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Treasures of the Mediterranean - Northbound 2018 tour

Treasures of the Mediterranean - Northbound 2018

Tauck
By Tauck
4.2 . Great
80%
Travel Style: Array Relaxed
Physical Level: All or most of day hiking or biking, hills included. Moderate
Lodging Level: 3 to 4 star western hotel equivalents. While not all lodging will be 'luxury' they will be quite comfortable by western standards. Comfort (4*)
11 days
From: $ 7,690 $ 699 / day
Checking price

Overview

Highlights (Bullets)

  • Cruise the Mediterranean on your private sailing yacht
  • ports include Napoleon's island of exile Elba plus 5 other islands
  • with a two-night land stay in Monte-Carlo and one night on Malta

Short Description

Sail aboard Le Ponant on Tauck's popular Mediterranean cruise - a weeklong voyage to Corsica, Sicily, Malta and the Amalfi Coast, plus the islands of Lipari, Ponza, and Stromboli - and take in the Côte d'Azur, Provence and Monte-Carlo on a two-night land stay.

Style Small ship cruise
See all the highlights and popular spots on a classic tour.
Itinerary Focus Classic Highlights
3 to 4 star western hotel equivalents. While not all lodging will be 'luxury' they will be quite comfortable by western standards.
Lodging Level Comfort (4*)
Flight & Transport Inclusions N/A
Start City Valletta, Malta
End City Monte Carlo, Monaco

Destinations

Italy France Monaco Malta

Attractions & Cities Visited

Amalfi Coast Elba Ponza Sicily Valletta

Activities & Interests

Culture

N/A
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Itinerary

Day 1 Exclusive evening at a palazzo in Malta

Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Phoenicia Hotel Malta. A transfer is included from Malta International Airport to the Phoenicia Hotel Malta. Rich in historic treasures, Valletta was founded by the Knights of St. John in the 16th century. Join us tonight for a Tauck Exclusive welcome reception and dinner at Palazzo Parisio; originally the hunting lodge of Grand Master Don Antonio Manoel de Vihena who ruled the Order of the Knights of Malta between 1722 and 1736. The property was lived in by noble families for centuries and is still owned by the great-granddaughter of the Marquis Scicluna, who owned the palazzo at the end of the 19th century.

MEALS : D

LODGING : Hotel Phoenicia

PORTOFCALL : Valletta, Malta

Day 2 A day in Malta then embark your yacht

A guided tour of Malta includes the medieval walled city of Mdina, perched atop a cliff, and a drive around St. Julian's Bay, a favorite setting for the colorful Maltese boats that are often photographed here for worldwide enjoyment. Return to Valletta for a walking tour and The Malta Experience, an audio-visual show that tells the dramatic story of Malta's 7,000-year history; Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a virtual open-air museum of Baroque architecture. Visit the splendid St. John's Co-Cathedral to see its silver and gold-leafed interior and rare art treasures, including the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist by Italian painter Caravaggio. Le Ponant awaits in the Grand Harbour; set sail for Sicily tonight.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Aboard Le Ponant

PORTOFCALL : Valletta, Malta

Day 3 Cliff-top Taormina or Mount Etna on Sicily

Go ashore at Giardini-Naxos and transfer ashore by Zodiac for a choice of sightseeing excursion. First possibility is a visit to Taormina, a terraced town clinging to high cliffs on the east coast of Sicily with Mt. Etna towering in the distance sightseeing. A guided tour takes you to Teatro Greco, featuring both Greek and Roman elements, and for a stroll along the Corso Umberto, Old Town, Taormina's main pedestrian street lined with cafés and pasticcerie. Or, join us for a visit to Mount Etna, the largest volcano in Europe - and still very active. Travel by cable car up its slopes and board a special off-road vehicle, accompanied by local guides, for the ascent to one of the world's most stunning panoramas 9,514 ft. (2900 meters) above sea level. View Mount Etna's varied landscapes up close and gain insights into volcanic activity. Everyone enjoys some afternoon free time in Taormina before Le Ponant departs for Siracusa.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Aboard Le Ponant

