Age Restrictions
Cancellations
Adult Rooming
Refunds
Special Needs and Disabilities
Alternative Departure Gateways
Sending a Group Check
Family and Faculty Discount
Parental Authorization
Greek Cruises
Frequent Flyer Miles
Travel Delays
Land Only
Late Sign Up and Reinstatement (International Tours)
Late Sign Up and Reinstatement (North America Tours)
Payment Plans and Options
Optional Excursions
Travel Protection Plans
Explorica does not accept applications for travelers under the age of 8 at the time of departure. As our prices are based on student rates, adults age 23 and older are welcome to participate, however, they are responsible for paying a flat adult supplement.
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Official cancellation requests must be emailed to cancellations@explorica.com. The parent or guardian of a participant may contact Explorica to inquire about cancellations.
Will my reservations be cancelled by Explorica if I do not make my payments?
If you do not meet the conditions of your payment plan, your reservations will be cancelled and standard cancellation fees will apply.
Explorica's Travel Protection Plan Plus: Cancel For Any Reason Benefit
Explorica’s Travel Protection Plan Plus includes our exclusive Cancel for Any Reason benefit. For more information about benefit rules and timelines, and for information about submitting a claim, please see the Travel Protection section of our website.
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Adults (23 years of age or older) are automatically placed in twin rooms unless a single room is selected and paid for at the time of enrollment. The adult rooming supplement fee for US travelers on international tours is $35 per night ($75 per night on ferries and cruise ships) and $70 per night for a single room. The adult rooming supplement fee for US travelers in the US and CA is $30 per night and $65 per night for a single room. Single rooms are not available on night trains, cruises and ferries. Roommates are assigned by your Group Leader and requests should be given to your Group Leader 60 days prior to your departure.
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If your account has an overpayment Explorica will process your refund once all funds have cleared the bank. This usually takes about 2-3 weeks from the time the refund is posted. If your account has been cancelled, any refund due will be processed within 6 weeks of the date of cancellation. If you purchased Explorica's Travel Protection Plan, you may submit a claim to Trip Mate.
Explorica issues refunds in the same method payments were made. Please note that Explorica cannot refund credit cards that were not originally used for payments, or that exceed the total amount charged to that card. Please contact Explorica at 888.310.7121 with questions concerning your refund.
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Students or adults with special needs or physical disabilities may travel on an Explorica tour. Please let us know in advance of your departure and we will do everything we can to accommodate your needs. Please note: some bus companies and hotels overseas are not wheelchair accessible. We ask that you contact your Program Consultant or a Customer Care Representative with your specific needs. Read more about the Explorica Accessibility Policy.
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If you would like to depart or return from a different airport than your group, please indicate this request at the time of your enrollment. Select your desired departure airport from the Alternate Gateway menu on the “Change Selections” page, or include your selections on your paper application. You will pay the Tour Fee and Airport Fees based on your departure city plus a service fee ($145 USD) and we will change your airline ticket accordingly. Travelers must depart from and return to the same US gateway.
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If you would like to allocate check funds amongst group members, please fill out Group Check Form. If your check is larger than your participants’ total balance, please assign the extra amount to the Group Leader. If you have more than one group check to submit, please make a copy of the form and submit a separate one for each. Please mail this form(s) with your check(s), payable to Explorica Inc, to:
Explorica Inc.
145 Tremont Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02111
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Explorica offers a 15% Family and Faculty Discount on the Tour Fee (all other fees apply). This discount applies only to the Group Leader's immediate family members and faculty members working at the school through which the Group Leader is organizing the tour. Those extended this discount are not considered full-paying participants and therefore do not count toward the Group Leader's stipend, free chaperone places, or travel points.
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The governments of certain countries require parental consent for a minor to enter. This document needs to be completed prior to departure and taken with the traveler on tour. The forms below must be signed and notarized in order for each student to enter the country. Each traveler must present the form, along with a valid passport, to the airline attendant upon checking in.
Download the Parental Consent Form for Minors Traveling to Belize.
Any specific questions or concerns regarding the necessity of these forms or how to complete them should be directed toward the embassy of the country being visited.
