ms Rotterdam sailing on December 22nd, 2013

About Rotterdam

Modern Rotterdam is often referred to as a "wonder", because of its amazing Phoenix-like revival after bombs had virtually flattened Rotterdam on May 14, 1940. Highlights are the 180 metres tall Euromast which was built in the record time of 23 days, the impressive sculpture by Osip Zadkine entitled "The Destroyed City" and the town hall resplendent with its embellished facade in the style of the Flemis Neo-Renaissance.

Rotterdam Activities

• The Havenmuseum shows the presence of the port of Rotterdam in the heart of Rotterdam.
• The Maritiem Museum in Rotterdam offers a wealth of information about the shipping industry, both past and present.
• The Openlucht Binnenvaart Museum offers berths to historical commercial (sailing) vessels in the Oude Haven area as well as parts of Delfshaven in Rotterdam.
• Close to the Oude Haven on the Wijnhaven, you will also find the Mariniers museum. Here, visitors can learn anything and everything there is to know about the lives of 'our boys', the ships and the history of the Royal Dutch Navy.
• The Wereldmuseum Rotterdam focuses on encounters and cross-cultural inspiration.
• How can one live in a cube house? In Rotterdam you will find the answer. Curiously angled cube-shape apartments have each been turned to balance on one corner on the top of tall beams. One of the cube houses, the so-called fully furnished Show Cube, is open to the public.
• The Blijdorp Zoo is a voyage of discovery, full of surprising encounters that takes you to different continents in one day.
• The Euromast, a 607-feet tower visible from miles around, gives a superb view of the city of Rotterdam and the largest port in the world.

About At Sea

Relax and enjoy your vacation onboard your ship. You can do as much or as little as you want.

About At Sea

Relax and enjoy your vacation onboard your ship. You can do as much or as little as you want.

About At Sea

Relax and enjoy your vacation onboard your ship. You can do as much or as little as you want.

About Casablanca

Catch the flavor of Casablanca in the open spice markets and herb alist shops on the Quarter Balilida in New Medina. A delightful blending of French and Moroccan cultures is found in street bazaars where artisans and enchanters barter their crafts a mere stone´s throw from the hushed secret gardens of the Royal Palace.

Casablanca Attractions

Casablanca's beaches are found to the east of the city along the Corniche. This is a very trendy area with four-star hotels, restaurants and bars.

About At Sea

Relax and enjoy your vacation onboard your ship. You can do as much or as little as you want.

About Funchal

The steep green mountains behind Funchal form the perfect backdrop for the enchanting capital of Madeira. The volcanic soil and the mild climate are credited for the abundance of lush and multicolored vegetation, giving Madeira the name "Island of Eternal Spring". Funchal, the island's capital, boasts an array of hotels, restaurants and shops, plus on its outskirts a Botanical Garden with an impressive collection of some 2,000 plants from around the world. Don’t miss visiting one of the wine lodges to sample Madeira’s most famous product.

Funchal Activities

• Quinta das Cruzes - Madeira’s discoverer, Zarco, is believed to have lived in this house. Now a museum, it displays furniture and paintings and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. The museum is closed from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Sé Cathedral - The cathedral was constructed by the Knights of the Order of Christ in 15th-century Manueline style. The stunning design features white stucco with contrasting black basalt and red tufa rock; the ceiling is inlaid with ivory.
• Museum of Sacred Art - Located near the Town Hall, the museum contains art from the island, including a group of 15th- and 16th-century paintings of Portuguese and Flemish schools. The museum is closed from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Botanical Garden - The gardens are Madeira’s best example of lavishly landscaped grounds. Situated on the estate of a former private residence, the gardens are host to a profusion of plants and flowers from all parts of the world, which thrive in the island’s temperate climate.

About Funchal

The steep green mountains behind Funchal form the perfect backdrop for the enchanting capital of Madeira. The volcanic soil and the mild climate are credited for the abundance of lush and multicolored vegetation, giving Madeira the name "Island of Eternal Spring". Funchal, the island's capital, boasts an array of hotels, restaurants and shops, plus on its outskirts a Botanical Garden with an impressive collection of some 2,000 plants from around the world. Don’t miss visiting one of the wine lodges to sample Madeira’s most famous product.

