FROM the pyramids of Giza and archaeological marvels of Petra to Roman architectural treasures and Gothic marvels in Barcelona, the wonders of the ancient world are waiting to be explored. Let The Senior take you there!
The Dubai to Southampton voyage aboard Cunard's luxury liner Queen Mary 2 will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the exotic cultures of Dubai, Oman, Petra and Egypt, cruise on the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal, and finally visit the European jewels of Italy, Portugal and England.
The fully-escorted tour with The Senior newspaper and Travelrite International leaves on March 21, 2019. returning April 17.
Starting with four days based in Dubai, with plenty of time for shopping and a dinner in the desert (including a 4WD tour through the sand dunes), the tour includes a day trip from Dubai to Abu Dhabi - capital of the United Arab Emirates. Here you can visit the new Louvre Museum and the Falcon Hospital, the world's foremost falcon welfare institution, and have the chance to hold a bird of prey and visit a free-flight aviary.
After boarding the Queen Mary 2, there are two days at sea to explore the facilities of the ship - one of the world's great liners.
The first stop is at the Oman port of Salalah on the frankincense coast. Smell the famed fragrance of frankincense - once a most precious export worth more than its weight in gold - on a sightseeing tour.
After cruising through the Red Sea the ship calls in to the port of Aqaba in Jordan for a sightseeing tour to the ancient city of Petra, one of the most famous architectural sites in the world.
Carved directly from the rock by the Nabateans around 300BC, the site is more recently known for being filmed in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Accessed via a narrow canyon, it contains tombs and temples carved into pink sandstone cliffs. Its most famous structure is 45-metre-high Al Khazneh temple with an ornate Greek-style facade.
From here it's onto Egypt, arriving in the port town of Suez.
Travelling through the desert to the Nile River on a sightseeing trip to Cairo, the tour visits Giza to see the pyramids. Built by the pharaohs more than 4500 years ago, there's a chance to also see the Sphinx and go on a guided tour of these ancient buildings as well as visit Cairo Museum to see the treasures of the tomb of Tutankhamen.
After transiting the Suez Canal from the Red Sea, the cruise enters the Mediterranean leg of the journey, stopping at the ancient Cypriot city of Limassol - home to a castle and medieval museum - before reaching the Italian port of Civitavecchia and travelling by coach to Rome.
A sightseeing tour of the Italian capital takes in the highlights including the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain.
The cruise arrives in Barcelona on day 20. The capital of Catalonia, it is the second largest city in Spain and home to the medieval Gothic Quarter and the architecture of Antonio Gaudi, including the Sagrada Familia - the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church in the world.
In Lisbon, on the banks of the River Tagus, passengers can explore the charm of the Portuguese capital with strong links to the past present in its renovated palaces, magnificent churches and impressive castle.
There's also a visit to the town of Sintra, home to the Royal Palace and monuments dating back to the voyages of discovery.
The cruise ends in the English port of Southampton, leaving two days to explore the delights of London.
Before arriving at the capital, there's a visit to Windsor Castle - the official residence of the Queen and where Prince Harry and Megan Markle will tie the knot in May.
Cruise price includes travel on the Queen Mary 2 with all meals, entertainment and onboard service charges, plus economy-class flights from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth to Dubai and from London back to Australia.
There are three nights' accommodation in Dubai and one night in London including breakfast and also selected sightseeing tours.
Wonders of the Ancient World, Dubai to Southampton cruise, is priced from $9999 per person twin share.
For more information, a full colour brochure or to book on this amazing tour give the friendly staff at Travelrite a call on 1800-630-343.