January 1 – 9, 2016
Passage through the
Panama Canal and
Costa Rica
Paul Bracken, Professor of
Management and Political Science
Dear Yale Travelers & Friends
Join a small group of Yale alumni & friends on a winter escape for a
voyage of a lifetime featuring passage through the historic Panama Canal
and to the unspoiled rainforests of Costa Rica and Panama during
the best time of year.
Travel with Yale and witness firsthand the engineering marvels
of the ingenious Panama Canal. This 50‑mile passage through the
narrow Isthmus of Panama continues to astonish even today’s most
veteran travelers. It was only two years ago that the canal celebrated
its centennial anniversary. The locks that raise and lower ocean‑going
vessels 85 feet using no other power than the force of gravity accomplish
in mere hours what would have taken a three‑week circumnavigation
of South America in years gone by.
Highlights of this program include:
•
On this comprehensive itinerary, visit two UNESCO World
Heritage sites along with Panama’s ancient San Blas Islands
where the Guna Indians live much as they did centuries ago.
•
Tour one of acclaimed architect Frank Gehry’s newest designs,
Panama City’s Biodiversity Museum.
•
Experience Panama and Costa Rica’s world-renowned and
protected national parks—rainforests, islands and archipelagos
that foster one of the most pristine ecosystems on our planet.
Home for this journey is the privately chartered Five‑Star
m.v. Tere Moana, relaunched in 2013 under new ownership following a
multimillion-dollar refurbishment. With the capacity to accommodate
only 88 guests, this small ship can dock in ports inaccessible to
larger vessels. It also provides an intimate setting for our conversations.
My wife, Nanette, and I look forward to exploring the wonders of
Panama and Costa Rica next January with Yale travelers. The Canal is
increasing in importance because of the growth in world commerce, and
Panama itself is developing into a major tourism and financial center.
Costa Rica is a great example of an agile economic competitor, moving
into hi-tech fields and ecotourism. These and other topics will be the
focus of a great deal of conversation aboard the m.v. Tere Moana.
We love being with dear friends from past journeys and making
new friends to share this experience with. To hold your space
on this winter escape, please phone 203-432-1952. Or register at
www.yaleedtravel.org/panama16. As it has in the past, this popular
program is sure to sell out quickly.
CROSS SECTION OF THE PANAMA CANAL
Pedro Miguel Locks
Gatún Locks
Culebra (Gaillard) Cut
Gatún Lake
Miraflores Lake
Miraflores Locks
Atlantic
Ocean
Pacific
Ocean
CROSS SECTION OF THE PANAMA CANAL
All the best from Yale,
Paul Bracken
Professor of Management and Political Science
Yale University
www.yaleedtravel.org/panama16
Yale Study Leader
Paul Bracken
Paul Bracken, Professor of Management and of
Political Science, specializes in global business and
international relations. He has written extensively
on international business, corporate strategy,
defense and intelligence. At Yale he teaches a
large lecture class on Strategy, Technology and War. This course
draws students from all parts of the university. In the School of
Management he teaches The Global Corporation, which analyzes
the multinational corporation’s strategy under global competition.
In 2012 Princeton Review listed Bracken in their book, The Best
300 Professors in the United States. Professor Bracken is a consultant
to large corporations and private equity funds and serves on several
advisory groups for the U.S. government. He is also a member of
the Council on Foreign Relations.
Professor Bracken’s 2012 book, The Second Nuclear Age
(New York Times/Holt), analyzed the impact of nuclear weapons
on international affairs. His lectures for this trip will focus on the
expansion of the Panama Canal and its implications for the region,
as well as strategies available to a small country such as Costa Rica
in a competitive world. He and his wife, Nanette, an attorney, are
excited to be joining alumni on this unique opportunity to a
rapidly developing part of the world.
The Panama Canal: Marvel of Human Engineering
Experience firsthand the “greatest liberty ever taken with nature,”
which cuts through the Great Continental Divide, spans 50 miles
and took 33 years to complete at a cost of $400 million. This historic
engineering feat changed the world, opening up new channels of
international trade and allowing ships to travel between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans in a fraction of the time it took to circumnavigate
South America.
