EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

After departing from the pier, you will drive inland through the inspiring Croatian countryside to Sibenik, a fortified town founded in the 9th century. Walking through the Old Town, you will see attractions such as the Gothic-style St. Francis Church, lovely Sibenik Theater, and the Duke’s Palace, which has been converted into a museum.

Still, St. Jacob’s Cathedral remains Sibenik’s highlight. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the cathedral was built entirely of stone under the direction of three architects. Construction took more than 100 years, and the result is a magnificent blend of Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

Next, you will visit Trogir, the entire city-island being a UNESCO site. Protected by medieval walls, Trogir has retained its original layout from the Hellenistic period and is a remarkable example of urban continuity. You can’t help but be awed by the outstanding examples of Renaissance and Baroque architecture found along the winding stone streets.

Back in Split, you will enjoy a traditional Dalmatian lunch before exploring Old Town and yet another UNESCO gem: the Palace of Diocletian. Built at the turn of the 4th century for Roman emperor Diocletian’s retirement, the palace is a sprawling complex of temples, cathedrals and residences facing the sea and is absolutely spectacular. Following your visit, you will return to the pier.

Where else in the world can you tour the launch areas of a working space flight facility, have the opportunity to meet a real astronaut and stand inches away from the largest rocket ever built? Only at Kennedy Space Center! Located just minutes from Port Canaveral on Florida's Space Coast, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at one of mankind's most fascinating and remarkable achievements - the space program where history was, and still is, made every day. On your tour into KSC, you'll have the chance to see the Apollo/Saturn V Center which offers an inspirational and exhilarating look into mankind's quest for the moon.

There's a lot of activities offered at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, including reliving the historic launch of Apollo 8 at the Firing Room Theater; also, being able to marvel at a monstrous 363-foot Saturn V moon rocket. Pick and choose wisely since you won’t have time to see everything. Your options include seeing an IMAX® movie, the interactive Astronaut Encounter program or the Shuttle Launch Experience. Finally, your chance to be an astronaut!

This scenic rail tour runs in a complete circle around the island allowing visitors the opportunity to see the entire country by rail and by road. No trip to this two-island federation is complete without the experience of traveling on the new St. Kitts Scenic Railway, one of the most interesting train rides in the world. This one-of-a-kind narrow gauge railroad was built almost a century ago to deliver sugar cane from the fields to the sugar mills in the capital city of Basseterre. This still operational railway now provides a fascinating way to see the island from the comfort of double-deck railcars built specifically for touring the island of St. Kitts. All guests will have a seat on both levels of the railcar. The upper level features a spacious open-air observation deck with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The lower level provides air conditioned comfort with expansive vaulted windows. Island ambiance is evoked with comfortable rattan furniture, complimentary specialty drinks, island music and a colorful narrative. The railway hugs the northeastern coastline with fields of sugarcane from the shoreline up to the mountains. The volcanic mountain ranges rise nearly 4,000 feet above sea level coated with lush green rainforests. The train rolls across tall steel bridges spanning deep canyons, and winds through small villages and farms. Your conductor will point out old sugar estates, sugar mills and windmills while giving insight in to the island’s unique history. Your experience is complimented by a scenic drive along the southern coast. Enjoy excellent vistas of Brimstone fortress, the British "Gibraltar of the Caribbean", Middle Island where an ancestor of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson’s is buried and the neighboring island of Nevis. A truly unique experience!

Meet your guide for the day and board your comfortable air-conditioned bus and prepare yourself to experience Aruba at its finest. Enjoy your narrated tour while driving through charming Oranjestad with its Dutch Colonial architecture. Your first stop will be the Aloe Factory for a brief overview of the Aloe plantation and a tour of the Aloe Museum.

Then drive through the countryside and discover Aruba’s flora and fauna in route to the Casibari Rock formation – huge diorite boulders found in the center of the island. Board your bus and continue on to the mysterious California Lighthouse for a short stop to enjoy a breathtaking view of the island. A quick stop at the beach for a dip in the spectacular turquoise ocean concludes your tour, before returning to the cruise terminal.

You’ll be taken to a beautiful white-sand beach to enjoy a rum or fruit cocktail before being escorted to your complimentary lounge chair, reserved for you on the beach. Once rested and enjoying your special day at the beach, savour a delicious buffet style lunch: chicken or fish, rice, baked potato, vegetables, salad - including a refreshing beverage (rum and/or fruit punch drink). A pasta dish will also be available for vegetarians. A pasta dish will also be available for vegetarians. Relax on the beach, take a leisurely walk or swim in the sea. Changing facilities, restrooms, water sports (at additional cost supplied by outside vendors), freshwater showers as well as a beach bar and restaurant are available.

Applaud the splendid natural beauty of Southern Africa's western coast during this dolphin and seal cruise on the Walvis Bay Lagoon. Short transfer to the Walvis Bay Marina and board an open-air boat for a three-hour cruise in the renowned Walvis Bay Lagoon, declared a Wetland of International Importance as it is one of the most significant ecological sites along Southern Africa’s western coast. You’ll learn that the lagoon is well-known for its native bird species and vast array of intra-African and Palaearctic migrants, and find the water is usually very calm yet teeming with avian and marine life. Continue on to Pelican Point, a sand spit separating Walvis Bay from the Atlantic Ocean, where you’ll likely encounter a large Cape fur seal colony, and watch for schools of heavyside and bottlenose dolphins that often swim alongside the boat. Keep a sharp lookout for white-chinned petrels, Wilson’s storm petrels, cape gannets, pelicans and cormorants. During your cruise, you’ll savor a delicious repast of fresh oysters, sparkling wine, soft drinks and a selection of open-faced sandwiches, a perfect accompaniment to your outdoor adventure.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Embark an open-air boat for an in-depth exploration of the famed Walvis Bay Lagoon.
• Survey the lagoon’s protected wetland, known for its plethora of avian species and marine life.
• Spy a large colony of Cape fur seals at sandy Pelican Point.
• Thrill to schools of heavyside and bottlenose dolphins trailing beside your boat.
• Search for white-chinned petrels, Wilson’s storm petrels or cape gannets amid a flurry of countless pelicans and cormorants.
• Relish a tasty meal of fresh oysters, open-faced sandwiches, soft drinks and sparkling wine as you cruise.

