Holy Land, Suez Canal & Jordan: Limassol to Jeddah13 Day Expedition Cruise

The second largest city in Cyprus, sunny Limassol is located between the ancient sites of Amathous and Kourion. Just like its island home, Limassol has seen many occupations come and go, and the result is delightfully cosmopolitan. The modern waterfront buildings and sleek promenade stand in contrast to the ancient core of the Old Town. Here you’ll find Limassol Castle, best known as the place where Richard the Lionheart (King Richard I) married Berengaria of Navarre after his conquest of the island in 1191. Kolossi Castle is located around 14 kilometres outside the city and was a command post during the Crusades. Take a break from the city’s long and fascinating history and explore the beautiful beaches, bustling restaurants and cafes, or perhaps enjoy the island’s natural beauty on hike along Cape Greco’s stunning coastal trails.

You can spend your day at sea enjoying the many facilities available. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the jacuzzi whilst taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable on-board experts.

Port Said was developed in 1859 around the inauguration of the Suez Canal. The Waterfront Quarter is home to many handsome buildings such as the Suez Canal House and the Military Museum of Port Said. The port is also the perfect jumping off point to explore Cairo, where you can tour the Egyptian Museum which houses some 120,000 artefacts dating back to the pharaohs, including the treasures of Tutankhamun.

The 101-mile long Suez Canal was completed in 1869 as an artificial waterway connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas cutting some 7,000 miles off the journey from England to India. Today guests will be treated to one of the world’s most exciting maritime experiences as it seems to glide bizarrely right through the heart of the desert at sea level. The ship sails very slowly through its transit as part of a colossal convoy of vessels giving you plenty of time to take in the view.

Sharm El Sheikh is a bustling resort town renowned for its reliable weather tucked between the desert of Sinai and the Red Sea. Sharm’s clear waters filled with colourful fish and coral such as at the site at Ras Mohammed make it the ideal place for scuba diving and snorkelling. Make time to visit the 6th-century St Catherine’s Monastery and see the Chapel of the Burning Bush, the very spot at the foot of Mount Sinai where Moses received the ten commandments from God.

Jordan’s only port city is the perfect gateway to the lost city of Petra, where you’ll pick your way through narrow stone passageways to discover half built, half carved architectural treasures. Take a camel ride around the magnificent 2,000-year-old structures fashioned from the salmon-pink sandstone, perhaps the best way to experience one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Aqaba is also renowned as a diving destination with notable sites including the Yamanieh coral reef in the Aqaba Marine Park

The small Red Sea port of Safaga is a popular holiday spot. Here, both diving, surfing and kite-surfing are world-renowned. Inland visitors can try out camel riding or go on a jeep safari. The town is also well placed to head to the fascinating Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple in Luxor. Dating from around 2050 BC and dedicated to the gods of Amun, Mut and Khonsu, the vast 200-acre complex of temples at Karnak contain the largest religious buildings anywhere in the world.

You can spend your day at sea enjoying the many facilities available. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the jacuzzi whilst taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable on-board experts.

The beautiful Red Sea port city of Yanbu is known for its pristine beaches and outstanding dive sites. Inland, visit the cradle of Islamic culture and civilisation that is the old city of Medina, second only to Mecca in its holiness. It was here that the Prophet Muhammad lived and taught in the 7th century. You can visit the stunning 10-minareted Prophet’s Mosque, complete with the Prophet’s tomb. Make the pilgrimage to the 3,500 foot high Mount Uhud to see the spot where muslim forces battled troops from Mecca in 625 AD.

You can spend your day at sea enjoying the many facilities available. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the jacuzzi whilst taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable on-board experts.

Discover the pristine waters that surround Saudi Arabia’s Marmar Island. The warm waters here in the Red Sea have rarely been dived, prompting Jacques Cousteau to remark on the area as a place where “life abounds in bank after bank of exuberant coral structures.” Marmar is one of 80 islands that comprise the Farasan Islands archipelago in a protected area that’s home to many varieties of fish as well as some world-class birding. Species here include the white-eyed gull, the crab plover and the sooty falcon.

Jeddah is a beguiling mix of old and new, from the floating Al Rahma Mosque built directly on the azure waters to the New Jeddah Corniche, a waterfront boardwalk spanning 30 kilometres and bustling with restaurants, cafes and sculptures. Al Balad, Jeddah’s old town, is UNESCO listed and dates back to the 7th century. It offers beautiful buildings and an ancient souk. Admire the mighty Jeddah Tower which will be the world’s first kilometre-high building once it’s completed.