Some more stuff off of EF's web site I thought I would post. Come see me if you have any questions. Remember to go to my new room (# 233) when you get to school (Do not go to 306 as it is now part of your new Freshman Academy).
Travel -- (group travel in particular) will be a new experience for many of your travelers. It is important from the start to set appropriate expectations so your participants know what to expect.
Itinerary and date flexibility. -- We coordinate multiple groups at the same time, balancing their requests with available flight and hotel space. Then, we combine small groups into larger ones to fill each tour bus. By making the best use of our tour resources, we’re able to offer all travelers quality programs at our unbeatable prices. When availability is limited, we may need to transfer your group to a comparable itinerary, or to the tour you’ve selected as your second or third choice. If the new tour’s Program Fee is lower than the original, we’ll refund you the difference. If the new tour is more expensive, you are responsible for the additional amount. Other changes may include reversing and/or modifying the order in which cities are visited, altering the duration of your stay in a city or country or, for flight-related reasons, arranging ground transportation to an alternate gateway. If we need to shift your departure date, we will make every effort to ensure that the new tour departs within one to two days of the originally requested date for tours departing October through April, and within four days for tours departing May through September.
Discuss itinerary and date flexibility with your tour consultant right away, if you haven’t already done so.
Hotels -- Except where noted, EF uses first-class, superior tourist-class or tourist-class hotels, as defined by the Official Hotel Guide. Hotel rooms abroad are often less modern and standardized than in North America. Each room will have a private bathroom. Here are some other common differences from North American hotels:
In simpler, family-run hotels, the rooms and beds are usually smaller than those in North America and rooms seldom have air conditioning or televisions. Few European hotels have elevators. Shower pressure tends to be much weaker than in North America and in some countries the showerhead may be directly above the toilet or sink.
Meals -- Your participants should expect food and eating habits to be different from what they are accustomed to at home. Advise your group that they will be expected to pay for soft drinks, bottled water and other beverages with their meals. Breakfast typically includes cereal, bread or rolls, jam, juice, coffee or tea.
EF walking tours -- Many sightseeing tours are on foot, so you will likely do a lot of walking. Remind your participants—both students and adults—that our educational tours are generally fast-paced.
Tipping -- While all non-discretionary gratuities are included in the EF Program Fee, it is customary to present the tour director and coach driver with a token of appreciation at the conclusion of the tour. A minimum of $4–5 per person per day for the tour director, and a minimum of $2–3 per person per day for the coach driver, is typical. While it is not required, many group leaders choose to tip local guides for half-day sightseeing tours. On a full-day excursion, it is not unusual to give a small tip to both the professional local guide and the day’s driver. Most group leaders prefer to collect tips from their participants before departure.
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