The Great Battles
September 16th – 24th, 2022
Three of the great battlefields of the modern era are located just a short distance from one another, though they span a timeline of more than a century. The Low Countries of Belgium and the Netherlands have often found themselves in the path of contending armies of their larger neighbors, famously making the region the “Cockpit of Europe.”
Our tour will explore the sites of three crucial contests: Waterloo, Ypres, and Operation Market-Garden, spending between one and three days examining each in turn.
Book both our September 2022 tours and save!
Waterloo:
The culmination of two decades of war, the bitter and bloody battle fought just south of the town of Waterloo, Belgium ended the Napoleonic era. It would be another 99 years before Europe experienced another continental war. In the footsteps of Napoleon, Wellington, and Blücher, you will tramp the hard-fought fields where the history of 19th century Europe was shaped.
Ypres:
The Ypres Salient is a place that evokes the worst horrors of World War One, and the courage and endurance of those who fought it. Our tour will visit several battlefields around Ypres, encompassing four years of the war on the Western Front. The past is very present here, through preserved trenches, rusting barbed wire, memorials, and the many cemeteries.
Operation Market-Garden (‘A Bridge Too Far’):
Planned as a bold stroke to “end the war in ‘44”, Market-Garden instead highlighted the pitfalls of Allied overconfidence and the ability of the German Army to recover from defeat and prevail on the battlefield. We will visit the peaceful, verdant fields of the Netherlands, and learn how the great courage and daring of British, American, and Polish soldiers proved insufficient to end the war by Christmas.
Our travels will also take us to several excellent museums, including Belgium’s renowned Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.
- What is / isn't included
- Dates
- Travel Information
- Tour Itinerary
- Booking Terms & Conditions
- Forms & Payment
What is included:
- 8 days and nights in Belgium & the Netherlands.
- Accommodations in 4-star* hotels with breakfasts included.
- Welcome & farewell dinners, selected lunches.
- Deluxe air-conditioned motor coach for comfortable touring.
- Admission to all scheduled museums and attractions.
- Porter service (where available)
- 24 / 7 tour director.
- Detailed study booklet with maps and educational materials.
- An active itinerary of guided tours.
What is not included:
- Air travel to and from Brussels
- Some meals
- Incidentals, personal purchases
Tour Price: $2,900. per person (based on double occupancy)
Single Supplement: $395.
Tour participants will depart their North American airports on September 16, 2022, for the overnight flight to Brussels. The return date – the date you be flying back to your North American airport unless you decide to stay longer after the tour – is September 24, 2022.
The dates we will be in Europe for the Great Battles tour are September 17 to 24, 2022, plus travel days at each end: Participants will depart their North American airports on September 16 for the overnight flight. Your return date – the date you would be flying back to your North American airport unless you decide to stay longer after the tour – is September 25.
Air Travel: Each tour participant will need to make their own flight arrangements. This allows you to utilize frequent flier miles and other benefits you may have accrued. Once you are booked, we will provide you with information concerning our group’s hotel at Brussels International Airport (BRU) in Zaventem, Belgium. For those who have arrived by 1:00 p.m. on September 17, we will make a visit to the Royal Armed Forces Museum in central Brussels. The next morning, we will board our coach for Waterloo.
Coach Travel: Our tour will be conducted using a modern coach with toilet facilities aboard. Rest assured we will also make frequent stops on the tour where breaks will be possible. Depending upon numbers, if you are traveling alone, you may be seated next to another single traveler.
Accommodations: The hotels we are utilizing are all 4-star properties (or if unavailable, a quality 3-star will be substituted) with either an in-house restaurant or dining within easy walking distance.
Meals: Registered participants will receive an educational booklet containing maps, historical and travel information that will enhance your visit.
Health: Please be certain to check with your health insurer to determine whether their coverage extends to travel in Europe. If not, or if you desire additional coverage, you are strongly advised to consider obtaining travel insurance, which can also cover you for matters like luggage loss or damage, trip cancellation, etc.
