FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Transcription

1 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS PASSPORTS, VISAS & VACCINATIONS & FLIGHT INFO PAGE 2 LUGGAGE & ISRAELI HOTELS PAGES 3-4 FOOD & WATER PAGE 5 TOUR BUSES & TRANSPORTATION PAGE 6 DAILY SCHEDULE PAGE 7 SHOPPING PAGE 8 COMMUNICATION,, WEATHER PAGE 9 CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS, AGE RESTRICTIONS PAGE 10 ITINERARY PAGES TERMS AND CONDITIONS FROM DISCOVERY CRUISES & TOURS PAGES P a g e

2 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS PASSPORTS, VISAS & VACCINATIONS Do I need to bring my passport? Yes. A valid passport is required for all travel outside the USA. Your passport should be valid for a minimum of six months beyond your return date or you will be denied boarding the airplane. Once in Israel, keep your passport in a safe place. Will I need a visa? US and Canadian citizens do not need a visa for Israel. (The airlines ask you to fill out the Israel visa during the flight.) Non-US citizens (including green card holders) must contact the Israel Consulate. Will I need vaccinations? None are required. FLIGHT INFORMATION When will I receive my group flight assignment and ticket information? Final flight information will be ed from Discovery Cruises and Tours approximately 2-3 weeks prior to departure. If you would like to know the flight you have been assigned sooner than this, please Terri at tquaid@walkintheword.com. What time should I plan to arrive at the airport? It is recommended that you arrive at least 2-3 hours prior to your departure time. 2 P a g e

3 Will a Walk in the Word or Discovery Cruises and Tours representative be at the Chicago O Hare airport to meet the group? Yes, both will be present at the Chicago O Hare airport and Walk in the Word representatives will be present on group flights. Will I get a name badge for tour group identification? Yes, name badges and luggage tags will be mailed out together prior to leaving for the tour. Please wear your name badge at all times on the tour for identification. Name badges and luggage tags are color coded to your tour bus. LUGGAGE How much luggage can I bring? You may bring one checked bag (limit 50 lbs.) plus one carry-on bag (excluding purse or camera bag). Your carry-on should not exceed 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, weight limit of 17 pounds and must fit under your seat or overhead in the storage space. Be sure your suitcase closes and fastens securely (use extra straps if necessary.) Don t pack valuables of any kind in your luggage. Remember: Do not over pack. Save room for items you may purchase and bring home. ISRAELI HOTELS What are the hotel rooms like in Israel? Hotel rooms are European First Class or better. Each room will have a private bath, TV and phone. 3 P a g e

4 Which hotels will we be staying at in Israel? West Lagoon Netanya Nov. 8-9, Leonardo Plaza Tiberias Nov David Resort Dead Sea Nov Leonardo Plaza Jerusalem, Nov This is the most current information regarding hotels and dates are subject to change based on availability. As hotels become booked, depending on the size of the group, we will add additional hotels as needed. How many people are booked per room? Double occupancy is standard. Triple occupancy is available although this does not provide a discount off the price to travelers. How does CHECK IN and CHECK OUT work at the hotels? Hotel check-in is simple and will be done in the same manner at each hotel. Upon arrival you will proceed into the lobby and will be given an envelope. The envelope will contain your room key plus two stick-on tags with your room number on them. You will proceed outside by the bus and affix a tag to your luggage which will then be delivered to your room. Once this is done you may go to your room to freshen up. You will also be informed as to what time dinner will be served. When checking out of a hotel, the morning of departure you will place your luggage (with identification tag) outside your door at a specified time (usually 7 a.m.) to be collected by the porters. The porters will collect the luggage and arrange it outside by the bus. We ask that you visually identify your luggage before getting on the bus and it will then be loaded. It is very important you identify your suitcase because once you depart it is very difficult to get luggage that is left behind! IF YOU MADE CHARGES TO YOUR ROOM, be sure to go to the desk the evening before check-out or fairly early in the morning to pay these charges. 4 P a g e

