Tours & Traveling

Your tour opens in Paris, the “City of Light.” Tonight, sample delicious French cuisine and witness breathtaking views during dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Following dinner, get a different perspective of the city during a Seine River cruise. As you glide along, admire Paris’ glittering skyline.

Come to know Paris your way. It’s your choice! Take a splendid panoramic coach tour featuring the breathtaking architecture of the Arc de Triumph, Place de la Concord, Place Vendome, the Champs-Elysees and the Notre Dame Cathedral -OR- enter the world of Impressionism with a visit to the Musée D’Orsay with its magnificent French Impressionist art collection. Live out your own Parisian adventure during a free afternoon. Perhaps you will join an optional excursion to the world-renowned Louvre, home to the iconic Mona Lisa. This evening, an optional dinner and show at Paris’ oldest cabaret, the Paradis Latin, is offered.

Explore the history, architecture and gardens of Versailles, one of the world’s most magnificent royal palaces and finest, most complete example of 17th century architecture. Your local guide will recount the history of the palace and lead you through the various rooms of the State Apartments. Discover its immeasurable opulence and see its treasures including the Queen's bedchamber and the famous Hall of Mirrors. You then have time to explore the incredible gardens, some of the most famous in the world, which took over 40 years to complete. This afternoon Claude Monet’s famous painting “Waterlilies” comes to life with a visit to the artist’s lovely home and enchanting gardens in the village of Giverny. The remainder of the evening is at leisure for you to explore Paris’ many hidden treasures on your own.

Climb aboard the high speed TGV Train and “fly” through the beautiful French countryside on your way to Provence. Arrive in Avignon for a delightful tour of this historic walled city. Avignon, often called the “City of Popes,” acted as a center of European religion for 70 years when the Popes moved there in 1309. A visit to the Palace of the Popes brings this history to life. Continue to Aix-en-Provence, a lovely town once frequented by Hemingway and the inspiration to many artists. This evening, enjoy fine French dining at your hotel’s elegant restaurant.

This morning a local expert takes you on a tour of Aix-en-Provence. This charming city is full of lively streets, squares and fountains. Walk in the steps of Cézanne when you visit his atelier (workshop) and enter the artist’s most private space. Continue to Mont Sainte-Victoire and see the natural surroundings which are portrayed in the painter’s works. Explore the 18th century jewel of Aix-en-Provence with a visit to the Hôtel de Caumont Art Center. Delve into the intimate atmosphere of a private mansion as you view its works of art and exhibits. The evening is yours to continue to discover the city’s many secrets.

Visit the Musee du Calisson, a confectionery factory where you will discover the unique taste of a calisson. This delicacy–a mix of almonds, candied melon, orange blossom fragrance and marzipan–is a local specialty. Delve into the Provençal landscape during a visit to the picturesque region of Luberon, known for its beautiful lavender fields.* Take time in the hilltop village of Gordes to explore its charms. Visit the Lavender Museum and learn about this precious plant, its unique distillation process and its uses throughout history. You are in for a treat this evening when you stop at a local vineyard and tour their wine cellar and olive oil mill. Complete your day with a cooking demonstration and a sumptuous Provençal meal paired with local wines.

Journey to Cannes to rub shoulders with Europe’s elite. A local expert joins you on a walking tour of Cannes where you will learn about the fascinating history of the city and the Lérins Islands located offshore. Walk in the footsteps of celebrities when you see the Film Festival Palace and the famous red carpet featured during the Cannes Film Festival. Then it’s off to Nice, the renowned playground of the rich and famous.

Explore the charming hillside village of Eze. Learn the secrets of perfume making, from extraction to distillation, while visiting a famous parfumerie. Your journey then takes you to witness the splendor of Monaco, the dazzling gem of the Riviera. A panoramic tour highlights the famous and extravagant Casino of Monte Carlo and the spectacular 13th-century Prince’s Palace. Pause to see the Cathedral of Monaco, where Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace are buried. Complete your trip to Monaco with a visit to the fascinating Oceanographic Museum.