Funchal Activities

• Quinta das Cruzes - Madeira’s discoverer, Zarco, is believed to have lived in this house. Now a museum, it displays furniture and paintings and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. The museum is closed from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Sé Cathedral - The cathedral was constructed by the Knights of the Order of Christ in 15th-century Manueline style. The stunning design features white stucco with contrasting black basalt and red tufa rock; the ceiling is inlaid with ivory.
• Museum of Sacred Art - Located near the Town Hall, the museum contains art from the island, including a group of 15th- and 16th-century paintings of Portuguese and Flemish schools. The museum is closed from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Botanical Garden - The gardens are Madeira’s best example of lavishly landscaped grounds. Situated on the estate of a former private residence, the gardens are host to a profusion of plants and flowers from all parts of the world, which thrive in the island’s temperate climate.

About Tenerife

About Tenerife

About Las Palmas

Gran Canaria is the third largest island in the Canary Archipelago after Tenerife and Fuerteventura. Almost circular in shape, Gran Canaria is often referred to as a "miniature continent" due to its great variety of scenery. Generally divided into two distinct climatic areas - the arid south and the more humid north - the island features diverse natural attractions, including desert-like landscapes, golden dunes, lush vegetation, soaring mountains and awe-inspiring cliffs. Las Palmas, with a population of about 350,000, is the largest city in the archipelago, situated on the northeast tip of the island. As befits a modern, active city, Las Palmas boasts a number of museums, lovely parks, beaches, and a lively nightlife, providing perfect diversions for the many visitors who flock here. Las Palmas also serves as the starting point to the spectacular interior as well as to the southern part of the island, where bustling resorts line popular beaches, and the famous sand dunes are found at Maspalomas.

Las Palmas Attractions

The most important sites are found in Vegueta, the historical center in the southern part of Las Palmas. Among the attractions here are stately old homes with balconies facing narrow streets, of which the most prominent is the Casa de Colon, residence of the first governors of the island.

Las Palmas Activities

• Museo Canario - Located in the historic area, the museum’s exhibits provide a comprehensive history of Guanche society. The museum also boasts one of the largest collections of Cro-Magnon skulls in the world.
• Cathedral de Santa Ana - This 16th-century Gothic cathedral is the city's main place of worship. Sculptor Jose Lujan Perez designed the neo-classical façade. The cathedral features a majestic dome towering above the crypt. Nearby is the Museo Diocesano with more works by Perez.
• Ciudad Jardin - This relic from the late 19th century features a mixture of homes surrounded by beautiful gardens. Doramas Park, named after one of the Guanche kings, is particularly well landscaped.

About Lanzarote

With its landscapes filled with beaches and more than 300 volcanoes, plus perfect weather all year round, you'll quickly see why Lanzarote is an award-winning tourist destination. The island's dedication to the environment and tourism has even resulted in recognition from the World Tourism Organization as a universal model of sustainable development. In addition, the island has gone to considerable lengths to preserve its own history, culture and heritage.

Lanzarote Attractions

Visit the Cesar Manrique Foundation to admire works by the world-famous artist as well as his private collection of other artists. The foundation resides in what was once Manrique's house, which has architectural features just as fascinating as the art inside it. Some of the more interesting features are the five lava bubbles that were turned into underground rooms when the house was built.

Lanzarote Activities

• Check out El Golfo, a volcanic crater filled by underground seawater. It's a spectacular sight, with stunning deep-green water on a black-sand beach.
• Explore the national park of Timanfaya. This volcanic field has approximately 180 different plant species and is used as an authentic laboratory for biological research.
• Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, located in the Castle of San José, a historic monument preserved by César Manrique.

About At Sea

Relax and enjoy your vacation onboard your ship. You can do as much or as little as you want.

