Cruise Itinerary

160 years after its discovery by Portugal's Bartholomew Diaz in 1488, the Cape of Good Hope was still a part of primeval Africa. Sailors on passing ships impatient to reach the East or return home to Europe would leave messages under inscribed "post office" stones for other ships to carry forward. In 1580, Sir Francis Drake sailed around the Cape. The ruggedness and breathtaking beauty of the peninsula caused him to write, "This Cape is a most stately thing, and the fairest Cape in the whole circumference of the earth." The Dutch East India Company, yielding to repeated petitions and recommendations from their ships' officers, decided to establish a post at Table Bay in 1652. A stronghold was established and subsequently was replaced by the existing Castle of Good Hope - Cape Town's first building.

Between the windswept shores of the South Atlantic and the vast Namib Desert, discover a quaint fishing village with a distinct German vibe and a rich history rooted in the diamond rush. Aside from the sandy streets and surrounding desert, much of Luderitz wouldn’t seem out of place in Munich or Berlin. Colourful colonial architecture remains from the scramble for Africa and the diamond rush in the early 1900s, when the town was German-controlled. The Deutsche Afrika Bank, Old Post Office, and Lutheran church overlooking the town and harbor are a few of many impressive buildings that echo this bygone era.

Walvis Bay possesses the finest harbor on the Namib coast. That fact led to its annexation by the British in 1878, who added it to their enclave in South Africa. It was not until 1994 that the now-Republic of South Africa returned Walvis Bay to Namibia. The port is your gateway to the vast Namib Desert, one of the oldest and harshest deserts on Earth, and to the old German town of Swakopmund, a legacy of that distant era when Namibia was a German colony named Sudwest Afrika. Walvis Bay perches on the edge of the great Namib Desert a landscape of extraordinary beauty with its immense dunes, moonscapes and salt sinks.

Walvis Bay possesses the finest harbor on the Namib coast. That fact led to its annexation by the British in 1878, who added it to their enclave in South Africa. It was not until 1994 that the now-Republic of South Africa returned Walvis Bay to Namibia. The port is your gateway to the vast Namib Desert, one of the oldest and harshest deserts on Earth, and to the old German town of Swakopmund, a legacy of that distant era when Namibia was a German colony named Sudwest Afrika. Walvis Bay perches on the edge of the great Namib Desert a landscape of extraordinary beauty with its immense dunes, moonscapes and salt sinks.

The beautiful isolation of Jamestown, the capital of St. Helena, lies in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, It is the final resting place of Napoleon, who was exiled there, and his gravesite in a colourful, flower-laden glade can still be visited. Still a British Overseas Territory, the town’s main attractions include the Museum of Saint Helena, which showcases St. Helenian stamps, island communications, religious icons and geological specimens; The Cenotaph; and the view from Jacob’s Ladder – its 699 steps rise from the capital to Half Tree Hollow above. Jamestown’s temperature is consistently warm and pleasant throughout the year, moderated by its proximity to the ocean. This historic village boasts the oldest Anglican church in the Southern Show lessHemisphere – the 18th century St. James' – plus numerous handsome Georgian manses that line a very British Main Street.

Its stunning setting and joyous lust for life make Rio a cidade maravilhosa, "marvelous city." Ipanema, Copacabana, samba - the words alone conjure Brazilian paradise.

Its stunning setting and joyous lust for life make Rio a cidade maravilhosa, "marvelous city." Ipanema, Copacabana, samba - the words alone conjure Brazilian paradise.