Getting ashore
Palermo is usually a dock stop.
Most ships dock at Palermo, which usually makes the day simpler: walk off the ship, meet your tour, and get back on board without tender queues.
Italy
Cruises from Palermo
Palermo is a major embarkation gateway with substantial cruise traffic, including larger resort-style ships, and departures throughout the year, but concentrated in March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.
Usually docks
Often busy
Cruises start or end here
Larger ships
What to expect in Palermo
How much time will you have?
About 8h 30m is typical
Most cruises spend 8h 30m to 9h in Palermo, which makes it a solid port day compared with many stops.
How busy does Palermo get?
Some dates are noticeably busier than others.
Multiple ships are in port on roughly 25% of days, so the exact date can change the port experience considerably.
- Typical day: ~21,750 passengers
- Busy day: 45,700+ passengers
- Multiple ships on 25% of days
When to cruise from Palermo
Cruises depart throughout the year, with the busiest season from March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Departures
8
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Price/night
$103
$104
$120
$157
$146
$163
$179
$201
$172
$149
$106
$127
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Cheapest
↑
Priciest
Check your date
November 2026
Jump
Better value
Pricier
Sailings
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
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Where Palermo fits into a cruise
Cruises from Palermo most commonly head into Western Mediterranean itineraries, often starting with Civitavecchia (Rome) and Valletta .
Commonly arrives from
Palermo
Commonly continues to
Who sails here?
Ships visiting Palermo typically carry around 4,134 guests, with Costa Toscana, MSC Seaview, and MSC Virtuosa calling most often.
Most frequently visiting ships
- 1 Costa Toscana 218 calls
- 2 MSC Seaview 186 calls
- 3 MSC Virtuosa 138 calls
- 4 MSC Musica 136 calls
- 5 MSC Euribia 123 calls
- 6 Costa Pacifica 58 calls
Next port calls
Nov 2 MSC Seaview
Nov 4 MSC Euribia
Nov 5 MSC Splendida · Costa Smeralda · Seven Seas Navigator
Nov 6 Costa Pacifica
Nov 9 MSC Seaview
Best current deals from Palermo
These departures currently offer some of the best prices for comparable sailings.
Cruise routes from Palermo
Western Mediterranean
Civitavecchia → Palermo → Ibiza + 2 more
From Genoa · 7 nights · Next Apr 19
From $796 interior · $114/night
Best departure: 7% below typical
26 upcoming departures · 1 ship
Western Mediterranean
Naples → Palermo → La Goulette + 2 more
From Genoa · 7 nights · Next Nov 4
From $581 interior · $83/night
Best departure: 6% below typical
22 upcoming departures · 1 ship
Western Mediterranean
La Goulette → Palermo → Naples + 2 more
From Barcelona · 7 nights · Next Apr 23
From $863 interior · $123/night
Best departure: 6% below typical
28 upcoming departures · 1 ship
Western Mediterranean
Genoa → Naples → Palermo + 2 more
From Marseille · 7 nights · Next Apr 1
From $1,040 interior · $149/night
Best departure: 5% below typical
29 upcoming departures · 1 ship
Western Mediterranean
Civitavecchia → Palermo → Ibiza + 2 more
From Genoa · 7 nights · Next Nov 2
From $596 interior · $85/night
Best departure: typical pricing
1 upcoming departure · 1 ship
Western Mediterranean
Valletta → Barcelona → Marseille + 2 more
7 nights · Next Nov 5
From $702 oceanview · $100/night
Best departure: typical pricing
1 upcoming departure · 1 ship
FAQ about cruises from Palermo
What is the cheapest month to cruise from Palermo?
January currently has the lowest median nightly fares from Palermo.
When do cruises from Palermo usually get expensive?
August is currently the priciest month for upcoming departures from Palermo.
What itineraries are most common from Palermo?
The most common upcoming itinerary families from Palermo include Western Mediterranean Circuit: Civitavecchia, Palermo & Ibiza, Western Mediterranean Circuit from Genoa: Naples, Palermo & La Goulette Nord, and Western Mediterranean Circuit: La Goulette Nord, Palermo & Marseille.
How far in advance should I book a cruise from Palermo?
Start tracking cruises from Palermo early, then book when a sailing moves below its typical range or hits a new recent low.
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Get alerted when fares drop on cruises from Palermo, then come back to the calendar and deal cards when the numbers move in your favor.