Weeklong Costa Rica Tours Scheduled for Fall

Tours to Costa Rica in the fall are being offered by two major agencies, Grand Circle Travel and the American Assn. of Retired Persons (AARP).

Although both companies provide similar hotels, sightseeing, meals and use Miami as the departure point, Grand Circle gets the edge because of its price.

Its seven-night stay costs $645 per person, double occupancy, for trips November to mid-January. The AARP tour, which is being handled by American Express, offers only six nights during the same time period for $695 per person, double occupancy.

Grand Circle also has scheduled a seven-night tour in September and October for an even lower $565 per person, double occupancy, while AARP is charging $645 for two October departures.

The round-trip add-on fare from Los Angeles also varies. Grand Circle tours cost $190 per person, AARP $360 per person. In addition, AARP asks $250 for a single supplement, Grand Circle $195.

Both packages include a San Jose sightseeing tour. That leaves plenty of free time for such activities as shopping, golf and sightseeing.

Grand Circle’s brochure describes the Costa Rica attractions offered on the tour, but does not include the price in its brochure. AARP’s brochure, on the other hand, has the price but no description of activities.

For more information, a brochure and reservations, contact Grand Circle Travel, 347 Congress St., Boston, Mass. 02210, (800) 221-2610 or (800) 321-2835. American Express can be reached by writing P.O. Box 37580, Louisville, Ky. 40233-9895, or by calling (800) 927-0111. Mature travelers are also urged to contact travel agents for more information and reservations.

USAir’s senior discount coupon books now allow seniors to take grandchildren on trips. Mature travelers must be at least 62 years, and the grandchild between 2 and 11 years.

The airline’s coupon books sell for $473 for four one-way coupons, $790 for eight one-way coupons. All are good for one year from time of purchase.

Each coupon is good on any of USAir’s domestic routes, except for trips to Hawaii and Alaska, where two coupons are required for each one-way fight. Trips to the East Coast, Florida and even Puerto Rico can be taken with the coupons.

Each coupon allows only one grandchild to travel. A husband and wife traveling together can each take a grandchild.

Senior coupon travel on USAir is limited, which means that only a certain number of seats are available on each flight. Best time to fly is midweek. Also, make early reservations.

For more information and reservations, call USAir at (800) 428-4322.

Ft. Lauderdale is promoting a free booklet, “Super Seniors Savers,” through Dec. 15, with many discounts for accommodations and attractions. Some attractions and accommodations require a minimum age of 50, others 65. Mature travelers should also be warned that about 40 of the hotels and resorts listed report that the discount will not be good on their lowest-rate rooms. There’s still a good spread of rooms to choose from, however.

For more information, contact Super Senior Savers at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Suite 1550, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 33301, (800) 227-8669, Ext. 711.

For those who want an at-home getaway, two Southland hotels are offering incentives.

One is Marriott, which has a “Senior Sunday” getaway package that provides a Sunday night guest room for two people (minimum age is 55) for $49, including an “early bird” dinner from 5 to 7 p.m.

Dinners include a choice of several entrees, soup, salad, nonalcoholic beverage and dessert. Twelve Marriott hotels in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties are participating in the “Senior Sunday” promotion. For more information or reservations, call (800) 228-9290.

Another is the Loews Beach Hotel in Santa Monica. The hotel has initiated a discount program for seniors 55 and older, providing a 50% discount on room rates through Aug. 31 on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Beginning Sept. 1, the discount will apply on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, effective until Jan. 31, 1992. Rates after the discount are $92.50 to $142.50 per night, double occupancy. For more information or reservations, call (213) 458-6700, Ext. 25509.