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Brian
& Sharon |
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Our adventure
begins on
June 5, 2012 in Venice, Italy! |
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A complimentary self-guided iPod® art tour is available for
guests wishing to view the entire collection. The iPod art tour is also available to
download at no charge at www.hollandamerica.com and on iTunes®.
The
new ship continues several much-admired Holland America Line features, including
outside-
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 Venice,
Italy -
You may have heard
that Venice is an engineering marvel, with marble churches built atop ancient posts driven
deep into the barene (mud banks) – but the truth is that this city is built on sheer
nerve. Reasonable people might flinch at water approaching their doorsteps and flee at the
first sign of acqua alta (high tide). But reason can’t compare to Venetian resolve.
Instead of bailing out, Venetians have flooded the world with voluptuous Venetian-red
paintings and wines, music, Marco Polo spice-route flavors, and bohemian-chic fashion. And
they’re not done yet. In
narrow calli (alleyways), you’ll glimpse artisans hammering out shoes crested
like lagoon birds, cooks whipping up four-star dishes on single-burner hotplates, and
musicians lugging 18th-century cellos to riveting baroque concerts played with punk-rock
bravado. St.
Mark's Square is Venice's heart, with palatial arcades and charming cafés. Tour the
exquisite Doges Palace, once home to the dukes of Venice. Ply the canals in a gondola;
shop for exquisite Venetian glass; sip a bicerin at timeless Caffé Florian.
Enjoy all
that is Venice! |
Kotor, Montenegro -
Kotor is located
along one of Montenegro's most beautiful bays. First settled during the days of ancient
Rome, the city today has a well preserved urban center with a vibrant community. Medieval
architecture and numerous monuments of cultural heritage have made Kotor a UNESCO listed
“World Natural and Historical Heritage Site."
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 Piraeus (Athens), Greece
- The port of Piraeus is your gateway
to the wonders of Athens, including the Acropolis, Constitution Square, Hadrian's Arch,
the Olympic Stadium and more. The history of Athens begins more then 3000 years ago when
during the prehistoric times its first inhabitants created their first settlement on the
rock of Acropolis. It took hundreds of years until the sacred rock of Acropolis found its
glory during the golden age of Pericles 495 - 429 BC with the construction of most of its
Monuments, like the Parthenon by the famous architects Iktinos and Kallikrates and the
Sculptor Phidias. During those thousands of years Athens went through times of glory and
times of decline . Finally it became the Capital of Greece in 1834 mostly for its location
and historical importance. Since then Athens grew to the city we know today, an important
financial European capital that hosted the last Olympic games with a great success. Sample
shore excursions; Ancient Corinth & Canal; Panoramic Athens. |
 The
Dardanelles - We will be cruising
this 28 mile narrow strait between Europe and Asiatic Turkey in northwestern Turkey which
connects the Aegean Sea to the Sea of
Marmara, on our way to Istanbul. One of the Turkish Straits, this international waterway is a vital transportation
bridge between the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. It separates Asian Turkey from
European Turkey (Trace) and thus, it also separates the two continents. Water flows in
both directions along the strait, from the Sea of Marmara to the Aegean via a surface
current and in the opposite direction via an undercurrent. The ancient city of Troy
was located near the western entrance of the strait and the strait's Asiatic shore was the
focus of the Trojan War. |
 Istanbul,
Turkey - Known in the course of
history as Byzantium and Constantinople. So rich are the sights in Istanbul that our ship
features an overnight stay here. Among the highlights: the Blue Mosque, with
it six slender minarets and stunning interiors paved with blue Iznik tiles; Topkapi
Palace, once home to the Ottoman sultans; and Hagia Sofia, the splendid church built in
the sixth century. Treasures of another kind await among the 4000 shops of the Grand
Bazaar - spices, carpets, copper work, jewelry - while Istanbul at night holds promise of
exuberant traditional music, belly dancing and delicious Turkish cuisine. |
 Mykonos,
Greece - Informality rules on
this sunny isle where pleasure-seekers from around the world come to play. Ramble along
narrow streets past white-washed houses and blue-domed churches, bougainvillea-covered
walls and thread-like, step-laden footpaths leading everywhere. Mykonos, in the
Cyclades, is one of the most famous islands in Greece and attracts thousands of visitors
every year. It has the reputation of being the place with the most sophisticated nightlife
in Greece and also the Mediterranean. In addition, it has some of the most
extraordinary golden sandy beaches in the Cyclades. |
,_Turkey.jpg) Kusadasi
(Ephesus), Turkey - This is the gateway to
Ephesus, one of the best-preserved archeological sites in the classical world. Explore its
grand colonnaded marble streets, the Celsus Library, the ancient Agoura and the Baths.
