Mediterranean Cruise on Celebrity's Solstice

12 nights roundtrip from/to Barcelona, Spain

August 27–September 8, 2012
Celebrity's Solstice

Join Pied Piper Travel on this unique voyage to France, Italy and Croatia and the beautiful Mediterranean. Our cruise will sail round trip out of gay-friendly Barcelona on the new ultra-stylish Celebrity ship, Solstice! You'll bask in the golden Mediterranean sun while you visit popular ports of call. This Pied Piper gay group cruise will be a perfect combination of culture, breathtaking natural landscapes and modern urban capitals.

All this is yours while you are pampered with gracious service, gourmet dining, and numerous venues for entertainment on one of the newest and most up-to-date luxury cruise ships - Celebrity's Solstice.

Celebrity's Solstice

As you stroll among the expansive decks, you'll experience the rich color palettes illuminated by beautiful natural light, and revel in the extensive amenities - all delivered with the attentive service for which Celebrity Cruises is renowned. Celebrity Solstice is built around you and the way you long to travel. Voyage with us, on the newest of our Solstice-class of ships, and discover a refined level of elegance - an unrivaled experience making a distinctive statement of style and design. We invite you to learn more about the new features and venues as details are revealed.

Celebrity Cruises' largest vessel, the Celebrity Solstice, made her grand debut in winter 2008, offering many genuine cruise industry firsts. Celebrity Solstice is to be the next grand addition to the Celebrity Cruises fleet. And it was to be the first of four Solstice-class ships, weighing a mighty 122,000 tonnes with a capacity of 2,852 passengers.

Let Solstice tantalize your palate with our award-winning cuisine. Prepared by world-renowned chefs, our culinary delights are made from scratch using only the finest, fresh ingredients. From casual eateries like the Aqua Spa Cafe serving light, healthy fare to specialty restaurants where meals are prepared tableside, there are choices sure to please those with even the most discerning tastes. Enjoy indoor dining in our smoke-free environments or outdoor dining poolside. Aboard Celebrity, the choice is yours.

Aboard Solstice, you'll find unlimited opportunities to indulge your interests. Attend an informative onboard lecture, discover unique treasures in our upscale boutiques or test your love for competition. Collect fine pieces of art during an onboard auction.

Celebrity Solstice was the first Celebrity ship to feature AquaClass cabins. These spacious veranda staterooms, located on the prestigious Penthouse Deck, have been designed exclusively for spa lovers. All 130 AquaClass rooms will feature a 53-square-ft balcony and will provide guests with unlimited access to the nearby AquaSpa relaxation room and the Persian Garden – an exotic aromatherapy steam room.

AquaClass passengers will also be entitled to complimentary dining in Blu, a chic boutique restaurant that will be in keeping with the rest of the ship's chic minimalist décor.

If you love to stay active, Celebrity has an abundance of entertaining activities to keep you moving day and night, regardless of your skill level. Whether you're looking for spirited competition, mind-bender challenges or just love the fun of a themed dance party, Solstice has it all. Your vacation experience can be filled with as many activities as you have the energy for. Your "Celebrity Today" daily program is delivered each night and serves as your map to a treasure of fun & exciting activities taking place onboard.

Barcelona, Spain

There's nothing quite like Barcelona. Especially if you consider the architecture. The city lays claim to its very own form of Art Nouveau, known as Modernisme. The Sagrada Familia Basilica is perhaps the best example of this beautiful and interesting brand of architecture, with its bold color, beautiful tile-work and swirling lines. At the same time, many find the work at the Picasso Museum and the cathedrals of the Gothic Quarter equally inspiring.

Cathedral of Barcelona
The city's superb 600-year-old gothic cathedral lies at the heart of the Barri Gotic.

Church of La Sagrada Familia
Gaudí's unfinished cathedral is the architect's masterpiece.

La Pedrera
Barcelona's great architect Antonio Gaudí designed this commercial and residential building.

Las Ramblas
No visit to Barcelona would be complete without a visit to Las Ramblas - Barcelona's famed shopping area alive and colourful with flower stalls and cafés. This unique and colourful boulevard runs from Placa Catalunya to the port.

