Itinerary for 7 Night Mediterranean Cruise
aboard the Cruise Ship Costa Victoria

PLEASE NOTE:

• Check in at the airport 3 hours prior to departure.
• Failure to check in 3 hours prior to departure may result in denial of boarding flight and NO REFUND will be granted.
• For double/triple accommodations: Registration must be completed together. Please add an additional $450.00 for single occupancy.

Day 1
Friday, November 5th, 2010
Depart USA - Evening departure
For your comfort, please wear loose clothing. Meals, snacks, and a variety of drink refreshments will be served on board.

Day 2
Saturday, November 6th, 2010
Venice, Italy - Marco Polo Airport
Transportation to the cruise ship will be provided.

Venice is considered the city of art, romance and prestige. The extraordinary architecture was built on an archipelago of small islands separated by a network of canals crossed by approximately 400 bridges, once wooden and then replaced by stone.

The Grand Canal is the main city artery. It is crossed by three bridges and has the shape of an upside down "S" dividing the city in two parts and in their turn divided into six "sestieri" (districts): Cannaregio, San Marco and Castello on the left side; Santa Croce, San Polo and Dorsoduro on the right side of the canal. Water transport undoubtedly prevails over land travel, with gondolas, ships, ferries, and yachts serving as taxis to transport people and goods. There are few main roads and several small "calli" (narrow streets) developed along canals, "campi" (squares adjacent to churches), bell towers and "fondamenta" (streets along the canals) where motor vehicles are not allowed. Refugees from Spina Adria and Aquileia after the invasion of the Huns in the 5th century AD founded Venice.

The Doge under the protection of the Byzantine Empire governed it by "maritime tribunes" and later. In the 9th century the city became a very important commercial port, connecting the eastern and western markets through the Adriatic Sea. Its commercial power soon resulted in military power. Within a few years, Venice dominated all the east Adriatic coast, reaching the East, colonising the territories and conquering important markets, competing with Genoa and with the other Maritime Republics to assert its power.

The Turks chased the Venetians from many eastern colonies. The repercussions of the French Revolution affected this perfect aristocratic government where commerce and military power supported each other. In 1797 Venice was weak and after the Campoformio treaty, it was subject to Austria and subsequently annexed by Italy. The Grand Canal, offers a quick view of the most beautiful palaces in Venice: the Academia, the Cà d'Oro, the Casino, the palace of the Biennial, the University, the Chiesa della Salute and the popular Rialto bridge, up to Piazza San Marco where the canal opens into a wide area.

The square is the heart of Venice and its symbol. It is an architectural jewel and one of the most beautiful squares in Italy; a miracle built in trachyte and Istrian stone. In the past, religious and civil ceremonies took place in this square and also the famous Carnival. At its end there is the Basilica and the Clock Tower. The coffee bars and restaurants surrounding it are pleasant meeting places. Glass blowing is particularly interesting and takes place in the Island of Murano with several workshops expert in blown glass and artistic crystal manufacture. The manufacture of the so-called "murrine" is particularly difficult and beautiful.

These are art decorations where coloured glass is blown and cut inside glass globes with expertise and extraordinary precision. The manufacture of lace is also extraordinary. Several workshops continue to manufacture Venetian mirrors, made with ancient techniques, with silver plates on glass, enriched by glass frames with elegant shapes.

Day 3
Sunday, November 7th, 2010
Anacona, Italy arrival time 07:00
The cruise ship will depart at 13:00.

Ancona sits on the hills that surround the port like an amphitheatre, rising up in the bay formed by Monte Conero to the west. The port is the largest on the Adriatic Coast. The city is today divided into two distinct areas: the old historical and monumental part, with its maze of medieval streets and the Guasco hill behind it where the Greek acropolis once sat, and where today the Romanesque church of St Cyriacus can be found, and a modern part with straight roads that was begun in the 18th century. It is difficult to say with precision how the old Roman city would have looked, but the largest remains are the amphitheatre and Trajan's arch, a Roman work flanked by four Corinthian columns at the foot of Mount Guasco.

The city's origins are prehistoric, with Bronze Age settlements and significant finds from the Iron Age (9th - 2nd century B.C.). The name Ankon (meaning "elbow" in Greek) comes from the first Greek speaking sailors who made use of the natural harbour beneath Monte Guasco. The city was founded in the 4th century B.C. by the Dorian Syracusans, who gave it sandstone block walls and monuments. It was an ally with Rome in the battle of Sentino (295 B.C.) against the Samnites, Etruscans and Gauls, after which it came under the influence of Rome, while maintaining its Greek character. In the 2nd century A.D. the emperor Trajan fortified the port for his campaigns in Dacia and in his honour an Arch was erected on the quay that is attributed to Apollodorus of Damascus (115 A.D.). The city was destroyed by the Saracens in 839, and in the 11th century it became a "free commune" developing sea trade with the East and competing with Venice.

