Rick Steves' Cruising the Mediterranean

I'm not looking for a shoulder to cry on or sympathy but I would like to share why I watch Rick Steves. I live in Alberta, Canada, I lost my job in 2015 from the oil and gas industry. I've lost everything I had, went bankrupt and have struggled tremendously to try and find a new livable job. Watching these videos takes my head off of reality. It makes me disappear on a vacation for an hour. It relaxes me and helps keep my mind from going insane. I've always enjoyed these shows and like seeing how the rest of the world lives. That said, thank you for making these videos. I will more than likely never get to do what you do or go where you go, so watching these programs fill a little void in my life. Again, thanks.

42 years ago I was the ship's photographer based in Sydney Australia, I traveled from UK via the Med, this video moved me to tears as I remember the best 9 months of my life in board my ship. Now disabled and with mobility issues I doubt this will ever happen again. Thank you.

38 countries around the world now and many with Rick Steve’s travel books in hand!! He made me the ultimate traveler, and I keep enjoying his videos over and over!

I have been retired happily in Portugal for eight years now, having been introduced to Portugal by Rick Steves way back in the nineties. Thank you, Rick Steves. It's sunny, and no chaos!

This man is a travel guru for the ages. One hundred years from now his videos will still be relevant. Thank you Rick Steves!

As with most of Rick's videos you're left with a bitter sweet feeling - enjoying the moment ,then wishing you were there yourself .Great way to travel .

Another great one, Rickie. After 25 years "travelling" with Rick Steeves, watching one of his videos feels like a visit with an old friend. Nobody does it like him. Surely his own personal calling. I've never had the money and now I lack the health to travel but Rick has taken me all over the world to enhance my life and fulfill my spirit for exploration. Thank you. Thank you. Laura-Lee

Nobody does it better than Rick Steves.

It's a masterpiece of filming! Nobody has ever explained cruising and how it works in this particular and detailed way.

I've been to many cruises and watched quite a few videos about them, but nothing compares to Rick's unique, classy, logically structured, immensely deep and informative presentations. You are still unsurpassed Rick, even in our times, when virtually anyone can grab a camera or smartphone and share his/her adventure story. It definitely helps to be a skilled PROFESSIONAL like you to stand far out of that crowd of amateurs. Keep doing the great job Rick to help, inspire, entertain and inform us for many years to come.

I worked in various shipboard positions as a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line officer for 14 years, and the last five were spent helping guests plan and book their next cruise vacations. Of course, most of the guests who came to me were so happy with their cruises that they wanted to book their next cruise immediately. I heard people talk over the pros and cons of cruising vs land-based vacations many times. The good things: they unpack once, meet others among the crew and guests, are transported in generally comfortable rooms, have numerous dining options, can either venture ashore independently or on group tours arranged onboard, and have wait staff and housekeepers who get to know them by name, have entertainment and water/athletic facilities onboard, have access to English-speaking medical professionals onboard, aren`t stuck in hotel room or rented flat in bad weather, and get a chance to sample some key ports or nearby sites so they can plan a land-based trip to explore preferred areas later. I also heard the cons from crew and guests ("pax", as we used to say): as ships grow, they seem to resemble an unpleasant mix of shopping mall/food court/entertainment-aqua park/ hotel that moves and dwarfs its destinations. With that growth in each ship, while the cruise lines can earn more for investors through economies of scale, it leaves many guests feeling that they are losing that intimate acquaintance with crew of the bygone smaller vessels. Lines form for more and more services or facilities. Guests get distracted by the crowds instead of the clouds and seas or views islands they are passing by. The quality of the food was lowered once the lines went on the NYSE, and investors had to be pleased with the financials. Following 9/11, the increased vigilance at gangways meant longer waits in line, and those guests who had rushed back to the ship, found themselves just wasting precious shore time in a security line. Since one of the most appealing features of cruising was getting a chance to meet crew from around the world, have them recognize you and greet you later in the cruise or even on a future cruise (and best, on a future cruise on a different ship), it made you feel so welcome and remembered. But that was when ships were on a more human scale, before profitability pushed more intimate hospitality to the back burner. The terms that had defined cruising for so long were shelved in favor of more shoreside-oriented hospitality outlets, so pursers became guest relations officers and passengers became guests. The uniforms changed so that crew were wearing more resort wear instead of maritime uniforms. Crew used to be able to take a week-long "work break" during their 6-month contracts, but that stopped. For crew who work 7 days a week, 10 hours a day, it is hard to maintain the standard of service and attention as the long contract ends, so such a break was a welcome refresher for those crew who wished to take advantage of it. But as it is no more, I wonder how they cope on increasingly larger ships with crew now numbering in excess of 2,000 for the largest ships. I have quite fond memories of my shipmates, some memorable passengers, and particular ports, itineraries and spots of weather, but I would choose a cruise ship very carefully nowadays, given the gimmicks built to attract the market segment we now see walking the decks. It was a different world in the 90`s at sea.

I thought that the pandemic would totally destroy the cruise industry, yet today a record number of cruise ships enter and depart ports all over the world. New ships were being built in the middle of the pandemic and today many of them cruise with a full load of passengers. Watching cruise videos is a favorite past time for me. Thank you, Rick, for sharing this adventure.

My favorite trip of my life time was a Rick Steves 21 days tour of western Europe! The six countries we visited took my breath away!😯

I've become obsessed with your videos. I'm a Brit currently teaching English in Italy. I think I've learnt more about Americans than I have about Europe watching your videos. All the sights.... it's great, but gaining an understanding of American attitudes and perceptions of Europe is far more interesting.

Praying for COVID Pandemic to disappear soon, with the help of our Lord, so people can go back to normal lives, bring back the excitement of Travel, Tours Industries, Cruising Business. Always amazing to explore the world, meet people, experience the culture, try something new... just enjoy, release the stress, food, etc. I worked in Luxury Cruise for 3 years and travelled 30+ countries both work and leisure, an unforgettable experience & the best. Thank you Rick for mentioning the life of hardworking Seafarers onboard who works 12+ hours to delivery quality services to passengers. God bless.

No words....cant express how good the whole tour was with Steve....

Hi Rick, i have been waiting for your posts after watching all your episodes in the past, am a paralytic patient, i could not dream of visiting all over the world to fullfill my dream of encircling the world, but in these difficult times, you videos come in as handy to virtually watch many parts of the world, no words to thank you si much, after watching this video, i am further assured of watching many other parts on other side of globe by virtually sitting at home without bothering t take strain and hardship to visit all those remote places from where i Live, India, hats off to you, may God give you long life to fullfill the dreams of persons like me,

I didn't realize how badly I wanted to see the Mediterranean until a few years ago. Sadly I probably will never get to. What a mistake not having this on my bucket list when I was younger..Thank you for taking me vicariously. What a trip.

Rick Steve is an outstanding, soothing travel itinerary ideal. He gives a lot of tips for the travelers of all pocket

Rick Steves, the man with the best job on the planet.