16 Night Cruise sailing from Ft Lauderdale to Rome aboard Noordam.

Launched in 2006, the ms Noordam is the newest member of our renowned Vista-class ships. Named for the Northern compass point, she embraces the latest industry and environmental technologies such as her use of a diesel-electric power plant for optimal energy efficiency and an Azipod® propulsion system that maximizes maneuverability.

On board ms Noordam you will discover museum-quality paintings such as an oil painting of the city of Utrecht painted in 1842, as well as contemporary art like the series of photographs of music greats Dizzy Gillespie and BB King. One of the most valuable pieces of furniture on board the ship is a remarkable inlaid chest flanked by carved wooden 17th-century Baroque columns. Made in Germany in 1885, the chest is inlaid with ebony and precious stones. Enjoy an onboard IPod® self-guided tour of the complete ms Noordam art collection. The ms Noordam exemplifies the classic style of ocean travel with contemporary amenities and modern enhancements.

Highlights of this cruise:

Ft Lauderdale
There is an abundance of things to see and do in the Fort Lauderdale area: visit the newly redesigned Fort Lauderdale Beach and cafes, stroll the historic Riverwalk, shop the luxurious stores on Las Olas Boulevard or venture to the Everglades for an intriguing air boat excursion.

Ponta Delgada
Give a volcano enough time and it will subside into middle-aged gentility. So it is on the Azores island of Sao Miguel, where the mountains have furred over with forests and grasslands, and their calderas transformed into pristine lakes. The climate is Mediterranean and Ponta Delgada, the capital of the Azores, is kissed with highs in the 70s most of the year. Founded by the Portuguese in the mid-1400s, Ponta Delgada offers cruise guests a feast of Baroque architecture. See the Portas de Cidade, the city hall, and the Baixia area. Outside of town, be sure to see the hot springs in Furnas and the rolling volcanic landscapes around Lagoa do Fogo, Lagoa Verde, and Lagoa Azul.

Lisbon
Lisbon was for many years Europe's main portal of debarkation for the rest of the planet. Ships captained by Portuguese explorers like Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan skittered across the globe, hauling treasure home and making Lisbon a global capital. So it's appropriate to arrive by ship. Cruise to Lisbon, situated on a wide bay where the Tagus River meets the Atlantic, and the white facades of its ancient neighborhoods lead uphill to the iconic Castelo de São Jorge. Other landmarks include the World Heritage Sites of Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery, both built in Lisbon's native Manueline architectural style.

Cadiz
The Moorish palace started as a fort. One of the largest Roman Catholic Cathedrals in the world used to be a mosque. The Renaissance archive contains the annals of the Spanish in the New World. All three - the Alcazar, the Seville Cathedral, and the Archivo de Indias - are UNESCO World Heritage sites. All three were built in the Mudejar style, a Muslim aesthetic that developed under Christian rule. Cruise guests can see what alchemy can happen when cultures intertwine. Walk the narrow lanes of the Jewish Quarter, the expanse of the Plaza de Espana, or the halls of the Museo de Bellas Artes. Then stop for tapas.

Malaga
Every city is a palimpsest, but Malaga takes it to an extreme. The walls of its Phoenician ur-city are visible in the basement of the Picasso Museum. The best-preserved Moorish citadel in Spain is located next to the Roman theater, which was rediscovered in 1951. The nearby caverns of Nerja provided refuge to humans 30,000 years ago and modern tourists alight along the Costa Del Sol during the eight-month-long summer season. Cruise guests can visit the old castles, the museums, and the beaches. Or chew some scenery with a Malaga sweet wine and a plate of tapas.

Cartagena
Cartagena offers a rich cultural legacy from the days of its Roman, Muslim and Arabic rule.

Civitavecchia, Rome
Step off the cruise ship, linger at a sidewalk cafe in the early evening and take in the pageant: the taste of your cappuccino, the kiss of warm air, the immaculately attired locals just getting their evenings started. Rome is nicknamed the Eternal City, and rightly so, for the array of icons - the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica - and for the role it played shaping the Western world. But there is perhaps a less-recognized genius in the way the city embraces the sensual side of life, as if to acknowledge there's no eternity like the present.