• What's included on a Contiki Tours?
  *Coach transfers as specified on tour pages
  *Accommodations, breakfast daily and around half your evening meals as detailed 
  in itinerary.
  *Sightseeing as detailed under itinerary. Unless special entrance fees are noted.
  *Experienced crew as detailed in tour
  *Sleeping bags for Budget Tours. Collect your sleeping bag from the Royal National Hotel London, prior to your tour departure.

• What's not included on a Contiki Tour?
  *Airfare transfers to tour departure point
  *Personal expense money
  *Some meals as detailed in tour
  *Visas,personal insurance,medical fees.
  *Sightseeing visits and entrance fees,other than those specified on tour pages.
  *Optional excursions & activities such as white water rafting,gondola rides,etc.
  *Lunches (unless specified in itinerary),some dinners & all meals on ferry crossings

• How many people will be on tour with me?
  That depends on where you are going. For most of the tours, we 
  operate luxury motorcoaches and therefore carry between 25-50 
  people per tour. On some tours such as Hawaii, Alaska, Botswana, 
  and Namibia we use smaller vehicles, mini coaches, or 4 wheel drive 
  all terrain vehicles which have less capacity and therefore may 
  carry 8-20 people.

• What should I bring on my Contiki Tour?
  Luggage is restricted to one reasonably sized suitcase (maximum 29"x20" or 73cm x 50cm.) (No metal frame backpacks.) We do reserve the right to refuse to accept larger suitcases on tour. A checklist is a very useful tool to use as a last check before you are on your way. Some items that you should have on your list: necessary medication, airline tickets, passport, traveler's cheques, insurance policy, credit cards, visas, cash, Contiki's 'Ticket to Ride', driver's license, vaccination certificate, camera, and film. 
  Luggage size restrictions are strictly enforced on all tours. Maximum size on most tours is 29" x 20" x 10" (73cm x 50cm x 23 cm) and maximum weight is 20 kgs (non expanding). Maximum size for Scandinavian and Camping tours is 28" x 18" x 9" (70cm x 45cm x 23cm) and maximum weight of 20 kgs. Metal framed backpacks will not be allowed. It is best to ensure that your suitcase/backpack is the correct size before departure. If not, you could incur the extra cost of buying a new suitcase and storing your excess luggage.

• How much should I pack to go on tour?
  Decide how many clothes you want to take--cut that amount in 
  half, and that's how much you'll need. Remember that depending 
  on the seasons in the country to which you are travelling, you 
  may need warmer clothes at least for evenings.

• Do I need any vaccinations?
  Please consult your travel agent or doctor to find out which 
  vaccinations are required. If you suffer from any form of illness, 
  be sure to have an adequate supply of medicines before departing 
  on tour. You must advise us through your travel agent of any 
  important medical condition you may have, before departure.

• Do I need a passport and travel visas?
  Depending on your nationality, you may need visas to enter certain countries included in your tour. You are responsible for obtaining all necessary visas prior to the departure of your tour. Consult your travel agent well in advance to determine which visas you will require and how to obtain them. Important: visas can take up to six weeks to obtain and a fee is normally charged. Failure to obtain all necessary visas could cause you to miss part of your tour and will result in considerable expense and inconvenience. It is better to apply for ALL visas through your travel agent before you leave home.

• How much money should I bring?
  That will depend on what tour you take. A good guesstimate would 
  be between $50-$100 dollars for each day you are on tour.

• What is the safest way to take my money?
  Traveler's Cheques. It is far safer to purchase traveler's cheques before your trip, rather than carrying large amounts of cash. Keep a record of all the numbers and denominations of your traveler's cheques (which should be kept separately) in case of loss or theft. Depending on where you are traveling, we would recommend specific currency Traveler's Cheques. You should purchase traveler's cheques in small denominations (i.e. US $20, $50 and $100). You should carry internationally recognized traveler's cheques such as Thomas Cook or American Express. ATM machines (available in most major cities) are also a great way to go if you need some extra cash while on tour. Be sure to memorize your pin# by number as some foreign ATM machines do not have alphanumeric keys.

• How much free time will I have?
  The tours are designed so that you'll have lots of free time to do your 
  own thing. Not only do they schedule free time, but you can venture 
  off on your own at any point during the tour.

• Do you allow smoking on tour?
  On all Contiki motorcoaches, mini coaches, and 4 wheel drive 
  vehicles,  there is no smoking allowed.

• Should I take any credit cards with me?
  Having a credit card on hand is definitely a good idea. Always 
  remember to guard your card, and we suggest the following 
  precautions be taken: Check the expiration date of your card 
  when making travel plans. Ensure that you know your PIN number.
  Memorize it, do not write it down. Ensure that the total amount of 
  your purchase is entered on the sales voucher before you sign it. 
  Check that you have received your credit card back after using it 
  for payment. Retain all copies of sales vouchers until you have 
  verified them against your statements. Insist that all 'spoiled' sales 
  vouchers are destroyed in your presence. Only carry your card on 
  your person or in your hand luggage. Never leave your cars unattended 
  in your hotel rooms, vehicle or any other place. Treat your cards as 
  you would cash. Report immediately the loss or theft of your credit cards.

