SHORE EXCURSIONS

Don’t miss a unique opportunity to visit the spectacular ‘City of Lights’, from two perspectives. After an approximately three-hour drive from Le Havre, you’ll arrive in Paris to discover the most important sights.

Your guide will point out Place de l’Etoile, its Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees Avenue at the end of which the Place de la Concorde offers to all visitors, its legendary obelisk. Continue to the Rive Gauche where the most impressive monuments of Paris are located. At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, a glass-covered sightseeing riverboat awaits you for a scenic cruise on the Seine River. Enjoy a different perspective of this monumental city from the water while having lunch. See the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and much more. During your lunch cruise, you’ll not only discover the quays and the monuments of this enchanting city, but also the districts where the nobility and the Bourgeoisie live. Afterwards, before driving back to Le Havre, you’ll enjoy some free time in the city near the Trocadero.

Experience the ultimate family getaway at the all-new Great Tides Waterpark on Great Stirrup Cay. Your ticket includes full-day access to four exciting zones — Tidal Tower, Cliffside Cove, Wandering River, and Splash Cay — featuring 19 total waterslides throughout the park, including 11 main attractions and 8 kid-friendly slides in the splash zone. From towering slides and cliff jumps to a winding lazy river and splash-filled fun for every age, Great Tides Waterpark delivers nonstop excitement the whole family will love.

Enjoy a carefree day in the laid-back fishing village Afurada, mingling with the locals and browsing exhibitions that will present a candid look at the area’s history. Afurada isn’t touristy, but rather presents an authentic impression of daily life in a seaside village. You might see locals chatting with their neighbors, others shopping at outdoor markets and fishermen mending their nets. Life unfolds slowly here, away from the hustle and bustle of Oporto, and that is much of Afurada’s charm. For a historical and cultural perspective of the village, you will browse the Interpretive Heritage Center. You can expect to see wooden fishing boats, ships’ instruments and brightly colored lunch boxes, the kind sailors typically pack for a day at sea. You will also walk through village squares where locals typically gather to socialize and grill freshly caught seafood. The guide may introduce you to some of them to enhance your appreciation of local life.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Enjoy the charm of a fishing village that has yet to be commercialized.
• Mingle with the locals as they go about their daily routines.
• Browse the exhibits in a heritage center that lends insight into the area’s history.
• Stop at a traditional tavern and sample characteristic Portuguese foods.

The exquisitely preserved medieval town of Bruges is a veritable jewel. Step back in time as you begin your guided walk through Bruges, often called 'Die Scone' or 'the beautiful'. The charm of this lovely medieval city will capture you immediately. As you walk through the narrow streets, passing by picturesque scenes of ancient buildings, tree-lined canals and gabled facades, from the exterior you’ll see the bustling marketplace, The Belfry Tower, the Town Hall and the Chapel of the Holy Blood.

The highlight of this walking tour will undoubtedly be a 30-minute canal tour. While sitting back in a small boat, you’ll enjoy the serene waterways of this romantic historical city. Since Bruges is full of lace and chocolate shops, you’ll certainly find the perfect souvenir as you explore the area on your own. To end this perfect tour, your guide will lead you by the romantic 'Lake of Love' on the return drive to your ship.

Explore the west coast of Tenerife, a gorgeous landscape of remote villages and banana plantations. Have privilege views over the fertile Orotava valley from the Humbold viewpoint. Over time, sugarcane, grapes and bananas became the dominant crops, and they are still harvested using traditional techniques. Understand how the crops are cultivated visiting an old hacienda where you can learn firsthand how bananas are grown, a tour in an authentic banana plantation where you can see different varieties of bananas and learn the process before sampling the locally grown bananas and banana liqueur. On the way back to pier, visit an ancient garden hosting the largest orchid collection on the Island and stop at La Garañona Viewpoint, local´s favorite spot to take in the beauty of the sea and surrounding.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Gain an understanding of how crops are harvested using traditional methods.
• Learn firsthand how bananas are grown and see different varieties in an authentic plantation.
• Visit an ancient garden hosting the largest orchid collection on the Island .
• Sample several varieties of bananas and banana liqueur, which attest to the fruit’s diversity.

