Summer 2012:

Hungary, Slovenia, Poland, and the Czech Republic

(Prague)

(check back often for updates; last updated - Jul 28 at 4:53pm) - RAFFLE TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

We are all set for a 12-day performance tour, spanning cities in four Central European countries, including Budapest, Krakow, and Prague!  Full details are still in the works, but our itinerary includes:

• Overnight flight to Budapest, Hungary
• 3 nights in Budapest
• 2 nights in Banská Stiavnica, Slovenia
• 2 nights in Krakow, Poland
• 3 nights in Prague, Czech Republic
• (for those that toured in 2010 to Greece/Italy, this is two days longer)

This is a custom-tailored tour for us, and features four (possibly five) proposed concert performances, with venues including St. Stephen's Cathedral in Budapest and St. Nicolas Church in Prague.  If you've never had the opportunity to sing in cathedrals from the Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods, they were designed for music, and the experience of singing in them is absolutely otherworldly...  We'll be continually working on our itinerary, adjusting it to suit our needs and preferences, but very briefly, here's what we've got planned so far:

Day 1 (June 21, 2011): Likely an afternoon departure from LAX, overnight flight from Los Angeles to Budapest.

Day 2 (June 22, 2011): Arrival in Budapest.  Meet Tour Manager and transfer to hotel.  Brief evening orientation tour  (a short walking tour) of Budapest followed by a dinner cruise on the Danube.

Day 3 (June 23, 2011): Morning sightseeing tour through Hungary's thousand-year history, including Castle Hill and Matthias Church.  A free afternoon for lunch, followed by our first performance.  Dinner together.

Day 4 (June 24, 2011): Tour of the Danube Bend, including visits to the Visegrad Castle and Szentendre.  Possible informal performance opportunity there.  Return to Budapest in the evening for a special dinner with live gypsy music!

Day 5 (June 25, 2011): In the morning we depart for Banská Stiavnica in Slovenia (by bus).  After arriving and hotel check-in, we have an evening orientation tour with our Tour Manager.  Dinner together.

Day 6 (June 26, 2011): Sightseeing tour, followed by our second formal performance, venue TBA.  Dinner together.

Day 7 (June 27, 2011): In the morning we depart for Krakow.  En route, we'll be visiting the site of the former concentration camp in Auschwitz, a reminder of one of  humanity's darkest days.  Afterward we continue on to Krakow.  Dinner together.

Day 8 (June 28, 2011): Today we have a half-day guided city sightseeing our of Krakow that includes entrances to St. Mary's Church and Wawel Cathedral.  Free time for lunch, then our third concert at the Dominican Church.  Dinner together.

Day 9 (June 29, 2011): In the morning, we depart for Prague (by bus).  This is a travel day, with a couple of small stops en route.  After checking in to our hotel, dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 10 (June 30, 2011): Today starts with a guided walking tour of historic Prague to see the major highlights of Prague, including the Castle district, Old Royal Palace, St. Vitus Cathedral, and Charles Bridge.  Free time in the afternoon, and then our final concert at St. Nicolas Church in the Old Town.  Dinner together.

Day 11 (July 1, 2011): Full free day!  Today's the day to shop, stroll, wander, or just relax at your own leisure.  At night, we have our last group meal together, a dinner cruise on the River Vltava to view the illuminated historic building of Prague by night.

Day 12 (July 2, 2011): After our last breakfast together, it's time for hotel checkout, a last farewell to our tour manager, and the return flight home!

Now to answer the question you're probably wondering--"How much?"  That ultimately depends on how many people participate, as our costs go down with a larger group size.  Here's how that works:

• With a minimum of 35 paying participants - $4,379
• With a minimum of 40 paying participants - $4,279
• With a minimum of 45 paying participants - $4,199
• With a minimum of 50 paying participants - $4,099

Some pertinent information:

• If you registered before March 15, 2011, you will receive $100 off your final tour cost

• Everything essential is included in the tour price:
• Round trip airfare
• All ground transportation abroad
• All accommodations in 3+ and 4 star hotels (price based on triple occupancy: single/double supplement: $800/$400)
• All admissions, entrance fees, taxes, etc.
• All breakfasts and dinners
• Prices guaranteed not to increase (no additional fuel surcharges, no "Euro Adjustment Fees")

• Not included:
• Lunches (always during free time)
• Beverages (sodas, alcoholic beverages for adults)
• Optional excursions, if any
• Tips/Gratuities to Tour Manager and/or coach driver (optional)

• Fund raising opportunity
• ACIS, our tour company, gives us a free weekend getaway for two (Veteran's Day or MLK Jr. Day) to Paris to raffle off.  Tickets are $5 each and whatever you sell goes towards your trip.  That means if you sell $1,000 in tickets, you get $1,000 towards your trip.  We've had participants in the past raise nearly the entire cost of their trips!

Registration is open now, with the first deadline being March 15, 2011.  You may also register online (with no additional cost) atwww.encoretours.com.  Enter "DOKKO" for Group Leader Name and Group ID "31075" then follow the steps to complete registration.  Our goal is to register 35 participants by this first deadline!  Registration requires a deposit of $195, but remember--if you register by March 15, you get $100 off your tour!

