Cruise - Spirit, Voyage 5210 ex Bridgetown to Lisbon

Journey

14 Night Cruise sailing from Bridgetown to Lisbon aboard Silver Spirit.

Ship

Silver Spirit   (More about the ship)

Departure Date

12-Apr-2012

• Your cruise in detail

  14 Night Cruise sailing from Bridgetown to Lisbon aboard Silver Spirit.
  
  The greatest journeys often begin as a quest. To expand our horizons, to grow, to delve into new worlds. To find the missing or hidden even when beyond the reach of most.
  
  In December 2009, Silversea presented their newest luxury cruise ship - Silver Spirit - with more verandas, more dining choices, more onboard amenities, more of the excellence you've come to expect of Silversea. An answer to your quest.
  
  Bridgetown
  Barbadians (Bajans) are a warm, friendly, and hospitable people, who are genuinely proud of their country and culture. Tourism is important to the island, but there's a sophisticated business community and a stable government, so life here doesn't skip a beat after passengers return to the ship. Barbados retains a very British atmosphere: afternoon tea is a ritual, and cricket is the national sport. The atmosphere, though, is hardly stuffy. Beaches along the island's south and west coasts are picture-perfect. On the rugged east coast, the Atlantic Ocean attracts world-class surfers. The northeast is dominated by rolling hills and valleys; the interior of the island is covered by acres of sugarcane and dotted with small villages.
  
  Castries
  There are islands in the Caribbean that are more popular than St. Lucia, though they may be far less beautiful. This island has been one of the Caribbean's best-kept secrets. Visitors who have had unforgettable vacations on green-clad St. Lucia are pleased that the crowds are gathering elsewhere. However, increased building of resorts and villas will escalate tourism in the near future.
  
  The shoreline of St. Lucia is nothing short of spectacular with its hidden coves and unspoiled beaches. The two sugarloaf-shaped cones, known as the Pitons, are the island's highest peaks and its most impressive landmarks.
  
  The capital, Castries, is attractively situated in a sheltered bay against a backdrop of mountains. The strategic importance of its excellent natural harbour was recognized from the earliest days of European settlement; for years Britain and France fought bitterly for possession of the island. At the end of the 19th century, a boom in shipping put Castries in 14th place among the world's ports in terms of freight handled.
  
  Numerous earthquakes, hurricanes and fires destroyed any remnants of Castries' colonial charm, leaving a modern town. There are only a few 19th- and early 20th-century French-style wooden buildings that were spared from destruction. The duty-free Pointe Seraphine shopping complex at the cruise terminal stands in stark contrast to the local market and the activities in lively downtown Castries.
  
  Casablanca
  Atlantic breakers roll in from Asilah to Safi, contrasting markedly with the placid waters of Morocco's Mediterranean coast. From here the ocean stretches due west to the U.S. Carolinas. Much of this coast is lined with sandy beaches, which you'll see interspersed with rocky headlands, a pattern that continues as far as Dakar, Senegal, and beyond. The whole coastline, in both urban and rural areas, is dotted with simple white koubbas, the buildings that house a Muslim saint's tomb. This region contains Rabat, the political capital of the kingdom, and, less than 100 km (62 mi) to the southwest, Casablanca, the undisputed commercial capital.
  
  Lisbon
  Lisbon bears the mark of an incredible heritage with laid-back pride. Spread over a string of seven hills north of the Rio Tejo (Tagus River) estuary, the city presents an intriguing variety of faces to those who negotiate its switchback streets. In the oldest neighborhoods, stepped alleys are lined with pastel-color houses and crossed by laundry hung out to dry; here and there miradouros (vantage points) afford spectacular river or city views. In the grand 18th-century center, black-and-white mosaic cobblestone sidewalks border wide boulevards. Eletricos (trams) clank through the streets, and blue-and-white azulejos (painted and glazed ceramic tiles) adorn churches, restaurants, and fountains. Some modernization has improved the city. To prepare for its role as host of the World Exposition in 1998, Lisbon spruced up its public buildings, overhauled its metro system, and completed an impressive bridge across the Rio Tejo, but Lisbon's intrinsic, slightly disorganized, one-of-a-kind charm hasn't vanished in the contemporary mix.