56-day World cruise: southeast Asia, Indian ocean to Europe

Your voyage begins in Singapore. 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.

Your ship calls at Malacca, Malaysia.

In 1786 Francis Light persuaded the Sultan of Kedah to cede Pulau Pinang - the "Isle of Betel nut" - to the English crown. Legend has it that Light persuaded his men to clear the overgrown island of Penang by firing a cannon filled with gold coins into the jungle as an incentive. The island was renamed Prince of Wales Island, and its major town was christened Georgetown after King George III. Whether the story is true or not, Penang quickly became a major trading port for tea, spices, china and cloth. Here European, Malaysian, Hindu, Arabic and Chinese cultures met, melded and flourished. Today George Town is a cosmopolitan city that has preserved its unique heritage and its exotic blend of cultures. George Town is perhaps the best-preserved city in Southeast Asia. It boasts a European-style esplanade and a wealth of temples, mosques and Chinese clan houses. Listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 2008, this virgin paradise has no shortage of cultural sights and natural scenery.

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.

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

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

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

Your ship calls at Colombo, Sri Lanka.

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

Your ship calls at Male, Maldives.

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

Your ship calls at Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles.

Your ship calls at Praslin, Seychelles.

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

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

Your ship calls at Zanzibar, Tanzania.

A second day in Zanzibar, Tanzania - time to explore at your own pace.

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

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

Your ship calls at Antsiranana, Madagascar.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

Your ship calls at Luderitz, Namibia.

Your ship calls at Walvis Bay, Namibia.

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

Your ship calls at Jamestown, St Helena, Ascension & Tristan Da Cunha.

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

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

Your ship calls at Crossing the Equator.

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

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

Your ship calls at Dakar, Senegal.

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

The Cape Verde Islands lie off North Africa's tropical coast. Their name literally means "green cape," but nature has played a cruel trick on the archipelago. Changing climatic and economic conditions have left the archipelago ravaged by drought. But the islanders are a hardy and courageous lot. With foreign investment and private enterprise, the Cape Verde Islanders are slowly pursuing a new economic dream for their home and working toward a more promising future.Time spent in the Cape Verde Islands teaches a new appreciation of man's endurance and resourcefulness.

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

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

The Canary archipelago was sculpted by a period of intense volcanic activity; its islands possess a stark, near lunar beauty. Gran Canaria is the third-largest island in the group and is often described as the 'Round Island' for its near-circular shape. Las Palmas, its capital, is also the largest city in the Canaries numbering some 500,000 inhabitants. Despite the seemingly inhospitable landscape, farmers in Gran Canaria's Angostura Valley cultivate abundant crops of tomatoes, onions, melons, and figs. Moreover the island's climates, lack of rainfall, and fine beaches have long drawn Europeans seeking the winter sun.

Lanzarote is the fourth-largest island in the Canary chain. The most easterly of the Canaries, the island lies some 70 miles off the shore of North Africa. Like its neighbours, Lanzarote was shaped by a period of intense volcanic activity. The resulting landscape possesses a stark, near-lunar beauty: Over 300 now-dormant volcanoes left behind petrified lava seas and deep layers of volcanic ash. Today, visitors to these "Mountains of Fire" ride camels through the lava beds and even enjoy a volcano-broiled steak at the park's restaurant. (Subsurface temperatures still reach 800F in the park.) Despite the seemingly barren land scape, island farmers grow abundant crops of tomatoes, onions, melons, and figs in addition to Malvasia, a clear yellow wine produced from malmsey grapes. Lanzarote's rugged landscape, its warm climate, its lack of rainfall, and its beaches have proved attracted to travellers: Tourism dominates the island economy with some 2 million visitors arriving annually.

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

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.

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

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.