Tours FAQ
The quickest way to find answers to your questions about our guided tours is to review the most frequently asked questions below. If you can't find the information you're looking for, please contact Tour Sales & Service.
For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, see our FAQ.
The quickest way to find answers to your questions about our guided tours is to review the most frequently asked questions below. If you can't find the information you're looking for, please contact Tour Sales & Service.
We haven't yet committed to operating tours in 2021. When we do, tour bookings can be made on our website with a $400 deposit for each traveler. If you would like to be notified when a tour opens for booking, please select "Notify Me" in the Dates & Prices section of any tour you're interested in.
We haven't set a specific date for opening 2021 bookings yet, but we hope it's in late winter 2020 or early spring 2021. We'll communicate this news to all concerned as soon as we make a decision.
The $400 tour deposit is fully refundable for 30 days from the date it is received (or until your final payment due date, whichever comes first).
If possible, refunds will be issued against the original form of payment (credit card, ACH, check, or re-issued Rick Steves' credit). If we're not able to refund the original form of payment, we'll send a check.
Yes: Prices are per person, in US dollars. The price of your tour is guaranteed the moment we receive your deposit.
No, our tour prices don't include airfare. Your flight arrangements are completely up to you.
We have no official upper age restrictions as long as you're physically fit and a strong walker, but we do have some guidelines for children. Teens are welcome on all Rick Steves tours. Kids 8 and older are welcome on our Family Europe tours and My Way® vacation packages. Tour members under 18 must room with a parent or guardian.
It's an additional fee that guarantees a private single room for a solo traveler. Single supplement costs vary by tour and can be found on each tour's webpage.
The remaining balance for your tour is due 60 days prior to departure. For your convenience, we offer secure online payment options for both electronic check and credit card. We also accept personal checks (US bank accounts only), bank drafts or money orders in US dollars (US or Canadian banks only), and wire transfers.
Yes: Up to 60 days prior to your original tour's departure date, you can transfer to any other tour in the same calendar year as long as seats are available on the tour you want. Please call us at 425-608-4217 to arrange this. Any changes in the tour price will be reflected on your new invoice.
For information about insurance, please see Rick's article "Do I need travel insurance?"
Yes. To purchase a gift certificate by phone, call 425-608-4220. You can also fax or mail your gift certificate order form to our office.
To redeem a gift certificate for a tour, call us at 425-608-4217, or bring your certificate to our office in Edmonds, WA.
The names and contact information for your tour's first and last hotels will be available in your tour customer account once your reservation is confirmed. The complete list of hotels will be available in your tour customer account about one month prior to your tour's departure.
We can't make additional hotel reservations for tour members. We recommend booking additional hotel reservations through email or the hotel site's secure booking portal. As a guideline use our handy Hotel Reservation Form. Email is not a secure way to send credit card information, so if the hotel lacks a secure booking portal, it's smart to call or fax the hotel to finalize your payment.
Check your confirmation and specific tour itinerary for your tour dates and exact start time of the "Day 1" tour meeting. If traveling from the United States, you must depart at least one day in advance of your tour start date. We recommend that you book flights several months before your departure date — and much earlier if you want to use frequent-flyer miles.
Everyone who joins a tour is required to bring a valid passport and provide passport information to Tour Sales & Service before departure. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your return date and have a minimum of two blank visa pages. You're responsible for obtaining all required travel documents prior to your tour. If you're not a US citizen you'll need to contact your government to determine specific passport and visa requirements for traveling in Europe.
To download a passport application, go to the US Department of State website. The standard processing time is about a 3–6 weeks. A first-time passport purchase must be done in person at a designated passport facility.
Turkey and Russia require visas for US and Canadian travelers:
Currently no shots are required for travel in Europe, Turkey, or Russia. You should, however, be aware of the rules where you'll be traveling and check with your doctor to see if you're up to date with regular immunizations.
While we recommend all travelers be vaccinated against COVID-19 (and up to date with regular immunizations including the annual flu shot), we have yet to determine if proof of COVID-19 vaccination will be required for our tour members. However, our tours visit a wide variety of destinations where the governments, local authorities, and other entities may require proof of vaccination. We will do our best to keep our tour members informed of any requirements prior to traveling with us.
We don’t anticipate requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to traveling with us but specific locations or other entities may have different requirements. It’s up to each tour member to be aware of the rules where they’ll be traveling.
We expect tour members to monitor their health and only travel if they’re feeling well. However, getting sick while on tour can happen to anyone—and it can affect not just your trip, but your fellow tour members’ trip, too. If you start to feel sick during your tour, notify your guide right away, so they can direct you to a local clinic or pharmacy for diagnosis and treatment. If anyone has a confirmed case of COVID-19, we will follow the requirements of the local health authorities.