From the 14th to 15th centuries the city experienced the most prosperous and brightest period in its history, enriching its urban landscape with monuments and extending the city's walls twice. As a Papal State, after a period of decline, it rose again when the free port was established (1732) thanks to Pope Clement XII. After the battle of Castelfidardo in 1860 it became part of the Kingdom of Italy. It was only after the unification of Italy that the city grew to the west towards the station and to the east towards Piazza Cavour; after the First World War the city stretched as far as the Passetto and after the Second World War it expanded south of the Astagno hill in the San Lazzaro plain to the southwest.

The historical centre has plenty of monuments and buildings of historical interest, such as the Theatre of the Muses, the Church of SS. Sacramento, Piazza Plebiscito, the National Archaeological Museum of the Marche, the Civic Gallery, and the Cathedral of St Cyriacus with its Diocesan Museum. There are countless historical palazzos in the city, including the Palazzo Ferretti built in 1560, with doorways inside from 1700; the Palazzo degli Anziani, built in 1270 and renovated in 1647, with an important 16th century Baroque façade; the Palazzo Bosdari, bought by the Bosdari family in 1550 and home to the Gallery of Modern Art; the Loggia dei Mercanti, restored in 1444, with a flowery Gothic Venetian façade; the Palazzo del Senato, built halfway through the 12th century, it suffered serious damage in the First World War and was restored in 1952; the Palazzo del Governo, built as early as 1300, whose hall was decorated by Merlozzo da Forlì. Also of interest are the city's museums, such as the Beltrami Museum in Filottrano: situated in a 19th century palazzo where you can find a wide variety of items: shields, lances, pipes, hides and totems, and the Accordion Museum (in Castelfidardo) which houses over 100 accordions from all over the world.

The city centre is a great place for shopping, especially in Corso Mazzini, Corso Garibaldi, Piazza Roma and Piazza Cavour. The Passetto is where people head for the beach and the sea and offers splendid views. In the port the ancient walls and ports, Trajan's Arch, Clemente's Arch and the Mole Vanvitelliana or Lazzaretto can be found. In the Cittadella public park on top of Astagno hill part of the walls of the ancient citadel can still be seen.

The cuisine of the region's capital includes a good part of the Marche region's cuisine. Highlights are the seafood dishes: sole, either fried, barbecued or in white wine, fried squid and prawns, sea bream and bass cooked simply without sauce or grilled, Ancona style dried cod, breaded mantis shrimps and mussels, date shell soup, stewed cuttlefish, sardines hot from the grill, octopus cooked in sauce and the famous fish soup. Dishes for meat lovers include "vincisgrassi" (pasta baked in a rich sauce), tripe, "minestra col grasso", porchetta, lamb, rabbit or chicken "in potacchio". Among the desserts the "beccute" (little sweet tarts of bread made from cornflour, pine nuts and sultanas) "ciambellone" (a large type of doughnut) stand out in particular. Monte Conero and Castelli di Jesi are the two closest DOC wine regions to Ancona, producing Verdicchio, Vernaccia, Vinsanto, Rosso Piceno and Bianco Piceno, and Rosso del Conero.

From ceramics to fabrics, from pipes to hats: the Marche region jealously guards its craft traditions, which also include wickerwork, accordions, and wrought copper and iron. Ancona has 20 km of varied coastline. The city beach, the Passetto, with its distinctive grottoes and beach facilities is famous for its white rock and its typical Ancona feel. Proceeding south along the Conero's panoramic route you come across the beaches of the Trave, a strip of land that cuts through the clear waters, and of Mezzavalle an arc of stony white beach. On reaching the slopes of Conero you come across the breathtaking bay of Portonovo. In the northern part of the city, around Palombina, you will find a sandy shore.

Day 4
Monday, November 8th, 2010
At sea
Seminar will began at 09:00.

Day 5
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
Santorini and Mykonos, Greece arrival time 08:00
The cruise ship will depart at 13:00 to Mykonos with an arrival time to Mykonos, Greece at 18:00. The cruise ship will depart Mykonos at 23:00.

