Christian Cruises 2027: Bible Land, River, and Fellowship Sailings
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Christian cruises for 2027 with worship and a Bible teacher on board: Paul's cities in Greece and Turkey from $4,798 with airfare, river cruises, and retreats.
Get a free trip planA Christian cruise is a group sailing on a regular cruise ship with its own Bible teacher, worship, and devotions, and with guided shore days at places from Scripture. For 2027, ETS Tours' Bible Land cruises follow Paul through Greece and Turkey from $4,798 per person with airfare from New York. Through Go Give Travel, after costs, 50% of verified net proceeds goes to your church's ministry. Traveling on your own? Request a cruise quote and name your church.
Christian cruises at a glance
| Question | Typical answer for 2027 |
|---|---|
| Main types | Bible Land cruises (Greece and Turkey, some adding Italy, Malta, or Crete), river cruises (Europe), fellowship and retreat cruises (Caribbean, Bahamas, Canada) |
| Length | 5 to 15 days |
| Bible Land price | From $4,798 to $5,998 per person, with airfare from New York |
| River cruise price | From $3,098 to $4,998, airfare extra |
| Fellowship cruise price | From $775 for a 5-day Bahamas retreat |
| On board | A guest Bible teacher, group worship, devotions, and fellowship with other believers |
| Ships | Celebrity, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Azamara, AmaWaterways, and Amadeus |
Sources: ETS Bible Land cruises, ETS river cruises, ETS retreat cruises, and EO Tours cruises. Prices as listed November 2026.
Get a free cruise plan for your church
2027 Bible Land cruises
We plan church trips with ETS Tours, a Christian tour operator founded in 1974. Each Bible Land cruise has a named guest speaker who teaches on board and at the sites. These are the 2027 sailings, with the lowest published price for each:
| Cruise and guest speaker | Departs | Days | From (per person) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Emerging Church, Dr. Scott Hoffman | April 27, 2027 | 13 | $5,798 |
| Journeys of Paul, Rev. William Sachs | April 30, 2027 | 13 | $5,298 |
| Paul's Voyages, Dr. Steve Wilke | May 2, 2027 | 14 | $5,198 |
| Navigating the Early Church, Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Kloha | May 2, 2027 | 14 | $5,698 |
| Navigating the Early Church, Dr. Brent Strawn | June 13, 2027 | 14 | $5,998 |
| Rome and the First Century Church, Amy Van Dyke | June 21, 2027 | 13 | $5,998 |
| Paul's Voyages, Dr. Lynn Cohick | Aug. 29, 2027 | 13 | $4,898 |
| Navigating the Early Church, Dr. David Campbell | Sept. 5, 2027 | 14 | $5,598 |
| Paul's Voyages, Bishop Gregory Palmer | Sept. 8, 2027 | 12 | $4,798 |
| Paul's Voyages, Dr. Peter Walker | Sept. 26, 2027 | 13 | $4,998 |
| Journeys of Paul, Rev. Robin Parr | Oct. 17, 2027 | 14 | $5,398 |
| Navigating the Early Church, Bishop Robert Wright | Oct. 23, 2027 | 15 | $4,798 |
Five sailings start in Athens; the rest start in Rome, Barcelona, or Istanbul and add stops such as Malta, Crete, or Naples. Prices include round-trip airfare from New York and vary by cabin. Taxes and fees apply. A flight from your home airport to New York can be added for an extra charge (EO Tours FAQ). None of the 2027 sailings stop in Israel. For Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Galilee, see our Holy Land tours guide.
Where a Bible Land cruise goes, with Scripture for each port
This is the route of Paul's Voyages with Bishop Gregory Palmer, 9 nights on Celebrity Infinity from Athens. Read the passage aloud at each stop.
| Port | Site | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Kavala | Philippi, where Lydia believed and Paul and Silas sang in prison | Acts 16:11–40 |
| Thessaloniki | Thessalonica, where Paul preached in the synagogue | Acts 17:1–9 |
| Rhodes | A stop on Paul's last voyage to Jerusalem | Acts 21:1 |
| Kusadasi | Ephesus, where the crowd in the theater shouted for Artemis | Acts 19 |
| Mykonos and Santorini | Rest days on the islands | Psalm 104:24–26 |
| Athens | The Areopagus, where Paul spoke of the unknown god | Acts 17:16–34 |
| Corinth | Where Paul made tents and stayed 18 months | Acts 18:1–18 |
Ephesus and Philippi are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Ephesus, Philippi). For more on each city, see our church trip guides for Greece and Turkey.
What's included, and what isn't
On the Palmer sailing, ETS lists these as included:
- Round-trip international airfare from New York
- Port charges, cruise taxes, fuel surcharges, and government taxes
- All meals on the ship
- Shore excursions listed on the itinerary, with overseas transfers and air-conditioned coaches
- Program and administrative fees
Not included: shore excursions at Mykonos and Santorini (bought directly from Celebrity), extra baggage, and optional fees. ETS doesn't list gratuities or drink packages on the tour page, so budget for them and ask us for the exact figures for your sailing.
A short pre-cruise stay in Rome is offered on the Palmer sailing from $1,998 per person.
