Round-the-world Cruise - from Miami - 116715

Miami is a city at the South-East coast of the US state of Florida. The "Coconut Grove" district was the heart of the settlement in 1884. Today, the city is dominated by elegant boutiques and pavement cafés. Often, free street concerts are held in the side streets - usually reggae or jazz music. The city has numerous high-rise buildings, hotel complexes, areas with palm trees, shopping centres, cultural and recreational facilities. Sights include: the Southeast Financial Center - the tallest building in Florida at 55 storeys high; Dade Country Courthouse; Metro Dade Cultural, a cultural centre that houses Miami Dade Main Library; the Centre for Fine Arts and the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.

In the middle of Central America lies the tropical region of the Panama Canal with its lush vegetation and rainforests. The Panama Canal is a technical masterpiece and one of the most important waterways in the world. It takes just a day to travel along the canal, but visitors are sure to remember the trip for many a long year.

The port of Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador. It is also the economic centre of the country and has the largest port. The historic landmark of the city is the "Rotonda", which overlooks the garden promenade "Paseo de las Colonias". There are other attractions very close by, such as the government building and the town hall. In the North of the city, visitors can view the old fortress "La Planchada". Other sights include: Santo Domingo church in the "Las Peñas" residential area, the "Museo Municipal", numerous beaches not far from the city.

Callao is a suburb of Lima, the capital of Peru. Callao is the main transportation hub of South America, with one of the largest ports in this Southern Hemisphere. Lima is also the largest city in the country, in western Peru on the Pacific coast. Lima's old town, with its streets laid out like a chessboard, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The city is a mixture of Colonial-style buildings and modern architecture. The "Plaza de Armas" is the real highlight. This is where the cathedral, the presidential palace and many important churches, such as the Iglesia San Francisco, the Iglesia la Merced and the Iglesia Santo Domingo. At the corner of the Plaza is an equestrian monument honouring the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, who founded Lima in January 1535, in order to focus the reign over the conquered kingdom of the Incas here. The San Francisco monastery with its catacombs, which is close to the Plazuela San Francisco, is also worth seeing. A trip to the Plaza de Mayo, throbbing with hundreds of traders and the shopping street Calle Union are also well worth a visit. Other sights include: the Museo de la Nacion, the "Museo de Oro" and the Miraflores and Barranco districts.

Callao is a suburb of Lima, the capital of Peru. Callao is the main transportation hub of South America, with one of the largest ports in this Southern Hemisphere. Lima is also the largest city in the country, in western Peru on the Pacific coast. Lima's old town, with its streets laid out like a chessboard, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The city is a mixture of Colonial-style buildings and modern architecture. The "Plaza de Armas" is the real highlight. This is where the cathedral, the presidential palace and many important churches, such as the Iglesia San Francisco, the Iglesia la Merced and the Iglesia Santo Domingo. At the corner of the Plaza is an equestrian monument honouring the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, who founded Lima in January 1535, in order to focus the reign over the conquered kingdom of the Incas here. The San Francisco monastery with its catacombs, which is close to the Plazuela San Francisco, is also worth seeing. A trip to the Plaza de Mayo, throbbing with hundreds of traders and the shopping street Calle Union are also well worth a visit. Other sights include: the Museo de la Nacion, the "Museo de Oro" and the Miraflores and Barranco districts.

Iquique is the capital of the region of Tarapaca in Northern Chile and was ceded to Chile by Peru in 1883 during the Salpeter War. Today, Iquique is an ordinary coastal and bathing resort.

This 171 km² large island in the Eastern Pacific Ocean has belonged to Chile since 1888. Three extinct volcanoes with crater lakes, sparsely vegetated elevated planes and the craggy-cliffed coastline dominate the island's surface. Surrounded by several thousand kilometres of seawater in almost every direction, it is one of the most remote islands in the world - and one of the most mysterious. Tourists travel to Easter Island solely to see the Moai, the mythological figures hewn in tufa stone, weighing between 80 and 100 tonnes and standing up to 20 metres high, whose secrets have still not been completely uncovered, despite the efforts of countless researchers. Today, Easter Island is home to more than 2,000 people. The airport was completed in 1967 in order to encourage tourists. The only town on the island is Hanga Roa.

This 171 km² large island in the Eastern Pacific Ocean has belonged to Chile since 1888. Three extinct volcanoes with crater lakes, sparsely vegetated elevated planes and the craggy-cliffed coastline dominate the island's surface. Surrounded by several thousand kilometres of seawater in almost every direction, it is one of the most remote islands in the world - and one of the most mysterious. Tourists travel to Easter Island solely to see the Moai, the mythological figures hewn in tufa stone, weighing between 80 and 100 tonnes and standing up to 20 metres high, whose secrets have still not been completely uncovered, despite the efforts of countless researchers. Today, Easter Island is home to more than 2,000 people. The airport was completed in 1967 in order to encourage tourists. The only town on the island is Hanga Roa.

