Alumni Travel Program

The Villanova University Alumni Association is thrilled to re-launch our travel program! Explore destinations around the world with Villanova alumni, family and friends.
We invite the entire Villanova community to join us as we celebrate the University’s traditions and values through our alumni travel program. Our trips provide a rich travel experience thanks to their educational character, unique access to special events and, most importantly, traveling with your fellow Wildcats.
For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah Doody, at alumnitravel@villanova.edu or 904-432-3141.
Upcoming Tours

2026 Programs

The Luxurious Caribbean Sea
February 1-9, 2026
Price: Cabin prices start at $6,495 per person based on double occupancy. Airfare not included.
Trip Status: At capacity; to join the waitlist, please email alumnitravel@villanova.edu. Learn more.
- Cruise for 8 nights from St. Maarten to Curacao aboard the exclusively chartered Sea Cloud Spirit, a deluxe, 3-masted small sailing ship.
- Panoramic tour of Soufrière in St. Lucia, featuring its iconic pitons.
- Visit the spice island of Grenada, famous for nutmeg and chocolate.
- Specially arranged excursion in Kralendijk, Bonaire, with a choice between touring the Washington Slagbaai National Park or the North and South Island.
- Three UNESCO World Heritage sites: St. Lucia and the 2 volcanic spires in its Pitons Management Area; the Cabrits National Park and Fort hirley on the island of Dominica; and Mount Pelée, an active volcano on the north end of Martinique.
- Visit the black sand beaches of Montserrat, known as the "Emerald Isle of the Caribbean" because of its dramatic cliffs and ties to Irish Catholics who fled here in the 17th century.
- Immerse yourself in the history and culture of Saint-Pierre on the French island of Martinique, known as the "little Paris of the West Indies," on a morning tour that includes a visit to the Volcanological Museum.
- Included meals | 2 receptions, 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 8 dinners
- Liquor, house wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages and minibar service throughout the cruise.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi access (conditions permitting).
For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu

Spanish Experience
April 16-24, 2026
Price: $4,699 per person, based on double occupancy with 10 travelers; $3,999 per person, based on double occupancy with 15 travelers. Land only; airfare not included.
Trip Status: Reserve your spot.
- Ready to experience Spanish culture at its best? Dive into Madrid’s buzzing vibes, feel the rhythm of flamenco in Seville, and wander through Granada’s dreamy streets. Snap pictures of Gaudí’s wild creations in Barcelona, uncover medieval magic in Toledo and cruise through Andalusia’s stunning plains. With iconic sights, epic eats and that laid-back Spanish charm, this trip is all about unforgettable moments—your way.
- Dr. Veronika Ryjik, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Spanish, will serve as the guest faculty lecturer
- Madrid: See the Royal Palace, Cibeles Fountain and Retiro Park on a sightseeing tour with a local guide.
- Toledo: Sightseeing with your local guide includes views of the Synagogue and Cathedral.
- Seville: Sightseeing with your local guide includes views of the Cathedral and Giralda Tower.
- Granada: Enjoy a scenic drive to this Moorish city.
- Valencia: See the Art Nouveau, Train Station Estación del Norte, Mercado de Colón, Towers of Serrano and Quart and the City of Arts and Sciences.
- Barcelona: Sightseeing with your local guide includes views of Gaudí's La Sagrada Família and La Rambla.
- For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu

Island Life Greek Isles and Ephesus: Sailing the Aegean Sea and the Turquoise Coast
September 9-17, 2026
Price: Cabin prices start at $6,995, per person based on double occupancy.
Trip Status: Reserve your spot.
- Exclusive journey through the Aegean Sea to historic Greek islands
and Turkey's Turquoise Coast. - Access to ports unavailable to larger vessels and included excursions throughout your program.
- Specially arranged visit to Hydra, one of Greece's most beautiful, yet least-touristic, islands.
- Four UNESCO World Heritage sites: Medieval City of Rhodes, Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Patmos and Delos in Greece and Ephesus, Turkey.
- All meals | 2 receptions, 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi access (conditions permitting).
- Wander the narrow cobblestone streets of Monemvasia, a stunning Byzantine town hidden on an island off the eastern Peloponnese coast.
- Discover the lovely island of Santorini and visit the ruins of the prehistoric village of Akrotiri and Fira, the island's main town, known for its whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches.
- Venture to the Lindos on the island of Rhodes to admire the village's famous mosaics and to climb to the acropolis overlooking Lindos and the sparkling sea.
- Athens Pre-Program Option and Delphi Post‑Program Option.
For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu

Christkindlmärkte along the Danube River: The Holidays in Austria & Germany
November 27-December 5, 2026
Price: Cabin prices start at $2,995 per person based on double occupancy.
Trip Status: Reserve your spot.
- Exclusive journey to from Vienna to Nuremberg through the picturesque Wachau Valley.
- Access to ports unavailable to larger vessels and included excursions throughout your program.
- Specially arranged full-day excursion in Salzburg, one of Austria's loveliest cities.
- Four UNESCO World Heritage sites: Historic Centre of Vienna, Austria; Wachau Cultural Landscape, Austria; Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg, Austria; and Old Town of Regensburg, Germany.
- Complimentary nonpremium liquor, house wine, beer, nonalcoholic beverages, and minibar service throughout the cruise; complimentary
- house wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages at meals during excursions.
- All meals | 2 receptions, 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 7 dinners.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi access (conditions permitting).
- Get into the holiday spirit at Christmas Markets in Vienna, Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg, and Salzburg,
- Admire the elegant city of Vienna during a panoramic tour, followed by a visit to the world-famous Spanish Riding School and a tour of Schönbrunn Palace.
- Visit Dürnstein's 15th-century monastery that overlooks the Danube and attend an organ recital at the cathedral.
- Stroll through the baroque Benedictine abbey at Melk and enjoy a walk through the town.
- Explore Passau and see its beautiful baroque cathedral.
- Vienna Pre-Program Option and Munich Post‑Program Option.
- For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu
2027 Programs


