Beautiful Dublin and visit to GuinnessTake a giant step back into Ireland’s storied past during this memorable tour of scenic Dublin, and the Guinness Brewery. Depart the pier for an orientation drive through the streets of Dublin, where Medieval, Georgian and modern architecture lend a unique cosmopolitan charm to this bustling capital city. You will see the Old Parliament House, now the Bank of Ireland, and Trinity College, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. Continue on to the Georgian squares of Merrion and Fitzwilliam. Once home to such famous Irishmen as Daniel O’Connell, W.B. Yeats and Oscar Wilde, Merrion remains one of Dublin’s grandest Georgian squares, and is now the address of the National Gallery of Ireland and Leinster House, seat of the Irish Parliament. Travel to St. Stephen’s Green, then Dawson Street to view The Mansion House, residence of Dublin’s Lord Mayor. Next, you will pass Dublin Castle, City Hall, Christchurch Cathedral and St. Patrick’s Cathedral en route to Guinness, the world’s most famous brewery. As a drink, Guinness has become synonymous with Ireland but more particularly with Dublin. In 1800, some fifty-five breweries were operating in the capital, but even at this early point in the company’s history Guinness was being sold in a third of Dublin’s pubs. The authorities regarded Guinness as a social evil, yet the wickedly good taste of this stout was very popular among the drinking public. We make our way to St. James’s Gate Brewery, in the heart of Dublin and the birthplace of the World’s most famous creamy stout, which first saw the light of day close to this spot over 230 years ago. We first watch an entertaining audio-visual presentation before setting out with our special Guide, who will narrate the history and story of Guinness. You’ll be “introduced” to Arthur Guinness, and as your tour progresses, you will find out how the drink that carries his name has travelled around the world. In the brewing section, you see, hear and smell the ingredients as they make their way through a series of vast machines and fascinating processes on their way to becoming Guinness. Another section of the tour will describe how Guinness has been advertised over the years and you’ll “visit” this famous drink at home and abroad. Just about every type of transport has been used to carry Guinness around the world and getting the product to market is the theme of the transport display. Your guided tour ends in the circular panoramic bar from where you can enjoy splendid views out across the city of Dublin whilst enjoying a sample pint of the “black stuff”. Here you will taste the drink at its best, just a few hundred yards from where it is actually made. Making your way to the ground floor, there is time to browse in the shop where you will find an exciting and wide variety of Guinness designed gifts. Today Guinness is one of the world’s leading beverage companies and the very special brewing and research skills of St. James’s Gate Brewery remain at the heart of every one of the 10,000,000 glasses of Guinness enjoyed each day around the Globe.

Nature, Folk & FloraDepart from Akureyri, the cultural and commercial center of northern Iceland, towards Godafoss,“waterfall of the gods”. Legend has it that in the year 1000, when Icelanders adopted the Christian faith,several statues of pagan gods were thrown into the waterfall. The spectacular Godafoss is said to deriveits name from this event. After admiring the falls, drive through beautiful valleys and view formations onthe hillsides which suggest that a once large pro-glacial lake occupied the valley. Next, visit the LaufasFolk Museum, which originally served as a manor farm and vicarage. The turf farmhouse, built in thetraditional style, dates back to 1866 and contains household and agricultural implements used by thegentry during that period and earlier. Stop to see the beautiful country church, built in 1865. Enjoy apleasant drive along the fjord back to Akureyri and end your tour with a visit to one of the world’s mostnortherly botanical gardens. These colorful gardens display examples of every species indigenous toIceland and an extensive collection of high-latitude and high-altitude plants from around the world.

