The McKrells: Travel with Kevin

Kevin McKrells Spring Tour of Ireland
Belfast-Armagh-Carrick Fergus-Donegal-Derry-Ballina-Galway-Inis Mór. The Burren.
Kevin McKrell present …
Tour of Ireland
April 2-9, 2009
$1,950 Per Person. Single Supplement $349 Additional, limited.
US Departure Tax: $165, subject to change until ticketed.
Optional Travel Protection available at $99 per person additional.

Day 01
Thursday
April 2: USA-DUBLIN: Depart Boston’s Logan Airport on your overnight flight to Dublin, Ireland via Aer Lingus. Dinner, followed by in-flight entertainment shortly after take-off

Day 02
Friday
April 3:

DUBLIN-BELFAST: Arrive Dublin, Ireland. After clearing Irish Customs, you’ll be met by your driver/guide and escorted to your awaiting motor coach. Leaving Dublin, we travel northerly to Belfast, capital of Northern Ireland. Upon arrival in Belfast, we enjoy a historical tour of Belfast and its harbor and dock area, where the Titanic and her sister ships, Britannic and Olympic were built. The Titanic keel was laid here in 191 and the majestic ship sailed from Belfast to Southampton in England on April 3, 1912 where she took on supplies, coal and crew for her faithful journey into destiny. Check into your hotel, where you are then free to rest and relax. Dinner and overnight at your Dunadry Hotel in Belfast.

Day 03
Saturday
April 4:

BELFAST – GIANT’S CAUSEWAY – DERRY – DONEGAL: After breakfast, you travel along the Antrim Coast with a visit to the Giant’s Causeway, enjoy an audio-visual presentation, then you are on your own to walk down to the volcanic columns, or for a small fee there are small coaches that bring you back and forth. Continue on then via Limavady to Derry. Here we’ll enjoy a walking tour of this historic city, which includes the medieval city walls and St. Columbus Cathedral. Continue on then to Donegal where we check into our hotel for dinner and overnight at the Mill Park Hotel.

Day 04
Sunday
April 5:
DONEGAL: Today our tour shows us some of the most scenic areas of Ireland; long beautiful coastlines can be seen as we travel high up on majestic mountains overlooking deep glens, surrounding quaint little villages and lakes. We travel through the picturesque town of Glenties by Glenveagh Castle and National Park. Return to our Donegal hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 05
Monday
April 6:

DONEGAL – ROSSES POINT – SLIGO - BALLINA: Today, after breakfast we depart Donegal and travel southerly via the seaside resort of Bundoran, passing Drumcliffe Churchyard where the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats lays buried. On then through Sligo and along the edge of the Ox Mountains and along Killala Bay. Readers of the best selling book, “The Year of the French”, which later became a TV drama, will recognize many of the areas place names and sights as it is in this area that author, Thomas Flanagan sets his epic. We will shortly arrive in Ballina and check into our hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Downhill House Hotel in Ballina.

Day 06
Tuesday
April 7:

BALLINA – FURBO: Our journey continues southerly via Lough Conn and through the market towns of County Mayo to the village of Knock, Ireland’s place of pilgrimage. Travel on to the picturesque village of Cong, the setting of the 1951 classic, “The Quiet Man”. Perhaps a visit to Cong Abbey, an Augustinian abbey founded in the 12th century. Continue through Connemara, where whitewashed cottages are scattered over a land of rocky mountains, sparkling brooks and rivers to Furbo and our hotel set on the shores of Galway Bay. Dinner and overnight at the Connemara Coast Hotel.

Day 07
Wednesday
April 8:

Furbo – Galway – Furbo: After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll have the OPTION of: Exploring the city of Galway. Called the “City of Tribes” after fourteen most prominent families which settled this area, Galway long traded with Spain, and Spanish influences are many in the city notably the Spanish Arch, a gateway in the ld city walls and the Spanish Parade, where wealthy merchantmen and their families enjoyed a stroll along the promenade. Today, Galway is still a prosperous commercial center, proud of its great university and its tradition of warm welcome. Enjoy a panoramic tour of the city, and then you are free to shop and independently explore the city. OR a full day excursion to the Aran Isle. This option will include roundtrip ferry transportation to Inis Mor, the largest of the three Islands with a 2 _ hour mini-bus tour of the island with time to independently explore. Tonight, you’ll enjoy a visit to Rathbaun Farm, and partake of a traditional dinner at the farm. Overnight at your Furbo hotel.