Personal Mobility:
Please note that while our itinerary is not excessively strenuous, it will on some occasions involve standing or walking for up to 30 minutes at a time. Terrain can include beaches, fields, inclines, and stairs. It is imperative that you advise us if you or any member of your travel party has a physical disability or other medical condition that might inhibit full participation in the tour, as we may not be able to provide the necessary assistance required. If in any doubt about how a disability might impact the participation and enjoyment of the tour, we strongly encourage you to contact us so we may discuss whether this trip is suitable for your situation.
Once you are booked for the tour, we will provide you with periodic travel newsletters that will assist you in planning for the trip.
September 16: Tour participants depart their North American airports for flights to Brussels.
Note: For those who attended our Battle of the Bulge tour (which ends September 15)), this is a “free day” on your own, an opportunity to explore the city of Brussels if desired or simply relax.
September 17: Participants arrive at our Brussels airport hotel throughout the morning. At 1:00 PM, we pay a visit to the Royal Armed Forces & Military History Museum in downtown Brussels before returning in the early evening, followed by a short briefing and reception. [Night at Zaventem]
September 18: We depart our airport hotel first thing and make the short drive to Waterloo, beginning our visit at the sites of the Quatre Bras and Ligny fighting and taking in the new museum. The rest of the day will be spent visiting the grounds where the epic 1815 clash played out. After, we depart for Ypres and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. [Night at Ypres]
September 19: Beginning our two-day exploration of the battlefields around Ypres, a few of our many stops include the famous Menin Gate, Hill 60, the Christmas Truce site, Plugstreet Wood, and the American Memorial. [Night at Ypres]
September 20: The second of our Ypres days includes touring the 1st Canadian Division Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, and the American Memorial at Kemmel. [Night at Ypres]
September 21: Departing Ypres for the Netherlands, we will make stops of interest en route, including the American Flanders Field Cemetery and the vast German military cemetery at Lommel – the largest in Western Europe. [Night at Eindhoven]
September 22: Our first-day examining Operation Market-Garden begins with the US 101st Airborne landings around Eindhoven and the opening phase of the British XXX Corps ground offensive. [Night at Eindhoven]
September 23: We move north with the Allies to Nijmegen to dissect the operations of the US 82nd Airborne and the climactic assault on Nijmegen Bridge. [Night at Eindhoven]
September 24: Our last Market-Garden day focuses on the 1st British Airborne and its doomed stand at Arnhem and Oosterbeek. After, we return to our Brussels airport hotel and enjoy a farewell dinner together. [Night at Zaventem]
September 25: Return flights to North America.
Please note that spaces will be reserved on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis. As interest in this tour has been considerable, you are urged to reserve your space as early as possible. Battleground reserves the right to cancel any tour if insufficient bookings are received, rendering it impossible to provide the tour as advertised. In such a case, notification of cancellation will be provided at the earliest possible time, and no later than 45 days from the first scheduled day of the tour. We also reserve the right to cancel a tour for reasons beyond our control that render us incapable of providing said tour as advertised.
Costs / Deposit:
The total cost of this tour is $2,900 per person, based on double occupancy. If a single room is desired, the supplement is $395. As the number of single rooms is limited, please be sure to indicate this preference when you send your deposit.
A deposit of $250 per person is required to book your place on the tour. Should you have to cancel your booking, your deposit is refundable up to 90 days prior to the tour departure date of September 16, 2022, less a $45 per person administrative charge.
Any deposit received after the tour spaces are fully filled will be immediately returned to the sender.
Fifty percent of the balance of the tour price is due before May 1, 2022. The remaining balance of the tour price must be received no later than July 1, 2022. Please make note of these dates. Payment may be made via PayPal using our webpage (see Forms & Payment below) or if preferred, by check payable to ‘Stuart R. Dempsey.’ Upon receiving any payment, you will promptly be sent a statement of receipt via email (or by U. S. Mail if requested).
Booking requests must be made via our booking form. Be sure to fill this out completely.
