Enjoy a fun cruise along St. Lucia’s coastline to experience the magnificent Pitons. As your catamaran sails out of Castries harbor, you’ll cruise along the west coast, passing the picturesque peninsulas of Vigie and La Toc. Sit out on deck to enjoy the sun and beautiful views – there’s also a cockpit onboard for those that may prefer shade. Take in the lush vegetation of the coastline and the small villages of Anse la Raye and Canaries. Continue to Soufriere Bay where you’ll see the Petit and Gros Pitons rising majestically 2,600 feet out of the sea. Enjoy great photo opportunities, capturing this wonder of nature as the catamaran circles the bay.

Continue your cruise along the coast to the scenic bay of Anse Cochon where an assortment of dry snacks will be served along with refreshing beverages before taking a relaxing swim in the lovely waters of the Caribbean Sea. Cruise to the idyllic Marigot Bay, one of the island’s most beautiful bays, famous for many battles between the English and the French. Enjoy Caribbean music as you cruise back to the pier.

Admire the natural beauty surrounding the Bay of Fundy by visiting a coastal park full of hiking trails, lookouts and historical buildings from the years when this area was logged.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a relaxing drive to St. Martins, a lovely coastal village settled in 1783. It is known for its twin covered bridges, which you will view from a vantage point that allows you to capture both bridges in one spectacular shot. Continuing on, you will travel the winding Fundy Trail Parkway, passing forest lookouts, more beautiful beaches and the spectacular Bay of Fundy that rims the park.

At the Big Salmon Interpretive Centre, you will watch an enlightening video about the park’s history and the modest lodge that newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst built nearby. You will then have free time to enjoy the attractions that interest you most. You might meander the hiking paths, cross the suspension footbridge that spans the crystal-clear Salmon River, and explore the replica sawmill.

Be sure to see Flower Pot Rock, a tall thin rock tower that the pounding sea has shaped over time. The bay’s rising tides have also created sea caves in the red sandstone, which you will see on the return to St. Martins. While totally submerged during high tide, the caves are easy to reach at low tide and make for a memorable photo any time. Following lunch at a restaurant that overlooks the caves, you will return to Saint John.

Delight in the medieval character of Taormina while strolling its atmospheric streets and admiring landmarks such the Greek theater from the 2nd century. After departing from the pier, you will have a short panoramic tour of Messina. Continuing along the coast to the south, you will approach Taormina, an ancient city that rises almost perpendicularly from the sea. It’s a beautiful setting with an alluring medieval character, as you will discover while navigating its narrow, cobbled streets. As French author Guy de Maupassant wrote of his stay in 1883, “Were a man to pass a single day in Sicily and ask, ‘What must one see?’ I would answer him without hesitation, Taormina.” Among the highlights are the Arabian-influenced Palazzo Corvaja and the ruins of a 2nd-century Greek theater. It sits on a seaside hilltop with a view of Mount Etna that is so inspiring that it can detract from the entertainers that still perform there in the summer. After visiting, you will enjoy free time to wander about the areas that interest you the most. You might take in the views from the fragrant public garden or shop along boutique-lined Corso Umberto. The most popular merchandise includes designer fashions, jewelry and colorful ceramic pine cones, a Sicilian symbol of hospitality.

OVERVIEW

Heighten your appetite with a walk through Qaqortoq to sample Greenlandic and Inuit cuisine at a local restaurant or in the Community Hall. You’ll spend about 25 minutes along the immensely scenic route through the heart of South Greenland’s largest city – still a compact, charming place where gardens flourish, colorful historic homes line the streets and public artworks celebrate the region’s rich cultural history. But then, there’s no better way to get a true taste of a culture than by its food. The offerings at this excursion’s designated venue change frequently but typically include traditional Greenlandic and Inuit dishes featuring high-protein meats – a diet meant to sustain early locals through harsh, physically demanding winters. Greenlanders have been whalers for some 4,000 years, so look for a taste of that to be served – perhaps thinly sliced like carpaccio or quick-cooked like veal to seal in its flavor. Lamb is also popular here, raised naturally and allowed to range the upland pastures freely. Other traditional specialties might include dried seal, grilled Arctic char or smoked reindeer. Tasty local crowberries, which look like blueberries, are used liberally in sauces and desserts. No worries; you’ll burn off any excess calories on the walk back to the ship.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a leisurely, scenic walk through Qaqortoq’s downtown – alive with color and charm.
• Visit a local restaurant specializing in traditional Greenlandic dishes made from regional ingredients.
• Enjoy a tasting likely to include whale meat along with dried seal, smoked reindeer or free-range lamb.
• Discover the flavor of Greenland’s answer to blueberries: the crowberry.
• See a few more sights and shed a few calories on the pleasant walk back to the ship.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light jacket or windbreaker.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellant as needed.