5 FOOD & WATER What is the food in Israel like? Delicious! There is a wide selection of delicious foods available at each hotel meal. Israel has an amazing variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurts & cheeses; rices, pastas, breads and sauces; salads and fish at every meal as well as only kosher meats. Some of the foods are very American and some are wonderfully Israeli. Enjoy. May I request a special diet? Because of the large group of tours served each day, it is not possible for hotels and restaurants to prepare special menus however, a wide variety of choices are available and typically travelers find it is easy to meet their dietary needs. If you have notified us of special dietary needs, we have passed these on to our tour partners. Will we eat all meals together as a group? Breakfast will be on your own at your hotel. Lunches will be together as a group while on tour. Dinners will be with your group at your designated hotel. Is the water safe to drink? Yes, in Israel the water is safe to drink. Bottled water is available for purchase inexpensively on the bus as well as most stops on the tour. Plan on bringing singles for this. You may wish to bring a reusable water bottle. It is important to drink plenty of water each day as it is easy to become hydrated in Israel. 5 P a g e

6 TOUR BUSES & TRANSPORTATION What is the tour bus like? Our tour buses are deluxe air conditioned touring coaches with seating for 55 passengers. Will I have an assigned bus? Yes, you will be assigned a bus color. Your luggage tags and name badges will correspond to this color. Each bus will have a set of bus captains who will be able to answer your general questions and make sure all their passengers make it back to their bus. Bus assignments have been prayed over and any special requests have been taken into consideration. Will I have an assigned seat? No, seats are not assigned. However, the front two rows of seats are reserved for the guide and bus captains. Otherwise you may sit anywhere you d like and may change your seat from day to day. Are there bathrooms on the bus? No, but we will make frequent comfort stops to meet your needs. What should I know about taxis? There may be a few evenings you ll want to venture out on your own. If you need to rent a taxi, ask the hotel for options. Make sure you ask the driver what the approximate price will be charged before beginning the trip. 6 P a g e

7 DAILY SCHEDULE How long is the typical sightseeing day? On some days, you will depart the hotel between 7:00-9:00am and return on the late afternoon around 5:00-6:00PM. Your guide will announce the sightseeing schedule. How many times will Pastor James teach? Pastor James teaches at key locations throughout the tour. Depending on each days tour schedule he generally teaches once or twice every day. There are some locations that make it difficult for a large group to gather together for teaching so there's a possibility that other pastors may teach in small group settings. Will my tour schedule ever change? Every effort will be made to ensure you see the sites listed in your program; however, we reserve the right to alter the sightseeing itinerary to accommodate changes in local conditions and/or circumstances. If possible, you will be notified of any changes that are made to this itinerary prior to departing the U.S. How much walking will we do? You will enjoy doing A LOT of walking on this trip because you won t just want to see the sites through your bus window. Israel is a land of springs flowing in the valleys and hills, and on your journey, you will be exploring this beautiful land. The walks are not extremely strenuous but some walking will be over uneven terrain and archeological areas. You may be required to walk up and down different terrains. Be prepared to climb two flights of stairs to some of the excavation sites. The best way to prepare is to begin walking daily now before your trip begins. Break in the shoes that you will walk in during your trip. 7 P a g e

8 Is there any free time during the program? Each day is quite full with sightseeing but you can notify your guide if you wish to miss a day of touring (itinerary permitting). SHOPPING Will I be able to shop while during the tour? Time will be allotted for shopping. While some will feel that too much time is spent for shopping, others will think it is not enough. Remember that ours is not a shopping tour. Also, any purchases made are at your own risk. We are not responsible for your dissatisfaction with any items purchased. Guides are not authorized by DCT to recommend any store or shop. Money Dollars are generally accepted in Israel so it is not necessary for you to change them into local currency. When you make a purchase, however, you will usually be given change in shekels. Your guide will explain how to easily use this currency. We recommend that you take $50 in one dollar bills for small souvenirs. For larger purchases, most vendors will accept Visa, MasterCard and/or personal checks. What about other tips? Prepaid gratuities have been collected for the following staff persons: hotel dining room staff, bell man/porters and housekeeping. You will not need to tip for standard services as all tips will be distributed to these staff persons by DCT. If, however, you request special services from the staff, additional gratuities are expected. 8 P a g e

