Group Leader FAQ

IT’S ALL HAPPENING

You’ve chosen an itinerary, you’ve recruited your group, things are going great…but, you still have questions. Maybe your travelers have questions. Or, maybe, you’re not even sure what questions to ask. We’re here to help! We’ve put together a comprehensive list of our most frequently asked questions below.

If you haven’t yet, please also review our Group Leader 101.

INFORMATION TIMELINE

  • What is the recommended meeting cadence pre-departure?

    We recommend hosting multiple recruitment meetings (in-person and virtual!). We also recommend hosting a meeting anywhere from 3 to 6 months out from departure, and another pre-departure meeting (generally, 30 days prior). Let your Tour Advisor know when your meeting is and they will supply you with all of the promotional material you need.

  • When will our day-by-day be available?

    Your day-by-day will be opened to you about a week prior to departure.

  • When will our flights be available?

    Your flights will be available approximately 30 days before departure.

  • When will our hotel accommodations be available? 

    Your hotel accommodations will be available 30-45 days before departure.

  • When will we know the restaurant information?

    Your restaurant information, along with full menus, will be available in your day-by-day, approximately one week before departure.

  • When will my Tour Director's information be available?

    Your Tour Director will reach out to you directly, generally within two weeks prior to departure. All of their contact information will be included in your day-by-day.

ACCOMMODATIONS

  • What is a standard student room?

    Any participant under the age of 24 is considered a ‘student’. When they enroll on your tour, they’ll be considered a ‘student’ and automatically accommodated in a triple room. Anyone can choose the option to upgrade their room ($).

  • What is a standard adult room?

    Any participant over the age of 24 is considered an ‘adult’. When they enroll on your tour, they’ll be considered an ‘adult’ and automatically accommodated to a double room. Anyone can choose the option to downgrade or upgrade their room ($). There is no adult fee supplement on our tours.

  • What does single, twin, or triple occupancy mean?

    These are the three types of rooming configurations that we offer.

    Single Occupancy = You will not have a roommate for the duration of your tour.

    Twin Occupancy = You will have one roommate for the duration of your tour.

    Triple Occupancy = You will have two roommates for the duration of your tour.

  • Do you offer quad rooming accommodations?

    No, unfortunately, we are not able to offer quad rooming accommodations.

  • Can I change my room type and if so how?

    Yes, of course. You can upgrade or downgrade to whichever rooming configuration you prefer. Participants may contact us by submitting a help center ticket.

  • Can participants request who they'd like to room with?

    Group leaders create their own rooming lists. Once we have booked your hotels, group leaders will have access to a list with the rooming configurations we were able to acquire at each hotel within your Group Leader portal. From there, you decide who is in which room. It is certainly helpful to get participants’ rooming preferences. Just remember to keep in mind the type of occupancy each participant has selected.

FLIGHTS

  • Can we upgrade our flight seats?

    Many times, like all travel providers, passports buys airline tickets in bulk. These tickets may not accrue “airline miles”, may not be upgradable, and you may not be able to choose or upgrade your seat prior to departure. That said, you will receive your flight routings and e-ticket approximately 30 days prior to departure and you can use your e-ticket number to contact the airline in advance with any questions, but it is at the airline’s discretion of what they’ll be able to accommodate. You can also see attendants at the airline desk upon arrival at the airport with any questions regarding “airline miles” or seating requests.

  • What size luggage can I bring?

    Be sure to check the requirements of your airline as this can differ, but the most common “standards” are:

    Personal Item
    Size:     18x14x8in

    Carry-On Luggage
    Size:     21x14x9in

    Checked Luggage
    Size:     27x21x14in
    Weight:     50lbs

    Carry-on bags are the preferred method of travel. Along with your (typically) 21” bag, you may travel with a personal item as well (generally, a purse or backpack). The personal item just needs to be small enough to fit underneath the seat in front of you.

  • Do we get a checked bag?

    Yes, each participant receives one checked bag.

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION

  • Do participants need a passport before enrolling?

    No, passports are not required for enrollment. They do, however, absolutely need one in order to travel. When enrolling, they can leave the ‘passport information’ section of the application blank. As soon as they receive their passport, participants may contact us by submitting a help center ticket.

  • How long do passports need to be valid for?

