Costco Connection - February 2009

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FROM PERPERSON*

$2,897

Validon7/8/09departure.

Fall in love with the romance of Paris and threeEuropeanrivers!

12-day Paris and European River Romance sailing from Tier, Germany, to Nuremberg, Germany aboard River Princess.

Member exclusives valued at 700 per person:

• Welcome cocktail reception

• Dinner at Altitude 95 inside the Eiffel Tower

• Two complimentary nights at Hilton Old Town or similar with buffet breakfast in Prague, Czech Republic

• Dinner and a tour at Nelahozeves Castle in Prague

Cruise vacation includes:

• All ground transportation included in the itinerary during dates shown

• Seven nights in a River-View Stateroom aboard River Princess

• Two nights at Pullman Paris Tower Eiffel Hotel or similar with buffet breakfast in Paris

• Complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks during dinner aboard the ship

• Nine shore excursions with

English-speaking guides

• Epicurean Adventurer Program

• All meals and entertainment aboard ship

• Port taxes

Executive Members receive a shipboard credit valued at up to $100 per stateroom.^†

For complete terms and conditions, please see adjacent page.

travel connection

I’m in the

mood for

… travel

Costco Travel provides romanticgetaways

By T. Foster Jones

THERE IS NO BETTER way to reignite your romantic flame than getting away from it all withyoursignificantother. Leavingthe stresses ofthe worldbehind—loomingdeadlines, jangling phones, buzzing BlackBerrys—for the opportunity to relax in the pleasure of each other’s company can do more for your relationship than a weekend retreat with Dr. Phil.

Romantic travel offerings these days take many forms, from classic, elegant, black-tie-for-dinner romance to adventure and kayaking and climbing glaciers together. Lazing in the sun all day and dancing the night away might be the thing you both crave, or maybe it’s the opportunity to just share a hammock, gaze at the sea, taste wine and simply reconnect. For some, romance means solitary pursuits that let the two of you travel in intimate bliss; for others, escorted vacations with small groups that offer both intimacy and the opportunity to interact with fellow travelers strike the perfect balance.

Costco members Tonya and Mike Pohlman had dreamed of going to Alaska, “but when we explored the price range for touring Alaska on land, we realized that it was definitely beyond our honeymoon budget,” says Tonya.

Then she came across the Kirkland Signature™ Alaskan Cruise Tour, a combination cruise and land tour. “It featured a week on a Princess cruise ship and a week on land touring the Alaska wilderness,” Tonya explains. “It was the perfect trip, and to our great joy it was well within our price range!”

Europe is filled with classic romantic vacation spots for young and old, whatever romantic milestone—honeymoon, anniversary, renewing of vows—is being celebrated.

Imagine sailing peacefully along the Danube, strolling along the Champs Élysées with the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower

OJO IMAGES/RF

above, touring Germany’s Romantic Road or being serenaded on a private gondola while gliding through the canals of Venice.

Then imagine special inclusions (an Eiffel Towel dinner), unique amenities ( chocolate-covered strawberries), special excursions (a wine estate lunch), additional nights in romantic cities and experiences best shared by two.

For the young and young at heart, romance might be celebrating a honeymoon or special anniversary by sailing on the Mediterranean, indulging in the pampered bliss of spa treatments and fine dining and dancing, while enjoying time together in a refined cruising experience.

“Our honeymoon exceeded our expectations, and left us with a lifetime of unforgettable memories and hundreds of pictures.”

No matter what you’re picturing— sipping espresso at a sidewalk café in Paris, lying on the beaches of St. Martin, curling up in a cozy boutique hotel in New Zealand or cruising the coast of Mexico—Costco Travel has searched the world for the perfect romantic getaway destinations.

“Taking a vacation together really is the best way to get to know someone better,” says Shannon Parker of Costco Travel. “It’s a great way to reconnect—or just enjoy each other’s company.”