Your Resource for Upcoming International Holiday Vacations Tour

Motorcoach Travel: Everyone wants to make the most of the time available and see as much as possible – so it is important that every tour member is on time. Smoking (including e-cigarettes) and consuming alcoholic beverages are not allowed on the coach. There are plenty of opportunities to smoke during frequent stops. Heavy perfume or strong aftershave can inconvenience other passengers. Be considerate of other tour members and use these items sparingly.

Accommodations: Traveling internationally, hotel rooms are different than within the United States. Hotels are often located in historic buildings. Small and irregular-sized rooms are standard. Rooms with twin beds very close together, queen beds, deep bathtubs, and small elevators are all quite normal abroad, even in luxury hotels.

Passports: International travel requires a valid passport. Holiday Vacations requires that your passport be valid for six months beyond your return date. The safety of your passport is your responsibility. Keep two photocopies of your passport: one with you on tour in a separate location from your passport book and one at home where someone can access it, if necessary. Your passport should be accessible for airport ticket counters, border crossings, immigrations and customs, and hotels. Any additional required documentation is detailed in the tour-specific information.

Cell Phones: Providing your cell phone number to your Tour Director is a quick way to contact you on the first and last days of travel or if you and the group become separated. Prior to your travels, be sure to review your destination and cell phone plan with your provider. For more information on how to manage your cell service internationally, contact your provider. As a courtesy to others, please refrain from talking on your cell phone while on the motorcoach unless there is an emergency that requires immediate attention.

Internet & Wi-Fi: Internet and Wi-Fi access is available at most hotels, although there may be additional charges. Some hotels have public computers available for guest use.

International Limitation of Liability: Passengers embarking upon a journey involving an ultimate destination or a stop in a country other than the country of departure are advised that the provisions of an international treaty (the Warsaw Convention, the 1999 Montreal Convention, or other treaty), as well as a carrier’s own contract of carriage or tariff provisions, may be applicable to their entire journey, including any portion entirely within the countries of departure and destination. The applicable treaty governs and may limit the liability of carriers to passengers for death or personal injury, destruction or loss of, or damage to, baggage and for delay of passengers and baggage. Additional protection can usually be obtained by purchasing insurance from a private company. Such insurance is not affected by any limitation of the carrier’s liability under an international treaty. For further information please consult your airline or insurance company representative.

Duty-Free Shops: Items purchased at duty-free shops will be inspected by border patrol prior to departure and cannot be opened until after your departure.

Duty-Free Exemptions: A duty-free exemption is the total value of merchandise you can bring back into the United States without being required to pay duty on the items. Members of a single family, traveling together and living in the same residence, are allowed to pool their exemptions to cover their combined purchases. For additional information on customs regulations and duty-free shopping, please visit the Customs and Border Patrol website: www.cbp.gov.

Travel With An Open Mind: Each of us who travels abroad can be a goodwill ambassador. Tolerance and friendliness toward others are appreciated.

Airline Fees: Airlines may charge for checked luggage and/or carry-on bags. These fees are your responsibility and payable directly to the airline before or at the time of check-in. Please note airlines may charge a significant fee for overweight, oversized, or additional pieces of luggage.

Checked Luggage: You are allowed one piece of checked luggage per person that will be handled for you at hotels while you are on tour. Your checked luggage may not weigh more than 50 pounds with the total dimensions (length + width + height) equaling 62 inches. Please attach your own identification tag in addition to the Holiday Vacations luggage tag provided to you. (Certain tours differ from these limits. Please see the Weather & Destination Specific Information section.)

Carry-on Bag: In addition to your checked luggage, you may bring one carry-on bag and one personal item, such as a camera bag or purse, per person. These items are your responsibility to handle. For your convenience, the carry-on bag is intended to be used for items you need daily. If you bring a carry-on, please use a small day bag without wheels, such as a soft-sided backpack or tote bag, which would fit into the overhead bins of the motorcoach. (Certain tours differ from these limits. Please see the Weather & Destination Specific Information section.)

