Thank you for booking with us! Below is important information regarding preparation for your upcoming tour. Please review everything here carefully, especially paperwork requirements and payment deadlines. For the Terms & Conditions governing your tour, visit your tour page and click the "Fine Print" button.
Paperwork for Your Tour
We must receive the following items 75 days prior to your departure (or the date shown on your invoice):
TOUR REGISTRATION FORM: Print, fill out and sign our 
tour registration form and send it with your final payment.
FINAL PAYMENT: Please review your invoice for accuracy and note the final payment due date. Please send your final payment to us so that it reaches us by the due date on your invoice. We regret that payments that arrive after the due date will be subject to a late payment fee of $50 per invoice. In the unlikely event that we haven't received your final payment by our suppliers' final deadline, we regret that your reservations will be cancelled and deposits forfeited.
If paying your balance by credit card, please complete our credit card authorization form and return it to us by fax, email, or postal mail. Passengers joining our tours from outside the USA must make payment by credit card or by bank check or money order in U.S. currency. If you have any questions about your invoice, please contact us by email or telephone as soon as possible.
PASSPORT COPIES: Please make a clear, legible photocopy (use light mode if possible), fax or scan of the signature and photo pages from your valid passport. If your passport expires within six months of your return date, please renew your passport without delay. If you do not have a passport at the time you make final payment, please send the registration form and include a note indicating when we can expect to receive your passport copies.
Preparing for Your Tour
DOCUMENT DELIVERY: Your final travel documents will be sent to you via email approximately 14 days prior to your departure. This email will include a copy of your electronic air ticket receipt (e-tickets), the daily itinerary for your tour, hotel and emergency contact information, and any other relevant information for your tour.
For those tours with paper tickets, documents will be sent by courier service, with signature required. Prior to delivery, you will receive an email notice with shipment tracking information. Documents delivered outside U.S. mainland will incur an additional delivery charge of $40 if sent by courier service.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Just imagine booking a trip of a lifetime, at an incredible sale price, and then, just before departure, catching the flu. If you have protected yourself with travel insurance, you'll suffer the disappointment of having to postpone your vacation for another time, but you will avoid the pain of turning your incredible travel bargain into a financial loss.
Cancellation fees for Friendly Planet tours are charged by our suppliers and are beyond our control. Therefore, in order to avoid costly cancellation penalties should you have to cancel your tour prior to departure, we strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance to cover losses. Our wholesale plan is just $99-159 per person and covers even pre-existing conditions if purchased at the time you make your initial reservation.
If you have already paid the premium for our wholesale travel insurance policy, you are covered under its terms. The travel insurance certificate describing the policy is enclosed with your confirmation packet. If you haven't already paid for travel insurance and still wish to do so, please pay the full balance on your invoice, which includes this optional premium. If you decide not to take this coverage, please subtract the premium cost from the balance due on your invoice. Insurance premiums are non-refundable once paid. For more information about travel insurance, please click here.
VISAS: Many destinations require a visa for entry. Since visa requirements vary by country and are subject to change, we will send comprehensive information, including visa instructions and application forms if applicable, in your confirmation packet.
Citizens of other countries are welcome to join our tours. However, be sure to contact your own government agency or the consulates of the countries you are visiting in order to determine the exact visa requirements for your nationality. It is the responsibility of every passenger, regardless of nationality, to determine what documentation is required and to obtain this documentation prior to departure. For more information, please click here.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS: Please be sure to visit the "Fast Facts" section of your tour where you will find recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). We suggest that you also consult with your family doctor or travel medicine specialist to find out if there are any special precautions recommended specifically for you.
FLIGHTS: The flight schedule for your tour is included with your confirmation materials. Be sure to schedule your domestic flights into our gateway city according to the times provided in the itinerary. Since schedules can change, we strongly suggest that you leave plenty of connecting time--at least 3 1/2 hours--between flights. If you are traveling during the month of March or mid-October to mid-November, please note that each year the airlines traditionally undergo flight schedule changes during this time, when Daylight Savings Time begins and ends. We may only be notified of these schedule changes 60 days or less prior to your tour departure. If you are traveling during these months, we strongly suggest that you allow a 5 - 5 ½ hours connection time between these flights.
Please note that flight schedules are always subject to change, even after flight have been confirmed. Friendly Planet cannot be held responsible for changes in flight schedules.
ADVANCED SEATING: Most airlines no longer pre-assign individual seats for groups. Instead, each group is given a block of seats, and individual seats are assigned upon check-in. We urge you to arrive at your gateway city in a timely way so you will succeed in getting your seating preference. The earlier you arrive, the better the selection of available seats.
LATE RETURNS: On some of our tour programs, it may be possible to extend your stay post-tour for up to 30 days from your original departure from the US. A late return costs an additional $100 per person, plus any applicable difference in fare. Price and space for late returns are subject to availability at the time of booking. Certain restrictions apply.