River cruises and fellowship cruises
River cruises are smaller and calmer, with a new town most days, usually docked close enough to walk in. ETS runs most with AmaWaterways; the Advent sailing is on the Amadeus Nova. Airfare isn't included, though it can be added.
| River cruise | Departs | Days | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic of Advent on the Danube | Dec. 11, 2026 | 8 | $3,098 |
| Tulip Time, Bishop Gary Lillibridge | April 3, 2027 | 9 | $4,998 |
| Melodies of the Danube | May 25, 2027* | 9 | $3,998 |
| Blue Danube, Rev. Barkley Thompson | May 25, 2027 | 9 | $4,998 |
| Swiss Alps and Rhine Castles | Nov. 1, 2027 | 9 | $3,998 |
| Iconic Christmas Markets Danube | Nov. 30, 2027 | 9 | $4,898 |
*ETS lists both May 25 and Nov. 9, 2027 for this sailing; we'll confirm the date for your group.
Fellowship and retreat cruises are short sailings from U.S. ports with worship and a speaker, and travelers book their own flights. ETS lists a Women's Retreat Cruise to Key West and the Bahamas with Donna Snow (5 days from $775, Jan. 11, 2027) and a Celebration Canada and New England Cruise with Dr. Leonard A. Wilson on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas (10 days from $1,348, Sept. 30, 2027). Never been on a cruise? A short fellowship sailing is the easiest way to try one, and to test a church cruise before a longer trip.
How a church hosts a Christian cruise
- Pick the sailing 12 to 18 months out. Your group shares the ship with other passengers, so the best cabins go early. EO Tours offers up to $200 off Bible Land cruises for early registration.
- Choose a host. EO Tours says a group leader who recruits 7 or more travelers can earn travel benefits on select cruises, and it offers clergy scholarships of $300 to $500 on select Bible Land cruises (EO group leaders). Ask us for the terms for your sailing.
- Announce it with one clear price. Give members the starting price, what it includes, and the deposit date.
- Help members pay for it. A church trip can be a fundraising goal of its own; see 45 church fundraising ideas.
- Prepare together. Read Acts 16 to 19 as a group in the months before you sail, so every port is a story people already know.
Christian cruise or Holy Land tour?
| Bible Land cruise | Holy Land tour | |
|---|---|---|
| Places | Paul's cities in Greece and Turkey | Galilee, Bethlehem, Jerusalem |
| Unpacking | Once (some sailings add a hotel night before boarding) | Two or three hotels |
| Walking | Optional on each port day | 2 to 4 miles most days |
| 2027 price | From $4,798 with airfare | From $3,298 with airfare |
| Best for | Mixed ages and abilities, a first trip abroad | Walking where Jesus walked |
Many churches do both over a few years. Our Holy Land tours guide has 2027 prices and a 10-day itinerary with Scripture for every stop.
How the giveback works
Through Go Give Travel, after costs, 50% of verified net proceeds from each booking goes to your church's ministry, paid after travel is completed. The same split applies whether your church hosts a group sailing or members book their own cruises and name your church. It's not a rebate to travelers, and it doesn't add to the price. See how it works for churches.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a Christian cruise line?
- Most Christian cruises are a Christian group sailing on a regular cruise ship, not a separate cruise line. The group has its own Bible teacher, worship, devotions, and guided shore days, while the ship's crew runs everything else. ETS Tours' 2027 Christian cruises sail on Celebrity, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Azamara, AmaWaterways, and Amadeus ships.
- Do they serve alcohol on Christian cruises?
- On a group sailing aboard a regular ship, the ship's bars and drink packages stay open to every passenger, including your group. Only a full-ship charter can choose to close them. ETS doesn't publish an alcohol policy for its group sailings, so ask before you book if it matters to your church.
- How much does a Christian cruise cost?
- ETS Tours' 2027 Bible Land cruises start at $4,798 to $5,998 per person with round-trip airfare from New York, port charges, cruise taxes, and the listed shore excursions. River cruises start at $3,098 to $4,998 without airfare. Short fellowship cruises start at $775. Taxes and fees apply, and prices vary by date and cabin.
- Where do Bible Land cruises go?
- Five of ETS Tours' 12 Bible Land cruises for 2027 start in Athens; the others start in Rome, Barcelona, or Istanbul. All visit Paul's cities in Greece, most stop at Ephesus in Turkey, and several add Italy, Malta, or Crete. A typical Athens route stops at Kavala for Philippi, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Rhodes, Kusadasi for Ephesus, and Santorini, with Corinth from Athens. None of the 2027 sailings stop in Israel; for Jerusalem and Galilee, choose a Holy Land tour.
- Are there Christian cruises for singles?
- ETS Tours doesn't list a singles-only cruise for 2027, and singles are welcome on every sailing. Each one includes group worship and a speaker, so you'll travel with other believers. Cruise prices are per person based on two sharing a cabin, so a cabin of your own costs more. Ask for the solo price, and whether a roommate match is possible on your sailing, when you request a quote.
- Can a pastor host a Christian cruise for the church?
- Yes. EO Tours says a group leader who recruits 7 or more travelers can earn travel benefits on select cruises, and it offers clergy scholarships of $300 to $500 on select Bible Land cruises. Ask us for the exact terms for your sailing and group size before you announce it.
- Is a cruise or a land tour better for a church group?
- A cruise suits groups with older members or mixed abilities, because you unpack once and every port day is optional. A land tour suits groups who want to walk where Jesus walked: Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the Sea of Galilee are only reachable on a Holy Land tour.
Get a Christian cruise plan for your church
Tell us about your group. We'll reply by email with 2027 sailings, an all-in price per person, and what the cruise can give back to your ministry. Traveling on your own? Use our quote form instead.
Go Give Travel plans Holy Land, Journeys of Paul, and Reformation group trips for churches. After costs, 50% of verified net proceeds goes to your church's ministry, paid after travel is completed. How it works for churches