OCEAN CRUISING IN EUROPE:

NEW:  Mediterranean Discovery

The wonders of the Mediterranean coast, from Spain’s magnificent Costa Brava to the glamorous Cóte d’Azur, charming but seldom-visited islands unfold before you during this magical 12-day adventure. Between a 2-night stay at Le Méridien Barcelona and two nights at Monaco’s famous Fairmont Monte Carlo, the sporty sailing yacht Le Ponant takes you to explore fascinating, off-the-beaten-path ports where the big cruise ships can’t go. Delve into Salvador Dali on the Costa Brava, visit Girona on the Spanish coast and call at both Majorca and Minorca in Spain’s Balearic Islands. Savor the tranquil beauty of Le Carmargue in France. Indulge your passion for history in Narbonne and Carcassonne in the lovely Languedoc region of France. Take in all the scenic beauty for which the “Wild Coast” and the “Blue Coast” are so famous. See and do it all in true Tauck Style. (June 2008)

Treasures of the Mediterranean
This Mediterranean sea cruise takes in Provence, the French Riviera, Italy's Amalfi Coast, and remote Mediterranean islands by land and yacht. Prepare for sheer enchantment (and lots of walking) in Provence, where sights include a hilltop citadel, charming Aix-en-Provence, Avignon’s Palace of Popes, a Roman aqueduct, and legendary wineries. Experience Monte-Carlo, and board your 60-passenger motor-sailing yacht to discover the islands of Lipari, Ponza, Stromboli, Corsica, Sicily, and Malta. See fortified medieval towns, ornate cathedrals, ancient castles, and the incredible cliff-side drive along the Amalfi Coast. Feel like a jetsetter pulling into ports aboard Le Ponant, designed to access the small harbors and remote destinations that large ships can’t maneuver.   (May, June, August, September, October 2008) 

Sicily, the Amalfi Coast & Rome
Explore the ancient history, mythology, and natural beauty of Southern Italy cruising aboard Le Ponant, a sleek motor-sailing yacht that accommodates just 60 passengers. The tour includes additional days to see historic sights in Rome and Malta. Your ports-of-call include Sicily, the Amalfi Coast, Naples, and remote Aeolian Isles. In Sicily, see the Greek Theater in Siracusa, the charming pedestrian market in Taormina, the medieval town of Erice, and the impressive Doric temple in Segesta. Take in castles, cathedrals, and fortresses in Valletta, Lipari, and Naples. Drive along the breathtaking Amalfi Coast, and visit the Vatican and Roman Forum in Rome. Enjoy Palermo’s nightlife and Naples’ pizza on this Italy cruise tour. (April, September, October 2008)

Treasures of the Aegean
This Greece tour explores Athens and Istanbul, and cruises through the Greek islands and along Turkey's Aegean coast aboard Wind Star / Wind Spirit, a motor-sailing yacht that hosts just 148 Tauck guests. See the best of the ancient world, from the Parthenon to the Blue Mosque, plus museums stuffed with art and other treasures. Explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Acropolis, Mycenae, Delos, the medieval city of Rhodes, and historic district in Istanbul. Examine ancient ruins in Epidaurus and legendary Ephesus, and stroll the atmospheric towns of Mykonos, Fira, and Nauplia. In Istanbul, enjoy the Bazaar as well as ornate palaces and mosques.  (May through October 2008)

Venice & the Dalmatian Coast
Cruise the Dalmatian Coast, dotted with ancient forts and castles, and looking much as it did during the Age of Sail. The sleek yacht, Le Levant, takes just 90 Tauck guests on this Croatia travel adventure. Thrill to the sight of palaces, cathedrals, walled cities, citadels, and amphitheaters from the Greek, Roman, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque epochs in history. Explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites on visits to Dubrovnik, Venice, Kotor, Sibenik's Cathedral, and Diocletian's Palace in Split. Enjoy a wine tasting and a Moreska cultural performance. Spend two nights in Venice to take in the rich treasures of the lagoon city.   (May, June, July 2008)

Istanbul & The Black Sea
Join the yacht-like Le Levant for a voyage to spellbinding ports of call on Tauck’s Black Sea cruise. Spend four days exploring the wonders of exotic Istanbul, including such fabled sights as the Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, the Hippodrome and UNESCO World Heritage Site Hagia Sophia. Take in the antiquities and architecture of Nessebar, Bulgaria, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. During your Black Sea cruise, explore rich cultural traditions as Le Levant calls at ports in Romania and along the coast of Ukraine. Enjoy included shore excursions, accompanied by your professional Tauck Director and informative local experts. (August and September  2008)

OCEAN CRUISING IN ALASKA:

Grand Alaska onboard Regent
This Alaska cruise tour lets you experience the best of this wilderness wonderland by ship, floatplane, vintage railway, raft, tramway, and paddlewheel boat. Half of your 15-day journey is spent cruising the Alaska coastline highlighted by the Tracy Arm Fjord, Sawyer Glacier, Hubbard Glacier, and the Inside Passage. Your ship is the all-suite, all-balcony, 700-guest Regent Seven Seas Mariner. You’ll tour Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka, Skagway, and Ketchikan, go wildlife watching in Denali National Park, pan for gold in the Yukon, and raft through a bald eagle preserve. Tauck's grand Alaska journey is fully escorted from Anchorage to Vancouver.  (May, June, July, August 2008)