One of the Cyclades islands, Santorini is a spectacular jewel of the Aegean. Born out of a volcanic eruption in approximately 1500BC, which formed the two islands of Aspronissi and Terrasia, Santorini is a magnificent mixture of dramatic cliffside villages, glorious black sand beaches and ancient treasures. Steep cliffs plunging into a crystalline sea distinguish the west coast, while the east coast is gentler, featuring a fertile plain and delicate bays, with the Profitis Ilias mountains in the background.

Archaeological investigations have shown that the 69 kilometres of coastline of Santorini was probably inhabited in prehistoric times, while the first chronicled civilisation to live on the island were the Phoenicians. Through the centuries the island continued to fall under different rulers, including the Spartans, Athenians, Byzantines and Turks. Commencing in 1967, ongoing excavations near the pink sand beach at Akrotiri have revealed the ruins of ancient Thera, the centre of population on the island before it was destroyed by the volcanic eruption.

Among the extensive remains are ceramics, stone and bronze tools, ornaments and small artworks. A series of frescoes suggest a highly-developed community and some researchers believe it is the site of the mythical lost city of Atlantis.

One of the prettiest spots on the island is the village of Oia, a network of narrow marble-paved alleys, lined with yellow and blue domed houses, and extraordinary views out to sea.

The island of Mykonos is one of the most picturesque - and popular - of the Cyclades archipelago, situated between Tinos and Naxos. During the peak season the island's local population of 5,000 inhabitants is swelled by a factor of ten or 15. Many visitors arrive at the island from Piraeus near Athens from where there is a daily ferry service, or by air from the Greek capital city. The picture-postcard main town of Mykonos is a maze of narrow streets lined with pretty white-washed houses and shops. Nearby are several splendid beaches.

The history of civilisation on Mykonos is not well chronicled, although the generally accepted view is that the island was first colonised by the Ionians and later developed by the Athenians. There followed a relatively prosperous period under Ptolemy and again under the Romans. Little knowledge exists of the island's fate during the Byzantine era and the next major landmark appears in 1537 when Mykonos was under Turkish rule.

This heralded a period of great riches and influence for Mykonos, thanks to considerable commercial maritime activities, becoming by the end of the 1700s one of the most powerful islands in the archipelago. The island also became a regular target for pirates, thus Mykonos came under the direct defence of the army, which maintained a presence until independence in 1821.

The architectural highlight of the capital town is Panaghia Paraportiani church, a magnificent combination of Byzantine and western features. The church, with seven chapels around a square, is located in the picturesque hillside Kastro area, originally fortified by the Venetians. Indeed, the area below Kastro is called Venice after the houses seemingly built on the sea. At another square, according to tradition, any woman who drinks from each of three fountains will marry within a year.

Another popular building is the local art museum which includes a collection of furniture, religious icons, sculptures and musical instruments. An archaeological museum has exhibits from the ruins of Renea. Grilled fish is a highly recommended Mykonos speciality

Day 6
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
Piraeus and Athens, Greece arrival time 08:00
Cruise ship will depart Piraeus at 14:00.

The cradle of Greek civilisation, Athens today is a bustling, frenetic, modern city with six million inhabitants, one third of the total population of Greece. The port of Athens, Piraeus, is very much an integral part of the city.

Although Athens is a huge, sprawling city, much of its political, historical and administrative life is concentrated in a small area including Syntagma (Constitution) Square, the Acropolis and Omonia Square.

According to Greek mythology, the establishment of Athens was the result of a dispute between the goddess of wisdom Athena and her fellow gods, under which the city was given as a peace offering. In historical terms, the city was founded by the Phoenicians at least 2,000 years before Christ. The founding fathers of democracy, Athenians had many times to go into battle to defend their freedom and built up a mighty military strength.

As the leading cultural influence in the Mediterranean region for centuries, Athens attracted considerable opposition as well as admiration. Its intellectual dominance over the Mediterranean began to wane with the establishment of the Byzantine Empire, eventually leading to the city being virtually deserted and almost destroyed by Saracens in the 12th Century. By the time the Turks gained control of Athens in the 15th Century, its population had dwindled to only a few thousand inhabitants. Between 400BC and 1400AD Athens had been raided, sacked, and burnt at least 30 times.

Gradually Athens was rebuilt and by the end of the 19th Century its fortunes had greatly improved, culminating in the revival of the Olympic Games in 1896. The next period of sustained development came after World War II with aggressive industrialisation and maritime enterprise.

