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Join your fellow alums as we travel to exciting destinations around the world. Whether your interests run to the exotic (like an African safari), or destinations steeped in history (such as a trip exploring ancient Roman history or a cruise on the inland Russian waterways), or an Asian adventure to China and beyond, or even a week in our great National Parks out West, we have something for you. Take a look at our program and discover the joys of traveling with fellow alums. (Don’t just take our word for it – have a look at the trip reports from some of the alums that have traveled with us in the past – see below.)
Some of our past adventures have included:
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Alumni, friends, and family pose for a photo in Riomaggiore, one of the five towns that comprise the famed "Cinque Terre" region on the Italian Riviera. Pictured are (L to R): Stuart and Judy Teitelbaum; Debbie and Bob Kessler; Kay Henry; Al and Eileen Clark, Kit Wilson (Kay's mother); Michael Wellner, RAA Travel Director and his better half Sheryl Linen; Dr. Dick MacDowell and his wife Barbara. Click here for a trip report on the 2007 tour of the Italian Riviera.
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In April 2009, alumni enjoyed a trip to Holland and Belgium aboard the M/V Switzerland II. Click here for a trip report and photos.
Two trips to Italy in 2006: In April, 32 alumni, friends, and family spent a delightful week in Sestri Levante, a resort town in Liguria (click here for a full report) on the Adriatic Coast (just south of Genoa); then in June, 21 alumni and friends went to Tuscany for a fabulous week of cooking lessons, wine and balsamic vinegar tastings, sightseeing, and much more (read about it here).
In the Fall of ’05 fifty alums ventured to China for 3 weeks (click here for a fascinating travelogue about the trip written by Basil Whiting '60), and a dozen spent a week in Provence (click here for a Provence trip report).
We are always looking for new ideas and suggestions for future trips. If you have an idea that you’d like to share with us, please click here. |
...and don't forget these travel benefits available to all Rensselaer alums!
1. Travel insurance–just in case No matter where you are headed, travel insurance will give you peace of mind before you depart and while on tour. Our program covers:
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Medical expenses
- Medical evacuation
- Baggage loss and delay
- Accidental death
- 24-hour emergency assistance
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Remember, it is not only your own health that you should consider, but those of your loved ones as well. You may be completely healthy, but should a parent, child, or any family member become ill or be involved in an accident, and you need to cancel your trip to care for them, our insurance will cover you. Click here for complete information.
3. Customized Tour Programs: Are you are looking for a custom-tailored trip or tour for your group (fraternity brothers, family members, church group or friends)? We can help you plan for that special occasion! Contact Michael Wellner '64 at captmike46@alum.rpi.edu or call (212) 486-3064 with your request. |
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Trish and Rudy Bergfield '49 and William and Alice Lindsay '48 during the Antebellum South cruise. |
Now here's the line up for our 2009 programs:
- The Blue Danube (Sept. 28 – Oct. 12). Napoleon called the Danube “The King of Europe’s Rivers,” for it flows through the heart of this historic continent. Join us as we cruise on the beautiful MS Swiss Diamond, from Passau (Germany, near Munich) all the way to Giurgiu, (Romania, near Bucharest). Along the way we’ll see Europe as you have not done before. Architectural marvels and engineering feats abound, from Melk Abbey, one of the finest baroque buildings in the world, to the Emperor Trajan’s 19-arch bridge. We’ll see the vineyard-clad Wachau valley, the picturesque Danube bend, and the awe-inspiring Iron Gate Gorge. The “Blue Danube” is truly an inspiration at every turn, and there is no better way to experience all of it than from your own accommodations aboard this first-class river cruiser. We’ll visit Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, and Belgrade among many others. Two nights in Bucharest at the deluxe five-star InterContinental Hotel are included. Click here for further details.
- Literary Heritage Tour of London (September 30 - October 8*): So many greats of the literary world have resided in England: William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Virginia Woolf, and Charles Dickens to name only a few. Join us as we visit the places where they lived and worked, and the settings from which they drew their inspiration. We'll fly to London, and first spend two nights in the world-famous university town of Oxford, with its renowned Old Bodleian Library. Then we'll stop at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, enroute to Torquay (the "English Riviera"), where we'll spend two nights. It was here that Agatha Christie spent a large part of her life. Next er head off through Dorsett, setting for Thomas Hardy's "Return of the Native," and then to Winchester for the next two nights' stay. This is the home of Jane Austen, and we'll spend ample time in this lovely area. Finally it's off to London, where the highlight is a visit to Westminster Abbey, a must-see living pageant of British history. And we'll even have time for a night at the theatre. This is one trip all Anglophiles won't want to miss! Prices begin at $3,149 per person, including round-trip airfare. For more information visit www.alumnitravelunlimited.com.
*This trip will alsp operate on June 5th and September 29th, 2010.
