Naples, Livorno (Florence, Piza), Marseille (Provence), Barcelona, Valencia, Casablanca, Barbados, St. George, Philipsburg, San Juan, Miami

Naples is the third-largest municipality in Italy, after Rome and Milan and one of the chief commercial cities of Europe. The city center has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the surrounding areas are dotted with cultural and historical treasures, with most notable, the restored ruins of Pompeii. Naples itself is mere enduring greatness. Highlights include Castel dell' Ovo, Castelnuovo, Castel Sant'Elmo, a medieval fortress located on a hilltop and national museums dedicated to art and archaeology. There is also a docile bay; the peaceful cypress-tufted islands of Ischia, Procida and Capri and over the city, Mount Vesuvius, volcano and national park. Take the opportunity to see the only active volcano on the European mainland, which blew in A.D. 79 and buried the city of Pompeii, or visit the magnificent Amalfi and Sorrento coasts.

Livorno, Tuscany's second-largest city, is the maritime gateway to the Tuscany region and its two most known cities, Florence (to the west) and Pisa (to the north). Among Livorno's main attractions are the Cisternone, an impressive neoclassical building on Viale Giosue Carducci, designed like a Roman bath, the main city square Piazza della Repubblica with Fortezza Nuova (the castle dating back to around 1576) in the background and a number of interesting shops in the city centre that visitors can explore. Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, is home to the Duomo, the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio. Pisa contains a host of beautiful cathedrals, palaces and bridges over the Arno River, as well as its glorious Leaning Tower, monument to faulty engineering.

Marseille is the largest port on the Mediterranean, France's second largest city and a virtual melting pot of peoples and cultures. It is a unique city with a feel and culture all its own. It is also a place of striking contrasts, from the fishing boats of the picturesque Vieux Port to the modern Canebiere. Dominating the harbor is the infamous Chateau d'If, the rocky prison from which Alexandre Dumas' "Count of Monte Cristo" escaped. If you have time, explore the countryside around Arles and Avignon, immortalized in the canvases of Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso, try the renowned bouillabaisse or tour the lovely towns and vineyards of Provence. 

Barcelona is one of the world's greatest treasures, a global capital of commerce, fashion, culture and sunshine. Cruise visitors should start with a walk down Las Ramblas, the glorious tree-shaded thoroughfare at the heart of the city, enjoy a dive in the wonderful beaches nearby, but, most of all, see what visionary architect Antoni Gaudi wrought. Seven of his creations have been honored as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including La Sagrada Familia, the Park Guell and Casa Mila. Time provided, you can also visit the former Olympic Ring on the hill of Montjuic, home to world-class parks, fountains and museums. Barcelona, which nurtured such artistic giants as Picasso, Dali, Miro and Casals, is definitely a traveler's paradise.

Since its founding as a Roman colony in 138 B.C., the Visigoths, the Moors, the Catalan and Aragonese and the modern tomato-throwers have thrived on the shores of the Mediterranean at the Gulf of Valencia. Valencia is a mix of the old and the new. The historic past is depicted in the stone geometry of the Valencia Cathedral,  the mediaeval gates of the Serrano and Quart towers, or the Tribunal de las Aguas (Water Court) and one of the most iconic examples of Gothic architecture in Europe, the Lonja de la Seda, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO. The new facet is embodied in the arching white steel of the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava.

Casablanca is Morocco's largest city and port. Its most notable sights are Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the Islamic world and is known for its majestic 200-metre-high minaret, Place Mohammed V, flanked by majestic white government buildings constructed in the distinct French colonial style, Parc De La Ligue Arabe, the city's largest public park and La Corniche, the main beach area with lots of waterfront restaurants. From the city of Bogart and Bergman, take a tour to Rabat, Morocco's serene capital and to Marrakech, city of souks, storytellers, snake charmers and the famed Koutoubia Minaret.

Our stop at Bridgetown Barbados will reveal the British influence most directly in the historic old section of town, which has been singled out as aUNESCO World Heritage Site. Among other highlights, take a visi at the Barbados Museum and the Careenage district, with its bars and restaurants. While in Barbados, you will see various remnants and influences of the English settlerswho arrived in what is now Bridgetown in 1628: Cricket is the national sport, afternoon tea is 
a given, and motorists hug left. Before leaving, you can visit a rum distillery or take a tour to Bathsheba Pools.

St. George's is a popular Caribbean tourist destination and the capital of Grenada. The city is situated at the foot of an old volcano crater. Its port has the shape of a horseshoe.

Philipsburg is the capital of the Dutch section of the island Saint Maarten, which, geographically 60% percent French and 40% Dutch.

This Caribbean gem lies between clear Caribbean Sea and the Great Salt Pond, on a gentle arc of land with a saltwater lake to the north and a bay to the south.  There is an esplanade running alongside a white sand beach, giving you the opportunity to choose either shopping or sunning. You can do exciting shopping at the duty-free boutiques of Front Street, one of the great shopping avenues of the Caribbean and search the quaint clothes boutiques or browse for duty-free bargains. Outside town, you can choose from one of the island's nearly 40 beaches, such as Mullet Bay, which is one of the nicest.