NEW! British Isles & Viking Shores

Take a stroll around the beautiful city of Canterbury and explore its sights at your leisure. Board your motor coach for a short drive to this historic city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meet your guide and enjoy a short orientation walk that will introduce you to Canterbury’s main sights. View the city’s Roman walls and gates while learning about the origins of the Canterbury Cross. See St. George’s Tower and Canterbury High Street, and stroll the city’s maze of ancient avenues. Your guide will regale you with historic tales from the Anglo-Saxons to the Tudors as you discover more about the city’s fascinating past. You may walk to the magnificent Canterbury Cathedral where you can enjoy free time to explore at your leisure. Or you may continue to discover more of Canterbury, where pilgrim’s inns and weaver’s houses still stand to this day.

Set out on foot to discover the sights of Sandwich, one of England’s best preserved medieval towns. After a narrated drive through the scenic Kent countryside, you will arrive in this historic town, once among England’s leading ports. Sandwich prospered through trade with continental Europe as a member of the Cinque Ports confederation, which supplied ships and sailors to the Crown. Upon arrival, you will enjoy a 30-minute orientation walk among its winding streets that preserve its medieval and maritime past, and receive an introduction to the Guildhall Museum. After you will have free time to explore the town at your own pace or you may join a guided walk to view its historic churches, timber-framed houses and centuries-old streetscapes that provide a fascinating glimpse into England's past. After, rejoin your motor coach for the return journey to your ship.

Journey through a region known as the “Garden of England” to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Canterbury. Drive by motor coach to Leeds Castle; built on an island in the middle of a lake during the early 12th century, this Norman castle is one of England’s oldest. Its most famous owner was Henry VIII, who transformed it into a lavish Tudor palace for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Following a guided visit, you will have free time to explore the grounds at your leisure and lunch, before continuing to Canterbury. This quintessential medieval city, set in one of the most attractive corners of rural England, was made famous by Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Pilgrims once flocked here to visit the shrine of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Discover its magnificent cathedral, labyrinth of medieval streets and quaint shops before returning to your ship.

Explore important sites from World War II, including the Battle of Britain, a crucial turning point in the war. Listen to your guide tell stories about East Kent’s “Hellfire Corner” as you travel to the Spitfire & Hurricane Memorial Museum at RAF Manston. Take a self-guided tour and view the many artifacts, including iconic Spitfire and Hurricane fighter planes. Then, travel to Ramsgate Harbour, where thousands of “Little Ships” departed to rescue Allied troops stranded in Dunkirk across the English Channel. After a short, guided tour, spend time exploring at your leisure. You will stop for lunch a charming local pub. Your tour ends high on the White Cliffs of Dover in the little village of Capel-le-Ferne. Visit the Battle of Britain Memorial and immerse yourself in “The Scramble Experience” to get a better idea of what life was like during the war.

Board a vintage train and travel through the verdant countryside of Kent to visit the medieval castle of Bodiam. Begin with a scenic drive to Tenterden, where the broad High Street is lined with Tudor, Regency and Victorian buildings. Here, you will board your vintage 19th-century Kent and East Sussex railway carriage and enjoy a cream tea while journeying through the countryside. At Bodiam, disembark for a guided tour of its famed castle. Built in 1385 to protect England’s southern coast from French raiders, this historic property fell into disrepair over time, until efforts to preserve and renovate it began in the 19th century. Today, its exterior is almost complete, with battlements and ramparts rising dramatically above the moat below, though its interiors remain unfinished and open to the elements. After exploring the preserved ruins, you will begin the journey back to your ship.

Visit Leeds Castle and learn about the seven English queens who resided here through the medieval and Tudor times. Situated on a raised island in the middle of a lake and set on 500 acres of beautiful grounds and parkland, Leeds Castle is the oldest and most romantic castle in England. It was built by the Normans in 1119, and its most famous owner, Henry VIII, was responsible for turning Leeds into a truly royal palace. Enjoy a self-guided tour and explore the beautiful grounds at your leisure. Learn about some of the most famous women in history who were raised to marry English monarchs, including Katherine of Aragon. Discover the castle’s more recent history as you hear about the life of Anglo-American heiress Lady Olive Baillie, who transformed the castle into one of the most desirable country houses of the 20th century.

Discover the natural beauty and rich heritage of Sandwich during a river cruise and guided walk. Embark on a scenic drive through Dover to reach historic Sandwich, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in the UK. Travel through cobbled streets lined with timber-framed houses to reach the River Stour and receive a short safety briefing before climbing aboard your vessel. As you glide along the tranquil waters, keep watch for local wildlife, including herons, little egrets and kingfishers. Sail toward Pegwell Bay Nature Reserve, passing by the Roman-era Richborough Castle, and look to the water to glimpse an active seal colony. Soak up the beauty of your surroundings and observe the seals in their natural habitat before returning to shore to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before setting out to explore Sandwich on foot with your guide. Later, return to your ship.

Enjoy an up-close experience at the oyster farms of Whitstable, followed by a tasting of this celebrated product. Spanning over two millennia, oyster farming is one of Britain’s oldest seafood traditions. Travel by motor coach to Whitstable, a seaside town celebrated for its abundance of oysters and enduring maritime history. Upon arrival, stroll down to the beach and don a pair of waders before setting out to explore the oyster beds, only accessible at low tide. Gain insight into the farming process and glimpse the baskets along the shore; each one holds up to 3,000 oysters which are carefully tended to throughout their growth cycle. Continue along the waterfront to see how harvested oysters are prepared for the market. Watch closely as skilled experts demonstrate this intricate process, then cap your day with a tasting of freshly shucked oysters, paired with a glass of sparkling wine.

Glide along Canterbury’s waterways on a traditional punt and enjoy a guided walk past city landmarks. Begin with a scenic drive from Dover to the walled city of Canterbury, where you will embark on a punting experience along the River Stour. Board a flat-bottomed boat and settle in to learn about the rich history of this ancient city as your punter propels your vessel along the water using a long pole. Soak up your surroundings as you pass by the medieval buildings and the overhanging willows and wildflowers lining the riverbanks. Following your return to shore, set out on foot with your guide to explore the city, pausing at the UNESCO-listed Canterbury Cathedral for photos. This Gothic marvel is one of the oldest Christian structures in England and has been the seat of the spiritual head of the Church of England for nearly five centuries. After, return to your ship.

Discover Dover Castle's wartime heritage during an exclusive early morning visit to the fortress and its tunnels. After a short drive by motor coach, you will arrive at one of England’s most iconic castles. Its rich military history dates to its construction at the beginning of the Common Era, and it has defended Britain ever since. Upon arrival, head to the underground tunnels, the headquarters for Operation Dynamo during World War II, where you will view detailed exhibits and displays that provide insight into the Dunkirk evacuation, one of the most significant rescue operations of the war. Next, accompany your guide on a tour of the castle, where you will learn about its centuries-long history. Hear about its medieval origins, its strategic importance and its connections to the British Royal Family. Cap your visit with time to explore more on your own, then return to your ship.