Extension: Experience Local Life in London
Adventure Afloat Study Cruise
Program Extension
Experience the iconic city of London at your own pace before your Odyssey at Sea adventure begins, complete with a stay at a centrally-located hotel.
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2 nights of accommodations
2 meals (2 B, )
Customary gratuities throughout the program
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Select your type of room
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
Jul 7 - Jul 10, 2021
custom flight available
Final payment due: -89 days before departure date
Safety & Risks. Certain risks — from natural disasters to accidents, outbreaks of illness, insect-borne and other infectious diseases, terrorism and other unforeseen events — are inherent in travel. While such occurrences are beyond our control, we make substantial efforts to be prepared for such possibilities. We are guided by advice from the U.S. Department of State, as well as on-site personnel. Our publications and program materials include information about special demands and conditions to guide participants in program selection. By enrolling in a program you agree to assume responsibility for your own safety and welfare and acknowledge that Road Scholar cannot guarantee your safety at any time.
Medical and Physical needs: Road Scholar is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in our programs. If you have any impairments or medical needs requiring accommodation, we ask that you communicate your needs to Road Scholar's Participant Services team at the time of enrollment. Our Participant Services team will work with you to accommodate your needs and will provide you specific information on such matters as the suitability and functionality of requested modifications, the physical demands of the program and the availability of dietary options.
Admission & Participation Policy: The granting or denial of admission to a program is within the sole discretion of Road Scholar. Road Scholar may revoke admission or limit or terminate participation at any time if, in the opinion of Road Scholar, a participant's condition, behavior or actions are problematic, inappropriate or disruptive. Road Scholar reserves the right to take action as needed on an individual or group basis when, in Road Scholar's sole opinion, the health, safety or well-being of participants requires such action.
Getting to your Program: Please note that programs in the U.S. and Canada generally require independent arrivals and departures, meaning that you must make your own travel arrangements to the program site.
Airline fees: Please note that many airlines now assess stringent penalties for changes or cancellations — up to 100 percent of the ticket price in certain cases — for which you will be personally responsible. Before purchasing your airfare, please wait until you receive and carefully read your program preparatory materials packet.
Program Extension (EXT)
In Transit to Program
Arrive London, Check-In, Orientation
London Field Trip, Free Time
Extension Concludes, Transfer to Main Program
From food and culture to architecture and history, there are countless reasons why London is one of the world's most iconic cities. Start your Odyssey at Sea voyage in the British Isles with two nights in this colorful metropolis. In addition to a relaxing stay at centrally-located hotel, you'll kick off your exploration of local English life during an expert-led walk around the city. What's more, you'll have the chance to explore whichever landmarks interest you the most, thanks to a city attraction pass and plenty of independent time.
To take this extension, enroll in this main program first.
Grand Odyssey: The Baltics, Russia & Scandinavia
The gems of the North and Baltic Seas are the stars of this grand voyage, an in-depth adventure that explores ten unique countries over the course of 25 days.
Enjoy two nights in a centrally-located hotel, as well as an expert-led city exploration.
Independently explore the cultural gems that make this city famous, such as visiting Buckingham Palace and Big Ben or experiencing renowned Borough Market, a public market dating back to the 13th century.
This program may only be taken as a pre-extension to "Odyssey at Sea: Coasts of Northern Europe & Russia" (23983) or "Grand Odyssey: The Baltics, Russia & Scandinavia" (#24010).
Suggested Reading List (3 books)
London - The Biography
by Peter Ackroyd
Probably there is no one better placed than Ackroyd--the author of mammoth lives of Dickens and Blake, and novels such as Hawksmoor and Dan Leno and the Lime House Golem which set singular characters against the backdrop of a city constantly shifting in time--to write such a rich, sinewy account of "Infinite London". Ackroyd's London is no mere chronology. Its chapters take on such varied themes as drinking, sex, childhood, poverty, crime and punishment, sewage, food, pestilence and fire, immigration, maps, theatre and war. We learn that gin was "the demon of London for half a century", and that "it has been estimated that in the 1740s and 1750s there were 17,000 'gin-houses'." Fleet Street was an area known for its "violent delights" where "a 14-year-old boy, only 18 inches high, was to be seen in 1702 at a grocer's shop called the Eagle and Child by Shoe Lane." By the mid 19th century "London had become known as the greatest city on earth." By 1939 "one in five of the British population had become a Londoner."
London A Social History
by Roy Porter
'Roy Porter, a historian of formidable range, turns to urban history in this marvellously lucid, informative and passionate book... Porter's facts are always at the service of the narrative, which has a finely maintained momentum, balancing statistics with the words of historians, diarists and novelists, poets and churchmen: Pepys, Boswell, Fielding, Walpole, Blake, Mayhew, Wells, Woolf, Spark, ... a timely and brilliant book.' CLAIRE TOMALIN, EVENING STANDARD 'A vivid celebration of the city, but also an elegy for its decline, bubbling with statistics and anecdote, from Boadicea to Betjeman.' RICHARD HOLMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH BOOKS OF THE YEAR
by Edward Rutherfurd
Available in audio-cassette form: ISBN 0679443819 - fiction but gives a real feel for the period. London has perhaps the most remarkable history of any city in the world. Now, its story has a unique voice. In this epic novel, Edward Rutherfurd takes the reader on a magnificent journey across sixteen centuries from the days of the Romans to the Victorian engineers of Tower Bridge and the era of Dockland development today. Through the lives and adventures of his colourful cast of characters, he brings all the richness of London's past unforgettably to life.
2 B 0 L 0 D
Activity note: This program may be taken only as an extension of Program 23983: "Odyssey at Sea: Coasts of Northern Europe & Russia." Please be aware that indicated times are approximate and that program activities and schedules could change due to local circumstances such as weather, traffic conditions, etc. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Hotel check-in from 2:00 p.m.
Millennium Gloucester Hotel London Kensington
Activity note: Hotel check-in from 2:00 p.m.
Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon: Once checked into the hotel, we'll have some free time to relax and unpack before our introduction meeting, during which we will meet our fellow Road Scholars and receive our attractions pass, which provides entry into multiple museums and cultural institutions in the city. Afterwards, we will set out on a brief walk with our Group Leader to become familiar with the area surrounding the hotel.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 10 miles each way; approximately 2 hours total. Attractions passes are included for independent exploration. Minimal walking throughout the day; activity level dependent on personal interest.
Breakfast: At the hotel, the breakfast buffet includes a variety of choices such as eggs, breakfast meats, hash browns, tomatoes, mushrooms, muesli, cereals, pastries, toast, jams, and marmalade, plus milk, juices, tea, coffee, water.
Morning: We'll board a motorcoach for a field trip with our Group Leader, during which we will pass through some of London's iconic neighborhoods with highlights such as the Houses of Parliament, the River Thames, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall and Trafalgar Square. Throughout the field trip, our Group Leader will provide commentary emphasizing the historical significance of these locations.
Lunch: On your own to sample the local fare.
Afternoon: Free time. This block of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for transfer to main program in the morning.
Activity note: Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon. Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 35 miles, approximately 2 hours.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we'll transfer by motorcoach to the Aegean Odyssey at Tilbury, and board the ship. This concludes the extension.