Frequently Asked Questions
How Active is Active?
Stretch your mind and your legs. Activities range from a day of light walking around a vineyard or museum to more invigorating pursuits like kayaking, bicycling or horseback riding. Most activities are geared to people who are used to doing some sort of regular exercise. You always have the choice to opt out of more strenuous activities - use the icons in each itinerary as a guide.
To stretch the mind, get set for activities that are hands-on endeavors you might never expect to find yourself doing. Like making a meal with a French chef... watching a Restoration specialist work her magic ... learning "how to make" (and of course tasting) wine, olive oil, coffee... having political or topical discussions with local experts. A new skill - or thought - every day.
To make it easy for you to see at a glance what types of activities are on each trip, we’ve created spiffy icons. You’ll see them, with explanations, in the trip detail pages.
How Do We Get Around?
How you travel with Culturious to pursue all of these activities is most important. Transportation varies from trip to trip, but is usually by multiple small passenger vehicles – so get set for access to hidden places that are off-the-beaten track, roads that larger vehicles can’t maneuver on, and the freedom to change your route for unexpected, spontaneous activities. And the vehicle transportation time is minimal. We prefer other activities.
How Many People & Who's in Charge?
Small groups, 20 people on average, travel together on Culturious trips. Culturious is about new skills, new knowledge, and new experiences. It’s all about the laughter shared with like-minded travelers at the end of the day, in a café, a vineyard, a lodge, a private home, a seaside villa... And if you wish, your own group can travel privately and buy out a whole departure.
Your journey is escorted by our Tauck Directors. They have the spirit, knowledge and welcoming embrace to show you the less-traveled, more illuminating corners of the world – which also happen to be some of the most fascinating places on earth. They are joined by local experts with amazing specialties – an art scholar with a passion for van Gogh, an artisan specializing in antique Florentine restoration, a rainforest naturalist who knows the Amazon like the back of his hand, a South African educator who recounts personal tales of the challenges of Apartheid...
Where Do We Sleep?
Where you stay on a Culturious trip reflects the local culture, from thatch-and-canvas kulalas to an 18th-century Provençal mansion. Accommodations are unique to each destination. Most are small luxury hotels, a few are private villas, some are eco-hideaway resorts, and occasionally there’s a trendy city-center hotel. Some have spas, some have phenomenal views, some have gardens... and all are authentically Culturious. You will experience local life from the best-in-class accommodations.
What’s on the Menu?
Food, and the art of dining, are some of the most important parts of the Culturious experience – on each journey you’re ensured that you’ll try local cuisine the local way. And oh, there are oh so many ways... Savor creations from an award-winning chef at a top-rated hotel or resort. Make a trip to the local market for fresh produce, meats, and cheeses to create a picnic lunch. Go to small family-run restaurants where the bread is freshly baked, the vegetables handpicked and the catch of the day is the real thing. Visit a local market with a chef, then it’s hands-on for a cooking lesson. Wine tastings and olive oil tastings, canapés and cocktails, tapas and hors d’oeuvres - from South Africa to Tuscany, Provence to Costa Rica, they’re all part of the Culturious culinary experience.
What’s Included?
Just about everything – all gratuities (Trip Guides, local experts, drivers, local experts, hotel and dining staff, porters), daily activities (sightseeing, special experiences, hiking, biking, kayaking, game drives, tastings and so much more), luggage handling, airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted in your trip, on-tour ground transportation, admission fees... We take care of all details so you can simply be Culturious. And enjoy. Please note airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included.
Who Designed These Trips?
We are very lucky to call Brian Stacey our primary Tour Architect – his passion for personal exploration and professional travel is extraordinary. During his 27-year career with Tauck, Brian has navigated over 65 countries and led the development of over 40 Tauck itineraries. He has met literally thousands of people from local communities, taking every opportunity to immerse himself in their cultures as he develops tours. In all, the programs Brian developed have played host to over 100,000 extremely enriched and inspired guests. Not surprisingly, during his free time Brian travels with his wife and daughter, often volunteering their services towards the development of third world countries. Culturious journeys are hand-stamped, road tested, Brian Stacey approved.
Help on Specific Topics
Group Travel
- Do you offer opportunity for group travel?
Tauck Culturious encourages group travel on its journeys, whether partial or exclusive departures. To learn more please call our Group Specialists at 1-888-840-1852 or email groupsale@Culturious.com. You can also visit our private group departures page or call your local travel agent.
Air Travel
- Can Tauck Culturious make my air international air arrangements?
We strongly urge you to take advantage of Tauck's air services which offer benefits such as more lenient change and refund policies and savings on Business Class airfare from select gateways on select journeys. Ask at time of booking.
- Can I use my frequent flyer miles?
Accrued frequent flyer miles cannot be used toward the purchase of airfare or used for class upgrades, however, airfare purchased through Culturious does qualify to earn you additional miles.
- If I purchase my air through Tauck Culturious do I need to pay for it immediately?
One of the advantages of purchasing your air through Tauck Culturious is that it can be reserved and held without payment until ticketed - which is generally done 60 days prior to your journey’s departure date. By contrast, airline published fares must be reserved, ticketed and paid for immediately.
Booking a Trip
- Can Tauck Culturious make hotel reservations before and after my journey?
Tauck Culturious will make hotel reservations before and after your journey. Rooms are reserved at the first or last night’s hotel property of any Culturious journey so there is no worry of having to change hotels or rooms at the start or end of your trip. Rooms are reserved on a space-available basis, and the cost will be added to your trip cost.
- Will I have to make payment at the time I make a reservation?