Cancellation: If it becomes necessary for you to cancel your trip, you may do so at any time, subject to terms and conditions listed below. Because we incur costs in processing your travel arrangements, you will have to pay applicable charges as follows:
| Number of days cancellation is | Cancellation Charge as % | |||||
| received prior to first day of tour: | of total tour | |||||
| 90 days or more: |
$45 cancellation fee |
|||||
| 89-60 days: |
Deposit only |
|||||
| 59-40 days: |
35% |
|||||
| 39-22 days: |
65% |
|||||
| 21-8 days: |
85% |
|||||
| 7 or less days: |
100% |
|||||
The date of cancellation is considered to be the date upon which we receive a notification. Written notice of cancellation must be made by the individual who made the booking (or, if not possible, by next of kin.) Verbal notice of cancellation may be accepted only under certain emergency circumstances, as determined by us.
Any booking status changes requested by our clients will be made when possible, though these cannot be guaranteed. If we can make such changes easily, we will not charge for doing so, but we reserve the right to apply a fee of up to $25 for doing so if necessary.
We want your tour to be as personally enjoyable and meaningful as possible, so any special requests concerning the tour will be honored wherever possible, but are not guaranteed. Such requests must be provided in writing at the time the booking is made, or at the earliest possible date prior to the tour. If an additional charge is required to meet a request, we will advise you of it.
Passports and Documents:
Citizens of the United States and Canada must have a valid passport to enter Europe. The expiration date of your passport must be more than 180 days after our date of departure (thus, it must be valid until at least March 24, 2023). You are responsible for having and bringing an up to date passport, and we assume no responsibility if you fail to do so and cannot travel as a result.
Physical/Medical Considerations:
Our tour will require some walking among woods, inclines, fields, and steps. Tour participants must be able to stand and walk for 30 minutes at a time without rest or assistance. While the itinerary is not excessively strenuous, you must take these considerations into account before making your booking. You must provide us with notice of disabilities/medical conditions that might impact your travel at the time you book the tour (or, if newly diagnosed, as early as possible prior to the tour date). We do not accept any liability for your failure to inform us of limiting conditions and reserve the right to reject any booking from any person who has not notified us of relevant disabilities or who we deem insufficiently fit to participate.
Behavior: You are responsible for your conduct and that of anyone in your travel party that you have booked. We reserve the right to refuse to book, or to remove from the tour, you or any member of your party, if your behavior or that of a member of your party, is dangerous, disrespectful to other people, or otherwise disruptive. We will not provide a refund or pay any costs incurred by you under these circumstances.
Travel insurance: We strongly urge all participants to obtain travel insurance prior to the tour. You will typically receive the best rates and coverage by purchasing travel insurance as soon as you book the tour. You can determine the level of coverage you require, but it should include items such as emergency trip cancellation and personal property protection, and applicable medical insurance (you should check with your health insurer to determine if your medical coverage is valid in Europe). Websites of companies such as TravelEx and Travel Guard, among others, are easy to navigate to determine cost vs. coverage, and AAA members can discuss insurance options with their local office.
Travel Information:
We will provide booked participants with electronic informational newsletters prior to the trip, including logistics, travel suggestions, and the like. We want you to be an informed traveler!
We reserve the right to make modifications to any aspect of the tour itinerary as deemed appropriate by the tour director/guide.
While we will of course make every effort to fulfill our obligations to our clients regarding all aspects of the advertised tour, we can assume no liability for damage, loss, or expense caused by events or circumstances beyond our control (‘Force Majeure’). Force Majeure is defined as unforeseeable or unavoidable situation(s) beyond our control including but not limited to: war, civil unrest, terrorism, strike/labor dispute, natural disaster, flood, earthquake, volcanic eruption, fire, adverse weather conditions, nuclear disaster, or the threat of any of these occurrences.
By signing the tour booking form, you are agreeing to all terms and conditions as provided in this document.
Click here for printable Booking Form
PDF Battleground Booking Form The Great Battles September 2022
Word Doc – Battleground Booking Form The Great Battles September 2022
Payment may be made by check (See the Booking Terms and Conditions section above), or by using Paypal below.
