Join Sue & John in Europe for this fully escorted tour which includes Andre Rieu Live in Maastricht 2018, and Andrea Bocelli World Tour arena concert in Cologne along with 6 operas in magnificent opera houses: Tosca, Turandot, La Traviata, Faust, The Marriage of Figaro and The Tales of Hoffman.
We bring you one of our most extraordinary music travel extravaganzas: the Waltz King, Andre Rieu Live in Maastricht 2018, Andrea Bocelli World Tour arena concert in Cologne, and 6 operas in magnificent opera houses: Tosca, Turandot, La Traviata, Faust, The Marriage of Figaro and The Tales of Hoffman. (Please note all concerts and operas are confirmed).
We stay in the following beautiful cities with a chance to explore them and the nearby towns and countryside including Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin, Cologne, Amsterdam and Maastricht as well as visit many home towns of famous composers including Beethoven, Bach and Handel!
SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF THIS TOUR.
Please note: This tour is strictly limited to 30 passengers plus Sue and John. All passengers must be of good mobility and health. Please also note that initial deposits will be required at time of booking and refunds will only apply if we can resell your place. This is due to the fact we have had to buy all Andre Rieu, Andrea Bocelli and opera tickets in advance to ensure we are able to offer all these amazing performances within this tour
Sheraton Mall of the Emirates Hotel
We begin and end our tour with flights to and from Dubai on Emirates. As we arrive into Dubai early in the morning we have arranged another night’s accommodation so we can go to our rooms immediately. On return we arrive into Dubai late at night so we will again have access to our rooms immediately.
Boscolo Prague Hotel
Prague is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and is among the most visited cities on the continent. Though it suffered one large bombing raid during the Second World War, it largely escaped the utter destruction which befell so many European cities during that period and emerged largely intact. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
HIGHLIGHTS in Prague include:
•Tosca at National Theatre of Prague (confirmed).
•Welcome dinner at our beautiful hotel.
•A full-day guided city sightseeing including the Old Town Square, Astronomical Clock, Hradcany, Strahov Monastery, St Vitus’ Cathedral, the Charles Bridge and the Golden Lane.
•A guided tour of Prague Castle and Saint Vitus Cathedral (Prague’s most recognizable landmark).
•Day trip to Kutna Hora, visiting St Barbara and the Ossuary.
•Full free day off in Prague.
Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinsk
Dresden is distinguished by the art museums and classic architecture of its reconstructed old town. Completed in 1743 and rebuilt after WWII, its baroque church is famed for its grand dome, the Versailles-inspired Zwinger Palace houses many art museums and the rebuilt opera house is one of the most beautiful in the world.
HIGHLIGHTS in Dresden include:
•The Marriage of Figaro opera at Dresden Semperoper (confirmed).
•Our city highlights tour with our local guide including the Zwinger Palace which was formerly part of the Dresden fortress.
•Visit to Gemaldergalerie Alte Meister Art Gallery, whose works originate from the 15th to the 18th century - Italian paintings of the Renaissance and Baroque as well as Dutch and Flemish paintings of such masters as Rubens, Vesmeer, Titan and many more.
•Full-day return boat ride from Dresden to Meissen. Discover the Saxon Wine Route by paddle steamer with a visit to the Albrechtsburg, stroll through the town, and explore the porcelain factory.
•Free time in Dresden.
•On route to Leipzig we stop at Colditz Castle, famous as a POW camp in WWII, for a tour and time to wander in the village.
Steigenberger Grandhotel Handelshof
Leipzig is a city in the eastern German state of Saxony. Composer J.S. Bach is buried in the late-Gothic St. Thomas Church, known for concerts by its boys’ choir. St. Nicholas Church was a meeting point for the “Monday Demonstrations,” which led to the 1989 overthrow of communism.
HIGHLIGHTS in Leipzig include:
•La Traviata opera at Operahaus Leipzig (confirmed).
•Turandot opera at Operahaus Leipzig (confirmed).
•City tour which will include a visit to the Thomaskirche (St Thomas Church) which is most famous as the place where Johann Sebastian Bach was choir director from 1723 until his death in 1750 and where his remains currently lie.
•Visits to St Nicholas Church, Bach Museum and Mendelssohn’s house.
•Free time in Leipzig.
Hotel Steinplatz
Reminders of the city’s turbulent 20th century history include its Holocaust memorial and the Berlin Wall’s graffitied remains. Divided during the Cold War, its 18th century Brandenburg Gate has become a symbol of reunification. On route we will stop in Halle, the native town of Handel and explore the town and its importance in the life of Handel.
HIGHLIGHTS in Berlin include:
•Faust at Deutsche Opera, Berlin (confirmed).
