BRENTWOOD COLLEGE SCHOOL GIRLS HOCKEY TOUR TO GERMANY & HOLLAND 2017

Transcription

1 BRENTWOOD COLLEGE SCHOOL GIRLS HOCKEY TOUR TO GERMANY & HOLLAND 2017 Duration: 17 days 15 nights Visiting: Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Amsterdam, Dutch Countryside, Cologne & Heidelberg. PRICE PER PERSON (1) EUR 2,365 = CAD 3,525 INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS (2) CAD 1,200 including taxes NOTES: (1) Land Only Package quoted in EUROS and based on a minimum group size of 16 people. (2) ESTIMATE for economy class international flights with Lufthansa, routing: Victoria/Frankfurt/Berlin//Frankfurt/Victoria (via Vancouver); including all current taxes and fuel surcharges. Currency conversions are for indication only and are subject to change without prior notice. Figures shown are based on today's interbank rates (10MAY2016): 1 EUR = 1.50 CAD OUR PRICE INCLUDES: 15 nights accommodation in the hotels/hostels stated in the below itinerary, sharing twin or triple or multi-share rooms (in hostels). Meals: daily breakfast and 14 dinners (buffet style or three-course set menu) with limited soft drinks. All visits, excursions and sightseeing tours as outlined in the below itinerary, escorted by a professional English-speaking tour guide. Entrance tickets to sites visited on tour: Cathedral (guided tour) and Chocolate Museum in Cologne. Transfers on a private seater minibus to complete all the activities in the below itinerary. Organisation of 5 field hockey fixtures against suitable opposition. Organisation of 1 coaching clinic with a professional coach. Use of training fields and facilities as well as basic accessories. The services of a Mérito Travel experienced tour escort throughout. OUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE: Excess baggage charges, tips, items of a personal nature such as laundry, phone calls, beverages extra to meals, personal and baggage insurance, optional tours, and any other items not being shown as specifically included in the tour cost. Please note some excursions are only suggested in your itinerary; these are not included in your tour cost. If you wish to book any further excursions please let us know.

2 PROPOSED ITINERARY DAY 1 VICTORIA VANCOUVER FRANKFURT IN FLIGHT Assemble at Victoria Airport, main terminal, to check in to your flight LH 6629 operated by Jazz with destination to Vancouver h. Flight departs. Flight time: 26 min h. Arrive Vancouver Airport and remain in transit until you board your connecting flight LH 493 to Frankfurt h. Flight departs. Flight time: 9 h 50 min. Overnight in flight. Lufthansa DAY 2 FRANKFURT BERLIN MEALS: D h. Arrive Frankfurt Airport in time to connect with your flight LH 180 to Berlin, departing at h. Flight time: 1 h 10 min h. Arrive Berlin Tegel Airport, clear German immigration, collect your baggage and pass through customs. Proceed to the arrivals hall where you will be met by your Mérito Travel tour escort who will show you to your coach. Transfer and check into the centrally located Generator Berlin Mitte Hostel (or similar), for a three night stay on a Berlin HB basis. Settle into your rooms, freshen-up and relax or transfer to a local Astroturf for a training session. Dinner at DAY 3 BERLIN MEALS: B, D Depart on a sightseeing tour of Germany s magnificent capital city of Berlin, a mecca for art, culture and fashion. Marvel at the landmarks of the old East and West sections of Berlin, including the Brandenburg Gate, symbol of the reunification, the glass-domed Reichstag Building and Checkpoint Charlie, the last remaining mark of the formerly divided city. Later in the day, transfer to play your first match on tour: MATCH 1 vs. A LOCAL SCHOOL OR CLUB Brandenburg Gate DAY 4 BERLIN MEALS: B, D Full day at leisure in this city with so much to see and do! Visit the Pergamon Museum, Charlottenburg Palace, Jewish Museum or ascend the huge Berlin TV Tower to see the incredible 360 views of the city. We suggest you visit the shopping and entertainment district of Kurfürstendamm with its rows of boutiques, cafes and non-stop activity. Alternatively, venture about 24 Km southwest to Potsdam, the former hometown of the Prussian kings and the German Kaiser. Gendarmenmarkt Experience the city s Baroque architecture, beautiful parks and rich history.