FREQUENT FLYER POINTS: You may be able to earn frequent flyer points on some of our tours. Once you receive your tickets, call the airline directly to enter your frequent flyer numbers in your flight record. As you travel, check with the agent prior to boarding each flight on your tour to be sure the frequent flyer information has been entered properly. Keep your boarding passes and passenger receipt, as these documents are proof that you have actually flown the miles you are asking to be credited to your frequent flyer account. We regret that we cannot accept frequent flyer information for passengers traveling on group flights; our airline partners will not accept frequent flyer information for groups prior to check-in, since these numbers cannot appear on tickets that have been issued for groups. In addition, group tickets unfortunately cannot be upgraded using frequent flyer points. It is up to each passenger to take care of all issues involving frequent flyer points.
SPECIAL REQUESTS: If you have a special meal request or require wheelchair or electric cart assistance, please send us your requests in writing. We will forward all written requests to the airlines and our overseas representatives. Once you have received your final travel documents, please call the airline directly to reconfirm your requests. While we are glad to assist our travelers in any way we can, Friendly Planet cannot be responsible for special services not delivered by the airlines, hotels or land operators abroad.
LAND-ONLY PASSENGERS: If you are traveling with us on a "land only" basis, please note that arrival and departure transfers are not included in your tour price. On some tours, individual, private transfers can be arranged at a supplement in price. Taxis and other forms of transportation are also available and may cost less than private transfers. If you wish to arrange private transfers on those tours for which this service is available, please request them at the time of reservation.
OPTIONAL TOURS: On many tours, optional sightseeing tours and evening activities will be offered and should be reserved and paid for directly to your guide, unless otherwise instructed. Your travel documents will contain the most up-to-date selection and pricing for the optional tours for your tour, including payment information. Please note that optional tours are non-refundable once reserved and paid.
NON-INCLUDED MEALS: The hotels used on our tours usually have several dining choices, from coffee shops to specialty restaurants. Average costs vary by destination. Please refer to our comprehensive destination guides for specific recommendations for dining. You will find suggestions by type of food served and by cost. For destinations where the choice is limited, your guide or tour manager will provide suggestions for non-included meals. Most hotels and restaurants will accept credit cards for your non-included meals.
CREDIT CARDS & LOCAL CURRENCY: Most hotels and stores accept major credit cards; however, you will need local currency or U.S. Dollars for "street shopping." Many hotels, banks, and exchange shops can exchange cash for local currency. ATM machines are available in most countries, but we recommend that you also bring along cash in small denominations. Most hotels will have in-room safes or safe deposit box facilities. Leave extra cash safely locked away and carry with you only the amount needed for the day. For most destinations it is not advisable to change money before you depart. Almost every airport has money changing offices or booths where you can exchange enough money for the first few days of your trip. You can consult with your guide or tour manager as to the best ways to change money as you travel.
OTHER COSTS & FEES: Changes to your original reservation, such as a change from one departure to another or one tour to another, will result in a $150 change fee per person, per change. Changes to your invoice will result in a $25 per invoice, per change fee. Within 60 days of departure, all requests for changes will be subject to confirmation. Unused services cannot be refunded once the trip has begun. No refund can be made for absence by passengers from any part of the tour. Personal tips are not included in the tour price. We will provide each passenger with suggested tipping information for all of our tours. These suggestions will be part of the final tour documents.
PACKING FOR YOUR TOUR: Each passenger may bring one piece of checked-in luggage (suitcase) and one carry-on piece. The carry on must not exceed 18" x 10" x 8" so that it fits under your seat or in the overhead compartment. If your bag has slightly different dimensions but fits under your seat or overhead, it should not be a problem on our flights. You may also carry one personal item such as a purse or camera bag. While airline regulations may permit two bags per person on some itineraries, your porterage is covered for only one suitcase. Also, on flights within a country, luggage may be limited to only 44 pounds even though the transatlantic/pacific flights allow up to 70 pounds. Additional checked luggage will incur additional cost. Space for luggage tends to be limited aboard our cruise ship cabins. Pack a fold-up nylon or canvas bag for souvenirs. We recommend that you do not over-pack and that you take a variety of separates with climate and comfort in mind. For your convenience, bring a small voltage converter and plug adapter. Universal kits are sold wherever luggage is sold.
Other Important Information
CANCELLATION POLICY: Cancellation of reservations must be made in writing and are subject to cancellation charges. To review our cancellation policy and the Terms & Conditions for your tour, visit the tour page and click the "Fine Print" button.
QUESTIONS & INFORMATION: Our website is constantly growing with new and valuable information about the destinations you are visiting on your tour. On every tour page, you will find links to useful information about weather, money, health requirements and suggestions, visas and other details. You will find links to pages describing our hotels and cruise ships, and you can read testimony from other travelers who have sent us their feedback, including their photos. We invite you to browse our website and take advantage of the information we provide so that you can better prepare for your travel experience. If you still have questions or require more information about your tour, please contact us by email or telephone. When you write or call, please be sure to tell us your full name, tour name, and date of departure.