    Passports need to be valid for 6 months beyond the date of your tour’s return.

  • What if one of my participants want to extend their trip?

    Participants may travel on a land-only tour where they purchase their own airfare and meet the group abroad. Please contact your Tour Advisor for this pricing information. Alternatively, if they'd like Passports to arrange their return, they will need to complete the Travel Extension Form.

  • Do you have any fundraising ideas?

    Of course we do! Check out some of our most popular blogs on fundraising, fundraising event ideas, and fundraising tips.

FINANCIALS

  • What are the payment plans?

    E-Z Pay Billing
    No initial deposit required. Final payment deadline extension to 30 days prior to departure. Lower monthly payments. Hassle-free, automatic payments withdrawn from your checking account or credit card each month - you select the day of the month you’d prefer.

    Convenience Billing
    Pay when you choose, as long as you pay in full by your group’s final payment deadline. The standard $495 initial deposit and a final payment deadline of 110 days prior to departure. No interim late payment fees. 

    Passports accepts credit cards, online ACH (online checks) or physical paper checks. Credit card payments are assessed a non-refundable 4% service fee.

  • Do you offer post-departure insurance?

    Passports provides and pays for a post-departure travel protection plan that helps protect you while on your trip with coverage for trip interruption (up to $1,500), travel delay, emergency medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, and more. Passports includes Post-Departure Travel Protection for all travelers, as part of the program cost.

    Plan Benefits:

  • Trip Interruption up to $1,500

  • Travel Delay (Maximum of $250 per day) up to $1,500

  • Emergency Medical Expense up to $25,000

  • Emergency Evacuation up to $150,000

  • AD&D up to $10,000

  • Political & Security Evacuation up to $150,000

    This is intended as a general description of certain types of insurance and services available to qualified customers through the companies of Zurich in North America, provided solely for informational purposes. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance Policy. To view/download the policy, go to: https://policy.travelexinsurance.com/SERZ-0823 and select Massachusetts.

    Travel Insurance is underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company, (NAIC #16535). Any person who knowingly presents a false or fraudulent claim for payment of a loss or benefit or knowingly presents false information in an application for insurance is guilty of a crime and may be subject to fines and confinement in prison. Please visit travelexinsurance.com/company/fraud-warning to view the state specific fraud warnings or call 888.574.7026.

  • Do you offer pre-departure insurance?

    We sure do! Things happen, travel is an investment, and sometimes you need added peace of mind. We have two options:

    Optional Peace of Mind Plan
    This offer allows cancellation up to 2 days prior to departure, for an additional charge of $199. If you choose not to purchase either extension plans, there is no refund due if you cancel within 30 days of departure.

    Optional Ultimate Peace of Mind Plan
    Cancel at anytime for an additional charge of $449, and receive a full refund minus the cost of the plan.

    If you choose not to purchase either extension plans, there is no refund due if you cancel within 30 days of departure.

  • What if a participant needs to cancel?

    Cancel 90 days or more prior to your departure date: Receive refund less $620
    Cancel between 89 days and 30 days prior to your departure date: Receive a 75% cash refund
    Cancel within 29 days prior to your departure date: No Refund

    You do not need to purchase insurance to have these offers extended to you. It is universal to all Passports travelers. Under this policy, you can cancel for any reason. Airline tickets, if purchased, would be refunded as a voucher issued by the airline, if available, and deducted from your refund from Passports. Service fees, like credit card fees, are non-refundable. Prior to 90 days, the cancellation fee remains the non-refundable deposit of $620, plus service fees.

  • Do participants have a Funding page they can share?

    Yes, participants may access a link within their account to share with friends and family to have funds made towards their accounts.

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Do you have a meeting invitation template that I can use?

    Yes, please contact your Tour Advisor and they will send you our meeting invitation template.

  • Help! I forgot my password.

    Reach out to your Tour Advisor! They will be able to send you your password or reset it for you.

  • What if there is an emergency on tour?

    Please call 1-800-332-7277 no matter the time or day. This information, along with your in-country Tour Director contact information, will be available on your finalized tour documents provided to you prior to your departure. 

  • How do add-ons work?

    You may access optional add-on information from your group leader portal. Optional activities need to be included or excluded for all participants. The optional activities are not available on an individual basis.