2023 Pre-Cruise Program — 3 Days, 2 Nights

Catalonia enjoys one of the richest cultural heritages in Spain. This specially designed program introduces you to two very different elements of that heritage: the 12th-century Benedictine monastery on Montserrat and the modernist city of Barcelona.

Day 1 – Barcelona, Spain

Arrive in Barcelona, where you will be met and transferred to the Hotel Almanac Barcelona. Check-in time is 3:00 PM. A local representative will be present at the hospitality desk in the afternoon to welcome you and to offer suggestions for dining and independent exploration. Join fellow travelers this evening for a welcome reception at the hotel. Dinner is on your own. 

Hotel Almanac Barcelona

Day 2 – Barcelona / Montserrat

After breakfast, meet your guide for an excursion to the astonishing Monastery of Montserrat. A scenic drive through the countryside north of Barcelona brings you to a chain of serrated limestone mountains, where you board a cog railway for the steep climb up the mountain to the Benedictine monastery on a terrace near the summit. Your guided tour includes the ornate basilica, whose highlight is a wooden statue of the Virgin that has attracted pilgrims since the 12th century. You will also visit the museum, displaying pieces of art collected in the last century and containing important works of Monet, Rusiñol, Casas, and Picasso. Lunch will be served in the restaurant located in what were once the monastery's stables before you return to the hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure with time for independent exploration. Dinner is on your own. 

Hotel Almanac Barcelona

Day 3 – Barcelona, Spain / Embark

After breakfast at the hotel, join an excursion to the monuments and neighborhoods that define the extraordinary personality and vitality of Barcelona. Begin in the heart of the city with a visit to Antoni Gaudí's iconic Sagrada Familia. Begun in 1884 and still unfinished, this monument of spirituality awes and inspires visitors from around the world. Your guided tour will introduce you to Gaudí's vision and to the ongoing effort to achieve it. A short drive brings you to the Block of Discord to view Gaudí’s Casa Batlló and Puig i Cadafalch’s Casa Amatller, icons of modernist Barcelona. After enjoying lunch, a leisurely stroll along elegant Passeig de Gràcia brings you to Barrio Gótico, the oldest part of the city. Explore this enchanting neighborhood of narrow streets, home to Barcelona's great 14th-century Cathedral and Plaça Sant Jaume. End at the pier to embark your ship in the late afternoon. 

Your hotel:

Hotel Almanac Barcelona, located on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, is a new (opened in 2018) boutique hotel in Barcelona’s city center, featuring 91 rooms and suites. It is only a few steps from Passeig de Gràcia, where you can find stylish shopping, restaurants, bars, and museums. The hotel itself houses a restaurant and a rooftop bar, a wellness and fitness center, and a rooftop pool. 

Your program includes:

• 2 nights at the Hotel Almanac Barcelona (or similar)
• Transfer and luggage handling from the airport to the hotel on the scheduled program arrival  day
• Transfer and luggage handling from the hotel to the ship on Day 3
• Welcome cocktail reception on Day 1
• Breakfast on Days 2 and 3
• Lunch on Days 2 and 3
• Sightseeing and programming as noted in the itinerary
• Local English-speaking guide
• Gratuities for the drivers and local guides

Your program does not include:

• Transfer from the airport to the hotel on any day other than the scheduled program arrival day
• Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program

Please note:

• It is imperative that your flight arrival details are communicated at least 30 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the airport to the hotel.
• Early check-in and/or late check-out are available depending on availability and at a supplement. An additional night is possible, upon request and depending on hotel availability. Please, contact reservations or your travel agent for further details.
• The official currency is the Euro. Credit cards are largely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants.
• This pre-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or excursions. 
• Program is offered on a space available basis and is subject to change without notice. 

2023 Post-Cruise Program — 3 Days, 2 Nights

This program is specially designed to orient you to the treasures of Rome and to introduce you to some of its most important monuments. 

Day 1 – Disembark / Civitavecchia / Rome

After breakfast aboard, join your guide for the 90-minute drive into Rome, where your exploration of the Eternal City begins with a panoramic tour of its major monuments—the Caracalla Baths, Tiberina Island, Circus Maximus, St. Angelo Castle, and Villa Borghese Park. Then, leaving the coach behind, follow your guide on a walking tour of some of the most famous piazzas and fountains in Rome, including the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and Navona Square.

After lunch at a local restaurant, continue your tour of Rome's ancient ruins, as your guide explains their relation to twelve centuries of cultural, political, and religious history. Your final stop will be at the Colosseum, iconic symbol of Imperial Rome, where you will enjoy VIP access to the floor of the arena where gladiators, Christians, and wild beasts once battled to the death before an audience of more than 50,000 spectators. Rejoin your coach for the short ride to the historic Sina Bernini Bristol, your home for the next two nights. Dinner is independent and at your leisure.

Sina Bernini Bristol

Day 2 – Rome

Breakfast at the hotel is followed by a specially crafted tour of the Vatican. Begin your discovery of this center of Catholic Christianity in the Vatican City Gardens, open only to VIP visitors. The gardens contain a variety of fortifications and monuments, dating from as early as the 9th century and set among vibrant flower beds, topiary, green lawns, and forest. See the Vatican Radio Station and the Academy of Science, and enjoy a singular view of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel from the rear.  

Briefly visit the Vatican Museums before entering the world-famous Sistine Chapel, where you will see Michelangelo's fresco of The Creation of Adam. Continue to the interior of St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world, where Michelangelo's Pieta and the beautifully carved Bernini Pulpit are among the many works of art on display. The rest of day is yours to explore the city on your own or to enjoy the amenities of the hotel. Lunch and dinner are independent and at your leisure.

Sina Bernini Bristol

Day 3 – Rome / Home 

After breakfast at the hotel and check out, transfer to the airport for flights homeward.

Your hotel:

Located in heart of Rome, the historic Sina Bernini Bristol is one of the most renowned 5-star hotels in the Eternal City. Once the hotel of choice for Russian Tsars, Princes of Wales, the Rockefellers, and the Vanderbilts, the Bernini Bristol enjoys a privileged location between Piazza Barberini and Via Veneto, just a few minutes’ walk from the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. The bedrooms are well appointed in classic and contemporary style. Each room features an Italian marbled tile bathroom, satellite TV, a safe, minibar, and hairdryer. The hotel has a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views, as well as a spa and fitness center.

Your program includes:

• 2 nights at the Sina Bernini Bristol (or similar)
• Transfer and luggage handling from the pier to the hotel on Day 1
• Transfer and luggage handling from the hotel to the airport on Day 3
• Lunch on Day 1
• Breakfast on Days 2 and 3
• Sightseeing and programming as noted in the itinerary
• Local English-speaking guide
• Gratuities for the drivers and local guides

Your program does not include:

• Transfer from the hotel to the airport on any day other than the scheduled program departure day
• Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program

Please note:

• It is imperative that your flight departure details are communicated at least 30 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the hotel to the airport.
• Late check-out is available depending on availability and at a supplement. An additional night is possible, upon request and depending on hotel availability. Please contact reservations or your travel agent for further details.
• The official currency is the Euro. Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants.
• This post-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or excursions.
• Program is offered on a space available basis and is subject to change without notice.