Alaska's Inside Passage
Blue-ice glaciers calving into the sea with a thundering roar highlight this Alaska cruise aboard the Spirit of Yorktown. This small ship can maneuver through narrow fjords and get close to the coast for the best wildlife viewing. Cruise Glacier Bay, Frederick Sound, and the Tracy Arm Fjord. Raft through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, and see eagles up close at a rehabilitation center. Take a rail excursion on a narrow gauge railway dating from the Klondike gold rush. Tour the frontier towns of Sitka, Skagway, and Haines, and see a large collection of totem poles. (July, August 2008)

OCEAN CRUISING IN LATIN AMERICA:

NEW:  The Panama Canal & Costa Rica

Tauck’s 11-day journey, The Panama Canal & Costa Rica, offers the delightful combination of a memorable Panama Canal cruise and up-close discoveries of amazing wildlife, fascinating centuries-old cultures and man-made marvels. A 6-day voyage aboard the sporty yacht, Le Levant, includes a complete transit of the Panama Canal, as well as encounters with the Kuna and Choco peoples who live in this beautiful area much as they have for centuries. After your Panama Canal cruise, explore Costa Rica’s rich interior, with its great volcanoes and abundant wildlife. See flying kaleidoscopes of colorful wings all around you at the Butterfly Observatory and the Hummingbird Garden. Walk on the lunar-like lava landscape at the summit of mighty Volcano Irazú, Costa Rica’s largest volcano. (February 2008)

Cruising The Galapagos Islands
From Charles Darwin to today’s visitors, the Galápagos Islands continue to fascinate with unique wildlife viewing that is unlike any other place in the world. And since the birds and animals are unafraid of humans, you can get right up close to them. Make your own discoveries when you cruise Galápagos Islands aboard Tauck’s exclusive yacht for 40 guests. Go ashore with an expert naturalist to view giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies feeding their young, and Sally Lightfoot crabs scurrying over the lava. Walk amidst sea lions and penguins on this active adventure.  (February, July, September, October & November 2008)

Peru & The Galapagos Islands
This active, adventurous Galápagos and Peru tour combines the ancient empire of the Incas, with the timeless natural world of the Galápagos Islands. Listen for mysterious spirits echoing at Machu Picchu, the spectacular Lost City of the Incas. Embark on a memorable cruise aboard one of the finest expeditionary-style yachts in the Galápagos for amazing wildlife viewing, A highlight of any Galápagos cruise is the opportunity to get up close to giant Galápagos tortoises, blue-footed boobies, sea lions, marine iguanas, and penguins. Enjoy lunch on a Peruvian farm, dinner at a Colonial home, an overnight in a converted monastery, and tours of Lima, Cusco, and Guayaquil.  (February, March, April, September, October 2008)

Galapagos: Wildlife Wonderland - a Family Adventure Trip

Discover a truly magical place like nowhere else on earth during this fascinating Galápagos tour for the entire family. Experience a unique group of islands that are still much as they were when Charles Darwin first encountered them. Share the thrill of encountering bird and animal species that don’t exist anywhere else in the world as you explore this wonderful living laboratory with expert naturalists. You and your family will always remember the wonder of wandering freely among amazing creatures that have no fear of you. (February, March, April, June, July, August, December 2008)

OCEAN CRUISING TO AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND & PAPUA NEW GUINEA:

New Guinea: Voyage of Discovery

Expeditionary cruising at its best on Tauck’s new-for-2007 New Guinea: Voyage of Discovery. Only opened to expedition cruises in 2006, the remote Independent State of Papua New Guinea is comprised of 600 islands, on which its 5 million residents speak approximately 850 different languages. During our new Papua New Guinea tour, discover rich cultural diversity as you visit small villages that few have traveled to. Learn about the role that Papua New Guinea played in World War II and see reminders of the fierce battles fought there. Explore jungles, rainforests and what lies beneath its crystal-clear waters as you take in a world of spectacular scenic beauty. Discover it all from aboard Orion, purpose-built in 2003 to offer expeditionary cruises in a comfortable and elegant manner. Your Papua New Guinea tour will truly be the adventure of a lifetime!  (October 2007)

Cruising Down Under

Cruise for 12 nights aboard Sapphire Princess, while port-hopping, fiord viewing, and enjoying on-board activities, on this 21-day adventure to Australia and New Zealand. Tauck's Australia and New Zealand cruise is complemented by Tauck’s inclusive shore excursions, plus overnight stays in Auckland, Sydney, and Port Douglas. Highlights include geysers, wineries, a sheep farm, a 19th-century Tasmanian convict settlement, an Aboriginal performance, and a Sydney Harbour cruise. There’s a private flight to glacier-capped Aoraki/Mount Cook, and a sail to the Great Barrier Reef.  (January, February, March 2008)