FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE TOUR PRICE?

All breakfasts and quite a few lunches and dinners are included along with all activities and entrance fees included per itinerary. A complete listing of what is included in the price of your tour can be found either on the left side column of the actual listing or in the Terms and Conditions section on this website.

WHAT IS A SINGLE SUPPLEMENT FEE?

This is the additional fee for those who would like a single room. Half the room cost is already calculated in the trip price. This is the cost if you aren’t sharing a room.

WHAT IF THE DOLLAR SUDDENLY GETS WEAKER AGAINST THE LOCAL CURRENCY OF MY TOUR DESTINATION?

Prices are based on an annually set exchange rate. If there is a sudden drastic change in the strength of the dollar, tour prices may change without notice. However, once you have registered for a tour and paid your deposit, your price will not be affected by any price changes, even if there is a price increase before the start date of your tour.

ARE TIPS INCLUDED?

One of the benefits of traveling with Sudden Journeys is that you do not need to worry about how much to tip the local guides, drivers, and waitstaff when included in the itinerary. All of these are included in the price of the tour. The only tips that are not included in your tour price would be for your Sudden Journeys tour director and this is up to your discretion. At the end of your trip, if you’re happy with the service you received, providing a tip for the leader — though not compulsory — is appropriate and very much appreciated. The industry standard is 10% of your trip price.

DO I HAVE TO JOIN EACH ACTIVITY?

Certainly, at Sudden Journeys, we understand that it is your vacation and if you decide there is an activity you’d prefer to opt out of, we have no problem with that. Venture off on your own for an afternoon, relax by the pool at the hotel, or go for a hike, that is your choice, however, Sudden Journeys cannot reimburse you for included activities you do not participate in.

WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE SOMEONE TO TRAVEL WITH BUT I DON'T WANT TO PAY THE SINGLE SUPPLEMENT?

At this time, we don’t offer sharing rooms with strangers. Most of the hotels where you will stay only have double/queen-size beds.

WHAT IS THE TRIP SIZE?

Our maximum tour size is normally 10. Many of the places we visit and the hotels where we stay aren’t suitable for larger groups. We prefer to have the feeling of traveling with friends and find that the smaller group lends itself to a more relaxing experience.

CAN I TRAVEL WITH A LARGE FAMILY OR A GROUP OF FRIENDS? CAN YOU CREATE A TOUR JUST FOR US?

Yes, we would love to help you with this and enjoy working with groups. Feel free to contact us and let us know which tour you are interested in. We will discuss your interests and come up with a tour and dates that fit your needs.

DO YOU HAVE A LUGGAGE LIMIT?

We recommend that you bring one bag/suitcase per person, plus a small carry-on bag. In our experience, many people end up overpacking and then have no space for all the treasures they want to bring home with them.

WHAT KIND OF ACCOMMODATIONS CAN I EXPECT?

We have a range of accommodations depending on the location of the tour. We spend much time seeking out beautiful unique accommodations to offer our participants. We stay in smaller design boutique-type hotels. Sometimes the accommodation could be a 16th-century country inn, a farm turned into a four-star hotel, or perhaps a local bed and breakfast where we are the only guests during our stay, or maybe a manor turned hotel! Our goal is to capture the local character of a place while offering comfort and safety. 

IS WIFI AVAILABLE AT THE HOTELS?

Yes, wifi is available at 95% of the hotels. The exception would be if we are in a remote location where wifi is not an option in that area. Normally wifi is free, however, there may be times when there could be a surcharge.

WHAT TIME CAN I CHECK IN AT MY ARRIVAL HOTEL?

Check-in times can vary from hotel to hotel but generally, check-in is around 3pm. All of our hotels will do their best to have your room available as early as possible however, if you arrive earlier than check-in time and your room isn’t ready, you will have the option to store your luggage with the hotel and head out to explore until your room is ready.

CAN I REQUEST AN EARLY CHECK-IN?

We can’t promise an early check-in, but we are more than happy to book you a night of pre-accommodation at the same hotel - if a room is available. Contact us and we will let you know the price of an extra night.

WILL MY ROOM HAVE A PRIVATE BATHROOM?

Yes, all accommodations have a private ensuite bathroom per guest room.

WHAT IF I WANT TO BRING MY CHILD WITH ME ON A TOUR?

