Frequently Asked Questions

We are happy to assist you with extra hotel nights and private transfers should you wish to arrive early or depart after the trip dates. We can also plan private tours with a reliable local guide to enhance your travel experience. Please get in touch with us.

We are happy to refer you to our travel partner – Valerie Wilson Travel – (a separate travel company), to handle all your air arrangements.

You are welcome to travel on any airline and flight to join the trip; however, group airport transfers are only included if you arrive and depart on the recommended group flights. Please contact Royal Adventures directly to book a private airport transfer if needed.

Yes, a passport is required to travel outside the United States and must be valid for at least six months after your return date. If your passport is expired or is expiring soon, please renew it as soon as possible and contact Royal Adventures for assistance.

Initial deposits may be paid by credit card, check, or wire transfer. Final payment must be paid by check or wire transfer. Please contact our office for wire instructions. Note: We can provide an option to pay your final payment by credit card; however, there is a 3% added merchant fee and a 3.5% fee for AMEX credit cards.

Cancellations will be subject to the terms and conditions listed in the brochure. We highly recommend purchasing trip cancellation insurance or CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason) to protect your investment because the cancellation penalty listed in the brochure will apply.

We highly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance, including “Cancel for Any Reason”. Trip cancellation insurance can be purchased through the company of your choice or through our recommended provider, Travel Insured International. CLICK HERE for a quote, or call 1-800-243-3174 and mention Royal Adventures #53140. Most insurance plans must be purchased within 14 or 21 days of paying the initial deposit to waive pre-existing medical conditions and purchase “Cancel for Any Reason” insurance.

Yes, you can still purchase travel insurance, although Cancel for Any Reason insurance may no longer be available to add on. In addition, insurance companies will not cover pre-existing medical conditions (Insurance companies may consider any condition in your health history between 2 and 6 months before purchasing travel insurance as a pre-existing condition).

Depending on the specific program, you can expect a welcome mailing after signing up for a program confirming your trip registration. Once flights are available and the program has reached the minimum number of participants, you will receive information regarding the recommended group flights for the trip. Approximately two weeks before departure, we send out a Final Mailing that will include a detailed daily itinerary, hotel list, emergency contact list, luggage tags, and name tags. A dedicated Royal Adventures Tour Manager is available and can assist you before departure.

Most clients begin marketing their customized travel programs to their members about 10-12 months prior to departure. Here are some specific recommendations based on different client groups:

Art Clients: 6-12 months prior

Alumni Groups: 10-14 months prior

Natural History and Botanical Groups: 5-8 months prior

Museum Clients: 10-12 months prior

Astronomy Clients: 6-24 months prior

The size of the group depends entirely on our client’s objectives. We can operate group tours ranging in size from 14 to 100 passengers. Inevitably, size influences the nature of the tour as well as group dynamics. Please call us to discuss how your tour can be tailored to your objectives.

The timeline for creating a professional PDF brochure or web text depends initially on your approval of the customized itinerary, pricing, and tour agreement. From our preliminary meeting with you to the approval and completion of the PDF brochure or web text, the process takes about two months.

How well do I know my audience, and how do I assess their tour aspirations?

Do I understand operational costs well enough to have a realistic estimate of tour prices?

Do I have a tour budget, including income objectives?

What are key factors in determining the best time of the year to visit an international destination?

Should I engage the participation of a study leader, scientist, director, or curator from our organization to accompany our tour? If so, how?

How early and how often should we promote our tour?

Royal Adventures selects a professional Tour Director to accompany your trip from beginning to end. This individual looks after the passengers' well-being, manages the tour’s operational needs, addresses any problem that may arise, and ensures that the tour runs smoothly. Royal Adventures also selects local guides who possess deep knowledge of the places we visit and are skilled at imparting information about the region's history and culture in a clear and engaging manner.

A dedicated Royal Adventures Tour Manager will communicate with your passengers. Our office will distribute a welcome mailing, a departure mailing, and other correspondence to keep your members abreast of all the information needed before participating on a trip. Eco-friendly name badges and luggage tags with your logo will be distributed before departure. Once a tour is underway, Royal Adventures manages a 24-hour emergency contact number.

Royal Adventures helps to protect its client organizations with a $5 million liability protection insurance policy.

Royal Adventures was launched in 1991. Our first client was WGBH public television. With over thirty years of operational experience, we have worked with numerous renowned educational institutions, universities, art museums, botanic gardens, and scientific organizations. Most of our clientele are repeat customers.

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