EXCURSIONS TERRESTRES

Drive a Jeep through downtown Nassau and its suburbs, taking in attractions such as the caves where the indigenous Lucayans once lived and then pausing to relax at the beach..

After a short walk from the pier, you will hop into a Jeep Wrangler and hit the open road. There is plenty to see during your time behind the wheel, starting with downtown Nassau, the capital, largest city and cultural hub of the Bahamas..

Depending on the route, you might drive through the colorful shopping district on Bay Street and see highlights such as palm-dotted Rawson Square, lovely government buildings such as the Supreme Court and the pink-hued House of Assembly. You will then head west past lovely Cable Beach and on towards the Nassau Caves for a photo stop..

The Lucayans, the original residents of the Bahamas once lived in these caverns. Settlers later used the caves for religious services and the guano inside to fertilize their crops..

You will also see the JFK Memorial, which recognizes President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 meeting in Nassau to discuss Polaris, the United Kingdom’s submarine-based nuclear-weapons program. The fabulous and sprawling Baha Mar resort is another Bahamian landmark that you will pass. .

Free time on one of Nassau’s most inviting beaches follows, during which you might stroll along the shore, bask in the sun or simply admire the natural beauty and serenity of the sea. Then after a bountiful lunch at the Bahamian Grill, you will return to the pier..

This sightseeing cruise features guaranteed whale watching! Following a short motorcoach ride to scenic Auke Bay, you’ll board a water jet powered catamaran specially designed for wildlife viewing. Relax in the warm, comfortable, spacious main cabin, surrounded by large windows as your experienced Captain guides you through the island studded waters of Stephens Passage. Against a majestic backdrop of snow-capped peaks and glaciers, the onboard naturalist will explain the behavior and habitat of wildlife you may encounter, including humpback and killer whales, Steller sea lions, Dall’s porpoise, harbor seals, bald eagles, bears and deer.

The operators of this tour guarantee that you'll see a whale. If not, you’ll receive a $100 cash refund as you disembark the vessel. Don’t anticipate a refund; in the past 10+ years, whales have been sighted on every tour! To fully enjoy the sights and sounds of a close encounter with wildlife, be sure to bring a warm, rainproof jacket to wear on the topside observation deck and don’t forget your camera! Day use binoculars and a souvenir wildlife guide and map are provided, along with complimentary snacks and beverages.

Your relaxing fun-filled day begins with a short scenic ride to a quaint marina where you’ll board the catamaran. At the marina dock, your friendly crew will greet you and acquaint you with the vessel. Glide along the eastern end of the island before setting sail to the most pristine of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The brisk sail across Pillsbury Sound brings you to a special mooring destination where you can swim on a beautiful St. John beach, snorkel or simply relax under the palms. Enjoy freshly baked breads, cheeses, fruits, and a variety of beverages onboard. Champagne and other beverages are complimentary after swimming and snorkeling. After your relaxing stay at the beach, delight in the tropical breezes as you make the downwind return sail to St. Thomas.

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.

Discover the charms of Granada, the architecturally stunning capital of the Andalusia region, by exploring a magnificent palace, the Royal Chapel and the city’s oldest quarter.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for scenic drive inland to Granada, a city likely named for the Spanish word for pomegranate, a fruit so abundant it is depicted on Granada’s coat of arms. Or Granada may have derived from its Moorish name, as the city was the Moors’ last stronghold before falling to Spain’s Catholic monarchs in 1492.

Granada features a wealth of extraordinary architecture such as your first stop, the Carlos V Palace within the Alhambra complex. Construction on the palace began in the early 16th century, following a Renaissance ground plan with a circular courtyard within a square building—the only one of its kind in Spain. Amazingly, a monarch has never lived in the palace, nor did it even have a roof until 1957.

Walking a bit farther, you will soon arrive in the labyrinthine streets of the Albayzin quarter (down part of the quarter), the city’s oldest section. UNESCO has deemed it a World Heritage site for its harmonious blend of Moorish and Andalusian architecture.

Nearby, you will find the glorious Royal Chapel, the final resting place of Spanish monarchs such as Queen Isabella and Kind Ferdinand. Be sure to see the chapel’s mausoleum, spectacular altarpieces and ornate grilles before enjoying free time and perhaps lunch on your own in the surrounding historical area.

Afterwards, you will drive back to Malaga.

Visit three meticulously excavated cities whose ruins reveal their splendor and prosperity in ancient times.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a picturesque drive to the excavated ruins of Miletus, an ancient city that the Greeks founded near the Menderes River. Although the city was abandoned in the 6th century when its harbors silted up, Miletus once prospered, as you will discover by wandering through its remains.

Among the highlights are a Greco-Roman theater that held 25,000 spectators and the Baths of Faustina, a complex with water fountains shaped like the river god Meander. Despite the relevance of the historical sites, it is hard to imagine that Miletus was once on a peninsula with four harbors, as it is now on a plain that lies five miles inland.

Not far away, you will find the ruins of Didyma, whose key landmark is the Temple of Apollo. One of the largest temples in the ancient world, it was a magnificent monument whose sacred oracle rivaled that of the more famed one in Delphi.

More fabulous ruins await your exploration in the World Heritage site Ephesus, where you will behold one excavated building after another. They include the theater where St. Paul preached, the Church of the Virgin Mary and the Library of Celsus, a monument constructed as a mausoleum with a separate library for scrolls and codexes.

Back in Kusadasi, you might spend free time shopping or stay in town longer for an enlightening carpet lecture.