Alternatively, you can register by paper by filling out a Registration packet (and check/money order) and submitting to Mr. Dokko by the first deadline.  Registration forms are available here.  ***You may either mail it yourself to ACIS or submit it to Mr. Dokko by the deadline.*** For information about registration procedures, cancellation details, and those kinds of things, click here to check out the Registration Packet.

Please note that this tour is open to Poly Choral Music students and their immediate family only.

Some frequently asked questions:

Q: When's the last date I can register?

A: That depends.  Either 1) When we hit 53 participants, 2) When our block of airline tickets is purchased (usually 6 months prior to departure), or 3) When ACIS is no longer able to add participants (varies, but is usually about 6 months, as well).  However, don't wait too long, as registration is  first-come, first-served.  If we follow the same pattern of past tours, we will probably close registration in late-2011.

Q: Do I have to pay everything now?  When are final payments due?

A: No, you do not have to pay everything now.  Just the initial deposit is immediately due.  As for payments, ACIS will bill you individually each month, with thefinal payments being due December 17, 2011.

Q: What happens if I register now, but change my mind later or find out I can't go?

A: Cancellation policies vary.  In most situations, you would be able to receive all of your money back, less your initial deposit ($195).  

Q: I'll be of legal drinking age in the countries we're visiting but not in the US.  Am I allowed to drink alcohol?

A: Sorry, but no.  We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for students (including students of the class of 2012).  If it's that important to you, perhaps it would be best if you traveled independent of our group.

Q: How much free time do we get?

A: Lunch is always during free time, but the actual amount of free time always depends on any given day's itinerary.  Some days you'll have more, some days less.  For example, our last day in Prague is a full free day, except for dinner together.  Other times, we'll have packed days with just enough free time for lunch and maybe pop into a store or two.  It all depends, but you should have enough free time to shop, sit at a cafe, see some things not included in our itinerary, or take a nap!  That said understand that as part of a tour group, you probably won't have all the free time you would otherwise want if you were traveling independently.

Q: I might want to extend my stay in Europe after the end of the tour.  Is that possible?

A: ABSOLUTELY.  Not only is it possible, it's highly recommended, as the most expensive part about a vacation to Europe is the round trip airfare.  Once you're there, it's relatively cheap to get around within Europe.  We usually have about a third of the group stay on to do their own independent traveling after the conclusion of the tour.  If this interests you, you would need to notify ACIS of your planned deviation no later than ninety (90) days prior to departure and usually more advance notice is recommended.  Note that there is a $150 standard deviation fee, plus any additional gateway change fees.

Q: Do you need chaperones?

A: Yes and no.  Mr. Dokko does need a few responsible adults to help count people as we get on and off the bus and at meeting points, but in the traditional sense (hotel hall monitors, etc.), Mr. Dokko prefers to handle all discipline.  In order to keep the tour cost as low as possible, we do not provide free trips to chaperones, and as such chaperone responsibilities are kept minimal.  During free time, students are free to go about on their own, provided they are in groups of at least four other students or with one adult.  So for you adults thinking about coming along, there's no babysitting for you and no sitting in a hotel hallway from 1:00am - 6:00am.  We want you to have an experience just as incredible as the kids, if not more so!

Q: Aren't there cheaper tour companies?  $4k seems awfully expensive...

A: (From Mr. Dokko:) "Sure, there are cheaper tour companies, but I wouldn't trust any of them with my tour.  I've shopped around with other agencies and have been offered slightly lower prices (and on separate occasions I've even toured with other companies), but they all seem to make up for any apparent discounts in one way or another.  I know of at least one company that tacks on a Euro adjustment fee if the exchange rate fluctuates negatively, and not all guarantee their prices not to increase.  A lot of companies call it a "departure fee" and don't finalize it until 60 days prior to departure.  To me, that's awfully late in the game to find out how much you're going to have to pay.  ACIS has actually reduced prices for us on occasion after locking in our price point, so I know they give us fair pricing.  So many other companies 'nickel & dime' their customers, but other than what's stated above as not included, you don't end up paying more than the advertised price.

Secondly, every tour has a hiccup or two, and my experience with ACIS has always been praiseworthy when it comes to dealing with said problems.  We had a train mix-up in 2008, but the situation was rectified, and the company added a few extra activities to make up for it, including a day trip to a beach in Cannes, France.

Lastly, and most importantly, I feel comfortable and safe with ACIS.  It's not an easy thing, taking 50+ teenagers to Europe, especially when we visit countries where customs and languages are completely foreign.  I could save you a hundred bucks or so by going with the competition, but in my humble opinion, it's not worth the trade-off in quality of service, tradition of business excellence, and a culture that prioritizes our kids' safety and educational experiences.  In the end, 'you get what you pay for,' and I'm not willing to jeopardize our kids for any discount."

You can always contact Mr. Dokko directly via School Loop with any other questions or concerns.

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