For advice on how to stay healthy while on tour, see Rick’s article: Tips for Healthy, Happy Travels.
About a month before your tour departs, easy-to-follow directions to your tour's first hotel will be available in your tour customer account. Once at the hotel, a sign in the lobby will describe where the group will meet on Day 1.
You must be able to comfortably handle all your luggage by yourself at all times. Therefore, we strongly urge you to limit your luggage to airline carry-on dimensions. Our online Travel Store sells carry-on-size rolling bags and backpacks.
Packing light is essential! Bring versatile, comfortable clothing that you can layer. Pack for the season in which you'll be travelling, but expect some rain regardless of the time of year. For more ideas on what to bring, check out Rick's Travel Tips: Packing Light, where you can find packing lists for both men and women.
A Tour Kit includes the essential items you'll need for your tour: a guidebook or books with important maps and information about the places you'll visit on your tour and a moneybelt to help keep your valuables safe from pickpockets. When your tour kit is ready, we'll email you information on how to order your Tour Kit. If you have questions about your Tour Kit, please call Tour Sales & Service at 425-608-4217 during business hours — or leave a detailed message and we'll call you back.
Our tours are physically active! Expect to be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, and in all weather conditions. You'll also need to carry your own luggage, often up several flights of stairs.
Rick Steves tour hotels are often quaint, sometimes creaky, full of two- and three-star personality, and run by friendly Europeans. Some don't have elevators, no (or weak) air conditioning, and spotty Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi only in common areas. Private bathrooms are the norm, but on a couple of tours a small chance exists that for one or two nights your bathroom may be down the hall.
While on tour you'll eat like a local. Cuisine is typical of the region and can vary widely from country to country. Local beer and wine are optional at group meals, and at your own expense.
If you require a vegetarian diet, please alert your guide at the start of your tour, so he or she can make arrangements for your upcoming meals. Beyond this, we cannot take responsibility for tour members with special dietary needs or allergies. Tour members with dietary restrictions usually manage fine with a little flexibility and willingness to supplement meals as needed at their own expense. Please discuss all relevant dietary/health issues with your guide at the start of your tour so he or she can assist you when possible.
Most tour itineraries have accessibility to laundry services once or twice during the tour, and your guide will give you tips on when and where you can do laundry.
While it's not necessary to be fluent, it's nice to master a few basic courtesies such as "Please" and "Thank you." You can find a page of helpful phrases in each of Rick's guidebooks.
No: You're not allowed to smoke or vape on the bus, in the hotel, or where other tour members are present. Nonsmokers, be aware that we can't isolate you from Europeans who smoke in public areas or hotels.
Your tour includes tips for the guide, driver, and group meals. Please do not tip beyond this. When you're out on your own it's customary to round up, or add a euro or two, rather than tip a certain percentage.
On fully guided tours, plan to spend between $50 and $100 per day for your beverages at group dinners, meals on your own, snacks, souvenirs, and free-time transportation and entrance fees.
For My Way tours you'll be responsible for the cost of all your lunches, dinners, and daily expenses — so your out-of-pocket expenses will likely be higher than on a fully guided tour. Be sure to plan and budget accordingly.
Families with kids 8 and older are welcome on our Family Europe: London to Florence in 13 Days tour, Family Europe: Amsterdam to Venice in 10 Days tour, and on all Rick Steves My Way® vacations. Teens are welcome on all Rick Steves tours.
In addition to a passport/visa, any child under 18 who isn't accompanied by BOTH parents must bring a notarized letter, signed by both parents, allowing the child to be taken out of the US and also allowing the adult traveling with the child to seek any necessary medical care. The letter should include the child's legal name, date of birth as shown on his or her passport, plus dates and countries of travel. For details, call the US State Department at 888-407-4747.
The museum visits and lectures are livelier and slightly condensed to better match kids' interests and attention spans. Restaurants will also be family friendly. We encourage families to participate in the activities together — activities for the adults and children are not separated. Your guide and tour assistant are great resources for free-time options, but keep in mind they're not babysitters.
Double-occupancy rooms (doubles and twins) are the standard in Europe. We have limited triple and single supplement rooms available as well. Our tour hotels will try to keep family members near one another as much as possible. In some unavoidable cases, the rooms may be on separate floors. Kids under age 18 must room with a parent or guardian at all times and may never be in a single room alone.
Yes! Traveling on a tour with kids can be a rewarding, memorable experience — for you, your child, and for other members of your tour group. To help make the most out of your trip, Rick has some great tips for traveling with kids in Europe.
More questions? Contact Tour Sales & Service at tour@ricksteves.com or 425-608-4217.