21-day Atlantic crossing from the Caribbean to Spain

Your voyage begins in Barbados. Barbados is one of the few Caribbean islands solely colonized by one nation. It's no wonder Bajans describe their country as being "more English than England sheself," surnames like Worthing and Hastings abound. But look around and you know you're not in England: rich and fertile tropical fields meet a glistening, azure sea. The soft pastels of old chattel houses blend with the vibrant reds, oranges, and greens of roadside fruit stands. In short, Barbados exudes a charm all its own. Perhaps it is due to Bajan culture, that celebrated blend of English tradition and the African heritage brought to the island by slaves imported to work the sugar plantations. The potent brew which results flavors every aspect of island life, from music, dance and art, to religion, language and food.

Nestled below the Pitons, twin peaks rising over 2,600 feet above the azure waters of the Caribbean, St. Lucia is an oasis of tropical calm. The island's capital, Castries, is a town of charming, pastel-colored colonial buildings, home to some 60,000. Yet despite its peaceful setting, St. Lucia has a turbulent and colorful history. Fierce Carib warriors overran the peaceful Arawaks in the 9th century. The first European settler, Francois Le Clerc, was a French buccaneer. Le Clerc's countrymen followed in his wake, establishing the town of Soufriere in 1746. Sugar was the lure, sugar was king. Within four decades some 50 plantations flourished on the island. Thus St. Lucia became part of the Caribbean's 18th-century trade triangle of sugar, slavery, and rum. Today this beautiful island welcomes visitors drawn to its exotic tropical landscape, superb beaches, crystalline waters, and colorful marine life.

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

Continue your voyage aboard Seabourn Ovation 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 Seabourn Ovation's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

Continue your voyage aboard Seabourn Ovation 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 Seabourn Ovation's restaurants, pools and entertainment.

Continue your voyage aboard Seabourn Ovation with a leisurely day at sea.

The capital of Madeira is named after the fennel (funcha) that once flowered there in profusion. The largest island in the Madeira Archipelago was discovered in 1419 by Portuguese explorers venturing south into the Atlantic. The island is nearly equidistant from Lisbon and the African coast, and its unique geographical position allowed Madeira to play a pivotal role in European discovery. Seamen such as Christopher Columbus gained knowledge and experience plying the routes of the island's sugar trade. When sugar declined, the island's famed wines continued to provide a robust trade. By the late 18th century, Madeira's mild climate, rocky peaks, and lush valleys provided a winter haven to Europe's aristocrats. Visitors still flock to the island today, drawn by its scenery and its weather.Funchal is noted for its superb hand-embroidery and wicker ware, both Madeira specialties. The island, of course, is also noted for its superb wines: they are perhaps the world's most complex and long lasting wines.

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

Draped across seven hills, Lisbon was once the center of a vast maritime empire that stretched from the west coast of Africa to the Spice Islands of the East Indies. Then, on November 1, 1755, a violent earthquake destroyed two-thirds of the city in the space of 10 minutes. Only the Alfama, the old Moorish quarter, survived. Today, Lisbon is a stately city of Neoclassical buildings and wide plazas.

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

Mention Spain and the images that inevitably spring to mind are images of Andalusia - shadows falling across the bullring, the staccato rhythms of flamenco, the waft of orange blossoms from a Moorish garden. Cadiz is your gateway to this storied land and the city of Seville. Visit Seville's massive Alcazar fortress, modeled on the legendary Alhambra Palace of Granada. See the city's cathedral, a 15th-century Gothic masterwork that boasts a Moorish patio, fountain and minaret. Seville is also the legendary home of Don Juan, Bizet's Carmen and Rossini's Barber of Seville.Cadiz is one's of Europe's oldest inhabited cities, dating from 1100 B.C., and your gateway to Seville and Andalusia.

Tangier - the very name conjures up an air of mystery and adventure, a place where Berber tribesmen, Europeans and assorted adventurers meet and mingle in the narrow streets of the Kasbah. The city's history and culture does little to dispel that sense of mystery. Founded by Carthaginians in the 5th century B.C., the city has seen great powers and would-be conquerors come and go; the city always abides. There is also the Tangier of the mind. Since the 19th century, European and American painters, poets and writers have been drawn to the narrow streets of old city. Delacroix first immortalized Tangier's landscaped and publicized its charms, giving Europe a taste for the exotic. And American writers like Paul Bowles, William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg made the city a veritable suburb of modern American literature.

Your ship calls at Ceuta, Spanish Morocco, Spain.

Your ship calls at Puerto Banus, Spain.

Your ship calls at Motril (Granada), Spain.

Cartagena is an ancient port - the city served as Hannibal's Spanish headquarters during the 2nd Punic War with Rome. The city remained a major trading port under the Romans and the Moors. Today, Cartagena is Spain's principal naval establishment and the site of an annual international maritime festival. The city is also your gateway to the Costa Calida, a region that boasts some of Spain's mildest weather along with 175 miles of beaches.

Your ship calls at Tarragona, Spain.

The 1992 Summer Olympics revealed to the world what Europeans and seasoned travelers already knew - Barcelona is one of the world's greatest treasures. Vibrant and earthy, commercial and cultural, this city of two million residents is the capital of Spain's autonomous region of Catalonia. Stroll along the wide, tree-lined promenades of Las Ramblas and marvel at the spires of Gaudi's Basilica La Sagrada Familia. Or visit the former Olympic Ring on the hill of Montjuic - also 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.