15-Day Swiss Alps, Venice & Greek Islands Cruise Tour Sept.24-Oct.8, 2017

Transcription

1 \ 15-Day Swiss Alps, Venice & Greek Islands Cruise Tour Sept.24-Oct.8, 2017 Journey from Swiss Alps to the Greek Islands with Collins Tours! Day 1 - Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017 Home Overnight flight to Zurich, Switzerland Welcome to the beginning of this 15 day Amazaing experience to Switzerland, Italian Lakes, Venice Italy, and the Greek Islands. All passengers will meet their Tour Manager and join fellow travelers at Toronto airport for their group flight to Zurich. Passengers traveling from different cities will have their flight to Toronto included (inquire with Collins Tours staff to find nearest available airport). All passengers are flying on Air Canada flights. PLEASE NOTE: ALL PASSENGERS ARE REQUIRED to pay the airline any fees associated with checking a bag, as this is is not included in the tour price. Your luggage payment is paid directly to the airline. Fees will be charged on both the outbound and return flights if applicable. Be sure to have your *valid passport for Customs & Immigration. For all flights, be aware of rules concerning traveling with any liquids or gels with most security. Day 2 - Monday, Sept. 25, 2017 Zurich, Switzerland Arrive in the Zurich airport, the largest in Switzerland. After clearing customs, we proceed to the baggage carousel to collect our luggage. We then make our way to our private deluxe motor coach where your driver will help load your luggage. Baggage handling when we arrive at the hotel is included. Arrive mid afternoon at the Sheraton Hotel Zurich. Note: Check in is not guaranteed until 3:00 p.m. Early check in has been requested. Join us for a welcome reception at hotel (time TBA) for 1 hour for a brief orientation and to get to know fellow group travellers. Dinner this evening is on your own with pleanty of options just steps away from our fabulous city centre hotel. Time to relax or explore this beautiful city nestled in the Alps. Founded by the Romans in the 1 st century, today it is widley considered the cultural capital of Switzerland. Day 3 - Tuesday, Sept. 26, Zurich, Switzerland (B,D)

2 Tentative Itinerary: 15-Day Swiss Alps, Venice & Greek Islands Cruise Tour Enjoy a delicious Swiss buffet breakfast this morning (included). Everyone should be well-rested and ready to meet your tour manager at 9:30 a.m. for a 3-hour professionally guided sightseeing tour of Zurich (included). Visit the city s most popular landmarks, including the Old Town (Altsdadt), the many churches & Lindenhof Square. After the tour has ended you will be transferred back to the hotel. Perhaps you could enjoy lunch in one of the many cafés or restaurants on the waterfront (on own) or spend the afternoon shopping and sightseeing. Tonight (time TBA), meet your tour manager in the hotel lobby and be transferred to a nearby restaurant to sample some delectable local cuisine for your group welcome dinner with a complimentary glass of wine or beer (included). Enjoy new company and a fine meal as we toast to the beginning of a fantastic voyage. Day 4 Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017 Zurich Stresa, Italy (B) Enjoy another delicious Swiss buffet breakfast this morning before our early morning check-out & departure (Exact time TBA) Travel by premium motorcoach across the mountainous border from Switzerland to the Lake Maggiore region of Italy. Stop for lunch along the way in the charming town of Lucarno (lunch on own) Afternoon arrival is expected at the Hotel Regina Palace on the edge of the lake Maggiore. Again your Tour Manager will handle check-in for your group and have your luggage delivered to your room. The rest of the afternoon and evening are open for you to explore this unique and picturesque area of Italy. Day 5 - Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 Stresa, Italy (B,D) Wake up this morning and enjoy a delightful Italian buffet breakfast in our magnificent hotel. Today s highlight is our cruise tour of Lake Maggiore, which will visit several of the islands within the lake and offer fantastic vantage points of mountainous backdrops over quaint Italian lakeside villages. Enjoy the afternoon at your leisure in these beautiful surroundings or take in the spa or indoor pool at our hotel! Tonight we will meet (time & location TBA) to have another included group dinner with your fellow travellers and tour manager (included). After dinner we will return to the fabulous Hotel Regina Palace for our 2nd overnight leaving you with pleanty of time to relax or explore this beautiful lakeside town. 2

