Princess has given Mediterranean fans a timely gift, refreshing the seven-day Western Mediterranean program on Sun Princess with new ports and a rare overnight that encourages slower, deeper exploring. It is the kind of tweak that changes the feel of a week, trading a quick pass for time to taste, stroll, and linger along Italy’s Ligurian coast and Spain’s island heartland.
From 4 April 2026 to 17 October 2027, Princess will run 16 enhanced seven-day Western Mediterranean cruises on Sun Princess. The update adds Mallorca and Corsica, plus an overnight stay in La Spezia for extended Ligurian and Cinque Terre access. Example experiences include Palma’s vintage train to Sóller, a 16th-century olive mill visit, a Rapallo foodie walk, and a pesto-making class in Portofino. Gibraltar is removed to accommodate the changes.
What Is Changing and Why It Matters
A small list of adjustments can reshape an entire week. Here, two island calls and a full night in La Spezia shift the itinerary from quick sampling to a richer immersion. That matters whether this is your first time in the region or your fifth, because the extra hours give you room to follow your interests without racing the clock.
The Western Med is famous for variety in a tight footprint. Adding time on the ground lets you thread that variety together. You will notice calmer mornings, easier choices, and a better balance between ship life and shoreside discovery.
From Day Calls to Deeper Stays
Overnights on week-long Med routes are uncommon, so staying in La Spezia after sunset feels special. You can watch the harbour settle, eat when locals eat, then wander back at your pace. In the morning, an early train or ferry puts you into the Cinque Terre before the day trippers descend, an easy trick that changes the mood completely. Two bites at the same place also suit independent travelers. Split your list across the afternoon and morning rather than cramming it all into one rush.
Routing Tweaks and the Gibraltar Trade Off
Removing Gibraltar makes space for the additions and pulls the loop firmly into the central Mediterranean. Shorter sea legs mean smoother mornings, steadier timing for shore excursions, and less time counting minutes back to the gangway.
If you favour culture, coastline, and kitchen over long transits, this is the right kind of trade. In practice, the map now reads as a story with three chapters, Balearic ease, Corsican character, and Ligurian charm, with time to enjoy the last after dark.
Who Benefits From the Refresh
First-timers get a forgiving introduction with gentle logistics. Families gain a night ashore that removes the rush to beat a last shuttle. Food lovers can schedule a proper dinner and a class without overlap. Active travellers can pair short village walks with coastal viewpoints and still keep afternoons light. This is flexibility without complexity, which is rare on a seven-day loop.
Ports and Signature Experiences
The enhanced itinerary threads experiences that feel hands-on and rooted to place. Each port has a headline and a quiet delight. Aim for one of each, and you will step back aboard feeling content rather than tired. A useful principle in the Med is rhythm over volume. See something well, then give yourself a pause before the next.
Mallorca, Tramuntana by Vintage Rail
Palma is more than its cathedral silhouette. The vintage train to Sóller climbs through the Serra de Tramuntana in wooden carriages that click and hum past citrus groves and olive terraces. It is transport that feels like an attraction in its own right.
In Sóller, the square is perfect for a pastry and a coffee before the short tram to Port de Sóller, where a harbour stroll resets your pace. If you want a tangible memory, visit a 16th-century olive mill. Tasting oil where it is pressed anchors the landscape to flavour, and you will read the countryside differently on the return ride.
Corsica, Citadels, Markets, and Sea Light
Corsica’s allure lies in granite ridges, pastel harbours, and living citadels. Whether you call at Ajaccio, Bastia, or another coastal town, the morning writes itself, a short uphill to a viewpoint, a meander along old streets, then a market picnic built from cheeses, charcuterie, and fruit. The island rewards an unhurried pace with small moments, a quiet chapel, a corner café, and a breeze off the water that makes you stay longer than planned. Treat this as your gentle day. Three stops, no more, and a promise to return.
La Spezia Overnight, Two Ways to Do Liguria
La Spezia unlocks Liguria on its own terms. On afternoon one, ease in with a Rapallo foodie walk, learning where to return for dinner and how locals talk about produce. On day two, take the early ferry or train to the Cinque Terre for a soft light start and space on the paths. Walk a single section between villages, then reward yourself with coffee and a quiet view.
