Don't miss the boat (or bus)!

By Dorcas Taylor
Controller’s Office and
Group Tour assistant

PASADENA—This will be our final opportunity to publicize the 2002 fall festival group tours in the WN.

Interest in the Alaska cruise, the Caribbean cruise and the Grand Canyon tour has been high, but space is still available. Each begins Sept. 22 and ends Sept. 29. Following are details about each group tour.

If you have ever dreamed to take a cruise, now is a good time. Our price for the Alaska Inside Passage cruise is at least 50 percent off of full fare. We will depart from Vancouver, British Columbia, and then cruise the Inside Passage with a port stop in Juneau where you can experience an Alaskan cookout, flightsee the Juneau Ice Field or visit the Mendenhall Glacier.

Skagway, another stop, offers a sightseeing streetcar to points of interest. The final port stop will be in Ketchikan, where the largest totem collection in the world can be found and you can shop at the contemporary art galleries or quaint boutiques.

One of the most memorable experiences of the cruise is Glacier Bay National Park, where you will see thousand-year-old glacier ice cliffs. Park rangers will be on board to explain much about the bay. You may even see a bald eagle or other wildlife.

Our minister couples for the Alaskan cruise will be Joseph and Tammy Tkach, Bernard and Arlene Schnippert, Russell and Phyllis Duke, and Ronald and Norva Kelly.

Prices offered to the church for the Eastern Caribbean cruise are 65 percent off.

Dennis Pelley and Michael Feazell will be featured speakers, and Mr. Pelley and his wife, Lorraine, will direct the musical programs. After departure from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the first stop will be at Nassau, Bahamas, where you can shop, watch the flamingos at the Ardastra Gardens or get a tan on the beach at the Blue Lagoon.

Next stop is San Juan, Puerto Rico, where you can stroll the cobblestone streets or visit historic sites.

Next, we’re off to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, known for its duty-free shopping, but you may choose to lounge on the beach, ride a bike or take a harbor cruise in a glass-bottom boat. We then travel to Half Moon Cay, where you can enjoy an island barbecue, shop or enjoy the beach.

Both cruises promise Holland America’s great service, food and cabin quality that experienced travelers have come to expect from our church-sponsored festival cruise programs.

The tour leaders for our luxury coach Grand Canyon and National Parks Tour will be Neil and Susan Earle. The tour leaves from Las Vegas, Nevada, and goes to Hoover Dam before continuing on to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Then we will travel on to Monument Valley and Moab, Utah. From there we will travel to Arches National Park and the next day on to Canyonlands National Park and an evening cruise on the Colorado River.

On Friday, Sept. 27, we arrive at Bryce Canyon National Park and then on Saturday, we arrive at Zion National Park for further touring. On Sunday we head back to Las Vegas.

For all tour groups, the itinerary is Sunday to Sunday, which will allow travelers only five business days missed from work.

For complete itinerary, pricing and details, please contact John Siston at Travel Gallery, 1388 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, California, 91106-1528; telephone 1-800-858-6999; fax 1-626-577-0577; e-mail john@travel gallery.com or check Travel Gallery’s web page at www.travelgallery.com.

We do hope you can join us for one of these tours. The experience is something you will want to share with other members, family or friends. So ask them to join us as well.

Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2002