3 Tentative Itinerary: 15-Day Swiss Alps, Venice & Greek Islands Cruise Tour Day 6 - Friday, Sept. 29, Stresa - Venice, Italy. Enjoy another delightful Italian buffet breakfast in this stunningly picturesque setting before we depart this amazing lakeside retreat and make our way to Venice. Venice is the capital of northern Italy s Veneto region, it is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. It has no roads, just canals including the Grand Canal thoroughfare lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile bell tower offering views of the city s red roofs. We check into the amazing and 4 start Hotel Splendid Venice late afternoon allowing you pleanty of time to explore this unique city at your lesiure. Located only 7 min walk from St. Marks Square and minutes away from the Rialto Bridge, this hotel will be sure to please all who stay with us! Perhaps a romantic gondola ride is of interest to you? You may also want to try some of the numerous authentic Italian restaurants just steps away for your hotel. (on own) Day 7 - Saturday, Sept. 30, Venice, Italy (B) Enjoy a delightful Venetian breakfast before we depart on our 3.5 hour professionally guided sightseeing tour of Venice via watertaxi where 117 islands are connected by a latticework of 150 canals and 400 bridges. Highlights include a glass blowing demonstration at the Murano Glass factory on Murano Island, as well as a visit to St. Mark s Square where our local expert takes you on a walking tour of the Basilica, Doge s Palace and the legendary Bridge of Sighs. We will then leave everyone at St. Marks Square in the heart of Venice for lunch on own or you can return back to our fabulous hotel mid afternoon allowing you time to enjoy your afternoon siesta (riposo). Tonight join us for our optional Collins Tours group dinner "Italian by Night" (additional charges apply, cost TBA). This will be an amazing Italian dining experience unlike any other during your tour with wine included and overlooking the canals of Venice! Once we return to our hotel the remainder of the evening is yours to enjoy. Day 8 - Sunday, Oct. 1, Venice, Italy - Embark NCL Star for 7 night Greek Isles Cruise. Enjoy your final delightful Italian Venetian buffet breakfast before we check-out and enjoy our transfer to the cruise terminal to begin our embarkation process. All aboard the Norwegian Star for your 8 -day Greek Isles Cruise! Private Transfers from our hotel to the pier are included. We expect to be on board by mid morning in time to enjoy lunch on the ship (included in cruise package). Bag handling fees are included. Note: Your Collins Tours team has completed the check in process for you! All part of 3

4 Tentative Itinerary: 15-Day Swiss Alps, Venice & Greek Islands Cruise Tour our signature group tour experience. Cast off for Corfu, Greece at 6:00 p.m.refer to ship s itinerary for exciting entertainment and dining options, during your first night aboard the NCL Star. The Norwegian Star offers plenty of delicious dining choices, with authentic cuisine from around the world, along with several distinctive bars and lounges for you to choose from. Day 9 - Monday, Oct. 2, Leisure Day at Sea (B, L, D) Enjoy a day at sea onboard the NCL Star as you sunbathe near the pools, enjoy the plentiful buffet selections or dine in one of the many specialty restaurants. This evening enjoy an exclusive "Collins Tours Group Cocktail Reception" (includes appetizers, alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages ) befor our Group dinner in the Venetian Dining room. Following dinner you are free to enjoy the ship's entertainment at your lesiure. Day 10 - Tuesday, Oct. 3, Corfu, Greece (B, L, D) Following another amazing buffet breakfast our Ship is set to arrive in Corfu by 8am. One of the lushest of the Greek Isles, Corfu is rimmed in dramatic blue waters and topped with tranquil hillside villages. A collection of quaint cafes in the town of Corfu feels very continental, but the island's secluded coves and sandy beaches can only be found in the Greek Isles. Today enjoy another optional private Collins Tours exclusive shore excursion for 4.5 hours (Cost TBA). Be back onboard by 4:00 p.m. Have you ever dreamed of crusing the Greek Ilsands? Well pinch yourself because you are! Enjoy the remainder of the day and evening at your leisure as you cruise through the Greek Isles. Day 11 - Wednesday, Oct. 4, Santorini, Greece (B, L, D) Welcome to Santorini where whitewashed villages clinging to the sides of sea cliffs have made this volcanic island one of the most widely photographed places in the world. The island's charm and subtle mystery have made it a target of speculation as the location of the lost city of Atlantis. Walk amoungst the white-washed dwellings overlooking the Agean Sea, do some bartering with the local vendors, dine at a fantastic restaurant featuring deliscous Greek cuisine or just relax on the beach, it's up to you. Today enjoy another optional private Collins Tours exclusive shore excursion for 4.5 hours (Cost TBA). The ship is docked from 1pm till 10pm. Leaving you with pleanty of time to enjy this beautiful 4