Mirador Del Alcalde
This viewpoint near the 1992 Olympic Ring offers panoramic views of the city and harbour.

Montserrat
The 1,000-year-old Benedictine Abbey is the region's spiritual centre surrounded by mountains and home to the famed "Black Madonna."

Nice (Villefranche), France

This bustling little town on the coast of France has its own unique charm. Part of the Côte d'Azur Villefranche offers long sandy beaches, terrace cafés, and world-class cuisine, making it a great stop on your way to Monte Carlo, Nice, or Cannes.

Nice, Queen of the Riviera, is imbued with the joie de vivre that epitomizes this fabled coastline. Perhaps it is that famous light and color that has long attracted artists, that makes one feel so alive, makes a stroll down the wide seaside Promenade des Anglais so exhilarating. The old town is a warren of meandering lanes edged by tall houses, and small, alluring shops. A treasure trove of archaeological and fine art museums is not to be ignored, nor is the famous flower market, awash in the heady scent and glowing hues of blossoms, and amazing displays of produce.

Florence / Pisa, Italy

Occupying both banks of the Arno River and situated at the foot of the Apennine Mountains, is Florence. Founded by Julius Caesar himself, Florence is known as the birthplace of the Renaissance. History and art shake hands in this picturesque land where masterpieces like Michelangelo's David can be seen in the city's many museums, churches and galleries.

Church of Santa Croce
Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo, and Rossini - are buried in this 14th-century church, a superb example of Florentine Gothic architecture.

Field of Miracles
Pisa's grand plaza is the site of the city's Duomo and the Leaning Tower.

Leaning Tower of Pisa
The famous campanile has been leaning over the Field of Miracles ever since construction began.

Piazza Della Signoria
Della Signoria - This magnificent town square displays a copy of the David along with sculptures by Cellini.

Ponte Vecchio
Florence's most famous bridge is home to the medieval gold and silver guilds.

The Duomo and Baptistery
Brunelleschi designed the massive dome that graces the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. The Piazza del Duomo is also the site of the Baptistery, renowned for its massive bronze doors designed by Ghiberti.

Tuscan Wineries
Tuscany is the home of Chianti and the acclaimed Brunello de Montalcino.

Uffizi Museum and Gallery
The world's oldest museum is a treasure house of classical and Renaissance art, including paintings and sculpture by Botticelli, Da Vinci, Giotto, Michelangelo, Rafael, and Titian.

Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Once the center of the ancient world from which emperors ruled over nearly all of western civilization for hundreds of years, Rome is still considered by many to reign over all other European destinations. Here you can breathe the air once breathed by great Roman gladiators in the ancient halls of the Colosseum. Gaze upon the very ceilings Michelangelo painted at the Sistine Chapel. Or visit a monument to both size and faith, St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church ever built.

Colosseum
Completed 80 A.D., the circus was home to centuries of gladiatorial combats and featured 76 numbered entrances, marble seats and subterranean passages, where animals and apparatus were kept. The arena floor could be flooded to host naval combats.

Roman Forum
The ruins of the forum stand in mute testimony to what Byron described as the "grandeur that was Rome".

Sistine Chapel
The gem of the Vatican Museum is the celebrated chapel that is home to Michelangelo's frescoes 'The Creation' and 'The Last Judgement'.

Spanish Steps
The heart of Rome's old Bohemian Quarter (Keats and Shelley lived nearby), the steps take their name from the 16th century Spanish Embassy to the Holy Sea. Today the area surrounding Piazza Espagna is the city's chic shopping district.

St.Peter's Basilica
By far the largest church in the world, St. Peter's Basilica took more than 100 years to build. Some of the greatest figures of the Renaissance were employed in its creation, from Bramante and Bernini to Michelangelo and Raphael.

Trevi Fountain
Blue-green water cascades over the Baroque figures of Rome's most famous fountain. Follow custom and toss a coin into the fountain, a gesture that insures your return to the Eternal City.