Day 08
Thursday
April 9: FURBO – SHANNON – USA: Today, you’ll bid farewell to this Emerald Isle, as you are transferred to Shannon Airport for your homebound flight. Ample time for last minute duty-free shopping before boarding your flight. Arrive back into Boston the same day.

YOUR TOUR WILL INCLUDE:
* Roundtrip airfare from Boston’s Logan Airport to Ireland, via Aer Lingus
* Six (6) Nights First Class Hotel accommodations, rooms with private facilities
* Full Irish breakfast daily, except day of arrival
* Five (5) Hotel dinners, plus farewell traditional farmhouse dinner
* Visits/admissions to: Belfast City Tour including Titanic Area, Giant’s Causeway, Walking Tour of Derry, Glenveagh Castle and Rathbaun Farm
* OPTIONAL: Aran Island Excursion (Ferry & sightseeing) $79 Additional Per Person
* Deluxe touring motor coach for all transportation and sightseeing with the services of a professional Irish driver/guide
*Porterage of one (1) suitcase per person
* Tips & Taxes while in Ireland. NOTE: FINAL GRATUITY TO THE DRIVE/GUIDE IS NOT INCLUDED.
*Celtic Tours flight bag and portfolio of travel documents

Southern Italian Odyessy Tour
November 1-8, 2008
Please Contact: Kathy Gordon @518-862-0042 or 800-833-4373 Ext. #316
$ 1,531 per person (based on a minimum of 25 passengers)
Single supplement: $ 239 limited availability
U.S. Departure taxes additional- $ 250-approximately (not guaranteed until ticketed)
Space is very limited so reserve your seat early in order to avoid disappointment!

Day 1
Saturday
November 1: U.S.A. to Italy: Depart the JFK International Airport on your overnight flight to Rome, Italy via Alitalia #609 at 5:05 p.m. Those meeting us at JFK, please be there three (3) hours prior to departure time for international check-in. Dinner, cocktails and breakfast are served on board. Sit back, relax and enjoy the flight.

Day 2
Sunday
November 2: Rome -Riviera Ulysses: Morning arrival into Rome where you will be warmly greeted by our Tour Escort. We will travel south to the stunning Riviera Ulysses where you will check into your hotel, Grand Hotel Fagiano Palace which will be your base for the next six nights. This evening we will have a “Neapolitan Feast” including wine and local dishes. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3
Monday
November 3:



Riviera Ulysses – Gaeta: This morning we will enjoy a tour of Sperlonga. This ancient and picturesque old town with its narrow and terraced streets, was originally a fortress protecting the local population against invaders from many lands. The local homes are built into a massive rock which sits on a spur of land jutting out into the Tyrrhenian Sea. We will also visit the National Museum and the site of the villa of the emperor Tiberius. Before returning to the hotel, we will stop at a Mozzarella Cheese Factory for a tasting. After lunch on your own, depart for a half -day guided tour of the picturesque town of Gaeta. We will see the baroque church of Santissima Annunziata, dating from 1320, and the cathedral of St. Erasmo with its Romanesque style dating from 1180, and we will visit the Sanctuary of Montagna Spaccata. Legend states that the “Split Mountain” divided three ways after the death of Jesus. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 4
Tuesday
November 4:

Riviera Ulysses - Sorrento and Amalfi Coast: This morning we will depart for a full- day excursion to Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. The Amalfi Coast takes us along one of Europe’s most beautiful drives. The peninsula takes in the wild and rocky coastline, caves and sea shore grottos towards the Bay of Naples. Your journey takes you to Sorrento for a visit, after which we continue on to Positano offering breathtaking views. Arrive in beautiful Amalfi, a splendid town in an incomparable setting. Lunch on your own and return to the hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight.

Day 5
Wednesday
November 5: Riviera Ulysses: After breakfast at the hotel, the day is free to explore Gaeta on your own or perhaps an optional full day trip to Naples (see over). Dinner at the hotel and overnight.

