Travel Documentation

Have your passport and visas ready and available at all checkpoints. Scan and copy these documents to print out. It is recommended that you e-mail a copy to yourself and someone back home in the event these documents are misplaced. Also, it may be worth bringing an international ID or license.

Passport and Visa

To travel internationally, you must have a passport in good condition and it must be valid for at least 6 months after the last day of your trip. Visa requirements change frequently and for various reasons. As a result, our Personal Vacation Managers are not always able to provide visa information and you should not rely on the information provided below to be the most current and accurate. The best way to obtain up-to-date information regarding visa requirements is to visit the official US government website for Americans traveling abroad, Travel.State.Gov (Canadian citizens should visit https://travel.gc.ca/, for all other countries please visit your government website or local embassy), which details specific information on the countries you would like to visit, including visa requirements.

You may also use a third-party visa service. These services require an additional service fee but make the process of applying for a visa much simpler.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are recommended to protect one’s health from preventable diseases abroad. It is always good to have routine vaccinations up to date when traveling for ailments such as chickenpox, measles and the flu shot. Use your own discretion when deciding on what vaccinations to have based on your preferences and personal medical history. During your Enrichment Journeys tour, the utmost care will be taken with prepared food, atmosphere and other elements, so the likelihood of contracting diseases is scarce.

For a list of recommended vaccinations based on destination, visit https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel or feel free to contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention directly at 1-800-232-4636.

Electric Current

You will need an adaptor for some parts of your trip.  To see what the plugs will look like at your destination, visit https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/ and click on each country from the right menu.

You may also need to use a converter. Most countries outside of North and Central America use 220-240 V, whereas the U.S. and Canada use 110 V. However, most chargers these days have a box which will act as a converter so that it can be used in all countries around the world. If your charger box says “Input: 100-240V, 50/60 Hz” then you do NOT need to use a converter (but you may still need an adaptor so that the plugs fit in the socket).

Some hotels may have two and three pronged outlets to use for various appliances. Ship cabins also have outlets for you to use with their converter. However, we recommend having at least one or two adaptors with you, as we cannot guarantee that all hotels will be able to accommodate this.

Local Currency

The United Kingdom uses the Pound Sterling, also known as the British Pound (£), currency code GBP

Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium and Franceuse the Euro (€), currency code EUR

Please visit https://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/ for the current exchange rate.

How you handle your currency and financials while on the trip is up to you. Some people prefer to exchange all their money in advance, while others will rely solely on credit cards. We suggest having at least some local currency with you during the trip, at least enough to take a taxi if needed. Consider calling your bank ahead of time to make them aware of your international travel, especially when using cards or withdrawing money.

Tipping Guidelines

Tipping is always appreciated but not always required. Expect several instances throughout the hospitality industry that allow for tipping. Have small bills ready for hotel staff, boat crew, restaurant servers, drivers, guides and baggage handlers. If you have a meal outside the itinerary or hire a resident driver, a few dollars in the local currency is customary.

Gratuities are included for group meals, at hotels and at airports. The host, guide, or tour manager can be tipped roughly $10-$12 USD per person, per day. Drivers can be tipped $5 USD per person, per day. To view the gratuities policy for Norwegian Cruise Line, please visit https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-faq/what-is-onboard-service-charge.

For more information about when and how much to tip in each country, feel free to speak with your tour guide at the start of your Journey. A good reference for international tipping is https://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2008-11-11/etiquette-101-tipping-guide.

Time Differences

Please be aware that you may be crossing through several time zones throughout your Journey. To view a time zone map, visit https://m.worldtimezone.com/m-index12.php.

Climate

With the tour covering various regions, you will most likely come in contact with warm and/or cool weather, occasional rain, wind and/or damp environments. Check the weather online before departing for an up-to-date look at the conditions in major destinations.

