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Mediterranean Cruise C

Portofino's harbour, the ruins of Pompeii, the Côte d'Azur at sunset—and thirty practice-changing papers aboard Celebrity Xcel, with guest instructor Olivia MacLeod, MD

August 7–14, 2027

Super earlybird tuition $1,495 CAD (tax-free)

PsychUpdate Ancho Collection + adolescent psychiatry

Overview

CBT Canada is pleased to present Mediterranean Cruise C from August 7–14, 2027 aboard the brand-new Celebrity Xcel—the newest ship in the Celebrity fleet. This is the glamour sailing: the French and Italian coasts at the height of summer, with ports including Portofino, La Spezia (gateway to Florence and Cinque Terre), Rome, Naples (gateway to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast), and Villefranche (gateway to Nice and Monaco).

This itinerary features special guest instructor Olivia MacLeod, MD, from CHEO (the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario). As Medical Director of CHEO’s Mental Health Outpatient Services and Division Chief of Community Psychiatry, she leads a large team of psychiatrists, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and allied health clinicians providing care under multiple tertiary care mental health programs.

Staterooms are priced per couple (two guests), with all taxes, a drinks package, WiFi, and refundable deposit included:

• Infinite Veranda — from $6,928 CAD
• Deluxe Inside — from $5,626 CAD

The ship offers exclusive amenities for our group, including private meeting rooms, invitation-only cocktail parties, and special dining arrangements. For our group to enjoy these benefits, all bookings must be made with Arlene at vacation@cbt.ca (877.466.8228 x 333). Book now for the best cabin selection—and your companion cruises free!

See below for CME, itinerary, and ship details...

The CME

The mind is much of medicine

Mental health issues consume nearly a third of primary care, and psychological expertise is crucial in nearly all patient encounters to optimize adherence and outcomes. On this cruise we’ll be exploring the PsychUpdate Ancho Collection—thirty clinically useful papers from across the key areas in mental health, at a brisk pace, with integrated adolescent psychiatry content. Your instructors are Greg Dubord, MD, CBT Canada’s CME Director and a University of Toronto CME Teacher of the Year, and guest instructor Olivia MacLeod, MD, from CHEO (the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario).

▶ What are PsychUpdates?

▶ What is the Ancho Collection?

Cruise itinerary

Port details 

Day 1. Barcelona, Spain Barcelona welcomes you with Catalan energy and discoveries beyond the famous sights. Visit the Sant Pau Recinte Modernista, Gaudí contemporary Domènech i Montaner's art nouveau hospital complex. Explore Poble Espanyol, an architectural open-air museum showcasing styles from across Spain. Take a day trip to Girona's medieval Jewish quarter and Game of Thrones filming locations. Discover Barcelona's beaches beyond Barceloneta—Bogatell and Mar Bella offer unique local flavor. Tour Camp Nou stadium for football fans, or MNAC museum for Romanesque art treasures. Sample fideuà, paella's noodle cousin, or escalivada, smoky grilled vegetables with romesco. Visit the Labyrinth Park of Horta, Barcelona's oldest garden with a cypress maze. Browse Mercat de Sant Antoni for antique books and vintage postcards on Sunday mornings. Begin your Riviera adventure with a glass of cava on your veranda. 

Day 2. Nice (Villefranche), France Villefranche-sur-Mer's deep harbor shelters one of the Riviera's most picturesque villages. Walk the medieval Rue Obscure, a covered street from the 13th century running along the waterfront. Visit the Citadel containing museums and gardens, with views stretching to Cap Ferrat. In Nice, stroll the Promenade des Anglais, where Belle Époque hotels face the azure Mediterranean. Explore Vieux Nice's baroque churches and Italian-influenced architecture in ochre and terracotta hues. Browse Cours Saleya market for lavender, olives, and socca (chickpea pancakes). Visit the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, its colorful onion domes unexpected on the French coast. Climb Castle Hill for panoramic views and waterfall gardens above the Baie des Anges. Sample salade niçoise and rosé wine at a traditional brasserie. End at Place Masséna, where modern art installations illuminate the square after sunset.

Day 3. Portofino, Italy Portofino epitomizes Italian Riviera glamour in a tiny fishing village turned exclusive resort. Stroll the harbor promenade, where pastel houses reflect in emerald waters and luxury yachts fill the tiny port. Climb to Castello Brown for breathtaking views of the Ligurian coast and terraced gardens. Visit the Church of St. Martin, containing relics from the Crusades and sailors' ex-votos. Hike or take a boat to San Fruttuoso Abbey, accessible only by sea or footpath, with its underwater Christ statue. Browse exclusive boutiques selling handmade sandals, coral jewelry, and maritime antiques. Enjoy focaccia col formaggio, the local cheese-filled flatbread, at a waterfront café. Walk to Lighthouse Point through Mediterranean pine forest for panoramic coastal views. Watch the sunset paint the harbor in gold while sipping Vermentino wine. Return to ship knowing you've experienced the sweet life in one of Italy's most photographed villages.

