Experience Ireland
With WILK’S Steve Corbett and AAA Travel
Superior First Class Hotels –8 days/13 Meals
July 11 – 19, 2012
Tour Includes:
Motorcoach transfer to JFKennedy Airport*
Overnight flight JFKennedy to Dublin, Ireland
Airport transfers at start and end of tour
Sightseeing by luxury coach
Professional tour director
7 nights in hotels listed below
Full breakfast daily except on day 1 (B)
6 dinners (D) including - Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet - 5 table d'hote dinners
Welcome get-together drink
Tours of Dublin and Belfast
Tea and scones at Triona Design
Walking tour of Derry with a local guide
Day tour to Achill Island
Visits and admissions to Dublin Castle, Down Cathedral, St. Patrick Centre, Castle Ward, Titantic Belfast, Giant's Causeway, W. B. Yeats' Grave, Westport House, Connemara Marble Factory, Poulnabrone Dolmen and Cliffs of Moher
Deluxe carry-on backpack, ticket wallet, luggage tags & strap
All local taxes, hotel service charges & porterage for one suitcase per person
Hosted by WILK’s Steve Corbett*
*Transportation is included based on a minimum number of passengers booked. If this number is not met, transportation will still be provided, but there may be an additional amount pro-rated at time of final billing. Air taxes are subject to change. Once airline tickets are issued they are non-refundable. WILK reserves the right to substitute the “host” if necessary. (Cancellation or substitution of the WILK host is not a valid reason for canceling).
Hotels: Deluxe & Superior First Class: Tour Cost:
Conrad Hilton Hotel, Dublin (1 night) *$2699per person based
Europa Hotel, Belfast (2 nights) on double occupancy. (single supplement
City Hotel, Derry (1 night) is $398 additional) *pricing is based on a
Hotel Westport, Westport (2 nights) minimum numberof passengers traveling. Bunratty Castle Hotel, Bunratty (1 night)
8 Day Ireland Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Transfer by motorcoach to JFKennedy Airport in New York. Overnight flight from JFKennedy to Dublin, Ireland.
Day 2: Dublin Sightseeing Start in Dublin Airport with a group transfer to your hotel between 7:00 am and 12:00 noon. If your flight arrives later, you will need to transfer to the hotel at your own expense. At 2:00 pm tour Dublin to see elegant Georgian townhouses, pass St. Stephen's Green and cross the River Liffey to view the Famine Memorial and drive along O'Connell Street. Tour Dublin Castle's State Apartments where major events from Irish history and modern politics take place in the gracious chambers. In the evening meet your tour director over a welcome drink to discuss your trip and he will help you choose a restaurant to dine independently.
Day 3: St. Patrick's Grave & Belfast Drive north to visit Down Cathedral to see St. Patrick's reputed burial site, marked by a huge boulder. Learn about his life and missionary work during the 5th century in the nearby St. Patrick Centre. A few miles further on, visit the stately mansion of Castle Ward, set in lovely grounds overlooking Strangford Lough. This mid-Georgian mansion is an architectural curiosity of its time, built in two distinct architectural styles: Classical and Gothic. Tour the lovely chambers of the house, which together with Victorian laundry, playroom and saw-mill created a self-supporting industry to keep the entire estate working efficiently. Drive to your hotel in Belfast and relax before dinner. (B, D)
Day 4: Titanic Belfast & Tour This morning a local guide will show you around central Belfast to see the many ornate Victorian buildings, the imposing City Hall in Donegall Square and the Shankill and Falls Road areas where many 20th century political events took place. Also see the shipyards where RMS Titanic was built in 1912 and visit the newly-opened Titanic Belfast to learn about this ill-fated famous liner through state-of-the-art displays. Then the rest of the day is free for independent activities. Belfast offers excellent museums and good shops, most of which are within easy walking distance from your hotel while the ornate Victorian pub, Crown Liquor Saloon, is just across the street. (B, D)
Day 5: Giant's Causeway & Derry Drive north along the “Nine Glens of Antrim,” a scenic route with lovely views of mountains, valleys and coastline. Stop at the Giant's Causeway, hexagonal columns formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. The enormous rocks have spawned legends about the mythical giant, Finn McCool. Continue to Derry and join a local guide for a short walk around the compact old city and surrounding medieval walls. Learn about the long history of the city as well as 20th century events. Enjoy some free time for a look around on your own. (B, D)
Day 6: Donegal & Yeats' Grave Travel through the rugged countryside of Donegal, with its lovely scenery of heathery hills and deep valleys. This region is difficult for farming but is renowned for sheep and the many tweeds made from their wool. In Ardara visit Triona Design to sample freshly-baked scones with tea and see demonstrations of spinning and weaving. Stop in Donegal town to browse around and follow the coastline of Donegal Bay. Pause at W. B. Yeats' Grave near the distinctively-shaped mountain of Ben Bulben in County Sligo, a region that he loved. Drive to Westport and enjoy free time before dinner. (B, D)