A deposit is required in order to hold a reservation for a Tauck Culturious journey. Deposit amounts vary depending on the destination.
Tauck Culturious’ non-refundable Guest Protection Product must also be requested at time of booking and fee must be included in initial payment. Cost is not refundable under any circumstances. Reimbursements will be made according to original method of payment. The amount of any refund shall be reduced by any recoveries obtained by you from any third parties. Note: Tauck Culturious' Guest Protection Product is not available to residents of Puerto Rico; travel agent commissions are not covered under this product.
- When is final payment due for a journey?
Final payment for a Tauck Culturious journey is due no later than 60 days prior to a journey’s start date.
- Will there be penalties if I cancel my tour?
Regardless of reason, cancellations result in costly charges from travel and hotel providers covering penalties and fees incurred by canceling confirmed bookings. Guests choosing not to purchase our Guest Protection Product will incur these cancellation penalties. Penalties vary depending on destination, and whether it is a land, rail, or cruise journey. Please see Guest Protection Product for specific charges by tour.
- What forms of payment does Tauck Culturious accept?
Tauck Culturious accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and check payments.
- Does Tauck Culturious work with Travel Agents?
Tauck Culturious has a strong relationship with the Travel Agent community and we encourage you to see your travel agent if considering making a reservation for a Culturious journey. However, if you do not have or typically use a travel agency, you may make a reservation directly with Tauck Culturious.
- Will I receive documentation when I book a Tauck Culturious journey?
Once a journey has been booked and deposited, Tauck Culturious will automatically send a confirmation of your reservation. Final tour documentation which includes a day-by-day itinerary of your journey is sent after final payment is received.
- What kind of information can I expect to receive when I purchase my journey?
When you book and deposit a Tauck Culturious journey you are sent a ‘Summary of Purchase’ outlining the tour’s start and end dates / times, all associated tour costs, monies applied, balance due, and additional information. Included with the Summary of Purchase is information on Tauck Culturious’ Guest Protection Product, a list of suggested reading material appropriate to the journey, a visa application form when applicable, and an air itinerary schedule if your flights to and from the tour are confirmed through Tauck Culturious. Final tour documentation is sent after final payment is received, and will include additional information about clothing and packing, weather and more, along with a day-by-day itinerary of your journey.
- Can I make special room requests?
Tauck Culturious is happy to advise hotels of any special room requests or requirements, provided we receive them at the time your reservation is made. Please be aware that requests cannot be guaranteed.
Traveling with Tauck Culturious
- Will we be eating as a group for meals?
Culturious’ “free choice” dining allows you to eat many of your meals when you want and with whom you want. Special occasion dinners are held as group functions, and lunches that are included during group sightseeing excursions are often held in a group setting.
- Are gratuities included?
The customary gratuity to the Tauck Director, local guides and drivers are included on all Tauck Culturious tours. All appropriate gratuities for luggage handling, bellman, doorman, dining room servers, housekeepers, local city guides, and the like are included in the price of a Tauck Culturious journey.
- Do Culturious journeys accommodate triples?
Most every Culturious journey can accommodate three people in a room. Typical room accommodations for triples are two beds and a roll-a-way. Though very rare, there is sometimes an occasional hotel that must accommodate a triple by using two rooms. This cannot be requested and is only done out of necessity by the hotel for lack of rooms accommodating three beds.
- Can special dietary needs be accommodated on a Culturious journey?
Many special dietary needs can be accommodated on Culturious journeys with advance notice but cannot be guaranteed. Different destinations make some dietary needs harder to accommodate than others. We will do everything possible in communicating your requests to hotels and restaurants. Common dietary requests like ‘low sodium’ or ‘vegetarian’ are likely to be accommodated much easier than very special or unique dietary needs. Meals that are full à la carte offer more flexibility for special dietary requests as do some limited à la carte meals. For the occasional ‘set menu’ or ‘buffet meals’ on Culturious journeys, unique dietary needs may prove a bit more challenging.
Preparing to Go
- Should I bring identification with me?
If you are a U.S. citizen traveling abroad then a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond completion of the trip will be required. Non-U.S. citizens should contact their booking agent or appropriate consulate for information on all necessary documents required. Visas may also be required; contact your travel agent or appropriate consulate for documentation information.
Also – the Transportation Security Administration requires all passengers to provide their name exactly as it appears on the passport to be used while traveling, their date of birth and gender when making airline reservations to fly to, from, and over the U.S. to the airlines. This information will be requested at time of booking for all flight arrangements made through Tauck; the name on your airline ticket and your passport must match.
- Will I be restricted in the amount of luggage I can bring?
Most Culturious journeys only allow for one normal sized suitcase per individual. Remember, a wise traveler packs light! We also encourage just one carry-on bag per individual (for carrying items that might be needed during the day’s sightseeing or camera / video equipment).
Culturious Photo Contest
Another reason to smile in 2010! Be sure to take along your camera when you travel with Culturious this year, because in addition to giving you a world of exciting photo opportunities for never-ending memory making, we're also giving you a chance to win a travel voucher valued at up to $2,000 towards your next Culturious vacation.
Simply send us your best candid shot of your Culturious vacation this year and we'll enter it in our 2010 Photo Contest. If you submit the winning 1st place photo, you will receive a $2,000 Culturious travel voucher; if your photo places 2nd, you will win a $1,000 Culturious travel voucher; or if your photo places 3rd, you will enjoy a $500 Culturious travel voucher. Travel vouchers are redeemable towards any future Culturious journey.
Download complete contest details and entry form. Please note, much of the language will say Tauck – our parent company.
