GENERAL TRAVEL INFORMATION (FAQ)
You are currently required to have a signed passport which must remain valid 6-months beyond the return date of the tour. A passport is your formal document of US Citizenship and needs to be kept in a secure place on your person during the tour. Replacing a lost passport is extremely difficult, expensive, and time-consuming. Do not pack your passport in checked luggage. We recommend you have a digital photo of your passport with you in case you lose the original. If you are traveling on a foreign passport, you may need a Schengen Visa. Some destinations also require an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). GrandTours can provided any required supporting documents for these items. You should also carry your student/staff ID or have a photo of it on your mobile device while traveling.
The health, safety and welfare of travelers is GrandTours’ highest priority. Review your group’s medical policies before departing and do not pack required medications in your checked luggage. Please inform your group leaders/chaperones of any illness. In case of an emergency, our professional local tour manager will assist in locating a local healthcare facility. We strongly recommend adequate travel insurance trip protection with medical coverage. It is the passenger’s responsibility to have a complete understanding of all health requirements in place at the time of travel.
Travelers have access to an interactive app provided as an extension of GrandTours' online registration system. Only travelers have access to the app as it is tied to our registration system. The app allows GT to publish tour information in a digital format that each traveler can have available on their mobile device. The GT app also allows any updates of the daily schedule and has other features you can explore while touring. At our final tour information and document meetings, travelers can download the free GT app from the Apple iOS or Google Play Stores. Travelers then select their group’s specific tour in the list. You then enter your first name, last name and email address provided at registration. A verification code is sent allowing access the tour.
GrandTours travelers fly to international destinations from all major air gateways on group air schedules. GT uses major air carriers such as Delta, United, and American Airlines. Partner carriers my include KLM, Air France, Lufthansa, Swiss, Iberia, Aer Lingus, and Austrian Airlines. Tickets are issued approximately 60-days before departure on group reservation numbers. Flight itineraries will be included with final tour documents. Group tickets do not allow a traveler to upgrade the class-of-service and may limit the selection of seats. All travelers have confirmed seating, however, the airlines reserve the right to assign seats at any time up until check-in on group-issued tickets. Airline award numbers provided at registration will be added to your air record. If you do not provide this information at registration, you can have the information input into the air record at check-in.
For international travel to Europe, air carriers allow one free checked piece of luggage—up to 50 lb. and 62 linear inches (L+W+H). You can also bring one free carry-on piece up to 45 linear inches (22 x 14 x 9). You are also allowed a free personal item in the cabin, such as a backpack that can fit under the seat in front of you. GrandTours provides detailed luggage information to group tour leaders as part of the tour planning process. In general, smaller musical instruments are taken onto the aircraft as a carry-on piece of luggage or personal item. Larger musical instruments that do not fit through the security scanner or in the overhead aircraft storage bins, need to be checked as luggage. Attach the GrandTours luggage tags to your bags. Do not pack money, passports, or required medications in checked luggage. Lost or damaged luggage must be reported to the airline before leaving the baggage-claim area. It will then be delivered by the carrier's baggage service once it is located. Our most frequent travel disruption is delayed baggage. If you are able to bring your personal belongings in a carry-on size bag, you will eliminate this potential issue. If checking luggage, we recommend you pack a change of clothes, toiletries and concert apparel and music in your carry-on luggage. GrandTours has no ability to affect the timeline for retrieval of delayed or lost personal luggage. Personal musical instruments should be insured to full replacement value.
Liquids, gels or aerosols in your carry-on luggage must be in original containers of 3 ounces or less. All containers of liquids, gels and aerosols are to be placed in one quart-size clear plastic zip-top bag. One quart-size bag of liquids, gels and aerosols per traveler is allowed. Visit www.tsa.gov for further details and the most current security policies.
A daily buffet breakfast at hotels is included in all GrandTours travel programs. Most dinners are included as well and this is outlined our tour brochures and on the tour registration websites unique to each group. We often leave 1-2 dinners out of our programs so that travelers can enjoy exploring with friends and visiting local cafes and restaurants. Some destinations may include lunches as part of the sightseeing program. At most destinations, you can budget 10-15 USD per lunch and 15-25 USD for dinner. At included dinners, table-water will be provided free-of-charge. Bottled beverages such as soft-drinks will be at your own expense and can be purchased from the local restaurant staff. Special meal needs such as vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and no-pork, can be requested when registering for the tour. Special diet and severe allergy cards are included with final tour documents. Travelers can show the restaurant waitstaff the appropriate card when seated for group dinners. Diet and allergy information is communicated to airlines, hotels and group restaurants two-weeks before departure without exception. Your professional tour manager will also have this information with them at all times.
The dress of our GT tours is casual so please bring comfortable clothes for the tour. Be sure to bring sturdy and comfortable walking shoes as you can expect 10,000-15,000 steps daily. Average daily temperatures vary by destination and from season to season. Review weather trends online before departure. Bring layered clothing that allows you to remain flexible for any type of conditions. Your group leaders will communicate proper performance apparel for concerts.
The time difference from the USA will vary by destination and you can check this on your mobile device using the world clock feature. You can also visit timeanddate.com
Electricity configurations vary worldwide. Our most popular destinations in Europe and the UK operate at 220 volts. Most U.S. made electronic devices such as mobile phones and tablets are dual voltage and only require a 3-blade UK (Type G) or 2-prong European adapter (Type C). Other appliances such as hair-dryers, curling irons and straighteners may not be dual voltage and will need a step-down power converter/transformer in addition to the appropriate plug adapter.
If planning on using a mobile phone, check with your service provider for an international cellular/data plan. International charges can be very expensive and this deserves careful attention. If you do not have an international plan, you could explore the option of purchasing an e-sim for your device. Alternatively, you can turn cellular data off or put the device in Airplane Mode. You can then use free WiFi voice and messaging to communicate.
Many of our tours use individual radio headsets for guided sightseeing and these are included in our tours, where required, at no cost to the traveler. They are compulsory in order to visit most sightseeing attractions today and allow you to listen to your tour guides in comfort. Your tour managers will distribute these to all travelers along with headphones. Each traveler is responsible for keeping their headset secure and in good condition. Your tour managers will have spare batteries and you should inform them if your headset is defective or problematic in any way. They will do their best to fix it or replace it for you. Headset rental companies charge for lost, stolen, or damaged radios, so please treat it as if it were your personal device and return it in good condition.
We recommend you bring a combination of cash and some type of debit/credit card that can be used in bank ATM machines while traveling. Tap and pay is common with Visa and MasterCard throughout Europe and the UK. Check with your financial institution and card provider for any special instructions and foreign transaction fees associated with your cards. MasterCard and Visa are accepted nearly everywhere. American Express is also common, but not accepted everywhere. Discover cards are generally not accepted. ApplePay may be accepted as well in some locations but should not be your primary method of payment. While spending money is completely a personal matter, we find that most travelers are reviewing their budget for meals that are not included, snacks, and a set amount for souvenirs. We find most travelers are averaging $200-$400 in spending money on our tours. Be sure to call your financial institutions to advise that you will be traveling out of the country. Give specific dates and destinations of your international travel plans including connecting cities to avoid issues.
Gratuities to professional tour managers, coach bus drivers, local city-guides, and group restaurant staff are included in your GrandTours tour price. There is no need for any additional tipping on the included services provided by GrandTours.
