Day 1 | Fly USA Overnight Transatlantic Flight to Rome
Fly from Select USA cities to Rome
Day 2 | Arrive Rome
Arrive in Rome. You are transferred from Rome airport to your hotel when Golden Anchor Trips has arranged your air. Upon arrival you check into your first class (3 star) Rome hotel, Relais Argentina (or similar). You may upgrade to deluxe (4-star city center) Hotel Palladium Palace (or similar). Tonight, enjoy dinner in Rome.
Day 3 | Rome & Rome Sightseeing
Breakfast is included this morning. Today enjoy a tour of this amazing city. Enjoy the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the ancient Forum and much more. In the Eternal City of Rome, Italy you can explore some of the world's most famous churches, monuments and fountains: the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain (toss a coin in the fountain to ensure your return). Sip cappuccino at a cafe in a piazza or window-shop among the high-fashion boutiques of Via Condotti. Rome is served by the port city of Civitavecchia, located approximately 50 miles away. The afternoon is at your leisure for the pursuit of any of these attractions. Tonight dinner is included.
Day 4 | Rome & Board Jewel of the Seas
Breakfast is included this morning. Today you transfer to the Civitavecchia pier. Board Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas for a 16-night cruise. SPECIAL PERKS including On Board Credit, Dining Upgrades, Beverage Packages, Free On-Board Gratuities may be available. Your travel agent can assist you with details.
Day 5 | Cruise: Messina, Sicily
11 am - 7 pm. Situated on the western shore of the strait bearing its name, this port is the gateway to Sicily. Messina's principal attractions include the Duomo, its adjoining bell tower and the local museum on the northern outskirts of the city. Train-ferries, car-ferries and hydrofoils make the connection across the Strait of Messina to Reggio Calabria on the Italian mainland, with excursions available to Taormina, Mount Etna and the mainland.
Day 6 | Cruise: Fun day at sea
Day 7 | Cruise: Athens, Greece
7 am - 7 pm. Piraeus is the port to Athens -- the birthplace of Western civilization. The first stop on most excursions is the Parthenon on the hill of the Acropolis. The Acropolis also is the site of the Propylea, the Temple of the Wingless Victory, the Erechtheion and the Acropolis Museum. A drive down Syngrou Avenue offers an impressive view of the Arch of Hadrian and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The National Archeological Museum houses a rich collection of antiquities.
Day 8 | Cruise: Santorini, Greek Isles
7 am - 7 pm. Santorini embraces all that has made the Greek Islands legendary -- splendid beaches, unparalleled architecture, dramatic cliffs and quaint villages. Ride a donkey up the trail to the city of Thira or take a cable car. The views from Thira, set atop a ledge overlooking the sea, are stirring. Most ships allow just enough time here to wander the streets, admire the churches and browse the shops and cafes.
Day 9 | Cruise: Suez Canal
The Suez Canal runs 100 miles between the sand dunes of the Sinai Peninsula and the Nile River delta. Cruise ships often dock toward the canal's north end at Port Said, a gateway to Cairo. From the port of Safaga at the south end, passengers are offered shore excursions to the ancient city of Luxor, where Tutankhamen was entombed.
Day 10 | Cruise: Suez Canal
A second day in the Suez Canal.
Day 11 | Cruise: Petra & Aqaba, Jordan
7 am - 8 pm. Named for the Greek word meaning "rock," Petra was a flourishing trade center in ancient times and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore on foot or horseback the 2,000-year-old structures built into soaring salmon-pink sandstone. The Nabataeans, the civilization that built Petra, also were expert hydraulic engineers, as evidenced by channels carved into the rock that prevented flood damage and helped store water during droughts. Archaeologists from all over the world continue to excavate the Hellenistic temples, tombs and theaters, as only one percent of the city is believed to have been "discovered." Aqaba -- Jordan's Red Sea port and resort town -- boasts ancient sites as well as spectacular coral reefs.
Day 12 | Cruise: Fun day at sea
Day 13 | Cruise: Fun day at sea
Day 14 | Cruise: Fun day at sea
Day 15 | Cruise: Fun day at sea
Day 16 | Cruise: Fun day at sea
Day 17 | Cruise: Fun day at sea
Day 18 | Cruise: Muscat, Oman
7 am - 5 pm. The capital of Oman touts itself as one of the cleanest cities in the world. Installed on the rocky shoreline are three forts built during the Portuguese occupation of the country in the late 1500s. Cultural attractions include an aquarium displaying native specimens, the history-heavy Oman Museum, the National Museum and the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum. You could spend an entire day touring the fish market and shopping in the souk. Be sure to catch a glance of the sultan's palace at nighttime.
Day 19 | Cruise: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2 pm - overnight on ship. The chief port and commercial center of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is a cosmopolitan yet exotic city. Wander the stalls of the traditional bazaars, called souks, where you can bargain for gold jewelry, Persian and Afghani rugs and more. Gold is a particularly good buy here. A guided city tour may take in the Dubai Museum, housed in the Al Fahidi Fort, Dubai's oldest building, and the Juneira Mosque, Dubai's most-photographed structure (particularly beautiful after dark when it is illuminated). Other excursions can include four-wheel-drive adventures in the desert, visits to Bedouin camps, an opportunity to ride a camel, or a cruise around Palm Island, the expansive development project on Dubai's coast.
Day 20 | Cruise: Disembark ship & Dubai
Today you disembark the ship and enjoy 2 nights in Dubai. Upon arrival you check into your first class (3 star) Dubai hotel, Rove Downtown Dubai (or similar). You may upgrade to deluxe (4-star city center) Villa Rotana Hotel (or similar). Tonight, enjoy dinner in Dubai.
Day 21 | Dubai & Dubai Sightseeing
Breakfast is included this morning. Today enjoy a sightseeing tour of Dubai including the famous sights of Palm Island, the world’s tallest hotel and much more. The afternoon is at your leisure to explore. Tonight a farewell dinner is included.
Day 22 | Dubai & Fly to USA
Breakfast is included this morning. Transfer to the Dubai hotel when Golden Anchor Trips arranged your air. Fly home to the USA with many wonderful memories of your trip between Rome and Dubai.
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