26 Night Cruise sailing from Athens roundtrip aboard Prinsendam.

Designed to explore the remote corners of the world in elegance and style, the ms Prinsendam is our most intimate ship. Accommodating just 835 passengers, she gives guests the feel of a classic yacht with the spaciousness of a cruise ship. The ms Prinsendam offers many cozy areas in which to find your favorite spot, most of her staterooms feature commanding ocean views and many have private verandahs.

A special signature sculpture dominates the three-story atrium featuring etched fish, turtles and dolphins climbing a stunning cylinder of Bolle glass and lit with state-of-the-art fiber optics. Other works of art include a remarkable abstract marble sculpture of a Viking ship by contemporary Norwegian artist Nicholas Widerberg, a series of paintings by impressionist painter Neil Pinkett, and an outstanding collection of Roman Amphorae from 50 - 150 AD. The ms Prinsendam, or "Princes" ship, is truly a classic ship worthy of her name.

Highlights of this cruise:

Athens
The port of Piraeus is your gateway to the wonders of Athens, including the Acropolis, Constitution Square, Hadrian's Arch, the Olympic Stadium and more.

Sinop
Sinop's extant monuments include a ruined ancient citadel rebuilt during the Byzantine and Seljuq periods, some isolated columns and inscribed stones built into the old walls and dating from the early Greek and Roman periods, and the Alaeddin Cami (a mosque), built in 1214. A 13th-century Alaiye religious school now houses the local museum. Sinop is linked by road with Samsun and by sea with Istanbul.

Sochi
The Caucasus Mountains rise up behind the beach town of Sochi, on the Black Sea. Known for both its coastline and alpine valleys, the area boasts healing waters, mineral spas, lush arboretum and gardens-so it's no wonder that this city is hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Constanta
The Caucasus Mountains rise up behind the beach town of Sochi, on the Black Sea. Known for both its coastline and alpine valleys, the area boasts healing waters, mineral spas, lush arboretum and gardens-so it's no wonder that this city is hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Istanbul
No visit to Istanbul would be complete without visiting the Spice Market, filled with exotic aromas of such spices as curry, myrrh, and saffron. The three-hour Istanbul City Walls & Spice Bazaar tour begins by crossing the Galata Bridge to the old city, past the Süleymaniye Mosque, whose 174-foot dome was once the highest in the Ottoman Empire. You'll pass the ancient city walls built by Constantine and beneath the epic Roman aqueduct.

Buy some Turkish delight (known as lokum) before returning to port, but be sure to bargain: offer half and settle for 10 to 15 percent less.

In the evening, meet a guide at the pier for an evening dinner at the famous Bebek Fish Restaurant followed by cruise along the Bosphorus. As you travel, your guide will provide the stories behind the palaces and the luxury pavilions overlooking the Bosphorus Strait. At the restaurant, fresh seafood specialties are prepared Turkish-style while you take in the incredible night view of the strait.

Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik, you Adriatic jewel box, where did you get that red? The city's old town is walled all around, with ramparts that drop to the sea and enclose a town of closely clustered buildings, mostly attired in white walls and brilliant red rooftops. Explore town highlights on your cruise, like Roland's Column, the Bell Tower, or the Old Port. Outside of town, go for a swim in the limpid waters at Lapad or Banje beaches. Or head to the top of Mount Srd for a view of the city, the beaches, and away west to Italy.

Mykonos
Informality rules on this sunny isle where pleasure-seekers from around the world come to play. Ramble along narrow streets past white-washed houses and blue-domed churches, bougainvillea-covered walls and thread-like, step-laden footpaths leading everywhere.

Kusadasi (Ephesus)
Ephesus is a beautiful ghost. In the first century B.C., the city was one of the largest cities in the world. It's Great Theater sat 24,000 people. Its Temple of Artemis was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The Library of Celsus was perhaps the finest in creation. Today, the Great Theater is a ruin, the temple is gone, and the library is a shell, open to the sky. Still, your cruise excursion will reveal glory in the old stones. Ephesus has one of the largest collections of ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. Prime among them is the library, whose two-story façade still stands, and the house said to be the last residence of Mary, mother of Jesus.