How do I book?
You can book any of our vacations online or by calling us at 212-796-5692 in New York City or at 617-963-8395 in Boston.
A non refundable/non transferable deposit of $200 per person secures the vacation of your choice. If you have selected to book a package which includes international flights provided by The Travel Department, this deposit amount increases to $400 per person.
Payments are accepted by Visa or Mastercard and there is no extra charge for using a credit card. If you wish to book a vacation within 10 weeks of departure, full payment is required at time of booking. After booking we send your booking confirmation invoice to the postal or email address provided.
What happens next?
Please check your confirmation invoice carefully and make sure it reflects exactly what you intended to book. Ensure the names are spelt correctly as these will ultimately appear on your airline ticket and may not be possible or may be expensive to change. If there is a discrepancy you must contact us immediately and we will send you a new invoice reflecting the amendments. Any special requests must be made to us in writing (special meals, dietary requirements). These will be passed on to our suppliers but cannot be guaranteed.
Your vacation must be paid for by the due date. This date is printed on your invoice and is 10 weeks prior to your departure. Failure to comply may result in your vacation being cancelled.
Your travel documents will be posted to the address given at the time of booking to arrive approximately 10 days prior to your departure. Please ensure in good time that you have a valid passport / visa for travel.
What's included in the vacation?
All items that are included are clearly stated in our brochure or website. If you are unsure please ask our sales team and they will answer any queries you may have. Extra items such as airport taxes, insurance and single room supplements are mentioned separately. In some cases (however rarely) you may have to pay a local departure tax or local transport cost. Our local guides will assist you with these. Tipping is not always included in your vacation price and information regarding tipping will be included with your travel documents.
Any tours bought locally are not endorsed by The Travel Department and such contracts are made between the customer and the vendor. The Travel Department does not have any liability whatsoever where "paid locally" or “optional” excursions are concerned and will not enter into any correspondence with a client concerning these.
Passports & Visas
A valid passport is required for all trips outside the USA. All passengers should check with the appropriate foreign consulate for entry and validity requirements. Passports and visas are the responsibility of each client. Government issued identification is required for air travel. As a rule of thumb, your passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended date of departure from the country to which you are travelling.
Currency
The vast majority of banks abroad allow you to use their ATM facilities to withdraw local currency; however, you should confirm with your bank that your debit and/or credit card is enabled for this. Please note your bank may charge you a fee per withdrawal. We do not recommend that you carry large amounts of cash on vacation. We do recommend that you always use the safe facilities at the hotel (either in your room or at reception).
For some countries, local currency can only be purchased on arrival and it may not be taken out of the country when returning to the USA. Our sales staff will be happy to provide you with further information on currencies, as required.
Travel Insurance
All customers travelling with The Travel Department must have adequate travel insurance. You must make the insurance company aware of any existing or past conditions/illnesses - failure to do so may result in your insurance being void. It is the sole responsibility of the customer to ensure they have adequate insurance. If you have any queries please feel free to contact us.
Flights
All flight times and transport times are given in local time. It is important to arrive in good time for your flight, particularly during peak season when airports can be congested. After check-in we suggest you proceed immediately to the departure gate and watch the monitors for your boarding instructions. On arrival at your overseas destination please proceed immediately to the Arrivals Area after you have collected your luggage. If you have a problem with luggage it is essential that you relay a message to our representative in the Arrivals Area as soon as possible. If you are travelling alone please ask a fellow passenger to do this for you. Neither The Travel Department nor our representative have access to airline fight manifests and therefore can not confirm either way if a passenger actually travelled on the flight from the USA.
Motorcoach
All our local motorcoaches are modern and comfortable. We operate a non smoking policy on all coaches. In some instances your motorcoach may be fitted with a washroom, however in most cases it is not operational due to health and safety concerns. Your guide will make regular comfort stops. Don’t be shy, if you need to go to the bathroom the driver will stop! For various reasons it is not always possible for your motorcoach to park in front of your hotel – the driver will endeavor to get as close as possible to the door and will park in a safe place. Therefore, we recommend that you bring luggage that can be easily wheeled. Please be advised that some motorcoach journeys include sections of mountainous roads (Amalfi Drive, Italian Lakes etc…). Please note that seats cannot be reserved on motorcoaches and that passengers may sit where they please each time they board the motorcoach.