9 COMMUNICATION Calling Home Phones/Sim Cards are available for rent through Israel Connect. The link to their web site is Or you can call to the states with your long distance company's direct number. For AT&T, get a local line and dial You may then use a credit card or calling card to place your call. Can I use my cell phone in Israel? Before leaving for Israel, check with your cell phone company to verify that it will work internationally and what the costs will be. Sometimes it can be more affordable to rent an Israeli cell phone. Discovery Cruises and Tours recommend Talk-n-Save for reliable cell phone service, text messaging and cell phone rentals in Israel. They have mobile data plans for smartphones. Compare costs with your local carrier for your best option. WEATHER What is the weather like? The weather is very unpredictable just like the U.S. and the rule is: Be Prepared! You can do something about being hot, but you can't do much about being cold if you aren't prepared. We suggest ski silks (long, thermal underwear) as well as a warm coat, gloves and hat November-April. In addition you may want to have a raincoat or pancho and an umbrella. Weather in November in Tel Aviv Israel is typically highs from 78 F to 71 F over the course of the month, and rarely exceeding 85 F or drop below 63 F. 9 P a g e

10 CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS What is the cancellation policy? If a passenger cancels his/her tour membership for any reason up to 90 days prior to departure, there will be a cancellation fee of two hundred dollars ($200) to cover administrative and communication costs. For cancellations from days prior to departure there will be a cancellation fee of $500. Cancellations received days prior to departure: penalty is 25% of tour cost; days: penalty is 50% of tour cost; NO REFUND for cancellations within twenty-nine (29) days of departure.trip cancellation and interruption insurance is available and is highly recommended. Discosvery Cruises and Tours will be sending informaton about this insurance option. If you need to cancel, please contact Walk in the Word Customer Service at as soon as possible to minimize cancellation fees. AGE RESTRI STRICTIONS What is the recommended age for participation? This is a trip for adults and although a few exceptions have been made over the years we strongly recommend that travelers be age 12 and over. 10 P a g e

11 DAY 1 DEPARTURE ITINERARY WEDNESDAY, NOV. 7 Depart Chicago / Atlanta / New York to Tel Aviv DAY 2 NETANYA THURSDAY, NOV. 8 Shabbat Shalom! We arrive in His land this afternoon. Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, we will be met and assisted through customs and to our motor coach. We will proceed to our hotel on the shores of the Mediterranean. DAY 3 CAESAREA / MEGIDDO / TIBERIAS FRIDAY, NOV. 9 Today s sites include the ancient seaport and Roman Theater at Caesarea. We travel southwest to the Valley of Armageddon and Megiddo. We arrive in Tiberias at our hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee. 11 P a g e

12 DAY 4 SEA OF GALILEE / CAPERNAUM / CAESAREA / PHILIPPI SATURDAY, NOV. 10 We begin our day with a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee landing at Kibbutz Nof Ginosar where we view the ancient Jesus Boat. We will continue to the Mt. of the Beatitudes before enjoying a lunch of St. Peter's fish. Later we visit Capernaum, Jesus' ministry base with its ancient synagogue. Time permitting; we will travel to Caesarea Philippi and the mouth of the Jordan River. We will end our day with an exciting baptismal service at the Jordan River. If you wish to be baptized, please bring a swimsuit. The Sabbath will begin this evening and you will notice some changes as everything closes a little early and remains closed until sundown Saturday. DAY 5 JERICHO / DEAD SEA SUNDAY, NOV. 11 This morning we travel to Jericho, City of Palms and after lunch continue south through the Jordan Valley to the shores of the Dead Sea to the beautiful David Dead Sea Resort & Spa for the balance of the day to relax at the hotel pools, Dead Sea spa, mineral pools or to enjoy other special services. Spa information available online 12 P a g e

13 DAY 6 MASADA / QUMRAN / JERUSALEM MONDAY, NOV. 12 We start our day at Masada, truly a remarkable piece of history. We proceed to Qumran, the site where a Bedouin shepherd found the Dead Sea Scrolls in We then go up to the Holy City of Jerusalem! Enter HIS gates with gladness! Time permitting we will overview Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives before arriving at our hotel. Following dinner you will have the option to visit Ben Yehuda Street for fun and shopping. DAY 7 JERUSALEM / MT. OF OLIVES / GETHSEMANE TUESDAY, NOV. 13 We begin our day on the top of the Mt. of Olives before taking the Palm Sunday path to the Garden of Gethsemane. We will have a very special prayer service in a private garden next to Gethsemane. Later we enter the Old City through the Lion's Gate and visit the famous Church of St. Anne with its rich, deep acoustics and the Pool of Bethesda. We continue to the Sisters of Zion Convent to visit the site of Pilate's Judgment Hall/Antonio Fortress. We continue to the house of Caiaphas. On our way back to our hotel we will stop at a local souvenir shop on the Mt. of Olives. 13 P a g e