This morning you’ll feel like a local as you stroll through the colorful and fragrant flower market in Nice. Continue to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and visit the luxurious apartments of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. Explore the lush gardens with magnificent views of the Mediterranean Sea. Your visit to the villa is complete with lunch served in the charming tea room. The remainder of your day is free to discover Nice’s Place Massena and the lively seafront Promenade des Anglais. Partake in world-class shopping, sample the many French delicacies found in the south of France, or simply relax and take in the laid-back atmosphere along the Riviera. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a quaint restaurant.

Your tour ends today, leaving you with many wonderful memories.

Your journey opens in Paris. Board your ship and unpack once for a relaxing 7-night river cruise. Your beautiful vessel offers the newest technology, panoramic deck, panorama bar, delicious cuisine including regional wines with every dinner, and outstanding service. Tonight, a cocktail is served in the Panorama Bar where you will meet your fellow travelers before a lovely welcome dinner.

This morning, arrive in Conflans, situated at the confluence of the Oise and Seine rivers. Visit the town of Auvers-sur-Oise, once home to several 19th-century painters including Paul Cézanne, Charles-François Daubigny, Camille Pissaro, and perhaps most famously, Vincent Van Gogh. Embark on a tour of Auvers-sur-Oise that retraces Van Gogh’s time here, including Auberge Ravoux where he rented his room, the idyllic fields that inspired his last masterpiece, and his final resting place. This afternoon, cruise past lovely French countryside scenery as your journey continues.

Today your ship docks in Rouen, the historical capital of Normandy. Enjoy a guided walking tour of the medieval city, highlighting its many monuments and architectural treasures. Visit the cathedral and the Church of Joan of Arc before viewing the Gros Horloge astronomical clock. Spend time at leisure to continue exploring the city, perhaps with a visit to Place du Vieux Marché, the site where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in the 15th century. This afternoon, you may take an optional excursion with a local expert along the “Abbey Trail” to the ruins of both St. Wandrille Abbey and Jumièges. Learn about the rich history of the churches, castles and abbeys that once populated this region.

This morning we dock in Le Havre, a city located on the English Channel at the mouth of the Seine River. Perhaps you will join an optional morning sightseeing tour to Étretat, a town situated on the Normandy coast with stunning clifftop views and a charming fishing village where a guided walking tour highlights the various artists who have visited and painted there through the years. This afternoon, enjoy an included excursion to Honfleur, a remarkable maritime city. Explore the narrow streets and the old port with a local guide. View the Lieutenancy, the Old Salt Stores and St. Catherine’s Church before enjoying time to shop or explore independently.

A full day of remembrance awaits, as we travel through Normandy to visit some of the significant D-Day Landing sites of World War II. Begin at Pointe du Hoc, a strategic German battery that defended Utah and Omaha beaches from the Allied invasion, where craters from cataclysmic bombings occupy the landscape to this day. View Omaha Beach, one of the U.S. landing zones of the invasion of Normandy. Next, visit the Normandy American Cemetery and visitor’s center. Enjoy an included lunch locally before traveling on to Arromanche-les-Bains to view the Mulberry Harbor, one of the greatest engineering feats of WWII and a massive coup for the Allies. This evening, we rejoin the ship in Caudebec-en-Caux.

Begin your morning with a stop in Les Andelys to visit Château Gaillard, constructed in the 12th century by Richard the Lionheart. Admire the striking views of French countryside from the château’s vantage point on a promontory along the Seine. Next, continue to Giverny, where tranquil gardens combining flora and water elements inspired Monet’s greatest works. A guide will share stories of Monet’s time here as you tour his home and its surrounding gardens. This afternoon, perhaps you will join an optional excursion to King Louis XIV’s magnificent Palace of Versailles,* the largest palace in Europe; visit the grand private apartments and the Hall of Mirrors on a guided tour of the palace; stroll the magnificent gardens which are amongst some of the world’s most famous and took over 40 years to complete. Tonight, the captain welcomes you to the elegant Captain’s Gala dinner, immediately followed by an evening of dancing.

This morning, take a splendid panoramic coach tour that features views of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Les Invalides, the Louvre Museum, the famous Champs-Elysées and the Jardin des Tuileries. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to continue exploring this great city, or join an optional guided walking tour of the Montmartre district highlighting its narrow winding streets that have drawn artists to them for hundreds of years. Your day concludes with a farewell dinner where you will bid adieu to the illuminated “City of Lights.”