3 DAY 5 BERLIN HAMBURG MEALS: B, D Breakfast, check-out of the hostel and board your coach to travel to the lovely maritime city of Hamburg (290 Km 4 h), known as the country s "gateway to the world". On arrival, check into the Meininger Hotel Hamburg City (or similar), where you will be accommodated for two nights on a HB basis. Settle into your rooms and enjoy lunch. Spend the rest of the day at leisure to explore the city on your own or take an optional excursion. Optional: visit Tierpark Hagenbeck, the Hamburg first zoo with no enclosures and over 1,850 animals from every continent including one of Europe s biggest elephant herds. DAY 6 HAMBURG MEALS: B, D Enjoy a free morning for sightseeing in Hamburg. Discover Alster Lake, with its well-used Outer and Inner walkways and sumptuous waterside villas owned by Hamburg s wealthiest merchants. View the Landing Bridge of St. Pauli, the largest in the harbor, the baroque-style St. Michaelis Church and the impressive Town Hall. At an agreed time, transfer to play your second match in Germany: MATCH 2 vs. A LOCAL SCHOOL OR CLUB HTC Uhlenhorst DAY 7 HAMBURG BREMEN MEALS: B, D Breakfast, check-out and board your coach to travel west to Bremen (126 Km 2 h). On arrival, check into the Ibis Bremen City Hotel (or similar), for a two night stay on a HB basis. Settle into your accommodation and enjoy the rest of the day free to wander the city as you see fit. Having been one of the most prosperous cities in Germany for hundreds of years, today Bremen is a joy to discover. Bremen Marketplatz DAY 8 BREMEN MEALS: B, D Spend a free morning sightseeing on foot in the fairy-tale city of Bremen. Explore its unique expressionist quarter and the narrow maze of streets that make up the old town and see the UNESCO Heritage Listed Town Hall. Later in the day, transfer to play the third match of the tour: MATCH 3 vs. A LOCAL SCHOOL OR CLUB Girls Hockey Bremen

4 DAY 9 BREMEN AMSTERDAM MEALS: B, D Enjoy breakfast, check-out of the hotel and transfer to Amsterdam (355 Km 5 h 10 min), the 800-year-old thriving capital of Holland. Stop en route for lunch. On arrival, check into the Meininger Hotel Amsterdam City West (or similar), where you will be staying for the following four nights on a HB basis. After settling into your rooms, there will be free time to begin exploring Amsterdam at your own rhythm. Let your intuition lead the way through mysterious labyrinthine streets. Amsterdam DAY 10 AMSTERDAM MEALS: B, D Discover Amsterdam on a tour by bike that will introduce you to both the old and the new sections of the city. See the key sites in town: Mint Tower, Rokin, the floating flower market, Dam Square, the Royal Palace, and the Nieuwe Kerk and the National Monument, the Beurs van Berlage, Central Station, St. Nicholas Church, the Jewish quarter of the seventeenth century, etc. Break for lunch and then transfer to a local Astroturf for a coaching session with a professional coach. Bike Tour DAY 11 AMSTERDAM OR UTRETCH MEALS: B, D Free time to explore this vibrant city further. Perhaps, spend time browsing the shops, strolling the atmospheric lanes and quarters or visit the superb Van Gogh Museum. At an agreed time, transfer to the appointed venue to play the fourth match of the tour and your first in Holland: MATCH 4 vs. A LOCAL SCHOOL OR CLUB SV Kampong DAY 12 AMSTERDAM DUTCH COUNTRYSIDE MEALS: B, D Depart on a full day tour back into old Holland at Zaanse Schans, a living and working community dating back to the 18th century. Explore the Dutch culture and traditional architectural style amongst its windmills, barns, and historical houses and warehouses; perhaps even catch a cheese demonstration or clog-making class. Next, continue on to the charming fishing village of Volendam where you can stroll the quaint harbor and possibly see fishermen dressed in Mills in Zaanse Schans typical caps and baggy-legged trousers. Return to Amsterdam in time for dinner.

