Boston Odyssey - Lunch & Brunch Cruises

One of the most powerful large light cruisers ever built, HMS Belfast is now the only surviving vessel of her type to have seen active service during the Second World War. HMS Belfast played a leading part in the destruction of the battle cruiser Scharnhorst, and also the Normandy Landings. In service with the Royal Navy until 1965, she was saved for the nation in 1971 as a unique reminder of Britain’s naval heritage. Launch! Shipbuilding Through the Ages This new family-orientated exhibition will use hands-on and computerised interactive displays and engaging film and footage to demonstrate techniques of shipbuilding, from the ‘age of sail’ to modern prefabrication methods. The exhibition will focus on the science, engineering and social history of shipbuilding in Great Britain, and the interactive elements of the exhibition will allow children of all ages to get involved and experience this history. Explore ‘What shall we give in return for so much?’ One of the most powerful large light cruisers ever built, HMS Belfast is now the only surviving vessel of her type to have seen active service during the Second World War. Serving Britain for 32 years, she played an important role in both the Second World War and the Korean War as well as performing peacekeeping duties throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Saved from destruction in 1971, HMS Belfast is now part of the Imperial War Museum and is the first ship to be preserved for the nation since Nelson’s Victory. Through its team of staff and volunteers – many of whom are veteran crew – the Imperial War Museum is dedicated to making sure that HMS Belfast still has a role to play in reminding visitors of her unique place in Britain’s maritime heritage. History of HMS Belfast The term 'cruiser' goes back to the days of sailing ships when large frigates could be detached from the main fleet to cruise independently. The sailing cruiser, like her twentieth-century counterpart, was sufficiently powerful and fast to attack and destroy enemy commerce raiders. During the nineteenth century when sail gave way to steam and wooden ships were replaced by those built of iron, and later of steel, the cruiser evolved into a powerful warship which was used to patrol the Empire trade routes and protect friendly merchant shipping. After the First World War (1914-1918) a single category of cruiser emerged whose size was indicated by the size of its guns; thus, HMS Belfast is a 6-inch cruiser, designed for the protection of trade, for offensive action, and as a powerful support for amphibious operations. Please note: children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Please allow 1½ - 2 hours for your visit.

Royal Albert Hall - Grand Tour  Did you know? There are 13,000 “A”s for Albert around Hall The Hall is home to the world's largest single woven carpet design, made of 326,666 sheep fleeces and 49 million tufts getting it into the Guinness World Records The world’s biggest Christmas pudding was made at the Hall and weighed ten tonnes The first ever body-building contest and Sumo wrestling tournament outside Japan took place in the main auditorium The Elgar Room used to be home to the Central School of Speech & Drama, giving a stage to names including Sir Lawrence Olivier and Dame Judy Dench 5,500 bottles of champagne and 1,800 bottles of gin are drunk at the Hall every year Afternoon Tea was introduced to Britain by Queen Victoria. The first tea party was held at the Hall in 1912. The tradition continues today in the Hall's Verdi Restaurant The Royal Albert Hall Grand Tour is fully accessible.  Some time slots and/or dates are unavailable due to events taking place in the auditorium. The Royal Albert Hall was built to fulfil the vision of Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's consort) of a 'Central Hall' that would be used to promote understanding and appreciation of the Arts and Sciences and would stand at the heart of the South Kensington estate, surrounded by museums and places of learning. The Hall is a Grade I Listed building; and has been in continuous use since it was opened in March 1871. It was always conceived as a multipurpose building to host not only concerts of music but exhibitions, public meetings, scientific conversations and award ceremonies. It is a registered charity held in trust for the nation and is financially self sufficient, receiving no funding from central or local government. Kensington Palace and the Diana Exhibition Kensington Palace unveils a palace of secret stories and public lives. Visitors arrive through beautiful landscaped gardens evoking a past when Kensington was countryside. From the entrance hall start your journey through the magnificent Kings and Queen’s State Apartments. Filled with stories of two royal courts; the Stuarts and the Hanoverians, learn what you would have worn, how you should behave and how to succeed in the heady atmosphere of the palace state apartments. The Queen's State Apartments Explore these intimate, private rooms created for Queen Mary II, who ruled jointly with her husband, King William III, in the 17th century.  The Queen’s rooms The Queen's Staircase, little changed since its construction in 1690, is deliberately plainer than the King's. Mary would have glided down its steps to reach her beloved gardens, created in the Dutch style, through the door at its foot. Diana: Her Fashion Story ‘Diana: Her Fashion Story’ will trace the evolution of the Princess’s style, from the demure, romantic outfits of her first public appearances, to the glamour, elegance and confidence of her later life. From her earliest royal engagements, everything Diana wore was closely scrutinised, and the exhibition will explore how she navigated her unique position in the public eye: learning to use her image to engage and inspire people, and to champion the causes she cared about. Discover exquisite and celebrated outfits from throughout the Princess’s public life. The exhibition will bring together an extraordinary collection of garments, ranging from the glamorous evening gowns worn on engagements in the 1980s, to the chic Catherine Walker suits that made up Diana’s ‘working wardrobe’ in the 1990s. The Princess’s relationship with her favourite designers will be explored through a display of some of their original fashion sketches, created for her during the design process. Exhibition highlights will include the pale pink Emanuel blouse worn for Diana’s engagement portrait by Lord Snowdon in 1981, and Victor Edelstein’s iconic ink blue velvet gown, famously worn at the White House when the Princess danced with John Travolta. A blue tartan Emanuel suit, worn for an official visit to Venice in the 1980s, will go on display in public for the first time. The suit, a rare survival of the Princess’s daywear, was only recently rediscovered and acquired by Historic Royal Palaces – the charity responsible for Kensington Palace - at auction.  * Please note, this exhibit is due to be very popular, queues are to be expected.

