17-day legendary Voyage of the vikings

Your voyage begins in Boston, Massachusetts. Hailed as the "Cradle of American Independence," Boston brims with heritage landmarks and cultural attractions that tell the story of our country's fascinating history. Boston was America's first great city and has been described as the "Athens of America." Today this vibrant city combines historic districts with revitalized urban centers. To make the most of your visit, embark on a comprehensive guided drive by motorcoach or trolley, or take the iconic "Duck" tour showcasing the Public Gardens and picture-perfect Copley Square. Follow the Freedom Trail along three of the most historic miles in the country and see the site of the Boston Tea Party. Trace the route of Paul Revere's famous ride, and stand on the bridge where minutemen fired "the shot heard 'round the world." Venture into Lexington and Concord for more icons of the American Revolution, or head to Salem to explore the dark past at the Salem Witch Museum. Get an education at Harvard Square, touch "Fisk Pole" at Fenway Park, and top it all off with a bowl of "Boston Chowda" at Quincy Marketplace.

Portland was founded in 1632 by the British as a fishing and trading post and named Casco. In 1658 the name was changed to Falmouth and Portland was put on the map in 1786. While Portland's name has changed over the years the essence of the area has not changed. Today, Portland still remains a vibrant fishing and commercial port, Maine's largest city, and its cultural, social and economic capital. From the renovated Old Port with its brick sidewalks and cobblestone streets to the quaint seaside village of Kennebunkport, the summer home of President George H. Bush, Portland and the surrounding area have something for everyone. Photographers are sure to delight at the photo opportunities including the Portland Head Lighthouse and the picturesque White Mountains on the Cog Railway. Shoppers will enjoy the Old Port and downtown area that feature many unique boutiques, shops, galleries and restaurants. Outdoor enthusiast will surely want to visit the world-renowned outdoor outfitter L.L. Bean® and the many other brand name outlets in nearby Freeport, Maine.

A full day at sea - time to enjoy Volendam's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

Cape Breton is fabled as a magical travel destination and the Port of Sydney is the gateway. Known for its beauty and unique Celtic music and culture, Sydney puts some of the Island's greatest sights and attractions at your fingertips when you disembark into the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion. The dockside pavilion offers an array of Shopping Boutiques, a Craft Market and the World's Largest Fiddle. You will also find wireless Internet services, a Visitor Information Centre, and the Cape Breton Island Exhibition Centre featuring artifacts, images and an overview of the rich culture and heritage of this historic Island. The city of Sydney has a deep history and was originally founded in 1785 by British Loyalists fleeing the perils of the American Revolution. The rich natural resources led these new settlers to establish prosperous coal and steel industries, which attracted immigrants from a myriad of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. To this day, Sydney remains a haven of multiculturalism. The Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion is just a short drive from the community of Baddeck and the breathtaking Bras d'Or Lake where Alexander Graham Bell lived, worked and studied. On the east coast of Cape Breton lies the largest historic reconstruction in North America, the Fortress of Louisbourg. The Fortress is a Parks Canada National Historic Site and is described as a Williamsburg-style attraction that is not to be missed.

Corner Brook is located on the west coast of Newfoundland nestled among the Long Range Mountains. The coastline is filled with magnificent fjords, thick forested areas and jagged headlands. For thousands of years, people have lived and worked along the shores of the Humber River Valley and the Bay of Islands. The Port of Corner Brook has been welcoming cruise ships for more than 30 years. Nestled in the sheltered Bay of Islands, the 35 kilometre (22 mile) sail into Corner Brook is a favorite among cruise passengers, especially in the fall when the Blomidon Mountains are ablaze with vibrant autumn leaves. James Cook was the first to survey and record the geography of the Bay of Islands. Most of the maps he created are displayed at the Captain James Cook Monument. This picturesque region has many groomed walking trails as well as many thriving communities. Mount Moriah, Benoit's Cove, John's Beach and Frenchman's Cove and Lark Harbour are some of the fishing and mountain communities on Captain Cook's Trail.

Your ship calls at Red Bay, Labrador, Canada.

Continue your voyage aboard Volendam with a leisurely day at sea.

Your ship calls at Paamiut (Frederikshab), Greenland.

Nanortalik means "place of bears" in Greenlandic. Summer visitors to this extraordinary - and extraordinarily isolated - port may spot polar bears on the offshore flow ice. Those offshore waters also teem with seals and Minke, humpback and fin whales. Ashore, brightly painted wooden houses cluster to a rocky peninsula in the harbor. Dramatic boulders dot the landscape, and mountains surround the port. (Nanortalik is well known to the world's elite rock climbers.) Ruined Viking farmsteads and ancient Inuit sites dot the surrounding countryside.The port was founded 1797 as a Danish whaling station. Today, Nanortalik is a fishing port, and many people are traditional seal hunters.

Another day at sea to explore the ship at your own pace.

A full day at sea - time to enjoy Volendam's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

The town of Ísafjördur is the municipal centre of the West Fjords peninsula. The West Fjords are Iceland's least populated region, with 9,600 inhabitants in the area of 9,520 km. Isafjördur (population 3,500) formerly one of Iceland's main trading posts, was granted municipal status in 1886. Some of Iceland's oldest and best-preserved buildings, dating from the 18th century, are located in Ísafjördur. The town is still predominantly a fishing centre. A vigorous and varied cultural and artistic scene flourishes in the town as well. Mountains surround Ísafjördur on the three sides and the sea on the other. The ancient settlement site of Eyri downtown is enclosed by the narrow Skutulsfjördur fjord, which shelters the harbour in all weathers.

Your ship calls at Scenic Cruising Isafjardurdjur.

The town is your gateway to the famous "Land of Fire and Ice" - Iceland's dramatic landscape of volcanic craters, extinct lava lakes and majestic waterfalls.Visitors to Akureyri have a hard time grasping the fact that the town lies just below the Arctic Circle. The climate here is temperate: flower boxes fill the windows of houses, and trees line the neat, well-tended avenues. Thanks to that mild climate, Akureyri's Botanical Gardens provide a home for over 2,000 species of flora from around the world - all surviving without greenhouses. No wonder Icelanders refer to Akureyri as the most pleasant town on the entire island.Travel Tip - Akureyri rhymes with Tipperary.

Your ship calls at Scenic cruising Eyjafjordur.

Continue your voyage aboard Volendam with a leisurely day at sea.

Another day at sea to explore the ship at your own pace.

Your ship calls at Eidfjord, Norway.

Your ship calls at Scenic cruising Hardangerfjord.

A full day at sea - time to enjoy Volendam's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

The largest port in Europe, Rotterdam is an intriguing mix of the old and the new. The city's lineage is ancient - Count Willem III granted city rights to the sleepy fishing village on the Rotte in 1328, yet much of the city dates from the six decades following the end of World War II. An important industrial center and a major European port, Rotterdam was among the first targets of the Nazi blitzkrieg against the West. On May 14, 1940, the German Luftwaffe firebombed the city, Rotterdam was gutted. The post-war years saw a slow rebuilding but by the early 1960s the maze of port facilities extended all the way to the North Sea. Today, this city of over half a million is the economic powerhouse, not just of the Netherlands but of Northern Europe.The Nazi bombardment of 1940 gutted most of the old city. As a result, Rotterdam's architecture is an intriguing mix of old and new: modern glass skyscrapers often stand adjacent to 19th- and 18th-century buildings.