Nuku Hiva is part of the northern island group of the Marquesas Islands. The island's particular charm undoubtedly lies in the beautiful bays found all around the craggy coastline. Taiohae is the adminstrative seat and the seat of the archbishop and also boasts many attractions, such as the Nôtre Dame des Marquises cathedral, with unsusual sculptures carved from exotic woods, or the wooden sculpture dedicated to the author Herman Melville. Just a few kilometres from Taiohae, in the valley of the same name, is the archaeological site of Tohua Koueva. It was the main headquarters of chief Pakoko, who lead a successful rebellion against the French in 1845. A visit to the site is worth it just to see the bougainvillea and hibiscus plants that bloom in an array of colours and the ancient Banyan trees.

Hiva Oa is one of the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. The six inhabited islands of the Marquesas are some of the most far removed from all continents. Sights include: the French artist Paul Gauguin died on May 8th 1903 in the town of Atuona on Hiva Oa. He lies buried in the Calvaire cemetry. Jacques Brel, the Belgian chanson singer, who died in 1978, lies a mere 10 metres further. Brel also spent the last years of his life on Hiva Oa.

Papeete is the capital of Tahiti. The island is a mixture of beautiful coves, white sandy beaches, tropical plants and French vanity.

Papeete is the capital of Tahiti. The island is a mixture of beautiful coves, white sandy beaches, tropical plants and French vanity.

Moorea, the pineapple island, was formed from the remains of an extinct volcano. The island has excellent tourist facilities and a large range of hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. Moorea can be explored in just a few hours - a bike tour is highly recommended. Several diving schools also offer interesting underwater tours.

The volcanic island of Bora Bora is home to one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world, "the pearl of Polynesia". It is surrounded by several small islands. The region's airport is on one of these islands, the other has hotel resorts. There are also orchids growing in the wild, making this a wonderful area to take a long walk. Thanks to the lagoon, there is also a wide range of water sports on offer, such as sailing, glass-bottomed boat-trips, snorkelling, diving ... The main atttraction is the 100 metre-high mountain "Muto Toopua" with "Hiro's bell" - uniquely shaped basalt rocks that sound like a bell when struck.

This is one of the main towns in the Kingdom of Tonga, with a population of approximately 21,383. The royal palace, situated at the waterside, which was built during the Victorian era, is particularly worth seeing. The royal tombs (Malaekula) can be found in the southern part of the business area. The picturesque covered market and the Tongan National Centre, where visitors can learn various handicrafts, are not to be missed. The bird park around 2 km off the main road, where staff endeavour to conserve the native birdlife - particularly red shining parrots - through a breeding programme, is also extremely interesting.

With a population in excess of 1 million, Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand. It lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasmanian See. It got its nickname the "City of Sails" on account of the "thousand ships" moored in its harbour. The city spans an 11 km wide sound of volcanic rocks and is a paradise for watersports fans. To the North of Auckland, Leigh Marine Reserve provides plenty of opportunity for every imaginable kind of underwater activity. The main cultural attraction is the Auckland Museum.

'The harbour town of Tauranga lies 200 km South-East of Auckland at the Bay of Plenty. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century on peninsulae connected by bridges. The bustling focal point of the town is the beach promenade with the Coronation Pier, from where pleasure boats and ferries set off for the neighbouring town of Mount Maunganui, which was built at the foot of a 232 metre high volcano, from where you can enjoy a fantastic view of white beaches and the harbour. Tauranga's greatest attraction is the Tauranga District Museum and Historic Village, where you can see 85 reconstructed and restored buildings from the time of Colonialism, including a Maori village, a pioneer settlement and military barracks dating from the territorial wars. 5 km to the East of Tauranga, Kiwifruit Country, a Disneyland-style funpark is also a great magnet for tourists.

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is surrounded by an untouched mountain landscape. It has excellent shopping facilities, a professional theatre and cafés and restaurants to suit every taste. Wellington is just two kilometres wide and, as such, can be easily explored on foot. 'Te Papa', New Zealand's National Museum, is located directly by the harbour. The city is home to both the parliament building and many historic buildings and museums that bring New Zealand's history to life.

Dunedin, the Gaelic name for the port city of Edinburgh, is famous for its historic buildings. The city's architecture is mainly Victorian, Edwardian and Flemish in style. The second-largest city on South Island with a population of roughly 120,000, was founded by the Scots in the mid-19th century. The city centre is at the "Octogon", an eight-sided town square surrounded by lots of cafés and museums. Sights include: the oldest university in New Zealand with a stylised clock tower, the Dominican Prioriat, the whisky distillery, and Otago Early Settler Museum.