Day 7: Achill Island & Westport House Travel around Clew Bay, which is reputed to have 365 islands, to access Achill Island by a bridge. Follow the Atlantic Drive to capture wonderful views of steeply-sloped mountains plunging into the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. Near Slievemore see the Deserted Village, the remains of nearly 100 stone cottages abandoned around the time of the 1840's Famine. Also see stretches of windswept bogland and golden beaches. Visit the stately Westport House, designed by Richard Cassels in 1731. The mansion overlooks Clew Bay and contains a wealth of interesting portraits, furniture, silver and porcelain. (B, D)
Day 8: Cliffs Of Moher & Bunratty Medieval Banquet Travel through Maam Cross in the heart of Connemara and visit the Connemara Marble Factory. Stop in Galway and drive through the Burren to view the huge boulders of the Poulnabrone Dolmen. Walk along the majestic Cliffs of Moher, a rocky wall that rises nearly 700 feet above the foaming Atlantic Ocean. At Bunratty check in to your hotel, right beside Bunratty Castle, the Bunratty Folk Park and Durty Nelly's Pub. In the evening head to 15th century Bunratty Castle for a jolly medieval-style dinner where the lords and ladies serenade you. (B, D)
Departure Day: Take a group transfer to nearby Shannon Airport where your tour concludes at 10:30 am. Allow ample time for check-in formalities for your flight home. (B) A motorcoach will pick you up at the airport to return you to Pennsylvania.
Deposits/Final payment: A $200 per person deposit is required to confirm your reservations. Final payment is due to AAA Travel by May 2, 2012.
Necessary Documentation: A U.S. passport is required and must be valid for at least six months beyond the return travel date. Failure to provide correct documentation will result in denied boarding of the airplane and no refunds will be issued.
Not included in the rate: Travel Insurance, items of a personal nature, gratuities to driver/guide in Ireland, and meals not listed in the itinerary.
Cancellation Penalty Schedule: Oncedeposited, AAA imposes a $50 per person cancellation fee in addition to the tour operator/airline penalties. All cancellations must be advised in writing. Tour operator penalties: between 99 & 60 days prior to departure, $200 per person. Between 59 & 31 days prior, 25% per person. Between 30 & 8 days prior 35% per person. Between 7 & 1 day prior 50% per person and on day of departure 100% penalty per person.
Travel Insurance is highly recommended.
ASSISTANCE CLAUSE: AAA regrets that they are unable to individual assistance to a tour member for walking, dining or other personal needs. Anyone needing such assistance must be accompanied by a companion who is capable of and completely responsible for providing it.
RESPONSIBILITY
Our tours are arranged by AAA North Penn who act solely in the capacity of an agent on behalf of its tour patrons in arranging for transportation, lodging, sightseeing and other services and as such cannot be held responsible for any damage, loss, delay, injury, or accident due to any act or default on the part of the company or person engaged in providing transportation, lodging, sightseeing or other services which are part of the tour. Rates quoted are based on tariffs current at the time of printing and are subject to changes on or before time of final payment.
AAA expressly reserves the right to withdraw any tour or make changes in the tour, with or without notice, that may become necessary, including substitution of accommodations or transportation. No carrier with whom transportation shall be arranged in connection with these tours shall have or incur any responsibility or liability as a common carrier.
AAA North Penn gives notice that all tickets and coupons are issued or delivered by them and all arrangements for transport or conveyance, or for hotel accommodations, are made by them the agents for passengers upon the express condition that they shall not be liable for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect in any vehicle or through the act of default of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger, or of any hotel proprietor, or employee, or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour, or otherwise in connection therewith. No carrier shall have or incur any responsibility to any person taking this tour except its liability as a common carrier. The airline and/or steamship lines concerned are not conveyances. The passage contract in use by the airline and/or steamship lines concerned when issued shall constitute the sole contract between the carrier and the purchaser and/or passengers of these tours. The aforesaid AAA North Penn can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes of schedule, weather, strikes, and war, quarantine or other causes. All such losses or expenses shall have to be bourne by the passengers.
All rates and fares shown on this program are based on current tariffs at the time of printing and are subject to adjustment at the time of final payment. The right is reserved to decline, to accept or to retain any person as a member of any tour or to cancel or alter the tour.
Please call or visit the office nearest you to make your reservations:
AAA Scranton -348-2511
AAA South Williamsport -323-8431
AAA Tunkhannock -836-5104
AAA Wellsboro -724-4134
AAA Stroudsburg-421-2500
AAA Carbondale- 282-1390
AAA Honesdale-253-0265
AAA Towanda- 265-6122
AAA Honesdale-253-0265
AAA Towanda- 265-6122
AAA Susquehanna Valley-286-4507