Hotels »Rooming »Rooming on night trains and ferries (if applicable) »Meals »Transportation »Free time »International phones »Phone cards »EF TourLink »Power conversion »General safety tips »Hotels A good night’s sleep is important, so you can count on safe, clean and comfortable hotels with private baths. And rest assured, we inspect every hotel personally. Some common differences from North American hotels:
· Rooms are usually smaller and have single and/or shared double beds.
· Rooms seldom have air conditioning or televisions.
· Not all European hotels have elevators.
· Shower pressure tends to be much weaker and, in some countries, the showerhead may be a detachable, hand-held device, directly above the toilet or sink. Few hotels have shower curtains.
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Rooming
Students under age 23 will share rooms with two or three other travelers of the same gender, either from their own group or from other groups with whom they are traveling. Each room will contain single beds or occasionally shared double beds, or a combination of the two. Hotel styles and room configurations vary among destinations, so students who share a room in one city may not do so in the next. Students under the age of 23 who wish to have twin rooms will be charged an additional fee. For any non-standard student requests, please submit your request to your group leader by 70 days prior to departure.
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Rooming on night trains and ferries (if applicable)
Sleeping compartments on trains are very small and there are no single or double rooms. Adults and students will room in couchettes of up to six shelf-like beds that fold down from the wall. Bathrooms are located outside the compartments in the corridor. Single rooms are not available on overnight ferries, overnight trains or tours to Africa.
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Meals
Breakfast typically includes cereal, bread or rolls, jam, juice, coffee and tea. Lunch is the chance for you to make culinary discoveries of your own and the tour director can provide recommendations. Included dinners will either be familiar dishes or local specialties. You will be expected to pay for soft drinks and other beverages at dinner. Table water is always provided free of charge; bottled water is provided only in those countries where deemed necessary by locals (e.g. Egypt). You should expect food and portion size to be different than what you are accustomed to at home.
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Transportation
On most EF tours, you will travel by motorcoach from one destination to the next as well as on EF-included sightseeing tours and excursions. However, some itineraries include internal flights or travel by train, cruise ship or ferry.
To travel to local activities or free-time options, you will find it easy to use public transportation. Public transportation is more commonly used abroad than it is in many parts of North America. Your EF Tour Director will help you learn the maps and routes.
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Free time
On some tours, there will be a little free time when there's nothing planned. This is your time to explore the city with your friends and group leaders. Check out a museum, sit at a café and people-watch, buy souvenirs, take pictures, go on a hike…the choices are endless. Just get together with some people in your group and take it all in.
If you need some help figuring out what to do, your EF Tour Director will point you in the right direction. Depending on your destination, get a start on thinking about free-time activities before you go by checking out recommended walking tours with TourCasts, exciting downloadable content for your iPod!
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International phones
You can save up to 70 percent on international roaming rates when you use EF’s ekit Global Mobile. Choose from a range of discounted international cell phones that provide convenient, low-cost calling from over 120 countries around the world.
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Phone cards
EF eKit phone cards are a really great way to keep in touch with those at home. EF will mail you a calling card about a month before you leave. All you have to do is add money and activate it. Find out more and purchase an eKit phone card.
Always check with your hotel to see if they charge any connection fees, since they can be very expensive. It is usually better to use public phones.
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EF TourLink
While you discover some of the world’s greatest treasures, your parents can go online to track your tour group’s adventures with EF TourLink! EF Tour Directors carry real-time GPS locators that pinpoint each tour group’s location at various points throughout the tour in the countries where TourLink is available. Tour directors also record activities in a trip log, making it exciting for family and friends to follow along from home.
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Power conversion
Other countries use different voltage standards, so you don't want to plug anything (iPod, hair dryer, phone) into an outlet without a converter and an adapter.
Here are some basic voltages in use around the world:
U.S. 120V
European Union 230V
Mexico 127V
Costa Rica 120V
China 220V
Australia 240V
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General safety tips
So we’re going to sound like your parents here. Sorry, but we have to. No matter where you are—home or abroad--being safe is a matter of common sense. Here are some tips to make sure you don't run into trouble:
- Don't wear expensive-looking clothes or jewelry. You’re not Paris Hilton; the labels can stay at home.
- Don't walk around alone; stay with your group or several friends. But you knew that already…Right?
- Stay off dark streets and alleys. Do we need to warn you about this? We really hope not.
- Be aware of your purse/wallet and keep your money in a safe place. We know it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new city, but leaving your purse or backpack dangling off your arm is asking for trouble. Travel pouches that you wear under your clothes are a better choice.
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