A survey conducted of some members who have traveled internationally during the last two years for the Festivals showed high interest in cruises to Alaska and in the Mediterranean, as well as a tour to China.
Because of this, three tour and worship opportunities will be offered for 1999. More specific activities will be announced as people send deposits for each program and group size is determined.
(Inside passage: Vancouver to Vancouver, May 17 to 24)
Since the Alaska sailing season ends in September, a cruise that corresponds to the traditional Festival dates is not possible for four years. So, a May sailing to include the festival of Pentecost was selected.
This cruise aboard Holland America's Veendam embraces the thousand-mile Inside Passage and Glacier Bay. The Veendam is five years old and is almost identical to the MS Ryndam, the ship of the 1997 Caribbean cruise and this year's Panama Canal cruise.
Prices include a 50 percent discount.
Inside cabins: $866, $919, $953, $986, $1019, $1,053. Outside cabins: $1,033, $1,106, $1,166, $1,226, $1,279, $1,346, $1,379. Veranda: $1,879, $1,979. Suite: $3,907. Penthouse: $6,130.
(Empires of the Black Sea: Venice to Istanbul Sept. 22 to Oct. 4)
The Empires of the Black Sea cruise combines Holland America's Flagship Forum lecture series and a sailing that includes the traditional Festival dates.
The cruise starts in Venice and includes stops in Athens, Ephesus, Odessa, Yalta and Istanbul. It combines cities visited by the apostle Paul and the land of Chekhov, Tolstoy and Rachmaninoff.
This is supplemented with lectures by Holland America's guest lecturer, Colonel James W. Reid. His lecture From Classical Greece to Tsarist Romanovs will give informative background for this cruise.
Prices includes a 35 percent discount for members. Inside cabins: $2,535, $2,626, $2,717, $2,808, $2,899. Outside cabins: $3,010, $3,068, $3,133, $3,192, $3,250, $3,315, $3,374. Veranda: $4,446, $4,602. Suite: $6,601. Penthouse: $12,999.
(From Los Angeles, home city airfare available, Sept. 23 to Oct. 3)
We have made arrangements through the Soong Ching Ling Foundation (SCLF).
They have included a grand canal cruise, an acrobatic show, museum tours, a meeting with Archbishop Ding Guangshun and visits with fellow Christians in Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing.
Itinerary
Sept. 23: Depart Los Angeles.
Sept. 24: Arrive Shanghai.
Sept. 25: Shanghai: Yu Garden, Shanghai museum and Children's Palace. Acrobatic show in evening.
Sept. 26: Morning visit to church. Afternoon train for Suzhou. Tiger Hill and Silk Embroidery Research Center.
Sept. 27: Suzhou: Ancient Grand Canal cruise. Train to Nanjing.
Sept. 28: Nanjing: Sunyatsen's Mausoleum and Ancient City Wall. Afternoon: China Church Seminary and Archbishop Ding Guangshun.
Sept. 29: Fly to Beijing. Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.
Sept. 30: Beijing: the Great Wall and Summer Palace.
Oct. 1: Beijing: Temple of Heaven and Yonhe Lama Monastery.
Oct. 2: Beijing: visit local church. Closing worship service.
Oct. 03: Departure to Los Angeles.
Xian extension
Oct. 03: Flight to Xian. Big-small Wildgoose Pagoda and city wall.
Oct. 04: Xian: Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, The Mosque and the Provincial Museum.
Oct. 05: Fly to Beijing, connect to flight for Los Angeles.
The cost for this tour is $2,195, which includes the Festival fee. The Xian extension price is $525. Prices are per person double occupancy. Single supplement and children's prices are available.
For more information on any of the above tours fill out the coupon or call Travel Gallery at 1-800-858-6999 or send electronic mail to info@travelgallery.com)
Reservation Form for Cruise '99 or China '99
Name:
Address:
City: State: Zip code:
Home phone: Day phone:
Fax number E-mail address:
Please send me information and booking instructions for
* Alaska Cruise * Mediterranean Cruise * China Cultural Exchange
Number of people interested in the above tours:
Mail to: Worldwide Church of God, Cruise/China '99, 300 W. Green St., Pasadena, California, 91123
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1998