This spring Unity Institute® and Seminary hosts their second annual educational trip. Cruise the Ancient Empires is a 12-day tour of the Eastern Mediterranean countries of Italy, Turkey and Greece April 30–May 12, 2012. The tour offers an educational and spiritual journey while exploring modern cities and relics of ancient empires.

Departing from Venice, Italy, the tour features stops at many spiritually relevant ports of call including:

• Kusadasi, Turkey (Ancient Ephesus), tracing the footsteps of the apostle Paul on his missionary journey.
• Istanbul, Turkey (formerly Byzantium and Constantinople), the site of many religious crusades that led this city through transformations from Christianity to Catholicism, and eventually Islam.
• Athens, Greece, one of the world's oldest cities and possessing many connections to New Thought philosophy.

The tour includes spiritual insights from Rev. Mark Fuss, a Unity minister and admissions representative for Unity Institute and Seminary, related to the music, culture, religion and philosophy of each destination, and their interconnectivity to each other as well as to Unity principles and practices.

This cruise will be aboard Holland America Lines' Nieuw Amsterdam cruise ship. Cabins start at $2,424 per person (double occupancy) for this trip of a lifetime. Participants who pay their deposit prior to October 31 will enjoy an exclusive dinner hosted by Unity Institute's Dean Ted Collins onboard at the Pinnacle Grill.

Support for the Unity Movement
Proceeds from this trip will help support the work of Unity Institute and Seminary. The Institute offers a variety of educational opportunities from continuing education classes open to the public to a Master of Divinity degree. Unity Institute's extensive metaphysical Library and Archives serve as the primary source of historical materials relating to the Unity movement, including a vast collection of rare early New Thought materials.

According to Collins, the trip is a great way to support Unity spiritual education while spending time with Unity friends. “Last year's trip to Egypt was very successful, and being the first international tour group to enter the country just after the revolution in Tahrir Square made it even more memorable,” he says. “This year we are planning optional educational programs, time for Daily Word® readings and inspirational shore excursions, and participants can choose to take part in the programs as they wish.”

Cruise the Ancient Empires is offered in collaboration with CruiseGourmet.com Magazine, an Internet publication with a focus on food, wine and luxury cruise/destination travel, and Hartford Holidays Travel. For cabin reservations, assistance with airline bookings, and optional shore excursions, call 800-828-4813.

Learn more about Cruise the Ancient Empires.