Islands of the Azores, Crossing the Path of the Solar Eclipse

13 nights from £2,099pp departing Thursday 4th Apr 2024

Itinerary

Map

					Arrive	Depart
	4th04	AprApr	202424	Southampton, England, embark on the Bolette		Late PM
Lying near the head of Southampton Water, a peninsula between the estuaries of the Rivers Test and Itchen, Southampton is Britain’s largest cruise port. It has been one of England’s major ports since the Middle Ages, when it exported wool and hides from the hinterland and imported wine from Bordeaux. The city suffered heavy damage during World War Two and as a result the centre has been extensively rebuilt, but there are still some interesting medieval buildings including the Bargate, one of the finest city gatehouses in England.
	5th05	AprApr	202424	Saint-Malo, France	Early AM	Late PM
Thrust out into the sea and bound to the mainland only by tenuous man-made causeways, romantic St-Malo has built a reputation as a breeding ground for phenomenal sailors. Many were fishermen, but others—most notably Jacques Cartier, who claimed Canada for Francis I in 1534—were New World explorers. Still others were corsairs, "sea dogs" paid by the French crown to harass the Limeys across the Channel: legendary ones like Robert Surcouf and Duguay-Trouin helped make St-Malo rich through their pillaging, in the process earning it the nickname "the pirates' city." The St-Malo you see today isn’t quite the one they called home because a weeklong fire in 1944, kindled by retreating Nazis, wiped out nearly all of the old buildings. Restoration work was more painstaking than brilliant, but the narrow streets and granite houses of the Vieille Ville were satisfactorily recreated, enabling St-Malo to regain its role as a busy fishing port, seaside resort, and tourist destination. The ramparts that help define this city figuratively and literally are authentic, and the flames also spared houses along Rue de Pelicot in the Vieille Ville. Battalions of tourists invade this quaint part of town in summer, so arrive off-season if you want to avoid crowds.
	6th06	AprApr	202424	Brest, France	Late AM	Late PM
	7th07	AprApr	202424	At Sea
	8th08	AprApr	202424	At Sea	Early AM	Late PM
	9th09	AprApr	202424	At Sea
	10th10	AprApr	202424	Praia da Vitória, Portugal	Early AM	Late PM
	11th11	AprApr	202424	Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal	Early AM	Late PM
Offering solace on the long journey across the Atlantic, Ponta Delgada is the Azores Islands' largest city, and a welcome relief for any weary sailor. Located on an archipelago of Portuguese islands, some 1,100 miles from the mainland, you can explore humbling volcanic scenery, as well as Sao Miguel's verdant landscape - which glows with colour when the hydrangeas that the Azores are known for bloom into life during the summer months. The striking black and white facade of the Church of Sao Jose welcomes you to the city itself, while you can head to the markets to pick up the pineapples, tea leaves and coffee beans that add a little flavour to the island. As the largest city of the Azores, Ponta Delgada is well stocked with places to eat delicious local seafood, or pick up a little shopping, as you enjoy setting your feet on dry land, following a long journey at sea. Volcanic firepower has carved these stunning islands, and a journey up to Caldeira das Sete Cidades is a must do, where you can hike beside the water-filled crater, and admire views of steep green walls, and the uninterrupted Atlantic Ocean stretching beyond them. Lagoa de Fogo offers yet more humbling views, with the crater lake dropping off sharply to rippled ocean far below.
	12th12	AprApr	202424	At Sea
	13th13	AprApr	202424	At Sea	Early AM	Early AM
	13th13	AprApr	202424	Funchal, Madeira, Portugal	Early AM	Late PM
Formed by a volcanic eruption, Madeira lies in the Gulf Stream, about 500 miles due west of Casablanca. Discovered by Portuguese explorer João Gonçalves Zarco in 1419, this beautiful island became part of Portugal’s vast empire and was named for the dense forest which cloaked it - 'Madeira' means 'wood' in Portuguese. Sugar plantations first brought wealth here, and when King Charles II of England granted an exclusive franchise to sell wine to England and its colonies, many British emigrants were drawn to the capital, Funchal. Today’s travellers come to Madeira for the varied and luxuriant scenery, from mountain slopes covered with vines to picturesque villages and a profusion of wild flowers. The natural beauty of the island has earned it many pseudonyms such as ‘The Floating Garden of the Atlantic’, 'The Island of Eternal Springtime' and ‘God’s Botanical Gardens’ and our selection of excursions aim to show you why.
	14th14	AprApr	202424	At Sea
	15th15	AprApr	202424	Leixões, Portugal	Early AM	Late PM
Ever since the Romans constructed a fort here and began using it as a trading post, Oporto has been a prosperous commercial centre. In the 15th and 16th centuries the city benefited from the wealth generated by Portugal’s maritime discoveries, and later, the establishment of a lucrative wine trade with Britain compensated for the loss of the spice trade. Today, Portugal’s second-largest city is a thriving, cosmopolitan place and is famous for its production of the fortified, sweet 'port' wine. Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city was also awarded the status of European Capital of Culture in 2001. A large sandbar prevents ships from sailing into Oporto itself, so for over a century they have used nearby Leixões instead, a man-made seaport constructed nine miles from the city. Leixões is one of Portugal's major sea ports and is also home to one of the country's oldest football clubs, winners of the Taça de Portugal cup in 1961.
	16th16	AprApr	202424	At Sea
	17th17	AprApr	202424	Southampton, England, disembark the Bolette	Early AM
Lying near the head of Southampton Water, a peninsula between the estuaries of the Rivers Test and Itchen, Southampton is Britain’s largest cruise port. It has been one of England’s major ports since the Middle Ages, when it exported wool and hides from the hinterland and imported wine from Bordeaux. The city suffered heavy damage during World War Two and as a result the centre has been extensively rebuilt, but there are still some interesting medieval buildings including the Bargate, one of the finest city gatehouses in England.

Bolette

Launch Year

2000

Refit Year

2016

Tonnage

62,735

Capacity

1,338

Cabins

690

Accessible

The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of what you find on the ship.

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Holiday Summary

	13 nights aboard the Bolette
	Evening entertainment
	Tea & coffee facilities in cabin
	Welcome and farewell cocktail parties
	Drinks packages available
	Complimentary tea & coffee during the day and early evening.
	Daily on-board activities
	Port Taxes and Fees
	ABTA and ATOL Protection*

Interior staterooms from		£2,099pp
G	Superior Interior
H	Interior Cabin
I	Interior Cabin	£2,099pp
N	Single Interior
M	Single Superior

Oceanview staterooms from		£2,999pp
CO	Sup Ocean Fully Obst	£2,999pp
B	Superior Ocean View	£3,299pp
BD	Wheelchair Adapted
C	Superior Ocean View	£3,199pp
D	Ocean View Cabin	£3,099pp
E	Ocean View Cabin
F	Ocean View Cabin
FD	Wheelchair Adapted
K	Single Ocean View	£4,899pp

Balcony staterooms from		£4,199pp
TC	Terrace Cabin	£4,199pp

Suite staterooms from		£5,199pp
OW	Olsen Suite
PS	Premier Suite	£6,399pp
PSD	Wheelchair Adapted
BJ	Balcony Junior Suite
BJD	Wheelchair Adapted
BS	Balcony Suite	£5,199pp
JB	Single Balcony Suite