PORTOFCALL : Taormina, Sicily

Day 4 Lipari by day and a night sail by fiery Stromboli

The largest of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari sits on red volcanic rock and looks like "a wall of bronze" according to the Greek poet Homer. Archaeological remains found have yielded clues to civilizations which date to 1700 BC, including the Neolithic stones that sit alongside ancient tombstones, and ruins of Greek walls and Roman villas. The Spaniards found their way here in the 16th century, building the castello (castle) and the 17th-century cathedral that is perched above the harbor. Lipari is the largest of the Aeolian Islands, noted for its colorful houses, 17th-century cathedral and 16th-century castle. You have a choice of two sightseeing excursions today - a walking tour of Lipari plus a visit to the Archaeological Museum or a drive across the island and a visit to the village of Quattropani and its unique vineyard. Back aboard ship, experience a different view of these volcanic islands when you sail by the island of Stromboli tonight, home to one of the world's few constantly active volcanoes - it has continuously erupted for 2,000 years. The view is unforgettable.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Aboard Le Ponant

PORTOFCALL : Lipari, Sicily

Day 5 The spectacular Amalfi Coast & Ravello or Positano

Le Ponant calls on mainland Italy and the picturesque town of Amalfi. You can explore Amalfi today on a guided that includes a drive along the dramatic Amalfi Coast, one of the most spectacular drives in the world. Arrive in stunning Ravello, perched on cliffs overlooking the sea, for a visit to Villa Rufolo. This beautifully restored castle boasts amazing architectural, a history rich with cultural legacies, and outstanding coastal views; enjoy a wonderful lunch of seasonal specialties in Ravello. Or, if you wish, go on a guided walk in picturesque Amalfi followed by a drive along the Amalfi Coast to Positano, a stunning cliffside town that has been a magnet for the world's jetsetters - writers, painters, film stars, royalty, fashion designers - for centuries. Your walk ends with a return to Amalfi by motorboat where you'll get a different perspective on this fabulous coastline. Everyone who has traveled ashore returns to Le Ponant late afternoon; spend the evening as you please aboard ship.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Aboard Le Ponant

PORTOFCALL : Amalfi Coast, Italy

Day 6 Island of Ponza and cruising the Mediterranean

Ponza is fringed with dramatic coves and cliffs lined with yellow and pink houses. Fishing boats set out from the 18th-century harbor and vineyards cover the hillsides for a quintessential snapshot of daily life here. Enjoy time at leisure to explore the sights as you please.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Aboard Le Ponant

PORTOFCALL : Ponza, Italy

Day 7 Corsica's hidden harbor of Bonifacio

Sail into the nearly hidden Corsican port of Bonifacio with a deep, narrow harbor sitting at the base of sheer limestone cliffs - a highlight of most Mediterranean cruises. Your entrance into the harbor aboard Le Ponant will be remembered forever... keep your camera at the ready! The fortified 12th-century town is built on the top of the cliffs with great views of the sea. You have a choice of exploring today; take Le Petit Train for a ride to the town's walled fortress area where you'll explore medieval lanes, stroll along the bluff above the harbor, and see the former barracks of the French Foreign Legion. Or, board a local boat for a cruise along the coast of Bonifacio for a visit to the Lavezzi Islands and a beach visit. Make an afternoon return to Le Ponant, and set sail once again, bound for Ponza.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Aboard Le Ponant

PORTOFCALL : Bonifacio, Corsica

Day 8 Explore Napoleon's Elba

Le Ponant in the Mediterranean cruises to the island of Elba and the secluded harbor of Portoferraio. Today you'll learn about the isolated life of Napoleon Bonaparte on Elba, who spent a brief exile here in 1814 prior to his daring escape. You'll have two choices of sightseeing - visit Villa San Martino, where he lived for a time; spend some free time in Porto Azzurro; and go to a wine tasting at a family-owned Elba winery before reboarding the ship. Alternatively, take a walking tour of Portoferraio and the Teatro dei Vigilanti. Return to the ship mid-afternoon; say farewell to Le Ponant this evening at a reception and dinner.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Aboard Le Ponant

PORTOFCALL : Elba, Italy

Day 9 Disembark in Nice and on to Monte-Carlo

Disembark Le Ponant in Nice, France, for a brief sightseeing tour and time to explore on your own. Next, travel to the medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence for a walking tour that introduces centuries of history, chronicled in the architectural treasures that are found along its cobblestone streets; visit the grave of artist Marc Chagall, a picture of serenity overlooking panoramic views of the countryside. Continue on to Monte-Carlo, arriving in Monaco in mid-afternoon; join us for a visit to the palace and gardens, schedule permitting. Your hotel is located in the heart of glittering Monte-Carlo, close to the famed waterfront casino.