Dublin, IrelandAug 154 ½ hoursEasy Activity

Akureyri, IcelandAug 194 hoursEasy Activity

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2015 VOYAGE OF THE VIKINGSExclusive Shore Excursions

ms Veendam • July 25 – August 29, 2015

Gullfoss Waterfall, Iceland

Experience Iceland’s Famous “Golden Circle” with Lunch This popular Reykjavik excursion encompasses the “Big Three”: Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir Hot Springs area and Thingvellir National Park. They are collectively known as the “Golden Circle” and provide a look at some of the Iceland’s most scenic wonders. Begin your day venturing into the beautiful Thingvellir National Park–a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 30 miles from Reykjavik. Thingvellir ranks as one of Iceland’s top attractions. The area is surrounded by mountains and encompasses a vast lava plain of green moss and wild flowers. It is regarded by the Icelanders as a sacred place, for the world’s oldest legislative parliament was founded here in 930. Leaving Thingvellir, continue to Gullfoss Waterfall, also known as the “Golden Waterfall.” Gullfoss is the most famous of Iceland’s many waterfalls. The river Hvita, “The White River”, drops 96 feet in two falls, creating an awesome spectacle. Stopping at the Geysir area, you will be able to see hissing springs and other geothermal phenomena. After lunch at the Hotel Geysir, start the return journey to Reykjavik. Once back in the capital, make a short stop at the Pearl vantage point, for another photo opportunity, before arriving back at the pier.

Puffin Paradise Express This tour offers the opportunity to observe these magnificent birds up close and get a glimpse of their particular paradise. A transfer by motorcoach takes you to the dock, where you will board your small, charming motorized wooden vessel for your short cruise to Lundey and Akurey Islands, located in the Reykjavík bay area. The boat is specially designed to get you close to the islands to allow for better views of the puffins resting on the islands, sitting on the ocean’s surface or flying in the sky. The puffin is the most common bird in Iceland, with the country being home to about 10 million of these charming animals. The Puffins are colonial nesters and inhabit Akurey and Lundey while raising their offspring. Fifteen thousand pairs are believed to nest on Akurey, while approximately ten thousand pairs nest on Lundey. The islands are nature reserves and no one is allowed to land there during the nesting season. Upon arrival to the islands, the boat’s engine will be turned off so that guests can enjoy the birds and beautiful surroundings in silence. Your local guide will share a wealth of knowledge of the ornithology of the area, providing fascinating insights into the birds and their habitat. In addition to viewing puffins, you may also see Northern Fulmars, Cormorants, Eider Ducks, Gulls, Arctic Terns and Black Guillemots. At the conclusion of your wildlife viewing, return to shore for your motorcoach transfer to the ship. Guests wishing to explore Reykjavik City Center on their own after the tour will be offered an optional drop off in downtown. Guests taking advantage of this option will be responsible for making their own way back to the ship.Please note: This tour is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties or physical limitations. It is recommended that guests dress in warm, layered clothing and wear flat, comfortable shoes. Guests should also bring raingear in case of inclement weather. Time spent viewing the Puffins from the boat is approximately 30 minutes. Binoculars are provided on board. Depending upon the size of our group, Cruise Specialists may share the boat with other non-Cruise Specialists guests.

