Your Itinerary
Day 1 - Home [Plane] Amsterdam
Our journey begins today as we depart home on our international flight to Amsterdam.
We arrive in Amsterdam and make our own way to our hotel for a two-night stay in the Dutch capital before boarding our ship.
Special Information
Transfers are not included. Our transfer portal may offer the option to book transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply), accessible through the Traveller Hub once the booking is confirmed.
Final travel documentation will be provided approximately 30 days prior to departure.
After breakfast we have the day to explore Amsterdam at our own pace. We might visit the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum, take a canal cruise through the UNESCO-listed ring of canals, or wander the Jordaan district.
The evening is at leisure.
Day 4 - Amsterdam [Train] Rotterdam [Ship]
After our time in Amsterdam we make our own way to Rotterdam, around an hour away by train, to board Holland America Line's Rotterdam, which sails this afternoon. We settle into our stateroom as we begin our voyage.
Special Information
Check-in opens at approximately 1:00pm. Transfers from Amsterdam to the Rotterdam cruise terminal are not included.
A day at sea as we head north towards Norway.
We arrive in Alesund, an Art Nouveau town on Norway's west coast, set among islands and fjords.
We call at Trondheim, Norway's medieval capital and home to Nidaros Cathedral, then enjoy scenic cruising along the Trondheimsfjord as we sail out.
Special Information
Scenic cruising along the Trondheimsfjord this evening.
Day 8 - Crossing the Arctic Circle [Ship]
Today we cross the Arctic Circle as we cruise the Norwegian coast.
Special Information
Scenic cruising; there is no port call today.
We arrive in Tromso, above the Arctic Circle, and stay overnight. Known as a gateway to the Arctic, it is one of the better places to look for the northern lights at this time of year.
Special Information
Overnight in Tromso.
We have a further day in Tromso before sailing tonight, with time for the Arctic Cathedral, the cable car for views over the surrounding peaks, or the harbour.
We arrive in Alta and stay overnight. Alta is known for its northern lights, its prehistoric rock carvings and the surrounding Finnmark landscape.
Special Information
Overnight in Alta. Alta is a tender port and wheelchair access is limited.
We have the morning in Alta before sailing this afternoon.
Day 13 - Crossing the Arctic Circle [Ship]
We cross the Arctic Circle again as we cruise south along the coast.
Special Information
Scenic cruising; there is no port call today.
Day 14 - Andalsnes [Ship]
We call at Andalsnes, set at the head of the Romsdalsfjord and ringed by mountains.
We arrive in Bergen, a gateway to the fjords, with its UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf and rows of timber houses.
We call at Lerwick in Scotland's Shetland Islands, a northern archipelago with a strong Norse heritage.
Special Information
Tender port; wheelchair access is limited.
A day at sea as we cruise south.
Day 18 - Rotterdam [Ship]
We call at Rotterdam, a Dutch port city known for its modern architecture, before continuing south.
Day 19 - Portsmouth [Ship]
We arrive in Portsmouth on England's south coast, a historic naval city and a gateway to the South Downs.
Day 21 - Le Verdon (Bordeaux) [Ship]
We call at Le Verdon, at the mouth of the Gironde and the gateway to the Bordeaux wine region and the Medoc.
We arrive in Bilbao in Spain's Basque Country, home to the Guggenheim Museum.
We call at Lisbon, Portugal's capital, set across low hills above the Tagus.
Day 26 - Cartagena [Ship]
We arrive in Cartagena on Spain's south-east coast, a port with Roman remains and a naval history.
We call at Valencia, known for its old town and the City of Arts and Sciences.
Day 28 - Barcelona [Ship]
We arrive in Barcelona, where the first voyage ends and the second begins. As we are continuing on the back-to-back cruise we need to disembark the cruise and re-board this afternoon. This gives you time to explore Barcelona.
Special Information
Back-to-back turnaround day. Guests disembark cruise, clear customs and re-check-in. You will not be in the same cabin as on the previous voyage.
Day 29 - Palma de Mallorca [Ship]
e call at Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, with its seafront cathedral and old town.
Day 31 - Marseille (Provence) [Ship]
We arrive in Marseille, a gateway to Provence and Aix-en-Provence.
Day 32 - Livorno (Florence/Pisa) [Ship]
We call at Livorno, the gateway to Florence and Pisa in Tuscany.
Day 33 - Civitavecchia (Rome) [Ship]
We dock at Civitavecchia, the port for Rome.
Day 34 - Naples (Pompeii/Amalfi) [Ship]
We arrive in Naples, a gateway to Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast and Capri.
Day 36 - Kerkira (Corfu) [Ship]
We call at Corfu in the Ionian Islands, known for its Venetian old town.
We arrive in Kotor in Montenegro, set at the head of a fjord-like bay beneath steep mountains.
Special InformationTender port; wheelchair access is limited. Times are subject to weather.
Day 39 - Piraeus (Athens) [Ship]
We call at Piraeus, the port for Athens, with time ashore to visit the Acropolis and the old city.
We arrive at Mykonos, a Cycladic island known for its whitewashed lanes and windmills.
Special InformationTender port; wheelchair access is limited.
We arrive in Istanbul and stay overnight. Straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus, the city is home to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar.
Special Information
Overnight in Istanbul.
We have a full day in Istanbul before sailing late this evening.
Day 45 - Kusadasi (Ephesus) [Ship]
We call at Kusadasi, the gateway to the ancient city of Ephesus.
We arrive at Kos in the Dodecanese, known for its beaches and ancient sites.
We call at Rhodes, with its medieval walled old town.
Our final day at sea as we return to Piraeus.
Day 49 - Piraeus (Athens)
This morning we disembark in Piraeus and make our own way to our hotel in Athens for a two-night stay.The rest of the day is at leisure.
Special InformationTransfers from the ship to the Athens hotel are not included.
We have the day to explore Athens at our own pace. We might visit the Acropolis and the Parthenon, wander the Plaka district below, or spend time at the National Archaeological Museum.
The evening is at leisure.
Day 51 - Athens [Plane] Home
fter our final morning in Athens we make our own way to the airport for our flight home.
Special InformationTransfers are not included.
We arrive home today.
Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations. We hope you had a memorable journey.