Spend hours relaxing however you please at the Beach Escape Beach Club in nearby Mahahual. After a brief orientation to help you maximize the experience, you will be free to enjoy the club’s amenities, which are considerable and all offered for your enjoyment. You might stretch out on a lounge chair and bask in the sun, take a refreshing swim in the sea and gather around the thatched-roof poolside bar, which will be open for unlimited drinks the entire time. One end of the Beach Escape is typically busier and more party-oriented, while the other end by the pier is quieter, allowing you to easily find an ideal spot to make the most of your free time. If you wish to explore offshore, kayaks are available. The beach club is located right on the boardwalk at Fisherman’s Village, a great place for people-watching and dining on your own as there are plenty of restaurants.

Explore a series of caverns decorated with pre-Columbian paintings and a hilltop village designed to replicate a 16th-century Mediterranean village. The caves are truly wondrous and not just because of its hundreds of beautifully preserved native Taino Indian wall paintings, which are known as pictographs. While walking the cave’s winding paths, you will also see abundant geological wonders, which include eerily shaped, dramatically lighted stalactites and stalagmites. Be sure to look into the Water Mirror, a subterranean lake that reflects the unusual formations on the ceiling. Unlike the ancient cave system, the village Altos de Chavon only looks old. Local artisans built it in the 1980s as a cultural and artistic center, and its setting above the Chavon River is spectacular. Architectural highlights include a Grecian-style outdoor amphitheater and the stone St. Stanislaus Church. The village’s Archaeological Regional Museum contains thousands of real Pre-Columbian artifacts that lend insight into the indigenous people.

Join this unforgettable excursion where you’ll travel through small villages and hear their story along the way. Ascend over 900 feet above sea level between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea where you can take some of the most amazing photos on your cruise. Enjoy stunning views and different shades of beautiful BVI blue waters. Listen up as your knowledgeable driver/guide share gems of BVI history and culture. Cross the bridge to Beef Island and swim at the local’s favorite, Long Bay beach. Here you can listen to music, chat with locals, chill at the bars, do light shopping or have a dip in BVI blue waters.

Experience Barcelona’s diverse architectural heritage. You’ll become well acquainted with Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona’s celebrity architect – his unmistakable style with its organic shapes, twisted iron sculptures and colored tiles is hard to miss. Begun in 1883, it remains unfinished to this day. Enjoy an inside visit at his towering masterpiece, la Sagrada Family (The Holy Family). Drive along the elegant Passeig de Gracia with its wrought-iron street lamps and fine array of Modernist buildings, including Gaudi’s Casa Batllo, with a mosaic façade and undulating roof. You´ll wander through the “Poble Espanyol”, an open-air architectural museum, which was built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition. It consists of 117 full-scale buildings, which are replicas of the most characteristic buildings from all over Spain. It also contains restaurants, artisan workshops and shops offering quality souvenirs. There will be free time in the Old Quarter to explore, shop or have lunch on your own while strolling its narrow streets and handsome squares, lined with medieval buildings contemporary shops, bohemian artist workshops and cool bars and restaurants.