Day 6
Thursday
November 6:
Naples / Pompeii : After breakfast at the hotel, we will leave for a full day guided visit to Naples and Pompeii with a visit to the archaeological excavations. Driving south, the road to Naples is lined with shops selling local specialties like Buffalo Mozzarella and Neapolitan Pizza. Beyond Naples, we see the city of Pompeii, sitting in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Pompeii was built in 7 B.C. and lasted until the early light of a late August morning in 79 A.D. Overcome by Vesuvius' eruption of rock and ash, the city disappeared from the maps for nearly 1,700 years. When it was rediscovered in the 18th century it was clear that the volcanic ash had preserved a good deal of the lost city. After lunch (on your own), we travel to Naples for a panoramic drive through the city. From high above the city, you will see the magnificent sweep of the Bay of Naples and in the distance, Capri. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 7
Friday
November 7: Riviera Ulysses-Montecassino: After breakfast, your morning is free. Enjoy an afternoon guided excursion to Montecassino with a visit to the monastery. It was founded by St. Benedict about 529 of the Christian Era, becoming famous for the prodigious life and the Sepulchre of its Founder. Through the ages, the abbey was looked upon as a place of holiness, culture and art for which it became renowned on worldwide level. Return to your hotel, where this evening you’ll enjoy an authentic Southern Italian farewell feast.

Day 8
Saturday
November 8: Riviera Ulysses-U.S.A.: Bag breakfast, with an early morning transfer to Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport for the return flight back to JFK International Airport. Take with you the memories of the best of Italy. “Arrivederci,” a nostalgic goodbye with a promise to return.



TOUR INCLUDES: OPTIONAL NAPLES: $125 PP
Roundtrip Air from JFK to Rome via Al Italia Full day excursion to Naples.
Six (6) Nights accommodation at first class hotel Morning National Archaelogical Museum
American buffet breakfast daily, except for day of arrival in Naples. Afternoon walking tour through
Ground transportation by deluxe motorcoach the ancient centre to visit Sansevero Chapel
One (1) welcome dinner “ Neapolitan Feast” with the veiled Christ. Tasting of Typical
One (1) farewell dinner including wine and water Neapolitan Pastry. Full day with local guide
Four (4) dinners featuring Southern Italian cuisine Entrance fees included.
One (1) welcome drink upon arrival at the hotel (1st day)
One (1) mozzarella tasting English speaking tour escort throughout
Half-day guided tours to Sperlonga – Gaeta - Pompeii
Sightseeing tours: Amalfi Coast, Naples, and Montecassino
Entrance fees: Excavations in Pompeii + National Museum in Sperlonga

*Note: Airfare in all-inclusive cost is based on airline tickets being issued 95 days prior to departure. No name changes are allowed once airline tickets are issued. Tickets, once issued are non-refundable. Once issued tickets cannot be re-issued if names are spelled incorrectly. Deviations are not allowed. Air mileage is not allowed for group space. Seat assignments are given at Check In for group space, there are no exceptions. Land cancellation: Up to 95 days prior to departure a $250 penalty will apply. From 95 – 45 days prior to departure $300 (additional). From 44 – 1 day prior to departure $350 (additional). Cancellations must be made during Celtic Tours business hours, Monday – Friday, 9am to 5pm EST. On or after day of departure or cancellations made after business hours, there is no refund. Travel Insurance is available at $99 p.p. and is recommended. Land penalties waived with our Travel Protection Plan. Travel insurance must be purchased with initial reservation/deposit in order to cover pre existing conditions.
Please Contact: Kathy Gordon @518-862-0042 or 800-833-4373 Ext. #316

So why take a tour with me ? Tons of tours out there, some more expensive, some less. They all seem to offer pretty much the same things. Some hit all the tourist hot spots, Killarney to Galway to Dublin. Taking in all the shop stops, slurpin' down the free Irish coffees, buying up the sweaters, the crystal and the lace. Some smaller groups focus on some of the more out of the way places
Westport to Dingle to Ballinasloe. There are pub crawls with the lads all snozzled and legless from the time you leave the U.S. until they get back, God knows they may even offer a week stay in rehab upon return. There are new age tours on which you troop through the bogs with some smelly bearded fella channeling Brian Boru waving about a divining rod searching out the holy hot spots, vegan samichs, tin foil hats , after hours yoga classes and nightly cognitive behavioural therapy included. There are history tours and mystery tours, ghostie haunted castle tours. football tours, rugby tours, literary everybody's an Irish novelist tours.
There are even religious tours, dragging your jetlagged butt up the top of Croagh Patrick, packing you into Knock waiting for Mary to make a holy show, gulpin the blessed water and buying a piece of the true cross. Daily confessions and time off for good behavior all part of the package. And then there are the self drive tours where you fly into Shannon pick up your rental and spend 5 harrowing days with yourdear loved ones screaming bloody murder, LEFT LEFT ya damn fool LEFT!!!!! As you careen down the picturesque back roads of Donegal seeing nothing but hedgerows and sheep's arses. ( the only deadly weapon allowed on the streets of Erin's Green Isle is a Yank behindthe wheel of a rented Omni). This one may include your introductory visit to a divorce lawyer, check with your travel agent for details.
So with all these choices why would you choose to go to Ireland or Scotland or Italy with me . Don't know really. I can tell ya there will be tons of music, mine and any others we find along the way,music sessions every night. The company I work with Celtic International Tours are the best at what they do. In Ireland we try and focus on some of the out of the way spots with enough of the traditional touristy stops to keep the shoppers happy, but with plenty of off the beaten path bits of hidden ancient Ireland to remind you what was here long before us. In Scotland the focus is on history, castles and ghosts but still music is always on our minds, the folk clubs of Inverness and Edinburgh are some of the best in the world. In Italy it is the art, the food, the wine and the small medieval villages that make this tour so special. Lucca, Pisa, San Gimignano, Arrezo, and of course Firenza (Florence). And we do have quite a laugh. So check out the tours see what you like and come along for the ride.
Whirled peas and mushy carrots.
KM
Contact: Celtic International Tours 800-833-4373 or 518-862-0042