After France’s failed attempt to build a sea‑level canal here in
the 19 th century and following the U.S. involvement in Panama’s
independence, the project was turned over to the U.S. in 1903 and
construction began during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.
Among the 100,000 workers involved in the construction was French
Post‑Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin. When completed in 1914,
the Panama Canal was considered one of the seven wonders of the
modern world. Now, more than a century later, the Panama Canal is
undergoing a $5.25 billion expansion, adding a wider third lane that
can accommodate more than twice the cargo of the current lanes,
maintaining its status as the “gateway to the world.”
Reader’s Corner
Want to learn more about
the history and culture of the
Panama and Cost Rica?
Here’s a good start:
The Path Between the Seas
by David McCullough
A great story, admirably told in
vivid, page-turning detail, revealing
the full scope of the Panama Canal,
its characters, technical difficulties
and Byzantine politics.
Costa Rica, A Journey
Through Nature
by Adrian Hepworth
BBC Wildlife Photographer of
the Year Adrian Hepworth’s
color photographs showcase the
diversity of wildlife and landscapes
of Costa Rica.
Upcoming Trips
Lost Empires: Istanbul,
Gallipoli & Troy
09/24/2015 - 10/04/2015
Prof. Jay Winter
www.yaleedtravel.org/gallipoli15
An Adventure to South Africa
10/22/2015 - 11/05/2015
Prof. Walter Jetz
www.yaleedtravel.org/southafrica15
Northern Shores of France,
Belgium & the Netherlands
on Sea Cloud II
06/10/2016 - 06/18/2016
Prof. Jay Winter
www.yaleedtravel.org/northeurope16
Waterways of the Tsars
06/15/2016 - 06/25/2016
Prof. Paul Bushkovich
www.yaleedtravel.org/tsars16
Yale Educational Travel
Association of Yale Alumni
Box 209010, New Haven, CT
06520-9010
Reservations: 203.432.1952
[email protected]
COSTA
Caribbean Sea
Arenal
RICA
Curú National
Wildlife Refuge
Puerto San José
Caldera
UNESCO
World Heritage Site
Cruise Itinerary
Air Routing
Land Routing
Colón
Manuel Antonio
National Park
Drake
Saladero Eco Lodge
Panama Canal
Bay
Casa Orquídeas
G olfito
Osa
PANAMA
Peninsula
Golfo
Dulce
Pacific Ocean
Granito
de Oro
San Blas
Islands
P anama
C ity
Gulf of
Panama
Isla Coiba
Itinerary
Welcome Phone Call
Monday, December 14, 2015
Join the group at 4:00 p.m. Eastern
Standard Time for a pre-trip call with
Professor Paul Bracken. Learn more
about what to expect and ask any
questions you may have.
U.S./San José, Costa Rica
Friday, January 1, 2016
The horticultural diversity of Costa Rica
is evident in the magnificent parks of
its vibrant capital city. Enjoy overnight
accommodations here in the deluxe
Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San José.
San José/Puerto Caldera (b/l/d)
Saturday, January 2
Visit the Baroque National Theater,
modeled on Milan’s La Scala, and the
National Museum, whose fascinating
exhibits feature artifacts from
pre‑Columbian Central America.
Transfer to Puerto Caldera to
embark the m.v. Tere Moana.
Curú National Wildlife Refuge/
Manuel Antonio National Park
(b/l/r/d)
Sunday, January 3
Curú Wildlife Refuge is a unique
blend of sustainable agriculture, forest
management and wildlife protection.
On a guided walk, look for the
abundance of wildlife here, including
pumas, ocelots and more than
230 species of birds.
Experience an unparalleled
diversity of wildlife in lush
Manuel Antonio National Park, a
captivating combination of rainforest,
beaches and coral reefs, home to
more than 100 species of mammals
and almost 200 species of birds.