Many countries outside of North America use Celsius. Here is a °C to °F quick reference guide:

High/Low Temperatures in Fahrenheit:

Practice the Local Language

Knowing a few phrases in the local vernacular can be a wonderful way to connect with people and feel immersed in the culture. Here are some keywords and phrases:

UK and Ireland: English (below are some differences between British and American English)

• Holiday: Vacation
• Lift: Elevator
• Biro: Pen
• Rubbish: Trash
• Bin: Trashcan
• Coriander: Cilantro
• Courgette: Zucchini
• Chemist: Pharmacy
• Biscuit: Cookie
• Chips: French Fries
• Crisps: Potato Chips
• Plaster: Band-aid
• Ground Floor: Ground/First Floor
• First Floor: Second Floor
• Zebra Crossing: Crosswalk
• WC (water closet) or Loo: Bathroom

Gaelic in Ireland

• Dia dhuit (Jee-ah ghwitch): Hello
• Slán leat (Slawn lat): Good bye
• Tá (T-ah): Yes
• Níl (Neel): No
• Más é do thoil é (Maws aye duh hull aye): Please
• Tapadh leat (Tapahlat): Thank you

Netherlands and Belgium: Dutch

• Hallo (HAH-low): Hello
• Vaarwel: Goodbye
• Alstublieft (AHL-stuu-BLEEFT): Please
• Dank je (DAHNK yuh): Thank you
• Ja (YAH): Yes
• Nee (NAY): No

Visit https://www.17-minute-world-languages.com/en/dutch/ for more phrases with sound.

France and Belgium: French

• Bonjour (Boh(n)-zhoo): Hello
• Oui (wee): Yes
• Non (No): No
• Où sont les toilettes? (Oo soh(n) lay twa-let?): Where are the restrooms
• Merci (Mare-see): Thank you
• Je vous en prie (Zhuhvoozahnpree): You’re welcome
• S’il vous plaît (Seal voo play): Please
• Pouvez-vous m’aider? (Poo-vayvoo meh – day?): Can you help me?
• Au revoir (Ah reh-vwarh): Goodbye

Visit https://www.17-minute-world-languages.com/en/french/ for more phrases with sound.

Fun Facts

Check out these interesting facts about the destinations you will visit on your Journey.

England

• English people consume more tea per capita than anybody else in the world (2.5 times more than the Japanese and 22 times more than the Americans or the French).
• French was the official language of England for about 300 years, from 1066 till 1362.
• The English class system is not determined by money, but by one’s background (family, education, etc.). Many nouveau-riches, like pop-stars or football players, insist on their still belonging to the lower or middle class.
• Fish ‘n chips isn’t any more of a traditional English dish than Chicken Tikka Masala is. The first fish & chips restaurant was only opened in 1860 by an immigrant, Joseph Malin.
• Britain has the highest per capita consumption of cider, as well as the largest cider-producing companies in the world. Over half of England’s cider is produced in Herefordshire and the world’s largest producer of cider is H. P. Bulmer, based in Hereford. Cider making was introduced by Viscount Scudamore in 1639, who brought the recipe from France. In 1674 he built the county’s largest house with cider money at Holme Lacy, near Hereford.
• London has a reputation of being rainy, but it actually receives less rain than Paris or New York.

Scotland

• The official animal of Scotland is the unicorn.
• The shortest scheduled flight in the world is one-and-a-half miles long from Westray to Papa Westray in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. The journey takes 1 minute 14 seconds to complete.
• Scotland has approximately 790 islands, 130 of which are inhabited.
• Scotland has more than 600 square miles of freshwater lakes, including the famous Loch Ness.
• The capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, is only its second largest city, after Glasgow.
• Edinburgh was the first city in the world to have its own fire brigade.
• Scotland had its own monarch until 1603. After Elizabeth I died, James VI of Scotland also became James I of England, ruling both countries.
• Scotland is currently the second largest country in the UK, after England.

Ireland

• Ireland is a snake-free island. Due to its isolation from the European mainland, Ireland lacks several species common elsewhere in Europe, such as moles, weasels, polecats or roe deer.
• Halloween traces back its origins to the Gaelic festival of Samhain, a harvest festival held on 31 October to mark the end of summer. Samhain became associated with All Saints (1 November) from the early Middle Ages and the two progressively merged over the centuries, creating Halloween.
• Cats now outnumber dogs by two to one as Ireland’s most popular pet.
• Dublin boasts one pub for every 100 people in the population.
• The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland or Britain.
• The Irish consume in average 34.6 gallons of beer per year – the 2nd highest per-capita consumption after the Czech Republic.
• Many Irish family names start with “Mac” or “O’…”, which means respectively “son of …” and “grandson of …” in Gaelic.

