How to cruise the Monaco Grand Prix with Azamara

September 2026

Rashmi Latchman

Social Media & Content Executive

Watching the Monaco Grand Prix from the harbour is a bucket-list moment for any motorsport fan. An F1 cruise with Azamara is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience it. Your ship becomes your base for the entire trip, moored a short distance from all the action, so there's no juggling hotels or race-day logistics. Here's exactly how it works.

Why cruise to the Monaco Grand Prix

Among Grand Prix cruises, Azamara's approach stands out for its simplicity. Skip the Monaco hotel booked months ahead at inflated race-week prices. Instead, you return to your suite each evening after a day trackside, with dining, entertainment and gratuities already taken care of onboard. Azamara typically berths Azamara Journey in Villefranche-sur-Mer, just 20 minutes from Monaco. That puts guests close to race weekend without the crowds and congestion of staying in Monaco itself. On race day, Azamara includes private transfers to and from the circuit, so getting there and back is genuinely stress-free.

What a Monaco cruise with Azamara actually includes

Azamara’s Grand Prix packages typically include race-day tickets, transfers, and access to the atmosphere around the circuit. The line’s usual fare inclusions, drinks, gratuities, and Wi-Fi, come as standard too. Prefer to explore independently on race day? You can arrange your own tickets and enjoy the buzz around Monte Carlo at your own pace, with Azamara still handling transport either way.

Not attending the race itself? Azamara runs a full excursion programme around Villefranche and the wider French Riviera, so there’s plenty to do even if motorsport isn’t the only reason you’re onboard. Our guide to what’s included on an Azamara cruise covers the wider fare inclusions in more detail.

A typical itinerary

Azamara’s Grand Prix sailings usually run 7 to 12 nights through the Mediterranean, timed to coincide with race weekend in late May or early June. A typical route sails from Nice, calling at ports like Portofino, Florence and Barcelona, with Villefranche serving as the race-day anchor point. Our full Azamara destinations and itineraries guide is worth checking for the latest confirmed routes and dates.

How this compares to other lines

Azamara isn’t the only luxury line running cruises to Monaco for race weekend. Explora Journeys has also built a dedicated Monaco Grand Prix sailing. Our blog on Explora Journeys’ Monaco Grand Prix cruise for 2026 is a useful comparison if you’re deciding between the two. Broadly, Azamara suits guests who want a simpler, more relaxed base for race weekend, while Explora leans into a more design-forward, modern experience.

Booking your Monaco Grand Prix cruise

These sailings sell out well ahead of race weekend. Book as early as possible for the best choice of stateroom and race-day package. Want a first-hand sense of what to expect onboard? Our Azamara Quest first-timer’s honest review offers an honest account of life on an Azamara ship, even outside race weekend.

Ready to plan your own Monaco cruise? Speak to one of our Voyage Consultants, who can talk you through current Grand Prix sailing dates and match you to the right package.