Giving
Travel
Upcoming Trips
-
Egypt and the Eternal Nile
February 1-15, 2027
Accompanied by an expert Egyptian guide, this 15-day journey reveals antiquity’s treasures in Cairo, then on a Lake Nasser cruise and a classic Nile voyage from Aswan to Luxor, before returning to Cairo.
-
European Tapestry: Amsterdam to Paris
April 5-16, 2027
Europe of old – and new – springs to life on this relaxed journey through cities rich with art and architecture, vibrant street life, and prized UNESCO sites.
-
Enchanting Ireland: A Tour of the Emerald Isle
June 13-25, 2027
Ireland delights on this full yet well-paced 13-day tour, showcasing its many charms – old and new.
-
Southern Italy and Sicily
Sept. 13-27, 2027
Delight in a special 15-day exploration of Italy’s southern climes, from striking Sicily and the breathtaking Amalfi Coast to Apulia, the alluring “boot heel,” enjoying Italian hospitality, outstanding cuisine, and unique hotels.
-
Paradores and Pousadas: Historic Lodgings of Spain and Portugal
Oct. 4-18, 2027
Feel the spell of Iberia’s rich Roman and Moorish past – and the pull of its vibrant contemporary life – on this distinctive 15-day journey through the Iberian Peninsula to the intimate lodgings of Spain’s paradores and Portugal’s pousadas.
FAQs
-
We strongly recommend that you are adequately insured against trip cancellation and other travel-related risks. AATP, LLC partners with USI Insurance to provide travel insurance options to our participants. After making a reservation for a trip, you will receive insurance information with your confirmation materials. If you have any questions about travel insurance, please contact USI directly at 800-937-1387.
Please review the recorded webinar “Travel Insurance: What You Need to Know for Your Next Trip,” prepared by our partners at USI Insurance Services, for more information on travel insurance.
-
Standard travel insurance typically does not cover cancellations due to concerns about coronavirus before the trip takes place. Benefits apply only if you fall ill on a trip or are quarantined while on a trip. Many insurance companies offer a “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) policy that will provide more coverage. Please contact your insurance company for further details. For re-booked trips that did not previously have travel protection, the new initial trip deposit date will be the date that you officially book on the new trip dates. Any time-sensitive coverage (Cancel For Any Reason or pre-existing condition waiver) will track off that new initial trip deposit date.
-
You can view all our trips online. Our website information is kept up to date with sold-out and alternate-date information.
To ensure timely information about upcoming trips and registration details, please sign up to be on our mailing list. This will ensure you receive mailed brochures and our quarterly e-newsletter.
-
Please contact Liz McKee (Lmckee1@niu.edu) for details.
-
Cancellations do happen, and wait-listed guests often join our tours. We always recommend that you add your name to a waitlist. To add your name to the list, contact Liz McKee (Lmckee1@niu.edu).
-
Please contact Liz McKee (Lmckee1@niu.edu) for details. We will need this information in writing. The tour operator will confirm your cancellation and process your refund if a refund is due to you.
-
We welcome anyone interested in traveling with us, not just alumni. The one thing our travelers have in common is that they want to be connected to NIU in some way. Our travelers are parents, family, and friends of the university.
-
There are a limited number of single accommodation spaces available on most trips. Trip prices are based on double occupancy, and single travelers will incur an additional fee to cover the cost of the open space. Please note that the single supplement for a cruise is generally much higher than a land trip since a substantial portion of the total trip cost is the ship cabin.
-
The level of physical activity varies by location and type of trip (e.g. land or cruise). In general, travelers must be in good physical health to participate, but some accommodations can be made for minor health issues. Please refer to each trip brochure for details about the itinerary and its physical demands. Contact Liz McKee (Lmckee1@niu.edu) for further questions.
-
Yes. Some of our more active trips may contain 5-6 hours of daily vigorous activity. Excellent health is necessary.
-
Trips typically include between 15 and 35 travelers. Some trips are also joined by travelers from other institutions or organizations. Trips designated as an NIU Exclusive departure will not have other travelers. Cruises are shared with other like-minded organizations and institutions and accommodate between 100 and 350 people, depending on the ship.
-
There is no maximum age limit for travelers in good health. While we welcome any travelers over the age of 15, it should be noted that our trips are designed for an adult audience.
-
Trip prices are per person, based on double occupancy and in some cases do not include airfare. For single travelers, a single supplement may apply. For most land programs, tours and excursions are included in the price of the trip. There may be an additional cost for pre-program or post-program tours on our land programs and for excursions on our cruises. A professional tour director will travel with you on all programs to ensure worry-free travel.
