About MIT Alumni Travel
Widen Your World with MIT Peers
About the travel program
The MIT Alumni Travel Program offers more than 35 trips each year to destinations all over the world. Members of the MIT faculty or lecturers from other institutions lead the programs and share their knowledge to further enrich the travelers' experience.
The travel program works closely with U.S. tour companies that specialize in deluxe educational travel to ensure delivery of a superb product to the MIT traveler. Some trips are co-shared with other prestigious institutions. Over 600 alumni and guests from all over the world travel with MIT each year. Many come back year after year to travel again with MIT. You can join them!
- Cruise programs allow passengers the convenience of unpacking once yet visit many places at a relaxed pace. Vessels range from deluxe ships, to sailing yachts, to small expedition ships, and nuclear-powered ice breakers. Many times on cruise programs the MIT group makes up a part of the entire group of passengers on board.
- The programs that are conducted on land are usually exclusive to the MIT community, and some are customized for MIT. Please review the trip descriptions for more information.
- Alumni Campus Abroad and Village Life programs are one-week stays in one location. These trips provide an enjoyable learning experience at a value price and therefore are in high demand.
- Train journeys are very popular as well. There's nothing quite like rail travel—the unhurried pace, the congenial atmosphere on board the train, and the spectacular sites visited are special indeed.
- For a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience, the private jet programs offer itineraries that visit remote areas of the world in five-star-plus comfort. The flights are not tied to commercial routes and schedules, and the group flies during the day in a custom-fitted Boeing 757, arriving at each destination rested and ready to explore. Superb lecturers and local experts enrich the experience.
- An array of active programming is offered as well, and, like the other trips, these active trips are open to all members of the MIT community. Please refer to the Physical Activity Rating assigned to each trip that describes the level of activity you can expect.
Eligibility
MIT trips are open to all MIT alumni, their families and friends, current and retired MIT staff and faculty and their families, Emma Rogers Society members, Technology Review readers, and other members of the MIT Community.
So that everyone may enjoy the travel experience, participants on MIT trips must be in good physical and mental health and be able to keep up with the pace of the group. All tour members are expected to enjoy traveling as part of a group and be tolerant of occasional changes or delays that are common during trips. Please refer to the Physical Activity Rating assigned to each trip for more information.
MIT trips are designed for adults who are interested in the educational and cultural aspects of travel. Some programs may be suitable for children who have the necessary curiosity and interest. Occasionally there is special pricing for children; please refer to trip pricing pages for more information.
How to register
Complete the reservation form included with the trip brochure and mail it to the MIT Alumni Travel Program, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Bdg. W59-200, Cambridge, MA 02139. Or review all the information on line and email the Travel Program at compass@mit.edu to reserve a spot. Or call the program at 800-992-6749 and make a reservation over the phone with a credit card deposit.
Single travelers
All programs offer single accommodations; however, often the availability is limited. A single supplement, which applies to those wishing single accommodations, is customarily lower for land programs than cruises.
To avoid this supplemental charge, you may request to share with another traveler who is also looking for a roommate. The travel program will make every effort to find a compatible roommate. Typically the two parties talk on the phone and get to know one another before deciding to room together.
Refund policy
Refund policies vary by program. Generally, written cancellations received at least 90* days prior to departure merit a refund, less an administrative fee. This fee, held by the tour company, can range from $100 to $800. This administrative fee is usually not covered, even if by travel insurance. Within 90 days of departure—and as the departure date approaches—increased penalty fees apply. Penalties may total 100 percent a few weeks prior to departure.
*Please read the Cancellation/Refund section of your trip brochure to learn about the refund policy for your particular trip. Please consider purchasing trip cancellation insurance; information will be sent to registered travelers upon receipt of the trip deposit.
To reserve your space on this program, please call the MIT Alumni Travel Program at 800-992-6749 or email the program at compass@mit.edu.