Vatican City
The spiritual and administrative centre of Roman Catholicism is also one of the smallest independent states in the world. The Vatican mints its own coins, prints its own stamps, and maintains its own army of Swiss Guards.

Naples/Capri, Italy

Located on the southern coast of Italy, Naples has spectacular scenery that attracts artists from around the world. From this key spot, you can embark on a trip to the ruins of Pompeii or shop the many boutiques of Sorrento. You may work up an appetite for one of Naples' greatest inventions - pizza - invented to honor the Queen of Italy in 1889.

Pompeii
The ancient Roman resort was buried in ash during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

Capri
This gem in the Bay of Naples has been a popular destination since the days of the Caesars.

Amalfi Coast
The Amalfi Coast, stretching from Sorrento to Salerno, is one of the most stunning coastal drives in the world.

Positano
Jumbles of whitewashed and pastel-coloured houses make this one of the most photogenic villages on the Amalfi Coast.

Sorrento
Set along the cliff tops, the flower-filled town is the gateway to both Capri and the Amalfi Coast.

Villa San Michele
This lovely garden villa is found in Capri's village of Anacapri.

Herculaneum
Like Pompeii, Herculaneum was buried during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

Kotor, Montenegro

The town of Kotor is a true gem that can be found nestled on the sparkling Adriatic. Its imposing city walls that zigzag 2 ½ miles up steep mountains add to its rugged charm. There is something for everyone is this town deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site: museums, history, monuments, restaurants, medieval architecture, and ancient churches galore. Take a slow stroll down its narrow streets that have inspired artists for centuries and find the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, a monument of Roman culture, and one of the most recognizable symbols of the city.

Venice, Italy

One of the world's most beautiful cities also happens to be one of its most unusual. Venice is actually made up of over 120 islands in the Adriatic Sea. Because the city is connected by canals instead of streets, a good way to see Venice is on a romantic gondola ride. The epicenter of the city is St. Mark's Square, where you'll find the 900-year-old Basilica of St. Mark.

Doges Palace
Discover its gothic arches and delicate marble façade and see the opulent interior allowing the lavishly decorated rooms, golden staircase, and Venetian masterpieces to dazzle you. Venture into the gloomier Palace Prisons via the sorrowful Bridge of Sighs.

Gondola Ride
View the city from the famous canals by taking a memorable gondola ride, an essential trip during your visit.

Murano
In the 16th century this little island became the centre for the most spectacular glass making production in Europe and perhaps the world. See artists at work during a glass making demonstration and browse the gallery.

St.Mark's Square
Relax and enjoy a coffee whilst overlooked by beautiful historic buildings in one of the most enchanting public spaces in the world.

St.Mark's Basilica
Venice's Catholic cathedral is of Byzantine architecture and the magnificent gold mosaics, sculptures and relics will amaze all who visit.

Dubrovnik, Crotia

This charming little town has been resting on the Dalmation Coast for some 1,300 years. Once you pass through Old Town's stone walls, you will be transported into the breathtaking medieval world of Stari Grad. Marble-paved squares, monasteries and fountains are just a few of the antiquities still standing just as they were over a thousand years ago.

Pile Gate
The Pile Gate is the fortified old city's western gate.

City Walls
Originating in the 10th century you may still walk the city walls.

Franciscan Monastery
The 14th century monastery is famed for its elegant cloisters and its collection of ancient manuscripts.

Pharmacy
Part of the Franciscan Monastery, the pharmacy is considered the oldest working pharmacy in Europe.

Rector's Palace
The 15th-century palace was the seat of government for the Republic of Dubrovnik.

Cathedral and Treasury
Dubrovnik's ornate, cruciform Baroque cathedral features an altarpiece by Titian and a superb collection of silver and gold reliquaries.

Stradun
Paved in stone, the wide Stradun is the main pedestrian street in the heart of the old city.

Dominican Monastery
The monastery boasts a fine collection of Renaissance art including frescoes by Paolo Veneziano and a painting by Titian.

Cavtat
This seaside resort is a favourite destination for the international yachting set.