Porter    Tours

 

Pre-Cruise Tour of Rome

Saturday

7 November 2019 

Departure for Rome from the United States

 

Friday

8 November, ( Arrival and City-Tour )

Rome

Arrival in Rome and pick up at the Airport for a city tour of Rome as we make our way to the Hotel for check-in and a restful night. Tour of Imperial Rome.

 

Saturday

9  November, ( Temple Session and Pre-Tour )

Rome

This morning we will try and go through a Temple Session at the Rome Temple and see the statues of the Christ and the Apostles at the Visitor Center,  We will then begin our tour of historical Rome,  the Vatican, its  Museum,  Gardens, and visit the Sistine Chapel with the paintings by Michael Angelo. We will also visit the Basilica of and St. Peter and stop at the Coliseum constructed with the funds taken from the Herod's Temple in Jerusalem by Vespasian and his son Titus. Time permitting we will see a few other sites before dinner and overnight in our Rome hotel.

 

Sunday

10 November,  ( Pre-Tour )

Rome 

We will visit Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza del Venezia, Piazza del Campidoglio, Roman Forum (from outside), see the Circus Maximus, Pantheon, and Piazza Nuova. If Time permits we will stop at  St. Peter’s Church before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight. 

 

 Porter Tours

will include 

 

 

-All transfers, meetings, assistance, touring as per itinerary

-All Entrance fees to Sites

-Top English speaking professional guide/and experienced escort with each excursion.

-Deluxe and modern air-conditioned bus 

-Our  PERSONALIZED services THROUGHOUT the tour.

The excursion package also includes class lectures on the ship during sea days and discussions on sites and bus

by Bruce H. Porter

 

                    

Cruise Itinerary

Monday

11 November 

Civitavecchia, the Port of Rome

Late morning check out from our hotel and drive to Civitavecchia for embarkation on our cruise. We should arrive early enough for lunch on board and exploration of the Ship before ship muster and departure.

 

Tuesday

12 November 

Messina, and Taormina, Sicily

This morning we will arrive in Sicily at the port of Messina.  We will have a fun day touring the picturesque village of Taormina and visit the Greek theatre with free time for shopping or a bite to eat before we return to Port.  

 

Wednesday

13 November 

Sea day

A relaxing Day at Sea with an opportunity to have group time to discuss scripture and doctrinal topics, as well as discuss the sights we will see throughout the cruise, answering the tough questions. Come prepared to stump the dummy.

 

Thursday

14 November 

Sea day

Another 'take it easy' Day at Sea with the classes and visual discussions throughout the day.  Education at Sea is offered for those who might choose to learn rather than compete in the hairy chest contest at the pool.  Discussions will focus on the Scriptures and the events and doctrines that are established by Prophets, both Ancient and Modern. 

 

Friday

15 November 

Jerusalem

Today we retrace the footsteps of our Savior during the last few hours of his life beginning with a visit to the Mount of Olives and descend to the Garden of Gethsemane. We will have a private spot in the garden to contemplate the Atonement and discuss the mission of the Life of Christ. We will visit the traditional site of the Upper Room and the Last Supper and the house of Caiaphas. We will walk through the Jewish Quarter to the Western Wall and then to the Damascus Gate to the Garden Tomb. 

 

The highlight of the day concludes at the site of Golgotha and the Garden Tomb where we will discuss the life, death, and resurrection of the Savior. Here also we will have a private area to share a few thoughts about these sacred events. We then will make our way back to the Ship for dinner and a good night sleep.

 

Saturday

16 November 

Haifa Israel

In Galilee, we will begin by visiting the Mount of Beatitudes and discussing the purpose of this first sermon and then on to Capernaum, the place where so many wonderful events, miracles, and teachings of the Savior took place. This was the city that Christ called is home. Here He taught and lived with Peter's family. The original foundation of the synagogue where the Savior taught still exists with a 4th-century synagogue standing on the same foundation. We will stop at the place of Peter's Primacy and the site of the Feeding of the Five Thousand. Following our lunch, we will have a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and see how the early apostles would cast their nets into the sea. While on the boat we will discuss the miracles of walking on water and the calming of the sea that took place there. Before the day is through we will stop at the Jordan River with a private place to discuss the Baptism of Christ at the hands of John, and discover the scriptural meaning of this most important ordinance. At the end of the day, we will stop by Nazareth the early home of the Savior before we return to the Ship for the night.

 

Sunday

17 November 

Limassol, Cyprus

 First, we visit the ancient city of Curium. A treasure house of history, you'll take a seat in its 2,000-year old ampitheatre and travel back in time as your guide brings it all back to life. Next up is the stunning Kolossi Castle. Dating from the middle ages, it boasts an impressive list of visitors, including, Richard the Lionheart. We will also stop at a village house in Apsiou for a local meze lunch and in Omodos Village.