Luggage
A hotel to hotel baggage handling service will be provided (airport to hotel handling is not provided) Please make sure your bags are tagged inside and out and that you always take your own bag and not another one in error! In the event of delayed/lost baggage at an airport you should report the loss to the airline or their handling agent. These are located in the baggage hall of the airport. You should keep all receipts and documents safe as you may need to rely on them at a later stage and/or for an insurance claim. For multi centre tours please pack sensibly and ideally bring wheeled luggage. Carry all medicines and important documents in your hand luggage.
Accommodation and Meals
The Travel Department personally inspect all the hotels we use. We also work in conjunction with local agents to ensure the highest quality of all our services at all times. The hotel grading system used is based on local ratings and this can vary considerably from country to country and even region to region. In some cases, it may be necessary for The Travel Department to substitute one hotel for another of equal standard. This rarely happens and if it does we will advise you at the earliest opportunity.
Twin / double Rooms
A double room is designed to accommodate two people, but may not have two separate beds. A twin bedded room has two separate beds of any size, and is the type most commonly utilized.
Single / Triple Rooms
If you book a single room at a supplement, you will most likely get a room with a small single bed and not a double bed. The additional cost is levied by the hotel as it costs more than half the double occupancy rate to provide a single room. Essentially a single room is usually bigger than half a double room and is more costly to service pro rata. If you specifically require a double room for single use we can of course request a rate for you. A triple room is generally a twin room with an additional (often a roll-away) bed.
Food & Beverages
Where meals are included they are generally of a set menu variety. In some cases other groups in the same hotel may have different menus. Many hotels offer inclusive evening meals to The Travel Department at a relatively low additional cost per person. Therefore, we often include some or all evening meals in the price of the tour. The menu offered is consistent with the budget and cost of your vacation. Most hotels offer continental breakfasts which consist of some or all of the following: pastries, breads, cheese, ham and cereals.
Itinerary
We endeavor to keep to the itinerary that you will receive as part of your travel documents. In some instances your tour escort will make alternations to this itinerary for reasons such as weather, traffic, public vacations, local markets, essential maintenance etc. You will be advised locally of any changes. Generally a tour escort will be responsible for transfers and a guide will be responsible for sight seeing tours. Should you need any information while away please approach the escort or guide and they will be pleased to help.
Emergency Procedure
In the event of a medical emergency while away please do as you would at home. Take the appropriate action immediately and never let uncertainty get in the way of dealing with the situation. Your travel insurance company should be contacted as soon as possible but deal with the emergency first. Your insurer should give you a 24 hour assistance number and your tour escort should also be contacted as soon as practicable. You can also call our office at any time in the event of a medical emergency.
Difficulties Abroad
In the unlikely event of experiencing any problem, for example with your room, please speak with the front desk of the hotel or your tour escort. In most cases they will be happy to move you to another room subject to availability. We would encourage all of our customers to try to deal with grievances locally so you can get on with enjoying your vacation. Please always advise your tour escort of any shortcomings. They will, as a matter of course, report back to our office. We must be given the opportunity to put matters right at the time of the grievance – this is for your benefit as well as ours.
Flight Delays
In the event of a flight delay while overseas, The Travel Department, through their tour escorts and local agents overseas will assist passengers to secure accommodation, meals etc. However The Travel Department will not have any liability financial or otherwise in these cases. We strongly suggest you always have funds available at the end of your vacation to deal with these situations if they arise. However, in our experience it is highly unlikely you will be affected. Do as you would if you were travelling alone – be prepared!
Can I book my own flights?
For your convenience, we offer our vacation packages with or without international flights. Should you choose to book your own flights, you can simply meet with your fellow travellers at the hotel on the day the tour begins. If you wish for us to book a pre or post stay of any duration in the hotels used in the itinerary, this is a service we are happy to provide.
How can I be best prepared for the pacing and physical requirements on the vacation?
Tour pacing varies by itinerary, as each destination, its sightseeing and activities are unique. Pacing is often subject to personal interpretation, however at The Travel Department we do include the best a destination has to offer, enhancing your overall tour experience. For the overall pacing of a tour, please refer to the "Your Itinerary" section on each tour page. This describes the number of nights you will stay in each hotel during your tour. The day by day descriptions will provide additional detail about the number of activities included in each day. Some of the most unique sightseeing can mean accessing locations that restrict motorcoaches, especially in historic areas. For your comfort, we recommend packing walking shoes so you fully enjoy every aspect of your vacation.