USA 2017 | Operatunity

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24 September - 21 October 2017

Picture the beauty of Canada and the Eastern USA in the autumn with all the colours of the Fall, oranges, reds and yellows. We venture to this beautiful and historical part of the world in an incredible 27 day tour. We combine the charming coastal regions of Eastern Canada, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia with the excitement of New York and the Niagara Falls, the history of Boston and Washington and music of Broadway and the Metropolitan Opera!

$19,480 NZD

Initial Deposit On Booking

$2,000 NZD

Second Deposit Due 3 April 2017

$3,000 NZD

Final Balance Due 7 June 2017

Eastern USA and Canada in the Fall 2nd departure

Picture the beauty of Canada and the Eastern USA in the autumn with all the colours of the Fall, oranges, reds and yellows. We venture to this beautiful and historical part of the world in an incredible 27 day tour.
Imagine a tour where we combine the charming coastal regions of Eastern Canada, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia with the excitement of New York and the Niagara Falls, the history of Boston and Washington and the charm of Quebec, Portland and Vancouver.
Imagine strolling through the streets of Portland, or getting up close to the thundering Niagara Falls, or taking a carriage ride through Central Park. Or recapturing those wonderful times when we all read Anne of Green Gables as we visit Anne’s house and farm on Prince Edward Island.
Imagine seeing Times Square, dining at an iconic restaurant before going to an exciting show on Broadway, experiencing the opera at the Met, wandering the famous Metropolitan Museum.
Imagine seeing where the rich and famous lived in the American Castles of Newport or walking the history of the Freedom Trail in Boston, or learning about Washington, the worlds first planned capital city and one of its most beautiful.
Our journey begins in beautiful Vancouver then moves through to Toronto, Canada’s most cosmopolitan city, situated on the banks of Lake Ontario. We discover the excitement of the Niagara Falls and Montreal where we board our seven night cruise bound for Boston.
We then travel to Portland, Maine, Newport, vibrant New York, historical Philadelphia and the beautiful city of Washington.
Each hotel has been carefully chosen for its historical foot print and each city, region or town, activity, concert and event has been specially selected to provide us with an extraordinary range of experiences, spectacular scenery, vibrant cities, musical events and historical treasures all with our backdrop of the magnificent colours of the fall. All this proudly escorted by our fabulous Operatunity performers, so music as well!
(3 nights) ~ Sutton Place Hotel
We begin our journey with our nonstop flight from Auckland to Vancouver with a chance to rest this evening. Vancouver is a beautiful city which has at its doorstep the Pacific Ocean, mountains as its backdrop and acres of trees throughout the city.
HIGHLIGHTS in Vancouver include:
• City tour of beautiful Vancouver.
• Our visit includes Stanley Park with over 100 acres of evergreens, a great way to start our tour in the fall, West Coast Native Totem Poles, British-flavoured Gastown with its unique steam clock, and colourful Chinatown.
• A welcome dinner in a private room at the hotel with music starts our tour on the right note (forgive the pun!).
• Cruise to Victoria Island, visit to Butchart Gardens to see the Autumn colours, high tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel plus time to explore Victoria.
We transfer for our flight to Toronto.
(2 nights) ~ King Edward Hotel
(including tour to Niagara Falls)
Canada’s most cosmopolitan city is situated on beautiful Lake Ontario, and is the cultural heart of south central Ontario and of English-speaking Canada.
HIGHLIGHTS in Toronto include:
• Half day city tour of Toronto including the historic centre with dinner at the hotel.
• A full day tour to Niagara Falls through the Niagara Peninsula, lunch at the Sheraton on the Falls Hotel, and the Maid of the Mist (subject to weather) exhilarating boat ride to the base of the majestic Horseshoe Falls.
(1 night) ~ Saint Sulpice Hotel
Montreal is a French speaking cosmopolitan city, known as the cultural capital of Canada with its cute lanes and lovely harbour.
HIGHLIGHTS in Montreal include:
• Full guided tour of Montreal.