Choose a payment option below and choose the corresponding add to cart button.
When you add an item to cart a new Paypal page will open. If you need to add additional items to your shopping cart, close the new PayPal page, or click on the ‘continue shopping’ button in the top right corner to return to add additional items to cart. Once you have added all products to your cart you can continue through the checkout process. Click on the view cart button below at any time to return to your cart and complete the checkout process.
Great Battles Tour (Only)
Tour Deposit Only $250.00
50% Balance less deposit $1,325.00
Full Tour Payment $2,900.00
Single Room Supplement $395.00
Great Battles & Battle of the Bulge Tours
(combined price after $200 discount)
Tour Deposit Only $275
50% Balance less deposit $2,550.00
Full Payment for both Tours $5,375.00
Single Room Supplement $880.00
- What is / isn't included
- Dates
- Travel Information
- Tour Itinerary
- Booking Terms & Conditions
- Forms & Payment
What is included:
- 8 days and nights in Belgium & the Netherlands.
- Accommodations in 4-star* hotels with breakfasts included.
- Welcome & farewell dinners, selected lunches.
- Deluxe air-conditioned motor coach for comfortable touring.
- Admission to all scheduled museums and attractions.
- Porter service (where available)
- 24 / 7 tour director.
- Detailed study booklet with maps and educational materials.
- An active itinerary of guided tours.
What is not included:
- Air travel to and from Brussels
- Some meals
- Incidentals, personal purchases
Tour Price: $2,900. per person (based on double occupancy)
Single Supplement: $395.
Tour participants will depart their North American airports on September 16, 2022, for the overnight flight to Brussels. The return date – the date you be flying back to your North American airport unless you decide to stay longer after the tour – is September 24, 2022.
The dates we will be in Europe for the Great Battles tour are September 17 to 24, 2022, plus travel days at each end: Participants will depart their North American airports on September 16 for the overnight flight. Your return date – the date you would be flying back to your North American airport unless you decide to stay longer after the tour – is September 25.
Air Travel: Each tour participant will need to make their own flight arrangements. This allows you to utilize frequent flier miles and other benefits you may have accrued. Once you are booked, we will provide you with information concerning our group’s hotel at Brussels International Airport (BRU) in Zaventem, Belgium. For those who have arrived by 1:00 p.m. on September 17, we will make a visit to the Royal Armed Forces Museum in central Brussels. The next morning, we will board our coach for Waterloo.
Coach Travel: Our tour will be conducted using a modern coach with toilet facilities aboard. Rest assured we will also make frequent stops on the tour where breaks will be possible. Depending upon numbers, if you are traveling alone, you may be seated next to another single traveler.
Accommodations: The hotels we are utilizing are all 4-star properties (or if unavailable, a quality 3-star will be substituted) with either an in-house restaurant or dining within easy walking distance.
Meals: Registered participants will receive an educational booklet containing maps, historical and travel information that will enhance your visit.
Health: Please be certain to check with your health insurer to determine whether their coverage extends to travel in Europe. If not, or if you desire additional coverage, you are strongly advised to consider obtaining travel insurance, which can also cover you for matters like luggage loss or damage, trip cancellation, etc.
Personal Mobility:
Please note that while our itinerary is not excessively strenuous, it will on some occasions involve standing or walking for up to 30 minutes at a time. Terrain can include beaches, fields, inclines, and stairs. It is imperative that you advise us if you or any member of your travel party has a physical disability or other medical condition that might inhibit full participation in the tour, as we may not be able to provide the necessary assistance required. If in any doubt about how a disability might impact the participation and enjoyment of the tour, we strongly encourage you to contact us so we may discuss whether this trip is suitable for your situation.
Once you are booked for the tour, we will provide you with periodic travel newsletters that will assist you in planning for the trip.
September 16: Tour participants depart their North American airports for flights to Brussels.
Note: For those who attended our Battle of the Bulge tour (which ends September 15)), this is a “free day” on your own, an opportunity to explore the city of Brussels if desired or simply relax.
