Cape Town to New York

The 'Diamond of Africa' is a country of stark beauty and contrasting landscapes. It is home to the world’s oldest desert, the world’s highest sand dunes, and a diversity of people that have created an intriguing blend of cultures and traditions. Found between the sand dunes of the Namib Desert and the Atlantic Ocean, the large natural lagoon of Walvis Bays is home to prolific birdlife.

One of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan African cities, the Senegalese capital bears many visual reminders of its past as a French colonial outpost. Despite the Parisian-style boulevards and buildings, however, there is a distinctly African feel to the city. The common language is French, although many citizens may also speak as many as five or six ethnic languages, since the whole coast of West Africa has been steeped in a heritage of mutual trade for centuries. Among the many sights and sounds greeting visitors, none is more evocative and sobering than a visit to Goree Island and its House of Slaves. This fortress, just offshore of the city waterfront, displays many reminders of the brutal trade in human beings, including an unimposing doorway, set just above the waterline in the seaside wall, identified simply as the “Door of No Return.”

Beloved for its beaches, Tenerife also offers a feast for the eyes - in its numerous art galleries and museums or an incredibly panoramic cable car ascent of Mount Teide. Your ears will appreciate the sounds of the timple, a distinctive element of Canarian folk music. Perhaps even catch a recital at the striking wave-shaped Auditorio, home to the acclaimed Tenerife Symphony Orchestra.

You cruise right into the heart of historic Cadiz as immediately across the busy Avenida del Puerto from the Spanish port is the main square and shopping area. Cadiz dates back to the 12th century BC so is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the western world but sultry Seville has long since outgrown its neighbour. La Giralda (the bell-tower next to its Gothic cathedral), is in Seville's historic Jewish quarter which also has the whitewashed houses and exquisitely coloured bougainvillea that everyone associates with this lovely city. With a low-key, laid-back vibe, it’s famed for its seafood, sand and sunlight. Cadiz is a pleasure to explore on foot with winding alleyways, vast plazas and stunning architecture.

The UK's premier passenger ship port, located in the picturesque English county of Hampshire, Southampton is a vibrant waterfront city, serviced by direct trains to London, an airport, and an international cruise terminal. Explore the city’s maritime heritage and links to RMS Titanic in the Sea City Museum, see contemporary British art in the Cultural Quarter, or walk the medieval walls in the Old Town. Further afield you’ll find The New Forest National Park, Winchester Cathedral, Stonehenge, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the Isle of Wight, while the city’s thriving craft beer and culinary scene will leave you spoilt for choice.

Founded in 1517 to serve the French capital, Le Havre marks your opportunity to explore the innumerable sights and experiences of Paris. Often called the City of Light, you will be spoilt for choice. Sense the gothic splendour and folklore of Notre Dame Cathedral, weave among the priceless artworks in the Louvre, amble the Champs Élysées to Arc de Triomphe, and experience the magical Eiffel Tower.

See the bright lights of the Big Apple, international mecca and melting pot, with expensive brownstones, colourful neighbourhoods like Greenwich Village and the Upper West Side and the legendary Central Park. Explore some of the world's great museums. Some come just for the shopping: there’s Bloomingdale’s on Lex, Tiffany’s on Fifth, Barneys and the unique boutiques along Madison.