What to expect on your EF Educational Tour

Transcription

1 What to expect on your EF Educational Tour Before you know it, you ll be on your way! Here is some important information to help you plan for your tour and give you a glimpse of what to expect. Please communicate the relevant information below to your students and their parents. BEFORE YOU GO Money Regardless of your destination, debit (bank) cards are always best for cash withdrawals. Do not bring travellers cheques as they are quickly becoming obsolete. In many destinations, such as Europe, you must have a chequing account and a personal identification number (PIN) of at least four digits in order to withdraw cash. We recommend that your travellers budget at least $50 per day for spending money (for lunches, drinks, free time activities, souvenirs etc). It s customary to tip your tour director, bus driver and, on occasion, the local guides for a job well done. Please see Tipping on page 6 to ensure you have tips covered. Packing and luggage Packing light is essential. All travellers have to lift their own luggage on and off the bus and carry it into their hotel rooms, and many hotels abroad do not have elevators. If a traveller cannot carry their suitcase up and down a flight of stairs, then it is too heavy. To ensure sufficient room for the group s luggage on trains, buses, or ferries, it is strongly recommended that each traveller bring only one piece of luggage and one carry-on. The maximum weight for one piece of luggage on most airline carriers is 23kg (50lbs). Travellers should carry all medications, valuables and an extra change of clothes (in case of lost luggage) in their carry-on bag. Any non-essential items, such as jewelry, should be left at home. We recommend that all travellers wear a pouch underneath their clothing to store money and passports and that all group leaders carry copies of their travellers passports. Because most tours include extensive walking, travellers should bring their most comfortable shoes and, regardless of the season, take an umbrella. 1

2 TRAVELLING TO YOUR DESTINATION Flight check-in and security Your flight information will be released to you between days before departure. Please arrive three hours in advance of your departure for your group s check-in. When you check in, make sure to ask the desk agent if your group has to pick up and recheck their luggage during any stopovers. Travellers cannot bring liquids or gels through security checkpoints unless they are travelsized (i.e. 100ml or less). Any liquids or gels you bring with you in your carry-on bag must be in a transparent, sealable plastic bag. Bottles of water are never permitted through the security checkpoints. If you encounter delays or problems with your flights on any part of your journey, please keep EF updated by calling our 24-hour assistance line. These phone numbers will be provided with your final ticket package at 14 days before departure. Domestic overnights on your journey abroad and return home Some groups may have an overnight in cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Newark (New Jersey) on the way to their first destination or on the way home. Domestic overnights are most common with tours going to Costa Rica or Europe when leaving from smaller gateways like Kelowna, Fort St. John, Prince George, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Sudbury, Timmins or Sault Ste Marie. Your hotel, breakfast, dinner and airport transfers are arranged and paid for by EF. A shuttle bus will transfer your group from the airport to the hotel and back. Instructions on taking this shuttle will be included in your final ticket package; your tour manager can also fax you a copy. Groups do not have an EF Tour Director with them during domestic overnights. When your tour and dates are confirmed, between days before your departure, we will let you know if your group requires a domestic overnight. International overnights on your journey home An international overnight occurs when EF is unable to find return flights for your entire group on the same day. In this case, EF arranges for your group to stay overnight in a city on the way home. Overnights typically occur because a large amount of travellers are returning to Canada on the same dates, for instance at the end of March Break or during the Easter Break. A common city to stay in during an international overnight for European tours is Frankfurt. Your hotel, breakfast, dinner and airport transfers to and from the airport are arranged and paid for by EF. A local EF tour director will meet you at the airport, take you to your hotel, stay with you overnight, and take your group to the airport the next day to facilitate check-in. When your tour and dates are confirmed, between days before your departure, we will let you know if your group requires an international overnight. Travelling with other groups On any EF tour, you may be matched with other EF groups from Canada or the United States, unless your group has paid for a private bus. Your tour manager can provide this information to you approximately 30 days before your departure. 2

3 ARRIVING AT YOUR DESTINATION Arriving at your first tour destination Your tour director will be at the airport to meet you when you land. Due to airport security policies, your tour director cannot wait for your group by the luggage carousel. Once your group claims your luggage, proceed through Customs. Your EF Tour Director will be waiting on the other side of Customs holding an EF sign. He or she will lead you to your tour bus. If you are paired with another group that is arriving within two hours of your group, your group will have to wait for them at the airport so you can all travel into the city together. If the other group s flights are delayed, you may have to wait for them depending on what city you are in and bus availability. Arrival Day (day two) If you are travelling to Europe, Egypt or Asia, day two is your arrival day. Arrival day will be long and tiring, so it s important to keep a positive attitude and stay focused on all the amazing things you re about to see and do. Once your group is has arrived in the city from the airport, you will drop your luggage off at the hotel storage area and go directly to an orientation tour of the city and any included activities. The timing of activities varies according to flight arrival times. Your group will not have time to nap or shower in between the airport and the day s activities. This schedule is meant to keep the group awake so that your body clocks become adjusted to the right time. In the evening, the tour director will meet with all group leaders to make sure everyone is aware of the rules and to discuss each group leader s needs and requests. Tours arriving in Milan and transferring to Venice Applies to groups doing Grand Tour of Italy, Bell Italia, or Paris, Florence and Venice Due to the long transfer time between Milan and Venice (5-6 hours), transfers for different tour groups need to be combined. If there are more than three hours between arrivals, the group that has already arrived will take an excursion to the town of Arona at Lago Maggiore where they can experience a traditional Italian town. If the last group arrives in Milan before 1:30pm, the entire bus will travel to Verona. If the last group arrives in Milan between 1:30pm and 4:30pm, the group will transfer to Venice for dinner. If the last group arrives in Milan after 4:30pm, groups will visit Verona for dinner. Please note that the above points are guidelines only and subject to change. 3

