Bay of Biscay & English Channel Cruise

Day 1 - Lisbon

Arrive: Sat 29 June 2024 / Depart: Sat 29 June 2024 at 17:00

The great period of "the Discoveries" accounted for phenomenal wealth brought back from India, Africa and Brazil by the great Portuguese navigators. Gold, jewels, ivory, porcelain and spices helped finance grand new buildings and impressive monuments in Lisbon, the country's capital city. As you sail up the Tagus River, be on deck to admire Lisbon's panorama and see some of the great monuments lining the river. Lisbon is one of Europe's smallest capital cities but considered by many visitors to be one of the most likeable. Spread over a string of seven hills, the city offers a variety of faces, including a refreshing no-frills simplicity reflected in the people as they go unhurriedly through their day enjoying a hearty and delicious cuisine accompanied by the country's excellent wines.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - La Coruna, Spain

Arrive: Mon 01 July 2024 / Depart: Mon 01 July 2024

A Coruna is the largest Galician city with a culture uniquely its own, a rich folkloric tradition and its own language. Of historically remote origin, A Coruna has preserved a considerable heritage of monuments and ancient buildings, among which are Romanesque churches and a Roman lighthouse. Its most beautiful and original feature is perhaps the characteristic façade of its houses, which are completely covered by mirador windows.

Day 4 - Gijon

Arrive: Tue 02 July 2024 / Depart: Tue 02 July 2024

This ancient port city on the green Atlantic coast of Spain has a history of some 3,000 years. From its humble beginnings the city has grown to become an important port city in Spain. Its old historic fishing village Cimadevilla with its picturesque cobble stoned streets and old-world architecture remains today its main tourist attraction.

Day 5 - Santander

Arrive: Wed 03 July 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 03 July 2024 at 17:00

Santander is a resort that from 1913 to 1930 became a royal residence after city officials presented an English-style Magdalena Palace to Alfonso XIII and his queen, Victoria Eugenia. An ancient city, Santander was damaged by a 1941 fire, which destroyed the old quarter and most of its dwellings. It was rebuilt along original lines, with wide boulevards, a waterfront promenade, sidewalk cafes, shops, restaurants and hotels. Santander is an education center, with courses offered at the once-royal palace, now the Menendez Pelayo International University. Students and teachers from North America and Europe come here to study and enjoy the area.

Day 6 - Scenic Cruising Gironde Estuary

Day 6 - Bordeaux

Arrive: Thu 04 July 2024 at 12:00

Bordeaux is the starting point for many exciting excursions into the surrounding wine country. The patricians of Bordeaux have always been merchants and shipbuilders. Under the Romans the city had a flourishing trade with Spain and Britain. In 1154, as a part of the dowry of Eleanor of Aquitaine, it became English and remained so until 1453. In the 18th century, Bordeaux prospered from the slave trade, and later in commerce with French colonies in Africa. Since Roman times the quality of the region's vines and wines has been zealously maintained.

Day 7 - Bordeaux

Depart: Fri 05 July 2024 at 21:00

Bordeaux is the starting point for many exciting excursions into the surrounding wine country. The patricians of Bordeaux have always been merchants and shipbuilders. Under the Romans the city had a flourishing trade with Spain and Britain. In 1154, as a part of the dowry of Eleanor of Aquitaine, it became English and remained so until 1453. In the 18th century, Bordeaux prospered from the slave trade, and later in commerce with French colonies in Africa. Since Roman times the quality of the region's vines and wines has been zealously maintained.

Day 8 - La Rochelle

Arrive: Sat 06 July 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 06 July 2024 at 18:00

La Rochelle is a coastal city in southwestern France and capital of the Charente-Maritime department. It's been a center for fishing and trade since the 12th century, a maritime tradition that's reflected in its Vieux Port (old harbor) and huge, modern Les Minimes marina. The old town has half-timbered medieval houses and Renaissance architecture, including passageways covered by 17th-century arches.

Day 9 - At Sea

Day 10 - St Malo

Arrive: Mon 08 July 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 08 July 2024 at 18:00

Saint-Malo is a port city in Brittany, in France's northwest. Tall granite walls surround the old town, which was once a stronghold for privateers (pirates approved by the king). The Saint-Malo Cathedral, in the center of the old town, is built in Romanesque and Gothic styles and features stained-glass windows depicting city history. Nearby is La Demeure de Corsaire, an 18th-century privateer’s house and museum.

Day 11 - Plymouth, UK

Arrive: Tue 09 July 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 09 July 2024 at 18:00

Plymouth, the largest city in Devon, has a long maritime history. Construction on the Royal Naval Dockyard was begun by William III in the late 17th century, and the site continues to serve as a naval base today. Excellent views of Plymouth Sound, with its many bays and inlets, may be enjoyed from the grassy esplanade known as the Hoe. Although heavy bombing destroyed much of Plymouth during World War II, a fascinating part of the past may still be seen in the Barbican, the oldest surviving section of the city. The Mayflower Steps mark the spot from which the Pilgrims sailed for the New World in 1620. You may wish to take a look inside the massive Royal Citadel, built by Charles II in 1666. The city houses Europe's premier oceanography institute with an unrivalled aquarium. An excursion into the lovely Devonshire countryside should prove a most pleasant diversion.

Day 12 - Cowes, Isle of Wight

Arrive: Wed 10 July 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 10 July 2024 at 17:00

Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry.

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - Zeebrugge

Arrive: Fri 12 July 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 12 July 2024 at 18:00

Zeebrugge is a Belgian port and seaside resort. It's linked to the city of Bruges by the Baudouin Canal. The old fish market in the marina houses Seafront, a theme park focusing on the local seafaring and fishing heritage. Exhibits include a Russian submarine. In nearby Knokke-Heist, the For Freedom Museum evokes the area’s WWII history through dioramas. West along the coast are the De Fonteintjes wetland and dunes.

Day 15 - Dover, UK

Arrive: Sat 13 July 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 13 July 2024

Crossing the English Channel from continental Europe to Great Britain, the first view of England is the milky-white strip of land called the White Cliffs of Dover. As you get closer, the coastline unfolds before you in all its striking beauty. White chalk cliffs with streaks of black flint rise straight from the sea to a height of 350’ (110 m). Numerous archaeological finds reveal people were present in the area during the Stone Age. Yet the first record of Dover is from Romans, who valued its close proximity to the mainland. A mere 21 miles (33 km) separate Dover from the closest point in France. A Roman-built lighthouse in the area is the tallest Roman structure still standing in Britain. The remains of a Roman villa with the only preserved Roman wall mural outside of Italy are another unique survivor from ancient times which make Dover one of a kind.