Normandy, London & Paris JUNE 10 20, 2019 with host RON STEELE, KWWL News Anchor & Reporter
ENGLAND Portsmouth Pointe-du-Hoc Utah Beach Sainte Mére Église Omaha Beach RON STEELE For more than 40 years, in Iowa and around the world, Ron has reported history in the making. He co-anchors the KWWL News Live at 5, 6 and 10 with Abby Turpin. One of his favorite news assignments took him on board Air Force One to interview President George Bush. Ron also interviewed Barack Obama during a 2008 campaign stop in Cedar Rapids. Some of his other favorite interview subjects include Nobel Peace Prize winners Desmond Tutu and Al Gore, Lance Armstrong and Olympic Gold Medalist Dan Gable. From Civitan Club Citizen of the Year to The University of Iowa Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal, hundreds of organizations have recognized Ron for news reporting and community involvement. His award-winning Iowa s Child adoption program helped find loving families and permanent homes for nearly 200 of Iowa s hard-to-place, special needs children. Ron and his wife, Candy, have three grown children and four grandchildren. Join Ron and other KWWL viewers on this wonderful vacation to Normandy, London & Paris. Bayeux or Caen London Ouistreham Motorcoach Flights Ferry # of Overnights FRANCE Paris JUNE 10 20, 2019 Additional dates may be available Enjoy guided tours of Paris and London, visit historic WWII sites and see Monet s Garden. Illuminated Seine River Cruise Normandy, London & Paris DAY 1: FLY TO ENGLAND We meet our friendly Holiday Vacations Tour Director and board our overnight flight to London. DAY 2: LONDON CITY TOUR Upon arrival in Europe, we are joined by a resident Blue Badge Guide whose passion for British history and traditions enhance our experience. Our sightseeing begins with a tour of Windsor Castle, private home of past and present British royalty. Enjoy a KWWL Welcome Dinner this evening. We are guests in London for three nights. D DAY : THAMES RIVER CRUISE Good day, London! After an included full English breakfast we join our Blue Arromanches Landing Museum Badge Guide at the Tower of London. Founded by William the Conqueror in 1066, this enduring fortress houses both Britain s Crown Jewels and a medieval collection of armory and weaponry. Its ancient stone walls hold some of the city s darkest secrets and we are privy to a few of them during our narrated tour. Take a snapshot of neighboring Tower Bridge as we embark for a delightful sail on the River Thames. Later, we partake in a favorite pastime of locals, Afternoon Tea. It is truly the perfect end to our day s scheduled activities as we dine on a delicious array of bite size savories, sip expertly steeped tea and enjoy the comfort of easy conversation with new acquaintances. B,T Louvre Museum DAY 4: CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS Today includes a visit to the Imperial War Museum, which houses authentic examples of World War II weaponry and an exhibit of World War I trench warfare. Next we see the Churchill War Rooms, part of the underground nerve center of Britain s war effort. B DAY 5: PORTSMOUTH & FERRY TO FRANCE We bid cheerio to London and travel to England s south coast. Upon arrival in Portsmouth, we visit the award-winning D-Day Museum before boarding a ferry to cross the English Channel to France. Our comfortable accommodations for the next three nights are in Caen. B,D DAY 6: D-DAY SITES We are joined by a special World War II guide to learn about famous battle events. We spend the morning at Omaha Beach where Americans took the German fortifications. We study the battlefield, cross the beach, analyze maps and pay tribute to the courage that guarded our freedom. Today, the American Cemetery stretches along the bluff. We can pay our respects among the hundreds of Crosses and Stars of David for the deceased. Our next visit is Arromanches, renowned site of Mulberry Harbor. This artificial port and dock carried thousands of Allied troops and cargo across the Channel during wartime. Portions of it remain today. B,D DAY 7: NORMANDY SITES Joined by our World War II guide, we spend the morning at the Pointedu-Hoc Ranger Monument which is located on a sheer cliff overlooking Omaha Beach. Americans seized the German artillery pieces here, preventing fire on American troops landing on the beach. This afternoon we visit St. Mére Église, seized by American paratroopers on D-Day. Hear the interesting story of American Private John Steele and visit the Paratrooper Museum. Next we visit Utah Beach which was the western most beach during the Allied Landings. Later, we view the Bayeux Tapestry, which tells the tale of William the Conqueror s invasion of England. B DAY 8: MONET S GARDEN Today we begin our journey to Paris. En route we visit the charming village of Giverny and stroll the gardens of famous Impressionist artist Claude Monet. We arrive in Paris for three evenings. B DAY 9: PARIS CITY TOUR We discover the enchanting sights of romantic Paris, the City of Light. On a guided tour, we see the Champs Elysees Avenue, Notre Dame