2023 BMB International Performance Tour
January 4-24, 2023
Central America and the Panama Canal
Miami, Florida; Cartagena, Colombia; Panama Canal & Panama City, Panama; Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Los Angeles, California.
As of today, September 9, 2022, we have 390 travelers registered for the trip. We are still holding a few extra spots for late additions. If you want to be added to the travel roster you should register as soon as possible. Please see below.
PAYMENTS
The first two trip payments are due now. Please try to get your payments in to Blugold Central by the 5th of each month. BMB makes installment payments to the hotel/cruise lines/etc. automatically each month based on the number of travelers on our roster, so we need to make sure our university account in good standing. Remember that there are three payments (Aug, Sept, Oct) of $850 each and one final payment (November) for the balance due. Each traveler has been assigned a BMB Traveler ID number to ensure that payments are correctly applied. Please refer to the attachment for your TID. Please look carefully at your TID. The list is in alphabetical order but there have been changes in the roster since TIDs were assigned. Your TID has NOT changed. Just look at it closely and use the number in large print beside your name.
Payment Update - BMB will accept only payments for the basic trip costs. This means the maximum anyone will pay directly to BMB is either $3,350 (student) or $3,700 (adult guest). The payment for your upgrade (double room, balcony room, etc.) will be paid at the end, directly to the cruise company. I will give you the information for how to make this payment before it is due. BMB will still handle all the reservations for you but we cannot accept the upgrade payments. Please see the Trip Cost Worksheet for your upgrade cost.
Credit Card Payments
If you want the convenience of making your monthly payments by credit card you can follow this link to the UWEC eMarket. https://commerce.cashnet.com/UWECBGC
While you may want to use this option for convenience or credit card reward points, please be aware that your credit card will impose a 2.75% convenience fee for the transaction. If you make all of your payments using this method, the fees will add up.
Payment by Check or in Person
You can avoid the credit card fee by making your payments to Blugold Central by mail or in person. Please make checks payable to "UWEC Blugold Marching Band" and mail them to the following address. Make sure to print the attached payment coupon and include it with your payment.
UW- Eau Claire Blugold Central
PO Box 5000
Eau Claire, WI 54702-5000
If you are on campus you can stop by Blugold Central (1108 Vicki Lord Larson Hall) instead of mailing your payment. Please bring a payment coupon. I'm sorry to say that there is no option to do a funds transfer into the trip account as you do for tuition.
INSURANCE (students and guests)
I cannot overstate the importance of this. I should remind you that in January 2022 I was denied boarding a cruise ship in Miami due to Covid. Fortunately, I was insured so my money was refunded. This insurance will not only reimburse your cruise but any other unused portion of the trip and travel related costs such as your flight home. You are welcome to use your personal insurance agent or shop around for a good deal on this if you like. Policies are widely available at a variety of costs. If you get choose to obtain insurance on your own, make sure it covers all the things that could possibly go wrong and that it will reimburse your expenses (specifically COVID-related) should you need it.
In my opinion, a better and more affordable option is to insure your trip through the group program we've set up. This option is available for everyone in our group. Benefits and rates are detailed on the attachment from Travel Insured International. You can choose the amount of coverage you want, based on how much your trip will cost. For instance, most students will choose the $3000 - $3500 option because this is the price of your trip. You can choose to insure whatever amount you have invested. Travelers with significant upgrades such as balcony rooms can choose coverage amounts for their entire investment. Before offering you this option I checked with the UWEC Risk Management office. This is the same company UWEC uses for similar services. Enrolling is very easy. Just follow the link below. Our account is already set up. While this is a student insurance program, we are qualified as a group and everyone (including guests of any age) can use it. I don't have a firm deadline for obtaining this insurance but you certainly can't wait until the end. I'm guessing you'll need to do this within 30 days of making your first payment.
https://www.travelinsured.com/group.signup?group=143415&guid=779f11a7589441e4bc7f513e978bd390
WHAT IS INCLUDED
All BMB trip packages includes airfare, ground transportation, all cruise costs (unlimited meals), hotel. Your cost also takes care of all of extra expenses such as shipping our equipment, transportation to the airport, taxes, port charges, and gratuities. BMB members may invite guests (parents, etc.) on the trip at a cost comparable to the student cost.
The cost of this year’s International Performance Tour Student Package is $3,350. This price covers a quad room and includes all the amenities above. Although more expensive packages are offered, ninety percent of our students choose this option.
See the Norwegian Cruise Line description of our Panama Canal Cruise
https://www.ncl.com/cruises/15-day-panama-canal-from-miami-to-los-angeles-mexico-and-costa-rica?itineraryCode=BLISS15MIACTGFAMPCLSJSPRQPVRCSLLAX
TRIP ITINERARY
Updated November 28th
Wednesday, January 4 Depart MSP; Arrive in Miami
Check into hotel, free time
Thursday, January 5 Miami
Free day in Miami
Friday, January 6 Miami
Afternoon concert in Miami Beach with the rest of the day free
Saturday, January 7 Board Norwegian Bliss cruise ship
Sunday, January 8 Day at Sea
Monday, January 9 Day at Sea
Tuesday, January 10 Cartagena, Colombia 6am-2pm
Wednesday, January 11 Panama Canal
Transit through Panama Canal during daylight hours
Arrive in Panama City at 8 pm
Thursday, January 12 Panama City leave at 3 pm
Free day in Panama City
Friday, January 13 Day at Sea
Saturday, January 14 Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala 12pm-10pm
Sunday, January 15 Day at Sea
Monday, January 16 Acapulco, Mexico 8am-5pm
Tuesday, January 17 Day at Sea
Wednesday, January 18 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 7:30am-7pm Best options today are to visit world-famous beaches
Thursday, January 19 Mazatlan, Mexico 9am-6pm
Friday, January 20 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 7 am-3 pm
Free day in a world-class resort city
Saturday, January 21 Day at Sea
Sunday, January 22 Arrive in Los Angeles 8 am
Student Teachers leave for MSP
Monday, January 23 Los Angeles
Free Day in LA
Tuesday, January 24 Depart LAX; Arrive at MSP
To reserve a spot please submit your travel request. This is also the link for you to update your passport information.
https://forms.gle/S8Y11LZs2U6Q2Wet9
Hint: If your browser rejects the above link as spam, try typing the URL in manually.
To view the Zoom meeting with trip information please visit:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A922Hor5wbqOCprDZw96UeOiEZkMID2e?usp=sharing