Your 49 night long cruise will begin in Southampton. Setting sail on January 4th, and arriving in Artimis on 22nd February, you’ll visit 19 ports in 12 different countries on your way.

The first stop is Lisbon, Portugal, some of the best views of the capital are as your ship cruises along the Tagus River past the Belem Tower and the statue of Henry the Navigator before arriving at the Lisbon cruise terminal. You’ll get to spend a full day here, then it’s on to Tripoli in Libya. Tripoli is a typical north African city full of narrow streets. In town you’ll find plenty to see, but really the best treasures here mean a trip out into the nearby desert.

Next stop is Port Said in Egypt, and with a full day here, there’s plenty of time for excursions to Cairo to get a glimpse of the Giza pyramids, or visit the tombs of the Pharaohs and the famous Sphinx. From port Said, you’ll transit the Suez Canal, arriving next in Aquaba, Africa, a day spent here, then it’s on to Salalah with it’s Arabic influences, ancient ruins, stunning beaches and soaring mountain landscape.

Muscat in Oman, and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates follows. In both you’ll find a stunning mixture of older traditional architecture, and modern buildings thrown together in contrast. The effect is stunning, and, with a day to spend in each place, you’ll have plenty of time to take a trip to see the magnificent Burj Al Arab Hotel which is designed to resemble a billowing sail and stands 321 metres tall and dominates the Dubai coastline.

Your cruise ship will take you on now to India where you’ll make stops in Mumbai, and Cochin each of which is special in its own way. Mumbai has the famous Chor Bazaar, a place any bargain hunter will enjoy. In Cochin there is plenty to see, but make sure you spend some time travelling the canals leading off the Vembavad Lake where you’ll see fishermen and their families living as they’ve done for centuries past.

Port Kelang in Malaysia comes next, and then it’s on to Singapore for your first glimpses of China. Once ashore you can take a stroll through the Tiger Balm Gardens and see statues of characters from Chinese legend peeping from between the trees.

Two days spent in Vietnam at VungTau and then Nhu Trang which is rich in history. One of their most sacred sites the Towers of Po Nagar dating from the 7th Century is a popular place to visit, as is the beautiful Long Son Pagoda. Then it’s back to China, this time to explore Hong Kong where you can take the Star Ferry between Kowloon and Hong Kong island and experience one of the worlds busiest ferry crossings.

Next, two days of visiting Japan, then a quick jaunt to Pusan in South Korea, and its back to China to see Xingang and Shanghai one of China’s largest and most cosmopolitan cities. The Temple of the Jade Buddha here is a must, as is the Shanghai Museum where you can peruse Chinese works of art and learn about China’s vivid history. Finally, it’s back to Hong Kong once more where you’ll leave the Artimis ready to fly home with many memories to carry with you.

You can get cruises to china with Royal Caribbean Cruises and Cunard Cruises