• Free time to explore the centre of this gorgeous historic city with both the evening and morning free.
(7 nights) ~ HOLLAND AMERICA LINE – MS Veendam from Montreal to Boston
We board our 7 night New England in the Fall cruise.
HIGHLIGHTS of the cruise include:
• 7 nights’ accommodation in verandah Vista A Suites on upper decks with all meals included.
• 3 shore excursions are included:
Guided Tour of Quebec City, a magnificent historic city and a world heritage site.
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island – full day tour of the island including Anne of Green Gables Museum, farm and house, meet descendants of Lucy Maud Montgomery, a carriage ride and lunch.
Halifax, Nova Scotia - half day tour to Peggy’s Cove, fishing village, the lawn cemetery where 121 victims of the Titanic disaster are buried, Acadian Maple factory, beautiful public gardens and Citadel Hill.
• Cruising Gulf of St. Lawrence.
• Sydney, Canada - a chance to wander on our own or organise an excursion of our choice.
• Bar Harbor, Maine - where the rich and famous come to play and one of the most exclusive resorts in the world.
(2 nights) ~ The Press Hotel
Portland is one of the most charming of seaside towns in New England, famous for its iconic lighthouses.
On disembarking our fantastic cruise, we transfer through beautiful New England countryside to Portland with a stop in Kennebunkport, a really cute fishing village with fabulous shops.
HIGHLIGHTS in Portland include:
• Private trolley bus tour throughout the charming streets and historic homes.
• Cruise to the famous lighthouses within the area.
• Time to wander at leisure and enjoy the famous lobster in the area.
(2 nights) ~ Lenox Hotel
Boston is one of the States’ oldest cities, situated on the Charles River. It is beautiful in style with stone buildings and magnificent parks and enjoys a fantastic history including the famous Boston Tea Party.
HIGHLIGHTS in Boston include:
• Tour of Boston including the Freedom Trail, famous Charles River, both old and new Boston, the historic countryside towns of Cambridge, Lexington and Concord, Lexington Green, pass the homes of Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, essayist and poet and Harvard University.
• Dinner and music from our Operatunity escorts
• A full day off to explore on own.
Transfer from Boston to Newport Mansions including:
• Tour of Newport Mansions – The Breakers, the Vanderbilt family’s opulent summer “cottage” and The Elms, copied from a French Chateau and set in stunning grounds.
• Lunch at The Elms Carriage House, the carriage house at Elms where you can enjoy umbrella-shaded bistro tables, overlooking the Grand Allee, fountains and sunken garden.
• Evening off after a very full day.
(4 nights) ~ Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel
In the Big Apple you’ll experience the fast-paced life full of art, culture, fashion and finance.
HIGHLIGHTS in New York include:
• 3/4 day tour of New York including Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Center with amazing views.
• Pre show dinner in Times Square then off to a Broadway show.
• Metropolitan Museum of Arts, followed by horse and carriage rides through Central Park.
• Evening off for own Broadway show experience or rest.
• United Nations tour (dependent on availability).
• Full day off to explore New York or go shopping.
• An opera at the iconic Metropolitan Opera to enjoy its stunning music and world-class singers (dependent on availability).
An historic tour of Philadelphia on route to Washington home of the Liberty Bell, Grace Kelly, the Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwich, tree-lined streets and George Washington which includes lunch.
(3 nights) ~ The Mayflower Renaissance Hotel
Washington D.C. was the world’s first planned city and because of this is one of the most beautiful, teeming with historic buildings and magnificent museums.
HIGHLIGHTS in Washington include:
• Half day tour of Washington including major sights - Lincoln Memorial, Arlington cemetery, Cathedral, White House, Pentagon and so much more.
• Stop in cute Georgetown for lunch.
• Visit your choice of Smithsonian Museums with free afternoon to stay on and explore or return to hotel.
• Final night gala dinner in our hotel in a private room with music provided by our wonderful Operatunity escorts.
Today we leave the States after an incredible journey of Fall colours, New England history, razzmatazz of New York and a beautiful cruise!

