Answers to Frequently Asked Questions!

Most of the questions you may have regarding your travel to Europe can be answered by reading through this section and the Travel Terms page. Knowing as much as you can beforehand will enable you to enjoy your European experience to the fullest.

Q - What exactly does SeaEurope Holidays do?
A - SeaEurope Holidays is a multi faceted travel marketing company. We represent in the USA and Canada, European tour companies and cruises lines. We also market other European companies that desire representation in the USA and Canada.

Q - Can I use a credit card when I buy a tour, cruise or other service from SeaEurope Holidays?
A - Yes, most major credit cards are accepted. (American Express, VISA and Master Card). We also accept Pay Pal as a secure on line way for our customers to pay for their travel arrangements

Q - What offices are located in the USA?
A - SeaEurope Holidays Inc, opened its offices in Florida in 1987. Over the years the demand for our marketing services has grown considerably and today, we are one of the most recognized names in European Travel. In 1988, the company formed the tour operation division, SeaEurope Holidays, that offers consumers quality independent and escorted tours. In the beginning of 2003, the company became an "employee owned" corporation with separate divisions for "representation", "tour operation" "Internet marketing" and "administration."

Q - Can I buy airline tickets through your company?
A - Facilities on this web site are available using Orbitz Travel (guaranteed lowest fares). We use Orbitz Travel for our personal needs.

Q - What if I don't need to book a tour and I just want hotel nights, rail passes and/or a car rental?
A- SeaEurope Holidays offers great rates on all travel services through affiliated third parties. We have chosen our partners carefully. Check out "More Products " in menu on the left.

Q - How do you protect the personal information a user supplies?
A- When you book with us, we use secure server software which encrypts all information you input before it is sent to us. This encryption ensures that the information is reasonably protected against unauthorized interception. In order to comply with our obligations under the Data Protection Acts of 1984 and 1998; we also follow strict security procedures in the storage and disclosure of information which you have given us, to prevent unauthorized access to that information.

Q - What should we know about our reservation services?
When should we make reservations? If you have a particular departure date in mind, or are not flexible in the days that you are able to travel, the best way to get the date you want is to book as early as possible. Furthermore, the sooner you book, the better your chance will be to get the lowest price and the most favorable schedule. For these reasons, we recommend making your reservation five months or more prior to your desired departure date.

Children. Children under 8 years of age are not accepted on most escorted tours, as it is difficult to keep them entertained on the motor coach, and they may distract from the enjoyment of other tour members. Children ages 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult. If children are not accompanied by their legal guardian, the legal guardian must sign a Reservation Application and a notarized consent form.

Visas - U.S. Citizens. No visas are required for passengers carrying a U.S. passport for entering European countries. It is the responsibility of the passenger to always check visa requirements at the time of booking an overseas trip and if required, to purchase them prior to your departure.

Visas - Non U.S. Citizens. If you do not carry a U.S. passport, a visa may be required for some of the countries you will visit. You should check with the consulate of each country you will visit whether a visa is needed. It is your responsibility to determine which visas are required and to obtain them before your departure.

Seating - Airlines. If the airline allows pre-assigned seats, you may request seat assignments from the airlines 85 days or less prior to departure. Please note these seat assignments may be canceled by the airline due to schedule or equipment changes, and you should, therefore, reconfirm your seat assignments 25 days before departure and again a few days prior to departure.

Frequent Flyers. If you are a member of a frequent flyer club and if the airline offers miles on tickets issued by SeaEurope Holidays, it is your responsibility to make sure that you are credited your mileage. The best way to do this is to present your frequent flyer card/number upon check-in for both your departure and return. We recommend you record your air ticket number and keep your boarding passes even after you have returned and until your frequent flyer statement includes your miles, so you can provide proof of travel to the airline, in the event of any problem. We cannot provide copies of tickets after travel is completed.

Transfers. Complimentary airport/hotel transfers are planned based on the scheduled arrival and departure times of the participants who purchased the "land and air" inclusive tour from SeaEurope Holidays. Passengers who purchase "land only" should expect to make their own way between the airports and the hotels at their own expense.

Q -Are taxes, tipping and service charges included in our travel arrangement price?
A - The tour or cruise price includes taxes and service charges for all aspects of the tour or cruise that are prearranged by SeaEurope Holidays. Tipping is strictly at your own discretion. In answer to the question "How much do we tip? Tipping to cruise staff, hotel staff and tour personnel, shall be strictly an expression of your appreciation, shall be strictly a personal matter, and must never be considered mandatory.