•Tour of Berlin with our local guide includes the Brandenburg Castle and the Pergamon Museum which consists of 3 museums in 1.
•Visit the Musikinstrumenten-Museum of Berlin which contains Benjamin Franklin’s glass harmonica and an extensive collection of Baroque wind instruments.
•Tour to Potsdam UNESCO heritage site which includes walking tour of Alte Markt market square, Town Hall, Babelsburg Castle.
•Boat tour of Potsdam admiring the countless palaces and wonderful parks from the Hohenzollern Dynasty and see a true piece of history.
•Brandenburg gate and Check Point Charlie.
•Visit beautiful Sanssouci Palace and park in a guided tour.
Cologne Marriott Hotel
Cologne, a 2,000-year-old city, is situated on the Rhine River in western Germany. A town of Gothic architecture, its most famous landmark is the twin-spired Cologne Cathedral.
HIGHLIGHTS in Cologne include:
•Premium tickets at Andrea Bocelli World Tour at Lanxess Arena (confirmed).
•Walking tour including Old Town Cologne with our guide. Cologne Cathedral, the city’s most famous landmark. Inside this UNESCO World Heritage Site, the earthly remains of the fabled Three Kings, the Magi, are believed to lie at rest.
•Bonn day tour, Beethoven’s birth town, including Beethoven Haus.
•Visit Poppelsdorf Palace.
•3 hour Cologne by night dinner cruise.
•Free time in Cologne to explore on your own
Hotel Estherea
Amsterdam is such an attractive city with its 17th century historical atmosphere, buildings and the intimacy of the streets, canals and squares, combined with the mentality of a modern metropolis!
HIGHLIGHTS in Amsterdam include:
•The Tales of Hoffman opera (confirmed).
•Introductory cruise along the canals, seeing this beautiful city and its tree-lined views.
•Walking tour of Amsterdam, including Berighoff historic houses area, floating Flower Market, Lord in the Attic, which is Amsterdam’s 2nd oldest museum housed in a 17th Century canal house with a church in the attic.
•Visit the Van Gogh Museum – the world’s largest collection of works by this mad but talented artist.
•Paint preparation demonstration in Rembrandt’s reconstructed studio and visit his house where he lived between 1639 and 1658.
•Visit Rijksmuseum, the Netherlands’ premier art trove, showcasing Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh as well as 7500 other masterpieces over dozens of galleries.
•Tour to the countryside of Holland to Marken. Visit a clog maker on the way and enjoy a short boat ride to Volendam. Visit a cheese factory before continuing on to Zaanse for a close-up look at the windmills of Holland in this open air museum.
Hotel Kasteel Bloemendal
This is our chance to see Andre Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra live as the Waltz King returns, once again, to his hometown of Maastricht and to Vrijthof Square. Join us for an extraordinary summer night of magnificent music in this magical setting!
HIGHLIGHTS in Maastricht include:
•Rank 1 tickets to Andre Rieu Live in Maastricht 2018 (confirmed).
•Walking tour of Maastricht.
•Boat tour of Maastricht
We will stay at a smart airport hotel tonight for ease of travel for our return flight to Dubai the following day.
Return economy airfares on Emirates Airline Auckland - Dubai - Prague//Amsterdam - Dubai - Auckland including all taxes.
All accommodation as listed in itinerary - Prague (4 nights), Dresden (3 nights), Leipzig (2 nights), Berlin (4 nights), Cologne (4 nights), Amsterdam (5 nights), Maastricht (1 night), Dubai (4 nights ) including early check- ins, in 4 or 5 star specialty hotels, many of them boutique hotels or castles!
Eight extraordinary music experiences including Andre Rieu Live in Maastricht 2018, Andrea Bocelli World Tour in Cologne, operas, at some of the most beautiful opera houses in the world, including Tosca, Turandot, La Traviata, Faust, The Marriage of Figaro and The Tales of Hoffman. All concerts and operas are confirmed.
Special flavours including visits to Beethoven’s home in Bonn, Handel’s house in Halle, Van Gogh and Rembrandt houses and museums, dinner night Rhine cruise, Potsdam UNESCO world heritage town, Colditz Castle tour and full day tour to Meissen and porcelain factory tour.
All tours and excursions as listed in itinerary including city tours of Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin, Cologne, Amsterdam and Maastricht.
All entrances as per our itinerary all museums and houses as listed, cheese factory and boat day cruises as listed.
All breakfasts, 10 dinners, 7 lunches, all tips, all taxes, all porterage are included.
Escorted by Sue and John. Limited to 30 passengers.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
•For further information please ring our office or visit our website.
