PORTS OF CALL:
• Italy - Venice • Croatia - Split & Dubrovnik • Greece - Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos, Iraklion, Piraeus (Athens) & Nafplion • Turkey - Izmir (Ephesus) • Venice
INCLUDED:
• Champagne Check-in at London St Pancras
• Escorted rail travel: London-Paris-Venice-Paris-London
• Overnight sleeper train with cabin: Paris-Venice-Paris
• Water taxi from Venice Station to the Cruise Terminal
• 14 night Full Board cruise on the Gem
• $150 on board spend per stateroom on the Gem
• Cocktail party on the Gem - 1 hour open bar**
• Upgrade to Steakhouse Restaurant***
• Lake Garda – escorted excursion from Venice
• All transfers abroad
Join us for a truly sumptuous holiday combining one of Europe’s great rail journeys with the glamour and glitz of the Norwegian Gem cruise ship – enjoy splendid accommodation, spectacular entertainment and multiple dining options on board this fabulous, floating resort. You can choose a different restaurant every night and sit down to dinner anytime from 5.30pm to 10pm. There’s no dress code and no sitting with strangers unless you want to. What’s more, there’s at least one restaurant open 24 hours.
Enjoy a glass of bubbly at St Pancras Champagne Bar before an escorted afternoon departure* by Eurostar from London to Paris. Then direct overnight Artesia train travel to Venice, arriving relaxed and refreshed the next morning. It’s then just a short water–taxi ride to the Gem and our 14 night cruise with tantalizing ports of call and a wide choice of optional shore excursions. At the end of the cruise we disembark in Venice and enjoy an excursion to Lake Garda, before returning to Venice to join the overnight train to Paris and Eurostar to London, arriving mid–afternoon.