Your tour comes to a close today, leaving you with many pleasant memories of a wonderful adventure.

Arrive in cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, birthplace of the tango and the “Paris of South America.” Stretching along the banks of the Rio de la Plata, the city is a mosaic of European-style architecture and South American spirit. This afternoon, enjoy a panoramic city tour highlighting its Beaux-Arts palaces, grand boulevards, and the famous balcony forever associated with Eva Peron. In the early evening, gather for an informal reception at the hotel.

This morning we fly over Patagonia before landing in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery. Enjoy lunch while cruising the Beagle Channel. Later, embark the National Geographic Explorer, an authentic expedition ship uniquely equipped with an ice-strengthened hull and advanced navigation equipment for polar expeditions. With just 81 cabins and a maximum capacity of 148 passengers, the spacious and modern Explorer offers a roster of tools for exploration and a variety of public areas for viewing the incredible passing landscape. In the ship’s spacious lounge you will have informative presentations and a nightly recap of the day’s activities.

Cruise south through the fabled Drake Passage, named after the explorer Sir Francis Drake. Set between Cape Horn and the Antarctic Peninsula, a crossing of the legendary Drake Passage is unforgettable - a milestone in any adventurer's personal travel history. Warmer waters of the north meet the colder, denser waters of the south here in the Antarctic Convergence, making the area rich in marine life.

The next six days are filled with discovering Antarctica, the last great wilderness stretching across ice-covered desert and mountains for over five million square miles. The ethereal beauty and immense scale of the continent is like nowhere else on the planet.

The voyage keeps a flexible schedule (daily activities are contingent on weather conditions) to take advantage of the unexpected. With nearly 24 hours of daylight, make the most of your days with daily explorations.

You may take a Zodiac foray amongst towering icebergs under a bright sun, walk along the shoreline amid a huge penguin colony, hike to a summit for a breathtaking view, or kayak along a cliff-side rookery in search of blue-eyed shags.

Today you could have the thrill of watching the ship crunch through the packed ice or step ashore to the cries of thousands of Gentoo penguins.

Learn from the experts how to identify different penguin species and get photo tips from a National Geographic photographer while watching those same penguins.

Onboard, the undersea specialist may present video from that day’s dive with rare images taken up to 1,000 feet below the surface. The expert staff will craft an expedition where you will learn more, see more and experience more.

Leave Antarctica and sail back to Ushuaia, crossing the southern waters of the Drake Passage. The ship’s spotters will keep an eye out for marine life, albatross and seabirds that cross the ship’s bow.

You may want to enjoy a wellness treatment, spend time in the gym, catch up on the book you haven’t had a minute to read, or participate in on board discussions reflecting on all you have seen and learned.

After breakfast, disembark in Ushuaia with time for independent exploration before proceeding to the airport for your flight to Buenos Aires* for an overnight stay.

Your tour ends today.

Get started early as you head to Pasadena for the day. Enjoy the excitement of the season amid the fun-filled activities surrounding the Tournament of Roses. You’ll have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view the floats in their final stages of decorating. Next, attend Bandfest which features selected bands from all over the country that will perform in the parade. See these talented musicians, dancers and auxiliary performers in action. Return to Los Angeles where the remainder of the day is yours to relax or explore independently. Perhaps you will visit The Grove, a large shopping complex with several shops as well as restaurants which offer everything from burgers to sushi. You can even hop aboard the trolley to explore the historic Farmers Market.

The day is yours to relax, explore the area independently, or perhaps set out on an optional excursion. Your Tour Manager will be on hand to help plan your day. Then, get ready for tonight’s New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner Dance with live entertainment and a champagne toast to help ring in the New Year!

Happy New Year!! Celebrate the New Year at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, a grand tradition since 1890. When the parade debuted, 2,000 citizens were on hand to witness history in the making. Today, nearly one million spectators line the parade route. As our guest, you will join them with reserved seating for prime viewing. After the parade, return to Los Angeles and enjoy time at leisure. Toast the end of a wonderful getaway at tonight’s farewell dinner.