4 WHILE YOU RE ON TOUR Hotels All EF hotels are clean and located in safe areas with private bathrooms. Hotels abroad are usually much older and smaller than North American hotels. The hotel rooms will likely be small, as will the bathrooms and beds, and they seldom have air conditioning or televisions. Many hotels may not have elevators. Phone calls from hotel rooms can be very expensive and personal cell phones may not work. We strongly suggest each that student use their EF e-kit card (given to them prior to their tour departure) or buy a pre-paid phone card, while abroad, to use at public payphones. Your hotel information will be released to you approximately 30 days before departure. Hotel Locations London, Madrid, Paris and Barcelona: all hotels are located along a subway line with easy access to the city centre. Rome or Florence: hotels are located outside the city due to high demand and low availability. It is rare to have hotels located within walking distance of the historic centre. For hotels in Rome, specifically, it takes an average (depending on traffic) of one and a half hours to transfer in by bus. Venice: hotels are located in Lido di Jesolo or Mestre. Both areas are just outside the main historical centre and you may take a water taxi into Venice. Asia: hotels are located in the tourist areas of each city. Cities in Asia are often massive and your hotel will be accessible by bus or subway. Costa Rica: all hotels are located in the small towns and regions in which you stay. The San Jose hotel is right in the middle of the city. New York: your hotels could be located in New York State, New Jersey or Manhattan, depending on what tour your group is enrolled on. Canada: your hotels will be near the city centres and accessible by bus. If your detailed tour itinerary indicates that your hotel is located in a region, for example Provence region, Lucerne region, or Sorrento region, your hotel will be located in one of the small towns in that general area. Rooming Students will be rooming in threes or fours, unless they have paid to be in a twin room. They will share rooms with other students of the same gender from both your group and the groups you are matched with. On tour, before arriving at each new hotel, the tour director will let the group leader know what the rooming configurations will be for the students. Unless they have paid for a single room, an adult traveller will be placed in a twin room with a member of the same gender from their own group or from another group that your group has been matched with. For an adult to guarantee their own single room, the single room upgrade fee must be paid by 70 days before departure. 4

5 Meals Your travellers should expect that foods and food portions will be different than at home. Breakfast: In countries like Italy and France you will have cereal, croissants or bread rolls, jam, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and juice for breakfast. In countries like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Spain and Greece you may have yogurt, fruit, meat or cheese in addition to the above. Asia may have buffet style breakfasts. Costa Rica has buffet breakfasts with meats, rice and beans, fruits, toast and juice. New York City, Canada and Australia tours will have North American-style breakfasts. Lunch: European, Asian and Domestic tours: lunch is on your own during free time - this is the time for your travellers to make their own culinary discoveries! Costa Rican tours: lunch is provided. On tours with long bus transfer days, where your drive is between 4-10 hours, you will often stop at roadside restaurants for lunch. This is common on many tours, especially in Italy, Germany and Spain. Dinner: The menus will be pre-set. Depending on the country, dinner will consist of a main course and dessert, or a starter, main course and dessert. Table water is provided free of charge. If your group wants pop, juice, wine, or beer, they may purchase these from the waiter for a nominal fee. Night trains Applies to groups travelling on European or Egyptian tours involving overnight trains Encourage your students to think of the night train as an overnight flight, not as a hotel. There will be six people in each compartment (called a couchette ) on the train. Please be aware that the compartments may be extremely crowded and you may have to keep your luggage with you on your bunk bed - another good reason why packing light is essential. Your group does not need to change into pajamas, but comfortable clothes such as sweatpants and t-shirts, are recommended. You may have non-ef travellers, both male and female, in the couchette with you, and your group may be spread out in different compartments throughout the train. You will be sitting and sleeping next to non-ef travellers. These situations are unavoidable; it s simply a reality of taking overnight trains in Europe and Egypt. On-tour extras sold by your tour director Tour directors offer extra excursions that your group can arrange while on tour. Your group can pay the tour director directly for such excursions. Here are some examples of on-tour extras. Please note that prices are approximate: - Paris: Paris by Night (going up the Eiffel Tower and Seine River Cruise): 35 Euro (with bus) or 25 Euro (with subway) - Venice: Gondola rides: 25 Euro - Florence: Student disco: 15 Euro - Rome: Rome by Night : 20 Euro 5