5 DAY 13 AMSTERDAM COLOGNE MEALS: B, D Enjoy breakfast, check-out and if desired spend the morning at leisure in Amsterdam. Following lunch, board your coach and transfer to Cologne (268 Km 3 h 50 min). On arrival, check into the centrally located Meininger Hotel Cologne (or similar) where you will be accommodated for two nights on a HB basis. Free time to explore the delightful city of Cologne. Cologne Old Town DAY 14 COLOGNE MEALS: B, D Enjoy breakfast and depart on a guided walking tour to discover the many landmarks of Cologne, with its 2000 year-old history, often called the capital of the Rhineland. Linger at the striking 13th century Cologne Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its soaring twin spires. This afternoon, visit the Chocolate Museum and sample some of its exhibits! Cologne Cathedral DAY 15 COLOGNE HEIDELBERG MEALS: B, D Breakfast, check out and travel to the beautiful town of Heidelberg (252 Km 3 h 40), nestled along the picturesque River Neckar and home of the oldest university in Germany. On arrival, check into the Youth Hostel Heidelberg International (or similar) where you will be based for the last two nights of the tour on a HB basis. Settle in and then transfer to a local Astroturf to play your final match on tour. MATCH 5 vs. A LOCAL SCHOOL OR CLUB Mannheimer HC the hostel DAY 16 HEIDELBERG MEALS: B, D Final day of the tour, entirely at free to shop or continue sightseeing independently. Optional: visit the imposing red sandstone ruins of 12th century Heidelberg Castle, a hilltop Gothic masterpiece. Heidelberg

6 DAY 17 HEIDELBERG FRANKFURT VICTORIA MEALS: B - IN FLIGHT Rise early this morning, check-out of the hostel and transfer to Frankfurt Airport (80 Km 1 h 30 min) in plenty of time to check-in to your Lufthansa flight LH 492 to Vancouver h. Flight departs. Flight time: 10 h 10 min h. Arrive Vancouver Airport and connect with your homebound flight LH 6682 to Victoria, departing at h h. Arrive Victoria Airport, collect your baggage, proceed to the Home sweet home arrivals hall and disperse for home. End of the Tour

7 MERITO TRAVEL CONDITIONS & LIABILITY All rates are subject to currency fluctuations and airfare increases until final payment has been received. Liabilities: Mérito Travel makes every effort to ensure that all arrangements and services connected with your travel arrangements will be carried out as specified in the most efficient and effective way possible. However, we DO NOT have direct control over the provision of services by suppliers and airlines and whilst they are in all cases selected with the utmost of care we DO NOT accept liability for errors and omissions of such suppliers and airlines. Mérito Travel also accepts no liability for changes, omissions or delays before or during the course of any journey occasioned by technical difficulties, weather conditions, strikes or communication breakdowns. AIR ARRANGEMENTS Cancellation fees will apply as required by airlines regulations and will vary dependent upon the type of airfare utilized. Airfare prices and conditions are subject to change or withdrawal without notification until ticketed. Full payment is required before tickets can be issued. Mérito Travel cannot be held liable for any increases in prices or changes in the rules and conditions. Foreign currency airfares and airport taxes may fluctuate and are subject to the rate of exchange on date of ticket issue. Increases in airport taxes are not the responsibility of Mérito Travel and can be imposed up to departure. BILLETING Mérito Travel tries to ensure that the stay with host families is as enjoyable as possible. Parent s houses vary in size which is why we can never guarantee the exact composition of billets. Sometimes, you can get four guests to a billet but more often than not, it is a single guest to a single host. Please be aware that when hosted by a club, your hosts will attend to different schools and therefore some of them may be fluent in English and some others may not. However all of them (or someone in the family) will speak enough English to be able to communicate. Parents and staff can rest assured that the families will be very friendly, hospitable and will look after the pupils as if they were their own children. IMPORTANT NOTES Airfares have been based on estimated group fares but are not guaranteed. All airfares will be confirmed at the time of booking. Mérito Travel reserves the right to increase the package price to reflect any increase. Prices quoted are on a per person sharing basis. Prices and availability are subject to confirmation at time of booking. Prices quoted are only valid for the number of people quoted for - any increase or decrease in numbers will affect the price. No booking can be guaranteed unless a non-refundable deposit has been received.