About Cadiz

Cadiz is the western worlds oldest inhabited city with shores bathed by both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Tiny villages are scattered at random along golden beaches and up twisting mountain roads leading to romantic Seville. Visit Sanlucar de Barrameda where Magellan began his voyage around the world and Jerez de la Frontera, home of the worlds finest sherry.

Cadiz Attractions

The cathedral in Cádiz is by far its best-known landmark. It was built in the 18th century with gold imported from the New World. There is also a museum with a breathtaking, and priceless, collection of gold, silver and jewels, and the crypt of the great Cádiz-born composer Manuel de Falla.

Cadiz Activities

• Stroll through the charming Plaza de Mina, lined with sidewalk cafés and remarkable architecture. It's also home to the Fine Arts and Archaeology Museum.
• Climb to the top of the Torre Tavira, one of the 160 watchtowers built in the 18th century, for a view of the entire city.
• Relax on one of the beautiful white-sand beaches.
• Visit the Oratorio de Santa Cruz church, home to several paintings by Francisco Goya.
• Take in the scenery. With water surrounding the city on three sides, Cadiz is famous for its breathtaking landscapes and ocean views.

About Lisbon

Lisbon is a city of great character and endearing charisma. Located in a hilly region at the mouth of the Tagus, the city retains an old world flair with cobbled alleyways in Alfama, the old town. Competing with the elegant avenues of Alto where sorrowful "fado" music fills the evening air is the Chiado, Lisbons affluent shopping district.

Lisbon Attractions

Don't miss the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, or Jeronimo's Monastery. Commissioned in 1501 after Vasco da Gama's return from his voyage, this remarkable monastery is a beautiful and unique example of Manueline architecture.

Lisbon Activities

• Explore the streets of Lisbon from Rossio Square to the main thoroughfare, the Avenida da Liberdade. Visit the monastery and the Maritime Museum, which houses miniature boats and original maps chronicling the history of navigation from the Middle Ages to today.
• Visit Sintra, considered one of the most beautiful palaces in Portugal. It was once the summer residence of Portuguese kings and aristocrats.
• Walk through the charming village of Fatima, where numerous sightings of the blessed Virgin Mary have been reported.

About At Sea

Relax and enjoy your vacation onboard your ship. You can do as much or as little as you want.

About At Sea

Relax and enjoy your vacation onboard your ship. You can do as much or as little as you want.

About At Sea

Relax and enjoy your vacation onboard your ship. You can do as much or as little as you want.

About Rotterdam

Modern Rotterdam is often referred to as a "wonder", because of its amazing Phoenix-like revival after bombs had virtually flattened Rotterdam on May 14, 1940. Highlights are the 180 metres tall Euromast which was built in the record time of 23 days, the impressive sculpture by Osip Zadkine entitled "The Destroyed City" and the town hall resplendent with its embellished facade in the style of the Flemis Neo-Renaissance.

Rotterdam Activities

• The Havenmuseum shows the presence of the port of Rotterdam in the heart of Rotterdam.
• The Maritiem Museum in Rotterdam offers a wealth of information about the shipping industry, both past and present.
• The Openlucht Binnenvaart Museum offers berths to historical commercial (sailing) vessels in the Oude Haven area as well as parts of Delfshaven in Rotterdam.
• Close to the Oude Haven on the Wijnhaven, you will also find the Mariniers museum. Here, visitors can learn anything and everything there is to know about the lives of 'our boys', the ships and the history of the Royal Dutch Navy.
• The Wereldmuseum Rotterdam focuses on encounters and cross-cultural inspiration.
• How can one live in a cube house? In Rotterdam you will find the answer. Curiously angled cube-shape apartments have each been turned to balance on one corner on the top of tall beams. One of the cube houses, the so-called fully furnished Show Cube, is open to the public.
• The Blijdorp Zoo is a voyage of discovery, full of surprising encounters that takes you to different continents in one day.
• The Euromast, a 607-feet tower visible from miles around, gives a superb view of the city of Rotterdam and the largest port in the world.