Funchal, Madeira
| ITINERARY |
| Day |
Port |
Arrive |
Depart |
| 1 |
Southampton |
- |
1500 |
| 2 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 4 |
Lisbon |
0900 |
1800 |
| 5 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 6 |
Funchal |
0800 |
1300 |
| 7 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 9 |
Mindelo |
0900 |
2000 |
| 10 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 14 |
Recife |
0700 |
1700 |
| 15 |
Salvador |
2000 |
- |
| 16 |
Salvador |
- |
- |
| 17 |
Salvador |
- |
0200 |
| 18 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 19 |
Rio de Janeiro |
0800 |
- |
| 20 |
Rio de Janeiro |
- |
- |
| 21 |
Rio de Janeiro |
- |
1200 |
| 22 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 23 |
Ilheus |
0900 |
1600 |
| 24 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 25 |
Natal |
1300 |
2300 |
| 26 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 30 |
Praia Santiago |
0700 |
1300 |
| 31 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 35 |
Leixoes |
1300 |
2200 |
| 36 |
Vigo |
0700 |
1300 |
| 37 |
Cruising |
- |
- |
| 38 |
Southampton |
1400 |
- |
Samba Dancer, Rio Carnival
Cable car ride to Sugar Loaf Mountain
Ipanema Beach
Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro |
 |
SOUTHAMPTON
Day 1 Athena sails at 1500hrs
AT SEA
Day 2 (Day 2-3 Cruising at sea)
The first leg of your
cruise en-route to Lisbon will give you the chance to acquaint
yourselves with the ship’s many facilities and to meet new friends
and get to know some of your fellow passengers.
LISBON (Portugal)
Day 4 Arr 0900hrs Dep 1800hrs, stay 9hrs.
Portugal's capital Lisbon is a large sprawling
city with many reminders of its colourful history peopled by Visigoths,
Moors, Romans, Phoenicians, Carthaginians and even a few warring
Celts. Alfama and Barrio Alto are its charming historic districts
full of narrow cobbled streets, Moorish buildings and wrought-iron
balconies trailing pretty flowers.
AT SEA
Day 5 Cruising at sea
Enjoy a day at sea
as we head towards the sub-tropical ‘Garden Isle’ of Madeira.
FUNCHAL (Madeira, Portugal)
Day 6 Arr
0800hrs Dep 1300hrs, stay 5hrs.
Madeira is the ‘Garden Isle’ of Portugal,
set 500 miles off its southern coast,
where amongst other more natural
attractions, a ride down a cobbled
mountain track in a wicker sledge
beckons! Steep wooded slopes adorned
with white painted houses and a myriad
of tropical flowers create the perfect
setting.
AT SEA
Day 7 (Day 7-8 cruising at sea)
Sit back, relax and
enjoy the ship’s many amenities as we head south to the tropical
Cape Verde islands
MINDELO (Sao Vicente, Cape Verde Islands)
Day 9 Arr
0900hrs Dep 2000hrs, stay 11hrs.
Discovered by the Portuguese in 1456 Cape
Verde Islands are an archipelago
made up of ten volcanic islands and
eight islets with a rugged lunar
landscape and are located in the
mid Atlantic some 300 miles west
of the African mainland. Athena visits
Cape Verde on two occasions on both
her southbound and northbound voyages
to and from South America starting
with Porto Grande in Mindelo, the
capital of the island of São Vicente.
The city is speckled with pretty
colonial style houses clad with balconies
and shutters and is dominated by
Mount Verde peaking at 779 metres.
In February, carnival fever hits
the islands with exuberant Brazilian
style celebrations and festivities.
AT SEA
Day 10 (Day 10-13 cruising at sea)
Sit back and relax with more leisurely
days at sea to savour as we head further south towards Brazil and
equatorial waters. Get ready for some traditional shipboard fun
with the Crossing the Line ceremony as we pass the Equator.
RECIFE (Brazil)
Day 14 Arr 0700hrs Dep 1700hrs, stay 10hrs.