Expert naturalists will help you spot
colorful toucans, screeching howler
monkeys, camouflaged iguanas and
rare and endangered species such as
the Scarlet Macaw and quetzal.
Golfo Dulce (b/l/d)
Monday, January 4
The secluded natural wonderland
of Golfo Dulce, bordering the
Piedras Blancas National Park, is
“one of the most biologically intense
places on earth.” Explore flora and
fauna on the grounds of the private
Saladero Eco Lodge, accessible only
by boat and encompassing nearly
500 acres of primary old‑growth
rainforest, tropical gardens and
beach, offering spectacular viewing
of rich wildlife, including the
endangered spider monkey. In nearby
Casa Orquídeas, explore a botanical
garden of over 100 species of
orchids, bromeliads, heliconias and
edible plants.
Coiba National Park, Panama
(b/l/d)
Tuesday, January 5
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Coiba
National Park is a rich laboratory for
studying coral, plants and mammals.
Humpback, orca, sperm and Cuvier’s
beaked whales are known to migrate
through the marine park’s perimeter.
Granito de Oro is a small island
within the park known as the “live
aquarium of Coiba.” Enjoy snorkeling
among its vast array of exquisite
marine life including parrotfish and
orange‑sided triggerfish.
Explore pristine Isla Coiba, a host of
terrestrial wonders—virgin rainforest,
rugged headlands, pristine white‑sand
beaches and mangrove thickets—a
perfect environment for the evolution
of new and endemic subspecies and
for the preservation and protection
of endangered species.
Panama City/Panama Canal
Transit/Colón (2b/2l/2d)
Wednesday, January 6 to
Thursday, January 7
Central America’s most attractive
capital city was founded in 1519 by
Spanish explorers and rebuilt in
the late 17 th century. Discover its
old charms in the UNESCO World
Heritage site “old quarter” known as
Casco Antiguo.
yaleedtravel.org/panama16
What is Included:
Adjacent to the Panama Canal, visit
the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center to
see how the locks operate. Tour the
new Biodiversity Museum, designed by
architect Frank Gehry, which showcases
Panama’s exotic flora and fauna.
Experience the passage across the
Great Continental Divide through
the “gateway of the world,” the
historic Panama Canal, accompanied
by a specially arranged narration on
its history.
Transit times through the canal are controlled
by the Panama Canal Authority and subject
to traffic conditions; therefore, full transit
during daylight hours is not guaranteed.
San Blas Islands (b/l/r/d)
Friday, January 8
The sun‑drenched San Blas Islands are
a testament to Panama’s commitment
to the indigenous Guna Indians. Visit a
typical village to see how they construct
their thatched roof huts and watch Guna
women hand stitch colorful molas and
beaded winis.
Colón/Panama City/U.S. (b)
Saturday, January 9
Disembark the ship. Continue on
the Panama Post‑Program Option
or depart for the U.S.
Included meals indicated each day as B/L/
D/R = Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Reception.
Costa Rica’s Cloud Forests and
Volcanoes Pre-Program Option
A medley of Costa Rica’s diverse
biospheres, this spectacular opportunity
features the mysterious Los Angeles
Cloud Forest Private Biological Reserve,
an enlightening exploration of the richly
unique layers of the Arenal Volcano
rainforest along suspended and fixed
bridges, a dip in soothing geothermal
springs nestled among powerful
volcanoes and historic San José, with a
taste of its rich culture, including coffee
and chocolate. Accommodations are
for two nights in the deluxe Tabacón
Grand Spa Thermal Resort and one
night in the hacienda‑style Costa Rica
Marriott Hotel San José.
Dynamic Panama—
The Renaissance of a City
Post-Program Option
The
perfect
complement
to
Panama’s man-made wonder is an
exploration of old and new Panama.
Visit Panama Viejo, the remains of the
16 th‑century Spanish town, enjoy an
architectural tour featuring Panama City
and cruise on the Chagres River
through the rainforest to learn more
about Panama’s indigenous people.
Accommodations for two nights are
in the deluxe Bristol Panama Hotel.
