Discovery Tour Terms and Conditions

 

What are Discovery Tours?
Discovery Tours are opportunities for you to share ideas, knowledge and tips about student travel with other experienced Group Leaders, all while exploring and getting to know a new destination around the world. During the tour we hold one workshop where Group Leaders break out into focus groups to discuss and exchange ideas with each other and EF Staff.

 

How to qualify
You must have completed at least one student tour as a Group Leader prior to the Discovery Tour. A Group Leader must have an active student tour the year of the Discovery Tour as well as a combination of active and pending points equivalent to the cost of the Discovery tour at the time of enrolment.  If a Group Leader would like to bring a guest, only one guest per Group Leader is permitted.  For the guest’s spot, the Group Leader will have the option to use Global Rewards points or pay with money.  A combination of points and cash is not permitted.  The Guest must be 18 years of age or older upon departure date of the Discovery Tour.

 

How to enrol

Group Leader will receive emails leading up to the launch of the Discovery Tours indicating destination, dates, and point value, as well as the date enrolment opens on their Group Leader Global Rewards secure site.  Enrolment for the Group Leader and Guest onto the Discovery Tours is on a first come first served basis.  The Group Leader will be contacted by a member of the Global Rewards team about the enrolment status.  When the enrolment is confirmed, Global Rewards points will be automatically deducted from the Group Leader’s Global Rewards account.  Should the Discovery Tour be full, the Group Leader will have the option to be added to a waitlist.  If space becomes available, the Group Leader will be contacted to confirm their enrolment.  All enrolments must be made by 110 days prior to the departure date of the Discovery Tour.

 

What’s included on a Discovery Tour?

Like your student tours, Discovery Tours include round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, select meals, sightseeing and entrance fees, transportation to included activities, and a full time Tour Director. You will also travel with EF Staff from Canadian as well as international EF offices. One checked bag (meeting airline requirements) is included for destinations outside of Canada and the U.S.

 

What’s not included on a Discovery Tour?

Global Travel Protection, single room upgrades, beverages and meals not specified on the itinerary, optional excursions and free time activities are not included. You are also responsible for customary gratuities for your Tour Director and bus driver(s) as well as any fees for travel documents (visas, etc) that you may need for the tour. Checked baggage is not included for Discovery Tours within Canada or the U.S.

 

Rooming

The package is based on double room occupancy, if you wish to upgrade to a single room additional fees will apply. Rooming upgrade requests must be received by 110 days prior to departure and may not always be possible based on destination.

 

Special Travel

It’s almost always possible to arrange to stay behind after the end of the Discovery Tour program for a fee. There is also the option to return from a different major gateway (some restrictions apply based on the destination). A member of the Customer Loyalty Team will contact you regarding this option by 120 days prior to departure.

 

Tour cancellation
If paid by points: If your spot has been paid by points and cancelled within 110 days or more prior to departure a full refund of points will be issued less any non-refundable fees. Cancellations received 110 days to 60 days prior to departure will receive a refund less any non-refundable fees and 50% of the points. Cancellations made 59 days up to departure day, no point refund will be issued.  Non-refundable fees, such as Global Travel Protection Plan single room supplements and stay-ahead/stay-behind fees are also deducted from refunds.

If a guest’s spot is paid in cash, and canceled within 110 days or more prior to departure, a full refund will be issued less any non-refundable fees. Cancellations received 110 days to 60 days prior to departure will receive a refund less any non-refundable fees and 50% of the convention program price. Cancellations made 59 days up to departure day, no refund will be issued.  Non-refundable fees, such as Global Travel Protection Plan single room supplements and stay-ahead/stay-behind fees  are also deducted from refunds.

 

Passports, visas & other travel documents
Each traveller must obtain a passport and any applicable visas for his or her tour prior to departure. For certain tours, we will need passport information 110 days prior to departure. If a traveller is unable to obtain these travel documents, our standard cancellation fees will apply. Please be sure that passports are valid for at least six months after your tour ends. Non-Canadian citizens will need to contact the embassy or consulate of their destination countries to ensure they meet specific entry requirements. Remember to check your itinerary carefully for all countries that you will visit or pass through, including transfers between airports in foreign countries and re-entry into Canada.

 

How do I find which vaccinations are required for my travel destination?
Please call Traveller Support at 1-800-263-2806 or visit travel.gc.ca for the most up to date vaccination recommendations.

 

Name changes and applicable fees
Each traveller must provide EF with his or her first, middle (if applicable,) and last names and date of birth exactly as they appear on his or her passport. Any changes after 110 days prior to departure are subject to a minimum fee of $200, plus any additional fees from the airline(s) or may be impossible to accommodate. If the traveller’s first, middle, and last names on the ticket do not match their passport exactly, they may be denied boarding by the airlines.

 

Additional details and restrictions
Discovery Tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, with enrollment closing either when the tour is full or 60 days prior to departure (whichever comes first). Any special travel requests to extend your stay must be requested by no later than 110 days prior to departure and are subject to additional fees. EF cannot guarantee that your travel request can be accommodated.

 

Protection for travellers’ payments
EF Educational Tours is registered in accordance with the Travel Industry Act and upholds the standards and policies of this Act. EF Educational Tours is registered with TICO (international registration #2395858, domestic registration #50018789), Consumer Protection BC (international registration #73991, domestic registration #73990), and is a holder of a Quebec permit with the Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC permit #702732).

 

Terms and provisions
The terms and provisions of these Booking Conditions supersede any other warranties, representations, terms, or conditions, unless they are expressly stated within a Booking Conditions Addendum or in a letter signed by an EF officer. Booking Conditions are subject to change.

In the event of a major currency fluctuation, EF reserves the right to apply a currency surcharge. This contract permits price increases until the customer has paid in full. If the price increase is more than 7%, except increases resulting from an increase in retail sales tax or federal goods and service tax, the customer has the right to cancel the contract and obtain a full refund.

The tour operator for your international tour is EF Education First International AG (“EF”) Selnaustrasse 30, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland, organization number CHE–109.874.655, VAT number CHE–116.325.678 MWST. EF Institute for Cultural Exchange, Ltd. (“Educational Tours” or “ET”) is an affiliate of EF Education First International Ltd. (“EF”), and acts only as a marketing service for that company. ET does not provide any goods or services for our trips. Invoices pertaining to such tours are issued by EF Institute for Cultural Exchange, Ltd. on behalf of EF Education First International Ltd. Note: The services provided are tax-exempt with credit in accordance with Swiss Federal Law with regard to Value-Added Tax Art. #23. The tour operator for your domestic tour is EF Explore America, Inc., Two Education Circle, Cambridge, MA 02141, a U.S affiliate.