Greece
Greece
Piraeus
With more ancient sites than any other country in Europe, Greece is an archaeological treasure. Philosophers and theologians have long been drawn here to explore the roots of modern thought. Even so, it is the vibrant blues and rugged beauty of the Greek Islands that beckon many visitors away from the crowds of Athens and the Acropolis. Santorini’s picturesque town of Oia is a whitewashed, blue-domed beauty. The sea-side cafes, windmills and nightlife of Mykonos are also draw for many of our participants. Sandy beaches can be found on Skiathos.
- Location: Europe
- Capital: Athens
- Language(s): Greek
- Common Religion(s): Orthodox Christianity
- Government: Republic, Parliamentary system, Constitutional republic
- Currency: Euro
- Population: 10.72 million (2019)
Israel
Israel
Haifa
Israel is a small country with a relatively diverse topography, consisting of a lengthy coastal plain, highlands in the north and central regions, and the Negev desert in the south. Running the length of the country from north to south along its eastern border is the northern terminus of the Great Rift Valley.
- Location: Middle East
- Capital: Jerusalem
- Language(s): Hebrew
- Common Religion(s): Jewish, Muslim
- Government: Parliamentary system, Parliamentary republic
- Currency: Israeli new shekel
- Population: 9.053 million (2019)
Source: www.britannica.com
Croatia
Croatia
Dubrovnik
Across the Adriatic Sea from Italy lies the strikingly beautiful landscape of Croatia. The natural beauty and clear water combine with an abundance of medieval towns making this a hallmark of the Mediterranean. Dubrovnik itself is an enchanting pedestrian city known for its intact city wall and towers; historic churches and museums. The clear waters and abundant marine life make snorkeling a popular activity.
- Location: Europe
- Capital: Zagreb
- Language(s): Croatian
- Common Religion(s): Roman-Catholic, Orthodox Christians
- Government: Parliamentary republic
- Currency: Kuna
- Population: 4.076 million (2019)
Malta
Malta
Valletta
Malta is an island country located in the central Mediterranean Sea. The country comprises five islands—Malta (the largest), Gozo, Comino, and the uninhabited islets of Kemmunett (Comminotto) and Filfla—lying some 58 miles (93 km) south of Sicily, 180 miles (290 km) north of Libya, and about 180 miles (290 km) east of Tunisia, at the eastern end of the constricted portion of the Mediterranean Sea separating Italy from the African coast.
- Location: Europe
- Capital: Valletta
- Language(s): Maltese, English
- Common Religion(s): Roman Catholicism
- Government: Unitary Multiparty Republic
- Currency: Euro
- Population: 502,653 (2019)
Source: www.britannica.com
Spain
Spain
Barcelona
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic and political power. More recently the government has focused on measures to reverse a severe economic recession that began in mid-2008.
- Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains; southwest of France
- Capital: Madrid
- Language(s): Castillian Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Basque, Aranese
- Common Religion(s): Catholicism
- Government: Monarchy, Unitary state, Parliamentary system, Constitutional monarchy
- Currency: Euro
- Population: 46.94 million (2019))
Morocco
Morocco
Casablanca
The Kingdom of Morocco is an immensely rich cultural center point of north-western Africa that exudes influences of all of the proximal regions, including Spain and the Mediterranean, Egypt, the Sahara Desert, and the Atlas Mountains. The port of Casablanca, established in the 20th century, is a busy metropolis and home to the Hassan II Mosque, the second largest in the world after Mecca. This enormous structure, resting at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, was built by 30,000 workers over a period of five years, officially opening in 1993.
Source: CIA Factbook
- Location: Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara
- Capital: Rabat
- Language(s): Arabic, Tamazight, Tachelhit, Tarifit, French
- Common Religion(s): Islam
- Government: Monarchy, Unitary state, Parliamentary system, Constitutional monarchy
- Currency: Moroccan dirham
- Population: 36.47 million (2019)
Portugal
Portugal
Lisbon
An independent kingdom since 1143, Portugal is one of the oldest nations in Europe and was one of the world's major economic, political, and cultural powers during the 15th and 16th centuries. Mainland Portugal is part of the Iberian Peninsula at the southwestern edge of Europe. It is bordered by Spain to the north and east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south. The country also includes the Madeira island group and the nine islands of the Azores archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean.