Our port, Kusadasi, is a resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast and the center of the seaside district of the same name in Aydın Province. The city stands on a bay in the Aegean with the peninsula of Guvercin Ada sticking out into the sea at one end, and the mountain of Kaz Dağı behind. Here you will find vendors of ice-cream, carpets, leather, and software, and bookshops selling books in English, German, Russian and other languages. Old houses near the seafront, some of them converted to bars and cafes, are the remnants of old Kuşadası, which now has become a modern-European looking town. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era. In the Roman period, it was for many years the second largest city of the Roman Empire; ranking behind Rome, the empire's capital. Ephesus had a population of more than 250,000 in the 1st century BC, which also made it the second largest city in the world. The city was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The temple was destroyed in 401 AD by a mob led by St. John Chrysostom. Emperor Constantine I rebuilt much of the city and erected new public baths. The town was again partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614 AD. The city's importance as a commercial center declined as the harbor was slowly silted up by the Cayster River. Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia that are cited in the Book of Revelation. The Gospel of John may have been written here. It is also the site of a large gladiators' graveyard. |
,Greece.jpg) Thira
(Santorini), Greece - Your harbor
on this island was created by a volcano in 1500 BC, and the effect is still explosive:
steep cliffs rise from sea level, cubist white houses glow in the Aegean sun. Santorini,
officially Thira, are islands
that are the remnants of a volcanic caldera located in the southern Aegean Sea, about 120
miles southeast from Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular
archipelago, an area of approximately 28 sq. miles, which bears the same name, with a 2001
census of 13,670. Water in the centre of the lagoon is nearly 400 m (1,300 ft)
deep, thus making it a safe harbor for all kinds of shipping.
The island remains the home of a small, but flourishing, wine industry, based on the indigenous grape variety, Assyrtiko, with auxiliary cultivations of two other Aegean varietals, Athiri and Aidani. The vines are extremely old and resistant to phylloxera (attributed by local winemakers to the well-drained volcanic soil and its chemistry), so the vines needed no replacement during the great phylloxera epidemic of the early 20th century. In their adaptation to their habitat, such vines are planted far apart, as their principal source of moisture is dew, and they often are trained in the shape of low-spiralling baskets, with the grapes hanging inside to protect them from the winds. The viticultural pride of the island is the sweet and strong Vinsanto (Italian: "holy wine"), a dessert wine made from the best sun-dried Assyrtiko, Athiri, and Aidani grapes and undergoing long barrel aging (up to twenty or twenty-five years for the top cuvées). It matures to a sweet, dark amber-orange, unctuous dessert wine that has achieved worldwide fame, possessing the standard Assyrtiko aromas of citrus and minerals, layered with overtones of nuts, raisins, figs, honey and tea. White wines from the island are extremely dry with a strong, citrus scent and mineral and iodide salt aromas contributed by the ashy volcanic soil, whereas barrel aging gives to some of the white wines a slight frankincense aroma, much like Vinsanto. It is not easy to be a winegrower in Santorini; the hot and dry conditions give the soil a very low productivity. The yield per acre is only 10 to 20% of the yields that are common in France or California. The island's wines are standardized and protected by the "Vinsanto" and "Santorini" OPAP designations of origin.
Plan to join us on the optional winery tour!
The first stop on
your tour
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 Split,
Croatia - In Croatia, the Old
Town of Split wraps around the luxurious palace where the Roman emperor Diocletian lived
out his last days after abdicating in AD 305. Today, this remarkable white limestone
palace, a UNESCO Site, awaits your discovery. Part luxurious villa, part military camp,
the palace is enclosed by imposing walls and connected by roads linking the eastern Silver
Gate with the Iron Gate to the west. Within: an octagonal domed mausoleum, temples and a
monumental court accessing the imperial apartments. |
Launched from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's
Marghera shipyard in Venice on July 4, 2010, the 86,000-ton Nieuw Amsterdam celebrates the
glamour and history of New York City, formerly called Nieuw Amsterdam, with its inspired
interior design and art collection.
