|
|
|
|
| 1.
Do I need a passport? A visa? |
| If
you are an American or Canadian citizen, you need only a Passport.
The easiest way to get a passport is through your local post
office, County Court House, or Passport Agency. When applying,
be sure to take with you: your genuine birth certificate, which
includes the registrar's signature and a raised seal; two recent
photographs that are 2" x 2", full face view, black/white
or color; and ID, like your Driver's License. |
| You
may need a Visa for our tours if you are not an American
or Canadian citizen. If you are a citizen of another country,
you must contact the appropriate consulates for each nation
on the itinerary; and you must obtain these visas on your own. |
| 2.
How much luggage can I take? |
|
| Due
to limited space on the tour motorcoach, please bring ONE suitcase
only and ONE carry-on. Please limit your suitcase size to no
larger than 29" x 20" x 10" and your carry-on
to no larger than 8" x 16" x 21". |
| Keep
in mind that throughout the duration of the tour, you are responsible
for your own luggage, so do not pack more than you can carry.
Laundry facilities are available in major cities. |
| 3.
What should I pack? |
|
| The
easiest way to make your tour stressful is to overpack! Download our suggested packing list here. |
| 4.
What about packing documents? |
|
| Never
pack your passport!Always keep it on your person! The same goes
for travelers' checks, cash, credit cards and personal checks.
Pack 2 extra passport photos if possible (in the event that
you misplace your passport); photo copies of your passport's
personal data pages and your airline tickets, unless you have
an electronic ticket; a listing of your credit card and travelers'
check numbers; and copies of any personal IDs. This info will
be extremely valuable should you lose any actual documents.
Always keep actual documents on you person, and never in your
checked suitcase. |
| 5.
What will the weather be like? |
|
Costa Rica is a tropical country which contains several distinct climatic zones. There is no winter or summer as such and most regions have a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. Annual rainfall averages 100 inches nationwide with some mountainous regions getting as much as 25 feet on exposed eastern slopes. Temperature is more a matter of elevation than location with a mean of around 72 degrees in the Central Valley, 82 degrees on the Atlantic coast and 89 degrees on the Pacific coast. You can always check on www.weather.com before you depart
to see what the latest weather trends have been. |
| 6.
Can I buy my airfare from AESU? What if I buy it elsewhere? |
|
| AESU
offers great low rates and If you purchase AESU airfare, you will receive
airport transfers. |
| If
you purchase airfare elsewhere, transferring to the first hotel,
as well as to the airport, is your responsibility. |
| 7.
I know some meals are included…but what if I'm a vegetarian? |
|
| Tours include breakfast daily, lunches
& dinner as per itinerary. If you are a vegetarian, or have
special dietary needs, please inform your tour escort as soon
as you arrive. All meals are pre-paid, so a substitute meal
is always up to the goodwill of the establishment. We cannot
guarantee that all special requests will be granted, but, in
the past, most restaurants have been cooperative. Please keep
in mind that substitute meals may not be as varied
as a vegetarian meals are here. |
| 8.
How much spending money will I need? |
|
| We
recommend $50-$80 per day, depending on your spending habits.
That money covers items of a personal nature, stamps, laundry,
beverages with meals (except for coffee/tea at breakfast, water
at dinner, and occasionally a glass of wine), meals not included
on tour, and expenses for free-time activities (metro tickets,
taxis, entrance fees). This amount does not include money for
souvenir/gift shopping. |
| We
strongly recommend bringing a credit card (Visa, American Express,
and Mastercard are the most widely accepted) as well as an ATM
card. Check with your bank prior to departure to ensure your
ATM card is usable oversea's. ATM cards have largely replaced
the usage of travelers' checks and ATM machines are available
in Costa Rica. |
| 9.
How do I exchange money? |
|
| Your
tour escort will aid you in locating currency exchange stations,
and can also advise you of how much money to change. Keep in
mind that you can exchange only bills, not coins. |
| 10.
What is the acceptable amount to tip? Whom am I expected to
tip? |
|
| Standard
service charges of 15-20% are paid for by AESU; in restaurants
on your own, tip approximately 10% UNLESS the service is included.
Check your bill carefully for this charge. |
| It
is customary to recognize the tour escort and bus driver by
complimenting them with $3-5 gratuity per day. Your tour escort
and bus driver work very hard to make your tour the most memorable
and best time of your life! |
| 11. Should I purchase travel insurance? |
| We highly recommend travel insurance. Your alumni association may offer travel insurance to you at a reduced rate. If not, AESU will offer our group travel insurance to you. Ask our reservations agent for details or click on this link: http://www.tripmate.com/wpF390A/ |
| 12. I don't have a room mate, what do I do? |
| Our hotels are 3* or 4* hotels, ALL with private bath/shower. The land package price is based on double occupancy. Our hotels have been especially selected for their atmosphere, friendly hospitality, cleanliness and location. Usual accommodations are two sharing a room, however, if you're traveling alone, we will attempt to arrange for you to share a double at NO EXTRA COST. If this is not possible or If you prefer to stay in a single room, our reservations agent can make arrangements for a single at the applicable single supplement. |
| 13. Does AESU support ECO travel? |
| Every traveler shares a common responsibility to preserve our planet's environment and respect its people. AESU enthusiastically endorses ASTA's 10 Commandments, which effecively reaffirm that responsibility. Let's live by these Commandments, to ensure our world's beauty is preserved for our generation and for generations to come. Thank you for the opportunity to travel together and to discover our remarkable world in a responsible manner. Over a decade ago AESU founded "TRAVEL FOR GOOD" -- many years before large travel companies became active in environmental travel. |
|
|