OVERVIEW

Fall under the spell of the island of Faial’s unique natural beauty on a tour that highlights a stunning landscape largely developed from volcanic eruptions. Drive to Espalamaca, a dazzling overlook affording the finest view of enchanting Horta. If the day is clear, you’ll treasure the arresting sight of three other Azorean islands: Pico, São Jorge and Graciosa. Journey past elegant windmills and a landscape ripe with vivid blue hydrangeas to Caldeira, a massive crater left by the now-extinct volcano that created the island of Faial. Behold the mile-wide depression, sumptuously blanketed with indigenous junipers, tree heathers, cedars and ferns. Travel to Capelinhos, where the strikingly barren terrain is rocky and hauntingly lunar-like. See the stately lighthouse, the only building to survive the devastation of a volcanic eruption in the mid-20th century. You’ll pass through verdant Capelo Forest Park and Praia do Norte, a splendid seaside parish shaped by a volcanic eruption in 1672 that’s now a surfing mecca. Marvel at fascinating sights on this journey through the wonders of Faial.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Experience Espalamaca’s exceptional view of charming Horta and beyond.
• See natural wonders created by volcanic activity once prevalent in the Azores.
• Marvel at the mile-wide Caldeira crater, cloaked by gorgeous native trees.
• Observe the jet-black volcanic ash still covering the floor of the Capelinhos lighthouse.
• Delight in Praia do Norte, where massive waves are the result of an incredible underwater ravine.

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

Stroll through a bustling market taking note of the ingredients and then join a chef who will show you how to prepare paella from scratch, an iconic dish that will be your lunch. The items at the Central Market are locally sourced, so they truly represent the ingredients found in the regional cuisine. After meandering through the stalls, interacting with the vendors and sampling some of the delicacies, you will walk to a nearby restaurant for a paella workshop. The chef will show you step by step how to prepare authentic paella Alicante-style. You will have seen many of the ingredients in the market, which will make the preparation all the more relevant. Although the city of Valencia just to the north is known as the birthplace of paella, the version made in Alicante is much the same. Feel free to ask questions as the chef prepares the meal, which you will dine on afterwards.

Enjoy extra time to unwind and savor the ship at your own pace – no rushing, no waiting at the airport, just more time to relax and soak in the experience.

• Relaxed, stress-free departure.
• Enjoy the ship at your own pace with leisurely lunch and extra time onboard.
• Complete with the added convenience of included shuttle transfer to airport.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy two revealing perspectives of New York by taking in the considerable sights on the way to South Street Seaport and then by cruising the harbor, where the city’s dramatic skyline really comes into view. During the driving portion of the tour, the commentary will describe neighborhoods such wonderfully creative Greenwich Village and attractions such as the High Line and Little Island. Upon reaching the 18th-century seaport, you will begin a leisurely cruise around the harbor, following a route that affords extraordinary views of landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the One World Trade Center. You will also see neighboring New Jersey and Ellis Island. Still, the highlight is passing directly in front of the State of Liberty for an unforgettable view of what may well be New York’s most recognized symbol.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through Greenwich Village and the Financial District, taking in the sights.
• Enjoy a sweeping view of the skyline from a unique harbor perspective.
• Pass directly in front of the Statue of Liberty.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

Settle in for a panoramic driving tour through Porto as a prelude to dining on dishes made to pair with the city’s namesake port wine. While traveling through the city’s historic district, which is so architecturally important that UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site, you will pass landmarks such as the Casa da Música concert hall and the cathedral where famed Portuguese explorer Henry the Navigator was baptized in the late 1300s. This immersion into Porto will also provide insight into the production of port, the fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley. Taylor’s Port Lodge in nearby Gaia offers the ideal setting for an exquisite tasting of appetizers created especially to pair with these wines. Tour the famous cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia while learning the history of Port wine. The family run company was founded hundreds of years ago in 1692, and has since been the best known and well respected winery in the area.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Settle in for a panoramic driving tour through Porto as a prelude to dining on dishes made to pair with the city’s namesake port wine.
• Pass landmarks such as the Casa da Música concert hall and the cathedral where famed Portuguese explorer Henry the Navigator was baptized in the late 1300s.
• Tour the famous cellars at Vila Nova de Gaia while learning the history of Port wine.

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

Enjoy extra time to unwind and savor the ship at your own pace – no rushing, no waiting at the airport, just more time to relax and soak in the experience.

• Relaxed, stress-free departure.
• Enjoy the ship at your own pace with leisurely lunch and extra time onboard.
• Complete with the added convenience of included shuttle transfer to airport.

Take a scenic drive through the countryside to the magnificent city of Florence. Pause in the Piazza del Duomo to admire the exterior of the Cathedral (Duomo) of Santa Maria del Fiore, its elaborate Gothic façade is covered in a mix of pink and green marble.

View the statues in the Piazza della Signoria on your way to the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval stone bridge was the first bridge built across the River Arno, and has been well known for its goldsmiths and jewelers since the 16th century. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, and after the meal you'll have free time to explore on your own or to shop, before your tour continues to the historic town of Pisa. Here, you'll have free time in Miracle Square for a look at the exterior of that famous Leaning Tower. Built in the 12th century, it began to lean soon afterwards, but has now been stabilized.