Pilgrimage Cruises

There are two shapes. On a ship-based itinerary the ship is the hotel for the whole sailing: you unpack once, and it moves overnight while the group sleeps. On a coach-and-cruise itinerary the group travels by motorcoach and stays in hotels for part of the trip, then boards for the nights on the water. The Greece and Turkey route is a coach pilgrimage through Corinth, Meteora and Thessaloniki with a three-night Aegean cruise inside it, and the Danube and Nile routes pair seven and four nights aboard with hotel nights ashore. The day-by-day itinerary on each route page shows where the group sleeps each night.

On a river ship the pilgrimage ties up in the middle of the towns it visits, so a morning ashore begins at the cathedral door rather than after an hour on a motorcoach. On a sea cruise the ports are the ancient harbours themselves, which is why the Aegean itinerary can follow St. Paul from Ephesus to Corinth in the order he sailed them.

Mass is celebrated daily, ashore wherever a church can receive the group and on board on the days at sea. On the days aboard the ship carries the luggage, so the walking each day is the walking you choose to do, which suits a parish group with a wide range of ages in it.

Cruise pilgrimages are quoted per cabin rather than per room, and the questions worth asking early are how many single cabins are held, what the ship charges in port fees and gratuities, and how far each shrine sits from the berth. Ask us and we will put the numbers beside the itinerary before anyone commits.

• The Douro , Porto and the terraced valley upstream, paired with Fátima before or after the sailing.
• The Seine , Paris, Rouen and the Normandy coast, with St. Thérèse at Lisieux within reach.
• Italy and Malta , The central Mediterranean by sea, from Rome and Sicily across to St. Paul’s shipwreck at Malta.

Tell us which one interests you and the dates you have in mind, and we will come back with a routing and a price. Ask about a cruise pilgrimage.

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

When is the best time to take a cruise pilgrimage?

River sailings run from spring to late autumn, with the Rhine and the Danube at their best in May, June and September. Mediterranean sailings run from April to October. Winter departures are rare because most river ships come off the water.

How physically demanding is a cruise pilgrimage?

Usually less than a coach pilgrimage. On the nights aboard the ship carries the luggage and there is no repacking, so the walking each day is the walking ashore. On a coach-and-cruise itinerary the hotel days are paced like any coach pilgrimage. Shore visits still involve cobbles, steps and some standing, and a few shrines sit above their towns.

What is generally not included?

Airfare unless it is quoted with the package, travel insurance, meals ashore that are not listed, drinks outside those included on board, and personal spending. Port charges and gratuities vary by ship, so ask for them in writing with the quote.

Are cabins shared, and what if I travel alone?

Cabins are quoted as doubles. A limited number of single cabins is usually available at a supplement, and they go first, so tell us early if anyone in the group needs one.

Can our priest celebrate Mass on board?

Yes. Mass is celebrated daily, ashore wherever a church can receive the group and in a room set aside on the ship on days at sea. Bring what the celebrant prefers to use; we arrange the rest with the ship.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

It depends on the ship. A river charter needs a larger group than a block of cabins on a sea cruise, and the smallest workable number changes with the season. Tell us roughly how many you expect and we will tell you what is possible.