Insurance – How does it work, what does it cover, and how much does it cost?
Every company's insurance policy is different.
You may view each individual policy by going to
www.AffordableTours.com and clicking on the appropriate company in the
navigational toolbar at the top of the page. Once you are in your company’s
website, simply click on the “Insurance” button on the navigational toolbar.
What companies do you
offer discounts for?
We provide discounts on
Globus,
Cosmos,
Trafalgar,
Contiki,
Insight,
General,
Maupintour,
Gate1 and
CIE Tours and most cruise lines. We are
continuously adding touring companies. Please call one of our agents for the
latest list of companies.
How are you able to give such great discounts?
We are
able to provide a discount because of our high volume of sales, our efficiency
of operations, and because we sell to the customer directly online. The minimum
discount we provide is 5%, and can be as high as 12%. We also give an
additional discount to members of certain organizations such as the AARP, or
when tour operators or airlines have special promotions.
What's the difference
between "Land & Air" travel and "Land Only" travel? Why is there a difference
in their discounts?
"Land &
Air" travel is when you purchase both the tour and the airfare from the
same tour operator. "Land Only" is when you purchase the tour from the Agency,
but find your own airfare. They have different discounts because the operators
provide us with better discounts for the “Land & Air”, and we pass on those
discounts directly to the customers.
Why do some tours
begin on "Day 1" and others on "Day 2"?
All tours
begin on the same day. However, most tours do include the overnight airplane
ride to the destination as the first day of the tour. If you purchase your own
air, then you will be expected to meet with your tour group on Day 2, the first
day of the actual tour on land. Since USA tours do not have an overnight
flight, those tours begin on day 1 for all passengers, regardless of air ticket
purchase.
How many suitcases can
I take with me on my trip?
Each
person is allowed one "check-in," and one "carry-on." Remember to take all
valuables with you as “carry-on”, because electronic equipment, cameras,
laptops, jewelry, business documents and money are not covered by the airlines'
liability, so always carry them aboard with you.
In the brochures, what
does it mean when they say a trip goes from USA to USA?
It means
travel begins and ends in the US. In other words, the air-fare is included.
Where are the air
inclusive prices based from?
For
European tours the airfare is priced out of New York City. However, that does
not mean you have to go to New York City. In fact, most of our passengers do
not go through New York, many travel through Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta,
Cleveland or other major hubs. For trips to Asia and Australia the prices are
usually based out of Los Angeles or San Francisco. For trips to South America
they are usually based out of Miami.
What hotels will we
stay in?
The hotels
are not confirmed until thirty days before departure. Your documents will have
each hotel name, address and phone number.
How can I request
special meals?
Special
meal requests or dietary needs should be discussed with your tour guide when you
arrive for your tour. He or she will tend to all of your needs.
Are transfers from
the airport to the hotel included?
If you
buy the air ticket from the tour operator and you travel the dates the tour
starts and ends, then your air transfers are included. If you buy the air
ticket from the operator and you travel before and return after the tour starts
and ends, then you will have to find your own transfer. Once you get to the
airport of your destination please look for the uniformed representative of the
travel company. They will direct you to a bus to transfer you to the hotel.
Many operators have hours of operation for the transfers. If you arrive after
the hours of operation, you will need to find your own transportation. If you
do have the transfers arranged in advance and you cannot find the company
representative, take a taxi to the hotel and keep the receipt. Make sure you go
to the taxi stand. Do not take a taxi from anywhere in the airport. Those
taxis are not registered taxis, they do not give receipts. Which means you will
not be reimbursed for your trip. In addition, unregistered taxis charge 3 or 4
times as much as the registered taxis. Thus, you may spend over $100 for which
you will not be reimbursed.
If I get my own
airline tickets can I still get transferred to the hotel from the airport?
If you
are traveling on the same dates as the tour begins and ends during the
time-frame of the transfer service you can purchase transfers in advance.
In what language are
your tours conducted?
All of
our tours are conducted in English only. We have plans to offer tours in
Spanish in the future.
I am a handicapped
passenger. Can I go on a tour?
Certainly
you can go on a tour. We have many handicapped passengers. It is very
important that you inform your agent about your particular condition. Some tour
operators reserve the right to refuse service to a handicapped passenger that
does not inform the operator in advanced of their medical condition. This way
the tour director will be prepared to assist you in any way necessary.
Passengers traveling with a wheelchair must have a person able to assist them
with the storage and set up of the wheelchair. Neither the tour director nor
the bus driver is allowed to handle a wheelchair.
I am a single person
and would like to go on a tour. Can I be matched with a roommate?
A large
percentage of our travelers are single. Most tour companies require the single
person to pay an additional supplement for the single room. They do not match
single people together as roommates. A few companies, such as Cosmos and Contiki, do match single people together of the same gender. For those
companies you need to let your agent know that you wish to share a room. The
tour director will match the single people together. If you get lucky and are
the odd person out, you will get a single room for yourself.
Can children go on a
tour?
Each tour
operator has different requirements for children. Globus and Cosmos will not
accept children under 8 years on the escorted tours. Trafalgar has a set age
limit of 5 years of age. CIE Tours’ age limit is 10 years. Independent city
stays have no age limit.
Do I need a
VISA for this trip? If so, how do I obtain the necessary VISA(s)?
Depending on your country of
citizenship, and the countries you are visiting, you may or may not require one
or more VISA’s.
Securing VISA’s is the responsibility of tour
participants. To check if you will need a VISA for your trip, you may
call the embassy or consulate of the country or countries where you will be
traveling. You may also call a VISA service and they will assist you in
securing required VISA’s for a fee. We recommend
VISAS International. Their phone number is: 1-800-638-1517.
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