F. A. Q.
click photos to enlarge!
WHO IS ORGANIZING AND RUNNING THIS ADVENTURE?
-For more information on Group Leaders and Full-Time Tour Director, click here.
-We work with the leading group/educational tour companies in the world for booking the major elements of a tour—flights, hotels, meals, tour guides, venue entries, buses, cruise ships, trains, and more.
-For this adventure tour, we have selected Explorica, Inc.
WHY USE A GROUP TRAVEL COMPANY?
-Safety and dependability
-Discounts and lowest pricing due to volume purchasing
-Reservations
-Easy payment and account management.
-Constant support.
WHAT ABOUT BOOKING THEATRE TICKETS, VENUE ADMISSIONS, SPECIAL EVENTS, ETC.?
-We (Group Leaders) book many of these events directly, for maximum flexibility, efficiency, and cost-savings.
-For more information on Group Leaders and Full-Time Tour Director, click here.
-We work with the leading group/educational tour companies in the world for booking the major elements of a tour—flights, hotels, meals, tour guides, venue entries, buses, cruise ships, trains, and more.
-For this adventure tour, we have selected Explorica, Inc.
WHY USE A GROUP TRAVEL COMPANY?
-Safety and dependability
-Discounts and lowest pricing due to volume purchasing
-Reservations
-Easy payment and account management.
-Constant support.
WHAT ABOUT BOOKING THEATRE TICKETS, VENUE ADMISSIONS, SPECIAL EVENTS, ETC.?
-We (Group Leaders) book many of these events directly, for maximum flexibility, efficiency, and cost-savings.
Royal Horse Guards, London
WHO CAN GO?
-*Students: Age 18-22
-*Adults: Age 23 or older
-Youth: Age 15-18 must travel with a responsible Adult (23 or older.) If this Adult is not a parent or legal guardian, a permission form will be required at the time of registration. 1 Adult can be responsible for a maximum of 2 youth.
Children: 14 or under are not included. This time…
*-These are Explorica’s "Student" and "Adult" delineations, and affect cost and bookings.
WHAT’S THE ROOMING/ROOMMATE SITUATION?
-Students: 3 or 4 same-gender students per room in hotel rooms. Beds will normally be single beds or shared doubles.
-Adults: 2 per room by request or by same-gender.
-Youth: Same as Students, but may be able to share with designated responsible Adult if logistics allow.
-Options: For an additional charge, students may arrange for 2-per-room; adults may arrange for single/private.
WILL THE HOTELS BE PRETTY MUCH LIKE YOUR AVERAGE AMERICAN HOLIDAY INN?
-Not really. Hotel rooms in Europe are generally smaller, less "standardized," and older than American hotels. This is what gives them great character! All hotels will have private bathrooms, however. Some hotels will not have elevators.
-Hotels are centrally located and within 20 minutes' travel time to a major tourist attraction, and fall in the 2-3 star range, per European rating standards.
-*Students: Age 18-22
-*Adults: Age 23 or older
-Youth: Age 15-18 must travel with a responsible Adult (23 or older.) If this Adult is not a parent or legal guardian, a permission form will be required at the time of registration. 1 Adult can be responsible for a maximum of 2 youth.
Children: 14 or under are not included. This time…
*-These are Explorica’s "Student" and "Adult" delineations, and affect cost and bookings.
WHAT’S THE ROOMING/ROOMMATE SITUATION?
-Students: 3 or 4 same-gender students per room in hotel rooms. Beds will normally be single beds or shared doubles.
-Adults: 2 per room by request or by same-gender.
-Youth: Same as Students, but may be able to share with designated responsible Adult if logistics allow.
-Options: For an additional charge, students may arrange for 2-per-room; adults may arrange for single/private.
WILL THE HOTELS BE PRETTY MUCH LIKE YOUR AVERAGE AMERICAN HOLIDAY INN?
-Not really. Hotel rooms in Europe are generally smaller, less "standardized," and older than American hotels. This is what gives them great character! All hotels will have private bathrooms, however. Some hotels will not have elevators.
-Hotels are centrally located and within 20 minutes' travel time to a major tourist attraction, and fall in the 2-3 star range, per European rating standards.
Sailor Monument, Oslo
-DO I NEED ANY SPECIAL TRAVEL DOCUMENTS?
