Transatlantic Cruises: Excursions

Your tour adventure takes place on a Rigid Inflatable Boat, so-called RIB. After being briefed on safety instructions, you’ll be suited up with a Personal Floatation Device before you head out of the harbour. Your boat will drive in the coastal waters around Ålesund. Go as far as Runde Birdrock or into the sheltered waters of the inside of Alesund, depending on the weather. Your guide will look out for interesting wildlife, birds or even eagles. You can also get closer to a rock where seals are basking. Finally, after approximately 90 minutes of adventure, you’ll return back to your ship. Note: Participants must be at least 12 years of age and be in good health. This tour is not recommended for guests who suffer from back problems. Participants must be able to swim. Wear flat or rubber sole shoes, expect to get wet. A waiver liability release form will be given to all guests. Lifejackets and goggles will be provided. This tour requires guests to walk approximately 300 meters from the pier to the RIB’s staging area. The route is the guide’s decision, depending on the weather and fitness of the participants. less

During this unforgettable excursion you’ll learn about dolphins at the Interactive Learning Center. Once you arrive to Atlantis, watch an informative video and listen to a marine mammal specialist. Race alongside dolphins, cruise along the surface, or dive to the depths of the saltwater lagoon on your hand-held scooter, while you control your own speed! Explore this wide-open dolphin playground and enjoy Dolphin Cay’s signature ‘foot push,’ where dolphins propel you across the lagoon on a boogie board for a rush unlike any you’ve experienced. You’ll be provided with a snorkel and mask. You’ll also receive an Atlantis map, which will allow you to take a self-guided tour at your leisure of the Ruins Lagoon, a recreation of the sunken streets of mythical Atlantis and the Dig, a replica of an archaeological excavation site. Enjoy complimentary soft drinks while sunbathing at Dolphin’s Cay private beach. Note: Participants must be at least 10 years of age and a minimum height of 3 feet. This tour is not recommended for pregnant women. Wear comfortable shoes as there is a considerable amount of walking once at the resort. Guests must be able to swim in deep water without support vests or assistance. Wetsuits, personal lockers, beach towels and soft drinks are provided. Wetsuits are mandatory. This tour has access to Dolphin Cay private beach to sunbathe and watch the dolphins only; however swimming is not available. This tour is non-refundable. Dolphin Observer tickets are sold onboard only. The transportation for this tour is by bus, approximately 25-minutes each way depending on traffic conditions. Guests participating on an Atlantis Shore Excursion must arrive at the place and time stated on the Shore Excursion ticket. Atlantis tour tickets will not be honored at the resort. There is a considerable amount of walking on this tour (approximately 0.4 miles). To ensure availability, dolphin excursions must be booked no later than 24 hours prior to the port call. Last minute sales will not be available. Duration of tour may vary. less

Discover the ultimate dolphin adventure by spending an exciting day (approximately 6 hours) working beside the trainers. You’ll gain an insight and understanding of the basic skills needed to care for and train dolphins and sea lions through practical hands-on experience, while being an active member of the team of marine mammal experts. You’ll be in close contact with the dolphins and sea lions throughout the day – both in the pool and poolside - while assisting trainers in every aspect of their work. This is a fun-filled, one-of-a-kind adventure. Note: Participants must be at least 12 years of age. A light lunch from the snack bar is included. Do not wear jewelry or sunscreen lotion as it may be harmful to the animals. Please bring your swimsuit and a towel. less

The Hermitage Museum ranks among the most prestigious museums in the world, containing about three million objects of unparalleled importance. The route takes you through the State Rooms of the Winter Palace, the collection of Western European art featuring Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian and others, Dutch and Flemish Art collections, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck, and the French Impressionists Collection. You’ll see the collection of Spanish art (second only to Madrid’s Prado), and the collection of French art, which is the largest outside France, displaying works by Degas, Renoir, Monet, Cezzanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Matisse.

From the Hermitage, your coach proceeds to drive towards one of the main landmarks of St. Petersburg – the Church on Spilled Blood. This exquisitely decorated cathedral was built on the spot were Tsar Alexander II had been fatally wounded by a member of the People’s Will revolutionary terrorist organization on March I, 1881. Combining the artistic styles of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, the cathedral is a kaleidoscope of decorative elements, with an extensive collection of mosaics that cover over 8,400 square yards, and five domes that are covered with more than 1,000 square yards of jeweler’s enamel.

*Price reflected on NCL.com is inclusive of the Pre-Book and Save offer.
Note: Expect congestion and waiting at attractions. Tour sequence may vary. The Russian government charges a nominal fee to use your camera and video inside various palaces and museums of St. Petersburg. Fees are payable to your guide and exact change is required. Flash photography is prohibited in the Hermitage. less

In the morning your tour takes you outside of the city to the historical town of Pushkin. The drive will take you to the Egyptian Gates, the entrance to the Tsar’s Village in Pushkin. Catherine’s Palace in the Tsar’s Village ranks as one of the masterpieces of world art. Peter the Great presented the estate to his wife Catherine in 1710 and the architect Braunstein built a small palace here. From this time until the time of the last Russian Tsar, Pushkin was used as the summer residence of the Royal Family. In 1756, Bartelomeo Rastrelli expanded the palace in Baroque style. Its grandiose, white and gold facade stretches 978 feet. During World War II, the palace was damaged severely, but since then it has been restored and stands now in its original glory. The palace tour takes you through the series of magnificent rooms, including the famous Picture Gallery, the Great Hall and the world famous Amber Room.

The parks of the estate add to the splendor of the palace, and several of them are embellished with a number of charming pavilions. The town of Pushkin is famous not only for its remarkable palace and parks, but the man it was named after – Alexander Pushkin, the most celebrated poet in the country and a resident of this town at the beginning of the 19th century. The lyceum, where he studied, is connected to the palace by an arch. After the tour you’ll continue to one of the dining venues for lunch after which, you’ll drive back to the city for a tour of the Hermitage Museum, the largest art museum in Russia and the most prestigious museum in the world. The Hermitage Museum occupies the Winter Palace, the winter residence of the Russian Tsars, and four more buildings.

* Price reflected on NCL.com is inclusive of the Pre- Book and Save offer.
Note: This tour is done by van. It is not recommended for persons with walking or climbing difficulties. There are long walking distances through the gardens of Pushkin. Catherine’s Palace is not wheelchair accessible due to the steep staircase and no elevators. There is extensive walking between different parts of the Hermitage. Expect congestion and waiting at attractions. The Russian government charges a nominal fee to use your camera and video inside various palaces and museums of St. Petersburg. Fees are payable to your guide and exact change is required. Flash photography is prohibited in the Hermitage. less