Southern Europe
Crystal: Italian Treasures Sep 12-14, 2008
We love Italy. We love the architecture and the feeling of antiquity it evokes; we love the smiling happy people as they work and as they play; we love Mama Mia's delicious food; we love the Chianti and the vin santo and the lemoncello; we love the incredible treasures of art to be found there—more than in all the rest of the world combined!!; we love the charming boutiques full of silks and leather and jewelry and all the other little things a woman finds adorable; we love the warmth of the sun shining on our faces; we love the narrow winding streets with surprises around every turn; we love the photo opps we constantly encounter; we love the multitude of ruins dating back to pre-historic times; we love the chance meeting and connection with an Italian stranger and the glimpse into his life. Most of all we love the romance of visiting Italy. Italy is entoxicating. Italy will draw you back over and over. Who could not love Italia?!
Greece
Greece is full of wonderful places such as Santorini, Mykonos, Delos, Thessalonoki, Corfu, Rhodes, Delphi, Corinth, Olympia, and Athens. Greece has the most beautifully crafted jewelry in the world, especially the reproductions of the Byzantine and ancient designs. The archaelogical sites are fascinating, with Mycenae boasting one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Crete, with its palace of Knossos, is another wonder. Fresh fish and salad are staples of the Greek diet, along with many sweets made with honey and nuts. Shopping is a must with many choices of ceramics, furs, jewelry, ikons, and handcrafts.
Istanbul: A City of Energy
Istanbul is one of our favorite picks and is a city that many people find extremely fascinating. The people are kind and friendly, the summer nightlife on the Bosphorous is unlike no other, and the pastries, salads, baklava, lamb, and fresh fish are to die for. There is also so much history and numerous sights to see. The Grand Bazaar — known for thousands of mini shops and store owners wanting to negotiate or show you a Turkish rug — is a place to visit while you are alive, as is the Blue Mosque with its hundreds of lights and beautiful blue stained glass, the Hagia Sophia, the underground water cistern with an upside down Minerva's head where a James Bond movie was filmed, the spice market, and many other attractions.
Regent: Voyager - Apr 30-May 14, 2008
Bermuda's seven principal islands have been completely tamed. Its 21 square miles are almost suburban in character, with pastel-colored cottages fronted by manicured lawns. Bermuda's culture is exceptionally civilized -a direct influence of its English heritage. Cricket is the national game, the judges wear white wigs and tea is served every afternoon in this self-governing British colony. In the interest of maintaining the island's serenity, the maximum speed limit for motorized vehicles is 20 MPH. And because of its tiny size, rental cars are not allowed on Bermuda.
Seabourn: Eastern Mediterranean May 13-24, 2008
Seabourn has a very interesting itinerary with a combination of ancient and new sites. You begin with the old in Egypt and you can merely sample the sites to be found in close proximity to Cairo and Alexandria (not to be missed are the pyramids and sphinx, the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, and the Grand Bazaar), or you can add a Nile cruise to your journey. The Seabourn cruise from Alexandria will take you to the old favorite Greek Islands of Santorini, Mykonos and Rhodes, and then some off the beaten track islands, the Peloponnesian Pennisula, and the awesome passage of the Corinth canal. One Seabourn officer recently told me that this Corinth Canal passage was one of his favorite travel experiences ever!