-You must have a valid passport from your country of origin. U.S. Citizens may travel to these countries with Passport only. Visas or inoculations are not required. Non-U.S. Citizens must check the British, Danish, and Norwegian regulations for travelers from your home country.
-If you don’t have a passport, you can get one at a US post office or go online for more information: https://www.uspassportnow.com/
HOW MANY BAGS CAN I TAKE?
-One checked bag is free up to 40ish pounds. Beyond that, smaller hotel rooms, bus, train, ship travel require an absolute 1CheckedBag/1SmallCarryOn limit, with no exceptions.
-You are responsible for carrying all your bags. Travel light! Only bring what you are comfortable carrying/transporting. REMEMBER YOU, AND ONLY YOU, WILL HAVE TO PACK, UNPACK, LIFT, AND CARRY YOUR LUGGAGE MANY TIMES...
BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE SOUVENIRS I HAVE TO GET FOR THE PEOPLE BACK HOME?
-Sorry. This luggage limitation applies to both the trip there and the trip home.
Souvenirs should be either a) mailed home well in advance of departure (this can be expensive) or b) packed in your carry-on in space you have allowed for same. Remember, shopping is not the primary goal of this trip. Also remember, things such as sweaters, hats, etc. can make good souvenirs (and can easily pack in your luggage.)
-You must have a valid passport from your country of origin. U.S. Citizens may travel to these countries with Passport only. Visas or inoculations are not required. Non-U.S. Citizens must check the British, Danish, and Norwegian regulations for travelers from your home country.
-If you don’t have a passport, you can get one at a US post office or go online for more information: https://www.uspassportnow.com/
HOW MANY BAGS CAN I TAKE?
-One checked bag is free up to 40ish pounds. Beyond that, smaller hotel rooms, bus, train, ship travel require an absolute 1CheckedBag/1SmallCarryOn limit, with no exceptions.
-You are responsible for carrying all your bags. Travel light! Only bring what you are comfortable carrying/transporting. REMEMBER YOU, AND ONLY YOU, WILL HAVE TO PACK, UNPACK, LIFT, AND CARRY YOUR LUGGAGE MANY TIMES...
BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE SOUVENIRS I HAVE TO GET FOR THE PEOPLE BACK HOME?
-Sorry. This luggage limitation applies to both the trip there and the trip home.
Souvenirs should be either a) mailed home well in advance of departure (this can be expensive) or b) packed in your carry-on in space you have allowed for same. Remember, shopping is not the primary goal of this trip. Also remember, things such as sweaters, hats, etc. can make good souvenirs (and can easily pack in your luggage.)
I USUALLY CHANGE MY CLOTHES 2 OR 3 TIMES A DAY. HOW WILL I MANAGE?
-Flexibility is the key to choosing clothes. Do not plan to bring a change of clothes for each day. "Mix-and-match-ables" are a good idea. Nice/dress jeans are OK for appearance, but heavy to carry and wear—we recommend khaki type slacks.
-We will all accept the fact that we will see each other in the same clothes a few times (but we will also be careful about our hygiene, won't we!?)
-London, Stratford, Copenhagen, and Oslo have major shopping areas--you can buy anything you need there once we have arrived.
WILL I NEED TO DRESS UP—SUIT, EVENING DRESS, FANCY TYPE STUFF? WILL I BE ABLE TO DRESS “DOWN”—MY FAVORITE BUDWEISER T-SHIRT, SHREDDED JEANS, MY FAVORITE WELL-WORN BALL CAP?
-The answer to all of these is NO. The style and expectation is “business casual” type clothing in all public places for the duration of the trip.
-Baseball caps? No.
-Stocking caps/warm headgear? OK.
-Hat off inside? Yes, everywhere, so make plans for your hair accordingly.
-Shorts? No. Locals don’t, not allowed some places, too cold anyway.
-2 pairs of comfortable walking shoes. Yep—used and comfortably broken in.
-Umbrella and a raincoat? Yep.
*Sample packing menus available soon.*
WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE?
It’s not required, but it is recommended. Options are available through Explorica, and many other vendors also offer the service. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what is and is not included—read the fine print (and the big print!)
-Flexibility is the key to choosing clothes. Do not plan to bring a change of clothes for each day. "Mix-and-match-ables" are a good idea. Nice/dress jeans are OK for appearance, but heavy to carry and wear—we recommend khaki type slacks.