-
Because we specialize in educational travel, our itineraries are quite busy with tours, museum visits, and other site visits. To be mindful of the entire group, it is difficult to change the itinerary to meet the needs or wishes of an individual or couple; however, it is always possible to leave the group for periods of time to explore on one’s own.
Program Tour Conditions and Disclaimers
-
Travel insurance is very important and can be purchased through USI Travel Insurance Services. This insurance is designed to cover you and your tour investment from tour cancellation/interruption penalties and to provide medical expense, medical evacuation, baggage and personal effects loss, and accidental death coverage, as well as emergency assistance. There is an advantage to early enrollment in this travel insurance program. Purchasing coverage within 21 days (Plus and Elite Options) of your initial tour deposit can make you eligible for (1) Pre-existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver, and (2) Optional Cancel for Any Reason Coverage (Plus and Elite Options). If you wish to take advantage of these special options, you must enroll within 21 days of the date your initial tour deposit is received. Contact Travel Insurance Services at 1-800-937-1387 or my.travelinsure.com/niu. Considering recent global events, including without limitation, the global pandemic, it is strongly recommended that all travelers purchase additional insurance to protect their travel purchase.
Travel Insurance Services
-
By participating in this program, you understand and agree that the Alumni Association Travel program LLC (“AATP”) and its affiliates, related entities, officers, directors, attorneys, trustees, beneficiaries, insurers, employees, managers, members, volunteers, students, agents, other representatives, predecessors, successors and assigns are not responsible for any liabilities, claims, causes of action, damages, fees, costs, and expenses of any kind relating to any tour cancellation, tour interruption and/or delay; baggage loss, theft, damage, or delay; accident and/or sickness medical expenses, accidental death; and worldwide emergency medical evacuation and assistance arising out of or in any way related to this program.
-
AATP does not conduct the tours and does not act as agent for any participants interested in tours. AATP acts solely as a facilitator with independent tour operators, with whom tour participants directly make arrangements for completing travel. As a courtesy only, AATP acts as a liaison with tour operators should you have any questions or concerns that may arise before, during or after your tour. AATP strongly encourages you to familiarize yourself thoroughly with all the tour operator’s terms and conditions, including without limitation, their cancellation and refund policies. AATP strongly encourages you to investigate all available insurance options from third parties. AATP and its affiliates, related entities, officers, directors, attorneys, trustees, beneficiaries, insurers, employees, managers, members, volunteers, students, agents, other representatives, predecessors, successors and assigns are not responsible for any changes to trips or travel arrangements, or for any monetary losses or additional expenses of any kind arising out of or related in any way to your travel.
AATP does not own or operate any entity which provides goods or services for this program. AATP does not act as agent for the independent suppliers of travel conveyance, transport, accommodations, or any other travel related services. All such persons or entities are independent contractors. As a result, AATP is not liable for any negligent, intentional, or willful act by any such person or entity. In addition and without limitation, AATP is not responsible for any delays, delayed departure or arrival, missed carrier connections, loss, death, damage or injury to person or property, or any accident, mechanical defect, failure or negligence of any nature whatsoever arising out of or related in any way to any accommodations, transportation or other services, or for any substitution of hotels or of common carrier equipment, with or without notice, or for any additional expenses that may be incurred. AATP, in its sole and exclusive discretion reserves the right to withdraw its affiliation with any individual tour operator should conditions warrant.Tour Operator
The tour operator, supplier of services, or their respective affiliates, officers, directors, trustees, employees, agents or other representatives (collectively “Tour Operator”) shall not be responsible for or become liable for any delay incurred by any person in connection with any means of transportation, for any loss, damage or injury to person or property by reason of any event beyond their control or occurring without their fault or negligence.
The Tour Operator reserves the right to: (1) Substitute the airline to be used; the type of aircraft; and to alter the dates of the tour; the tour routing; or to cancel the trip if a minimum number of bookings is not reached for either the air or land portion of this itinerary. (2) Substitute hotels for other hotels in available categories. (3) Decline to accept or to retain at any time any person as a participant on any tour or to cancel any tour.No Refunds
No refund will be made for voluntary absence from the tour unless arrangements are made at the time of booking. The schedules contained herein are subject to change without notice. All rates are based on current Tariff and Exchange rates in effect at the time of the printing of this itinerary and are subject to adjustment without prior notification in the event of changes therein or in changes in the number of participants on which the rates are based.
No Travel Carrier Liability. The travel carriers involved in this program are not responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not on board their plane or other conveyance. The passage contract in use by any travel carrier, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the travel carrier and the purchaser of this program tour.