Northern Ireland

• Belfast is second largest city on the island of Ireland.
• While Belfast stayed a small settlement during the Middle Ages, the city played a leading role in the Industrial Revolution and was Ireland’s largest city around the early part of the 20th century.
• The Ulster Fry is one of the best known dishes in Northern Ireland and while it is loaded with things that will make the health conscious run in terror, it is utterly delicious: bacon, egg, soda bread, sausage, potato bread, mushrooms, fried tomato, baked beans and pudding.
• Lough Neagh, in the middle of the country, is the largest lake in the UK and among the top 40 largest lakes in Europe.
• Titanic was built and launched from Belfast Harbor.

The Netherlands (Holland)

• The Netherlands is larger than the state of Maryland, but smaller than West Virginia.
• The Dutch are the world experts on keeping water held back and preventing flooding. The US government turned to the Dutch for help during the Hurricane Katrina disaster and the Dutch are the current leading experts in preparing coastal cities for sea-level rise.
• The Dutch are the tallest in the world with an average height of 6 ft. for men and 5 ft. 6 in. for women. Some believe it’s the combined result of DNA and dairy.
• Tulips, tulip fields and flower bulbs are typically Dutch. Yet, tulips do not originate from the Netherlands. The first tulip bulbs were imported from Turkey to the Netherlands, where they proved to grow extremely well on Dutch soil.

Belgium

• Belgium has the most castles per square mile than any other country in the world (though this is disputed with Wales, who also claims the title).
• There are over a thousand unique Belgian beers and over 300 breweries in Belgium.
• Belgium makes over 220,000 tons of chocolate every year.

France

• Paris was originally a Roman city called “Lutetia”.
• The French government gives medals to citizens who have “successfully raised several children with dignity.”
• There’s only one STOP sign in the entire city of Paris.
• French toast isn’t a French cuisine. Joseph French advertised the modern toast but forgot to add the apostrophe “s.” It should have been advertised as “French’s Toast” not “French Toast.”
• Louis XIX was King of France for just 20 minutes.

Recommended Reading List

Vacation should be easy, peaceful and, most of all, completely stress-free. Let us handle the details, so you can sit back, relax and curl up with a good book as you count down the days to your next Journey! We’ve compiled the following list of books and movies to introduce you to the destinations you are about to visit.

Books

• England: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• England: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
• England: Atonement by Ian McEwan
• England: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
• England: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peeling Society by Mary Anne Shaffer
• Ireland: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
• Ireland: Dubliners by James Joyce
• Ireland: Ireland and the Irish by John Ardagh
• Ireland: A Short History of Ireland by Richard Killeen
• Scotland: Scottish Proverbs by Julie MacDonald
• Scotland: novels by Robert Louis Stevenson, such as Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
• Scotland: Sean Connery: From 007 to Hollywood Icon by Andrew Yule
• Scotland: poems by Robert Burns, such as The Poems and Songs of Robert Burns
• France: The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
• France: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
• France: The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
• Netherlands: Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
• Netherlands: The Van Gogh File: A Journey of Discovery by Ken Wilkie
• Netherlands: Amsterdam by Ian McEwan

Travel Guides

• All countries: Lonely Planet Travel Guides https://www.lonelyplanet.com/places
• All countries: Nomadic Matt Travel Guides https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-guides/

Films

• • England: from classics like A Canterbury Tale to modern series like Downton Abbey, there are endless hours of British movies and TV series to watch before your trip. Here is a list to get you started: https://www.timeout.com/london/film/100-best-british-films
  • Scotland: Braveheart (1995)
  • Scotland: Brave (2012)
  • Scotland: Macbeth (1971)
  • Ireland: The Commitments (1991)
  • Ireland: Brooklyn (2015)
  • Ireland: Once (2007)
  • Ireland: Intermission (2003)
  • Ireland: History Channel drama series Vikings was mostly filmed in Ireland
  • France: Les Miserables (2012)
  • France: Amelie (2001)
  • France: An American in Paris (1951)
  • France: Midnight in Paris (2011)
  • France: A Good Year (2006) – set in Provence region
  • France: for films about D-Day in Normandy, watch Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Longest Day (1962), Where Eagles Dare (1968), Eye of the Needle (1981), The Americanization of Emily (1964) or the television mini-series Band of Brothers
  • Netherlands: Girl With a Pearl Earring (2003)
  • Netherlands: Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
  • Belgium: In Bruges (2008)

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