The Expedition Program and Costs

Our group flights will be arranged through Perry Travel. Our “professional package”, the core of our program, is priced at $250 per person. This includes our astronomy program consisting of three lectures (related astronomy background, Leonid meteors history, observing and photography tips), the southern-night-sky observing session, bus transportation from our hotel to the meteor storm observing site and back, professionally guided observations of the storm, site facilities and observing aids, plus snacks and breakfast on site and en route. This core program is available to persons from various countries making their own air and hotel arrangements.

Adding air travel via Asiana Korean Airlines from Los Angeles, and Sun Route hotel accommodations for the time on Guam (five nights), plus our welcome reception and closing banquet to the professional package brings the basic program cost to: $2300/single, $1900/double or shared, $1800/triple per person. The Sun Route also offers condo units suitable for a quad (4 people), for which the corresponding cost is $1750 per person. Discounts (typically 25%) are also available for children under 12.

Add $200 per person to upgrade to Continental flights via Hawaii with optional stopover, in place of Asiana flights via Korea. Inexpensive connections from other U.S. cities to Los Angeles or Houston may add $50-$250 pp. The Sun Route hotel is an excellent off-beach accommodation with pool located nearby the Outrigger. See http://www.sunroute.com.gu for hotel information.

For choosing a flight from the U.S., here are the main considerations. The less expensive Asiana flights take longer and arrive at less convenient times. However, they offer a free stopover in Seoul, Korea, which boasts the best shopping in Asia. Special extension trips could be arranged from Seoul, such as to Hong Kong. Asiana has a reputation for excellent in-flight service, winning awards for that in 2000. Out of all the major carriers in the world, Asiana has the youngest fleet, with an average age of just over 3 years. And Advantage (American Airlines) members would earn points on Asiana.

The Continental flight has its own conveniences. It affords the luxury of connecting through Hawaii which, like Guam, requires no passport. A stopover of up to 3 days in Honolulu is allowed on the return. The flights are hours shorter and arrive at more convenient times. One Pass members would be able to gain a lot of miles, and could upgrade to business class using points. Those traveling from cities other than Los Angeles would be able to use Continental all the way though, connecting through the most convenient U.S. gateway city. The scheduling and pricing of such connecting flights may also be favorably affected.

Many levels of hotel upgrade are available, all at the Outrigger Guam Resort (http://www.outrigger.com/details/property.asp?code=ogm), which will serve as the expedition “home base”. Here is a sample of specific choices and the total supplemental cost per person:

Standard Ocean View    $100    Deluxe Ocean    View    $150
Ocean Front      $200    Voyager’s Club Ocean    View    $300

Voyager’s Club rooms are on the 20th and 21st floors and include robe and slippers, continental breakfast, afternoon cocktails and canapés in the club lounge, and personalized concierge service.

All packages that include accommodations also include transportation from and to the airport in Guam, the welcome reception, and the closing banquet. Note that meals are not included except as mentioned above. Many restaurants and a shopping plaza with a grocery store are nearby to supplement the excellent but pricey hotel dining.