JAPAN TO VANCOUVER CRUISE - MS VOLENDAM

31 Night Cruise sailing from Kobe to Vancouver aboard Volendam.

The beautiful garden theme of the ms Volendam is reflected in an artful floral motif throughout the ship's spacious public rooms and elegant staterooms. "Flowers" can be found in abundance in the forms of floral fabrics and tapestries, as well as huge vases of tropical floral arrangements and chrysanthemums.

In addition to fresh flowers throughout the ship, Holland America Line has drawn on its collection of incredible artwork to enhance the interior of the ship's public spaces. Everything from pre-Columbian fetishes and sculptures to Renaissance-era fountains imported from Italy are included in its hallway galleries. At the heart of the ship an elegant sculpture by Luciano Vistosi, inspired by the myriad of moods and colors of a kaleidoscope, greets visitors in a soaring three-story atrium.

Highlights of this cruise:

Kobe
This cosmopolitan port city is known for more than just its world-famous Kobe beef. Discover the boutiques and markets of the Motomashi and Kokashita districts, explore the Fashion Museum or venture out to the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge-the longest suspension bridge in the world. In the Kitano district, tour stately injikan, western-style Victorian and Gothic homes, or enjoy a glass of sake from one of Kobe's famed wineries.

Nagasaki
City of melancholy memories. Visit Glover House, where Puccini's Madame Butterfly reputedly awaited her errant Lt. Pinkerton; pay tribute to lives lost in WWII at Peace Memorial Park.

Pusan
Find stillness at some of the largest Korean Buddhist temples, including Beomeo-sa, first constructed in the year 678 and home to over one thousand monks-it also contains seven different registered national and cultural treasures. Near the port, explore the famous Jagalchi fish market or the city's renowned beach resorts. Journey to the Dongnae area to soak in the city's healing hot springs.

Dalian
A key northern port, Dalian is small by Chinese standards, numbering only about five million people, but it's big on beaches, seafood, apples and exquisite glassware in every conceivable shape and color.

Xingang
Xingang links you to Beijing, where the power of 24 successive emperors radiates from the Forbidden City. Your Holland America ship will be here for two full days, allowing ample time to shop, explore and feast on Peking Duck right here in Peking!

Shanghai
Neon pulses, soaring skyscrapers pierce the sky, construction never stops in Shanghai's race to modernity. Still, you can feel the city's silk past in the peaceful Yu Gardens, its history as a financial powerhouse in the international banks along The Bund.

Yokohama
A small fishing village until the arrival of Commodore Perry in 1853, today Yokohama is Japan's largest city. Stroll among the gardens, shrines and temples of Kamakura, the Shogun capital from AD 1192 - 1333; visit Hakone National Park for spectacular views of Mt. Fuji; and shop in Tokyo's legendary Ginza shopping district--virtually unequalled for glitz, glamour and good deals.

Kushiro
Known for its markets and deep-sea fishing, Kushiro is also your gateway to Japan's beautiful eastern Hokkaido region. Wander among the stalls at Kushiro's Washo Market and sample local seafood specialties; visit the Kushiro Japanese Crane Reserve; and travel through the lush countryside to marvel at the translucent beauty of Lake Mashu in Akan National Park.

Kodiak
Kodiak Island has been home to the Alutiiq people for more than 7,500 years, but its most famous inhabitant is surely the enormous sub-species of grizzly known as the Kodiak brown bear. Some of these giants weigh 1500 pounds and stand ten feet tall. Apart from a larger-than-life animal kingdom, Kodiak also boasts legendary fishing, the noticeable influence of historic Russian America, and spotless green fjords.

Ketchikan
Built out over the water and climbing weathered stairways, Ketchikan clings to the shores of Tongass Narrows and drapes the mountains with a cheerful air. Besides the main attractions - Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Village, try a flightseeing trip to breathtaking Misty Fjords National Monument--a transformational adventure not to be missed. These deep water fjords left by retreating glaciers left granite cliffs towering thousands of feet above the sea and countless waterfalls cascading into placid waters. The souvenir photos you'll take from the pontoons of the plane are worth the trip alone.

Vancouver
Galleries, boutiques, colorful public markets, restaurants of every ethnicity: this vital port city has them all. Visit vibrant Chinatown and Stanley Park, with its 1,000 acres of forests, gardens, lakes and lawns in the heart of the city.

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