Cathedral, Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. The afternoon is ours to enjoy at leisure. Relax at a sidewalk cafe, do some shopping or visit city sights. After dinner a spectacular Seine River cruise creates a magical evening. Illuminated buildings, bridges, churches and the Eiffel Tower create a dramatic backdrop in the night sky. B,D DAY 10: DINNER IN THE EIFFEL TOWER This morning enjoy a guided tour of the world-renowned Louvre Museum and discover its many masterpieces. We have the afternoon free for individual pursuits. Visit the Musee d Orsay or stroll through The Tuileries Garden. We gather this evening for a special Holiday Vacations Farewell Dinner in the Eiffel Tower, the perfect ending to our fabulous vacation. B,D DAY 11: MEMORIES TO CHERISH We bid a fond farewell to Paris and the special friends who have shared our experiences. B YOUR EXPERIENCE INCLUDES All airfare, government fees, airport & departure taxes & fuel surcharges (minimum value of $760 per person) Guaranteed prices & low deposit Holiday Vacations Tour Director Expert local guides Motorcoach & professional driver Baggage handling at hotels $100 travel voucher for a future tour 15 Excellent Meals Featuring KWWL Welcome Dinner Daily European breakfast Traditional English Afternoon Tea Holiday Vacations Farewell Dinner in the Eiffel Tower B=Breakfast T=Tea L=Lunch D=Dinner All Accommodations Featuring nights at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in London nights in Caen nights at the Hotel Opera Cadet in Paris Attractions & Highlights Windsor Castle Tower of London London city tour Thames River cruise Imperial War Museum Churchill War Rooms D-Day Museum in Portsmouth English Channel ferry crossing to France American Cemetery at Omaha Beach Overlord Museum at Omaha Beach Arromanches Landing Museum Pointe-du-Hoc Ranger Monument St. Mére Église Paratrooper Museum Utah Beach Tapestry of Bayeux Village of Giverny Claude Monet s home & garden Paris city tour Illuminated Seine River cruise Louvre Museum Price Per Person ALL AIRFARE INCLUDED! Double...$6299 per person Single...7299 per person Triple subject to availability A valid U.S. passport is required for all U.S. citizens. Passport cards and enhanced driver s licenses are NOT acceptable Deposit: $200 per person Guaranteed Price: Your price is guaranteed upon receipt of your deposit. Final Payment: March 7, 2019 96 days prior to departure ACTIVITY LEVEL.5 OUT OF 5 Refer to General Information insert for details
Featured Attractions Discover WWII History, Royal Estates & Beautiful Gardens Pointe-du Hoc Monument & Utah Beach One of the most dramatic sites along Normandy s coastline is Pointe-du-Hoc Ranger Monument located on a sheer cliff overlooking Omaha Beach. It is here that US Rangers scaled massive cliffs to destroy key German positions. Utah Beach is the site of key American amphibious landings in the early hours that fateful day on June 6th, 1944. Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen. Built by William the Conqueror in 1066, its rich history spans almost 1,000 years. The castle features magnificent state apartments, St. George s Chapel and Queen Mary s Dolls House, a masterpiece in miniature. Monet s Garden Claude Monet settled in Giverny in 188 and created a garden full of perspectives, symmetries and colors. In the front of the house, a flower garden called Clos Normand features lush flowerbeds, majestic trees, climbing roses and colored banks of annuals. The Japanese inspired water garden features the famous Japanese bridge covered with wisterias, weeping willows, bamboo wood and the famous water lilies. Book today! A deposit of only $200 per person confirms your reservation! Departure Points V A H O L C A T I D A Y KWWLDD19 I O N S 800-826-2266 2727 Henry Ave. Eau Claire, WI 54701 holidayvacations.com Keyword: waterloo Holiday Vacations, LLC Iowa City - Travelodge Cedar Rapids - Walmart Urbana - Casey s General Store Waterloo - Lowes Davenport - Best Western Steeplegate Inn Dubuque - Walmart Supercenter Transportation provided to/from Chicago O Hare International Airport
GENERAL INFORMATION Guaranteed Prices Holiday Vacations published tour prices are based on the rates known at the time of publication and are expected to be in effect at the time of departure. Once we have received your deposit, your price is guaranteed and any subsequent price increase is at our expense. Reservations Make reservations well in advance. Space requested by phone will be held for five business days pending receipt of the required deposit by mail, telephone or in person. Reservations made after the indicated final payment due date must be paid in full at the time of reservation. $200 Deposit Per Person A deposit must accompany all reservation requests. Personal check, money order, Discover, MasterCard or VISA are acceptable forms of payment. The deposit and all payments made are fully refundable prior to the final payment due date. Final Payment A balance due date and amount will be indicated on your tour statement. We accept credit cards but appreciate final payments to be made by check or money order. Special