Holland
America Line has installed an array of works valued at over $3 million, ranging from
antiques by traditional Dutch masters to creations by renowned contemporary artists. Some
pieces reflect the Dutch Golden Age while others, such as the spectacular centerpiece in
the atrium, express a contemporary curiosity. Adorning the ceiling of Nieuw Amsterdam is
an eye-catching abstract sculpture of the inverted New York skyline made from clear
translucent blocks that hang upside-down. The sculpture was created by husband and wife
Italian artists Gilbert Lebigre and Corinne Roger of Creazioni Lebigre & Roger. The
significant collection, which includes works by celebrated artists Andy Warhol, Richard
Estes and Roy Lichtenstein, continues with astounding displays throughout the ship.
Nieuw
Amsterdam joins the recently launched Eurodam to further define and expand the Holland
America Line premium brand with new concepts such as the innovative pan-Asian Tamarind
restaurant and Silk Den lounge surrounded by panoramic views
overlooking the ocean expanse and the Lido pool. Other additions are an Explorer's Lounge
Bar, a premium wine-tasting lounge, an elegant luxury jewelry boutique, new atrium bar
area, enhanced and reconfigured The Showroom at Sea, and a new photographic and imaging
center.
view, glass elevators at Midship; the Explorations Café -- a cyber-coffee house
powered by The New York Times; the Pinnacle Grill and Pinnacle Bar; the innovative
Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine Magazine, where
culinary experts provide
cooking demonstrations and intimate classes in a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchens;
an expanded Greenhouse Spa and Salon with thermal suites and hydro-pool, the largest
gymnasium ever built for Holland America Line.
will
be the village of Oia, perhaps the most beautiful village on the island. It was almost
completely destroyed in the 1956 earthquake, but has been slowly restored continuing the
ancient tradition of dwellings excavated from the cliff face, with the cave-like houses
clinging to the slope of volcanic rock. The most picturesque of the two main village
streets is paved with marble and lined with tiny shops, cafés and restaurants, all waiting
to be explored. If you prefer you can “lose yourself” in the maze of tiny streets over the
rock, looking at the strange and interesting houses, superb chapels, and abandoned
mansions. The views from the cliff are quite amazing, offering the best photo
opportunities on this unique island. Next you will visit the small winery of Siglas. You
will have the opportunity to wander through the vineyard and see the strange Santorini
basket-like vines, watch how the wine is produced on the premises and then sample the
results yourself! Your final stop is at the Nomikos Foundation. On display are fascinating
three-dimensional photographic reproductions, representing the prehistoric wall paintings
of Akrotiri. Get a glimpse of what life was like in the 17th century BC. The terrace in
front of the building offers great views of Fira, the main town. Your tour ends with a
ten-minute walk down to the cable car station, or if you prefer you may stay in town and
return to the ship at your leisure. (4 hours)
(Details subject to change.)Not only will you have the
opportunity to experience the vacation of a
lifetime, but you will also be a part of our exclusive group traveling
with Brian & Sharon Roeder, owners of Barrel Oak Winery!
As part of our group, in addition to the regular
shipboard amenities, you will be
invited to:
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Our private welcome aboard wine and cheese party!
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A private group premium wine tasting with deluxe food samples!
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Two wine parties with hors d'oeuvres!
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A private movie showing with wine & popcorn!
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A private farewell party with tasting of wines we pick up in the ports we visit!
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Opportunity to join the group for optional winery tours in ports!
**You must book this
cruise through Traveling Troubadour
in order to be
invited to attend the private parties and events.**
Our space is limited and we expect to sell out. Please don't wait to reserve!
***Note: All U. S. citizens must carry a passport that is valid for six months beyond the duration of the cruise.***
Click Here for Online Pricing & Reservations!
Click here for pricing and reservations
(printable version with some pricing)
Or
Call (800) 584-6724
or (540)
887-8491
For more info on Barrel Oak Winery click here!
©2011 Traveling Troubadour, L. L. C.