• What kind of nightlife can I expect on tour?
  There's something for everyone! The tour manager will always give the group a variety of options. For those of you looking for a little adventure, there are nightclubs and bars. If you want a quiet evening, some of the hotels have swimming pools, jacuzzis, and in-room movies. Contiki tries to offer alternative evenings where events are organized (e.g. pub nights, cabaret shows in Paris and Las Vegas, beer halls in Munich, candlelit canal cruise, Tuscan dinner, Texas rodeo, paddle wheel river cruise). Remember, the legal drinking age in the U.S. is 21 and everyone must possess a photo I.D. (passport or driver's license) to enter any establishment serving alcohol. In Canada, the legal drinking age is 19 years old. Drinking age in Europe is 18.

• Are there optional excursions?
  Yes. Contiki has included a great deal of excursions in all our tours, but they cannot and would not want to include everything. Personal choice is important and our clients like the option of being included/or not on certain "Optionals," i.e., Paris Nightclub show, Gondola ride in Venice, Rafting in Austria. From experience, we know which Optionals have proven most popular with our clients and only these will be offered to you. These Optionals do cost extra and a full list relating to your trip will be sent to you with your final documents to assist with trip budgeting. These Optionals can be purchased through your tour manager when on tour.

• What should I expect to receive from Contiki after booking my tour?
  After final payment is received, You will get Tour and hotel vouchers, 
  Airline tickets - if your purchased air travel through Contiki, day-to-day itinerary, Optional Excursion list, Traveler's information booklet, Backpack, Travel insurance invoice - if you choose to buy travel insurance from Contiki

• What are the Contiki Tour Managers and Drivers like?
  Contiki has former policemen, actors, Peace Corps volunteers, sales managers, bankers, management consultants, bartenders, psychologists, surfers, chefs, and even nuclear physicists - you name it and we've got 'em. The road crew are around the same age as you and they're really fun! These guys are with you on the entire trip and give you all the info you need on tour: city tours, histories of countries, provinces and states, fun nightlife and daytime activities, and they keep you entertained on coach rides. On the tours to Europe, many of the crew are from Great Britain, Europe, New Zealand, Australia and Canada. On the tours in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Africa the crew are natives of that country. Contiki has both male and female Tour Managers and Drivers who have very different experiences prior to working for Contiki.

• Do I need travel insurance, and if so, what should it cover?
  All clients should have an insurance policy which covers cancellation 
  curtailment, loss of or damage to baggage, loss of money (cash), 
  traveler's cheques, or personal belongings and medical insurance.

• What's the difference between a budget and superior tour in Europe?
  On Superior tours, Contiki ensures that the places you stay meet the highest standards. At the heart of all tours Contiki offers Superior tourist class hotels 
  (many in the center of major cities) and to really spoil you, most tours include 
  some exceptional properties like our City Club in Vienna - a 5 star resort with outstanding sporting and leisure activities at Europe's highest hotel on Mount 
  Pilatus, Lucerne. Choose to explore the Nile for 3 days on our luxury cruise 
  boat or revel in the magic of the Greek Islands. 
  
  Budget tours offer three styles of accommodation in some of Europe's 
  best locations. Contiki has exclusive properties. Not expensive and not flashy, 
  the emphasis is always on value and fun, but they do make you feel special at 
  their exclusive properties. Where do they not have an exclusive property, you 
  stay in specially designed Contiki Villages with their own resident Contiki staff 
  at Europe's best campsites. Accommodations are comfy cabins. Accommodations 
  are mostly twin share and never more than 4 persons sharing a room.

• How many people will be on tour with me?

That depends on where you are going. For most of the tours, we operate luxury motorcoaches and therefore carry between 25-50 people per tour. On some tours such as Hawaii, Alaska, Botswana, and Namibia we use smaller vehicles, mini coaches, or 4 wheel drive all terrain vehicles which have less capacity and therefore may carry 8-20 people.

• What other nationalities will be on tour with me?

Contiki sells its travel packages in more than 35 countries around the world. It is therefore quite typical to expect between 6-15 different nationalities on any one tour, i.e., Australians, Americans, Canadians, Germans, English, Swiss, New Zealanders, Japanese, Dutch, South Africans, Italians, Danes, Brazilians, Mexicans, Austrians, Singaporeans, Swedes, etc.

• Does a tour cost more if I am traveling alone?

No. If you're planning on coming alone, (and nearly half of our clients do) and don't fancy having to pay for a single room, no problem -- we'll set you up with a roommate -- same 
sex, of course!

• How much film should I bring?

It is very difficult to offer advice on the amount of film to take as you may shoot three rolls 
of film in Paris in two days and take three days to shoot the next one. However, we have 
found that on the average a person will shoot one roll of film every 2-3 days. Your Tour Manager will try to allow as much time as possible to take photographs. However, there 
may be occasions when it is just not possible to stop the coach.