There are plenty of big cruise ships that will take you to top Mediterranean destinations but smaller vessels are offering new options to visit more intimate islands. Star Clippers has added seven new ports to its summer 2026 schedule, giving cruise passengers access to sites that cruise ships rarely visit. The brand operates tall ships complete with sails, dedicated to the clipper ships that once dominated the seas.
Rather than holding thousands of passengers, its fleet transports a couple of hundred, providing a small ship experience and giving access to smaller islands that larger ships can’t reach. Star Flyer , which has capacity for up to 166 passengers and 74 crew, will visit the ancient city of Ouranoupolis in the Greek Halkidiki region during a Greek islands sailing in June 2026. Passengers can explore an abandoned 12th-century monastery and the ruins of the Agios Nikolaos church.
A seven-night sailing on Star Flyer departing from Athens throughout summer 2026 starts at £1,683 per person. Meanwhile Royal Clipper , which caters for 227 guests, will visit Pesaro in Italy as a tender port in September 2026, giving cruisers the opportunity for day trips to San Marino – one of the smallest countries in the world – as well as the Unesco-recognised town of Urbino. Other new ports include Šibenik in Croatia, Gythio in Greece and Crotone, Monopoli and Barletta in Italy.
Prices for a three-night cruise on Royal Clipper departing from Rome on 9 September 2026 start from.