63-day Grand world Voyage

Your voyage begins in Sydney, Australia. As your ship passes Harbour Heads, you are presented with the shimmering skyline of Sydney - hailed by many seafarers as "the most beautiful harbor in the world." Two prominent landmarks, Harbour Bridge and the sail-like curves of the Sydney Opera House, grace the backdrop of this picturesque harbor. There is a wealth of adventure waiting in Sydney - from its cosmopolitan city center to miles of beautiful beaches and the Blue Mountains.Australia's oldest and largest city was born in 1788 with the arrival of the "First Fleet" transporting 760 British convicts. Today, Sydney is the largest port in the South Pacific and is often voted the most popular destination in the South Pacific.

A second day in Sydney, Australia - time to explore at your own pace.

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

Once considered the "country cousin" among Australian cities, Brisbane is today the nation's third-largest metropolis - and one of the most desirable places to live in the country. Lying on the banks of the meandering Brisbane River, this cosmopolitan city boasts elegant 19th-century sandstone buildings, a lively cultural scene and superb parklands. Brisbane is also your gateway to uniquely Australian adventures, be it the theme parks of the Gold Coast or Queensland's dazzling beaches.The beaches south of Brisbane form Queensland's Gold Coast. Travel tip: Brisbane is pronounced "Bris-bin."

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

Often described as the "unofficial capital of North Queensland," Townsville was founded in 1856 when an enterprising sea captain built a wharf on Cleveland Bay. The city lies at the very north of the Dry Tropics, where the outback bush meets the waters of the Coral Sea. Today's travelers are drawn to Townsville's superb location. Queensland's fabled Wet Tropics World Heritage Area lies just to the north of the city. Towering over Townsville is Castle Rock, a 1,300-foot monolith of pink granite that provides sweeping views of Townsville, Cleveland Bay and Magnetic Island. The Strand is Townsville's lively entertainment district, home to shop, cafes, restaurants and a 24-hour water park.

Cairns is one of Australia's hottest vacation destinations. Cairns boasts three of Australia's great natural wonders. Just offshore, immense bastions of living coral form the Great Barrier Reef. Sixteen miles of superb beaches stretch to the north of the city - the famed Marlin Coast. And inland lays the immense Daintree National Park. Cairns itself basks in tropical sunshine, balmy breezes waft in from Trinity Bay. The city's graceful, tree-lined esplanade was once the gateway to the gold fields of North Queensland. Cairns graceful, tree-lined esplanade was once the gateway to the gold fields of North Queensland. A travel tip - Cairns is pronounced "cans."

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

Your ship calls at Scenic Cruising Torres Strait.

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

Closer to Indonesia than to any other Australian city, Darwin is the capital of the "Top End" - the remote, vast Northern Territory. Home to more than half of the territory's population, the city reflects the rugged endurance and individualism required to survive the Outback. Darwin also boasts a colorful history to add to that heritage. During World War II the Japanese bombed the city and threatened invasion. In 1974, Cyclone Tracy cut a destructive swath through the region. In addition, man-eating crocodiles, tropical monsoons, searing heat and bush fires that burn for weeks are all part of everyday life.Locals in the Top End consume over 60 gallons of beer a year. All those empties don't go to waste: Each year Darwin residents compete in the Beer Can Regatta, a race with boats, rafts and other vessels manufactured out of beer cans.

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 Slawi Bay, Komodo Island, Indonesia.

Your ship calls at Benoa (Denpasar), Bali, Indonesia.

Your ship calls at Crossing the Equator.

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

Singapore - the very name summons visions of the mysterious East. The commercial center of Southeast Asia, this island city-state of five million people is a metropolis of modern high-rise buildings, Chinese shop-houses with red-tiled roofs, sturdy Victorian buildings, Buddhist temples and Arab bazaars. Founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles of the fabled East India Company, the city is a melting pot of people and cultures. Malay, Chinese, English and Tamil are official languages. Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity are the major faiths. Singapore is an ever-fascinating island boasting colorful traditions, luxurious hotels and some of the finest duty-free shopping in the world. Lying just 85 miles north of the Equator at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, the island was a haven for Malay pirates and Chinese and Arab traders.