ROUTE DESCRIPTIONS Blue Line (Daily) Termini railway station Piazza Indipendenza Santa Maria Maggiore Colosseum Circus Maximus Piazza Venezia Vatican/Castel Sant’Angelo Barberini   Purple Line Termini Railway Station Santa Maria Maggiore (Sat After -Sundays) Colosseum Porta San Sebastiano – Museo delle Mura Catacombe San Sebastiano, Ancient Appia Caffarella Park Domine Quo Vadis Church Terme di Caracalla Circus Maximus Piazza Venezia ​ Bus:   Duration 1 Hour 40 Minutes Operates: 09:00-18:00 in Low season 9:00-19:00 in High season Frequency: 10-20 minutes            INCLUSIONS Unlimited Hop on Hop Off ticket Recorded Commentary in English, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian 4 Walking Tours: Spanish Steps, St. Peter’s Basilica, Colosseum and Piazza Venezia   THEIR COMMITMENT : Great value for money  Best bus frequency  Hi Resolution digitally audio-system  Operates 7 days a week, all year long

FlyView Paris A very unique virtual reality experience where you can fly high over the city of Paris.    You will feel like you are actually flying thanks to the immersive VR technology.   Being able to see famous monuments from a totally new persperctive.  Sightseeing Cruise The Compagnie des Bateaux-Mouches® makes a point of honour only to serve dishes prepared only from products selected each morning and cooked ready to serve. All the tables are situated next to the picture windows to allow everyone to enjoy Paris with all modern conveniences. All our boats have an open deck, which affords a magical, all-round view of the City of Light. Cruise commented in up to 10 languages*  Free itinerary translated in 25 languages Boats with an open upper deck 1h10 mns cruise  * Languages: French, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean. 

Stops Line A Basilica del Santo  Piazza delle Erbe  Piazza dei Signori  Piazza Garibaldi  Piazza Eremitani  Piazzetta I. Nievo  Portello  Via Venezia Università  Via Venezia Zona Fiere  Piazza Stazione  Piazza Petrarca  Riviera Paleocopa  Prato della Valle

You may have seen New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art before, but you've never seen it like this.  Travel through 6,000 years and across the globe in just a few hours, to gain a greater understanding of the length and breadth of this world-class collection.  In small groups of 15 people or fewer, you’ll delve into the history and art of the Met, seeing works come to life through the stories of your expert guide. We start our tour in the ancient world, with a visit to Ancient Egyptian tomb models.  Incredibly well preserved, these pieces were a more important discovery than they seem, as they offered pictorial insight into what life in Ancient Egypt was like. This insight continues at the incredible Temple of Dendur, fully intact and surreally displayed inside a naturally lit atrium, nestled in Central Park.  Our world tour returns to New York for stained glass by Tiffany and then hops over to Britain to size up the armor of notorious King Henry VIII.  We then head east for the Antioch Chalice, believed by some to be the Holy Grail itself, the cup from which Jesus drank on the night he was betrayed.  Believe the story?  You’ll have time to debate its merits with your expert guide.  For historians our next few stops are a true delight – the Greek and Roman wing contain elegant statues, imperial Roman busts, and intact frescos buried along with those at Pompeii. Off to exotic Oceania to see boldly carved Bisj poles from Papua New Guinea, for which a Rockefeller gave his life.  We’ll then move to the second floor to admire Water Lilies by Monet, a Thinker by Rodin, and the swirling strokes of van Gogh. It’s break time inside the museum or atop the rooftop garden (May-October only, weather permitting) for verdant vistas of Central Park.  If you’ve booked the extended version, the tour continues to the Golden Age of Dutch painting, perusing portraits by Rembrandt and marveling at the virtuosity of Vermeer.  After a brief passage through Italy, it’s off to Spain to see El Greco and to  France for Jacques-Louis David’s famous Death of Socrates.  A little scandal is in store, as your guide gives the inside story of John Singer Sargent’s infamous Madame X.   You’ll then be dwarfed by the immense iconic Washington Crossing the Delaware – one of the most recognized paintings in the United States.  Besides from what’s listed here, you’ll see little surprises and quirks of the collection as you tour.  Our small group and expert guides will allow you to ask questions, be engaged, and take the most from your Met experience! Inclusions: Pre-arranged Met Museum tickets, with donation included  Expert local tour guide Small groups of only 15 people or fewer *Rooftop garden (early May-October, weather permitting) Exclusions: Gratuities for guide Hotel pick-up/drop-off Food/Beverages Sites Visited: Ancient Egyptian Tomb Models (original and perfectly preserved) Temple of Dendur Egyptian mummies Armor of King Henry VIII Antioch Chalice a.k.a. the "Holy Grail" Greek and Roman Statuary Ancient Roman Frescoes Tiffany glass and mosaics Rodin sculptures Bisj Poles from New Guinea Claude Monet – Water Lillies Vincent van Gogh - Selected Works Auguste Rodin - Sculptures Rembrandt van Rijn - Portraits Johannes Vermeer - Selected Paintings Jacques-Louis David's Death of Socrates Madame X by John Singer Sargent Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emmanuele Leutze Rooftop Garden (May–October only, weather permitting) Please note, this tour is in English only.