Posted on: Sunday, January 7, 2007
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SAVVY TRAVELER
Translate those tour brochures
By
Irene Croft Jr.
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ACCOMMODATIONS
Single room: A room with one bed for one person. Single occupancy: A double room occupied by one person. Twin room: A room with two beds for two people. Double room: A room for two people with a double bed. Triple room: A room for three people, usually consisting of twin beds (or double bed) plus a roll-away cot. Service charges and taxes: Service charges are a fixed percentage automatically added to room and meal charges. Taxes are set by the city, state or national government. Ocean front: A room directly facing the ocean with unobstructed view. Ocean view: A room from which it is possible to see or glimpse the ocean.MEALS Continental breakfast: Usually consists of bread, rolls, butter, jam and tea or coffee but may include cold cereals, fruit, yogurt, cheeses and meats. American or full breakfast: Continental breakfast plus eggs and other hot dishes. AP (American Plan): Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. MAP (Modified American Plan): Includes breakfast and dinner. Full board (full pension): Includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Half board (demi-pension): Includes breakfast, and either lunch or dinner. Table d'hôte: Published restaurant or hotel dining room menu, usually consisting of appetizer, two or three choices of main course and dessert. Tea or coffee and other drinks are not usually included. A la carte: Unrestricted selection from the menu.SERVICES Tour escort/director/manager: Professional engaged to oversee the logistical details of the tour operation and to accompany the group throughout the tour. Local host: Generally a tour operator representative who provides assistance, information and optional sightseeing and entertainment arrangements in a particular city. Local guide: Professional engaged to provide commentary and conduct excursions of specific locations and attractions. Driver-guide: Professional engaged to drive a vehicle and to inform about places of interest. Transfers: Arrival and departure service consisting of providing transport between the airport, city air terminal, rail station, or pier and hotel. Porterage: Baggage-handling service.PRICES All-inclusive price: Includes land arrangements and round-trip airfare and/or other transportation. Land price: The cost for land arrangements only. Single-room supplement: Difference in price between half of a twin room and the actual price of a single-occupancy room. High-season supplement: Additional charge imposed during the busiest time of the year. Double occupancy rate: The price per person based on two people sharing a room. Double room rate: The price per room shared by two people.
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Within the travel industry, an escorted tour customarily is defined as a trip taken by a group of people, either acquaintances or strangers, who travel together following a pre-planned itinerary and accompanied by a professional tour manager. Most tours, from budget to mid-level, include accommodations, breakfast and perhaps other meals, guided sightseeing with entry fees, land transportation and sometimes plane travel. A deluxe to luxury tour is more inclusive, adding superior accommodation, most meals — at a gourmet standard and sometimes with drinks — special events, exclusive activities and often tips.
To promote their travel products, tour operators spend a considerable amount of their overhead on brochures. Whether in print or online, they are designed solely to entice you to make a speedy decision and to tender a trip deposit. With this in mind, the United States Tour Operators Association, (800) 486-7862 or www.ustoa.com, a prestigious professional trade organization, offers guidelines for understanding and interpreting a tour brochure.
Here are their suggestions:
Price: Check carefully what is included in the tour price and what is not. Are airfare, meals, transfers, accommodations, sightseeing and other of your expectations covered? A particularly low teaser price may constitute only the beginning of your financial outlay.
Itinerary: Study the itinerary thoroughly. Are the sites you hoped to explore included? And are you visiting (inside) or viewing (outside) the attractions? This seemingly minor word discrepancy is significant.
Pace: Will the tour cover too many or too few destinations in a specific number of days? Is there satisfactory free time for personal pursuits, or too much leisure? Is the level of physical difficulty suitable for your health and stamina? Are the planned activities and sightseeing thoughtfully paced?
Size of Group: Match the maximum number of accepted participants with your personal needs and preferences. Do you want a smaller, more intimate tour experience, or a larger group where you can share your journey with a wider variety of people?
Terms: Foreign hotel ratings may not reflect familiar American standards of room size, style and degree of luxury. Ask your travel agent to evaluate the ambience, convenience of location, and facilities of the listed hotels before you select your tour. Ensuite means with private bathroom.
Single Supplement: Most tour operators charge extra for travelers who desire single occupancy of a double room. Keep in mind that designated "single" rooms in European hotels are often cramped and feature only a twin bed. Some tour companies offer roommate shares for single travelers. Compare the costs of traveling solo to sharing with a stranger.
Conditions: Read carefully the terms and conditions page in your brochure. It explains the tour operator's rights and responsibilities as well as yours. This document outlines allowable service or schedule substitutions, baggage allowances and damage policy, payment information, cancellation and penalty rules, your acceptance of risk and a lot more.
Comparisons: If one company features a tour for $1,000 and another offers supposedly the same one for $300, you can be certain they are not similar in quality and included features. Determine which offers the best value for your money. There are no free lunches, so don't be fooled into committing to a trip that will end up costing you a great deal more for a good bit less than you had expected.
Questions: Involve your travel agent in your decision-making process. If you have questions and concerns, a savvy agent will know the answers or can obtain them directly from the tour operator.
Irene Croft Jr. of Kailua, Kona, is a travel writer and 40-year veteran globetrotter. Her column is published in this section every other week.
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