September 17: Participants arrive at our Brussels airport hotel throughout the morning. At 1:00 PM, we pay a visit to the Royal Armed Forces & Military History Museum in downtown Brussels before returning in the early evening, followed by a short briefing and reception. [Night at Zaventem]
September 18: We depart our airport hotel first thing and make the short drive to Waterloo, beginning our visit at the sites of the Quatre Bras and Ligny fighting and taking in the new museum. The rest of the day will be spent visiting the grounds where the epic 1815 clash played out. After, we depart for Ypres and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. [Night at Ypres]
September 19: Beginning our two-day exploration of the battlefields around Ypres, a few of our many stops include the famous Menin Gate, Hill 60, the Christmas Truce site, Plugstreet Wood, and the American Memorial. [Night at Ypres]
September 20: The second of our Ypres days includes touring the 1st Canadian Division Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, and the American Memorial at Kemmel. [Night at Ypres]
September 21: Departing Ypres for the Netherlands, we will make stops of interest en route, including the American Flanders Field Cemetery and the vast German military cemetery at Lommel – the largest in Western Europe. [Night at Eindhoven]
September 22: Our first-day examining Operation Market-Garden begins with the US 101st Airborne landings around Eindhoven and the opening phase of the British XXX Corps ground offensive. [Night at Eindhoven]
September 23: We move north with the Allies to Nijmegen to dissect the operations of the US 82nd Airborne and the climactic assault on Nijmegen Bridge. [Night at Eindhoven]
September 24: Our last Market-Garden day focuses on the 1st British Airborne and its doomed stand at Arnhem and Oosterbeek. After, we return to our Brussels airport hotel and enjoy a farewell dinner together. [Night at Zaventem]
September 25: Return flights to North America.
Please note that spaces will be reserved on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis. As interest in this tour has been considerable, you are urged to reserve your space as early as possible. Battleground reserves the right to cancel any tour if insufficient bookings are received, rendering it impossible to provide the tour as advertised. In such a case, notification of cancellation will be provided at the earliest possible time, and no later than 45 days from the first scheduled day of the tour. We also reserve the right to cancel a tour for reasons beyond our control that render us incapable of providing said tour as advertised.
Costs / Deposit:
The total cost of this tour is $2,900 per person, based on double occupancy. If a single room is desired, the supplement is $395. As the number of single rooms is limited, please be sure to indicate this preference when you send your deposit.
A deposit of $250 per person is required to book your place on the tour. Should you have to cancel your booking, your deposit is refundable up to 90 days prior to the tour departure date of September 16, 2022, less a $45 per person administrative charge.
Any deposit received after the tour spaces are fully filled will be immediately returned to the sender.
Fifty percent of the balance of the tour price is due before May 1, 2022. The remaining balance of the tour price must be received no later than July 1, 2022. Please make note of these dates. Payment may be made via PayPal using our webpage (see Forms & Payment below) or if preferred, by check payable to ‘Stuart R. Dempsey.’ Upon receiving any payment, you will promptly be sent a statement of receipt via email (or by U. S. Mail if requested).
Booking requests must be made via our booking form. Be sure to fill this out completely.
Cancellation: If it becomes necessary for you to cancel your trip, you may do so at any time, subject to terms and conditions listed below. Because we incur costs in processing your travel arrangements, you will have to pay applicable charges as follows:
| Number of days cancellation is | Cancellation Charge as % | |||||
| received prior to first day of tour: | of total tour | |||||
| 90 days or more: |
$45 cancellation fee |
|||||
| 89-60 days: |
Deposit only |
|||||
| 59-40 days: |
35% |
|||||
| 39-22 days: |
65% |
|||||
| 21-8 days: |
85% |
|||||
| 7 or less days: |
100% |
|||||
The date of cancellation is considered to be the date upon which we receive a notification. Written notice of cancellation must be made by the individual who made the booking (or, if not possible, by next of kin.) Verbal notice of cancellation may be accepted only under certain emergency circumstances, as determined by us.
