Travelling with Andante - Practicalities
- Single Travellers
- At least half the rooms we book are for single travellers, and half for couples or friends, so you will not feel alone as a single traveller - indeed that is one of the joys of this kind of holiday. Many friendships have been formed.
Single supplements are charged by hotels and we do not make any profit from them. Hotels see it the other way around - a single room is a standard price, but they will discount for those travelling together, who share space and bathrooms and spend twice as much in the hotel bar! - Security
- Should the FCO advise against travel to your destination we will cancel the tour immediately and refund any money that you have paid to us. In a group you are better protected than when travelling as an individual, and we have excellent relationships with our local suppliers. You will be accompanied by experienced tour staff who may be assisted by local guides and drivers. There is regular contact with the UK and staff are in a position to repatriate the group if required.
All travel entails risk, but currently travel to Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria are volatile. You share the consequences of that risk with us by virtue of agreeing our booking conditions.
We are bound by a contract with you to take you on the holiday as planned unless the Foreign Office advise against it. Nonetheless, in certain situations we may decide, or our tour staff may decide, that the holiday should not proceed if we see any reason why to do so would pose unnecessary risks.Should you choose to abandon the holiday when it is going ahead, you will still be liable for the full cost of the holiday. You should know that we pay for your flights, hotels and coaches well in advance of your holiday and that insurance to cover your withdrawal is not available.
- Special Dietary Requirements
- We will do our best to accommodate these but regret that we cannot be responsible for them. You will need to feel that you are in charge of your own diet, and if necessary take vital foods with you.
- Coach travel and loo stops
- These are not ‘coach tours’ and we dislike spending time in a vehicle if it can be avoided. Occasionally the terrain demands 4x4’s, or boats or even internal flights, but most journeys are undertaken by coach. If there are long journeys, we make sure we find rest-stops or sites to visit enroute. Our journeys are not built around loo or coffee stops, however, and we travel to places where ingenuity is required. We expect guests to let us know if we need to make an unscheduled stop...
- Carrying your own luggage
- There will almost certainly be occasions when you have to carry your own luggage, but never very far. However you should consider this particularly if travelling by train - changing trains means rolling your suitcase quite long distances along platforms and carrying it up and down staircases. Please do not rely on fellow guests or our tour managers to lift your cases. Whilst we do not pay for porters, if they are available and you would like one, the tour manager will arrange it for you.
- Andante Tour Managers
- Any 'Travels in Archaeology' tour with more than 15 guests will be accompanied by a tour manager as well as the guide lecturer unless otherwise stated. There are no tour managers on Relaxed Breaks and Bare Bones Tours. In many countries, it is also a legal requirement to be accompanied by a local guide.
- Passport details
- Your passport details are required for your flight tickets as the name on the ticket has to match your passport exactly, and for those hotels which require lists of their guests.
- Late Bookings
- We want you to join us, even at the 11th hour, but payment will usually be required within 24 hours and flights, if still available, may cost more.
- Taking Money
- You will not need very much cash on an Intro Tour or with Travels in Archaeology. Apart from the travelling days at the beginning and end of the holiday when lunches are sometimes not included, almost all others are, and even wine with dinner on some tours. Do note, however, that alchohol is usually very expensive in Muslim and Nordic countries.
Lunches are rarely included on the first and last day, and on Andante with Independence tours and Relaxed Breaks you will require money for many meals except breakfast, as described in each programme.
Take your debit/credit card in case of problems or in case you would spend the rest of your life regretting the rug/bowl/book you didn’t buy! - Health and Vaccinations
- You are responsible for checking with your GP whether you need any inoculations for your holiday, so we advise you to do so in good time.
- Waitlists
- Don't give up! Sometimes we are able to change the type of rooms we are holding to suit you, or arrange a late flight - or someone might have to drop out - so do ask to be added to a waiting list. There's quite a good chance we may be able to fit you in, and we will certainly do our best.