The Panama Canal and Costa Rica Cruise
January 16-24, 2027
Price: Cabin prices start at $7,895 per person based on double occupancy.
Trip Status: Reserve your spot.
- Seven-night cruise from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica to Colón, Panama
- One night in San José, Costa Rica, at the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Complimentary non-premium alcohol and wine throughout the cruise
- Pre-tour to Arenal and San José: Five days, four nights | Cloud Forest | Hanging Bridges Tour | Local Villages

Gorillas in the Rift: An Adventure in Uganda
May 17-28, 2027
Price: $13,299 per person, based on double occupancy; $1,925 single supplement
Trip Status: Reserve your spot.
- Gratuities for ancillary site-based support staff such as boat crew for Murchison Falls and Kazinga Channel; UWA rangers, trekking porters, scouts during Ziwa, chimp and gorilla excursions; QENP predator research team; lodge porters during group check in/ out; hotel/ lodge staff
- All airport arrival meet and greets, plus transfers
- Bush flight from Bwindi to Entebbe plus a day room on departure day until 6 p.m.
- Boat cruises at Murchison Falls and Kazinga Channel
- Exclusive access to a Predator Tracking Team in Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking permit (one trek per activity type)

Discover Southeast Alaska
July 23-30, 2027
Price: Cabin prices start at $6,395 per person based on double occupancy.
Trip Status: Email alumnitravel@villanova.edu to reserve your spot
- ·Seven nights aboard the
Chicagof Dream, a Native American owned vessel that is able to enter restricted coves due to its Native American status - All onboard hand-crafted meals—seven breakfasts, six lunches and seven dinners—including a special Captain’s Farewell Dinner, and complimentary wine and beer at dinner
- An onboard lecture program and educational guidance from two naturalists, plus an Orbridge Expedition Leader
- Guided kayaking, hiking, walking, skiff excursions and wildlife viewing where humpback whales, orcas, brown bears, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, arctic terns, bald eagles and other populations are frequently spotted
- Gratuities for Orbridge Expedition Leader, airport transfer drivers and drivers/guides on included land excursions
- Airport transfers for guests arriving and departing during the suggested times

Montreal and Quebec City Christmas
December 6-11, 2027
Price: $4,499 per person, based on double occupancy, $1,200 single supplement. Includes roundtrip air from gateway city.
Trip Status: Email alumnitravel@villanova.edu to reserve your spot
- Two nights at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, Montreal
- Three nights at Fairmont Château Frontenac, Quebec City
- All hotel transfers
- Roundtrip Airfare from PHL (other Gateway Cities are available)
- Tours of Montreal City, Underground City, Notre Dame Cathedral
- Rail Train from Montreal to Quebec
- Tour of Quebec City, Montmorency Falls and Old Quebec Christmas Market
- Gilles Copper Museum and St. Anne de Beaupre Shrine
- Sugar Shack demonstration
- Leisure time in Quebec City
Completed Tours
Thank you to all the Villanovans who joined us on recent journeys!
Please note that in this ever-changing travel climate, all prices, itineraries, dates and departures are subject to change.
Required International SOS Membership
All travelers on Villanova University-sponsored international trips who are not current University employees or students are required to purchase an individual International SOS (ISOS) membership before departure. ISOS provides important pre-departure services, including guidance on vaccination requirements, necessary medications, and travel security information. While abroad, ISOS offers extensive support such as global assistance, medical and security evacuation services, access to physicians by phone, and referrals to over 68,000 vetted providers worldwide. Each traveler is required to purchase their ISOS membership directly from ISOS at buymembership.internationalsos.com and provide the policy number to Sarah Doody, our Villanova Travel Coordinator. If a traveler is ineligible for ISOS membership for any reason, please reach out to Sarah Doody to discuss options. *Villanova faculty and staff traveling with employment responsibilities are automatically covered by the University and will not need to purchase the ISOS.
ISOS vs. Travel Insurance: Please note that ISOS membership is mandatory for all travelers on Villanova-sponsored trips, as it provides essential medical and security assistance. Travel insurance, which covers issues such as cancellations, missed connections, and baggage delays, is separate from ISOS, optional, and does not replace ISOS benefits. For more details on ISOS coverage, please visit our FAQs page.
For more information, please contact Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu or call (904) 432-3141.
- Seven-night cruise from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica to Colón, Panama
- One night in San José, Costa Rica, at the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Complimentary non-premium alcohol and wine throughout the cruise
- Pre-tour to Arenal and San José: Five days, four nights | Cloud Forest | Hanging Bridges Tour | Local Villages