Recife was once known as the ‘Venice of Brazil’with
a plethora of winding waterways, bridges and islands and boasts
some beautiful beaches protected by a line of natural reefs after
which the city is named. Recife is today a thriving city and major
Atlantic port and is the birthplace and home to many Brazilian
poets and writers with many magnificent ornate churches and monasteries
and is recognized as Brazil’s cultural capital.
SALVADOR (Brazil)
Day 15 Athena arrives at 2000hrs
Athena stays in Salvador for two full
days to give you the chance to soak up the atmosphere and to get
in the carnival mood and to explore this vibrant city. With a combination
of native Americans, Portuguese colonists and descendants of the
African slave trade Salvador da Bahia is a melting pot of cultures
and for two centuries was the colonial capital of Brazil. Home
to glorious sandy beaches and a diverse coastline of rugged cliffs
and mangrove swamps and skirted by verdant tropical hills the old
city of Salvador is a myriad of cobblestone streets, small alley
ways and pastel fronted houses decorated with intricate picture
tiles, gilded churches and also has an imposing fort.
SALVADOR (Brazil)
Day 16 Full day in port
SALVADOR (Brazil)
Day 17 Enjoy another full day in port. Athena
sails at 0200hrs
AT SEA
Day 18 Cruising at sea
RIO DE JANEIRO (Brazil)
Day 19 Athena arrives at 0200hrs
Sailing into the port of Rio de Janeiro
is a truly breathtaking experience and is arguably one of the most
captivating and beautiful settings in the world nestled between
the ocean and lush and searing tropical mountains. Rio is known
as the ‘Marvellous City’ and the famous landmarks include the 30
metre high statue ‘Christ the Redeemer sited on the summit of Corcovada
and the imposing Sugar Loaf Mountain accessed by a spectacular
cable car journey which affords breathtaking views of the city
and the fabulous golden beaches including the famous Copacabana
Beach. Your two day stay in the carnival capital of the world will
captivate and enthrall you with the colourful, vibrant and magical
street celebrations and pulsating music where you will experience
the true culture of Brazil.
RIO DE JANEIRO (Brazil)
Day 20 Enjoy another full day in Rio de Janeiro
RIO DE JANEIRO (Brazil)
Day 21 Athena departs at 1200hrs
AT SEA
Day 22 Cruising at sea
A chance of a welcome
day at sea to sit back and relax and to top up the tan after experiencing
the pulsating celebrations of the wonderful Rio Carnival.
ILHEUS (Brazil)
Day 23 Arr 0900hrs Dep 1600hrs, stay 7hrs.
Fri 8 Feb Arr 0900 Dep1600hrs Stay 7hrs Founded
in 1534, Ilheus is a major city located in the southern coastal
region of Bahia. It’s known for its beautiful sandy beaches and
rich Portuguese heritage with traditional buildings, architecture
and a rich history which bring to the city many Brazilian and international
tourists. Ilheus was also once one of the biggest producers of
cocoa although the city now depends largely on tourism.
AT SEA
Day 24 Cruising at sea
Enjoy the equatorial
sunshine as we hug the Brazilian coastline e-route to Natal.
NATAL (Brazil)
Day 25 Arr 1300hrs Dep 2300hrs, stay 10hrs.
Natal was founded by the Portuguese on Christmas
Day 1597, hence its name and is capital city of the State of Rio
Grande do Norte and one of the most attractive cities in north
east Brazil lying on a peninsula between the River Potengi and
the Atlantic Ocean. While it is an important seaport it also features
colonial architecture and has glorious golden beaches. The church
of Santo Antonio dates from 1766 while the old Cathedral was built
in 1599 and restored in 1996. There are several museums and the
16th century Forte dos Reis Magos is worth exploring.
AT SEA
Day 26 (Day 26-29 cruising at sea)
Our leisurely return mid Atlantic crossing
provides the chance to once more sit back and relax and savour
the many memories of the last two weeks in Brazil as we head north
across the equator for more King Neptune festivities.
