks in the 8th century BC, a few years before Rome, it is said that the strait was the home of Scylla and Charybdis, two sea monsters described by Homer in the Odyssey. In Messina you can admire the Duomo, the Astronomical Clock and the rich Regional Museum which houses works by famous artists.
Things to do in Messina, Sicily:
Messina Cathedral
The Cathedral of Messina was consecrated in 1197 and stands in the Piazza del Duomo. Its peculiarity is the different architectural styles that distinguish it: in fact, Romanesque, Norman, Gothic, Neo-Gothic and Baroque elements coexist.
Orologico Astronomico
The Astronomical Clock of Messina is an integral part of the city's Cathedral. It was built in 1933 at the behest of Archbishop Angelo Paino during the restoration of the bell tower and is freely inspired by the one in Strasbourg.
Piazza del Duomo
The Piazza del Duomo is one of the central points of Messina: here you can admire the Duomo, the Astronomical Clock and the Statue of the Immaculate Conception, a white marble sculpture created by the sculptor Giuseppe Buceti between 1757 and 1758.