The Pre- and Post-Program Options are
available at additional cost. Details will be
provided with your reservation confirmation.
•Program of lectures and
discussions with Yale profess0r
Paul Bracken.
•Services of Travel Director during
the tour as per the itinerary.
•Accommodation on twin sharing
basis as per the itinerary.
•All meals—early riser’s coffee,
buffet breakfast, buffet lunch,
afternoon tea and dinner—
throughout the cruise, served at
single, unassigned seatings.
•Complimentary alcoholic and
nonalcoholic beverages served
throughout the cruise.
•Welcome and
Farewell Receptions.
•Expert naturalist guides to lead
intimate group excursions.
• Gratuities to ship personnel
and naturalists, local guides
and drivers on included
excursions and transfers.
•Transfers and luggage handling
abroad for participants
whose arrival(s)/departure(s)
coincide with the scheduled
group transfer(s).
•Travel document wallet,
name badge and
pre‑departure information.
• Taxes.
•Automatic $250,000 flight
insurance policy for each
participant ticketed on flights
by Gohagan & Company.
What is Not Included:
•Expenses of a personal nature
including laundry, telephone/
fax calls, medical expenses,
airport departure tax, etc.
• Any insurance.
•International airfares.
•Any meals or beverages
that are not specified in the
above inclusions.
•Expenses caused by factors
beyond our control including
airplane delays, roadblocks,
vehicle malfunctions,
political disturbances, taxes,
lost luggage, etc.
•Any other services not
mentioned in the inclusions.
yaleedtravel.org/panama16
m.v.
Deck 5, Bougainville
Deck 4, La Pérouse
Deck 3, Champlain
Deck 2, La Fayette
Fitness Center
Pool
507 505 503 501
419
417
415
413
411
409
407
405
403
401
Reception
Deck 3, Champlain
319
317
315
313
311
309
307
305
303
Lounge
306
304
302
Library
316
314
312
310
308
Deck 4, La Pérouse
408
406
404
402
418
416
414
412
410
Spa
Panoramic
Restaurant
Category 6
$5,540
Ocean-view stateroom with one large window.
Decks 3, Champlain, and 4, La Pérouse, forward.
(limited availability)
Category 5
$6,340
Ocean-view stateroom with one large window
and sitting area. Deck 3, Champlain, forward.
508 506 504 502
Bar
Deck 5, Bougainville
Program Cost
T ere M oana
Boutique
Category 4
$6,940
Ocean-view stateroom with one large window
and sitting area. Deck 3, Champlain.
Single Pricing: $10,340
Category 3
$7,040
Ocean-view stateroom with one large window
and sitting area. Deck 4, La Pérouse, forward.
Category 2 $8,040
Ocean-view stateroom with one large window
and sitting area. Deck 4, La Pérouse.
Single Pricing: $11,140
Category 1
$8,540
Larger ocean-view stateroom with sliding glass
doors that open to a private balcony, sitting
area. Deck 5, Bougainville.
L’Etoile
Restaurant
Deck 2, La Fayette
Please call Yale Education Travel for specific stateroom availability.
m.v.
m.v. Tere
T ere M oana
Moana
The exclusively chartered Five-Star m.v. Tere Moana offers 44 spacious ocean-view
Staterooms, eight with private veranda. Each Stateroom features a large picture window,
private marble- and teak‑appointed bathroom with shower, one queen bed or two twin
beds, individual climate control, satellite television, safe and minibar featuring a selection of
complimentary beverages. Complimentary welcome flowers and fruit are provided in each
Stateroom upon arrival. Complimentary alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages are served
throughout the cruise. Public areas include a lounge, two bars, library with computers,
wireless Internet hotspots, spa, fitness center, boutique and outdoor swimming pool.
Terms and Conditions
RELEASE OF LIABILITY, ASSUMPTION OF RISK
AND BINDING ARBITRATION AGREEMENT
Baggage allowance: Passengers are allowed
two checked bags per person on international flights.
