The President of Oceania Cruises, Bob Binder had this to say about the new cruises: “Autumn is one of the best times to visit these destinations because there are no crowds and the weather is still pleasant, the countryside is stunningly beautiful and the Saturday departures work well for working guests.”

The first cruise will be called Tuscan Charms and will depart from Barcelona on the 29th October 2011. Ports of call include Sorrento/Capri, Livorno (for visits to Florence, Pisa and Tuscany), Portofino, Monte Carlo, Provence (for visits to Marseille) and Civitavecchia (for visits to Rome). Fares start at £1,518 per passenger sharing a double cabin and include all meals, sodas and bottled water. An overnight stop at Livorno to allow passengers to visit Cinque Terra, Florence and Pisa is also included.

The second cruise, called Italian Treasures, will embark from Rome on the 5th November 2011 on its way to Venice. Ports of call include Dubrovnik, Bari, Corfu, Taormina and Amalfi/Positano. At the end of the cruise, passengers will be treated to an overnight stop in Venice. The lowest fare is £823 per passenger sharing a double cabin and also includes meals, bottled water and soft drinks.

Both cruises will be on board the Insignia – Oceania Cruises’ opulent 684-passenger cruise ship.