13 nights departing February 28, 2009 onRoyal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas
ITINERARY
Sat Feb 28 Buenos Aires, Argentina 9:00pm
Sun Mar 1 Montevideo, Uruguay 10:00am - 7:00pm
Mon Mar 2 Punta del Este, Uruguay 7:00am - 6:00pm
Tue Mar 3 At Sea
Wed Mar 4 Porto Belo, Brazil 10:00am - 6:00pm
Thu Mar 5 Ilhabela, Brazil 8:00am - 5:00pm
Fri Mar 6 At Sea
Sat Mar 7 Salvador, Brazil Noon - 8:00pm
Sun Mar 8 Ilheus, Brazil 7:00am - 5:00pm
Mon Mar 9 At Sea
Tue Mar 10 Búzios, Brazil Noon - 11:00pm
Wed Mar 11 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 7:00am -
Thu Mar 12 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 3:00pm
Fri Mar 13 Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil 4:00am
The Radiance of the Seas combines high-tech features with the elegance of Old World cities. The ship features a space called the Colony Club, which is actually four theme clubs in one: The Bombay Billiard Club, Jakarta Lounge, Singapore Sling's and the Calcutta Card Club. The safari-themed solarium allows you to relax in the whirlpool or take a swim while three 16-foot stone elephants stand guard. Sports-minded passengers will love the two uppermost decks, which feature a putting green, a rock-climbing wall, a multi-purpose sports court and the ShipShape fitness center. After a day of relaxing at the full-service spa, head to the Aurora Theatre for a star-studded show. The same careful attention has been paid to the quality and variety of meals onboard the Radiance. Cascades, with its namesake waterfall, is the main dining room. Steak-lovers will enjoy Chops Grille, the ship's reservation-only steakhouse, but for lighter fare there's the open-air Windjammer Cafe. Techies and those who can't live without e-mail will no doubt spend some time at Royal Caribbean Online, the ship's computing center.
Montevideo, is nestled on the north shore of the River de la Plata. The best view of the city is from the top of town hall. The most prominent sites here are the statues of the country's heroes scattered throughout the town. The grandest of them all, a 30-ton equestrian statue, sits in Independence Square, while the others fill the local parks. The top excursions include a city tour and an all-day ranch visit.
One of South America's trendiest resorts, Punta del Este is Uruguay's summer retreat. The glistening beaches offer an array of water sports, including swimming, skiing, wind surfing and water surfing. Deep-sea fishing and yachting excursions are available, and a boat ride to Isla de los Lobos lets you see hundreds of thousands of southern fur seals as they romp in the water.
The sea meets the rough, wild coastal woods in Porto Belo and surrounding beaches. This resort in southern Brazil is known for its beauty and year-round warm waters.
Ihabela, Brazil's largest maritime island is a water-sports paradise. Blessed with miles of beautiful beaches, the island contains hundreds of waterfalls that flow throughout the lush rain forest and rocky peaks of its interior.
Salvadore, Sun worshippers revel in the beauty of the beaches at Piata and Itapoa. For sightseeing, the best bet is a city tour that includes the old town, the Mercado Modelo and the museum of candomble saints in Pelourinho Square. Most tourists leave here with a ribbon from the shrine of Bonfim tied around a wrist, good for three wishes if worn until it falls off.
Ilheus, a working port city surrounded by five rivers and a series of bays, lagoons and waterways. The center of the city is located between hills and a small harbor that overlooks one of the best beaches in Bahia. It's worth the visit to explore many of the stately and elegant cocoa plantation buildings established in the 1500s.
Búzios, a land of year-round summer, is covered with more than 20 magnificent beaches and a sculptured landscape with exotic vegetation. Elected one of the 10 most beautiful areas in the world, Búzios is famous for its unique combination of rustic charm, architectural harmony, incredible beauty and sophisticated boutiques and restaurants.
Rio, a colorful city lined by long stretches of magnificent beaches. It is famous for its annual Carnival, held in the weeks before Ash Wednesday. Passengers who visit during Carnival can be shuttled to and from the port for the festivities. The most popular excursions include cable car rides up Sugar Loaf Mountain, cog train trips up Corcovado Mountain, and drives through the tropical jungle of Tijuca.
Sao Paulo A lively seaside city with miles of clean beach, Santos has several museums, an interesting cemetery and cultural centers that showcase plays and other events. See tropical species of birds and vegetation at the public orchid garden, and catch locals riding the waves or practicing "capoeira" -- a sport combining music, dance and martial arts -- at the extreme sports school. Mingle at the collection of kiosks in front of Embare Church, a popular place to see and be seen. Santos is Latin America's largest port and the gateway to the enigmatic city of Sao Paulo, where the streets are filled with herbalists, fortune-tellers and sidewalk entertainers performing all sorts of tricks. The trip to Sao Paulo takes passengers to the top of the tallest building for a panoramic view of the city, the cathedral and the Butantan Institute snake farm.
