Frequently Asked Questions for Travelers
Wondering what to expect on your CHA educational tour? Below, we've answered our travelers' most frequently asked questions. Remember, consult your group leader for more information and be sure to attend any meetings held for your group before you leave to keep up-to-date on the status of your trip:
What is included on a CHA tour?
CHA’s comprehensive educational tour packages include the following services:
- Round-trip air transportation on regularly-scheduled flights on major U.S. and international airlines
- Hotel accommodations in well-located superior tourist-class and first-class hotels
- Breakfast and dinner daily
- Full-time services of a professional, multi-lingual CHA Tour Director
- All land transportation including motorcoaches, ferries, trains & intra-tour flights
- In-depth sightseeing conducted by expert local guides in major cities on your tour
- Orientation tours, walking tours and on-the-road commentary by your CHA Tour Director
- All sightseeing excursions, visits and entrances as described in the itinerary
- CHA’s Pre-Departure materials (newsletter, backpack, luggage tag and travel guide)
Who will we be traveling with?
Generally speaking, several groups from different schools are merged into one large travel group (about 30-48 individuals) that is headed by a Tour Director who is in constant attendance throughout the tour. Since groups from all over the U.S. travel with CHA, students are given an opportunity to meet and make friends with people from different areas of the country. If a group has more than 40 participants, it may sometimes travel separately from other groups in its own touring motorcoach.
How do I enroll on a CHA tour?
Enrolling on a CHA tour is easy. Your teacher will give a copy of your tour itinerary along with CHA's Tour Enrollment Booklet which contains our Enrollment Form and Important Information Terms and Conditions. After you and your parents/guardians have reviewed this information, you may complete and mail your Tour Enrollment Form to CHA along with a payment in the amount of $95 to cover CHA's non-refundable Registration Fee. Your group leader may also give you instructions for you to enroll for your tour online. You will need a Group Access Code from your teacher and a major credit card to make your online payment to cover your Registration Fee and, if desired, your $400 tour deposit (which is due 30 days afer you enroll).
What happens after I enroll on a CHA tour?
Upon enrollment, you will receive a detailed Tour Account Statement listing the amounts and dates on which future tour payment are due. You will also receive several informative pamphlets to help you prepare for your trip which will answer your basic questions about your tour and will contain instructions on how to obtain passports and visas. (Visit the U.S. State Department's website for complete details on obtaining your own passport.) About one month before you leave, your teacher will give you CHA’s comprehensive pre-departure guide which will contain important information to help you prepare for your trip including a convenient packing list. You will also receive a handy CHA backpack and luggage tag to use during your tour.
Who will accompany us on tour?
A CHA Tour Director will meet your group when you arrive at the airport and stay with you throughout your entire trip. He or she will stay in each hotel with you, accompany you on all scheduled activities, and assist your travelers whenever they need help or advice. Your Tour Director will be a knowledgeable professional, possessing many years of experience in leading travel groups, and will speak English as well as a variety of other foreign languages.
Will I need to speak any foreign languages during the trip?
No. It is possible to travel on a CHA tour knowing only English, because you will be accompanied by your professional CHA Tour Director. In addition to speaking English, your Tour Director and local guides will be multi-lingual. You’ll find that most shops and restaurants have an English-speaking staff. If you are interested in learning some foreign phrases, however, we recommend that you purchase some inexpensive pocket language guides in order to familiarize yourself with some commonly-used words and expressions.
How safe is it to travel overseas?
CHA has been conducting tours overseas for over 50 years, and the safety and welfare of their travelers have always been of utmost importance. When you arrive overseas, you will be greeted by your professional, multi-lingual CHA Tour Director who will accompany you throughout your entire journey. CHA also maintains offices in Europe, staffed by knowledgeable professionals who can assist your group in the event of an emergency on tour.
What will a typical touring day be like?
Each morning following breakfast, you'll meet your CHA Tour Director in the lobby of the hotel for all sightseeing activities scheduled for that day. Normally, when staying in the same city for several days, sightseeing tours will take place in the morning with afternoons free. When traveling from city to city, you'll spend most of your day touring a variety of places stopping to visit cities and other attractions. Dinner will be scheduled in the late afternoon or early evening.
How much free time will we have?
Depending on the pace of the tour, CHA itineraries provide a good mixture of sightseeing and free time. Normally, there is free time in the afternoons and evenings after dinner. Groups of three or more students can explore on their own during the day but must first report to the Group Counselor to inform him/her of where they are going and when they are planning to return. At night, students will not be permitted to go out on their own, but the adult chaperones should arrange activities in which the entire group or smaller groups can participate during the evening hours.