Visit several of Old Town’s most iconic sites, which gained even greater fame after serving as locations for the fictional capital King’s Landing in “Game of Thrones.”

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive in the oldest section of Dubrovnik, a revered UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fans of the TV series “Game of Thrones,” which is based on George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy novels, will recognize this part of Dubrovnik as King’s Landing, the fictional capital of the Seven Kingdoms.

Your first stop will be imposing Lovrijenac Fortress, located just outside the medieval walls that encircle Old Town. Known as Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar, the 11th-century fortress perches atop a craggy rock overlooking the sea, which represented Blackwater Bay in the books.

Continuing on, you will enter Old Town and make your way to the defensive walls to the south. After climbing the steps, you will walk along the stone battlements, which afford extraordinary views of the sea and the inner city. These walls appeared in numerous scenes in “Game of Thrones”; they were particularly prominent in the Battle of Blackwater Bay.

Later, you will enjoy free time within Old Town, where you may explore other sites that you may recognize from the series. For instance, the Jesuit Staircase was where Cersei Lannister began her Walk of Shame in Season Five, and many of the show’s market scenes were filmed along St. Dominic Street. Following free time, you will return to the pier.

Experience the joys of Andrea Bocelli’s world by visiting places that the revered tenor and his family own in and around his hometown of Lajatico. Your enlightening journey will begin at the Teatro del Silenzio, an open-air amphitheater that Bocelli’s architect brother designed. Andrea performs here but once a year; the rest of the time the theater is silent, filled only by the sounds of nature. The family’s influence also extends into wine making, as you will discover while touring the Bocelli wine cellars, which hold classic Italian wines produced on the Tuscan estate that the family has owned since 1730.

You will have the opportunity to sample the wines and indulge in a buffet-style lunch of Tuscan delicacies at the Officine Bocelli restaurant. The wines may include a red made entirely from Sangiovese grapes and a crisp, complex Pinot Grigio. Upstairs, you will find a museum with a collection of awards, photos and memorabilia that celebrates Andrea’s musical achievements.

Come experience the world famous, magnificent ruins of the walled city of Tulum, the only Mayan city built right on the blue Caribbean Sea! After a 45-minute ferry to Playa del Carmen, your guide will lead you to an air-conditioned motor coach for a scenic and informative one-hour drive to Tulum.

Once there, your guide will escort you through the ruins giving a complete narration along the way. See the restored temples and some of the mysterious hieroglyphic writings still visible today. Visit the temple of the frescos, famous for the detailed carved figures and original paints. And perched on the edge of the Caribbean and rising high above all of the other ruins is “El Castillo” with its breathtaking view of the aqua-colored water below.

Once back in Playa del Carmen, you may have free time for shopping etc., depending on the ferry schedule. There will be a stop on the way to Tulum to purchase food, refreshments, souvenirs and use of the restroom.

Ride a meticulously refurbished vintage train through the Napa Valley while savoring a multi-course gourmet lunch and thoughtfully paired wines.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a relaxing drive north into the heart of Napa Valley, California’s famed wine region. Upon reaching Napa, you will board the Gourmet Express, an elegantly furnished vintage train that travels to St. Helena and back. The ride will be extraordinarily scenic the entire way as you pass dozens of wineries.

Even so, the star attraction will be the train. Its antique Pullman rail cars have been stylishly refurbished to reflect the Golden Age of train travel in early 1900s. Architectural features include Honduran mahogany paneling, brass accents and etched-glass partitions. You can’t help but embrace the slower pace that seems so natural within this sophisticated setting.

Feel free to wander about from rail car to rail car during the 3-hour journey. Even the kitchen cars will be open, so you can watch the culinary team prepare your gourmet lunch.

Some courses will be served in the dining car, others in the lounge car, allowing you to experience both environments.

The first course is typically soup du jour or garden-fresh Sonoma mixed greens. Dishes such as tenderloin beef or pork, lemon-thyme roasted chicken and Gemelli pasta usually appear as the main course, followed by a special dessert made daily. Appropriate wines will be suggested for each course for the ultimate dining experience.

On this 90-minute Private All Access Tour (exclusive to NCL guests), you will have a unique opportunity to explore the 2.5-mile Speedway from a variety of vantage points. Take the rare opportunity to come face-to-face with the track as you visit the well-known start/finish line and 31-degree high banks or ride down pit road to get a close-up view of the pit stalls. This tour provides you with unprecedented access like a visit to the media deadline room, a photo in Gatorade Victory Lane and a look inside the world's first motorsports stadium as you hop onto one of the 40 escalators and are transported into the new front-stretch stadium for a stunning view of the tri-oval and infield.

End the day by standing next to the car of this year’s DAYTONA 500 champion, left in the same condition as the day it conquered the World Center of Racing inside the new Motorsports Hall of Fame of America that is now housed in the DIS Ticket and Tours Building. The Hall of Fame showcases spectacular displays honoring all forms of motorsports: Stock Cars, Sports Cars, Open-Wheel, Motorcycles, Drag Racing, Land Speed Records, Power-boating and Aviation.

After your tour, visit ONEDAYTONA located across the street via raised safety-bridge. ONE DAYTONA will serve as the Daytona Beach area’s epicenter for premier retail, dining and entertainment.

This package lets you discover the highlights of each destination while taking advantage of a 20% discount. Tours included in this package are:

Kotor, Montenegro - Historic Kotor & Budva-Kilims Story

Corfu, Greece - Achilleion Palace & Corfu Town

Santorini, Greece - Charming Oia & Winery

Dubrovnik, Croatia - Historic Dubrovnik