10 Night Cruise sailing from Portsmouth to Greenock aboard Silver Explorer.

Silversea's purpose-built Silver Explorer expedition ship (formerly the Prince Albert II) has been designed specifically for navigating waters in some of the world's most remote destinations, including both of earth's polar regions. A strengthened hull with a Lloyd's Register ice-class notation (1A) for passenger vessels enables Silver Explorer to safely push through ice floes with ease. A fleet of Zodiac boats allows Silversea Expedition guests to visit even the most off-the-beaten path locations and an expert Expedition Team provides insight and understanding to each unforgettable Silver Explorer cruise adventure.

Onboard, savour a convivial cosmopolitan ambience and many special amenities usually found only on larger ships, including a spacious Library with an Internet Cafe, boutique shopping, a full-service spa, beauty salon, fitness centre, sauna and two top-deck whirlpools. Prince Albert II even features live evening entertainment and The Humidor, where connoisseurs can enjoy the finest cigars and cognacs - diversions offered by no other expedition ship.

Highlights of this cruise:

Portsmouth
Portsmouth also known as Pompey, is home to three hugely important historic ships, HMS Victory, Nelson's famous flagship at the battle of Trafalgar, HMS Warrior the first ironclad warship and the Mary Rose, Henry VIII's warship that sank in the Solent just off of Southsea Castle.

These are all housed at the Historic Dockyard, home of the Royal Navy and also home to the world's first dry dock. The Historic Dockyard is one of the top ten visitor attractions in the UK.

But Portsmouth is not just about history, the city is a cosmopolitan University city, with much to offer visitors and residents alike.

Portsmouth has a Premier league football team, a superb seafront area, excellent shopping and a wide range of restaurants, pubs and bars.

Portsmouth UK is home to the tallest publicly accessible structure in the UK, the Spinnaker Tower built right on the edge of Portsmouth Harbour at Gunwharf Quays.

Portsmouth Harbour has been used in a number of films and television programmes such as Tomorrow Never Dies (James Bond), Oscar and Lucinda, Making Waves, Silent Witness, Mr Bean and Eastenders. The local area was used extensively in the filming of Tommy, The Who's rock opera.

St Malo
Situated at the mouth of the Rance River, Saint Malo is one of the prime tourist destinations in Brittany. In the 17th and 18th centuries, this Channel port was already of great importance for merchant ships and government-sanctioned pirates, more politely known as privateers.

Saint Malo was the home of the famous explorer, Jacques Cartier, who sailed from here to explore and colonize Canada. Today, visitors flock to Saint Malo to experience the unique "intra-muros" (meaning within the walls) streets of the citadel. Much of the old town's appearance is due to faithful reconstruction after heavy bombings destroyed Saint Malo in 1944. Only the ramparts withstood the ravages of war and are original for the most part.

Exploration of the old town should include the Saint Vincent Cathedral, noted for its medieval and modern stained-glass windows, and the museum in the Château de Saint Malo. Exhibits illustrate the city's most prosperous time during its notorious heydays of piracy, colonialism and slave trading. Various staircases allow access to the ramparts, affording great views over the rooftops and the harbour.

Saint Malo also serves as a gateway for excursions to the legendary Mont Saint Michel, one of France's most spectacular monuments. About 25 miles (40 km) south of Saint Malo is the medieval town of Dinan. Once totally surrounded by ramparts, there are still 14 towers left and a good part of the walls encircling beautiful 15th-century timbered houses.

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.

Greenock
In the days when Britain still ruled over an empire, Glasgow pronounced itself the Second City of the Empire. The term "Clyde-built" (from Glasgow's River Clyde) became synonymous with good workmanship and lasting quality. Glasgow had fallen into a severely depressed state by the mid-20th century, but during the last two decades of the 20th century the city cleaned up and started looking forward. Modern Glasgow has undergone an urban renaissance: a booming cultural life, stylish restaurants, and an air of confidence make it Scotland's most exciting city. Glasgow is particularly remarkable for its architecture and some of the most exciting museum collections outside London.