| | | | | Arrive | Depart |
| 26th26 | MarMar | 202121 | 1 night accommodation before your cruise, staying in Rio de Janeiro | | |
| 27th27 | MarMar | 202121 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, embark on the Scenic Eclipse | | |
| Welcome to the Cidade Maravilhosa, or the Marvelous City, as Rio is known in Brazil. Synonymous with the girl from Ipanema, the dramatic views from Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado mountain, and fabulously flamboyant Carnival celebrations, Rio is a city of stunning architecture, abundant museums, and marvelous food. Rio is also home to 23 beaches, an almost continuous 73-km (45-mile) ribbon of sand.As you leave the airport and head to Rio's beautiful Zona Sul (the touristic South Zone), you'll drive for about 40 minutes on a highway from where you'll begin to get a sense of the dramatic contrast between beautiful landscape and devastating poverty. In this teeming metropolis of 12 million people (6.2 million of whom live in Rio proper), the very rich and the very poor live in uneasy proximity. You'll drive past seemingly endless cinder-block favela, but by the time you reach Copacabana's breezy, sunny Avenida Atlântica—flanked on one side by white beach and azure sea and on the other by condominiums and hotels—your heart will leap with expectation as you begin to recognize the postcard-famous sights. Now you're truly in Rio, where cariocas (Rio residents) and tourists live life to its fullest.Enthusiasm is contagious in Rio. Prepare to have your senses engaged and your inhibitions untied. Rio seduces with a host of images: the joyous bustle of vendors at Sunday's Feira Hippie (Hippie Fair); the tipsy babble at sidewalk cafés as patrons sip their last glass of icy beer under the stars; the blanket of lights beneath the Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain); the bikers, joggers, strollers, and power walkers who parade along the beach each morning. Borrow the carioca spirit for your stay; you may find yourself reluctant to give it back. Welcome to Rio de Janeiro where a world of wonder awaits as you step on board, raise your glass and toast the start of your luxurious cruise. |
| 28th28 | MarMar | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 29th29 | MarMar | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 30th30 | MarMar | 202121 | Salvador de Bahia, Brazil | | |
| According to Salvador's adopted son Jorge Amado, "In Salvador, magic becomes part of the every-day." From the shimmering golden light of sunset over the Baía do Todos os Santos, to the rhythmic beats that race along the streets, Salvador, while no longer Brazil's capital, remains one of its most captivating cities. A large dose of its exoticism comes down to its African heritage—at least 70% of its 2,675,000 population is classified as Afro-Brazilian—and how it has blended into Brazil's different strands, from the native Indians to the Christian colonizers. Salvadorans may tell you that you can visit a different church every day of the year, which is almost true—the city has about 300. Churches whose interiors are covered with gold leaf were financed by the riches of the Portuguese colonial era, when slaves masked their traditional religious beliefs under a thin Catholic veneer. And partly thanks to modern-day acceptance of those beliefs, Salvador has become the fount of Candomblé, a religion based on personal dialogue with the orixás, a family of African deities closely linked to nature and the Catholic saints. The influence of Salvador's African heritage on Brazilian music has also turned the city into one of the musical capitals of Brazil, resulting in a myriad of venues to enjoy live music across the city, along with international acclaim for exponents like Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, and Daniela Mercury. Salvador's economy today is focused on telecommunications and tourism. The still-prevalent African culture draws many tourists—this is the best place in Brazil to hear African music, learn or watch African dance, and see capoeira, a martial art developed by slaves. In the district of Pelourinho, many colorful 18th- and 19th-century houses remain, part of the reason why this is the center of the tourist trade. Salvador sprawls across a peninsula surrounded by the Baía de Todos os Santos on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The city has about 50 km (31 miles) of coastline. The original city, referred to as the Centro Histórica (Historical Center), is divided into the Cidade Alta (Upper City), also called Pelourinho, and Cidade Baixa (Lower City). The Cidade Baixa is a commercial area—known as Comércio—that runs along the port and is the site of Salvador's indoor market, Mercado Modelo. You can move between the upper and lower cities on foot, via the landmark Elevador Lacerda, behind the market, or on the Plano Inclinado, a funicular lift, which connects Rua Guindaste dos Padres on Comércio with the alley behind Cathedral Basílica. From the Cidade Histórica you can travel north along the bay to the hilltop Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim. You can also head south to the point, guarded by the Forte Santo Antônio da Barra, where the bay waters meet those of the Atlantic. This area on Salvador's southern tip is home to the trendy neighborhoods of Barra, Ondina, and Rio