Sail across Pillsbury Sound to the enchanting island of St. John on a catamaran and then snorkel in the turquoise waters just offshore. All that is required of you is to sit back and relax as the catamaran glides along the eastern end of St. Thomas and continues to St. John, the most pristine of the U.S. Virgin Islands. In time, you will arrive at Honeymoon Beach within the Virgin Islands National Park. You will be free to snorkel, stroll along the sugar-white beach and relax as you see fit. You might stretch out on a beach towel, linger in the shade of a coconut palm and swim in the sea with nothing on your mind other than enjoying yourself. On the return cruise to St. Thomas, the champagne will be flowing and an array of cheeses, freshly baked breads and fresh tropical fruits will be served.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sail on a sleek catamaran to neighboring St. John, half of which is a national park.
• Snorkel the crystal-clear waters off Honeymoon Beach on the island’s western edge.
• Bask in the sun, relax on the beach and delight in the natural beauty.
• Celebrate the adventure with a tropical beverage from the open bar on the return cruise.

Travel by panoramic coach on a tour that offers fascinating insights on the lives of those who make the sometimes-harsh landscape of Iceland’s Westfjords their home. Beginning from the pier, you’ll drive through the streets of Isafjordur and out along the coastal road for a tour of wondrously remote Bolungarvik, a fishing village towered over by its surrounding mountains. Nearby, you’ll stop at the outdoor Ósvör Museum, where a century-old fisherman’s hut has been restored, complete with the tools of the trade – and the fisherman.

On another leg of the journey, you’ll find yourself up amidst breathtaking views of the magnificent mountains of the Djup, largest of the West Fjords and the Buna River. Not far from that spot, you’ll stop to admire a beautiful stepped waterfall in Tunguskogur and take an opportunity to taste the freshest, clearest mountain water you may ever have encountered. Back in Isafjordur, you’ll stop in at the Maritime and Folk Museum, which calls one of the town’s oldest and best-preserved houses its home. The museum presents an excellent collection of artifacts related to the region’s maritime history – as well as a sizable accordion collection. Gotta have something to do during those long winters.

Experience Mayan history and a jungle retreat with an open bar & buffet lunch. Your tour begins when your bilingual guide meets you at the end of the pier and escorts you to your air-conditioned transfer vehicle waiting on site. Listen to your guide and learn about the interesting local area and culture from onboard commentary as you pass through the fishing village. Continue this tour inland to visit “The Place of the Red Corn”, Chacchoben, learn about the fascinating Mayan culture during the journey from our knowledgeable guides.

Enjoy a guided tour of this unique archaeological site set in beautiful surroundings still partially covered by the rain forest. Climb to the top of the “Gran Basamento” taking you above the tree line and visit two sacred temples. Before leaving, you will have the opportunity to buy souvenirs from shops on site. Your journey continues to a buffet lunch waiting for you at our Blue Lagoon Restaurant, the most beautiful lagoon with fresh water, located 20 minutes away from Chacchoben Mayan ruins. After your meal, sunbathe on a sun lounger, take a swim and enjoy all complimentary drinks including your favorite cocktails. Feeling fully relaxed, well-fed and in good spirits, your transfer awaits to return you to the ship. The color of the lagoon varies depending on the weather, season of the year, and time of the day.

Race through Boka Bay in a speedboat and enjoy a refreshing swim in the Blue Cave and in the sparkling waters that rim a nearby beach. Although officially known as the Bay of Kotor, Boka – as it is called locally – is considered the southernmost fjord in Europe because of its wild landscape and precipitous cliffs that plummet into the sea. Zipping along its rocky coast in a speedboat will be an exhilarating experience, especially on the approach to the Blue Cave. Expect to be awed by the brilliant blue water and the hue that it casts on the cave’s interior, both the result of the way the sunlight reflects off the sandy bottom of the sea. You will have the opportunity to swim in this enchanting setting before zipping off to Rose Beach on the tip of the Lustica Peninsula. Sheltered by the surrounding mountains and forests, the water there is typically calm.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Zip through the typically calm waters of Boka Bay on a speedboat.
• Swim in a seaside cave known for its brilliant blue water, which reflects on the interior.
• Pause for a swim at Rose Beach, yet another idyllic spot on the bay.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.