17 Night Cruise sailing from Ft Lauderdale to Valparaiso aboard Zaandam.

Designed to carry fewer guests while providing more space for maximum comfort, the ms Zaandam is a prize in the mid-size ship category. Offering spacious public areas and plush accommodations, many staterooms have private verandahs.

The musically themed ms Zaandam offers a unique shipboard atmosphere. Inspired by the world's great music, artifacts and memorabilia from a variety of musical genres decorate the ship. You'll find musical instruments such as Bill Clinton's saxophone and signed guitars from Queen, Iggy Pop, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones used as art objects throughout the ship. At the heart of the ms Zaandam, in a soaring three-story atrium: a Baroque-style Dutch pipe organ, inspired by the traditional barrel organs still found on the streets of The Netherlands. Enjoy an onboard IPod self-guided tour of the complete Zaandam art collection.

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.

Oranjestad
Any visitor will create their own Aruba cruise experience, but here are two to try. First, there is the Aruba of beaches, sun and shopping. And why not? The beaches shimmer. The sun grants its benedictions through dry, 82-degree days all year long. And the shopping buzzes along Main Street and Lloyd G. Smith Boulevard. Second, there is the time-sculpted Aruba. Arikok National Park covers nearly one-fifth of the island and is home to species you'll find nowhere else, caves for exploring, and ragged, wind-torn bits of coastline. Of course, there are a million other Arubas. Go find yours.

Manta
Just outside this tranquil coast town lie the villages where the famous Panama hats are woven. Farther afield: colonial Quito, so perfectly preserved the entire Old Town has been designated a World Heritage Site.

Salaverry
To the north is the "Lordiest City" of Trujillo, founded in 1535 and still rich in ornate colonial detail. At its edge, far older and long abandoned by the Chimu Indians, sits the eerie adobe metropolis of Chan Chan.

Callao
The lemon-colored Convento de San Francisco was built over a century starting in 1673. The Plaza Mayor was laid out under the direction of conquistador Francisco Pizarro. The Cathedral of Lima was built starting in 1535 and while it seems construction has never quite stopped, the church retains its colonial facade. These structures and more form the historic center of Lima, which UNESCO has collectively designated as a World Heritage Site. The grand old buildings attest to Lima's longtime role as one of the queen cities of the Spanish empire. Today's cruise visitors will find an economic power, a financial center, and, thanks to Spanish, Andean, and Asian influences, one of the gastronomic capitals of the Americas.

Arica
Extraterrestrials appear in local folklore; almost out of this world is the altiplano of Parque Nacional Lauca, 14,500 feet up.

Coquimbo
Pisco sours, succulent seafood, fine lapis lazuli - even an original moai from Easter Island - await.

Valparaiso
The port of Valparaiso is a steep amphitheater so remarkable for its brightly colored residences and church steeples that UNESCO has declared its historic quarter a World Heritage site. Ride one of the city's many funiculars to take in the views town and sea. About two hours inland, the steeps of the Andes rise up behind Santiago, the country's capital and economic center. A good first stop for cruise visitors is the ornately architectured Santa Lucia hill. Get your bearings, then explore city landmarks like the Plaza de Armas, La Chascona (one of Pablo Neruda's homes), or one of the paseos in the Centro. At the end of the day, toast the city with a glass of Carmencre, cherry, deep-red, and smoky.