What can we do during our free time?
Optional excursions are activities which serve as a supplement to the sightseeing already included on our tour. Scheduled during free time, these excursions can function as a valuable addition to your overall touring experience. Some examples of CHA’s optional excursions are: the Tower of London, the Seine River Cruise in Paris, and the Ancient Catacombs in Rome. Tour members may select from among the optional excursions available on their tour. Optional excursions are not included in the cost of the tour and must be purchased separately.
What am I responsible for?
Before you leave on your trip, you are responsible for getting your own passport and any necessary visas needed for travel to the countries on your tour. You must do this no later than 65 days before your departure. While you travel, you are responsible for your personal belongings and luggage, your ticket, you spending money, and taking care of yourself as best as you can while on tour by eating and sleeping regularly. Also, you must make an effort to be on time for all scheduled activities and to follow any specific instructions given to you by your CHA Tour Director and other CHA overseas staff.
Are their specific travel requirements related to COVID-19?
CHA travelers will be required to follow the most current travel requirements related to COVID-19 based on both U.S. regulations and those of the countries you will visit. These requirements may include documented proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to departure and before your return to the U.S. and proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
In addition to COVID-related travel exit and entry requirements, facial masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing may be required while traveling, especially while in airports, on board airplanes, on CHA buses and other forms of transportation during the tour as well as when visiting museums and other attractions. (CHA will provide more specific information on the requirements applicable to your tour before you travel, and your CHA Tour Director and other overseas personnel will reinforce these requirements when you arrive overseas.)
Are we allowed to drink alcohol?
Consuming alcoholic beverages is strictly forbidden during a CHA tour for those under the age of 21. It is the Group Counselor’s responsibility to oversee students’ behavior and to prevent any infraction of this rule. (Download a copy of CHA's Student Code of Behavior for a complete list of Do's and Dont's.)
Is there a curfew for students?
Yes. During the tour, teachers will conduct bed-checks each night no later than midnight to ensure that all students are in their assigned hotel rooms. No students are allowed to leave the hotel after bed-check has been made.
Can we visit friends or relatives during the trip?
Yes, provided that it does not interfere with the group’s scheduled activities and the distance traveled is minimal. Be sure to inform your Group Counselor and your Tour Director of your plans. Please understand that CHA will not assume any responsibility when tour participants visit friends or relatives.
Can I receive a discount if I make my own flight arrangements?
Yes, land-only participants will receive a reduction off of their tour fees. The amount of this reduction will vary and may not be available on certain tours. (Consult CHA for details.)
What if I need to cancel after signing up?
Because the operation of international tours requires extensive long-term planning, costs are incurred by CHA long before the actual departures. Many of CHA’s suppliers require non-refundable deposits in advance of travel in order to secure CHA’s low rates. With this in mind, CHA has created a Tour Cancellation and Refund Policy which is described in CHA's Important Information Booking Terms & Conditions. Please make sure to read this carefully before enrolling as it details the penalties for cancellation prior to departure.
What if our CHA tour cannot take place due to travel restrictions?
Included as part of our Book with Confidence Plan, CHA's Travel Security Coverage provides your group with a variety of back-up plans if CHA determines that we cannot operate your tour as scheduled due to an official U.S. State Department Advisory prohibiting Americans from traveling to any country or countries included on your tour and/or govenmental travel restrictions as a result of political instability, a major terrorist incident or a serious public health crisis. Options include rescheduling your tour to a later date, changing your tour and/or destination, or cancelling your tour with travelers receiving either a full travel credit for future use or a refund less the Registration Fee and a reduced cancellation fee. Contact your group leader for complete details.
Do you offer Optional Travel Insurance?
Yes, CHA strongly recommends that all travelers purchase an Optional Travel Insurance Plan to further protect their travel investments and to provide greater peace of mind before and during the tour.
Generali Global Assistance offers CHA travelers three plans to choose from featuring a wide range of coverages and services that will provide assistance in the event of an emergency, sickness or other unexpected situation. Coverages include Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Trip/Travel Delay, Medical/Accident Expenses, Baggage Delay/Protection and 24-hour Emergency Assistance Services. To compare the available plans, get a personalized plan quote, and purchase a plan online, visit CHA's Generali Travel Insurance page at https://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/?partner=CHAE0400.