•All trips are subject to change but any changes will be of equal or greater value.
•All deposits are refundable up until final payment date minus any costs that the company has incurred.
•Please refer to our terms and conditions on our booking form.
•While we carefully plan our trips to be well paced, all travellers need to possess a certain level of fitness. Some trips are more arduous and carry an advisory note in the itinerary that a specific level of fitness is required.
• Operatunity Travel requires all travellers to obtain comprehensive travel insurance. Please be sure to ring our office if you require any information or clarification about insurance or any questions regarding travelling with Operatunity Travel.
MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS (all confirmed)
Tosca at National Theatre of Prague.
The Marriage of Figaro opera at Dresden Semperoper.
La Traviata opera at Operahaus Leipzig.
Turandot opera at Operahaus Leipzig.
Faust at Deutsche Opera, Berlin.
Premium tickets at Andrea Bocelli - World Tour at Lanxess Arena.
The Tales of Hoffman opera.
Rank 1 tickets to Andre Rieu Live in Maastricht 2018.
PLACES WE STAY
Boscolo Prague Hotel, part of the Autograph Collection of luxury private hotels is a beautiful five star hotel located in the centre of Prague, about ten minutes walk from Wenceslas Square.
Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski, Dresden was built in the 18th century by a Saxon king as a pledge of love to his mistress. It is located directly in Dresden’s historic city centre.
Steigenberger Grandhotel Handelshof, Leipzig is housed in a former exhibition building in the heart of Leipzig, approx. 2 minutes walk from the St. Nicholas Church.
Hotel Steinplatz, Autograph Collection, Berlin set in a beautiful Art Nouveau building from 1913 is our centrally located luxury boutique hotel.
Cologne Marriott Hotel, a stylish hotel, is a 3-minute walk from Cologne Main Station and 4 minutes from Cologne Cathedral.
Hotel Estherea, Amsterdam is an exquisite family owned hotel situated in a row of 17th century buildings on the Singel, Amsterdam’s oldest major canal.
Hotel Kasteel Bloemendal, Maastricht comprises a romantic castle, built in 1795 and fully restored in 1995, a perfect hotel when experiencing our romantic Andre Rieu concert.
Every customer is required to take out insurance for all international travel when taking a trip with Operatunity Ltd.
DOMESTIC INSURANCE
Insurance for Domestic travel is currently available from many companies. Insurance for New Zealand trips is entirely at your discretion. Please email our office for our current recommendation if you wish our advice.
INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE
Insurance for International travel is currently available from many companies. For our trips overseas it is a requirement that proof of cover be sent to our office some time before departure from NZ. We can not accept travellers who hold no cover for international travel as per our term and conditions.
Please email our office for our current recommendation if you wish our advice. Email travelbookings@operatunity.co.nz Phone 0508 886 489
Operatunity provides group senior travel and with this in mind we plan trips to suit our target market. But not every trip is created equal in terms of mobility. We want to give you the best possible experience but that will only be achieved if you are able to enjoy everything that our trips have to offer.
Most of our long haul trips require a better level of mobility. We will look after everyone as well as we possibly can, but we cannot look after one at the expense of the rest of the group. We also cannot have one person slowing the rest of group to the point where the group is not able to enjoy every experience we are able to provide.
With this in mind we have put a mobility clause into every trip. Under each explanation here I have popped a statement. Ask yourself if this is ‘you’, when booking on a trip.
None of the following mobility clauses preclude you from ordering a wheelchair at the airport if required.
1. GENTLE TOUR This tour will suit most people, even with a stick or a walker, but sorry not someone in a wheelchair. The activity level is gently paced, but you still need to be able to get on and off buses easily. There will be walking, but not a lot. “I love travelling, but at a gentle pace. I like to avoid stairs or too much activity, but I am able to get on and off buses easily.”
2. EASY TOUR This tour will suit people with a stick, but not a walker. You will be required to walk to get from place to place and stand in museums, but it is designed to be an easy tour with lots of times to rest, travel on a coach and walk easy leisurely distances. ”Walking is fine. I can get on and off a coach. I am happy to stand for an hour or two in museums and galleries and gently stroll through places of interest. I am happy to climb the odd set of stairs.”
3. MODERATE WALKING TOUR This tour requires a better level of fitness with no wheelchairs or walkers. Generally, there may be times when we can’t get the coach close. In some of our Pacific Island tours we will need you to transfer onto a tender and walk on soft sand. We also will have much longer flights and long walks through airports. “I like walking at a moderate pace. I love to keep my days full and experience everything the tour has to offer. Stairs, tender transfers and cobblestones don’t bother me.”