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

Step back in time at the Beamish Open Air Museum, where dozens of original buildings from different time periods have been re-constructed to create a historical town.

Drive inland for approximately one hour to the Beamish Museum, a collection of historical buildings that have been re-assembled in the countryside to create an open-air museum. Beamish reflects two significant points in history: when the region was rural in the 1820s, and when it was thriving at the peak of the Industrial Revolution in the early 1900s.

Upon arriving, you will board a double-decker tram and travel down the main street taking in the fascinating sights. All of the buildings in Beamish are original, brought in from elsewhere, and then re-constructed brick by brick. To add even more atmosphere and authenticity, the townspeople wear period costumes and are employed in different professions of the time.

Spread over 300 acres, an Edwardian town and colliery have been re-created with farms, railways, tramways, a co-op shop, a pub, a printers and a chapel. It is a living museum of the years around 1913 showing the impact of industry on people’s lives and is one of the North East’s most popular and fascinating attractions.

During your free time here, you might visit the stables, the Motor & Cycle Works, and the Sweet Shop, where various confections are still made according to the original recipes. There is a bank with its safes wisely located in the cellar, and a dentist’s office, where you can browse the rather gruesome surgical equipment used to extract teeth. The railway station is another point of interest because it looks just like it did in Edwardian times, right down to the authentic signal box.

OVERVIEW

Snorkel the gorgeous waters in the Bonaire Marine Park and enjoy the beach on the uninhabited island of Klein Bonaire. You will cruise to both attractions on a sleek, 42-foot catamaran with plenty of shaded and sunny areas for lounging. The park is the world’s first Blue Destination, a certification awarded to protected waters that are used for sustainable and socially responsible business endeavors. While snorkeling the coral reef, you may spot parrotfish, angelfish, sea horses and sea turtles. Klein Bonaire is within the marine park and is completely undeveloped even though it lies just off Bonaire’s capital city of Kralendijk. While enjoying one of its remote no-name beaches, you will be free to stretch out in the sun, stroll along the sugar-white shoreline and take a refreshing swim. You will also be welcome to snorkel as the marine life is sure to be different than what you encountered on the reef.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise the crystal-clear waters off Kralendijk on a sleek catamaran.
• Observe the colorful marine life while snorkeling in the Bonaire Marine Park.
• Relax however you please on a no-name beach on the uninhabited island Klein Bonaire.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes with non-slip soles.

Experience a unique, exciting underwater adventure aboard a real submarine. Seated in spacious, air-conditioned comfort you'll see beautiful coral reefs and abundant marine life, including coral formations, sponge, and colorful fish through large view-ports to depths of 130 feet.

Celebrate the honor, valor and courage of the World War II US servicemen on this special tour. This nostalgic journey takes you to the two places that marked the beginning and the end of the war for the United States - Pearl Harbor and the USS Missouri.

The 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor will unfold in detailed narrations and photos. From here you'll travel across the Ford Island Bridge to the historic USS Missouri battleship, nicknamed the 'Mighty Mo.' Explore the passages, rooms and corridors on a self-guided tour.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a leisurely drive along the Bay of Naples and on to Sorrento, a city of Renaissance palazzi and charming pedestrian lanes. A meandering walk will take you to a woodworking studio, where craftsmen will likely demonstrate the art of intarsia or wood inlay, which has long been associated with Sorrento. Free time follows, during which you might browse the museums and boutiques. Ceramic tableware, casual fashions and intarsia jewelry boxes are among the most popular items.

Then, it’s on to Pompeii, a Roman town forever known for the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that buried it under ash and pumice in 79 A.D. After free time to explore on your own and perhaps watch artisans create cameos, you will tour the ruins. The excavations have unearthed a snapshot of life here nearly 2,000 year ago. Buildings are largely intact, frescoes adorn the villas and everyday objects are scattered about, just as they were when the volcano erupted. Expect to see ancient baths, temples and residences with intricate mosaic floors. It’s an eye-opening look into ancient life, one you will remember long after returning to Naples.

It is off to the historic and magnificent White Pass Train adventure. From an antique parlor car, enjoy the incredible scenery while your tour guide shares the stories and history of the Klondike Gold Rush. Upon reaching Fraser, British Columbia board your motorcoach and take a short trip to the Yukon Suspension Bridge. Then it’s time to experience the country that you heard about! Breathe pristine air, taste wild berries in season, hear the roar of raging white water and thrill to the sensations of a swaying walkway over 60 feet above the rapids. There are Tagish First Nation Staff and Elders to answer questions about the site. A variety of First Nations art pieces and crafts are available for purchase, as well. After your experience at the Yukon Suspension Bridge, you’ll continue on your motorcoach for the journey down the west side of the White Pass Canyon. Listen as your driver/guide entertains you with stories of the stampeders who trekked through the pass in search of gold. You’ll see picturesque points such as Tormented Valley and Pitchfork Falls as you head back to your ship.