MEALS : B

LODGING : Fairmont Monte Carlo

PORTOFCALL : Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France

Day 10 A Monte-Carlo farewell

See more of Monte-Carlo today, visiting the royal palace and gardens in Monaco-Ville or spending time exploring as you please. Join us this evening at the hotel for a farewell cocktail reception and dinner to toast warm memories of a fabulous Mediterranean cruise!

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Fairmont Monte Carlo

PORTOFCALL : Monte Carlo, Monaco

Day 11 Journey home

Tour ends: Nice. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Fairmont Monte Carlo to the Cote d'Azur Airport in Nice. Allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Monte Carlo, Monaco

Availability

Checking price
Price From $ 7,690
Price Per Day: $ 699 per day
Checking price

25 Tauck Travel Reviews & Ratings

80%
4.2 out of 5 (100+ reviews)
Excellent 16
Great 4
Average 0
Disappointing 4
Terrible 1
Value
4.1
Guide
4.3
Activities
4.3
Lodging
4.5
Transportation
4.6
Meals
4.2

Treasures of the Mediterranean - Northbound 2018

Pay for a 4 star trip and get 2 star food

2.0
Details
Value1.0
Guide5.0
Activities4.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals1.0
My husband and I took the Treasures of the Mediterranean tour two weeks ago. The food off the ship was very good. The food on the ship was subpar (2 stars out of 4 stars). We ended up ordering French Fries at the beginning of each meal so we would at least have something to eat. I called Tauck and voiced my concerns. They offered us a $250 voucher each for another trip. I hardly think the food portion on the yacht was $250. Why would I go on another Tauck trip when my first one, which was our retirement celebration due to the poor food. The majority of the people on the trip were dissatisfied with the food and their reviews reflected it.
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Company Reviews

Nine Tours and Done

2.0
Details
Value1.0
Guide1.0
Activities3.0
Lodging3.0
Transportation4.0
Meals2.0
Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done on the cheap by Tauck, yet cost me thousands of dollars extra as a solo traveler on a special small-group tour.



5-star hotels switched to 3 and 4 (without any compensation or explanation)… many more meals “on your own”… lots of “self-guided” tours of museums and chateaux and castles we knew nothing about… airline quality “rubber chicken” dinners, not in hotel restaurants, but in sad and isolated business convention spaces… poorly-trained newer Tour Directors (like the one on this tour) with limited experience traveling outside her tiny Canadian village or dealing with people from diverse backgrounds.

She even confessed that this was a second gig job that took her away from her own business back home! You get what Tauck pays for, but unfortunately, not what YOU pay for. 

Speaking to a “Guest Relations” agent was comically pointless. She tried to make everything my fault, which I now understand is par for the course with the “new” post-Covid Tauck. Please reconsider spending huge amounts of your hard-earned money on a tour company that has lost its way and no longer delivers.
Read more

Skip this cruise - not worth it

2.0
Details
Value2.0
Guide4.0
Activities1.0
Lodging4.0
Transportation4.0
Meals1.0
My husband and I went on the Treasures of the Mediterranean Isles Trip jn October 2022. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the level of food and serive on Ponnant ships has dropped alot. The food was, at best, cafeteria food at a bad high school. My husband ate salad and cheese and crackers
For dinner every night because the entrees were terrible. You could be the first person at breakfast and everything on the buffet was cold, nothing was hot. there warming trays had tea light candles underneath them.
Wine served at dinner was low quality whicj says something since it was French wine. Tours were poorly
Planned, guides were ok at best. There is no time to shop or eat on land 9 times out 10. We were in Sicily but never got a chance to eat Sicilian food. So disappointed in this ver expensive cruise. The land portions in Malta and Marseiile were better but the tours in Malta were short, limited and subpar. This was our 8th Tauck trip and we have since cancelled our next three. We are not paying Tauck prices for mediocre experiences.
Read more

