2013

Epic Civil War – Steamboating Along the Mighty Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers aboard the American Queen

May 17-26   Go Next
From $2,095 + Airfare

Vicksburg – Helena – Memphis – Ashport Landing – Paducah – Savannah – Decatur – Chattanooga

Experience the culture and historical architecture of the South as you discover the legends, the glory and the magnitude of the American Civil War along the shores of the Mississippi River. The luxury steamboat American Queen takes you to ports in Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, where you’ll find a wealth of living history, from grand antebellum mansions to notable sites and memorials from the momentous war between the states, and more. Begin with a day in Memphis, home to many American icons including renowned Beale Street and Elvis Presley’s famed Graceland. Travel south to Helena, Arkansas, home to lovely mansions from before and after the legendary Battle of Helena, and the nation’s longest running blues radio program : “King Biscuit Time.” Cruise to Vicksburg, Mississippi, where you’ll find the Vicksburg National Military Park, which commemorates the 47-day siege of the city in 1863, and see marvelous pre-Civil War mansions in Natchez. Visit the quaint town of St. Francisville, Louisiana, offering a number of splendidly restored plantation homes, and then Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s capital, rich with historic treasures both in and outside of the city, including the renowned “plantation country.” Walk beneath a canopy of 300-year-old oak trees on your way to explore Oak Alley Plantation before ending your steamboat adventure in New Orleans. This unique river cruise explores both the culture of the South and a pivotal time in America’s history.

    

The Gardens of London – Special Invitation to the Chelsea Flower Show
Co-sponsored by the Alumni Association and Red Butte Garden

May 18-25, 2013   Collette Vacations
$4,449 (Double) $5,449 (Single)
Free airfare from Salt Lake City

Experience the 100-year anniversary of the Chelsea Flower Show as a guest of the Royal Horticulture Society. You will be privileged to attend the members-only day on the grounds of the Royal Hospital in London. Every year, the grounds of the Royal Hospital are transformed into show gardens, inspirational small gardens and vibrant horticultural displays that make up the world's most famous flower show. In addition, you will visit the gardens of Hampton Court; Wisley, the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society; and Kew Gardens.
Contact Collette Vacations at 1-800-770-6740 for more information or to make reservations.

European Mosaic – Aboard Oceania Cruises Nautica

June 5 – 13, 2013  Go Next
From $3,999 per person – Free Airfare from Salt Lake City and other U.S. cities

Rome – Florence/Pisa – Monaco – Marseille– Barcelona – Cartagena– Lisbon

Sample some of Europe’s rich past and exciting present as you cruise to distinctive ports in Italy, Monaco, France and Spain aboard the elegant Oceania Cruises Nautica. Leave Rome behind and cruise north on the coastal route to the port of Livorno and the glorious cities of Pisa, with its famous Leaning Tower, and Florence, where Renaissance masterpieces await. Sail to Monte Carlo, famous for its casino and its stunning French Riviera locale on the winding Grand Corniche. Continue to colorful Marseille, a Provençal gateway for visits to the towns of Aix- en-Provence, renowned for its lovely fountains, and Avignon, a refuge for 14th-century popes. In Spain, visit Barcelona, a city known worldwide for its enduring cultural influence and the distinctive architecture of Antoni Gaudí. This European mosaic becomes even more colorful in Cartagena, with spectacular ancient Roman and Byzantine ruins, Baroque ramparts, Art Nouveau façades and contemporary maritime attractions.

Cradle of Chinese Civilization with Julie Nixon Eisenhower – with seven-night cruise aboard the M. V. Victoria Sophia

June 13 – 27, 2013  Thomas P. Gohagan
From $4,795 + Airfare

Beijing – Xi’an – Chongquing – Three Gorges – Wuhan – Huangshan – Nanjing – Shanghai

Take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Julie Nixon Eisenhower, who will share her perspectives on China and the pivotal role her late father, President Richard M. Nixon, played in bringing Communist China out of isolation and re-opening U.S. relations for the first time since 1949. This exclusive, comprehensive, 15-day journey features for the first time to the alumni nonprofit market a custom-designed itinerary including a seven-night exclusively chartered grand cruise along the fabled Yangtze River, sailing all the way from Shanghai upstream to Chongqing. And spend two nights in Shanghai, one night in Xi’an and three nights in Beijing, in five-star deluxe, centrally located hotels. Visit five UNESCO World Heritage sites. Tour the awesome Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest dam. Call on ports seldom visited by Westerners: Nanjing, former capital of Imperial China; Huangshan, famous for its majestic mountain range; and Wuhan, settled more than 3,000 years ago by the Han Dynasty. See mystical Old and spectacular New Shanghai, the ancient capital of Xi’an, the Terra Cotta Warriors, Beijing’s Forbidden City and the Great Wall. A post-tour visit to Guilin and Hong Kong is offered.