PRAIA SANTIAGO (Santiago,
Cape Verde Isles)
Day 30 Arr 0700hrs Dep 1300hrs, stay 6hrs.
Our second visit
to the Cape Verde Islands is to Praia
the capital of the island of Santiago,
the largest and most populated and situated
in the southern island grouping. The
islands enjoyed independence from the
Portuguese in 1975 and apart from fishing
and agricultural products including sugar
cane, banana, coffee and mangoes, tourism
is now slowly developing as an important
industry. Stroll around the town with
best buys including carved coconut shells,
pottery, lacework and basketry or explore
the island’s birdlife or coral reefs
teeming with colourful sealife.
AT SEA
Day 31 (Day 31-34 cruising at sea)
More leisurely days at sea as we head homeward
en-route via the Iberian ports of Leixoes and Vigo to Southampton.
LEIXOES (Oporto, Portugal)
Day 35 Arr
1300hrs Dep 2200hrs, stay 9hrs.
The small port of Leixoes is your gateway
to Oporto, which is as delightful
as its location on the north bank
of the Douro River where it meets
the Atlantic Ocean. The centre is
a rich mixture of mediaeval and 18th
Century architecture with its much-restored
Romanesque Cathedral dating back
to the 12th Century. And, across
the Douro is the port wine capital
of the world - Vila Nova de Gaia.
VIGO (Spain)
Day 36 Arr 0700hrs Dep 1300hrs, stay 6hrs.
Situated in a beautiful estuary flanked by
the Cies Islands in the Galicia region, Vigo is a bustling cosmopolitan
city and has played its part in the turbulent history of Spain.
From Vigo there is an opportunity to visit the marvellous monumental
city of Santiago de Compostela, now considered a World Heritage
Site.
AT SEA
Day 37 Cruising at sea
Just one more day
at sea and the chance to say farewell to new found friends and
the ship’s crew and to take home the many memories of a wonderful
South America carnival cruise experience.
SOUTHAMPTON
Day 38 Athena arrives at 1400hrs
Fares in £'s Sterling Per Adult
| Cat |
Cabin Type |
Decks |
Seasons |
Standard
|
Special
Offer
Early Saver |
| 1 |
Owners
Suite |
Outer |
N |
7999 |
6399 |
| 2 |
Balcony
Suite |
Outer |
N |
6879 |
5499 |
| 3 |
Junior
Premium Suite |
Outer |
MN |
6249 |
4999 |
| 4 |
Junior
Suite |
Outer |
PA |
5749 |
4599 |
| 5 |
De Luxe
Two Bed |
Outer |
PR |
5249 |
4199 |
| 6 |
Superior
Two Bed |
Outer |
PR |
4879 |
3899 |
| 7 |
Classic
Two Bed |
Outer |
M |
4249 |
3399 |
| 8 |
Standard
Single |
Outer |
M |
5749 |
4599 |
| 9 |
Standard
Two Bed |
Outer |
PA |
3749 |
2999 |
| 10 |
Standard
Two Bed |
Outer |
N |
3499 |
2799 |
| 11 |
Standard
Two Bed |
Inner |
AT |
3249 |
2599 |
| 12 |
Standard
Two Bed |
Inner |
AE |
2879 |
2299 |
| 3BTH |
Friendly
Three |
Inner |
SP |
2379 |
1899 |
| 4BTH |
Friendly
Four |
Inner |
SP |
1999 |
1599 |
| |
| Supplements |
| Travel Insurance |
99 |
| Port Parking |
0 |
| Coaching to Port |
From 0 |
| Deposit Per Person |
250 |
| |
To book a cruise call us on
020 7510 2929 |
Note: All cabins have sea view unless stated ‘Inner’ Savings
shown for singles, three & four berth based on
per person
Early Saver Fares: are valid until the 30th September
2007 and represent savings of up to 20%. |