We had such a blast on the trip with you and all the other travelers a week or so back! Jim and I had not been on a plane in over 30 years but this trip was well worth facing our fears of flight! I cannot imagine a more wonderful place to be nor a more congenial group with whom to travel. You, Laz, Jeff and Dave were sensational every night! I cannot express how thrilled we were with all aspects of the trip! The hotels, the food, the scenery, the history, Dave Walden, and the music! Splendid!! I feel like we made 50+ new friends! Thank you so much for the experience of a lifetime!

Dear Kevin,

Our recent trip to Ireland with you totally exceeded our expectations. The itinerary was exceptional, we had access to points of interest that independent travelers could never find. The driver and other guides and hosts were so knowledgeable and helpful. We learned about our heritage, had fun, and loved the nightly sessions with the band. Our McKrell tour belied a nagging perception that as members of a group tour we might feel herded. Rather we loved our group and were gently guided to explore what interested us. We highly recommend traveling on a McKrell tour to others.

We traveled to Ireland with Kevin McKrell in March of 2004.Having never traveled overseas we were a little apprehensive on our first trip.The pretrip meeting answered a lot of questions and the direct bus to the airport was just great.When we arrived in Ireland we were greeted by our driver and got settled into our hotel.Wow here we are in Ireland so whats next.Well we were about to find out.The next week was probably the most fun filled flat out best week of our lives .The driver was a gem with more knowledge of Ireland than in a whole encyclopedia and with a great sense ofhumor to boot.Kevin was just everywhere helping out answering questions and interjecting his unique Celtic take on the world.Great group of people,visits to the tourist stuff but also places not many people get to. But to spend most nights with Traditional Irish Music by Kevin and others .In a word "priceless" If you only get to go to Ireland once go with Kevin.

Hello Kevin, Our trip to Ireland with you March 2004 is still topic of many a conversation, and believe it will be until we return hopefully November/March 2006. We could not think of a better way to experience Ireland ! Every little detail was covered, and our only care was to make sure our bags were infront of our door every other day. The pints and the music were like others have mentioned most memorable, but all aspects made this a trip of a lifetime. From the time we hit Boston we felt like family, and were treated so until we said our goodbyes at the baggage claim in Logan. Anyone thinking of going on a Mckrell tour better do so before they are all booked up !

Wow, it's quite a challenge to summarize one superb week in a short e-mail. Our favorite things were: Climbing around on the Giant's Causeway; the spectacular views at the Cliffs of Moher; the music each evening with Kevin and Dave; the neat little towns like Westport (not yet spoiled by Walmarts); the "trad music" in the pubs; the REALLY OLD castles, abbeys and ruins (e.g. 6000 year old Court Cairn) all over the place; the nice people we met on the trip; the scenery in general (our lawn at home is nowhere near that green!)from the Burren to the coast; the cider and scones!

We were surprised that: the weather was as nice as it was; the country was as prosperous as it was; crossing in to Northern Ireland was like crossing a state line; our fellow travelers were from all over New York and several other states (and Canada), when we expected nearly everyone to be from the Capital District, and that they ranged in age from 16 to 70+; the topography of Ireland was as varied as it is, parts looking a lot like Scotland; Dave really was able to squeeze the bus through all those tight spots; the hotels were as nice as they were.

This was our first Kevin McKrell tip - but not our last!

My trip to Ireland was luvely. It is one of the best vacations of my life. Upon my return home, many commented I had a glow (perhaps a result of the sunburn received that beautiful day at The Giant’s Causeway).