18 Night Cruise sailing from London roundtrip aboard Silver Cloud.

As the inaugural ship for Silversea Cruises, Silver Cloud epitomises everything that is Silversea. Since its launch, Silver Cloud has travelled to all corners of the world while introducing her guests to a superlative level of luxury.

Designed to provide the most intimate of sailing experiences, a Silver Cloud cruise provides 296 privileged guests with the luxury of space and the ability to slip into exotic ports off the beaten path. Each ocean-view suite provides a sumptuous retreat. Each public space is intimate yet inviting. Silver Cloud is often described by returning guests as their own private yacht, their home away from home.

Highlights of this cruise:

London
London is an ancient city whose history greets you at every turn. If the city contained only its famous landmarks-the Tower of London or Big Ben-it would still rank as one of the world's top cities. But London is so much more. The foundations of London's character and tradition endure. The British bobby is alive and well. The tall, red, double-decker buses (in an updated model) still lumber from stop to stop. Then there's that greatest living link with the past-the Royal Family with all its attendant pageantry. To ice the cake, swinging-again London is today one of the coolest cities on the planet. The city's art, style, and fashion make headlines around the world, and London's chefs have become superstars. Plus, London's hosting of the 2012 Olympics means the city will be a hot spot for years to come.

Kirkwall
A Scandinavian heritage gives the 200 islets that make up Orkney and Shetland an ambience different from that of any other region of Scotland. Both Orkney and Shetland are essentially bleak and austere, but have awe-inspiring seascapes and genuinely warm, friendly people. Orkney, the southern archipelago, is greener and is rich with artifacts that testify to the many centuries of continuous settlement here: stone circles, burial chambers, ancient settlements, and fortifications. Most of Orkney's many prehistoric sites are open to view, providing an insight into the life of bygone eras. At Maes Howe, for example, it becomes evident that graffiti is not solely an expression of today's youths: the Vikings left their marks here way back in the 12th century. In bustling Kirkwall, the main town on Orkney and a ferry port, there's plenty to see in the narrow, winding streets extending from the harbor.

Akureyri
Akureyri, surrounded by majestic mountains is a town where urban, rural and marine life mix easily, and a proud community spirit prevails. Often called the capital of northern Iceland, Akureyri has been a major trading post for centuries and has grown to become Iceland's largest regional town and the cultural centre of the north. Located at the southern end of the 30-mile-long (48 km) Eyjafjordur, some 60 miles (96 km) south of the Arctic Circle, Akureyri lies in a long valley that extends southwards from the fjord. This is one of the most fertile agricultural areas of Iceland with many large farms. High mountains on each side of the fjord and valley offer protection from harsh winds. Despite being so close to the Arctic Circle, Akureyri enjoys some of the warmest weather in the country, with temperatures often reaching the low 70s Fahrenheit (20º C)in summer.

This area of Iceland was originally settled in the 9th century by a Norse Viking, Helgi Eyvindarson. Akureyri became a trading centre around 1600 and the Danish merchants based their camps here in the summer, as the harbour is protected and they were able to successfully cultivate food. It received a municipal charter in 1862; the population started to grow from that time. The town now has approximately 17,000 inhabitants. Most work in fisheries, light industry, and agricultural processing of products supplied by the rich surrounding farming districts.

Today, Akureyri offers entertainment and cultural attractions on a par with much more populated places. Venues such as interesting museums, a very beautiful and popular botanical garden and the symbol of Akureyri, the church in the centre of town, are popular with visitors.

Reykjavik
Iceland is an epic land. It tempts with epithets like "The Land of Fire and Ice," but these just hint at the delights this island has in store. It is a land of dazzling white glaciers and black sands, blue hot springs, rugged lava fields, and green, green valleys. This North Atlantic island offers insight into the ferocious powers of nature, ranging from the still-warm lava volcanic eruptions to the chilling splendor of the Vatnajökull Glacier. Ice caps cover 11% of the country, more than 50% is barren, 6% consists of lakes and rivers, and less than 2% of the land is cultivated. There's hardly a tree to be seen, making the wildflowers and delicate vegetation all the more lovely. Iceland has long hours of darkness in winter. Such long nights may also explain why Icelanders are a nation of artists and Iceland's capital, Reykjavik, is one of the world's most happening cities.

Dublin
In his inimitable, irresistible way, James Joyce immortalized the city of Dublin in works like Ulysses and Dubliners. He claimed to have chosen Dublin as the setting for his work because it was a "center of paralysis" where nothing much ever changed. What would he make of Temple Bar-the city's erstwhile down-at-the-heels neighborhood, now crammed with restaurants and hotels? Or of the city's newfound status as a bustling hub of the European economy? Yet despite all these advances, traditional Dublin is far from buried. The fundamentals-the Georgian elegance of Merrion Square, the Norman drama of Christ Church Cathedral, the foamy pint at an atmospheric pub-are still on hand to gratify. Most of all, there are the locals themselves: the nod and grin when you catch their eye on the street, the eagerness to share a tale or two, and their paradoxically dark but warm sense of humor.