Town and Country Life in Tuscany

Sept. 23- Oct. 1   Thomas P. Gohagan
From $3,195 + Airfare

Montalcino – San Gimignano – Siena – Florence – Lucca– Pisa– Siena

Experience la dolce vita di Toscana (Tuscany’s sweet life) for one full week in one of Italy’s most fabled and timeless provinces. Stay in the charming Hotel Athena ideally located in medieval Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage site, within walking distance of the spectacular Piazza del Campo. This delightful sojourn introduces you to the authentic traditions and culture of Tuscany, with specially arranged excursions and cultural enrichments highlighting the region’s Etruscan and medieval history, the exquisite artistic and architectural legacy of great Italian Renaissance masters and the centuries-old secrets of world-renowned wine and olive oil. Walk through the streets of Florence, the “Cradle of the Renaissance” and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Discover hidden gems such as the ancient hill towns of San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Montalcino, as well as the Chianti region, known for world-famous wines. Meet local residents during an exclusive village forum for a personal perspective of daily life in Tuscany.

Taste of Europe – Aboard Oceania Cruises - Nautica

Date: Aug. 26 – Sept. 6, 2013  Go Next
Price: From $3,999 per person – Free Airfare
Early Booking Discount Extended to May 21, 2013

England – Spain – France – Portugal

Take the elegant yet intimate Oceania Cruises Nautica to some of the world’s most evocative cities in France, Spain and Portugal. Start in Dover, England, and relax in luxury as you cruise to Brittany’s spectacular walled city of Saint-Malo. Explore its quaint streets or head for the mystical abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, one of the most enchanting sights in France. Visit picturesque Pont-Aven, a town nestled on Brittany’s beautiful coast, before cruising to Le Verdon and the celebrated region of Bordeaux, scenic countryside sprinkled with famed wineries and stunning chateaux. In Spain, take in the modern art at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and visit La Coruña and its still-working second-century Roman lighthouse. A rewarding Portuguese exploration includes the urban beauty of Oporto as well as the Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery, two of the Manueline masterpieces in Lisbon. Before disembarking in Barcelona, view 500 years of architectural influences at the Alcazar in Seville, or explore the Andalusian wine country and the town where sherry was first fermented.

Rediscover Cuba – A Cultural Exploration

Date: December 8-16, 2013  Collette Vacations
Price: $4,119 (Double) $4,519 (Single)

Fly from Miami to the once exclusive country of Cuba, rich in history, culture and religion. Over the course of eight days of exploration in this timeless land, you will learn what life is like in Cuba. Spend three nights in Trinidad, a city known for its cobblestone streets and pastel-colored houses. While in Trinidad, visit the historic cathedrals and colonial homes on a city tour with your local guide. Next, spend four nights in Cuba’s capital city of Havana, staying at the historic Hotel Nacional. See much of the city’s architecture in Old Havana, and discover the secret of Cuban cigars.

2014

TANZANIA SAFARI DURING THE GREAT MIGRATION

Date: March 3-13, 2014   Thomas P. Gohagan & Company
Price: From approximately $5,895 plus air

Travel with us on this 11-day safari of a lifetime into the majestic grasslands of Tanzania, Africa’s premier safari destination during one of Earth’s greatest natural spectacles—the annual Great Migration of vast herds of wildebeests, zebras, gazelles and Cape buffaloes—and see wildlife including elephants, magnificent lions, cheetahs and leopards. Visit three of Tanzania’s finest game parks—Lake Manyara National Park, the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater—for spectacular game drives. Stay in select Serena Safari Lodges, deluxe accommodations designed to blend in with the natural surroundings. An expert curator illuminates human prehistory at Olduvai Gorge, the “cradle of mankind,” where the Leakey family famously discovered 1.8-million-year-old human fossils. Rivaling the spectacle of Tanzania’s wildlife is the panoramic sweep of its scenery—the natural amphitheater of Ngorongoro Crater, the stark beauty of the Great Rift Valley and the expansive grasslands of the Serengeti. An exclusive two-night Tarangire Post-Program Option is offered featuring accommodations in the luxurious Tarangire Safari lodge tented camp and game drives. This exceptional travel value includes all accommodations, game drives and most meals!