A second day in Singapore - time to explore at your own pace.

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

Hailed as the "Pearl of the Andaman Sea," this island off Thailand's long southern coast boasts a colorful history. A crossroads for trade, Phuket has been a melting pot of Thai, Malay, Chinese and Western influences. Its importance over the past 500 years stemmed from the island's natural resources, which include tin, hardwoods and rubber. In the past half-century, Phuket has enjoyed wide popularity as one of the premier travel destinations in Southeast Asia. Travelers are drawn to the island's beaches, crystalline waters, and dramatic, forested hills.

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.

Your ship calls at Colombo, Sri Lanka.

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

Your ship calls at Male, Maldives.

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.

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

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

Port Louis is the capital of the island of Mauritius. A volcanic island situated in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, Mauritius is lush and beautiful, with lovely mountain ranges, fine beaches, stunning coral reefs and picturesque villages.Mauritius amazingly remained uninhabited until the 16th century. Dutch, British and French traders came to the island, followed by slaves from Africa to work the plantations and then laborers from India. The flavor here remains predominantly French, as does the language, however, the present population is fifty percent Indian. Today, Mauritius is independent and the economy prospers due to exports of sugar and textiles, plus it caters to tourism.

Your ship calls at La Possession, Reunion.

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

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

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.

Your ship calls at Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

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

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.Cape Town continued to grow quickly under Simon van der Stel, who arrived as Governor in 1679. He turned vast regions into rich farmland, planted some 8,000 trees and designed and built the stateliest of the Cape's historic mansions, Groot Constantia (named after his wife, Constance). The British seized the Cape from Holland in 1806 and the subsequent discovery of diamonds and gold in the country spurred growth and immigration. Cape Town became a municipality in 1840 and a liberal constitution was granted to the Cape Colony in 1853. Today, the "Mother City" and the Western Cape are home to South Africa's parliament for half of the year (Parliament sits in Pretoria for the other half of the year) and much of its major industry.

A second day in Cape Town, South Africa - time to explore at your own pace.

Another day in Cape Town, South Africa.

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

Your ship calls at Luderitz, Namibia.

Your ship calls at Walvis Bay, Namibia.

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

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 Crossing Null Island.

Your ship calls at Takoradi, Ghana.

Your ship calls at Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

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

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 Praia, Ilha de Santiago, Cape Verde.

Your ship calls at Mindelo, Cape Verde.

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

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

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.

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

The oldest city under the American flag, San Juan vibrates to a lively salsa beat. There's an unmistakable zest in the air here. Perhaps it's the stunning natural setting: the verdant peaks, tropical forests, and gleaming white-sand beaches. Or maybe it's Puerto Rico's mix of cultures, the blend and occasional clash of four centuries of Spanish heritage overlaid with a century spent as America's only Commonwealth. Whatever the reason, San Juan is one of the most enticing ports in the Caribbean, and it only gets lovelier with age.

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.

According to the popular 1960 beach movie, Fort Lauderdale is "where the boys are." The city's reputation as America's Spring Break capital, however, has been replaced with the more favorable image of a prime family tourist destination, attracting more than 10 million visitors annually. The most popular beach resort in Florida is even more rightly famed as the "Yachting Capital of the World," with more than 40,000 registered crafts calling its waters home. The city also prides itself on being the "Venice of America" with more than 300 miles of navigable waterways. Fort Lauderdale boasts world-class theaters, museums, sightseeing, and shopping. The city sits 24 miles north of Miami and is named after a series of forts built by the United States during the second Seminole War. The forts took their name from Major William Lauderdale, who was the commander of the detachment of soldiers who built the first fort. Look hard and you might find remnants of three of them today. More people seem to be interested in taking a water tour aboard the "Carrie B."