Any booking status changes requested by our clients will be made when possible, though these cannot be guaranteed. If we can make such changes easily, we will not charge for doing so, but we reserve the right to apply a fee of up to $25 for doing so if necessary.
We want your tour to be as personally enjoyable and meaningful as possible, so any special requests concerning the tour will be honored wherever possible, but are not guaranteed. Such requests must be provided in writing at the time the booking is made, or at the earliest possible date prior to the tour. If an additional charge is required to meet a request, we will advise you of it.
Passports and Documents:
Citizens of the United States and Canada must have a valid passport to enter Europe. The expiration date of your passport must be more than 180 days after our date of departure (thus, it must be valid until at least March 24, 2023). You are responsible for having and bringing an up to date passport, and we assume no responsibility if you fail to do so and cannot travel as a result.
Physical/Medical Considerations:
Our tour will require some walking among woods, inclines, fields, and steps. Tour participants must be able to stand and walk for 30 minutes at a time without rest or assistance. While the itinerary is not excessively strenuous, you must take these considerations into account before making your booking. You must provide us with notice of disabilities/medical conditions that might impact your travel at the time you book the tour (or, if newly diagnosed, as early as possible prior to the tour date). We do not accept any liability for your failure to inform us of limiting conditions and reserve the right to reject any booking from any person who has not notified us of relevant disabilities or who we deem insufficiently fit to participate.
Behavior: You are responsible for your conduct and that of anyone in your travel party that you have booked. We reserve the right to refuse to book, or to remove from the tour, you or any member of your party, if your behavior or that of a member of your party, is dangerous, disrespectful to other people, or otherwise disruptive. We will not provide a refund or pay any costs incurred by you under these circumstances.
Travel insurance: We strongly urge all participants to obtain travel insurance prior to the tour. You will typically receive the best rates and coverage by purchasing travel insurance as soon as you book the tour. You can determine the level of coverage you require, but it should include items such as emergency trip cancellation and personal property protection, and applicable medical insurance (you should check with your health insurer to determine if your medical coverage is valid in Europe). Websites of companies such as TravelEx and Travel Guard, among others, are easy to navigate to determine cost vs. coverage, and AAA members can discuss insurance options with their local office.
Travel Information:
We will provide booked participants with electronic informational newsletters prior to the trip, including logistics, travel suggestions, and the like. We want you to be an informed traveler!
We reserve the right to make modifications to any aspect of the tour itinerary as deemed appropriate by the tour director/guide.
While we will of course make every effort to fulfill our obligations to our clients regarding all aspects of the advertised tour, we can assume no liability for damage, loss, or expense caused by events or circumstances beyond our control (‘Force Majeure’). Force Majeure is defined as unforeseeable or unavoidable situation(s) beyond our control including but not limited to: war, civil unrest, terrorism, strike/labor dispute, natural disaster, flood, earthquake, volcanic eruption, fire, adverse weather conditions, nuclear disaster, or the threat of any of these occurrences.
By signing the tour booking form, you are agreeing to all terms and conditions as provided in this document.
Click here for printable Booking Form
PDF Battleground Booking Form The Great Battles September 2022
Word Doc – Battleground Booking Form The Great Battles September 2022
Payment may be made by check (See the Booking Terms and Conditions section above), or by using Paypal below.
Choose a payment option below and choose the corresponding add to cart button.
When you add an item to cart a new Paypal page will open. If you need to add additional items to your shopping cart, close the new PayPal page, or click on the ‘continue shopping’ button in the top right corner to return to add additional items to cart. Once you have added all products to your cart you can continue through the checkout process. Click on the view cart button below at any time to return to your cart and complete the checkout process.
Great Battles Tour (Only)
Tour Deposit Only $250.00
50% Balance less deposit $1,325.00
Full Tour Payment $2,900.00
Single Room Supplement $395.00
Great Battles & Battle of the Bulge Tours
(combined price after $200 discount)
Tour Deposit Only $275
50% Balance less deposit $2,550.00
Full Payment for both Tours $5,375.00
Single Room Supplement $880.00