Airlines have various policies concerning the number of bags
and the weight allowed without excess baggage charges.
Physical Accessibility: All programs
require physical independence and mobility.
Any physical or mental condition that may require special
medical attention or physical assistance (for example, the
need for a wheelchair) must be reported in writing when
you make your reservation. Travelers must be able to
embark or disembark motorcoaches alone or with minimal
assistance from your traveling companion and climb
stairs and step over raised thresholds without assistance.
Travelers requiring assistance must travel with a companion
who will be responsible for handling equipment.
Cancellations and Refunds: All cancellations
must be submitted in writing to the Association of
Yale Alumni. Written cancellation through 91 days
prior to departure—full refund minus a $500 per
person administrative fee (covers main and post tours).
Written cancellation 90 days or less prior to departure
could result in forfeiture of the full program price,
contingent upon the degree of recoverable costs from
independent providers of services. Program reservations
are not transferable except at the sole discretion and with
the explicit approval of the Association of Yale Alumni and
Thomas P. Gohagan & Company. Cancellation on day of
departure or after tour departs—no refund. Cancellation of
tour by the Association of Yale Alumni or our tour
operator—full refund. We strongly urge applicants to
consider purchasing trip cancellation insurance.
Insurance: Yale Educational Travel strongly
recommends
that
participants
purchase
trip
cancellation insurance. However, Yale does not recommend
a particular insurance company. It is wise to cover the cost
of trip investment in case one needs to cancel due to illness
or emergency. The cancellation penalties listed in the program
brochure will apply. Please review your medical insurance
coverage to determine what is and is not covered while
traveling abroad before contacting an insurance company.
Passage through the Panama Canal and Costa Rica
January 1 - 9, 2016
To register, return this form with your deposit of $1,000
per person to YET. Final payment is due October 2, 2015.
1) name as on passport
RESERVE YOUR TRIP TO PANAMA AND COSTA RICA TODAY
payment options
❏ Pay by check payable to “Thomas P. Gohagan & Company”
and send to Yale Educational Travel
Please charge the deposit of $1,000 per person to:
❏ amex ❏ visa ❏ mastercard ❏ discover card
date of birth yale connection
card number
passport origin relationship to other guest
expiration date
security code accommodations
2) name as on passport date of birth
yale connection
passport origin relationship to other guest
category preference
❏ i wish to have a single (limited availability – please call)
❏ i will share accommodations with:
_____________________________________________
contact information
travel options
Costa Rica Pre-Program Option
address
(per person)
city/state/zip primary phone
❏ double $1,440 ❏ single $1,940
Panama Post-Program Option
(per person)
❏ double $795
secondary phone
❏ single $1,095
❏ I/We confirm that I/We have carefully read the Terms and
Conditions and Responsibility section of this brochure and
agree to their terms on behalf of myself and the members
of my party named above.
e-mail
signature(s) date
To book, return the above form with credit card authorization or check payable to “Thomas P. Gohagan & Company” to
Association of Yale Alumni, P.O. Box 209010, New Haven, CT 06520-9010. Phone: (203) 432-1952. Fax: (203) 432-0587.
or
Visit www.yaleedtravel.org/panama16 to book online
There are many insurance companies to choose from.
Please understand that there is a very short window of time
(anywhere from 7 days to perhaps 21 days from the time one
pays the trip deposit) when insurance bought within that
window will qualify for pre-existing condition coverage.
If this is important to you, please do not wait to purchase
travel insurance. Your Yale licensed tour operator may be
able to send you an insurance application but you may
not receive their insurance application in time to meet the
window for pre-existing condition coverage.
Itinerary: The itinerary is subject to change.
Responsibility: Yale University, the Association of
Yale Alumni and Thomas P. Gohagan & Company, its
and their employees, shareholders, subsidiaries, affiliates,
officers, directors or trustees, successors, and assigns
(collectively “Gohagan”), does not own or operate any entity
which is to or does provide goods or services for your trip
including, for example, lodging facilities, airline, vessel, or
other transportation companies, guides or guide services,
local ground operators, providers or organizers of optional
excursions, food service or entertainment providers, etc.