14 DAY 8 NEW CITY / OLD CITY / SOUTHERN WALL EXCAVATIONS WEDNESDAY, NOV. 14 Today we visit the Jewish Quarter, Wailing (Western) Wall before continuing to the Southern Steps and the City of David where we will view a special movie before returning to our hotel. Following dinner there will be an option to view a beautiful and informative sound and light show just inside the Jaffa Gate. DAY 9 ISRAEL MUSEUM / GARDEN TOMB THURSDAY, NOV. 15 Today we visit the Israel Museum and the Garden Tomb for an exciting time of praise and worship. We will view Golgotha and then tour the Garden itself with a visit to the empty tomb. Time permitting we may visit additional sites before returning to our hotel to freshen up and have dinner before checking out. We arrive at the airport for our overnight flight home. DAY 10 HOME FRIDAY, NOV. 16 We return with memories and new friends to last a lifetime and beyond. This officially ends the Walk in the Word tour with James and Kathy. 14 P a g e

15 JORDAN / PETRA EXTENSION DAY 10 JERUSALEM / JORDAN FRIDAY, NOV 16 The extension option begins this morning as we depart Jerusalem and cross into Jordan via the Allenby bridge. We visit Mt. Nebo and see the location where Moses had his first view of the Promised Land. We then continue to Madaba where we will see the most famous mosaic map of Egypt & Palestine with a detailed map of Jerusalem. We then check into our hotel on the Dead Sea. DAY 11 PETRA SATURDAY, NOV. 17 This morning we depart our hotel and travel south to the rose-colored rock city of Petra, the 8th wonder of the world. We will spend the day exploring this magnificent site and return to our hotel for the night. DAY 12 JORDAN / TEL AVIV SUNDAY, NOV. 18 This afternoon we depart Jordan via the Allenby Bridge into Israel. We then travel to Tel Aviv and check-in to our hotel for the night. 15 P a g e

16 DAY 13 TEL AVIV / HOME MONDAY, NOV. 19 This morning we depart our hotel very early for our flight home. TOUR CONDITIONS FROM DISCOVERY CRUISES AND TOURS INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE: Prices quoted are CASH prices per person and in US dollars and are based on fares and costs in effect at the time of publication. Whenever possible, Discovery Cruises & Tours (DC&T) obtains price guarantees from suppliers. However, depending upon the strength of the US dollar and the fluctuating nature of oil, gas and other costs, published rates are subject to change without notice. CREDIT CARDS may be used for DEPOSIT ONLY. Final payment must be made by cash, personal check, cashier s check or money order. Tour only pricing (without airfare & transfers to hotel on arrival and departure dates) $3359 plus $140 tips and if the tour schedule changes, the tour only price is subject to change. TRANSPORTATION: Via jet economy class. Tickets must be completed 45 days prior to departure. Tickets cannot be changed once issued. NOTE: Passengers may arrange their own air & pay the ground price. Passengers doing their own air MUST meet the group at the airport or hotel. DEVIATIONS/STOPOVERS: An individual change in the return date that is a deviation from the basic group itinerary will NOT be allowed. HOTELS: Four & five star hotels throughout. Prices are based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room with private bath. Single rooms are subject to availability for an additional cost of $999. If a passenger cannot supply a roommate and Discovery Cruises and Tours is unable to do so, or your roommate cancels before departure, the passenger will have to pay the supplemental charge. (You may be billed after the final payment date for single room accommodations as necessary.) MEALS: Three meals daily: breakfast, lunch and dinner upon arrival in Israel. SIGHTSEEING: Local transportation is by deluxe, air-conditioned motor coach. The services of an Englishspeaking Israeli guide, entrance fees to places visited on sightseeing described in this itinerary are included in tour price. 16 P a g e

