Rick Steves Home > 2009 Tours > Tour Planning Essentials

What's Included With Your Tour

Sightseeing tours: Led by a Rick Steves guide, and local guides when appropriate, including admissions to sights seen as a group.

Hotels: Accommodations each night, often in smaller, family-run hotels in the historic heart of each city or town (including one overnight train on Turkey tours and a one-night cruise on Scandinavia tours).

Meals: On every tour we include all breakfasts and half of your dinners. On some days dinner will be included and on some you will only have breakfast included. This is determined by each guide and the circumstances she or he is dealt. You are always responsible for your own drinks with all meals. Some guides organize a few additional extra-cost meals, but these are optional.

Transportation: All transportation required for group activities from the first hotel to the last hotel of the tour (transportation for optional group activities and independent travel during the tour is not included).

Tour Packet Materials: Our goal is to ship your tour packet to you at least 2 months prior to your tour — and hopefully sooner, depending upon the arrival of your hot-off-the-press 2009 Rick Steves guidebooks. Most of our tour packets are shipped via UPS so please make sure we have an address on file where you can accept UPS deliveries (your office, your home, etc). The packet will include any Rick Steves guidebooks and maps applicable to your specific tour, a moneybelt, ear plugs, and souvenir tour patch. Here are some important details about these items.

Moneybelt: Everyone receives a Rick Steves silk moneybelt and each person should wear his or her own. For comfort, carry only the essential documents and cards: passport, plane ticket, ATM debit/credit cards, and extra cash. Europe is full of highly skilled pickpockets. Because all of our tour members and guides wear moneybelts, we've rarely had anyone lose their valuables (usually a time-consuming and expensive hassle to replace).

Ear Plugs: We often choose hotels that are centrally located and where night noises abound, so be sure to bring your included ear plugs to ensure you get that good night's sleep when you really need it — they are also very helpful if your roommate has different sleep habits and snores like a gorilla!

Rick Steves Tour Patch: This is a souvenir for you. Some tour members like to sew them on their backpacks.

Tour Price Guaranteed for 2009 Our tour prices do not include airfare, and are subject to change without notice due to the unpredictability of currency rates and trip costs. However, your price for the tour you’ve selected will be locked and guaranteed the moment we receive your deposit. (If you transfer to an alternate 2009 departure for the same itinerary, your initial tour price will be honored. If you transfer to a different 2009 tour itinerary, the tour price effective on the date we confirm your transfer will be applied.) For current tour prices, visit www.ricksteves.com or call our Tour Department at 425-608-4217.

Tour Cancellation/Interruption Coverage and Tour Conditions: Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door provides courtesy tour cancellation/interruption coverage with each of our tours. For complete details please read our Tour Cancellation/Interruption Coverage and our Tour Conditions prior to joining your tour.