Day 4. Florence/Pisa (La Spezia), Italy La Spezia opens doors to Tuscany's Renaissance treasures and the Leaning Tower's charm. In Florence, marvel at the Duomo's massive dome engineered by Brunelleschi, a Renaissance feat. Visit the Uffizi Gallery for Botticelli's Birth of Venus and countless masterpieces (book ahead). Cross the Ponte Vecchio, where goldsmiths have traded since medieval times. See Michelangelo's David at the Accademia, a marble testament to human perfection. In Pisa, climb (or just photograph) the famous Leaning Tower in the Field of Miracles. Explore the Baptistery with its perfect acoustics and Romanesque bronze doors. Visit Cinque Terre's colorful villages clinging to cliffsides. Sample local specialties: bistecca alla fiorentina in Florence or cecina (chickpea flatbread) in Pisa. Return with Renaissance art, Tuscan wine, and tilted tower photos.

Day 5. Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy Rome's eternal treasures await, from ancient ruins to Vatican masterpieces. Stand in the Colosseum where gladiators fought, imagining roaring crowds in the ancient amphitheater. Explore the Roman Forum's ruins, walking the Sacred Way where Caesar once strode. Toss a coin in Trevi Fountain, ensuring your return to the Eternal City. Marvel at the Pantheon's perfect dome and oculus open to the sky. Visit Vatican City for Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling and St. Peter's magnificent basilica. Wander Trastevere's ivy-covered streets for authentic carbonara and local atmosphere. Climb the Spanish Steps for views over terracotta rooftops and baroque churches. Sample supplì (fried rice balls) and maritozzo (cream buns) at historic bakeries. End at Piazza Navona as Bernini's fountains shimmer in the evening light.

Day 6. Naples, Italy Naples pulsates with southern Italian passion, authentic pizza, and Vesuvius views. Start in the historic center, where baroque churches hide behind weathered facades on narrow streets. Visit Naples Archaeological Museum for Pompeii's finest artifacts, including mosaics and frescoes. Explore Spaccanapoli, the straight street splitting the old city, lined with artisan workshops. Try authentic Neapolitan pizza at Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba, where pizza margherita was perfected. Tour the Teatro di San Carlo, Europe's oldest active opera house, all red velvet and gold. Descend into Naples Underground, revealing Greek-Roman aqueducts and WWII bomb shelters. Visit nearby Pompeii's frozen-in-time streets, preserved by Vesuvius's eruption. Browse Via San Gregorio Armeno for handcrafted nativity scenes, a Neapolitan tradition year-round. Watch the sunset from Castel dell'Ovo while sipping a limoncello.

Day 7. At sea (CME Day) CME from 9:00AM-4:30PM.

Day 8. Barcelona, Spain  Disembarkation runs from 8–10 AM, with Barcelona airport just 20–30 minutes away. For early birds, Els Encants flea market (open from 7 AM) brims with vintage treasures waiting to be discovered. Quick parting stops might include the fragrant Casa Gispert, roasting nuts since 1851, or Vila Viniteca, perfect for a final bottle of Spanish wine to bring home. If your flight leaves later, glide above the city on the Montjuïc cable car for one last breathtaking view of the harbor.

You’re heading home with the Riviera still warm in your memory—Portofino’s harbour, Pompeii’s ruins, the Côte d’Azur at sunset—and thirty papers woven into your thinking, ready to inform both practice and life.

Introducing Celebrity Xcel

Experience the future of vacation CME

Celebrity Xcel is the newest and largest ship in the Celebrity Cruises fleet—launched in November 2025, she’ll be just twenty months old when we sail. The triple-deck Grand Plaza anchors the interior, with the legendary Martini Bar and live music every evening. The cantilevered Magic Carpet—a platform that glides up the exterior of the ship—offers open-air dining and cocktails suspended above the ocean.

Her thirty-two culinary venues include Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud (the Michelin-starred chef’s first restaurant at sea), the destination-inspired Raw on 5, and four complimentary main dining rooms. The spa is Celebrity’s largest afloat: over 30,000 square feet, with a salt room, Turkish bath, and infrared sauna. For families, Camp at Sea offers supervised programming for ages 3–17. For couples, the Retreat delivers a ship-within-a-ship experience with its own sundeck, pool, restaurant, and lounge.

Celebrity Xcel isn’t just new. It’s the ship the rest of the industry is trying to catch. If you’ve never sailed Celebrity, this is the ship that will ruin you for every other cruise line. If you have—you already know.

Meet your instructors

About CBT Canada

CBT Canada won the National CME Program Award from the CFPC for providing "exceptional learning experiences", and was the first organization authorized by the CFPC to provide three-credits-per-hour CME. One accreditation reviewer wrote, "Two words: superlative & exemplary".

CBT Canada has given over 100 workshops in collaboration with medical schools, including Dal, McGill, McMaster, Memorial, Queen's, UofA, UBC, UofC, Université de Montréal, UofS, the University of Toronto, and Western.

Over 10,000 physicians have been trained by CBT Canada over the past 30 years. Alumni include national and provincial CFPC presidents, department chairs, residency program directors—and even a few doctors who are comfortable juggling drills & saws. Read their endorsements.

The Procrastinator's Penalty