Dear Members and Friends of The Royal Oak Foundation,

      You are cordially invited to cruise the turquoise waters of the Ionian and Adriatic seas at a lovely time of year. Sailing aboard the elegant Sea Cloud II from Naples to Venice, navigating the boot of Italy and the Dalmatian coast, we will discover remote pine-clad islands and historic towns and villages that were once centers of the Greco-Roman, Byzantine and Renaissance worlds.
      We are delighted that Martin Drury, CBE, distinguished Director-General Emeritus of the British National Trust, will be traveling with us. His enlightening lectures will focus on the Venetian Empire and its impact on the cities along the shores of the eastern Mediterranean. Also joining us as lecturer from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, will be Joan Macy Kaskell, who has a special interest in Italian Renaissance painting. Onboard concerts by a virtuoso pianist will further enhance our voyage. 
      A two-night stay in Naples is highlighted by visits to the National Archaeological Museum and the ruins of Pompeii. Then Sea Cloud II sets sail for the Aeolian archipelago and the small island of Lipari with a history dating from the Neolithic age. Continuing to Sicily, we arrive at Syracuse, which once surpassed Athens as the most important city in antiquity. In Syracuse we are invited for a private visit to the historic Palazzo Bellomo.
      Following a relaxed day at sea, we arrive on the Italian coast, for a drive to Lecce, whose baroque honey-colored buildings resemble an opera set. Sailing the Adriatic towards Croatia, we enter the dramatic Gulf of Kotor, a spectacular and little-visited fjord. Then we visit the walled city of Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose main avenue, La Placa, has remained unchanged for 400 years. Sea Cloud II then anchors at the sunny coastal town of Split for a visit to this historic port, before sailing into the breathtaking Venetian Lagoon. After disembarkation in Venice, an optional two-night postlude is offered in La Serenissima, to explore the Palladian architecture and to see the works of the Venetian masters.
     Life aboard Sea Cloud II has no comparison. Her friendly staff, luxurious accommodations and fine dining create an onboard ambiance of relaxed elegance. Her spacious decks are ideal for watching the energetic crew practice the age-old art of setting the sails by hand.
      Co-sponsored with The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, this voyage will be shared in the congenial company of seventy-five travelers with similar appreciations and interests. I hope you will join us.

Sincerely,

John Oddy
Executive Director