5-Night Package
August 23-28

https://www.sydneycuptravel.com/rice/

too bad we don't get first dibs on seats...just tickets puts us behind telstra users//website premium members // others// general public.

Looks pretty good.
Not happy that there's only economy seats on the flights.

(01-30-2017 03:13 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  Looks pretty good.
Not happy that there's only economy seats on the flights.

And.... not quite sure about the flight details... the "add-ons" list the flights as Houston-Auckland then flight change to Auckland-Sydney. That makes an already long flight even longer.
Still. A pretty good price overal.

(01-30-2017 02:25 PM)dragon2owl Wrote:  5-Night Package
August 23-28

https://www.sydneycuptravel.com/rice/

Website blocked at work - does travel have to originate from Houston?

Leland Winston is happy to go as team doctor.

There are cheaper non-stop flights from DFW...no non-stops from IAH.

This is going to turn off many of us who are considering going. First off, many of us are not going to endure a 15 hour flight seated in economy. Sorry, but that's insane. And the stopover in Aukland is equally ridiculous. Finally, given the travel time, just 5 nights in Australia is awfully tight.

I guess I'll have to look into other options. Ugh.

For comparison, here's the Stanford package...

http://cfsydneycup.wpengine.com/stanford...3fde2-3798

Pricier, and doesn't include airfare, but a much nicer hotel in arguably the best location in Sydney (The Rocks), just a couple blocks from the harbor and the Opera House.

FYI ... Sydney's mean temperatures and rainfall in late winter:

Daily High Temp (°F) // Daily Low Temp (°F)

>> Aug: 63.9 // 48.0
>> Sep: 67.8 // 51.8

Monthly rainfall (inches) // Number of days with rain

>> Aug: 3.2 // 9.9
>> Sep: 2.7 // 10.3

(01-30-2017 06:50 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  For comparison, here's the Stanford package...

http://cfsydneycup.wpengine.com/stanford...3fde2-3798

Pricier, and doesn't include airfare, but a much nicer hotel in arguably the best location in Sydney (The Rocks), just a couple blocks from the harbor and the Opera House.

I'm no Sydney expert, but Google Maps says that the Radisson is a 8 minute walk from "The Rocks."

Honestly, the Rice package seems like a fine deal to me when compared to the Stanford one. The Raddison gets 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor.

With that said, I probably won't be attending the game, and if I do, am likely to go the AirBnB route to save money.

I booked iah-nrt-icn-syd and same back...lol way more plane time (30hrs) but at least it is in business. Half united/ half asiana (not saying united is great or the caliber of ANZ, but all my travels is on UA our of IAH for miles/pqd).

Flew air new zealand in economy before from syd (About 3 hours) but their national meat product is lamb so the food was terrific compared to the mush served on us carriers.

Raddison blu at 220 or Four Seasons Sydney at 229....yeah I think I'll stay at the four seasons. (hilton pricing out around 220 as well, but alot of not bad places to stay on the budget!)

(01-30-2017 06:50 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  For comparison, here's the Stanford package...

http://cfsydneycup.wpengine.com/stanford...3fde2-3798

Pricier, and doesn't include airfare, but a much nicer hotel in arguably the best location in Sydney (The Rocks), just a couple blocks from the harbor and the Opera House.

Radisson is not that far from the Rocks, walking distance, also walking distance to Darling Harbour side.

(01-30-2017 07:30 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(01-30-2017 06:50 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  For comparison, here's the Stanford package...

http://cfsydneycup.wpengine.com/stanford...3fde2-3798

Pricier, and doesn't include airfare, but a much nicer hotel in arguably the best location in Sydney (The Rocks), just a couple blocks from the harbor and the Opera House.

Radisson is not that far from the Rocks, walking distance, also walking distance to Darling Harbour side.

I stayed in that Radisson for 3 weeks for work in Sydney, it is actually a great location because it is right in the middle of the CBD and about 5 min from the Circular Quay and the Opera House and also pretty close to the subway if I recall. Also, very easy walk to the Rocks. It appears to have been renovated since then and looks a bit nicer.

(01-30-2017 08:11 PM)owl95 Wrote:  

(01-30-2017 07:30 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(01-30-2017 06:50 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  For comparison, here's the Stanford package...

http://cfsydneycup.wpengine.com/stanford...3fde2-3798

Pricier, and doesn't include airfare, but a much nicer hotel in arguably the best location in Sydney (The Rocks), just a couple blocks from the harbor and the Opera House.

Radisson is not that far from the Rocks, walking distance, also walking distance to Darling Harbour side.

I stayed in that Radisson for 3 weeks for work in Sydney, it is actually a great location because it is right in the middle of the CBD and about 5 min from the Circular Quay and the Opera House and also pretty close to the subway if I recall. Also, very easy walk to the Rocks. It appears to have been renovated since then and looks a bit nicer.

FYI, Circular Quay and the Opera House are in The Rocks. It's been 11 years since my last visit, but isn't the Radisson a couple blocks from the Hilton? And didn't the Four Seasons take over the Ritz Carlton, which is half a block down from the InterContinental?