Note: The above applies to parties holding American passports. Those without US citizenship should contact their local consulate for information regarding traveling out of country as a minor.
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Specific details and requirements vary by cruise line so please be sure to research your cruise line's guidelines prior to your departure. The following is a list of helpful information:
General Information
- Each passenger is responsible for bringing all required travel documents (passports and visas).
- Safety boxes for your valuable items, jewelry, money and documents are available on most ships.
Attire
- Light-weight layers are recommended to suit the weather conditions of Greece and Turkey.
- Comfortable shoes are recommended for excursions. Flip flops, tank tops, and shorts may not be permitted in the dining rooms.
Health and Medical Requirements
- If you are taking any medication please bring a copy of your prescription with you.
- Expectant mothers in their third trimester are not allowed on board due to safety reasons.
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The ability to obtain frequent flyer miles will vary depending on the airline; some airlines will credit your account and others cannot do so because you are flying on a group ticket. You will need to contact the airline directly, as Explorica is unable to negotiate frequent flyer miles on your behalf. It may be helpful to retain your boarding passes.
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Travel can be unpredictable and arrival times are not guaranteed.
- If you are flying from the west coast or into southern Europe, you should expect a late arrival time. Your Tour Director will work to readjust your itinerary in order to accommodate your arrival.
- If weather or mechanical problems delay your flight, your airline must work with you to make alternate arrangements and you will join the tour already in progress.
- We strongly recommend purchasing Explorica's Travel Protection to protect you in the case of a travel delay or other unforeseen circumstances.
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For many of our tours, you may opt to arrange your own airline tickets and join the group at the hotel at their first overseas destination. We will discount your Tour Fee by up to 35 percent. Some tours that include an internal flight do not permit the Land Only option. Please contact a Customer Care Representative for more information.
You may sign up as a Land Only Participant online, by selecting the Land Only box on the “Change Selections” page. Should you wish to mail us a paper application, please mark your application accordingly to reflect this option. This should be requested upon enrollment and up to 130 days before departure. Additional fees may apply if requested between 129–90 days before departure. This option is not available less than 90 days before departure.
Please note that all Land Only Participants are responsible for their own airline tickets and airport transfers. You will not be met at the airport by an Explorica representative.
ATTENTION MINOR TRAVELERS (UNDER THE AGE OF 18)
Minors may NOT travel Land Only unless one of the following conditions is met:
- The traveler is accompanied by an adult. If the accompanying adult is not the parent or guardian of the traveler, written consent must be provided by the legal parent or guardian.
- The parent or guardian of the traveler has signed a consent form acknowledging that the traveler will not be met at the airport and Explorica will NOT supply chaperone or transport service to or from the airport. Forms must be completed at the time of Land Only enrollment and faxed to Explorica at 1.888.310.7088.
INDIVIDUAL STAY AHEADS AND STAY BEHINDS
You may wish to spend time at your destinations before or after the scheduled tour. The fee for this service is $145 if requested upon enrollment. If requested after enrollment and up to 130 days before departure, the fee is $195. Additional fees may apply if requested between 129–90 days before departure. This option is not available less than 90 days before departure. We will change your airline ticket, and you are responsible for all accommodations, meals, and transfers before and after the scheduled tour. Because we will arrange your airline tickets separately from your group’s, we cannot guarantee that you will share any of the same flights, and additional fees may apply.
You may sign up with an individual stay ahead and/or stay behind online, by selecting the selecting these options on the “Change Selections” page. Should you wish to mail us a paper application, please mark your application accordingly to reflect this option.
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All enrollments and reinstatements received less than 105 days prior to departure are subject to a $125 late sign up fee and must immediately be paid in full, including the service fee. After late applications have been received, additional charges (for last-minute flight reservations, increased Tour Fees, etc) may apply. You will be notified of these additional fees before any charges are made.
Late applicants will be placed on a waiting list and be marked "pending" while we look into securing hotel and other tour reservations, as well as flight reservations. Over 90% of our wait-listed participants are accepted.