ITINERARY:
Eurostar to Paris – overnight to Venice
Early afternoon departure by Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris. Transfer to Artesia Sleeper Train and our mid-evening departure to Venice.
Day 2: Arrive in Venice & transfer to ship
Morning arrival in Venice. We take a private water taxi to the cruise terminal to join Norwegian Gem. The ship sails at 5pm.
Day 3: Split, Croatia
Arrival 08.00hrs, departure 17.00hrs. Overlooking the Adriatic Sea and backed by the rugged Dinaric Mountains, this splendid Dalmatian city resembles a living museum. Ancient Roman architecture forms a backdrop to modern-day life, with boutiques displaying imported designer wear and cafés playing techno amid the stones of an imperial palace. Optional excursions: Dalmatian Coastline & Village Heritage, Krka River National Park or Ancient Salona & Town Of Trogir, or relax on board and make use of the Gem’s excellent leisure facilities.
Day 4: Corfu, Greece
Arrival 10.00hrs, departure 18.00hrs. Corfu’s pedestrian–only old town is a warren of crumbling Venetian–style buildings, Italianate churches, chic boutiques and rustic tavernas. Locals gather on the Spianada, a vast green space where they play cricket, and the Liston, a 19th-century arcade sheltering a string of cafés. Guarding the town and accessed from the Spianada, the Old Fortress juts out into the sea, while the New Fortress commands a hilltop position behind the old town. Optional exursions: Timeless Villages, 4 X 4 Adventure or Scenic Island & Flavors.
Day 5: Santorini, Greece
Arrival 16.00hrs, departure 23.00hrs. In 1550 BC, the volcanic island of Santorini erupted and its huge crater sank beneath the Aegean Sea, creating the bay visible today and spinning legends of the lost city of Atlantis. Visitors can ascend the sheer multi–coloured sea cliffs by cable car – or donkey – to the postcard village of Thira for one of the most amazing views in the Mediterranean. Optional excursions: Greek Style Fiesta, Volcano Hiking and Oia & Winery.
Day 6: Mykonos, Greece
Arrival 08.00hrs, departure 16.00hrs. Picture a perfect Greek island... whitewashed houses on winding cobbled streets, sky blue shutters and lovely beaches... OK, that’s Mykonos. A trip to Little Venice, overlooked by the island’s signature windmills, where boutiques, art galleries and waterfront bars, makes it so easy to idle away a sunny afternoon. Optional excursions: Street Party Time including a traditional buffet–style meal, Magnificent Delos – the ‘Island of Light’.
Day 7: Iraklion, Greece
Arrival 07.00hrs, departure 12.00hrs. Crete can trace its history back to 2,000 BC, when the Minoans ruled the waves in these parts. Get a glimpse of how they lived in the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos, where the legendary Minotaur was imprisoned, before exploring Iraklion with its massive Venetian walls. Feeling lazy? The beaches are everything guests would expect of a Greek island, so they can really sit back and relax. Optional excursions: Cretan History & Flavors, Knossos & Village Life or Knossos & The Minotaur.
Day 8: At Sea
A chance to relax and enjoy the ship’s excellent facilities.
Day 9: Venice, Italy
Arrival 08.00hrs, departure 16.00hrs. Built across 100 islands with some 450 bridges, you can never have too much of Venice. From the famous sights – Piazza San Marco, the Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica – to the incredible art galleries and quiet backwaters, there’s always some new quarter to discover and fall in love with. Optional excursions: The Wines Of Veneto, Romeo & Juliet’s Verona or St Marks By Night.
Day 10: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Arrival 13.00hrs, departure 21.00hrs. Don’t miss the fantastic views of the Adriatic Sea and the city from Dubrovnik’s huge ramparts. You’ll get a bird’s eye view of the glistening marble streets, the Gothic and Renaissance palaces, splashing fountains and colourful parasols shading pavement cafés packed into narrow alleys and cloistered squares. Optional excursions: Best of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik & Village Life or Charming Croatian Riviera.
Day 11: At sea
A chance to relax and enjoy the ship’s excellent facilities.
Day 12: Piraeus (Athens), Greece
Arrival 07.00hrs, departure 17.00hrs. The port of Piraeus is just six miles from the heart of Athens and that wonderful symbol of the ancient world, the 2,500–year–old Parthenon, high atop the Acropolis. Visitors can take in the view, visit the old Roman marketplace – the Agora, and stop for an ouzo in one of the traditional tavernas in the Plaka district, where they might be tempted to a little shopping, too. Optional excursions: Legendary Delphi, Athens & Its Scenic Coast or Ancient Treasures.
Day 13: Izmir (Ephesus), Turkey
Arrival 08.00hrs, departure 17.00hrs. Although Turkey’s third largest city can trace its story back to 3,000 BC, today it’s a busy, modern metropolis. But history isn’t far away, so head south to Ephesus, one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world, to see grand buildings, like the amphitheatre and the stunning Library of Celsus. Optional excursions: Ephesus & The Virgin Mary, Pergamon & Asclepion or Izmir Orientation.
Day 14: Nafplion, Greece
Arrival 07.00hrs, departure 13.00hrs. This is the kind of Greek seaside town you always hope you would discover with historic sights alongside tempting shops and tavernas. Must–sees are the huge Venetian fortress built high on a rocky acropolis and the carefully preserved Venetian buildings around Syntagma Square in the old town, which for a brief period was Greece’s capital. Optional excursions: Mycenae & Palamidi, Epidaurus & Palamidi or Ancient Corinth & Mycenae.
Day 15: At sea
A chance to relax and enjoy the ship’s excellent facilities.
Day 16: Venice, Italy
Arrival 08.00hrs. We disemabrk the ship and transfer to the coach for our full–day visit to Lake Garda. We return to Venice in time to catch the 20.00hrs Artesia train to Paris.
Day 17: Paris to London
Arrival 08.30hrs. We disembark the Artesia and transfer to Eurostar for the return to St Pancras, London, arriving mid–afternoon.

NORWEGIAN GEM
Norwegian Gem was launched in 2007 – a state of the art ship weighing 93,530 tonnes, with 15 passenger decks and 1,194 crew catering for up to 2,380 guests.
Stateroom Amenities
Several stateroom categories are available, including inside, Oceanview, Balcony, Suites and luxurious Courtyard and Garden Villas. All Staterooms are equipped with shower, WC, wash basin, air conditioning, telephone, TV, and fridge.
Stateroom price range:
Inside from £1,699pp; Oceanview from £2,219pp; Balcony from £2,799pp.
Onboard facilities include:
11 Bars & Lounges, 12 Restaurants (some with cover charge), a Theatre, Casino, Night Club, Boutique, Shopping Arcade, Duty Free, Business Centre, Gym, Sauna/Massage, Spa & Beauty Salon, 2 Swimming pools & more. Doctor on board.

INCLUDED: Champagne Check-in at London St Pancras • Escorted rail travel: London–Paris–Venice–Paris–London • Overnight sleeper train with cabin: Paris-–Venice–Paris • Water taxi from Venice Station to the Cruise Terminal • 14–night Full Board cruise on the Gem • $150 on board spend per stateroom on the Gem • Cocktail party on the Gem – 1–hour open bar** • Upgrade to Steakhouse Restaurant***
• Lake Garda – escorted excursion from Venice • All transfers abroad
NOT INCLUDED: Local travel to & from St Pancras • Travel Insurance

Norwegian Gem Staterooms