Escorted Touring Canada | America | Australia | New Zealand 2018-19 2 CONTENTS The First Class Holidays Difference 4-5 Why take an Escorted Tour? 6-7 Our Touring Destinations 8-9 OUR TOURING PARTNERS Grand Pacific Tours 10-11 APT 12-13 Insight Vacations 14 Luxury Gold 14 Trafalgar 15 Costsaver 15 AAT Kings 16 Jonview Canada 17 Atlantic Tours 17 CANADA Western Canada 20-29 Cross Canada 30-31 Eastern Canada 32-37 AMERICA Alaska 40 West Coast 41 Hawaii 43 Canyonlands & National Parks 42,44-49 Deep South 50-52 East Coast & New England 53-55 NEW ZEALAND Multi Island 60-77 South Island only 59, 67 North Island only 66 AUSTRALIA Cross Australia & Red Centre 80-81, 88-89 East Coast 82-85 South Australia 86-87 Tasmania 90 Western Australia 91 Flight Information 92-95 Important Information 96 Booking Conditions 97-99 3 THE FIRST CLASS HOLIDAYS DIFFERENCE They say travel enriches the soul and makes memories that last a lifetime – let us create your memories with you. Exceptional service is at the heart of everything we do and has been for the 21 years since we started. From the moment of your first enquiry to when you return home, our mission is to ensure that all arrangements are seamless and as you want them. We can tailor make itineraries for all budgets, applying the same first class level of service to all. Our carefully selected touring partners have developed unique holiday itineraries that tick all the must-see highlights. First Class Holidays have the expertise to create a tailor made trip just for you, choosing the perfect flights, the best hotels for your pre or post tour stay and recommending those hidden gems that complete the whole holiday. When you are looking for a touring holiday it is not a decision to be taken lightly and you need a travel company you can trust. WE ARE TOURING EXPERTS All our team are experts in our destinations and most have extensive first hand experience Great Ocean Road, Australia of exploring them. This knowledge means that they are perfectly placed to create with you exactly the holiday you want and offer extra insights that ensure you get the most from your trip. You can either book the holiday itinerary as it is shown in this brochure, or, we can extend your stay with any option you want – extra nights, additional destinations or even add another tour. The choice is yours! AWARD-WINNING SERVICE First Class Holidays is a multi award-winning tour operator, including being voted Best Tour Operator to Canada a record 15 times by independent travel agents at the British Annual Canada Travel Awards and awarded the Outstanding Service award by the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO). We are proud that our personal, friendly service and attention to detail has led to us becoming a leader in providing tailor made holidays. FINANCIAL PROTECTION You can trust First Class Holidays in the knowledge that we are fully bonded with the Civil Aviation Authority ATOL scheme and with the Association of British Travel Agents. You can Bryce Canyon National Park, USA book your travel arrangements with the peace of mind that your money is safe. We are also members of the Association of Independent Travel Agents (AITO) and abide by their Code of Conduct and the AITO Quality Charter that requires high standards of quality and service. VALUE FOR MONEY We regularly negotiate new special offers to provide the best price for you. Prices can fluctuate depending on the season you travel and so please call our team who will offer you the best available price for your requirements, taking advantage of savings that we have secured on your behalf. Our ‘From’ prices are a guide for the holidays featured in this brochure and international flights are included, however, as airfares are dynamic due to seat availability and special offers, we will always offer the best fares available at the time of booking. Each of our touring partners offer different inclusions and experiences and so please refer to the ‘What’s Included’ section by each holiday for details. Maori Culture Experience, New Zealand ALL OUR HOLIDAYS PROVIDE PEACE OF MIND WITH COMPLETE FINANCIAL PROTECTION 4 REASONS TO CHOOSE FIRST CLASS HOLIDAYS Award Winning Service We are proud of our reputation for providing the highest levels of service and our team of travel experts are dedicated to ensuring your travel arrangements go without a hitch. Far From Ordinary Experiences Immersing yourself in a culture means incredible and unforgettable local experiences. Your escorted tour will generally include sightseeing and local tours that mean you get under the skin of a country. These experiences are often unique and give greater insights to the local customs than would otherwise be possible. Freedom & Flexibility Your holiday, your way. Most people like to