All such persons and entities are independent contractors. As a
result, Yale University, the Association of Yale Alumni, and
Gohagan are not liable for any negligent or willful act or failure
to act of any such person or entity or of any other third party.
In addition and without limitation, Gohagan is not
responsible for any injury, loss, death, inconvenience,
delay, or damage to person or property in connection with
the provision of any goods or services whether resulting
from, but not limited to, acts of God or force majeure, acts
of government, acts of war or civil unrest, insurrection or
revolt, bites from or attacks by animals, insects or pests,
strikes or other labor activities, criminal or terrorist activities
of any kind or the threat thereof, sickness, illness, epidemics
or the threat thereof, the lack of availability of or access to
medical attention or the quality thereof, overbooking or
downgrading of accommodations, mechanical or other
failure of airplanes, vessels or other means of transportation,
or for any failure of any transportation mechanism to arrive
or depart on time or safely.
If due to weather, flight schedules or other
uncontrollable factors, you are required to spend an
additional night(s), you will be responsible for your own
hotel, transfers and meal costs. Baggage is entirely at
owner’s risk. The right is reserved to decline to accept as a
trip participant, or remove from a trip, without refund, any
person Gohagan judges to be incapable of meeting the rigors
and requirements of participating in the activities, or who is
abusive to other trip participants, leaders or third parties, or
who Gohagan determines to detract from the enjoyment of
the trip by others. Passenger certifies not to have any mental,
physical or other condition or disability that would create a
hazard for him/herself or other passengers.
Gohagan reserves the right to change the itinerary or
trip features at any time and for any reason, with or without
notice, and Gohagan shall not be liable for any loss of any
kind as a result of any such changes. All fares, as well as ship
schedules, port calls, hours of arrival and departure, special
programs and guest lecture series (if applicable), are subject
to change or cancellation without prior notice. Gohagan
shall not be required to refund any portion of the fare or
make any other compensation under these circumstances.
Gohagan is not responsible for penalties assessed by air
carriers resulting from operational and/or itinerary changes,
even if Gohagan makes the flight arrangements or trip
cancellation. Gohagan reserves the right to substitute hotels
of a similar category for those listed in this brochure.
Binding Arbitration: Any controversy or claim
arising out of or relating in any way to this Release of
Liability, Assumption of Risk and Binding Arbitration
Agreement, to the Responsibility Clause, to the brochure,
or any other information relating in any way to the trip,
or to the trip itself, shall be settled solely and exclusively
by binding arbitration in Chicago, Illinois in accordance
with the commercial rules of the American Arbitration
Association then existent. In any such proceeding, the
substantive, but not procedural law of Illinois will apply.
Rates: Prices quoted are based on fares in effect at
the time of printing and are subject to change prior
to departure. On programs which include Gohagan
purchased interstate or international air (which
originates or returns to the United States), no increased
costs will be passed on after final payment except for
subsequently imposed governmental tax increases.
Upon payment of a deposit, tour participant(s) indicates
acceptance of the terms contained in this Release of Liability,
Assumption of Risk and Binding Arbitration Agreement.
REGISTRATION: CST: #2031868-40. WST: #601
767 666. OST: #TA 0905.
Photo Credits: Alamy, Corbis, Danita Delimont,
Estock Photo, Glow Images, Robert Harding
Shutterstock; all images are rights managed and cannot
be used without permission.
Association of Yale Alumni
Box 209010
New Haven, Connecticut
06520-9010
Experience passage through Panama Canal with Yale!
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 519
New Haven, CT
Passage through the
Panama Canal and Costa Rica
January 1 – 9, 2016
Paul Bracken, Professor of
Management and International Business
Costa Rica has been called the
greenest country in the world
and is the leading destination
for ecotourism.
More than a quarter of the country
is a wildlife refuge, national park
or protected rainforest, home to
rare and endemic species, including
howler monkeys.