BTW, FWIW, Asiana is the absolute worst airline I have ever flown on (multiple times out of Seoul), and I was always in business class.

(01-30-2017 06:27 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  This is going to turn off many of us who are considering going. First off, many of us are not going to endure a 15 hour flight seated in economy. Sorry, but that's insane. And the stopover in Aukland is equally ridiculous. Finally, given the travel time, just 5 nights in Australia is awfully tight.

I guess I'll have to look into other options. Ugh.

I sort of agree with Walt.
I don't think you can emerge from jet lag in 5 days on a trip like that.
At my age, any flight more than 3-4 hours is torture if I'm sitting in coach.
As an old vascular surgeon colleague of mine always says, "You can't put a price on the prevention of deep vein thrombosis!"

(01-30-2017 07:27 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  I'm no Sydney expert, but Google Maps says that the Radisson is a 8 minute walk from "The Rocks."

Honestly, the Rice package seems like a fine deal to me when compared to the Stanford one. The Raddison gets 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor.

You're missing the point! The Rice way is not to take advantage of something that, if not perfect, is still pretty darn good and to enjoy the camaraderie of traveling as a group.
Rather, the Rice way is to complain about ANY official program that is offered, to make separate arrangements instead -- and then to wonder why Rice offers so few official trips.

(01-30-2017 08:25 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(01-30-2017 08:11 PM)owl95 Wrote:  

(01-30-2017 07:30 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(01-30-2017 06:50 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  For comparison, here's the Stanford package...

http://cfsydneycup.wpengine.com/stanford...3fde2-3798

Pricier, and doesn't include airfare, but a much nicer hotel in arguably the best location in Sydney (The Rocks), just a couple blocks from the harbor and the Opera House.

Radisson is not that far from the Rocks, walking distance, also walking distance to Darling Harbour side.

I stayed in that Radisson for 3 weeks for work in Sydney, it is actually a great location because it is right in the middle of the CBD and about 5 min from the Circular Quay and the Opera House and also pretty close to the subway if I recall. Also, very easy walk to the Rocks. It appears to have been renovated since then and looks a bit nicer.

FYI, Circular Quay and the Opera House are in The Rocks. It's been 11 years since my last visit, but isn't the Radisson a couple blocks from the Hilton? And didn't the Four Seasons take over the Ritz Carlton, which is half a block down from the InterContinental?

BTW, FWIW, Asiana is the absolute worst airline I have ever flown on (multiple times out of Seoul), and I was always in business class.

Not sure I remember where the Hilton was in relation but from the Radisson, you walk straight down Pitt St about 2 blocks and it puts you right at the ferry at the Circular Quay and the Opera House would be just on your right.

(01-30-2017 09:02 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  

(01-30-2017 06:27 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  This is going to turn off many of us who are considering going. First off, many of us are not going to endure a 15 hour flight seated in economy. Sorry, but that's insane. And the stopover in Aukland is equally ridiculous. Finally, given the travel time, just 5 nights in Australia is awfully tight.

I guess I'll have to look into other options. Ugh.

I sort of agree with Walt.
I don't think you can emerge from jet lag in 5 days on a trip like that.
At my age, any flight more than 3-4 hours is torture if I'm sitting in coach.
As an old vascular surgeon colleague of mine always says, "You can't put a price on the prevention of deep vein thrombosis!"

BTW, it's not even 5 days, as most flights to Australia from the U.S. arrive in the evening (which would be night #1) and flights back to the U.S. depart early in the afternoon. So we're really talking only 4 full days in Sydney.

(01-30-2017 09:06 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

(01-30-2017 07:27 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  I'm no Sydney expert, but Google Maps says that the Radisson is a 8 minute walk from "The Rocks."

Honestly, the Rice package seems like a fine deal to me when compared to the Stanford one. The Raddison gets 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor.

You're missing the point! The Rice way is not to take advantage of something that, if not perfect, is still pretty darn good and to enjoy the camaraderie of traveling as a group.
Rather, the Rice way is to complain about ANY official program that is offered, to make separate arrangements instead -- and then to wonder why Rice offers so few official trips.

No, George, that's not my style, and you know it. While I might have preferred other options, I have no problem with the hotel choice, and I can even live with the 5 nights (though that's really only 4 days in Sydney, which is crazy short for a trip of that distance). What I object mightily about is the economy only airfare option on 15+ hour flight. That's cruelty for a young, healthy traveler, but for anyone with back issues or long legs, it's nothing short of torture. We're not talking about a 2 1/2 hour trip to South Bend or even a close to 4 hour trip to Cuba; rather, a 15+ hour flight. Personally speaking, any flight over 4 hours and I either use my upgrades or opt to pay first class. Call me spoiled, but that's the honest truth. BTW, there's a reason why most corporations have a policy whereby officers or managers at or above the VP level get to fly business class on flights over 6 hours.