add a little extra to their touring holiday. A few nights before or after the tour perhaps; or a trip to a different location, perhaps to see polar bears or a stay on a desert island on the way home. As a tailormade holiday specialist we can offer this service with ease and our holiday designers will be happy to tailor the holiday to your exact requirements. Just one stipulation though, the core itinerary for the escorted tour cannot be changed, sorry. Comprehensive Documentation Every booking with First Class Holidays receives a comprehensive documentation pack in a superb A5 zipped wallet – perfectly sized to carry with you and give you all the information that you need for your holiday. Partnered with Independent Travel Agents The UK has an excellent network of independent travel agents. We work very closely with many of them and we would be happy to recommend one local to you, EXPERIENCE OUR AWARD WINNING SERVICE – CALL OUR TEAM ON 0161 888 5604 OR VISIT YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT TRAVEL AGENT 5 WHY TAKE AN ESCORTED TOUR? There is no better way to experience the sights and sounds of a country, to absorb its culture and learn about its history and people, than on an escorted tour. New places and experiences unfold each day and as you meet and make new friends from around the world your tour director will ensure that you see all the sights and introduce you to history and new cultures. They’ll choose the best photo stops, the best places for coffee or lunch and make sure that you have the time of your life. And from your seat high above the hedgerows there’s no chance that you’ll miss a thing on the way. Just consider some of the benefits • Travel in the company of like-minded people • A professional tour director takes care of all the details, leaving you free to enjoy yourself and experience the local cultures • An experienced driver looks after all the driving, taking away the stress of driving in unfamiliar places • With all accommodation and many meals and most sightseeing included, escorted tours offer exceptional value for money The holidays featured in this brochure have been carefully selected not only to ensure that you will experience the very best of each of our destinations, but also to provide the best range of choice to suit all tastes and budgets. This is, however, only a small selection of the holidays available so if you don’t see what you are looking for, or prefer to travel with a different touring partner, just give us a call as we work with, most touring companies and are sure to be able to find something to meet your taste. Statue of Liberty, New York On the way to Milford Sound, New Zealand ALL OUR HOLIDAYS PROVIDE PEACE OF MIND WITH COMPLETE FINANCIAL PROTECTION 6 Great Barrier Reef, Queensland Australia “We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday to Canada, we saw some stunning scenery, met some wonderful people and made lifelong friends. Laura, our tour director, looked after all the details and ensured that we saw all the sights on our tour through the Rockies, and Henry’s driving was faultless.” Moraine Lake, Canada EXPERIENCE OUR AWARD WINNING SERVICE – CALL OUR TEAM ON 0161 888 5604 OR VISIT YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT TRAVEL AGENT 7 Mount Cook, New Zealand OUR TOURING DESTINATIONS Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand are perfect destinations for touring by coach and with so much to see and do.There’s no better way to explore than on an escorted tour. With incredible national parks with outstanding views, cosmopolitan cities with fantastic dining and hotels, remote but comfortable mountain settings and fascinating and absorbing culture, these destinations offer the very best touring experiences. CANADA Canada is an incredibly beautiful country with a diverse range of landscapes to explore and cultures to experience. The stunning Canadian Rockies, with their icing sugar peaks reflecting in crystal clear lakes compare with forested lakelands of Ontario and Québec. Wildlife is to be found everywhere, from the temperate coastline of British Columbia to the Atlantic Provinces with their incredible seafood. And the cities in Canada offer everything from a fast paced cosmopolitan feel in Vancouver and Montréal to the European quaintness of Québec City, the only walled city in North America. AUSTRALIA Australia is a magical and wonderful country with so many things to see and do. From the mystique of sacred Uluru and the arid Red Centre to Queensland’s rainforests, sandy beaches and the colourful coral gardens of the Great Barrier Reef. The incredible coastal scenery of the Great Ocean Road with the Twelve Apostles to the wildlife of Kangaroo Island, the vineyards of the Barossa and Margaret River regions.