A mini-cruise generally lasts 2 to 5 days. Departing French ports, the simplest options are the Mediterranean mini-cruises from Marseille, offered by MSC Cruises (2 to 5 nights) and Costa Cruises (3 to 5 days), and CroisiEurope’s 2-day river cruise weekends on the Seine, the Rhine, the Rhône or the Gironde.
The format appeals for two reasons: it fits into a long weekend, and it lets you test cruising before committing to a week. But a mini-cruise is not simply a shorter classic cruise: the pace is tighter, there are fewer stops and some costs weigh proportionally more. Here are the concrete options, with examples noted on the cruise lines’ websites.
Key facts
- Length: 2 to 5 days depending on the line
- At sea from France: Marseille, to Genoa, Savona, Barcelona or Rome (Civitavecchia)
- On rivers: 2-day weekends leaving Paris, Strasbourg, Lyon or Bordeaux
- Prices noted on 5 October 2026: from about €260 to €315 per person for a river weekend; from about €280 per person for 4 days at sea with Costa, before the onboard stay package (euros, as shown on the French sites)
- To budget on top: onboard stay package or service charges, drinks, excursions, travel to the port
What is a mini-cruise?
There is no official definition. Costa speaks of mini-cruises « of 3 to 5 days », MSC of « 2 to 5 nights », and CroisiEurope sells 2-day weekends. In practice, a mini-cruise is anything under a week, generally with two or three stops at sea, or a single stop on a river.
The principle is the same as for any cruise: you sleep on board, full board is included, and the ship takes you from one port to the next overnight. On a mini-cruise, the first and last days are partly taken up by embarkation and disembarkation: on 4 days, you often have just 2 full days.
Where to take a mini-cruise from France
| Option | Length | Departure | Example itineraries | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSC Cruises (sea) | 2 to 5 nights | Marseille | Getaways to Genoa, Barcelona or Rome | msccroisieres.fr |
| Costa Cruises (sea) | 3 to 5 days | Marseille | Marseille – Savona – Barcelona – Marseille (4 days) | costacroisieres.fr |
| CroisiEurope (river) | 2 days | Paris, Strasbourg, Lyon, Bordeaux | Paris – Poissy – Paris; Lyon – Vienne – Lyon; Strasbourg – Breisach | croisieurope.com |
A Mediterranean mini-cruise with MSC
From Marseille, MSC Cruises offers mini-cruises of 2 to 5 nights « for a getaway to Genoa, Barcelona or Rome », in addition to its 7-night cruises. Its dedicated page presents the format as a way to discover several countries in a short time and to try life on board, or even a higher-end cabin for a few days. The price shown includes the cruise, an inside cabin on the basic fare, full board, port taxes and the mandatory hotel service charges. It does not include transport to the port, drinks packages or excursions. See also our MSC Cruises page.
A Mediterranean mini-cruise with Costa
Costa Cruises presents its mini-cruises as stays of 3 to 5 days with full board, shows, pools and a kids’ club. Example noted on 5 October 2026: 4 days aboard the Costa Fascinosa, leaving Marseille on Sunday 11 October 2026 at 5:30 p.m., a stop at Savona (8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.), then Barcelona (2 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.), back in Marseille on Wednesday 14 at 9 a.m. The price shown started at €279 per person in a double cabin. On top of that comes a mandatory stay package of €11 per night per adult (€5.50 per child), prepaid or charged on board. On the other October dates, the same itinerary was shown between €399 and €469 per person. More details on our Costa Cruises page.
A weekend river cruise with CroisiEurope
CroisiEurope runs 2-day « festive weekends » on the Seine, the Rhine, the Rhône and the Gironde, built around musical themes (the 80s, the 90s…). Departures are in November, December and March. Prices noted on 5 October 2026:
- Rhône: Lyon – Vienne – Lyon, from €260 per person
- Rhine: Strasbourg – Breisach or Schoenau – Strasbourg, from €269 per person
- Seine: Paris – Poissy – Paris, from €275 per person (€295 for the 90s theme)
- Gironde: Bordeaux – Blaye or Bourg – Cussac-Fort-Médoc – Bordeaux, from €315 per person
The atmosphere is nothing like a big cruise ship: the boat is small, the themed evening is the heart of the trip, and the whole trip stays in France. Check the entry requirements for France for your nationality before you book (see our France guide).
And abroad?