-We will all accept the fact that we will see each other in the same clothes a few times (but we will also be careful about our hygiene, won't we!?)
-London, Stratford, Copenhagen, and Oslo have major shopping areas--you can buy anything you need there once we have arrived.
WILL I NEED TO DRESS UP—SUIT, EVENING DRESS, FANCY TYPE STUFF? WILL I BE ABLE TO DRESS “DOWN”—MY FAVORITE BUDWEISER T-SHIRT, SHREDDED JEANS, MY FAVORITE WELL-WORN BALL CAP?
-The answer to all of these is NO. The style and expectation is “business casual” type clothing in all public places for the duration of the trip.
-Baseball caps? No.
-Stocking caps/warm headgear? OK.
-Hat off inside? Yes, everywhere, so make plans for your hair accordingly.
-Shorts? No. Locals don’t, not allowed some places, too cold anyway.
-2 pairs of comfortable walking shoes. Yep—used and comfortably broken in.
-Umbrella and a raincoat? Yep.
*Sample packing menus available soon.*
WHAT ABOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE?
It’s not required, but it is recommended. Options are available through Explorica, and many other vendors also offer the service. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what is and is not included—read the fine print (and the big print!)
"Tom's Trivia" Contest in London!
WHAT ARE THE PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS?
-Be prepared to walk a lot(!)
-Elevators are almost non-existent on tours, so you must be able to climb stairs. You must be able to walk and/or stand normally for 30-45 minutes AND be able to climb up to 3 flights of stairs AND be able to walk on uneven surfaces AND be able to climb uneven stairs. AND possibly do this more than once a day.
-NOTE: People with special needs or physical disabilities can travel on this tour! Please let us know well in advance (ASAP) and we will do everything we can to accommodate your needs. Please note: some bus companies, venues, and hotels overseas are not wheelchair accessible—but we can explore work-arounds if we know what your specific needs are.
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT THE FOOD SITUATION?
-Breakfast and dinner are included in the price of the trip.
-Vegetarian? Vegan? Food Allergies? The most important thing is to let us know about any and all of these concerns. We will do our best to accommodate these issues in consultation with the tour company and the restaurants. Vegetarian options will be found in most places. Vegan, while on the rise in Europe, is not as common there as in the US (in tourist-oriented venues) but we will all make our best effort to sort it out. Please be aware, however, that for a group this size, it can be difficult to accommodate several different nuances in one category (e.g., one Vegetarian might eat dairy and fish, but not red meat; another might eat dairy only; another might eat fish and chicken, no dairy or red meat.) In that scenario, a person would need to commit to either “Vegetarian” or “non-Vegetarian” for the tour duration.
-Portions in European restaurants are generally smaller than in American ones.
-Nearly all evening dinners will be sit-down, multi-course events. European cultures place high value on the social aspects of dining together--a time for building comradery, reflecting on the day’s events, even debating arts or politics!
WHAT IS THE MONEY SITUATION ON THE TOUR?
-Pricing—will be similar to US in major city-centers (New York, Chicago, San Francisco,) except beer-wine-liquor in Scandinavia, which will be much higher.
-Units—England uses the Pound Sterling; Denmark and Norway each have their own “Kroner” (Crowns.)
- Credit Cards are accepted most places, but not all places. ATM Cards are prevalent, but check with your bank to make sure your card is compatible with European systems.
-Contact all of your card companies to let them know where you are going.
WHAT ABOUT THINGS LIKE ALTERNATE DEPARTURE AIRPORTS, ‘LAND-ONLY’ PLANS, STAY-AHEAD/BEHIND, LATE SIGN-UP, REINSTATEMENT?
-These can all be explored further, will involve adjusted costs, and are subject to logistical limitations.
-Be prepared to walk a lot(!)
-Elevators are almost non-existent on tours, so you must be able to climb stairs. You must be able to walk and/or stand normally for 30-45 minutes AND be able to climb up to 3 flights of stairs AND be able to walk on uneven surfaces AND be able to climb uneven stairs. AND possibly do this more than once a day.
-NOTE: People with special needs or physical disabilities can travel on this tour! Please let us know well in advance (ASAP) and we will do everything we can to accommodate your needs. Please note: some bus companies, venues, and hotels overseas are not wheelchair accessible—but we can explore work-arounds if we know what your specific needs are.