Tauck/Aon terrible travel insurance

1.0
Details
Value1.0
Guide1.0
Activities1.0
Lodging1.0
Transportation1.0
Meals1.0
Tauck partners with Aon for travel insurance. We bought this insurance through Tauck specifically to cover us in case of a positive for test for Covid and could not go on the cruise. Three days before the trip, one of us tested positive with very mild symptoms. We contacted Tauck and they agreed to refund 1/2 of the tour cost and the insurance would pay for the other half. When we called the insurance they said they required a PCF test. The test was taken and came back positive. Two months later they denied the claim because we didn’t go to a doctor. That was not necessary or practical. We had proof of Covid. Tauck is not willing to help. This was the insurance they recommended and sold to customers. We have now read many reviews of terrible service from Aon. Why is Tauck a partner to this company and not willing to help their clients? BEWARE. Terrible customer service.
Read more

Nice trip but not if you are a loyal Tauck Customer like myself

2.0
Details
Value2.0
Guide2.0
Activities4.0
Lodging2.0
Transportation5.0
Meals2.0
This was my 16th Tauck Tour. I was assigned a room with a "mountain" view only to be obstructed by lawn chairs, pool covers, large plants and buildings. It was a 1st floor room. I complained to tour director who said everyone got the same (NOT TRUE). I called Tauck 800 number on Sept 3 to request a call back from Customer Service. It took them until September 8 for a call back. The person on the phone was rude, non caring and (I'm paraphrasing) and told me just because you have taken 16 tours doesn't mean you deserve a better view that a first time customer. He went on to imply Tauck doesn't respect loyalty and wants to impress first time travelers. I ended the call and wrote an email to a good person at Tauck who was very helpful in the and requested this go to the top. I included pictures of my view and one dead fly because there were flies in the room and I guess Tauck thinks that makes the room special? I'm not done with them yet. Consider my treatment by this Customer Care agent before spending the big bucks to travel with Tauck.
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Great if you like 5-star hotels and lots of food

4.0
Details
Value3.0
Guide3.0
Activities3.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
The tour covered most of Switzerland, with one day in Italy, which could have been eliminated. If you want to see the country from a bus or train, and you desire luxury hotels and gourmet food, then this is the tour for you. If you want to have a closer connection to the local people, and walk a bit in the mountains, or even hear the cowbells up close, then don't take this trip. While the trip was nice, I felt a disconnect from the local people and the country itself. We were always separated in a private train car, or on a private tour. I came home not really knowing what it's like to live there, other than it's very expensive.
Read more

Details

Ship Name

LE PONANT

Ship Stats

  • Built: 1991
  • Renovated: 2004
  • Length: 290 ft.
  • Draft: 13 ft.
  • Beam: 39 ft.
  • Tonnage: 850 tons
  • Cruising Speed: 14 knots
  • Air Conditioned: Yes
  • Elevator: No
  • Number of Guests: 60
  • Crew Members: 30
  • Registry: France
  • Crew Nationality: International
  • Internet: Send / Receive

Ship Description

LE PONANT

Le Ponant, a three-masted schooner, cruises to small islands, hidden harbors and exclusive ports of call in the Mediterranean with only 60 guests aboard; she is stylish, friendly and relaxed. You’ll feel as though you are cruising with family – the Captain and the crew create a comfortable environment where guests easily interact with everyone aboard. Le Ponant was specially designed for worldwide cruising to remote destinations that are accessible only by small ships – specifically, destinations in the Mediterranean that big ships can’t reach. Coastal navigation and “island hopping” are easily accomplished, and the image of several dramatic harbor entries will last a lifetime!

Deck & Cabin Plans

LE PONANT

Group Size

Standard Group - 25 + people

Trip ID#:

tauck-WMN2018

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