Astoria Grande Expands 2026 Sochi Cruises Beyond Black Sea
The former AIDAcara is scheduled for an October Sicily-focused cruise with an overnight Catania call before a November cruise pairing Egypt and Turkey.
Astoria Grande will add longer round-trip cruises from Sochi to Greece, Italy, Malta and Egypt in 2026, pushing the ship’s deployment beyond its Black Sea and Turkey program. The 1,186-passenger former AIDAcara is scheduled for a series of 10- and 14-night voyages between July and December, including an October debut in Italy and the Western Mediterranean.
Greek Islands program returns in July
Following an initial May sailing, Astoria Grande is due back in Southern Europe in July on a 10-night Greek Islands voyage. The itinerary combines Istanbul and Amasra with calls at Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini and Volos.
A late-August Greece sailing follows with the same port lineup except for Volos, which is replaced by an overnight stay in Kavala. A final 10-night Greece cruise is planned for early December, with Istanbul, Thessaloniki, Nafplio and Amasra on the schedule.
October sailings add Italy, Malta and the Western Mediterranean
Astoria Grande’s Italy program begins in October with two 14-night cruises. The first centers on Sicily with an overnight call at Catania, and also includes Istanbul, Mykonos, Katakolon, Valletta, Piraeus and Amasra.
The second October itinerary reaches farther west, adding Messina, Naples, Civitavecchia and Palermo. The same sailing also includes calls at Istanbul, Kavala, Piraeus, Zakynthos, Heraklion and Amasra.
In early November, the ship is scheduled for a cruise pairing Egypt and Turkey, with overnight stays in Istanbul and Alexandria. The voyage also calls at Marmaris, Alanya, Izmir and Amasra.
Black Sea and Turkey sailings remain in the mix
The broadened deployment does not replace Astoria Grande’s 2026 Black Sea schedule. The ship will continue offering Black Sea cruises and Turkey sailings that include scenic cruising at Mount Athos in Greece.
Astoria Grande is listed at 38,557 gt and 193 meters long, with 11 decks, 590 cabins and a crew of 360. Kvaerner Masa-Yards built the ship in Turku, Finland, in 1996. It currently sails under the Palau flag.
Miray Cruises also plans a separate Black Sea program this year aboard Gemini, with seven-night cruises scheduled from July through September.
