Day 1 (AUG 21): Dover (London), England

Depart @ 6:00pm

Day 2 (AUG 22): Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Sometimes referred to as “Manhattan-on-the-Maas,” the city lives up to its reputation as a forward-looking metropolis with fascinating design and some of the Netherlands' finest museums and most trendy shops. Marvel at buildings by starchitects Rem Koolhaas and Norman Foster or get lost in the maze of gabled homes in historic Delfshaven, the point from which the Pilgrims set sail for the New World aboard theSpeedwell in 1620. In the postwar years, Rotterdam has also become one of the most diverse cities on the continent as waves of migrants from elsewhere in Europe, North Africa and Turkey have come to work in the shipping industry, concentrated here thanks to the city’s location on the deltas of the Rhine and Maas rivers. With its sweeping harbor and massive Europoort, the city has quickly grown to become the largest port in all of Europe.

Day 3 (AUG 23): Day at Sea

Days 4-5 (AUG 24-25): Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh proudly displays multiple exhibits on national and international scientific achievement at the National Museum of Scotland, as well as some fantastic works of visual art at the National Galleries of Scotland. South Queensferry's moorings are also within easy striking distance of Scotland's largest metropolis: the city of Glasgow. Transformed in many ways since the post–WWII days when it had a reputation for grime and crime, the city is among the most vibrant in the U.K.: It is Scotland's de-facto capital of modern culture, with the hippest DJs and most accomplished conceptual artists.

Day 6 (AUG 26): Inverness, Scotland

Welcome to the Highlands, the wildest and least trammeled region in the entire United Kingdom. Inverness is considered the Highland capital and, while a very small city by international comparisons, it does offer more than a few hours of enjoyment and entertainment with first-class restaurants among its attractions. Just outside Inverness is a trove of Scottish and Celtic history, myth and natural beauty amid unspoiled glens, mountains, lochs, rivers and more. Most famous among the attractions is no doubt the legendary (and likely imaginary) Loch Ness Monster, though for the less frivolous traveler, the sites associated with Scottish history will hold more appeal. For example, the Culloden Battlefield, where the 1746 stand-off between Bonnie Prince Charlie and the army of the Hanoverian King in London put the nail in the coffin of any Jacobite rebellion—and led to years of Highland repression to ensure no further uprising ensued.

Day 7 (AUG 27): Isle of Skye, Scotland

The Isle of Skye, the largest of the Inner Hebrides, offers an intriguing and curious contrast of landscapes and cultures. Between the green rolling hills and the jagged mountain ranges, the Quiraing ridge dominates the north of the island, attracting wildlife watchers and hikers keen to test their abilities. The island’s rich with history, too—its Celtic, Norse and Scottish influences can be picked up in casual conversations (and more formally at the Aros cultural center), while Scottish Gaelic is enjoying something of a revival. Skye’s also home to 170-million-year-old dinosaur footprints, the 800-year-old Dunvegan Castle and the Talisker distillery which dates back to 1830.

Day 8 (AUG 28): Belfast, Nothern Ireland

Belfast has emerged from decades of conflict to become one of Ireland’s most intriguing cities. In the 19th century, its location on the banks of the River Lagan made it an industrial center for ropemaking, shipbuilding, tobacco and textiles. And this legacy shaped much of its architecture: Grand Edwardian and Victorian municipal buildings and warehouses are found throughout the city alongside telltale scars of its more recent past. Belfast is also gathering momentum as an up-and-coming gourmet destination, with a new generation of chefs producing food to get excited about. Beyond the city limits, County Down and neighboring County Antrim have a wealth of things to see and do. Any lingering negative preconceptions will evaporate after a short time in this fascinating and welcoming city.

Day 9 (AUG 29): Glasgow, Scotland

The site of a human settlement as early as 4000 B.C.E., Glasgow and its residents endured occupation by the Romans (who withdrew in 162 C.E., only eight years after completing the Antonine Wall which sits a few miles north of the current city limits). Glasgow's flourishing medieval and Renaissance eras began when its church was elevated to the status of a cathedral around 1120, and furthered when it received a Royal Charter from William the Lion some 60 years later. Today's Glasgow is a monument to Victorian architecture at its finest. It is worth a visit if only to have a look at its magnificent built heritage, though the city offers much more. It has also become a cosmopolitan center of culture and a vibrant city of universities, art and music.

Day 10 (AUG 30): Day at Sea

Day 11 (AUG 31): Liverpool, England

Few destinations wear their souls as outwardly as Liverpool, an alluringly energetic city of humor, individuality, grit and history, whose inhabitants are known as much for their fierce sporting loyalties as for their warmth and wit. At its heart is its industrial past; what were once grimy warehouses have been reimagined as chic flats and a huge array of hip bars, restaurants and hotels for every taste and budget.Of course, it is also a city of music, not just of the Beatles but of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, a litany of teen pop bands and, for more refined tastes, the UK’s oldest professional symphony orchestra, the Liverpool Philharmonic. In the handily compact center you’ll find independent book, fashion and interiors stores, especially around the RopeWalks area. There are places of musical legend and cultural merit as well, such as The Tate Liverpool, just one of the many galleries, museums and creative spaces worth exploring around the docks. This is also where old and new collide—the fascinating, historical Museum of Liverpool and the bold architectural center RIBA North are both examples of this ever-changing city’s adaptable and admirable existence.

Day 12 (SEP 1): Dublin, Ireland

Ireland’s capital and largest city, Dublin is an historical and contemporary center for the arts, education, administration and industry, and was home to Yeats, Shaw, Wilde and other literary giants.

Day 13 (SEP 2): Cobh (Cork), Ireland

Corkonians are fiercely proud of their hometown, so much so that it’s jokingly referred to as the People’s Republic of Cork. And there is a lot to love about Ireland’s second city. Hugging the banks of the River Lee, it takes its name fromcorcaigh, the Gaelic word for "marshy." With its origins in the 7th century, Cork enjoyed a flourishing period as a merchant center in the 18th and 19th centuries, with grand buildings like the elegant Cork City Hall bearing testimony to this status. On the north bank of the River Lee is the quaint neighborhood of Shandon with its landmark clock tower of St. Anne’s Church. The city’s heart is set on an island sandwiched between two channels of the Lee that open out into one of Europe's largest natural harbors at Cobh. There’s a more modern side to Cork, with a thriving university quarter, pubs, bars and restaurants. Whatever your interests, you will find a side of Cork to love too.

Day 14 (SEP 3): Day at Sea

Day 15 (SEP 4): Dover (London), England

Arrive @ 6:00am