6 - London: Jack the Ripper Walking Tour: 10 GBP. Theatre: GBP: your tour director can book theatre tickets on tour for less money than your group pays by booking on your own or booking ahead of time through EF. - Dublin, London, York, Bath, Edinburgh: Ghost Walk: 7 GBP - Madrid, Barcelona: Tapas dinner: Euro - Costa Rica: Volcano walk: $20 USD. Crocodile River boat tour: $35 USD. Frog farm: $10 USD. Night rainforest hike: $20 USD Tipping Tipping for a job well done is customary in the travel industry, just as it is in the restaurant and other service industries. While on tour, your tour director and bus driver are responsible for your groups safety and well being; they rely on tips from groups as a show of appreciation for a job well done. Suggested tipping rates for tour directors are $4-5 CDN per person per day, including the group leader and chaperones. Suggested tipping rates for bus drivers are $2-3 CDN per person per day, including the group leader and chaperones. On Greek cruises, tipping for the cruise staff (waiters, cabin attendants etc) is added automatically to each travellers on-board accounts at the rate of 9 euro per cruise day. The most convenient way to collect tip money is to do it before your tour. You can even make this part of your final pre-tour meeting. Then, deposit the tip money you collect in your bank account and withdraw it in the local currency at the end of your tour to present to your tour director and bus driver. EF provides envelopes for you to use in tipping the tour directors and bus drivers. At your discretion, you may wish to collect a small amount from each student for any local guides who provide your group with exceptional service. Use of the bus during your free time In all countries, including Canada and the US, there are strict regulations on how long the bus driver can be on the road and, by law, EF must abide by these regulations. For this reason, the use of the bus on all EF tours is strictly limited to activities that are included on the tour itinerary. EF cannot legally provide unlimited access to the bus during the tour. On days that your group chooses to have free time instead of taking an optional excursion, you will be responsible for your group s transportation. Your tour director can help you with any questions about public transportation. If the city you re in has a subway system, your group can use the subway for late-night returns to your hotel. Issues or emergencies while on tour If you experience an issue or emergency on tour, please notify your EF Tour Director immediately they are there to help 24 hours a day. If there is an issue or emergency regarding your flight, EF offers a 24-hour emergency assistance line. You will be able to speak with an EF team member at our Canadian office who can assist you. In the event of emergency, you can call collect, EF will accept the charges. All details and emergency assistance phone numbers will be provided with your ticket package 14 days before departure. 6

7 GROUP LEADER AND TOUR DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES EF Group Leaders Group Leaders are responsible for the conduct and well being of their travellers. Set expectations for good behaviour As group leader, it is your responsibility to make sure your students conduct themselves appropriately while on tour. Before departure, set clear expectations for your students behaviour (i.e. curfew, being on time, rules regarding drinking, etc.) and address any issues that may occur. Meet with other group leaders On your arrival day, meet with the other group leaders on your tour to discuss your objectives for the tour, as well as the rules and expectations you want to set for your travellers. Having this discussion, and addressing any questions or concerns daily, will promote cohesion within the larger group. Assist with room assignments Since rooming configurations may change from one hotel to the next, your tour director may need your help upon arrival at each hotel. Every night, conduct room checks to ensure all travellers are in their rooms and the curfew is adhered to. Stay with your group at all times You must accompany your group at all times, including meals, sightseeing, and optional excursions on your tour. Stay behind in an emergency In case of illness, accident, loss of passport or other emergency, it may be necessary for you to stay behind with one of your travellers while the rest of the group moves on. You must ensure, however, that the rest of the group is accompanied by a responsible adult. Communicate with your tour director Your EF Tour Director wants to make your tour a success and give your group the experience of a lifetime. Your input along the way is key to achieving this. Complete an EF evaluation Please complete the evaluation at the end of your tour. We use your feedback to ensure we re constantly giving our travellers the best experience, from start to finish. Go with the flow! You and your chaperones will set the tone of the tour for your students. If you re having fun and going with the flow, so will your students. HAVE FUN and please be sure to call us when you return. We want to hear all about your adventures! 7

8 EF Tour Directors Tour directors are responsible for ensuring on-tour logistics are taken care of and that you and your students have the trip of a lifetime. Tour coordination Your tour director will coordinate the details of your transportation, accommodations, meals and excursions. Your groups free time is the time that your tour director uses to make sure everything is organized and ready for your group for the following days. Your tour director s name will be released to you around 30 days before departure and he or she may contact you via approximately 7 days before departure. Sightseeing Your tour director shows you the highlights of your destinations and shares his or her knowledge of the local cultures. He or she can also recommend the best restaurants and free time activities. Licensed local guides will provide your group with in-depth sightseeing tours in most cities. Contact person for the tour group Your tour director will be available to you as much as possible throughout your tour. You will come to trust and rely on your tour director as a friend and partner. However, please be aware that, for the tour to run smoothly, the tour director s responsibilities require him or her to take time away from the group each day to re-confirm tour arrangements. On-tour emergencies Tour directors are fully trained to handle challenging situations and emergencies that might arise on tour. Each tour director carries a mobile phone and can contact local EF offices worldwide, so that you have the support you need when you need it. Have a wonderful tour! 8