Requests Individual requests must be made when booking. Requests for (non) smoking, special dietary needs, and adjoining, handicap accessible or other room types are subject to confirmation and cannot be guaranteed. Hazardous Materials Federal law forbids the carriage of hazardous materials aboard aircraft in your luggage or on your person. A violation can result in five years imprisonment and penalties of $250,000 or more (49 U.S.C. 5124). Hazardous materials include explosives, compressed gases, flammable liquids and solids, oxidizers, poisons, corrosives and radioactive materials. Examples: Paints, lighter fluid, fireworks, tear gases, oxygen bottles, and radio-pharmaceuticals. There are special exceptions for small quantities (up to 70 ounces total) of medicinal and toilet articles carried in your luggage and certain smoking materials carried on your person. For further information contact Holiday Vacations or visit www.faa.gov. Persons Needing Special Assistance Holiday Vacations does not provide personal attendant services. Any disability requiring special attention should be reported to us at the time you make your reservation. We will make reasonable attempts to accommodate special needs, but we are not responsible for any denial of services by carriers, hotels, restaurants, and other independent suppliers. Travelers requiring assistance must be accompanied by a companion who is capable of and totally responsible for providing the necessary assistance. Children On Tour Children traveling on tour must be at least eight years old and accompanied by an adult. Cancellation Fees Should you cancel your tour reservations for any reason, the following cancellation fees will apply: Motorcoach Tours (no flights) Final payment date to 1 days prior to departure date $200 0 days to 48 hours prior to departure date 25% of tour price Less than 48 hours prior to departure or after tour departure 100% of tour price Air Tours Canada & Lower 48 U.S. Final payment date to 5 days prior to departure date 25% of tour price 4 days to 48 hours prior to departure date 50% of tour price Less than 48 hours prior to departure or after tour departure 100% of tour price International & Cruise Tours, Alaska, Rail, Hawaii Final payment date to 46 days prior to departure date 25% of tour price 45 days to 8 days prior to departure date 50% of tour price 7 days or less to departure or after tour departure 100% of tour price Note: If you are sharing a room and your partner cancels or leaves the tour en route, you will be responsible for the difference between the double and single accommodations tour price. Reservation Changes Requests for changes in flight schedules, early or extended hotel stays or for other eligible components of the tour should be made prior to the final payment date. A non-refundable processing fee of $50 per person will apply for any change requested prior to the final payment date and $100 per person for any change requested on or after the final payment date. These fees are in addition to any costs or penalties from suppliers. Gratuities Tips for all the included features of your tour (baggage handling, included meals, etc.) will be taken care of by your Tour Director. Tips for meals on your own or for other services are at your discretion. Customary tips for the Tour Director & Driver are on a voluntary basis and given individually. Gratuity guidelines will be provided with your tour documents. Activity Level There isn t a universal standard for rating tour mobility requirements, however, to help evaluate if a tour is right for you, Holiday Vacations has designated a rating system that identifies the average activity level for the entire tour. Activity levels are based on an expectation of general health and mobility. We are using a sliding scale based on Level 1 being the easiest and Level 5 being the most challenging. With Level 1, expect to climb some stairs, navigate slight slopes, stand for reasonable periods and walk over relatively level conditions. With Level 5, expect a high activity level with challenging conditions, lots of walking, uneven surfaces, and possibly high altitudes. As a participant on any Holiday Vacations tour, you must be able to navigate your way in and out of airports with your own luggage. Airport personnel can provide wheelchair assistance upon request. You must also be able to handle your own carry-on bags. This includes on airplanes, on and off motorcoaches and to and from hotel rooms. Your checked baggage will be handled for you at group hotels. If you require mobility assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who is capable of, and totally responsible for, providing the necessary assistance. Holiday Vacations does not provide personal attendant services. The ability to perform assorted levels of activity while traveling varies between each individual. Although we welcome your questions regarding the amount of activity on any tour, Holiday Vacations is unable to determine your travel health and fitness level. Please consult your doctor with questions when evaluating your ability to travel.