Vermelho, with many museums, theaters, shops, and restaurants. Beaches along the Atlantic coast and north of Forte Santo Antônio da Barra are among the city's cleanest. Many are illuminated at night and have bars and restaurants that stay open late. With a colourful history as the first capital of Brazil in 1549 to the notoriety of the first slave market trading in the New World, Salvador de Bahia is unique. Mixed cultures from Portuguese to African slaves and the native Amerindians provide a fascinating blend of history, culture, architecture and lifestyles. Freechoice: Explore Pelourinho, the colourful historical centre and learn about African heritage, or take a panoramic tour and visit Mont Serrat Fort. Alternatively, learn about African religions, visit a traditional Candomblé community and school, or take a percussion and Capoeira dance class. |
| 31st31 | MarMar | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 1st01 | AprApr | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 2nd02 | AprApr | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 3rd03 | AprApr | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 4th04 | AprApr | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 5th05 | AprApr | 202121 | Praia, Santiago Island, Cape Verde | | |
| Start your Expedition Cruise in Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, located in the south of Santiago Island. You can explore its old centre overlooking the ocean and its historical buildings with transom windows. In the old quarter, you can also learn about the diversity of the archipelago’s cultural origins in the Ethnographic Museum. To finish your day, head to the harbour to visit the Diogo Gomes statue, paying homage to the man who discovered the archipelago in 1460. This interesting archipelago has a colourful history with links to the African slave trade from 1462 when the Portuguese colonised the islands to the late 1800s when the slave trade was abolished. Today choose one of our Scenic Freechoice activities or join a more active Scenic Discovery excursion. Freechoice: Take a walking tour of the capital Santiago and visit the African market, or take a panoramic tour of the island and visit the fort. Discovery: Choose a Scenic Discovery excursion, from snorkelling or kayaking to relaxing on a pristine beach. |
| 6th06 | AprApr | 202121 | Mindelo, São Vicente Island, Cape Verde | | |
| Your next stop will be Cape Verde’s cultural capital, Mindelo. Get along with the locals listening to the real morna in the bars of the old town and sipping the local drink, a sugarcane spirit. This island is also known by its British and Portuguese colonial architecture and pastel-coloured houses, the municipal market and the facades of the old Governor’s Palace. Mindelo is the cultural capital of the archipelago, home to the Morna, the traditional Capeverdean music genre. Take in the sights of the colourful house fronts and colonial architecture, and the local art scene on the streets. Today choose one of our Scenic Freechoice activities or join a more active Scenic Discovery excursion. Freechoice: Discover the cultural and musical heritage of colourful Mindelo or take a panoramic tour of the island of Satildeo Vincente. Discovery: Choose a Scenic Discovery excursion and go snorkelling or kayaking. |
| 7th07 | AprApr | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 8th08 | AprApr | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 9th09 | AprApr | 202121 | Funchal, Madeira, Portugal | | |
| 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. Madeira sits in the Atlantic Ocean at the top of an extinct underwater volcano. The capital Funchal is nestled in a great natural amphitheatre, facing the Atlantic against a dramatic mountain backdrop. Today choose one of our Scenic Freechoice activities or join a more active Scenic Discovery excursion. Freechoice: Discover the history of the city dating back five centuries, or explore the Botanical Gardens before riding a traditional two-seat toboggan back to the waterfront. Alternatively, tour the island and visit a sugarcane factory. Discovery: Choose a Scenic Discovery kayak or hiking excursion. |
| 10th10 | AprApr | 202121 | Funchal, Madeira, Portugal | | |
| 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. Continue to explore Funchal. |
| 11th11 | AprApr | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 12th12 | AprApr | 202121 | Lisbon, Portugal, disembark the Scenic Eclipse | | |
| Set on seven hills on the banks of the River Tagus, Lisbon has been the capital of Portugal since the 13th century. It is a city famous for its majestic architecture, old wooden trams, Moorish features and more than twenty centuries of history. Following disastrous earthquakes in the 18th century, Lisbon was rebuilt by the Marques de Pombal who created an elegant city with wide boulevards and a great riverfront and square, Praça do Comércio. Today there are distinct modern and ancient sections, combining great shopping with culture and sightseeing in the Old Town, built on the city's terraced hillsides. The distance between the ship and your tour vehicle may vary. This distance is not included in the excursion grades. Lisbon signals the end of your cruise as you disembark after breakfast taking away memories of your adventures. Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK. |