4. EXPLORING TOUR This is still a moderately paced tour, but you will be required to walk longer distances, walk on cobblestones and stand in museums. To really get the best out of this tour you need to be able to stand or walk for a couple of hours comfortably, be it at a leisurely pace. “I like to spend most of the day exploring. Whether walking historic neighbourhoods on cobblestones at a moderate pace or out and about on a coach, I want my days full. Stairs don’t bother me and I am keen to see and do as much as I can with the odd day off to recuperate.”
Operatunity is a company specialising in music lovers tours to the senior market. Each trip has been especially planned to include music and arts experiences and has a level of friendliness and care which cannot be found anywhere else! Our trips are packed with features not found anywhere else
Yes we have lots of people who travel on their own. We endeavour to match you up with someone who lives close to you or is close in age to you. Often you will get a chance to meet with your matchup or ring them before you leave on your trip. You also may prefer to travel solo and pay the single supplement price. We travel as a happy band so there will be lots of chances to meet people. You will find fellow music lovers and those with other similar interests. In fact those like the nicer things of life so you will travel with like-minded people. It is also important to remember that our singers are our escorts so you will see at least a couple of familiar faces as you leave.
If you live outside of Auckland, we can arrange travel and accommodation on your way to meet up with our group. We have access and can book domestic airfares in conjunction with Air New Zealand international airfares. Plus we can book your pre and post tour accommodation if required.
It is compulsory for our international trips and highly recommended for our domestic tours.
No as most airlines offer various special meals and any restaurants we visit are happy to accommodate special dietary requirements.
We seek to accommodate the needs of guests with disabilities whenever possible. However in most cases we are unable to take customers with walkers, wheelchairs or other mobility issues. Certain trips may be unsuitable due to walking or limited availability of accommodation with disabled facilities. We cannot be responsible for the care of customers suffering from significant cognitive illness (such as dementia). We ask such customers to consult with your doctor to obtain medical clearance. Guests needing assistance mustbe accompanied by an able companion who will be available to assist them and assume full responsibility for their wellbeing.
We ask that you can walk at least 100 metres unaided and be able to get on and off buses with little or no assistance. We cater for a senior market but it is important that you do not jeopardise the enjoyment of others by requiring more care and holding up the rest of the group. Talk to our office or staff at concerts and any advisory notes for individual trips to get a better idea of your suitability for each trip.
We stay at 4 and 5 star character hotels, avoiding package, tourist or big hotel chains. We choose hotels with a more personal feel often with historic content or hotels of beauty and character, centrally located or in parks, by the water, or with beautiful gardens.
Breakfast is included daily, and many dinners and lunches are also included as per our itinerary.
There are no hidden costs. Included in the trip are tips, taxes, porterage, breakfast, meals where specified, inclusions listed in the itinerary, entry fees where listed in the itinerary, concert/show tickets where listed in the itinerary, tour escorts and local specialised guides.
Some of our trips sell out very quickly and we recommend you make your booking as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.
We will ask you to pay an initial deposit when making your booking. We will then follow up for a second deposit and then a final balance payment prior to travel.
All deposits up until final payment are refundable minus an administration fee of up to $500 plus any non-recoverable costs the company may incur.
After final deposit refunds are unlikely and the refund becomes an insurance claim.
Our numbers vary from destination to destination, please contact our office for further information. We have a minimum number required to operate a tour. Should minimum numbers not be met, a full refund will be made.
For international trips, all guests must have a valid passport that does not expire earlier than at least 6 months beyond their intended stay.
Music is a key element in making our experiences special. There are special experiences and events every day, such as themed dinners, impromptu concerts, music, art tours with art experts and garden tours with garden experts.
Most hotels now have internet connection and all hotels have telephones in the room or at reception. If using your mobile telephone check calling and text rates, and disable data roaming before leaving New Zealand. Consider purchasing a prepaid SIM card. And you can keep in touch using social media such as Facebook. We have a copy of your next of kin details in case of emergency and we are also happy to help out with texts, phone calls and emails if you can’t get in touch with your family and need to while away. We are also happy to help out with getting your phones, ipads and cameras to work if needed while away.
We spend less time travelling between regions, allowing more time to enjoy experiences when you arrive. We avoid one night stops and “conveyor belt” travel, so you really can capture the local colour and vitality of the region. Our trips are planned so that there is a balance of included activities and free time for you to relax or do some exploring on your own.
Contact Operatunity Travel
Phone toll free: 0508 886 489
Mail your booking form to PO BOX 132 150, Sylvia Park, Auckland 1644
Email: travel@operatunity.co.nz
Phone toll free: 0508 886 489
Email: travelbookings@operatunity.co.nz
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