Encore, Eastern Mediterranean Empires Cruise ex Dubai to Valletta

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25 Night Cruise sailing from Dubai to Valletta aboard Seabourn Encore.

25 Night Cruise sailing from Dubai to Valletta aboard Seabourn Encore.

Seabourn has officially debuted Seabourn Encore. Our new ship is as strikingly beautiful and as excitingly innovative as any Seabourn has ever debuted. It will crown a fleet that is already the newest, most modern and most acclaimed in the ultra-luxury segment. Modeled on the award-winning trio of ships introduced with Seabourn Odyssey in 2009, Seabourn Encore represents another welcome stage in the evolution of small-ship cruising, which Seabourn pioneered and has consistently expanded and enriched. An additional sister-ship, Seabourn Ovation, is scheduled for delivery in 2018. Both sisters will deliver a wealth of new concepts, a fresh vision and a host of illuminating ideas to delight the world’s most discerning travelers.

To further advance its mission with Seabourn Encore, Seabourn enlisted the participation of master designer Adam D. Tihany. Although the architecture of Seabourn Encore is not radically different from Seabourn’s other three ships, Tihany’s vision is present throughout the ship. There is a new softness and a curvaceous elegance to his designs that reflect a noticeably bespoke aesthetic. The vessel exudes ultra-luxury with design elements often found in private yachts. Nautical visual elements are employed with an exceptional intelligence and sophistication. And, true to his vision, Tihany has enriched the entire ship with an impressive array of unexpected surprises and subtle transformations for guests to continually discover and delight in --- but those, as he so wisely says, are not meant to be described, but rather to be discovered.

Highlights of this cruise:

Dubai
Dubai is one of the most modern cities in the world; this city was a fishing and pearling village less than 50 years ago. The architecture of its modern buildings and sky scrapers is the finest in the Middle East. Sightseeing within the city center is split mainly between Deira, on the right bank of the Dubai creek and historic Bur Dubai on the other bank. Deira, is home to the best shopping and is the business and commercial centre of the city. Bur Dubai has less of a bustling atmosphere and is home to a number of tourist attractions, including the Dubai Museum, Grand Mosque and Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum’s House.

Aqaba
Aqaba is a Jordanian coastal city situated at the northeastern tip of the Red Sea. It is the largest city on the Gulf of Aqaba and Jordan's only coastal city. The city of Aqaba is the most southern part of Jordan and the capital of Aqaba Governorate.

Aqaba is one the major tourist attractions in Jordan, and famous for its warm water and rich marine life. It is best known today as a seaside and diving resort and also as a home for Jordan's mega projects.

Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in Northern Israel and the third-largest city in the country, after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The city is a seaport located on Israel's Mediterranean coastline in the Bay of Haifa, about 90 km north of Tel Aviv, and is one of the country's major industrial centers.

The city of Haifa is divided into three areas. The lower city is the commercial center with modern port facilities. The middle level is an older residential zone and the upper level consists of modern neighborhoods, overlooking the sandy beaches of Haifa Bay. The Bahá'í World Centre, with the golden Shrine of the Báb and the surrounding gardens, is the main tourist attraction of Haifa. The restored German Colony, founded by the Templers, Stella Maris and the Carmelite monastery are also popular tourist sites.

In Haifa area, the artist's village of Ein Hod attracts many tourists. In Mount Carmel national park, visitors can see the caves where Neanderthal and early Homo Sapiens remains were found. Haifa also has a wide variety of malls and shopping centers.

Athens
The port of Piraeus is one of the last old-style Mediterranean ports from where you can catch ferries to all of the Greek islands and travel a short distance to Greece's capital city Athens.

In the heart of the city lies the ancient Plaka district, with its honeycomb of streets, little shops - and tavernas that come alive at night. Situated on the north and east slopes of the Acropolis, it is rich with historic sites, such as ancient monuments and churches. Within Athens there are eight large hills, including the Acropolis, and on the outskirts, Mount Parnitha, Mount Pendeli and Mount Hymettos surround the city. A trip to Athens' most famous tourist attraction, the impressive Parthenon built on the Acropolis around 2,500 years ago, will be memorable to say the least.

There are an extraordinary number of historic tourist sights in Athens and many of these are known world-wide. Some of the top Athens attractions include the Agora - a grand, ruined Roman building, Hadrian's Arch - originally the city gate linking the Roman quarters with original town of Athens and the stunning Dionysos Theatre - the world's oldest theatre where many great plays have been performed over the years.

Mykonos, Greece
The quintessential Greek island of Mykonos is marked by whitewashed houses, domed churches, imposing windmills, and a labyrinth of winding streets designed to disorient pirates. Everywhere there is a dash of bright, bold blue - doors, shutters and window frames, sea and sky. The harbor bustles with colorful fishing boats, vendors selling fish and locals gathered with visitors in the casual seaside cafes. The port even comes with two beloved mascots, the pelicans Petros and Irini.

Rhodes
Best known of the Dodecanese Islands, Rhodes is a fascinating architectural patchwork of her past. Here the legacy of the ancient Greeks mingles with that of besieging Turks, crusading knights, and occupying Italians. Twin bronze deer, the symbol of Rhodes, guard the Mandraki Harbor where the 100-foot Colossus is said to have stood, a wonder of the ancient world. The medieval Crusader City is dominated by the Palace of the Grand Masters, while cobbled streets lead to the bustling bazaar and a lively harbor that is a center of the international yachting scene.

Aghios Nikolaos
This charming village of white houses climbing up the slopes is beautifully situated on the sparkling Gulf of Mirabello. The attractive Venetian harbor is surrounded by restaurants, outdoor cafes and clusters of shops selling everything from necessities to souvenirs. The ship docks in the center of town, and you are able to wander at will and enjoy the atmosphere of Crete's foremost resort.

Syracuse
Now a sun-bleached provincial capital, Siracusa was once one of the most prestigious cities in the known world. Founded in the 8th century BC by settlers from Corinth, Siracusa gradually grew in prestige to rival Athens and was considered the western capital of Magna Graecia. In the Greek world dictators, often called tyrants, exercised unlimited power over colonies like Siracusa. Although often unpleasant people, they also often patronized poets and artists and competed to bring intellectuals to their courts. Siracusa was home to Archimedes, Plato and Aeschylus during its height of power and prestige. Today's visitors come to marvel at the remains of the ancient structures, reminders of the past glory and rich history of the area. The city is superbly situated at the head of a beautiful bay and enjoys a mild climate. The coastline to the south is renowned for its beauty, clear waters and evocative, mythical scenery. There are romantic abandoned coves and wide, sandy beaches not easily matched anywhere else in Italy.

Valletta
Occupied successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, French and British, Malta has been of strategic importance throughout history. A British Crown Colony until 1964, Malta received the George Cross for its valiant resistance to German occupation in WWII. The island's rich heritage is reflected in the architecture of Valletta, the current capital, and Medina, the capital until 1565. In Valletta the Knights of St. John built such masterpieces as St. John's Co-Cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Masters, along with the fortifications that guard the town's magnificent harbors.