The Balmoral sailed from Southampton on Sept. 30, 2026, to kick off Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ 71-night “Exploration of the Mediterranean” voyage.

Combining a series of individual cruises, the itinerary will sail to a series of destinations in Southern Europe, North Africa and the Atlantic Islands.

Highlights of the sailing include overnight calls in key destinations, such as Alicante in Spain, Kotor in Montenegro, Heraklion in Greece, Istanbul in Turkey and Funchal in Madeira.

Passengers will also take advantage of extra time in other Greek ports, with two-day calls planned for Piraeus and Thessaloniki.

The itinerary visits off-the-beaten-path destinations, including Melilla in Spain, Propiano in Corsica, Mytilene in Greece, Trapani in Italy and Marmaris in Turkey.

The 43,537-ton ship will also sail to the Atlantic Islands as part of the cruise, including Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Arrecife de Lanzarote and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

While Malta will be visited twice during the cruise, 39 individual destinations will welcome the Balmoral before its return to Southampton, which is scheduled for December 10, 2026.

Guests are also able to join the 1988-built ship for eight segments of the sailing, with itineraries ranging from eight to 11 nights in length.

The individual voyages sail from ports in the United Kingdom, Spain, Malta, Greece and Cyprus, including Southampton, Alicante, Valletta, Heraklion, Limassol, Piraeus and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The Balmoral resumes its regular schedule of no-fly cruises from Southampton in December, offering roundtrip itineraries to Northern Europe and the Canaries.

As part of its winter schedule, the 1,340-passenger ship will continue to sail from the English port through late April.

In 2027, the vessel is also set to offer itineraries to the Mediterranean and the Canaries departing from Piraeus, Alicante and Málaga.

Currently the smallest ship in Fred. Olsen’s fleet, the Balmoral underwent a series of upgraded during a drydock in England in late 2024.