ICELAND & RUSSIA Fully Escorted* Small Group Cruise & Tour Departing Perth 6 August 2019 CRANDON KEDDIE When it comes to holiday experiences we find that most travellers lean one of two ways; either focusing on big architecture (and all-things man made) or towards big nature (and all things untouched by man). Time is precious and compromises have to be made. Or do they? Our 21 day hosted tour to Iceland and Russia will be without compromise, and will offer the best of both worlds, combining an expedition cruise around Iceland aboard the luxurious Ponant Le Champlain with pre-cruise and post-cruise accommodation in Reykjavik, and an Insight Vacations tour of St. Petersburg and Moscow. What's more, you will be escorted all the way by our very own Crandon Keddie. 7 FORREST AVE, BUNBURY WA 6230 P: 08 9780 0900 FREECALL: 1800 177 788 sales@cathiericetravel.com.au 1 st printing 17 Jan 18
HIGHLIGHTS OF ICELAND⁰: Discovery of Reykjavik, capital of Iceland. Optional Golden Circle excursion: the three most emblematic sites in Iceland. Sailing towards the ice floe and crossing the Arctic Circle. Landscapes: vast glaciers, breathtaking fjords, volcanic rock, basalt pillars, jagged cliffs and geysers. Wildlife: Puffins, Blue-eyed Cormorants, Arctic foxes, Whales, Gannets, Arctic terns. A passionate lecturer on board. HIGHLIGHTS OF RUSSIA: St. Petersburg: Sightseeing with a Local Expert will show you St. Isaac's Cathedral, the fortress of St. Peter and Paul and Decembrists' Square. As you travel along the bustling Nevsky Prospekt, see the Cathedral of Kazan and the iconic Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood. Petrodvorets: Cruise by hydrofoil to Peter the Great's Summer Palace, built to rival Versailles. Explore the formal gardens, bursting with awe-inspiring cascades, sparkling fountains and golden statues. St. Petersburg: With a Local Expert, explore the stunning former Winter Palace of the Tsars, now the spectacular Hermitage Museum, one of the world's greatest repositories of European art. Sapsan Train: Sapsan in Russian, translates to falcon. Relax in modern luxury and comfort while you swoop by rail from St. Petersburg to Moscow in just four hours. Moscow: Visit one of the cathedrals when you venture inside the Kremlin. YOUR PONANT CRUISE SHIP, LE CHAMPLAIN Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed staterooms, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limitedcapacity yacht boasting just 92 staterooms and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience. As the first ship in a new series that remains true to the Ponant spirit, Le Champlain will embody the unique atmosphere that is the cruise line s hallmark: a subtle blend of refinement, intimacy and comfort. Aboard this ship that flies the French flag, you will experience the incomparable pleasure of an intimate cruise, with the possibility of exploring an ever-increasing range of destinations in an ethnic-chic ambiance with luxury service. Experience a luxurious setting where the accent is on authenticity and passion for travel. ⁰Highlights of Iceland are subject to ice and weather conditions. The expedition highlights described above illustrate possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed.
06 August 2019 Depart Perth 07 August 2019 Arrive Reykjavik, Iceland Overnight accommodation Reykjavik hotel to be advised. Breakfast is included. Your time is free for your own leisure. 08 15 August 2019 PONANT Cruise PONANT takes you on a voyage of discovery in Iceland and the Arctic Circle for a truly exotic cruise on the trail of the Vikings. For 8 days, Le Champlain will take you to extreme lands and breathtaking scenery. Glaciers, lava fields, geysers and steam baths this is undoubtedly the place of all the superlatives. You will embark in Reykjavik, the most northerly capital in the world. Houses with colourful roofs line its streets and this, coupled with the many ducks in its lake, produces a picture postcard setting. It boasts real cultural riches, particularly in contemporary art, notably with the Reykjavik Art Museum. During the cruise, Le Champlain will cross the Arctic Circle, and sail towards the ice floe. You will then reach the small and remote island of Grimsey. This is the kingdom of birds such as guillemots and puffins. Its volcanic rock forms splendid basaltic columns in certain areas. You will also call at Seydisfjordur, one of the most picturesque ports in the country and the gateway to a 1250-hectare nature reserve that is home to a multitude of birds. To conclude you will discover Heimaey. The only inhabited island in the Westmann Islands, fishing is the main source of income in this exceptional site. You can admire its volcanoes and its almost desert-like landscapes. 15 17 August 2019 Reykjavik Hotel accommodation to be advised. Breakfast included daily. Your time is free for your own leisure.
