A cruise is a great way to enjoy the Mediterranean in summer. What could be more relaxing after some sightseeing than sitting on deck with a cool drink as you sail away to the next exciting destination? It certainly beats the bother of driving on a touring holiday, and gives so much more variety than staying put at a beach resort. Fly to join your ship and your sunshine holiday starts on day one. Island-hopping in Greece is easy and fun on a cruise, and it is the nimble smaller ships that are able to visit the biggest choice of ports. The stunning coastline at Kotor is among one of the stops during an Island-hopping cruise to Greece . Here are five of the best cruises this summer with interesting itineraries and on-board activities… . 1) During a ten-night round-trip from Istanbul aboard Azamara Journey (azamaraclubcruises.co.uk, 0844 493 4016), there are late stays in port, giving passengers the opportunity to dine ashore or take a stroll after dinner on lively Mykonos and in Chania, Crete. All guests are invited to an ‘AzAmazing Evening’ – a special choral performance in the magnificent baroque St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, built by the Knights of Malta. Sit back and enjoy the local cocktails on Mykonos while someone else do all the hard work for you... Departure is on August 6 and the cruise costs from £1,699pp (saving £676pp) if booked in March – you must quote ‘FREE AIR’. All fares include flights, drinks, gratuities and the AzAmazing Evening. 2) Sisters Helen and Lisa Tse, whose Sweet Mandarin restaurant in Manchester was declared the best local Chinese by Gordon Ramsay on his TV show The F Word, will be giving cookery demonstrations on a food-themed cruise aboard Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam. Ports of call include the islands of Lesbos, Kefalonia and Santorini, and an overnight stay in Istanbul (pictured) The 12-night Mediterranean Empires cruise (hollandamerica.co.uk, 0843 374 2300) departs Venice on June 9 and features excursions to food markets. Ports of call include the Greek islands of Lesbos, Kefalonia and Santorini, and an overnight stay in Istanbul. The cost is from £1,609pp including return flights to Venice. Book by March 15 and a third and fourth passenger sharing your cabin can sail for just £1 each. 3) An expert from the Royal Horticultural Society will be giving talks on board and guiding garden visits ashore on a two-week Impressions Of The Riviera cruise from Malaga to Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) aboard small ship Minerva. An expert from the Royal Horticultural Society will be giving talks on board and guiding garden visits ashore on a two-week Impressions Of The Riviera cruise from Malaga (pictured here) to Civitavecchia . Visits to the Huerto del Cura botanical garden in Elche, southern Spain, and Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild near Nice, with its Spanish and Japanese gardens, are included in the fare. The trip costs from £2,685pp, which also covers flights and gratuities, with Swan Hellenic (swanhellenic.com, 0844 273 3760). 4) The luxurious Crystal Serenity (crystalcruises.co.uk, 020 7399 7601) stays overnight in charming Sorrento on a seven-night voyage from Rome to Venice departing August 30. The Crystal Serenity stays overnight in charming Sorrento on a seven-night voyage from Rome to Venice . It also calls at Kotor in Montenegro and Rijeka in Croatia before docking overnight in Venice. The cost, from £2,384pp, includes drinks, gratuities and flights. 5) A three-day island-hopping cruise from Athens is a great chance to experience authentic Greek cuisine and traditional folk music and dancing aboard Celestyal Olympia. Santorini is one of the stunning calls on the thee-day island-hopping cruise aboard the Celestyal Olympia . The ship calls at Mykonos, Patmos, Crete and Santorini on cruises sailing for long weekends on July 17 and August 14. The cost, including easyJet flights and transfers, is from £759pp with Archers Holidays (archers direct.co.uk, 0800 223 0179).
Island-hopping in Greece is easy and fun on a cruise . Smaller, more nimble ships are able to visit the biggest choice of ports . Fly and join your ship and your ship and enjoy sunshine from the get-go . See our five best  cruises with interesting itineraries and on-board activities .