ALASKA TRAVEL INDUSTRY Insurance Holiday Vacations recognizes the value and importance of travel insurance for our customers. We offer an optional Travel Protection Plan, which includes accident and sickness coverage, baggage protection, trip interruption and cancellation insurance. An insurance brochure will be mailed with your first statement or may be requested in advance. If you would like to purchase the insurance, please contact Holiday Vacations to initiate insurance coverage and protection prior to the final payment date of your tour. Processing fees for a voluntary change in airport departure or for other requested changes are not covered by this insurance. Insurance must be paid for on or before your final payment due date. Solo Travelers Holiday Vacations welcomes solo travelers. We will try to assist in arranging a roommate for any person wishing to share accommodations at the double occupancy tour rate. Should a shared arrangement not be available, the single price applies. Triple & Quad These accommodations are usually in rooms with two double beds. A rollaway bed or cot is subject to availability on a request basis. Reservation Name/Identification The requirement to collect your date of birth, gender and full name as it appears on the government issued photo identification you will use on your tour is federally mandated by the Transportation Security Administration. TSA s privacy policy as well as additional details, can be found at www.tsa.gov using the keywords Secure Flight. Passport Required (FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL) Your Passport must be valid for 6 months from the end date of your tour. It is Holiday Vacations policy that all tours traveling outside of the United States require a valid U.S. Passport in the form of a Passport book. Passport cards and enhanced driver s licenses are NOT acceptable forms of identification for any Holiday Vacations tour traveling outside of the United States. Travel to Canada: Even with a required Passport, Canada considers people with certain criminal records as inadmissible. Canada classifies DWI s, DUI s and OWI s as felonies and considers a person inadmissible if they have one of these in the past 10-15 years on their record. Other offenses such as multiple DUIs, theft or assault can bar entry even if committed decades ago. More information can be found at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca or through your lawyer. Holiday Vacations does not accept any responsibility and travel insurance will not cover losses or expenses due to inadmissibility or an individual s legal status. Tour Documents Tour packets will be mailed at least ten days before your tour departure date. This material includes tour pickup location and time, a tour itinerary, hotel list and luggage tag. Train Routes & Schedules Please note that train schedules and/or routes are subject to change by railroad passenger services. No liability shall be incurred by Holiday Vacations for subsequent changes to train schedules and/or routes. Cruise Line Charges Additional fees applied by the cruise lines are not included in your tour price. These fees include but are not limited to: daily service charge for cabin & wait staff, specialty restaurant cover charges and optional shore excursions. Photography & Video on Tour Holiday Vacations reserves the right to take photographs and/or videos on any of its tours and to use such records for promotional and/ or commercial purposes. Checked Luggage Each guest is allowed one suitcase which will be handled for you at hotels. The cost of checking luggage with the airlines is the responsibility of each guest (charged by and paid directly to the airlines). An excess fee or handling charge Width may be collected by the airlines for each piece over the designated size (length+width+height=62 ) and weight (50 lbs). Length In addition to your suitcase, each person is allowed one soft sided carry-on, intended for Height A S S O C I A T I O N items you need on a daily basis. We recommend a small day bag, such as a soft-sided backpack. To avoid any charges, the carry-on must fit into the overhead bins of a motorcoach (smaller than airplane overhead bins). You may also bring one personal item, such as a camera bag, briefcase or purse. Carry-ons are your responsibility to handle and cannot be stored under the motorcoach. Additional pieces of luggage will be handled for you at hotels at $4 per bag, per day or at the another cost specified for some tours. Though every effort will be made to safeguard your baggage, Holiday Vacations accepts no liability for loss or damage. Responsibility Tours are arranged and operated by Holiday Vacations, LLC. Holiday Vacations, 2727 Henry Ave., Eau Claire, WI 54701. Holiday Vacations and their agents act only as an agent for such other parties, firms or corporations providing services herein. No liability shall be incurred by Holiday Vacations, their agents, presenters or co-sponsors because of injury, loss, delay or other complication experienced by tour participants. Holiday Vacations reserves the right to correct printing errors, to make any changes or alterations in the printed itineraries, dates, routings, hotels or in included features prior to or during the tour, necessary for the smooth and efficient operation of the tour. The hotels used may change without notice. Holiday Vacations reserves the right to accept, decline or retain any person as a participant of these tours. United States Tour Operators Association $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program Holiday Vacations, as an Active Member of USTOA, is required to post $1 Million with USTOA to be used to reimburse, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program, the advance payments of Holiday Vacations customers in the unlikely event of Holiday Vacations bankruptcy, insolvency or cessation of business. Further, you should understand that the $1 Million posted by Holiday Vacations may be sufficient to provide only a partial recovery of the advance payments received by Holiday Vacations. More details of the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program may be obtained by writing to USTOA at 45 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1801, New York, New York 10001, or by email to information@ustoa.com or by visiting their website at www.ustoa.com.