17 AIRPORT TAXES/FUEL: Surcharges may change without notice until airline tickets are issued. Any increase passed on by the airlines will be billed to the passenger and must be paid prior to departure. NOT INCLUDED IN TOUR PRICE: Passport costs; food and beverages (including coffee and tea) not usually included with regular meals; optional tours and excursions not mentioned in this itinerary; accident and baggage insurance; transporting and handling excess luggage; personal tips to guides, drivers and others rendering special services. Tips of $140 will be included on final invoice. In the event it becomes necessary to overnight material due to late receipt of registration or final payments, traveler will be billed for these charges. FOR YOUR PROTECTION INSURANCE: Acting only as agents for suppliers, Discovery Cruises and Tours is not responsible for damage, loss, or theft of luggage and/or personal belongings, or for personal injury, accident and/or illness. For your own protection, it is important that you have adequate insurance to cover these possibilities. You should carry proof of insurance in the event you need medical attention while in Israel. Upon receipt of your statement, via an , the link for optional insurance will be provided. IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY PASSPORT: A valid passport is required and must be obtained in person by each tour member. No visas are required for Israel. A valid passport is required to leave the USA. It should be valid for a minimum of SIX MONTHS after your return date; you will be denied boarding if your passport is not valid for SIX MONTHS beyond your return date. REGISTRATION & DEPOSIT: A deposit of $500 per person is required at the time of registration. The deposit may be charged to your VISA, MasterCard or AMERICAN EXPRESS. Registrations received inside ninety (90) days must be accompanied by full payment. A $30 LATE REGISTRATION fee will be assessed. PAYMENTS: After you have registered for a tour, you will receive an invoice from Discovery Cruises and Tours with final payment amount and date due. Final payments should be made payable to DISCOVERY CRUISES AND TOURS and must be received ninety (90) days prior to departure. Final payments received inside ninety (90) days will be assessed a $30 LATE PAYMENT fee. NOTE: ALL reservations not fully paid by the ninety-day deadline are subject to cancellation, for which Tour Operator is not to be held responsible. AIRLINE SEATS: Seats without a deposit must be released 100 days from departure. If you cancel your seat with DC&T in writing within the 100 days there is a penalty of $100 per person. 17 P a g e

18 CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS: If a passenger cancels his/her tour membership for any reason up to 90 days prior to departure, there will be a cancellation fee of two hundred dollars ($200) to cover administrative and communication costs. For cancellations from days prior to departure there will be a cancellation fee of $500. Cancellations received days prior to departure: penalty is 25% of tour cost; days: penalty is 50% of tour cost; NO REFUND for cancellations within twenty-nine (29) days of departure -- trip cancellation and interruption insurance is available and is highly recommended. All cancellation requests must be addressed to Discovery Cruises and Tours in writing. Phone calls for cancellations cannot be accepted. TOUR OPERATOR RESPONSIBILITY: Discovery Cruises and Tours (Tour Operator) agrees to arrange for the tour described in this brochure. This represents the entire agreement between the passenger and his agent, the Tour Host, the Tour Operator and its agents. Except as stated herein, no person is authorized to cancel, modify, or vary the tour arrangements or to make any representation of warranty concerning the tour. Except for the willful negligence of its direct employees, the Tour Operator assumes no liability or responsibility for any injuries, damages occasioned by circumstances beyond the control of Tour Operator, or by any person for any reason whatsoever, including but not limited to default or omission of and by any third party providing services or facilities related to or included in this tour or any part thereof, or in arranging for the same, or the acts or omissions of the Tour Host. Due to circumstances beyond the Tour Operator s control, the sequence of touring sites may occasionally need to be altered. The airlines or cruise lines are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time the passengers are not on board planes, ships or conveyances. The passenger contracts, in use by the airlines and cruise lines, and the passenger or purchaser of this tour and/or passage and Tour Operator assume no liability or responsibility in connection therewith. Also, the Tour Operator WILL NOT BE responsible for: (a) flight schedule changes, mechanical breakdowns, government actions, weather, acts of God, acts of war or aggression, whether declared or undeclared, hijackings, or other circumstances beyond its control, including any connecting flights that may be missed as a result thereof (participants should consider the possibility of delays when arranging connecting flights); (b) the failure to follow instructions, including but not limited to check-in and check-out times and baggage handling; and, (c) charges incurred relating to single room/stateroom requirements either by the passengers themselves or their assigned roommates. Payment of the deposit or any partial or full payment for a reservation constitutes consent to all provisions listed in this brochure. If you need help registering for the tour, or have any questions, call Walk in the Word at WORD. 18 P a g e