- Any participant reinstating under 105 days prior to departure must pay a $50 reinstatement fee in addition to the late sign up fee. All current tour costs will apply, as well as any previous late payment fees or selected optionals.
- If your late application is received between 104 and 30 days prior to departure and Explorica is unable to reserve flight space with your group, you may refuse the available flight itinerary and cancel your entire tour reservation for a full refund (or amount paid to reinstate).
- We cannot make flight arrangements for anyone wishing to sign up or reinstate between 29 and 16 days prior to departure. Should you choose to sign up at this late a date, you must do so as a land only participant.
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All enrollments and reinstatements received less than 75 days prior to departure (60 days for bus groups) will be subject to a $95 late enrollment fee ($25 for bus groups) and must be paid in full immediately. After late applications have been received, additional charges (for last-minute flight reservations, increased Tour Fees, etc) may apply.
Late applicants will be placed on a waiting list; if no space becomes available we'll refund the full payment minus any reinstatement or previous cancellation fees that may apply. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee that participants whose enrollments are accepted less than 75 days prior to departure will share the same flight itinerary as the rest of the group.
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Explorica offers three convenient payment plans and accepts Visa and MasterCard (credit and debit), checks, electronic checking account payments, online banking and money orders. Payments can be made online, over the telephone or by mail.
Checks should be made payable to Explorica and sent to:
Explorica, Inc
145 Tremont Street, 6th floor
Boston, MA 02111
INTERNATIONAL TOURS
Monthly Automated Plan:
Pay your $99 non-refundable deposit and travel protection plan costs with a credit card or checking account upon enrollment and the balance of your Tour Fee will be automatically charged to your card or debited from your account in equal monthly installments until 35 days prior to your departure date. Please note that you must make all payments by credit card, debit card, or checking account. If two consecutive payments are returned NSF or declined by your bank or credit card company, we will change your account to the 4-Step Manual Plan.
Full Payment Plan:
Pay in full at time of enrollment.
4-Step Manual Plan:
Pay your $99 deposit and travel protection plan costs upon enrollment, $500 toward your Tour Fee 30 days later, and 75% of your remaining balance at 105 days prior to departure. The final remaining balance is due 65 days prior to departure and can be paid by check, credit or debit card, or checking account. If you enroll 150 days prior to departure or later, you will make only three payments - $99 deposit and travel protection plan costs at enrollment, 75% of your remaining balance at 105 days prior to departure, and the final balance at 65 days prior to departure. Please note that we do not automatically deduct payments on this plan; you must make each payment manually. All full-paying participants, including participants who have previously traveled with Explorica, are required to pay the $99 deposit upon enrollment. Any participant who has already paid the deposit for a previous tour will receive a $100 credit on his or her Explorica account.
NORTH AMERICAN TOURS
Monthly Automated Plan:
Pay your $100 non-refundable deposit and travel protection plan costs with a credit card or checking account upon enrollment and the balance of your Tour Fee will be automatically charged to your card or debited from your account in equal monthly installments until 35 days prior to your departure date. Please note that you must make all payments by credit card, debit card, or checking account. If two consecutive payments are returned NSF or declined by your bank or credit card company, we will change your account to the 3-Step Manual Plan.
Full Payment Plan:
Pay in full at the time of enrollment.
Manual Payment Plan (Flights):
Pay $100 non-refundable deposit and travel protection costs at enrollment a $300 down payment 30 days after your enrollment is processed, and your tour balance 75 days prior to departure.
Manual Payment Plan (Bus):
Pay $100 non-refundable deposit and travel protection costs at enrollment then the remaining balance is due 60 days prior to departure.
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Explorica offers optional excursions on most of our tours to provide flexibility to your itinerary. Any excursion labeled “optional” on the tour description is not included in your tour fee and may be added, for an additional cost, to your itinerary. To find out more about Optional Excursion costs, see the Optional Excursion section of our Terms and Conditions.
While most optional excursions can be booked during your tour, Explorica recommends that you book them prior to departure to ensure availability. Some excursions such as the optional Versailles excursion or New York City Broadway shows are pre-book only and must be booked before departure. A minimum of 20 participants is required in order to run each optional activity.
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