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Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is set to be the film of the summer and a cruise can be a great way to experience the stories behind it.
Rather than using studio sets or CGI, Nolan filmed across a variety of European and north African locations that bring Homer's legendary tale to life on screen.
Will Sarson, product director at tour operator Riviera Travel, says audiences are now looking beyond the big screen and towards the places associated with the historical tale.
Many of the locations thought to feature in the story and used in the film are small ports or islands in Greece, Sicily, Malta, Morocco, Iceland and Scotland that can be best reached on smaller cruise ships.
Edwina Lonsdale, managing director of travel agent Mundy Cruising, said: "Small ships offer an entirely different way to experience these places.
“From sailing into the beautiful harbour of Pylos to cruising among Sicily's volcanic islands or exploring Malta's dramatic coastline, guests can enjoy the same landscapes that appear in the film while travelling in exceptional comfort.”
Here are some of the best cruises selected by tour operators that not only visit the filming locations but also immerse guests in the history, mythology and spectacular scenery of The Odyssey.
Read more: The best cruise deals for 2026
The best cruises to follow The Odyssey
1. Star Flyer: Greece, Sicily and Malta
Athens (Piraeus) – Nafplio – Monemvasia – Pylos – Syracuse – Taormina – Gozo – Valletta
Star Flyer provides a sense of traditional cruising (Star Flyer)
Sailing on a four-masted 170-capacity tall clipper ship, Star Flyer, you will feel like you are travelling back to ancient Greece as you visit locations linked to the Odyssey while under sail.
This 10-night cruise includes stops at the coastal town of Pylos in Greece, which in Greek mythology was the kingdom of King Nestor, the ruler who offered guidance to Telemachus during his search for news of his father Odysseus.
Today, guests can explore the remains of Nestor's Palace, one of Greece's most important Bronze Age archaeological sites, while taking in panoramic views across olive groves and the Ionian coastline.
Mr Sarson said: "Pylos offers one of the strongest connections to the world of Homer's Odyssey.
“Beyond its mythological significance, it's also a beautiful destination where history, archaeology and spectacular scenery come together."
The ship also visits Taormina in Sicily. The Italian island is thought to be the place where the crew of Odysseus slaughters the sacred sun god Hyperion.
There is also a stop in Gozo, Malta, associated with the mythical nymph who detained Odysseus during his journey home.
On board, guests can relax by two outdoor swimming pools, climb the rigging of the sails to the crow’s nest and swim off the back of the ship from the water sports platform.
Departs 16 October 2026. From £3,149pp.
2. Silversea: Spain and Morocco
Barcelona – Valencia – Cartagena – Málaga – Casablanca – Tangier – Cádiz – Lisbon
Silver Nova sails around Spain and Morocco (Silversea)
For the film, Nolan built the ancient city of Troy in Morocco, with the city walls based in the fortified mudbrick village of Aït Benhaddou, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Filming also took place around Essaouira and Marrakech.
Silversea’s nine-night Spain and Morocco sailing aboard Silver Nova sails from Barcelona to Lisbon, and includes an overnight stay in Casablanca, which Mundy Cruising says provides ample time for a five-hour trip to Essaouira and Aït Benhaddou.
Other highlights on the route are the museums of Valencia and the Roman ruins of Cartagena.
Each cabin on the 728-capacity Silver Nova has a balcony and butler service to help with unpacking, in-suite dining requests, and daily suite services. Guests can choose from eight restaurants on board, including Italian, French and Japanese cuisine. There is also the S.A.L.T. Kitchen, which has a menu that changes based on the destination the ship is sailing in.
Departs 30 November 2026. From £2,950pp.
3. Ponant: Landscapes and Historic Sites of the Peloponnese
Athens (Piraeus) – Itea – Katakolon – Gythio – Monemvasia – Nafplio – Hydra – Athens (Piraeus)
A sailing on Le Champlain helps get a sense of ancient Greece (Getty Images)
Acrocorinth, a 2,500 year-old monolithic fortress overlooking ancient Corinth in southern Greece, was used as a filming location by Nolan. Guests on smaller ships such as Ponant can visit while sailing through the 25 metre wide Corinth Canal between Athens and the seaside town of Itea in the Phocis region of Greece.
Stopping in Itea on this seven-night sailing provides access to Delphi in Greece, once considered the centre of the ancient world and where travellers made pilgrimages to seek guidance from the legendary Oracle of Apollo.
Sailing on the 184-capacity Ponant's Le Champlain, guests will be able to access smaller ports including the medieval castle town of Monemvasia and the car-free island of Hydra where the main form of transport is by foot, water taxi or on donkeys and mules.
Departs 25 October 2026. From £5,220pp.
4. Windstar: Iceland
Reykjavík – Heimaey Island – Seyðisfjörður – Akureyri – Ísafjörður – Grundarfjörður – Reykjavík
Star Pride will takes guests to Iceland in 2027 (Getty/iStock)
Passengers can visit the underworld, or Hades, portrayed in the film through the black sand beaches of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in Grundarfjörður, Iceland.
Several small ship lines sail here, including Windstar, which has an Around Iceland itinerary aboard Star Pride that circles the whole island.
That is not the only highlight. This seven-night cruise starts in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik where you can enjoy the midnight sun before dipping into the bubbling mud pools of Lake Mývatn in Akureyri. The scenery offers grand landscapes and giant fjords, as well as the chance to try to spot Arctic foxes during a sailing through the picturesque Hornstrandir Peninsula in Ísafjörður.
Catering for 312 guests, Star Pride, has two bars with floor-to-ceiling windows providing 180 degree views of the ocean or guests can enjoy the scenery from the comfort of an infinity pool or hot tub.
Departs 22 July 2027. From £2,577pp.
5. Hebridean Island Cruises' Voyage Through the Great Glen
Oban – Tobermory – Craignure – Gairlochy –Fort Augustus – Inverness
Lord of the Highlands hosts cruises around Moray, Scotland (Hebridean Islands Cruises)
British travellers don’t have to venture far to visit one of the filming locations. The film’s stars such as Matt Damon were spotted working on scenes across Scotland’s Moray coast. Locations such as Findlater Castle and Culbin Forest were used in the film for battle scenes and backdrops.
Hebridean Island Cruises’ seven-night Voyage Through The Great Glen ends in Inverness, which is around 90 minutes from these destinations. It would be an epic finale to a week in Scotland where you sample local seafood in Oban, or go wildlife-watching in Tobermory, all while making new friends on the 38-guest Lord of the Highlands.
Departs 21 June 2027. From £5,130pp.
Read more: My Greek island small cruise ship odyssey