Q - What about smoking?
A - In Europe the non-smoking issue is not addressed as aggressively as in the United States. Nevertheless, most tour operators have adopted a non-smoking policy on motor coaches. Also, although most restaurants still do not feature non-smoking sections, we urge all tour participants to refrain from smoking when your tour party is seated together for meals. Unfortunately, we cannot be of much help when it comes to hotel rooms, because many hotels do not offer non-smoking rooms. SeaEurope Holidays and its participating tour operators expressly disclaim any responsibility or liability in connection with non-smoking requirements.

Q - How much money should I take on the tour?

A - It is difficult to make individual recommendations but a good guideline is listed below.

1. -Optional Excursions. First, determine which of the optional excursions you would like to take. In doing so, bear in mind that some optionals include dinner or lunch.
2. -Independent Dinners. For your independent dinners, you should allow anywhere from $15 for a modest meal on our own to $70 for optional specialty dinners.
3. -Lunches. Figure an average of $10, from $5 at a snack bar or food stand to $15 at a moderate restaurant.
4. -Beverages. This may seem high, but with $1.50 to $2 for a bottle of Coke or a cup of coffee, plan on an average of $15 to $20 per day for beverages during morning stops, lunches, afternoon stops, dinners, and evenings.
5. -Tipping. For all prearranged services, tipping is included in the tour price. Tipping for non-prearranged services varies among countries. During your independent meals, the 'service charge' (tip) may be included in your bill.
6. -Souvenirs, Gifts, and Other Purchases. Purchases depend entirely on your personal finances and tastes. Regardless of how much money you take, the key word is budgeting!

Q - What is the Euro and how will it affect my trip to Europe?
A - The Euro is the new single European currency. This common currency eliminates many of the monetary exchanges travelers experience when touring Europe. The following 12 members of the European Union agreed to participate: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. The independent states of Monaco, San Marino, The Vatican City and Andorra, although not members of the union, shall use the Euro as their sole currency as well. Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden and the United Kingdom currently have opted to retain their separate and unique monetary units for use within their borders. If travelling to one or more of these countries, keep in mind that the Euro cannot be used and you must obtain local currency for any purchases within these countries.

In preparing for your European holiday, we recommend you use traveler's checks. These can be ordered in either U.S. or Euro dollars. Keep in mind that the larger the denomination of the checks, the lower the conversion fees. You might wish to choose U.S. traveler's checks rather than Euro traveler's checks as these are still more advantageous in countries not using the Euro. While shopping in the Euro countries, you will see labels displaying prices in Euros using the following symbol: "ª". Think of this symbol as the equivalent to the "$" symbol for U.S. Dollars. To help you calculate the exchange between U.S. Dollars and the Euro when making purchases, consider bringing a small pocket size calculator.

Q - What about my Luggage? Does it matter if my suitcase is 1-2 inches larger or 1 or 2 pounds heavier than the dimensions in the brochure?
A -Airline regulations are changing almost daily because of security issues. We recommend that you obtain the latest information from your carrier prior to your departure.

Q - Medical Questions: What is the best way to be covered in case of loss of prescription medication?
A - Always carry a written prescription from your doctor, so you are able to replace it if lost. Bring these prescriptions and an adequate supply of all medication, clearly labeled, in your hand luggage, and not in your suitcase.

Q - What about the weather?
A - The weather in Europe, like that in most places, is unpredictable. While planning your wardrobe, imagine that you are planning a trip through the USA. Season for season, the climate of the Midwest is comparable to western and central Europe, and the climate in our southern states is comparable to southern Europe. Even in the summer, bring that warm sweater and a raincoat. Conversely, during fall and winter, you may experience some lovely weather with pleasant daytime temperatures. Before you vacation, everyone is concerned about the weather. When you return, the weather is the last thing you'll remember. Remember, you can enjoy our tours as much in November as in August. So, whether guided by your calendar, or by your pocketbook, pick the season that suits you best and capture the fun and enjoyment of a European vacation.

Q - Which browsers a screen resolution can best be used to access the SeaEurope Holidays web sites?
A- To provide the highest level of Internet Security, SeaEurope Holidays recommends:
Netscape 5.0 or greater, Internet Explorer 6.0 or greater, FireFox 1.5 or greater. We do not recommend the use of beta browser versions. A screen resolution of 1024x768 pixels or greater is the best way to view our web sites. Always use a full screen size to view web sites.

Q - Will SeaEurope Holidays disclose the information it collects to outside parties?
A- We never disclose information about a passenger to any other person or organization without your consent unless there is an emergency situation that requires it or we are legally required to do so. SeaEurope Holidays may provide aggregate statistics about our customers, sales, traffic patterns and related site information to reputable third-party vendors, but these statistics will contain no personally identifying information.