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PAPERWORK
Your Passport
Passports for U.S. citizens 18 years of age or older are valid for ten years and cost $65. If you are applying for your first passport, or if you are renewing a passport issued to you prior to your eighteenth birthday, you must apply in person at a post office authorized to accept passport applications or at one of the regional passport agencies located in Boston, Chicago, Honolulu Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Stamford and Washington, D.C. Allow at least four weeks for processing, longer if you will need to obtain a visa.
Visas
Obtaining a visa can sometimes be a long and frustrating process, so leave yourself plenty of time. If you follow instructions exactly, you should have no problem. Visa requirements vary widely from country to country and are constantly changing. Consult the consulate of the country or countries you are planning to visit for the most up-to-date and reliable information.
If you encounter difficulty getting a visa or if you need a to get a visa in a hurry, you can get help for a fee from a visa service.
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 | | When shopping around for an airline ticket, it is important to keep three factors in mind: Fare, flexibility and reliability. The least expensive airfare is not necessarily the best suited to your travel needs, Usually, the lower the fare, the greater the restrictions. Consider your options carefully.
A charter flights is one in which a tour operator leases an aircraft to fly a specific route on a specific date. Charters to Western Europe are plentiful, while those to other parts of the world are their service is limited and subject to numerous restrictions. The more reputable charter companies will ask you to sign a passenger contract. Read the fine print carefully. It spells out your rights and the tour operator’s responsibilities A reputable charter company that cancels your flight will offer you a confirmed seat on another carrier.
Ticket consolidators offer yet another option. These companies purchase large allotments of seats from scheduled airlines at a large discount and pass the savings on to their clients Hefty cancellation and change penalties apply to these fares.
Scheduled airlines offer advance purchase excursion (APEX) fares at a substantial discounts. APEX fares allow you to fly into one city and out of another. The disadvantages of APEX fares are that the tickets must be purchased at least 21 days in advance and have minimum/maximum stay restrictions. As with charter and consolidator tickets, substantial cancellation and charge fees apply to these fares.
If you do decide to purchase a charter, consolidator, or APEX ticket and you anticipate a change in your travel plans, consider buying trip cancellation insurance.
If you are under 26, student/youth fares are your best bet. They offer an ideal combination of value, flexibility and reliability. These fares are available from travel agencies that specialize in student travel. Student/youth tickets have no minimum/maximum stay or advance purchase requirements. You can fly into one city and out of another. Cancellation and date changes are subject to minimal service fees. Best of all, perhaps, is that you have access to a worldwide network of student travel organizations that can help you with your ticket. Bear in mind that some airlines offer their own student/youth fares directly to the public, but these probably won’t be the same as the ones available from a travel agency.
If you plan to spend an extended period of time in one country or region, find out if there’s an airpass available. Australia, for example, currently offers a Boomerang Pass that allows you to take two flights within Australia for as little as $320. The ticket is open, meaning that you can choose your destinations and dates of travel as you go. The Pass must be purchased in conjunction with an international ticket before you arrive in Australia. Argentina and Chile offer similar passes. |
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What do you think of when you hear the words "group tour?" If the answer is paying a lot of money to spend long hours on a bus with a bunch of little old ladies, and being barked at all day by a guide who sounds like a drill sergeant, think again. Ideal for the first-time traveler, a group tour can be a great way to get the most trip, especially if you have limited time and a limited budget. Group tours vary widely, so it pays to shop around. Here are some questions to ask as you look for the group tour that’s best for you:
Who will be on the tour with me?
It’s simple. You’ll have a better time if you travel with people of your own age that share your interests. A tour operator we particularly like is Contiki Holidays, the world’s biggest tour operator for 18-35 year-olds. Not only will al the people in your group be in your age group, so will the driver and the tour manager. Worried about being stuck with a bunch of Americans? Less than 10% of Contiki participants originate in the United States. The rest come from English-speaking countries worldwide, so just being on the bus will be a cultural experience.
How much free time will I have?
No matter how good your group is, you’ll want some time on your own. With Contiki, you can spend as much or as little time with your group as you want. Once you’ve gotten an orientation to the city and seen the major sights, take some time to relax and chat with the locals, or take advantage of one of Contiki’s popular optional excursions. Enjoy a bike tour in Amsterdam, a gondola serenade in Venice, or white water rafting in the Australian Tyrol. Want to explore Europe on your own? Consider buying a Eurailpass to use after your Contiki tour ends.
How much will it cost?
Contiki offers great money-savings options. Book and pay for your tour at least six months in advance and you’ll get a 2.5% discount on your land package. Or get a group of ten people to go on a tour together and earn a free trip for yourself. Why not get your French Club together for Contiki’s "Best of France" tour? Another Contiki plus: If you’re traveling alone, Contiki will match you up with a roommate so you don’t have to pay a single supplement.
Want more information?
For details on Contiki’s wide range of tours to Europe, Australia, South Africa and the United States, just call Travelcraft.
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