Sudden Journeys has its roots in leading student tours. We are passionate about encouraging young people to take opportunities to travel when they can. We welcome pre-teens and teens on our tours and suggest that you look at our itineraries carefully and pick a tour that will be enjoyed by everyone in your family.

IS TRAVEL INSURANCE NECESSARY?

We do not require it, however, Sudden Journeys highly recommends purchasing individual travel insurance for the duration of the tour (trip cancellation, foreign medical, flight delays and cancellations, medical evacuation). We always hope that there is never a reason to use it but, we have seen several instances where it saved the day for some of our tour participants.

DO I NEED A PASSPORT OR A VISA TO GO ON ONE OF YOUR TOURS?

Yes, you are required to have a valid passport to go on one of our tours, Please keep in mind that your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the anticipated tour end date. Currently, we do not offer tours to countries that require a visa for US citizens. For further information on requirements for Americans traveling abroad visit, http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/americans-traveling-abroad.html.

ARE ANY ACTIVITIES EVER CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER?

Unfortunately, there are times when an activity must be canceled due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control. If this is the case, we always do our best to reschedule the activity or add an activity that is of comparable value.

I HAVE A FOOD ALLERGY, AND FOOD REQUIREMENTS, WILL THAT BE A PROBLEM?

If you have a food allergy or special dietary requirement, please let us know. This would include if you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, don’t eat red meat, etc. Please include this on the registration form. 

If joining a tour that is based in a self-catering accommodation (where meals are prepared for you) and you have special dietary needs such as gluten-free, no dairy, no meat, etc then an additional surcharge will be added to your trip price to accommodate your dietary needs. This will start at $25/day.

WHAT DRINKS ARE INCLUDED WITH DINNERS? WHAT IF I DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL, CAN I HAVE A SOFT DRINK OR TEA/COFFEE INSTEAD?

A drink is always included with dinners and you are free to choose a non-alcoholic drink if you prefer.

WHY DON'T YOU OFFER INTERNATIONAL AIR TRAVEL WITH YOUR TOURS?

We have found that many tour participants prefer to book their international travel themselves. Some people are loyal to a particular airline or perhaps they have points to use for their air tickets. Many people also will be adding additional days to the tour or might want to have a stopover on the way. We have found it is easier to leave that up to the tour participant. We will let you know what time and where the tour starts and ends so that you know how to book your travel.

CAN I ARRIVE A DAY BEFORE THE TOUR STARTS?

Yes, let us know your plans and we will be happy to help with these arrangements. We cannot guarantee a room will be available so make sure to reach out as soon as you know.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD FEW DAYS TO THE END OF THE TOUR. IS THIS POSSIBLE?

Of course. This is one of the reasons we don’t include international flights on our tours. For instance, many tour participants choose to add a few days in London before a Cotswolds. We are more than happy to help with these arrangements. Just let us know what you need.

I AM READY TO BOOK A TOUR, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

The first thing we ask you to do is fill out the registration form and pay the deposit of $495 per person. This deposit will confirm your spot on the tour of your choice. The balance will be due no later than 90 days before the start date of the tour.

WHAT TYPE OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?

All deposits and tour payments must be made in US dollars and can be made by bank transfer or credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Credit card payments will incur a processing fee of 3% of the total amount paid with the credit card.

DO YOU SEND PAYMENT REMINDERS?

Yes, we will send reminders to you at least a week in advance of when the final payment is due.

WHAT IF I HAVE TO CANCEL A TOUR AFTER I'VE MADE MY DEPOSIT?

We hope this never happens but we understand that things can change. Unfortunately, deposits are nonrefundable. This is mostly because Sudden Journeys pays deposits to hotels and coach companies to secure the booking. Please see our cancellation fees/refunds section of our Terms and Conditions for information regarding refunds once the tour is paid in full. 

IS THERE A CHANCE MY TOUR WILL BE CANCELLED AFTER I HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP?

We never want to cancel a tour, however, it may occasionally become necessary due to many reasons beyond our control. If a tour is canceled due to low enrollment or worse, you will be notified at least 60 days before the start of the tour and your entire payment will be refunded to you within fourteen days after the tour cancellation. Please see our terms and conditions for further explanation of our cancellation policies.