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2017 Travel USA Canada 8pp Trip2 WEB.pdf.page 1

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This trip includes

Return airfares Auckland - Vancouver/Washington - Houston - Auckland with Air New Zealand and partner airlines. Internal airfares Vancouver - Toronto - Montreal. All flights include all taxes, airport fees etc.
17 nights’ hotel accommodation, (mostly 5 star) in specially selected historic central hotels including 3 nights Vancouver, 2 nights Toronto, 1 night Montreal, 2 nights Portland, 2 nights Boston, 4 nights New York, 3 nights Washington.
7 nights accommodation including all meals on Holland America cruise ship, MS Veendam between Montreal and Boston in verandah Vista A suites including Quebec, Gulf of St Lawrence, Prince Edward Island, Halifax, Maine, Sydney and Boston.
3 shore excursions in Quebec, Prince Edward Island including Anne of Green Gables House and Farm, and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Numerous special flavours including Butchart Gardens, afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress, performance at the Metropolitan Opera, Broadway show, and carriage ride through Central Park.
All tours, entrance fees and coach transfers as listed in itinerary including Newport Mansions, Niagara Falls, United Nations and city tours in Vancouver, Toronto, Boston, Portland, New York, Philadelphia and Washington.
All breakfasts, 1 afternoon tea, 9 lunches and 12 dinners included.
All tips, taxes and porterage.
Escorted by Lynette and Alex.
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.

PLACES WE STAY (see photos below)

Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver is situated in the heart of downtown Vancouver, the spectacular setting allows you to experience exceptional service with first-class amenities.

Omni King Edward Hotel is a 4 star elegant hotel, located in the heart of downtown Toronto and was Toronto’s first luxury Hotel. The Hotel has Old-world charm and state-of-the-art amenities.

Le Saint-Sulpice Montreal is ideally located and offers a superb and unique experience in the heart of Old Montreal. Old Montreal is definitely the most historic and touristic neighborhood in the city, close to Downtown. This 4 Star luxury boutique hotel, features 108 authentic and inviting suites with cachet overlooking the cobblestone streets or the lovely courtyard garden.

Holland America MS Veendam is one of Holland America Line's cruise ships and is named for the capital of Northern Netherlands's peat colonies. Features on the vessel include the two-tiered Rotterdam Dining Room, suites with private verandas, multiple lounges, and a wide teak deck. It is well known for its spaciousness, exceptional service, great entertainment and fabulous food. We enjoy Vista A suites on upper decks, with private balconies.

The Press Hotel is Portland’s first independent lifestyle boutique hotel, tucking seamlessly into the city’s vibrant and eclectic Old Port vicinity. Located on the corner of Exchange and Congress Streets in the Old Port District, features 110 thoughtfully appointed luxury guestrooms. The hotel also has an Art Gallery featuring local artist’s works.

Lenox Hotel in Boston's prestigious Back Bay neighborhood, is a local landmark. Built in 1900 its 11 stories made it the tallest building in Boston at the time. The refined elegance embraces Boston's quiet dignity where guests can explore luxury accommodations, exquisite dining experiences, and unparalleled hospitality.

Renaissance New York Times Square. Offering 4-star modern accommodation, Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel, A Marriott Luxury & Lifestyle Hotel is ideally situated in Manhattan. It is 10 minutes on foot from the New York City Center, Rockefeller Center and the Radio City Music Hall, and boasts views of Times Square.

The Mayflower Hotel is an historic famous landmark hotel built in 1925 and located in downtown Washington D.C. This 4 star hotel is adjacent to the National Geographic Museum. It is a member of the Historic Hotels of America. The rooms at the Renaissance Mayflower are designed in a classical style.

MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS

A welcome dinner in a private room at the hotel with music starts our tour on the right note (forgive the pun!).

Dinner in Boston and music from our Operatunity escorts.

Pre show dinner in Times Square then off to a Broadway show.

An opera at the iconic Metropolitan Opera to enjoy its stunning music and world-class singers (dependent on availability).

Final night gala dinner in our hotel in a private room with music provided by our wonderful Operatunity escorts.

Travel Insurance

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

MOBILITY

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