Q:How supervised are the tours?
A:
Each tour group is led by a professional full-time tour director. The tour director will be with the group during pre-planned sightseeing tours and events. Otherwise the travelers are free to explore on their own (however, the tour director does often lead more informal activities during free time and at night, for those interested).
Q:Can my son/daughter do laundry during the trip?
A:
While some of the hotels will have laundry facilities, and laundromats are usually just around the corner, we recommend travelers bring lightweight clothing that can easily be hand-washed (as well as a few travel-size packs of hand-washing laundry detergent).
Q:What kinds of hotels do you use?
A:
We use two- and three-star hotels with three to four people of the same sex per room. (Note: In Amsterdam, Galway and Corfu we often use hostels to ensure a better location.) We always strive to book centrally-located hotels near restaurants, cafes, etc., and we guarantee that they’ll be within walking distance of affordable public transportation to get travelers quickly to the main attractions.
Q:Will my child be flying with his/her friends?
A:
He/she will most likely be flying with friends if they booked together. However, one of the reasons we can offer such low prices on our tours is our established contracts with airlines, and these contracts limit the choice we have in seating and availability on some flights. For this reason, in rare instances, your child may be on a different flight from his/her friends. They will all arrive within a few hours of each other and will be together the rest of the tour.
Q:How do I contact my son/daughter during the tour?
A:
The easiest way to contact your son/daughter is by calling the hotels directly. You can find the number in your child’s online account under Flight and Hotel Information. In the event of an emergency, you can contact our 24-hour emergency line at 617.619.1411. Please note: This number is for true emergencies only. If the issue can wait until regular business hours (even if it’s very important), please call us at 800.766.2645 between 9:00-7:00 east coast time, and we’ll be happy to help.
Q:What’s the best way for my child to call home?
A:
Some cell phone providers allow for international calls, but many do not (check with your child’s provider). The best way to call home from abroad is to bring an international calling card, such as our eKit phone card. You can learn more about the card here.
Q:How long has EF been in business?
A:
EF Education has been running student tours for nearly 45 years. We have more than 29,000 employees, teachers and volunteers, working in offices and schools in 54 countries. EF College Break (our product within EF Education), has been running tours for college student travelers for eight years. For more details, read more about our company history.
Q:Will my child be in good hands?
A:
Absolutely. Our full-time tour directors are well trained for any situation. EF has offices in over 50 different countries and is one of the most established tour providers in the world. We constantly have people on the ground in every country we visit, should the need for further support arise.
Q:How do you offer such cheap trips?
A:
As the world’s largest and most established educational tour provider, we have great negotiating power with our suppliers (airlines, hotels, tour guides, etc.). This allows us to offer great deals to student travelers.
Q:Do you have any professional affiliations?
A:
Yes. EF Educational Tours is affiliated with the following professional organizations:
- United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA)
- International Air Transport Association (IATA)
- The European Tour Operators Association (ETOA)
- The Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- The Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA)
- National Travel Association (NTA)