The Spying Game from the Cambridge Five to the Cold War: A Queen Mary 2 Voyage

13 days
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4.3/5 Great
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Large Ship Cruise
Immerse yourself in the shadowy underworld of international espionage with renowned author and intelligence expert Nigel West. Learn the truth behind the acronyms of the CIA, SOE, NKVD and KGB, as well as the role of “sleeper agents,” the secret VENONA project and the race for atomic power. Aboard the elite Queen Mary 2, gain intimate vantages into the post-W...
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Overview

Trip type
Large Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • Gain expert insight into Yalta, the Manhattan Project and the greatest secret of the Cold War: VENONA.
    • Visit Bletchley Park, home to the Enigma machine and historic headquarters of secret British code-breaking in World War II.
    • At colleges associated with the Cambridge Five, learn how a group of undergraduates became a famous Soviet spy ring.

What's this trip about?

    Immerse yourself in the shadowy underworld of international espionage with renowned author and intelligence expert Nigel West. Learn the truth behind the acronyms of the CIA, SOE, NKVD and KGB, as well as the role of “sleeper agents,” the secret VENONA project and the race for atomic power. Aboard the elite Queen Mary 2, gain intimate vantages into the post-World War II geopolitical, ideological and economic struggles that shaped the world today.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transport
Start CityNew York
End CityCambridge

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • 50 Plus
  • Education / Learning
  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

Activities

  • Educational/ Learning
  • Historic Sightseeing
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Wine Tasting

Trip includes

    • 12 nights of accommodations
    • 7 expert-led lectures
    • 4 expert-led field trips
    • An experienced Group Leader
    • Customary gratuities throughout the program
    • The Road Scholar Travel Protection Plan, 24-hour-a-day emergency assistance coverage
    • Taxes

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: Arrive, Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner, New York

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: New York Marriott Downtown

Afternoon: After independent arrivals to the New York hotel, check-in. At 5:00pm enjoy a welcome meeting and reception with Nigel West, the Course Director.

Dinner: In the hotel at 7:00pm.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 2: Ground Zero Museum and Memorial

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Queen Mary II

Breakfast: In the New York hotel.

Morning: This morning you will have the opportunity to visit the Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial and Museum where you will examine authentic artifacts and ...

Day 3: Lecture on Kim Philby, Aboard Queen Mary II

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Queen Mary II

Breakfast: On board ship.

Morning: Informative and fascinating lecture on the Cambridge spy - Kim Philby: Synonym for Betrayal by Nigel West.

Lunch: Taken on board ship in the ...

Day 4: The Illegals, Cocktail Party

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Queen Mary II

Breakfast: On board ship.

Morning: Nigel's insightful lecture this morning is on The Great Illegals; the NKVD and the Penetration of the British Establishment.

Lunch: On board ...

Day 5: The Defectors

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Queen Mary II

Breakfast: On board ship.

Morning: This morning hear about the Defectors: Walter Krivitsky, Igor Gouzenko and Vladimir Petrov as expert Nigel West takes you through their activities.<...

Day 6: At Leisure

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Queen Mary II

Breakfast: On board.

Morning: Spend a relaxed morning further enjoying everything the Queen Mary 2 has to offer.

Lunch: On board.

Afternoon: Free afternoon for shipboard...

Day 7: Soviet Espionage

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Queen Mary II

Breakfast: On board.

Morning: Nigel West lectures on Yalta and the Manhattan Project: Triumphs of Soviet Espionage. Lessons to be learned.

Lunch: On board.

Afternoon: Ma...

Day 8: Venona

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Queen Mary II

Breakfast: On board ship.

Morning: Nigel West lectures on the subject of one of his many books - VENONA: The Greatest Secret of the Cold War.

Lunch: On board ship.

Afternoon: Shipboard activities.

Dinner: On board ship.

Evening: Shipboard activities.

Day 9: Disembarkation, Cambridge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: DoubleTree by Hilton Cambridge

Breakfast: Early breakfast on board ship before disembarkation at approximately 9:00am.

Morning: Disembark in Southampton and transfer by coach to Cambridge.

Lunch: In the hotel.

Afternoon: Free afternoon.

Dinner: Dinner is in the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 10: American Cemetery, Oxford Colleges, Cambridge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: DoubleTree by Hilton Cambridge

Activity note: Walk of up to two hours on paved streets and in historic colleges with stairs.

Breakfast: Full English breakfast in the hotel dining room.

Morni...

Day 11: Bletchley Park, Cambridge

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: DoubleTree by Hilton Cambridge

Breakfast: Full English breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: Take a field trip to "Station X" or Churchill's Golden Egg, Bletchley Park, home to the Enigma machine. Historic sit...

Day 12: Guest lecturer on real life spies, Cambridge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: DoubleTree by Hilton Cambridge

Breakfast: Full English breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: Nigel West lectures on "The Cambridge Spies: The Significance of the Five" and Glenmore Trenear-Harvey on "Th...

Day 13: Departure, Cambridge

Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast: Full English breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: Transfer to London Heathrow by coach and private cars. Arranged according to flight departure times. Some transfers may leave before breakfast.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $4,895
Price per day$377
Last Updated: 8/2/2018

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Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Road Scholar.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Logistics

Accommodation

New York Marriott Downtown: 1 night  New York

The only Marriott hotel centrally located in Lower Manhattan, New York City's Financial District, and within walking distance to Wall Street and NYSE.

 

Queen Mary II: 7 nights  New York.

The stylish, 17-deck grand ocean liner Queen Mary 2 represents the pinnacle of maritime achievement. Affectionately known as the QM2, it is 1,132 feet long and 131 feet wide, and is capable of carrying 2,620 passengers. Recent refurbishments added fifteen staterooms, additional balcony cabins, an all-new restaurant and much more! Indulge in other state-of-the-art facilities that include a 3D cinema, planetarium, library, spa and casino.

 

DoubleTree by Hilton Cambridge: 4 nights  Cambridge

Situated on the banks of the River Cam in historic Cambridge, DoubleTree by Hilton Cambridge offers air-conditioned rooms and a Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill.

Guides
Nigel West Nigel West is a military historian specializing in intelligence and security issues. In 1989, he was voted The Experts' Expert by a panel of spy writers. He is the European Editor of the Washington D.C.-based International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence and a lecturer at the Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies in Alexandria, Va. In 2003, he was awarded the U.S. Association of Former Intelligence Officers’ first Lifetime Literature Achievement Award.
Ship & cabin information
Queen Mary II
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

12 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches, 12 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
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Trip ID
roadscholar-14569RJ

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