 

Monday

18 November 

Rhodes, Greece

We will begin our walk in the picturesque Old Town, passing through breathtaking turreted gateways, and visit the Agora and Collachium, where the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem lived and worked. Admire the stunning well-preserved churches, inns, and the exquisite Jewish Quarter. See marble coat of arms of the knights, cannon balls, and the Inns of the Knights. The most impressive building is the restored Palace of the Grand Masters. Rhodes is best experienced on foot and this journey offers wonderful views of the Old Town, which is picturesque to the point of being like a fairytale village.  It is easy off and easy on the ship

 

Tuesday

19 November 

Ephesus / Kusadasi, Turkey

This morning will find us in the San Deigo of Turkey. Kusadasi is one of the most beautiful cities on the west coast of Turkey and has a climate that is even better than San  Deigo California.  As we travel from Kusadasi to Ephesus you will see the fields of citrus, fruit and avocado trees.  Ephesus is one of the best preserved archeological sites in the world because the city was abandoned rather than destroyed.  Anciently Ephesus was a major Roman port and trade city with people from around the world coming through the city gates. for this reason, the Apostle Paul lived and taught here, John the Revelator also lived here and tradition states that Mary the mother of Christ died here in the care of John.  We will walk through the ruins of this impressive city to the Library and agora.  This is one of the cities spoken of in the Book of Revelation because of the number of early Christians that lived here.

 

Wednesday

20 November 

Athens Greece

This morning we begin with a city tour on the bus and then we will climb and walk among the impressive ruins of the  Acropolis,  and stand on Mars Hill where Paul spoke to the Athenian leaders and teachers about the "unknown God".  We will have Free time for lunch and shopping at the Plaka before returning to the ship for departure.

 

Thursday

21 November 

Day at Sea

Class time again with scripture discussions and answers. Many participants will end the tour and state that the discussions alone were worth the cost of the trip. These Sea Days are some of the most relaxing and yet the most enjoyable.

 

Friday

22 November 

Naples

Our stop in Naples will provide the opportunity to visit Pompeii the city that was covered by the volcanic eruption.  This impressive site will remind the visitor that civilizations do not change over the centuries because of the desires of the mind and character of man. After our visit to Pompeii, we will travel along the coast to the beautiful city of  Sorrento for lunch and shopping before returning to the ship.

 

Saturday

23 November 

Rome/ Civitavecchia

Early Arrival at the port of Civitavecchia where we will catch the bus for the flight home.

 

Shore Excursions

Optional Shore Excursion Package is designed for our own LDS Group and is well below the ship prices.  

(Includes escorted tours, buses and Guides at Rome, Cyprus, Rhodes, Ephesus Turkey, Galilee, Jerusalem, Athens, Naples,  and Sicily)  

 

 

The Excursion Pricing will include buses and professional guides at all ports where excursions are provided with entry fees including the archeology sites visited on each excursion.  This price will also include the hotel room in Jerusalem with dinner and breakfast with a licensed and professional guide and Bruce Porter to explain and teach about the sites that are visited.

 

When it comes to gaining gospel knowledge, it is best to have your spiritual feast along with a  temporal one.  This extensive cruise/tour includes lectures at sea, with visits to Athens, Ephesus, The Holy Land, and more.

 

Discover the home of the Bible and visit the sites of both the Old and New Testaments, focusing on the Life of Christ and His Prophets.  Every hill, every stone has a story to tell and a testimony to bare of the divinity of the Bible.  You will never read the scriptures the same as your mind and memory will take you to Israel and our journey again and again

 

 

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Cruise with Bruce H. Porter as he inspires us with his incredible lectures on sea days. Learn about the travels and teachings of the apostle Paul and other gospel topics with inspiring thoughts and insights. Experience history, culture, and civilization at every turn on this extraordinary itinerary.  

This is a trip not to be missed!

Options

Optional extra nights you would like to arrive early and rest up. Transfers and hotels costs are extra and will need to be personally made, or through Sandy at Deseret Travel.

 

You may want to fly to a city in Europe early for a rest or visit to London, Paris, Amsterdam or other places before you travel to Rome for the appointed tour date and time. This extra cost will be a personal expense and not included in the tour price. 

 

If participating in Custom travel arrangements they will need to be made to accommodate the difference in arrival and departure times and places based on the scheduled tour.

 

Payment Schedule

Deposit of $1000.00 per person due at time of Registration

Final Payment due by August 1, 2019

 

Cancellation Policy

100% cancellation penalty of deposit,  after 7 days following the initial deposit date. To transfer funds to another tour there will be $100.00 per/person transfer and office fee. See: Terms and Conditions

 

***PASSPORTS ARE REQUIRED***

All Passports must be valid through June 2020

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the nature of this tour you must be able to climb some steps minor inclines, and walk short distances.

 

Please note that minor changes to the itinerary and schedule may occur due to local conditions and to better accommodate our group,  traffic and time restraints.

 

The International Airfare is additional and not included the tour price.  

Assistance in making Air Arraignments and purchase: Talk to Sandy Widman at "Deseret Travel"  (480) 839-1855 for Flight schedules and information, reservations and payments. Talk to Sandy about Trip and Cancellation Insurance (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). You may call the airlines directly other travel agents or use air miles or discount sites like Webjet.com, Priceline.com, and others.  Arrival time to the Rome airport should be the morning of Friday, November 8, 2019, for bus pickup and city tour, as the tour begins the next morning on Saturday, November 9 The Return and Departure  from Rome should be made for the late afternoon or evening of Saturday, November 23, 2019