- Budapest, Vienna & Prague (Oct. 1 – 11). These three capitals are (or certainly should be) on almost everyone’s list of must-see places in Europe. Rich in history and tradition, laden with architectural gems, and ever so slightly off the beaten path, these cities should not be missed. Join us as we fly to Budapest, spend three nights there at the Hilton hotel, then travel by deluxe motorcoach to Vienna (where we’ll stay at the InterContinental), and finally spend three nights in Prague at the Radisson SAS Alcron hotel. We’ll see the most outstanding landmarks in each, with enough leisure time to allow visiting those sights that interest you the most. We’ll also have a chance to spend time in Bratislava, capital of the Slovak Republic, en route from Budapest to Vienna. You haven’t really seen the best of Europe until you’ve been to Budapest, Prague and Vienna. Join us as we travel to these outstanding capitals with our fellow alums. Click here for further details.
- Beijing City Stay (Oct. 18 – 27). It would be hard to name any more important city on the world scene today than this capital of China. With a current population of more than 17 million, and a history that dates back some three thousand years, Beijing is at the heart of the country that will surely by a key player the world in the 21st Century. Join us for this opportunity to spend a week in this most amazing and fascinating place. We’ll start by visiting Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, and travel on to the Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll have the chance to actually walk along a portion of the 3,700-mile long Great Wall, and travel through the Valley of the Ming Tombs. We’ll even get to the Beijing Zoo, home of the famous pandas. If you have never been to China before, here is a great opportunity for a relatively quick and easy trip – at a very reasonable price: Just $899 land-only (without airfare), or $2,529 including round-trip airfare and all departure taxes and fuel surcharges.
- Provence & Southern France (Oct 20 – 28). Just say the name Provence, and immediately images of olive and citrus groves, vineyards along the banks of the Rhone, fields of fragrant lavender and pristine beaches. Roman ruins and fascinating villages dot the hillsides, and there are architectural sights everywhere. Here we’ll spend four nights in the wonderful city of Avignon, home of the Palace of the Popes, and filled with the sights and sounds of the area. We’ll enjoy a luncheon cruise on the Rhone, and then head to Nice, for four nights, where we’ll have a chance to see such storied sights as St-Paul-de-Vence, Monaco (it really is smaller than New York’s Central Park), the Chagall Museum, and Cap-Ferrat. (A personal note: Sheryl & I just returned from a week in Provence, and we both agreed that this is one of the best spots on earth!) What could be better than enjoying it with your fellow alums? Click here for further details.
- Incomparable London (October 22 - 28 or October 29 - Nov 4): Britain is the most popular European destination for American travelers, and there are so many reasons why. Its capital, London, provides a colorful feast of history, beauty and culture. One of the friendliest cities in the world, London brims with regal historical sites, world-class museums, leafy parks, cozy pubs, and theatre to rival that of New York's Broadway. Joiun us as we see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace; walk the ancient halls at Westminster Abbey; listen for the chmis of Big Ben at the Houses of Parliament; and see the famed Tower of london where so many of England's royalty quite literally lost their heads. And don't forget the Crown Jewels. London truly has something for everyone. And now you can go at a price that is as amazing as the city itself. Only $1,599 per person, including airfare*, 5 nights in a first-class hotel, round-trip airport transfers, all hotel service charges and taxes, and more. (*Air departure taxes of approximtely $125 pp are extra; the Oct. 22nd departure is from Chicago, Dallas, Houston, or New York; the Oct 29th departure is from Atlanta, Minneapolis/St. Paul, or Detroit.) For additional information: www.gonext.com.
And Here's A First Look at Our Programs for 2010
- A fabulous cruise on Oceania Cruise Line's Regatta through the Panama Canal (Feb 9 - 25). Here is one of the great bargainjs in cruising, to a destination that should appeal to all RPI Engineers (and the not-so-technical as well). Oceania Cruises specializes in up-scale small (only 684 passengers) ships, featuring superb service, an intimate convivial atmosphere, and staterooms that provide nearly all the comforts of home. Cuisine is under the supervision of the world-famous chef Jacques Pepin. There are six separate dining venues aboard, as well as 24-hour room service. You'll find that every aspect of your stay aboard is truly remarkable. We'll sail from the Port of Los Angeles, head down the west coast of Mexico, stopping at Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Huatulco, Puerto Chiapas, and Puntarenas (Costa Rica), before heading through the Panama Canal, and then into Cartagena, before going on to Key West, and finally arriving in Miami. And prices start at just $2,799 per person, which includes a $1,000 per stateroom price reduction, a $500 per stateroom shipboard credit, and all shipboard gratuities --- if reservations are made before April 14, 2009. This is a fantastic opportunity on a great ship at an unbelievable price. Don't miss it! Visit www.gonext.com for further details.
For more information on any of the programs,
contact the alumni office at alumni@rpi.edu, call (518)-276-6205,
or e-mail Michael Wellner ’64 at captmike46@alum.rpi.edu or call 1-212-486-3064. |