Luggage Handling: It is not always possible to provide luggage assistance at airports. We recommend a suitcase with wheels for your checked luggage. Additional pieces of luggage can be handled for you at hotels for $6 per bag, per day. Please call our office to make arrangements.

Packing: Casual clothing is appropriate, pack comfortable walking shoes, and consider bringing one dressier outfit. Weather is unpredictable and you may want to dress in layers and bring a light sweater or jacket. See the following packing tips:

• Have identification with you and not in your checked luggage. 
• Leave valuables at home.
• Pack medication in your carry-on bag.
• Bring a hat and small umbrella or rain jacket.
• Bring a camera and extra memory cards in your carry-on bag.
• Pack chargers for electronic devices and ensure that you have the appropriate electrical adapters.
• Frequently forgotten items include binoculars, batteries, sunscreen, sunglasses, and/or a reusable water bottle.
• If using a CPAP or BiPAP, it is recommended to bring an extension cord in the event outlets are not conveniently located.

Laundry: Some hotels have dry cleaning or coin-operated laundry available.

Credit Cards: MasterCard and Visa are accepted almost everywhere. American Express may be more limited and Discover card is not accepted in many countries. For security purposes, your credit card company may block unusual charges. To ensure card access and avoid potential problems, we recommend that you notify the credit card company of your travel plans.

Debit Cards: If you plan on using a debit card, check with your financial institution for information on fees and usage. Know your PIN so you can withdraw cash from an ATM.

Gratuities: Many gratuities are included as part of the tour such as baggage handling at the hotels, included meals, included attractions, and city guides.

The following are NOT included in the tour and may be provided by you at your discretion:

• Holiday Vacations Tour Director: Holiday Vacations takes great pride in the customer service that our Tour Directors provide. If you feel that your Tour Director has met your expectations, the suggested gratuity is $8-10 per person, per day. Gratuities are determined on an individual basis and given directly to the Tour Director at the end of the tour.
• Shipboard Gratuities: Please see the tour-specific information.
• International Driver and/or Guide: Please see the Weather & Destination Specific Information section.
• Other Services: Your Tour Director will provide information on gratuities for other services such as taxi drivers, dry cleaning, housekeeping staff, etc.

Every country has different requirements for entry with some requiring a visa or specific vaccinations.  While most countries and Holiday Vacations do not require any vaccinations or visa, guests must comply and adhere with the requirements of individual countries in order to travel. When booking a trip that requires a visa, Holiday Vacations will furnish guidance alongside your other travel documents closer to your departure.

Please review your tour confirmation to ensure that any health, dietary, and mobility needs have been noted. If anything is missing, please advise us as soon as possible.

Prescriptions
Pack your medication in your carry-on bag, not your checked luggage. It is a good idea to keep any medication in its original labeled bottle. If this is not possible, it would be helpful to have a printout identifying your name, the medication, its purpose, and the dosage prescribed. You may also want to bring eyeglass or contact prescriptions.

Persons Needing Special Assistance
Holiday Vacations does not provide personal attendant services. Any disability requiring additional services should be reported to us at the time you make your reservation. We will make reasonable attempts to accommodate special needs, but we are not responsible for any denial of services by carriers, hotels, restaurants, and other independent suppliers. Travelers requiring assistance must be accompanied by a companion who is capable of and fully responsible for providing the necessary assistance.

Medical Equipment: Medical equipment, such as a CPAP machine or nebulizer, that requires connection to an aircraft’s power supply, must be pre-approved by the airlines and requires medical clearance. Please contact Holiday Vacations for further details.

CPAP-BiPAP: Review with your healthcare provider whether purified water can be used with your device on a temporary basis.

The Holiday Traveler is your digital companion from 21 days prior to departure and while you are on tour. View travel details, hotel and flight information, message your tour director, complete your tour survey, and even share your photos with friends and family with digital postcards.

The Holiday Traveler app works on all smartphones and tablets. To start now, download the Holiday Traveler app for iOS and Android below or go to the app store and search “Holiday Traveler.”

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

To access a print-friendly version of the Holiday Traveler Quick Start Guide, click below.

View the Holiday Traveler App Quick Start Guide