Insignia - 5/27/2027

Southampton is the gateway to the immensely civilized city of London. There are museums to visit, pubs to try, and shops to browse, ranging from Harrods to open-air markets. There are more parks and green belts here than in any other city in the world. There are also caches of stately squares and noble monuments, holdovers from a time when the island ruled a significant portion of the globe.

Located along the North Sea, Zeebrugge is located ten miles north of Brugge (Bruges) and serves as its port. The Brugge-Zeebrugge Canal connects the seaside resort with the cultural mecca that is its sister city. Visitors to Brugge will see stunning representations of gothic and roman architecture and collections of Dutch and Belgian art.

One of Europe's leading cities, Amsterdam's rings of canals and traditional Dutch architecture are unmistakable. Rich in art, history and culture, Amsterdam is home to the Van Gogh museum, Anne Frank's house, and the Rijksmuseum, which houses many works by Rembrandt and Vermeer.

Take advantage of the many on board activites during your day at sea. You'll have more than enough to fill your day!

Kiel is a city in north central Germany, in Schleswig-Holstein, a port on an arm of the Baltic Sea, at the eastern entrance of the Nord-Ostsee (or Kiel) Canal. The city has been noted as a port since the 10th century because of its excellent harbor, which is a tideless fjord. The city has a university and is a popular center for pleasure boating.

From Warnemunde, you can travel on the autobahn or railway to Berlin to view the Brandenburg Gate, Kaiser Wilhelm Church, Checkpoint Charlie Museum, the Reichstag and the collected wonders of the Pergamon Museum. Or stay down by the sea, and visit medieval Rostock and the spas of the Baltic shore.

Located just off the coast of Sweden, Ronne on Bornholm Island is the Danes' most popular vacation spot and best-kept secret. Visit the characteristically round churches built in the 12th century or follow the picturesque trail to the remains of Hammerhus, Scandinavia's largest castle.

Klaipeda, the third largest port city in Lithuania, is located on the southernmost shore of the Baltic Sea. Klaipeda is not only one of the largest fishing ports on the Baltic Sea, but also a major cultural center of Lithuania. Of the museums of Klaipeda, tourists should visit the large Maritime Museum and Aquarium, which boasts thousands of exhibits from the seas and oceans of the world.

Situated on the Swedish isle of Gotland, Hanseatic Visby was one of the most powerful cities in Europe. Today quaint homes and churches huddle together inside 13th-century walls. In former times, it was called "the city of ruins and roses," for along with its rose-covered churches, there is one somber sight - Gallows Hill, a place of execution so villains "might die looking at the loveliest spot on earth."

Riga is home to a university, the Latvian Academy of Sciences, and to numerous other educational and cultural institutions. The old section, or Hansa town, is circled by a park-lined moat and includes the ancient castle of the Livonian Knights, the 13th century Lutheran cathedral, and the Parliament building. This area, with its narrow, cobbled streets lined with gabled dwellings and warehouses, has retained much of its medieval character.

Take advantage of the many on board activites during your day at sea. You'll have more than enough to fill your day!

Beautifully preserved medieval walls and towers still stand tall in the Old Town section, shadowed by the hilltop Toompea Castle. Stroll and shop along cobblestone streets, walk up to the Baroque Palace, and drop in at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and find inspiration in the gleaming mosaics and tiles. This is, by far, one of the most atmospheric locales in Europe.

Distributed across fourteen immaculate islands in a sheltered Baltic bay, crisscrossed by scenic bridges, Sweden's capital is one of the most beautiful cities on earth. It is a sightseeing smorgasbord, including the medieval "city between the bridges," the vast Royal Palace, and the City Hall, which hosts the yearly Nobel Prize ceremonies.