Delft & The HagueBegin your exciting day in the Netherlands with an approximately one-hour drive by comfortable coach to medieval Delft. Once in Delft, you will visit one of the two original remaining Delftware manufacturers in the world, “The Delftse Pauw”. Enjoy a guided tour of this small and interesting place, with an opportunity to purchase some original Delftware. Following your visit to the Delftware manufacturer, a short drive will take you to the medieval city center. Stroll along the canals and discover the most beautiful spots of historic Delft. The city is also known as “Miniature Amsterdam”, because of its canals and the grand monumental merchant’s mansions in the old town center. The town center is oneof the best-preserved examples of a medieval Dutch town. It is a town with rich historic and culturalheritage. Delft is also the home of the painter Johannes Vermeer. There will be a guided walking tourthrough the small historical city center including visits to the Old and New Church, which are both ofgreat importance for the city of Delft. All of the Royal family members are buried in the New Church.Here you will also find the well-decorated tomb of Willem of Orange. In the Old Church rest thewell-known painter Johannes Vermeer and great ocean commanders such as Piet Hein and MaartenTromp. There are also some spectacular stained glass windows in the Old Church, done by the famous artist Joep Nicolas. After a typical Dutch lunch on the historic main market square, there is some leisure time for shopping before continuing to historic The Hague, the home of King Willem Alexander, the Dutch parliament, well-known museums and the tribunals. Once in The Hague, you will be taken for a short walk through the parliament buildings “Inner Court” with the “Knights Hall”, the oldest part of The Hague from the 13th century. Next, one of the highlights of the tour is a visit to the recently re-opened Mauritshuis Museum for a guided tour. The museum building is from 1637 and was once the home of Johan Maurits, former governor of Brazil. In 2014, the museum had an extensive renovation and it is now one of the oldest and most important museums in the Netherlands. The museum contains notable works from Johannes Vermeer including his famous “The Girl with the Pearl Earring” and the “View of Delft”. In addition, you will also find a large collection of Rembrandts, “The Goldfinch” by Fabritius and other 17th century painters, such as Hals, Rubens, Steen and Avercamp. It is an amazing collection! Next, continue with a scenic drive through the historical city center including a photo stop at Palace Noordeinde, the working Palace of the King. Finally, enjoy a tour at the spectacular Panorama Mesdag Museum. The Panorama is a cylindrical painting, more than 45-feet high and 390-feet in circumference. It is the oldest 19th century panorama in the world in its original site. Afterwards, return to Amsterdam to rejoin your ship. Please note: This tour is not suitable for guests in wheelchairs. Several venues visited include some stairs.

Windmills, Cheese and Wooden ShoesA 30-minute drive by comfortable coach will take you to the delightful village of Zaanse Schans in Zaandam. This characteristic neighborhood on the banks of the river Zaan includes charming & picturesque wooden houses, gardens, historic windmills and fun shops. We will visit the Wooden Shoe Workshop, originally built in 1780, which now houses the largest and most beautiful collection of wooden shoes in the Netherlands. Here you will see a demonstration of making wooden shoes and afterwards have the possibility to try them on. Next, visit the cheese farm Catharinahoeve for a short cheese-making demonstration and sampling of this delicacy. There are many windmills at the Zaanse Schans. Windmills were used for sawing wood, drying land, hulling and threshing grains, and the production of nut oil, paint and mustard. Your guide will take you to windmill “The Cat” where you learn how the mills operate. You’ll have the option of climbing the stairs to the top of the windmill for a spectacular view over the river Zaan. After this exciting visit there will be a scenic drive to the picturesque fishing village of Volendam. The village of Volendam includes traditional Dutch “dike” houses, canals and drawbridges. Enjoy a guided tour of this quaint village along with some free time for shopping before returning to Amsterdam. Please note: This tour is not suitable for guests in wheelchairs.

Amsterdam, NetherlandsAug 125 hoursModerate ActivitySnack Included

Amsterdam, NetherlandsAug 119 1/2 hoursModerate-Strenuous ActivityLunch Included

TOUR ACTIVITY LEVELS:These guidelines are meant to help you select the tours that are best suited to your physical abilities and level of comfort. If you use a wheelchair, or have any mobility challenges, please contact us to discuss your tour options. All tours, regardless of level of activity, involve stepping in and out of vehicles or motorcoaches. All clients signing up for tours should be able to embark or disembark vehicles/motorcoaches with minimal assistance.

Easy Activity: Very light activity. May include short distances to walk and some stairs.

Moderate Activity: Requires some effort, including walking medium distances over uneven surfaces and/or stairs.

Strenuous Activity: Requires active participation, walking long distances over uneven and steep terrain and/or stairs. Strenuous tours are not suitable for anyone who has difficulty walking or who has serious back or knee problems.

Reykjavik, IcelandAug 38 ½ hoursModerate ActivityLunch Included

Reykjavik, IcelandAug 42 hoursEasy Activity

Tours Continued on Reverse

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