Some lines design entire ships for short stays. According to Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Utopia of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships in the world, does not offer week-long cruises but 3- or 4-day stays. Depending on where you live, getting to its departure port may add a long-haul flight, which changes the budget completely. To learn more about these giants, see our page on cruise ships.
Mini-cruises: advantages and limits
| Advantages | Limits |
|---|---|
| Fits into a long weekend | One or two days lost to embarkation and disembarkation |
| Lets you try cruising, a ship or a line | Short stops: sometimes only a few hours |
| Contained total budget | Fixed costs (travel, parking, stay package) weigh more relative to the length |
| Cabin and full board included in the headline price | Few date choices at some times of the year |
The Costa example illustrates the question of port stops: at Barcelona, the ship arrived at 2 p.m. and left at 7:30 p.m. Five and a half hours is enough for a first taste of the city, not for an in-depth visit. If one stop matters a lot to you, check its times before you book.
Mini-cruise budget: what to plan for
The headline price covers the cabin and full board. To estimate the real cost, add:
- The stay package or service charges: included in the price with MSC according to its fare conditions; extra with Costa (€11 per night per adult).
- Drinks: depending on the line and the fare chosen, they are extra or offered as a package; check what your offer includes.
- Excursions: optional; on a short stop, exploring on foot on your own is often enough.
- Travel to the port: in Marseille, parking at the MPCT terminal was shown at €15 per 24 hours on 5 October 2026.
- Cancellation insurance: optional, to compare with any cover your bank card offers.
To cut the bill, see our tips for a budget cruise.
Tips for a successful mini-cruise
- Get to the port early, or even the day before if you are coming from far away: on 3 nights, missing the embarkation costs you the whole cruise. Our guide to cruises from Marseille covers access to the terminal and parking.
- Travel light: a cabin-size suitcase is often enough, and makes the last morning’s disembarkation easier.
- Prepare your documents: for a cruise to Italy and Spain, check the entry requirements for each country for your nationality; the cruise line states what it requires.
- Choose your priorities on board: shows, specialty restaurants, spa… In 3 days, you will not do everything.
- Compare dates: on the same Costa itinerary, the October 2026 departures were shown from €279 to €469 per person depending on the date.
If you enjoy the experience, our guide to choosing a cruise will help you plan a longer trip, in the Mediterranean or elsewhere.
Also read: the Bahamas cruise, with its 3- or 4-night packages from Miami, and our comparison of cruise lines.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a mini-cruise?
Generally 2 to 5 days. MSC Cruises offers mini-cruises of 2 to 5 nights, Costa Cruises of 3 to 5 days, and CroisiEurope 2-day river weekends.
Which mini-cruise from Marseille?
MSC and Costa offer Mediterranean mini-cruises from Marseille. Example noted with Costa: Marseille – Savona – Barcelona – Marseille in 4 days. MSC cites getaways to Genoa, Barcelona or Rome.
How much does a mini-cruise cost?
On 5 October 2026, CroisiEurope river weekends started at about €260 to €315 per person, and a 4-day Costa mini-cruise from about €280 per person, before the stay package of €11 per night per adult. Prices vary greatly with the dates.
Does a mini-cruise let you test cruising?
Yes, it is one of its attractions, highlighted by MSC Cruises itself. Bear in mind that the pace is tighter than on a week-long cruise, with sometimes short stops.
Do you need a passport for a mini-cruise?
It depends on your nationality and on the countries the cruise calls at. Check the entry requirements for each country on your itinerary (see our country guides) and what the cruise line requires, which may be more.
What are the drawbacks of a mini-cruise?
One or two days taken up by embarkation and disembarkation, stops that are sometimes only a few hours (5 h 30 at Barcelona in the Costa example noted) and fixed costs (travel, parking, stay package) that weigh more relative to the length.
Our sources
- MSC Cruises (msccroisieres.fr): « Mini-cruises » and « Cruises from Marseille » pages, consulted on 5 October 2026
- Costa Cruises (costacroisieres.fr): « Mini Cruises » page and the sheet for the cruise of 11 October 2026 from Marseille, consulted on 5 October 2026
- CroisiEurope (croisieurope.com): « Festive weekends by cruise » page, consulted on 5 October 2026
- Chantiers de l’Atlantique (chantiers-atlantique.com): reference sheet for RCI’s Utopia of the Seas
- Marseille Provence Cruise Terminal (croisiere-mpct.com): Parking page
- Our methodology
Updated October 2026.