17 August 2019 Reykjavik to St. Petersburg Upon arrival in St. Petersburg, the group is met and transferred to our hotel hotel to be advised. The remainder of your day and evening are free for your own leisure. 18 August 2019 St. Petersburg After breakfast, your day is free for your own leisure. Meet your Travel Director and travel companions at 7.00 PM for a friendly Welcome Dinner served with wine. 19 August 2019 St. Petersburg sightseeing Morning sightseeing with your Local Expert includes views of St. Isaac s Cathedral, the fortress of St. Peter and Paul, and Decembrists Square. Travel along Nevsky Prospekt for views of the great Cathedral of Kazan and the iconic, onion-domed Church of our Saviour on Spilled Blood. The rest of your day is free to explore. 20 August 2019 Petrodvorets by Hydrofoil Cruise by hydrofoil along the Baltic shore to Peter the Great s summer residence of Petrodvorets. For over 200 years it was used for official ceremonies, lavish feasts and formal receptions. Alight to explore the perfectly-manicured gardens and see the cascading fountains.
21 August 2019 The Hermitage Museum Located in the Winter Palace, the Hermitage is one of the world s greatest museums. Marvel at this fabulous collection of paintings and ornaments, ranging from Egyptian carvings to Impressionist masterpieces. The rest of your day is free to explore, shop or relax. 22 August 2019 High speed Sapsan Train to Moscow Enjoy a relaxed start this morning or perhaps visit the former residence of the Yusupov family and the scene of Rasputin s murder. Later, board the high speed Sapsan Train and relax in comfort as you swoop to Moscow in just a few hours. 23 August 2019 Moscow, a Russian revelation Begin your exploration of the Russian capital with a Local Expert. The Red Square is lined with Moscow s landmark buildings: see the onion-shaped domes of St. Basil s Cathedral, the Kremlin and Lenin s Mausoleum. During your stay, visit one of the Metro stations which Stalin called Palaces for the People. Gain a local insight into the themes depicted among the marble, mosaics and sculptures. 24 August 2019 Moscow and the Kremlin Enjoy a morning at leisure to relax or explore the Russian capital as you wish. Later, walk within the walls of the Kremlin Fortress to visit one of the Cathedrals. Enjoy delicious food, great wine and wonderful company as you toast to your travels during your Celebration Dinner. 25 August 2019 Farewell Moscow After breakfast, the group is transferred to the airport for our flight to Perth 26 August 2019 Arrive Perth
PONANT Le Champlain Meet Crandon Crandon, co-owner of Cathie Rice Travel, has 30 years industry experience, including 5 years of small group journeys which incorporate an expedition cruise and land content. He is escorting a group to Antarctica in February 2018 which will be his third visit to this region. He also has experience with the Arctic, the Galapagos Islands and Peru.
TOUR PRICE Dates have been locked in, however costs are still being finalised. We anticipate a price tag of around $17,000.00 per person twin share. An updated brochure will be sent to you upon confirmation of the flights, hotels and price. DEPOSIT At time of printing, only 7 cabins/rooms remain on our group allocation. To confirm your place, a deposit of $1,600.00 per person is required. A cooling off period of 10 days will be offered once the final air schedules are released (approx. September 2018) and final price/itinerary is confirmed. FURTHER PAYMENTS A second progress payment of $2,000.00 per person will be required upon acceptance of the final package price. Final payment due on or before 19 March 2019. INCLUSIONS Return economy class flights from Perth (currently negotiating airfares with Emirates and Qatar) 1 night pre-cruise hotel accommodation in Reykjavik including breakfast and transfers 8 day PONANT cruise onboard Le Champlain including stateroom accommodation, all meals, Open Bar (mineral water, soft drinks, beer, wine, champagne, spirits, coffee, tea certain premium alcoholic beverages on the menu are not included in the Open Bar) 2 nights post-cruise hotel accommodation in Reykjavik including breakfast and transfers Economy class flight from Reykjavik to St. Petersburg 1 night pre-tour hotel accommodation in St. Petersburg including breakfast and transfers 8 day Insight Vacations tour of St. Petersburg and Moscow including transfers, accommodation, meals, sightseeing and rail travel as per itinerary Gratuities to staff onboard PONANT Le Champlain, and the Insight Vacations Tour Director and Driver Business class airfares available upon request. CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS Payments made by credit card incur the following merchant charges: Standard Visa and MasterCard 1.45% Premium/Corporate Visa and MasterCard 2.20% American Express 2.20% Diners 2.75% You can now make credit card payments direct by pasting the below into your browser: pay.travelpay.com.au/cathier Select one-off payment. TOUR PARTICIPATION Our small group adventures bring together people of all ages. It is very important you are aware that, as a minimum, an average level of fitness and mobility' is required to undertake our easiest programs. Travellers must be able to walk without the aid of another person, climb 3-4 flights of stairs, step on and off small boats, and carry their own luggage at a minimum. Travellers with a pre-existing medical condition are required to complete a short medical questionnaire, which must be signed by their physician. This is to ensure that travellers have the necessary fitness and mobility to comfortably complete their chosen trip. While our staff work hard to ensure that all our travellers are catered for equally, it is not their responsibility to help individuals who cannot complete the day's activities unaided.