The historical attractions of Athens are world-renowned. The Acropolis, overlooking the city of Athens from the top of a rocky hillside, is the dominant monument of ancient Greece, the site of the first temple dedicated to the goddess Athena and the stunning Parthenon. Among the magnificent ruins of the Acropolis, and the fascinating artefacts of the Acropolis Museum, the ancient civilisation surrounding the Parthenon, Herod Atticaus Odeon, Dionysus Theatre, Muses Hill, the Agora, Hephaestus Temple and the Apostles Church come to life. In addition to its magnificent ancient monuments, Athens has much to offer the visitor, including colourful street markets and shops. Plus, of course, delicious Greek food such as the speciality meze and desserts including baklava.

Not far from Athens is one of greatest engineering feats of mankind, the Corinth Canal. The canal, which is cut out of solid rock, is a little over 6km in length, 21 metres wide and some 79 metres high, with a water depth of eight metres. Such was the complexity of its construction that the canal was started by Nero in 66AD but only completed in 1893.

Day 7
Thursday, November 11th, 2010
Corfu, Greece arrival time 13:00
Cruise ship will depart from Corfu at 19:00.

Corfu is the northernmost of the Ionian Islands, located in the heart of the Mediterranean. The Greek place name Kerkira was renamed Corfu by the Venetians, who paraphrased the word "Korifi" which was used to indicate the towers of St. Mark's fortress.

Corfu is covered in lush vegetation, thriving in a climate that is tempered by the wind without being too dry. Its coastline is very long, seemingly never-ending: over 200 kilometres. The terrain is quite varied, at times sandy and at others rocky and broken up by Mediterranean bush, olive, cypress and citrus trees.

Corfu has suffered a long and bloody history. Corfu embarked on a long period of being colonised by others from 700 B.C. onwards, first by the Corinthians, then the Illyrians and the Athenians. Corfu suffered attacks from pirates while under Byzantine rule forcing the relocation of the city northward. This did little to halt the invasions of the Vandals and Visigoths, who repeatedly massacred the populations and razed their villages to the ground. The Venetians gave Corfu back its status as an important centre of trade and with it a very wealthy market. Venetian rule lasted for more than 400 years, during which time the island was governed by a system of aristocratic rule. The Venetians began the cultivation of olives and to this day, Corfu is one of the main olive oil producing centres in the region. Once the Venetian reign had come to an end, it was the Turks' turn, then the French and the English, and on 21st May 1864 it was annexed to the Kingdom of Greece.

During the Second World War, Corfu was again bombarded and suffered heavy damage. Most of its buildings were destroyed, such as the public theatre and the Ionian Academy. Just a few outstanding buildings remain, scattered along the coastline and in the main town and jealously guarded by the local population.

Kerkira is the capital, and accommodates around 60,000 of the 110,000 people who live on the island. The city has a splendid city centre with numerous Venetian fortresses and the English Royal Palace. The rest of the island is made up of small settlements, roads that stretch out high above the sea and splendid views of small bays and magnificent cliffs.

Day 8
Friday, November 12th, 2010
Dubrovnik, Croatia arrival time 08:00
The Cruise ship will depart from Dubrovnik at 13:00.

A charming port by the Dalmatian coast, set in front of a picturesque hillside, Dubrovnik is one of the most attractive destinations on the Adriatic Riviera. It has been extensively restored since suffering during the Balkan hostilities of the 1990s and, some would say, is more beautiful now than ever. The city's style and architecture is strongly rooted in its historical Venetian and, to a lesser extent, Turkish influence. This part of the Dalmatian coast played a vital role in the success of the Venetian Republic.

The most attractive section of Dubrovnik is the old city, Stari Grad, lined with cobbled streets, fountains, museums and churches. Its Venetian heritage is apparent in the family names of many of the residents. The main division between the two sections of the old city is called 'stradun', a word of Venetian origin.

The largely intact city wall, some of which was built 700 years ago, is one of the finest examples of its kind in the world. The importance of religion in the city's past and present culture is reflected in a number of impressive Franciscan and Dominican convents and churches.

Day 9
Satuday, November 13th, 2010
Venice, Italy - Venice cruise terminal
Transportation to the airport will be provided for your return flight to the United States.

*Includes round trip ticket, three meals per day on board, accommodation with private facilities in each cabin, double occupancy and 10 nursing contact hours.

Refund and Cancellation Policy:

No refunds will be given 90 days prior to departure date. 91 plus days full refund will be given minus $450.00 booking fee. No shows are responsible for full payment. Once travel has commenced no refunds for unused portions can be made. Note: All travel to Italy will require a U.S. Passport. In addition, travel insurance is strongly encouraged.