5 island. Tentative Itinerary: 15-Day Swiss Alps, Venice & Greek Islands Cruise Tour Day 12 - Thursday, Oct. 5, Mykonos, Greece (B, L, D) After anothe NCL buffet breakfast welcome to the Cyclades, a group of Greek islands, southeast of the mainland in the Aegean Sea. It centers on uninhabited Delos, considered the birthplace of Apollo, and home to some of Greece s most important archaeological ruins. Many of the islands are popular holiday destinations, known for their beaches, ancient sites, rugged landscapes and traditional blue-and-white stucco towns overlooking the sea. Mykonos is a classic Greek Island with whitewashed houses, blue-domed churches and windmills. Add a reputation for beautiful beaches and you'll understand why Mykonos is the most popular island in the Cyclades. The ship is docked today from 8am till 4pm. Day 13 - Friday, Oct. 6, Leisure Day at Sea (B, L, D) Enjoy another day at sea as we make our way to Ravenna Italy. Refer to the ship s itinerary for exciting onboard activities. Day 14 -Saturday, Oct. 7, Ravenna, Italy (B, L, D) Arrive in the historic town of Ravenna, situated along the northeast coast of Italy. Once a thriving seaport in ancient times (it now lies five miles inland), Ravenna was also the westernmost pillar of the Byzantine Empire. Just as everyone who visits, you too will marvel at the exquisite Byzantine mosaics. At first glance the old streets, peaceful squares and fine shops resemble any other Italian city, but the Byzantine domes of its churches still evoke its Eastern heritage. As an added bonus, Ravenna is a great place to taste the famously delicious food of the Emilia-Romagna region. The ship is docked from 12 noon till 8pm. Enjoy our farewell group dinner this evening (time TBA) in the Venentian dinning room as we toast an amazing cruise and compare our fond new memories of this trip of a lifetime. Day 15 - Sunday, Oct. 8, Day #13 At Disembark Venice, Italy Return Flight Home (B) Enjoy the ship's beautiful buffet breakfast before we disembark and make our way to the airport for our return flight home. Meet your tour manager at 8:30 a.m. this morning and take your private transfers to the airport for your 12:50 p.m. direct flight to Montreal. Return flight information will be included once all flight details are in place. Airfare cost is included in tour price. Airline fees for checked bags are additional and are your expense. Your tour manager will be with you to help upon re-entering Canada and can assist in locating your gates for your final flight to your home city. 5

6 Tentative Itinerary: 15-Day Swiss Alps, Venice & Greek Islands Cruise Tour ** IMPORTANT INFORMATION Tour itineraries are ONLY a guideline and may need to be modified by your tour manager. times on tour itineraries are only estimates as various unforeseen factors, such as weather, traffic, mechanical issues, emergencies, and other Acts of God, can influence tour timing. Collins Tours is not responsible or liable, in any way, for delays caused by unforeseen events. No refunds or reimbursements will be offered in the event of any such occurrences. Canadian citizens are required to have a valid passport that is good for at least THREE MONTHS AFTER your departure date. Citizens of other countries should call and verify there required documentation. Baggage allowance details: For all Air Canada flights to and from Europe: You are allowed one personal and one carry on item at no charge (max dimension 23 cm x 40 cm x 55 cm). You are also allowed one free checked bag (max weight 23 kg; $100 fee for overweight bag). Second checked bag is $100 CAD each way. Euro's can be used for any purchases made off the ship during this cruise tour. Duty Free Rules allow you to claim $800 per person when you have travelled outside Canada for at least 48 hours. Airline fees for any checked baggage (both outbound and inbound flights) are NOT included in your tour package and any additional costs are your responsibility. All liquids and gels that you are planning to bring on board an airplane must be 3oz or less and sealed in a Ziploc bag. Once at the security checkpoint, this bag must be removed from your carryon and placed in a bin for TSA screening. Prescription medication should be kept in its original container or the prescription should be carried with you during travel. Collins Tour is not responsible for lost or stolen baggage and/or personal items. REMEMBER, your tour manager handles: hotel check in/check out procedures, overall group management (e.g. timely transitions, itinerary planning), and group representation with airlines, hotels, group activities, Customs and Immigration, and overall operation of each tour. We work hard to ensure that everyone enjoys his/her experience to the fullest. Gratuities for your Tour Manager are not included in your tour price. Tipping is your way of saying Thank You, for a job well done. Here are our guidelines on Tipping Etiquette: Collins Tours guide - anywhere from $3.50-6:00 per person, per day Private city tour guides- $2 per person, per day Thank you for traveling with Collins Tours! Get We Away Get look forward Inspired to serving you with ALL your future travel plans Get Away Get Inspired! 6