Sources: U.S. State Department, AngloInfo
- Location: Europe
- Capital: Lisbon
- Language(s): Portuguese
- Common Religion(s): Christianity, mainly Catholicism
- Government: Republic, Unitary state, Parliamentary system, Democratic Republic
- Currency: Euro
- Population: 10.28 million (2019)
France
France
Brest
France is a country of northwestern Europe. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, the Alps and the Pyrenees, France has long provided a geographic, economic, and linguistic bridge joining northern and southern Europe. It is Europe’s most important agricultural producer and one of the world’s leading industrial powers. Brest is a port city in western France, on two hills divided by the Penfeld River.
- Location: Europe
- Capital: Paris
- Language(s): French
- Common Religion(s): Christianity (Roman Catholic)
- Government: Unitary state, Semi-presidential system, Constitutional republic
- Currency: Euro
- Population: 67.06 million (2019)
Source: https://www.britannica.com/
Ireland
Ireland
Dublin
Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 150 B.C. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK.
- Location: Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
- Capital: Dublin
- Language(s): English, Irish
- Common Religion(s): Catholic Church
- Government: Parliamentary system, Liberal democracy, Constitutional republic, Unitary state, Parliamentary republic
- Currency: Euro
- Population: 4.904 million (2019)
Poland
Poland
Gdansk
Poland's history as a state began near the middle of the 10th century. By the mid-16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth ruled a vast tract of land in Central and Eastern Europe. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and progressive.
- Location: Central Europe, east of Germany
- Capital: Warsaw
- Language(s): Polish, Silesian
- Common Religion(s): Roman Catholicism
- Government: Democracy, Republic, Parliament republic
- Currency: Polish złoty
- Population: 37.97 million (2019)
Sweden
Sweden
Stockholm
Sweden’s cultural heritage is an interweaving of a uniquely Swedish sensibility with ideas and impulses taken from other, larger cultures. Swedish art, poetry, literature, music, textiles, dance, and design are deeply infused with a primal relationship with the Nordic landscape and climate, but Swedes also have long been attracted to the greatness of the cultures of such countries as France and Germany, and influences from these and other European cultures have contributed to the development of Swedish literature, fashion, and cultural debate, as well as to the Swedish language itself.
- Location: Europe
- Capital: Stockholm
- Language(s): Swedish
- Common Religion(s): Church of Sweden (57.7%), Unaffiliated (33.5%)
- Government: Parliamentary system, Unitary state, Hereditary Monarchy, Representative democracy, Constitutional monarchy
- Currency: Swedish krona
- Population: 10.23 million (2019)
Source: www.britannica.com
Diversion Ports
Over our 57 year history, we’ve learned that itineraries are subject to adjustment. More than half of our voyages have required some deviation from the planned itinerary. The need to change an itinerary prior to and/or during a voyage can arise due to a number of factors: weather, political unrest, and other health and safety considerations. Should there be a need to adjust our published plans, we have identified potential Diversion Ports in each region of our expected travel. These ports are selected based on a number of factors including safety, educational value, and accessibility. While we don’t intend to visit these locations, should the need arise, we’ve made arrangements to allow us to travel to these ports. Again, these Diversion Ports simply serve as a back-up should anything prevent us from traveling to our planned itinerary.
Spring 2022 Diversion Ports
- Palermo, Italy
- Marseille, France
- Valencia, Spain
- Cadiz, Spain
- Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
- Southampton, England
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Hamburg, Germany
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Tallin, Estonia
Other ports may be added as required. Just as our world is dynamic, this list of potential ports is also subject to change. Every destination must pass a comprehensive health and safety assessment, regardless of being a planned or diversion port.