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT THE FOOD SITUATION?
-Breakfast and dinner are included in the price of the trip.
-Vegetarian? Vegan? Food Allergies? The most important thing is to let us know about any and all of these concerns. We will do our best to accommodate these issues in consultation with the tour company and the restaurants. Vegetarian options will be found in most places. Vegan, while on the rise in Europe, is not as common there as in the US (in tourist-oriented venues) but we will all make our best effort to sort it out. Please be aware, however, that for a group this size, it can be difficult to accommodate several different nuances in one category (e.g., one Vegetarian might eat dairy and fish, but not red meat; another might eat dairy only; another might eat fish and chicken, no dairy or red meat.) In that scenario, a person would need to commit to either “Vegetarian” or “non-Vegetarian” for the tour duration.
-Portions in European restaurants are generally smaller than in American ones.
-Nearly all evening dinners will be sit-down, multi-course events. European cultures place high value on the social aspects of dining together--a time for building comradery, reflecting on the day’s events, even debating arts or politics!
WHAT IS THE MONEY SITUATION ON THE TOUR?
-Pricing—will be similar to US in major city-centers (New York, Chicago, San Francisco,) except beer-wine-liquor in Scandinavia, which will be much higher.
-Units—England uses the Pound Sterling; Denmark and Norway each have their own “Kroner” (Crowns.)
- Credit Cards are accepted most places, but not all places. ATM Cards are prevalent, but check with your bank to make sure your card is compatible with European systems.
-Contact all of your card companies to let them know where you are going.
WHAT ABOUT THINGS LIKE ALTERNATE DEPARTURE AIRPORTS, ‘LAND-ONLY’ PLANS, STAY-AHEAD/BEHIND, LATE SIGN-UP, REINSTATEMENT?
-These can all be explored further, will involve adjusted costs, and are subject to logistical limitations.
"Eros" at Piccadilly Circus, London
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STONEHENGE! (England)
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HOW DO I PAY?
Three options are available.
-All options include a non-refundable retainer fee.
-Accounts must be paid in full prior to 65 days before departure (late February, 2019)
If purchasing travel protection plan through the Tour Company, entire cost is paid with initial retainer.
Monthly Automated Plan:
-After enrollment and retainer, equal payments deducted.
Full (One) Payment Plan:
-Pay in full at time of enrollment—including the retainer.
3- or 4-Step Manual Plan:
-Enrolled prior to 150 days pre-departure: Retainer/30%/75%/Final Balance
-Enrolled within 150 days pre-departure: Retainer/75%/Final Balance
-*In some cases, different-but-simultaneous payments to the Tour Company (Explorica) and to the Group Leadership (ACTION Adventures/the Woldts) may be necessary.
Three options are available.
-All options include a non-refundable retainer fee.
-Accounts must be paid in full prior to 65 days before departure (late February, 2019)
If purchasing travel protection plan through the Tour Company, entire cost is paid with initial retainer.
Monthly Automated Plan:
-After enrollment and retainer, equal payments deducted.
Full (One) Payment Plan:
-Pay in full at time of enrollment—including the retainer.
3- or 4-Step Manual Plan:
-Enrolled prior to 150 days pre-departure: Retainer/30%/75%/Final Balance
-Enrolled within 150 days pre-departure: Retainer/75%/Final Balance
-*In some cases, different-but-simultaneous payments to the Tour Company (Explorica) and to the Group Leadership (ACTION Adventures/the Woldts) may be necessary.
"Hamlet's Castle," Denmark
WHAT IS THE CANCELLATION POLICY?
Long before your tour begins, reservations are made for each enrolled participant, incurring many non-refundable costs. For this reason, we must charge cancellation fees. In order to protect your travel investment in the event you need to cancel your tour, we recommend purchasing a travel protection plan.
All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing by email. Regretfully, we cannot refund late fees, bank fees, transfer fees, Travel Protection plan costs, or visa fees and we cannot transfer any payments between participants.
Long before your tour begins, reservations are made for each enrolled participant, incurring many non-refundable costs. For this reason, we must charge cancellation fees. In order to protect your travel investment in the event you need to cancel your tour, we recommend purchasing a travel protection plan.
All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing by email. Regretfully, we cannot refund late fees, bank fees, transfer fees, Travel Protection plan costs, or visa fees and we cannot transfer any payments between participants.
