Your Journey of a Lifetime begins as you depart the USA on your international overnight flight.

TEL AVIV/GALILEE

Then Venture inland to the Sea of Galilee to stand on the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus preached . At Tabgha, the traditional location of the feeding of 5,000, you will visit the Church of the Loaves and Fish . On the shores of the Sea of Galilee is the Chapel of the Primacy of St. Peter, where three times Peter professed his devotion to the risen Christ. From there, travel to Capernaum where Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, John and later Matthew to be disciples. Travel to Haifa and embark the Norwegian Getaway.

Journey to Jerusalem to see Caiphas' House, where Jesus was tried before the Sanhedrin. Stand upon the Mt. of Olives and view the city as Jesus did. See the Ancient olive trees of the Garden of Gethsemane. Wander the Old City to view the Pool of Bethesda and walk along the Via Dolorosa. Step inside the Church of the Holy Sepluchre, built over the sites of the crucifixion and the resurrection.

We will be making a short technical stop in Port Said to pick up local authorities and the pilot prior to the Suez Canal transit; unfortunately, guests will not be allowed to disembark at this port.

Explore the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It contains 120,000 artifacts! Then, head to the Pyramids of Giza, one of the only existing Wonders of the Ancient World. Nearby, view the Great Sphinx of Giza, the largest and most well-known Sphinx.

AT SEA

Although it's on the Greek Island of Crete, Heraklion offers a wealth of Venetian architecture from their rule in the 13th century, including magnificent fortified walls. Don't miss the Minoan Palace of Knosos Knossos, immortalized in Greek Mythology by the legend of the Minotaur.

Dock in Santorini today, one of the most beautiful of the Greek islands where picturesque, whitewashed villages topped with brilliant blue domes stand in stark contrast to the sheer drop cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea. The island itself perches on the edges of a volcano whose eruption 3,500 years ago is thought to have led to the collapse of the Minoan civilization. Explore the island on your own or join one of the optional excursions available for purchase onboard. Shore excursions today will be booked directly through the cruise line. 

Nestled in the heart of Greece’s Cyclades archipelago, Mykonos pulses with irrepressible energy. With its powder white houses and sparkling blue waters. The Island of the Winds is as colorful as the people who call the island home. You can walk narrow marble pathways laced with purple bougainvillea blooms or go cycling on two wheels past off-the-path Ano Mera village. Explore Greece’s maritime history at Armenistis Lighthouse and check out the Folklore Museum’s Mykonian ship models. At the end of the day, watch the sun burn out beyond an Aegean horizon from an open-air seaside taverna. Shore excursions today will be booked directly through the cruise line.

Discover the rich architectural splendor of the ancient city of Athens as your guide introduces you to the world-renowned Acropolis, the Propylaea, the Parthenon and the Erectheum. Stand on Mars Hill as the apostle Paul did when he proclaimed, "I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you" . As you stroll the Agora (ancient market place and center of Athenian public life), recall that this was where the Apostle Paul preached "Jesus and the resurrection" to the skeptical Athenians. Also see the House of Parliament, the Presidential Palace and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This afternoon tour the city of Corinth, where the apostle Paul met fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla and received a vision from the Lord saying, "I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city". As Paul spoke, Crispus (chief ruler of the synagogue) and many others believed and were baptized , establishing the church at Corinth to whom Paul later wrote his two epistles. Discover the Archaeological Museum, Market Place and Temples. As you walk among the ruins, stand on the Bema, where the apostle Paul stood before Gallio to face charges brought against him by the Jews

Ephesus is one of the Seven Churches of Revelation and was once a bustling port town with wide, colonnade-bordered streets and a population of 250,000. Spectacular excavations have revealed much of the glory of ancient Ephesus, including the huge Agora and Library, much has been lost. The ancient world once declared the Temple of Artemis to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World but today, only a single column remains to mark its site. View the terrace houses, also known as "the house of the rich," which give a true impression of ancient lifestyle.

Disembark the Norwegian Getaway. The bejeweled capital of Istanbul sits between two continents and is home to 450 mosques. You will visit the famous Blue Mosque with its six minarets and sparkling interior. Walk through St. Sophia (Hagia Sophia), which was the largest church in Christendom for 1,000 years, was built by Justinian (532-537 AD). The church has 107 columns, fossil-embedded, white marble floors, and beautiful glass mosaics. Today, it is the Museum of Byzantine Art. Enjoy the aroma of cinnamon, cloves, thyme, and other exotic spices as you explore the Spice Market. Shops sell everything from herbs to gold. Overnight in Istanbul.

Return to USA