Portofino is best with a single purpose. Book a pesto class and feel the basil bloom under the pestle. It is the kind of simple, sensory learning that becomes a long memory, and it travels home with you in every sauce you make.
How to Plan Your Week on Sun Princess
A good plan is not crowded, it is considered. On a seven-day Western Med route, alternate structured mornings with open afternoons, or flip it when heat and energy suggest. That way, you avoid the midweek dip and arrive at the overnight with enough sparkle to enjoy a late dinner ashore. Your ship is your reset. Use it between these richer ports so the next stop feels fresh.
Sea Day and Port Day Rhythm
If your sailing includes a sea day, think of it as an intermission. Sleep in, book a spa hour, swim, or find a quiet corner with a view. On port days, front-load the must-do, Sóller train, a citadel loop, or the pesto class, then leave the back half open for serendipity. You will remember how the day felt more than how much you ticked off. Anchors and white space, that is the formula.
Booking Shore Experiences Smartly
Popular sessions move quickly. Reserve the Sóller train time that fits your preferred return, secure the foodie walk that matches your appetite for pace, and confirm Cinque Terre transport early if you want the first ferry. Check again the day before, weather reshuffles can create last-minute openings that are worth grabbing. Carry one backup per port, a harbour cruise, a gallery, a short coastal path, so a change becomes a detour rather than a disappointment.
Choosing the Right Stateroom for the Route
Mediterranean weeks mix early starts with late evenings. If sunrise coffee matters, choose a balcony that likely faces the scenic side on sail-in days. Light sleepers should avoid decks under lively venues. Families often prefer staterooms near lifts to shorten the end of a long day. A calm, well-placed space lets you enjoy the La Spezia evening without watching the clock. Your consultant can map ship layout to habits so your stateroom supports the way you holiday.
Who Will Love These Itineraries
The refreshed Western Med is inclusive by design. It rewards curiosity over checklist energy, and it permits different travellers to enjoy the same places at their own pace. Think of it as a well-proportioned menu rather than a buffet. You do not need every course to leave satisfied.
First Timers and Families
First-timers get three distinct flavours with friendly logistics. Families gain time to breathe in the overnight, turning dinner ashore into a memory rather than a dash. Keep to one headline and one ritual each day, a beach gelato, a carousel ride, a twilight harbour loop, and the week will carry happy energy from port to port. If attention spans are a worry, the Sóller train solves it. The journey is the attraction.
Food Lovers and Culture Seekers
Food lovers can build a week around markets, mills, and classes, pesto in Portofino, olive oil in Mallorca, seafood in La Spezia, each paired with a short walk. Culture seekers will find small museums that fit neatly between viewpoints. With two Ligurian days, you can pair big scenery with a gallery hour and still get back for a late espresso. Book one tasting per port and leave space for a surprise. That is how days stay light.
Active Travellers
Coastal paths, citadel steps, and village lanes give you movement without committing to all-day hikes. In the Cinque Terre, choose a single leg and savour it, then ferry forward for a change of view. On Corsica, a viewpoint climb and a harbour loop will fill a morning nicely, leaving time for a swim or a café pause. Pack supportive shoes and keep your hands free. Light, ready, and comfortable is the way to go.
Before you choose dates, it helps to compare Western Med departures side by side. Our Cruise Finder lays out ships, routes, and seasonal windows so you can see which weeks include the La Spezia overnight and how port orders shift through the season.
If you already have a month in mind, use the filters to surface seven-day options that include Mallorca, Corsica, and the extended Ligurian call, then weigh sea day placement, show schedules, and your preferred dining times. You will quickly build a shortlist that suits couples, families, and friends travelling together.
Plan Your Mediterranean Sailing With S.W. Black Travel
If this refresh reads like your kind of week, we can help you time it right, compare sailings, and secure a stateroom near the view you want. We will map the Sóller train, pesto class slots, and Cinque Terre ferries to your pace so the La Spezia overnight feels unhurried and the island calls feel personal. When you are ready, talk to our cruise specialist for a tailored plan, and we will shape a Mediterranean itinerary that works for guests joining from Australia and travellers meeting the ship abroad.
Comments