Our booking terms and Tour-Ready guarantee provide the flexibility you need.
For land tours travelling between February 1 and December 31, 2023:
- A deposit of C$/US$500 per person to confirm your booking
- An interim payment of C$/US$1000 per person at six months prior to travel
- The balance of payment due at 90 days prior to travel
‣ For Land Tours in 2024 and Beyond:
View our Trip Cancellation & Refund Policy.
- A deposit of C$/US$750 per person to confirm your booking
- An interim payment of C$/US$2000 per person at six months prior to travel
- The balance of payment due at 90 days prior to travel
View our Trip Cancellation & Refund Policy.
Because we charter small ships exclusively for our group, our ship-based tours have specific booking, transfer, and cancellation conditions. These are outlined on the Detailed Itinerary for each tour.
‣ A Note About Private Journeys:
As Private Journey arrangements are made especially for you, all payments for Private Journeys are non-refundable. Credits for postponed trips to the same destination may be issued in special circumstances.
We are ‘Tour-Ready’
Our focus remains on the well-being of our travellers, staff, and the communities we visit. We are committed to continuing to provide travel experiences that enrich and delight you as we have for over 50 years. Our tours will only proceed when all the following Tour-Ready criteria are met:
1. The Canadian government does not have an ‘Avoid All Travel’ advisory to the country or region within a country for any part of the tour.
2. No region of the tour has any significant COVID-19 related restrictions.
3. There is reliable airline access for arrival and departure.
4. Worldwide Quest and our in-country partners are confident that your trip can operate safely and enjoyably.
Worldwide Quest has been awarded the World Travel and Tourism Council’s #SafeTravels Stamp for adopting health and hygiene global standardized protocols which cover operational and staff preparedness and the delivery of a safe experience. Please see the WTTC #SAFETRAVELS site for more information: Click here.
FAQ
What is Worldwide Quest doing to ensure the well-being of travellers on tour?
On all our tours, our focus remains on the well-being of our travellers, staff, and the communities we visit. For this reason, all our travellers, tour leaders, guides, and drivers are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This further ensures that the whole group can participate fully in all meals and activities including in locations which may have local mandatory vaccination requirements. As a priority, we respect all local health regulations and protocols of the places we visit to ensure that our visit is welcome and can be conducted safely for all.
What happens if I get Covid-19 while on tour?
As with any illness, if you feel unwell while on tour, please let your tour leader know immediately. Worldwide Quest and our local representatives will assist you in obtaining medical care. You should also contact your travel insurance provider, so please make sure to have insurance contact details with you. We follow the guidance of local medical authorities; depending on local protocols, you may be required to self-isolate for a period of time and rejoin the group following a negative Covid-19 test. In all cases, we will provide support, however you are responsible for any expenses related to complying with local protocols including expenses related to self-isolation, medical services, transportation, and accommodation. You may claim these expenses through your travel insurance.
On all our tours, our focus remains on the well-being of our travellers, staff, and the communities we visit. For this reason, all our travellers, tour leaders, guides, and drivers are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This further ensures that the whole group can participate fully in all meals and activities including in locations which may have local mandatory vaccination requirements. As a priority, we respect all local health regulations and protocols of the places we visit to ensure that our visit is welcome and can be conducted safely for all.
What happens if I get Covid-19 while on tour?
As with any illness, if you feel unwell while on tour, please let your tour leader know immediately. Worldwide Quest and our local representatives will assist you in obtaining medical care. You should also contact your travel insurance provider, so please make sure to have insurance contact details with you. We follow the guidance of local medical authorities; depending on local protocols, you may be required to self-isolate for a period of time and rejoin the group following a negative Covid-19 test. In all cases, we will provide support, however you are responsible for any expenses related to complying with local protocols including expenses related to self-isolation, medical services, transportation, and accommodation. You may claim these expenses through your travel insurance.
What if my destination country is clear to travel to, but then has an outbreak of COVID-19 or brings in a mandatory quarantine for Canadian visitors within the 60 days prior to travel period?
If the destination country fails to meet our four-point criteria for two consecutive weeks within the 60 days prior to departure or at any time within two weeks of departure, you can transfer 100% of your group land tour payments to any other group tour within two years of your departure date without penalty. What if the Canadian government issues an ‘Avoid all Travel’ advisory within 60 days of my tour?
If this advisory is in place for two consecutive weeks prior to your tour or within two weeks of your group land tour date, our four-point criteria is not met. You can transfer 100% of your payments to any other group tour within two years of your departure date without penalty. Note that this applies ONLY to a travel advisory due to COVID-19. If the travel advisory is for any other reason (weather, political action etc…), our usual terms and conditions apply. Note that cancellation and insurance policies cover travel advisories of this nature. For this reason, we urge you to ensure that you have appropriate insurance coverage in place.
I don’t live in Canada. What if my government’s travel advisory is different to the Canadian government’s?
Worldwide Quest is based in Toronto, Canada, so we are subject to the Canadian government’s travel advisories. For travellers based in other countries, we ask you to review your travel status at 60 days prior to travel when your final balance is due. If you wish to transfer your group land tour deposit at that time, you may do so without penalty.
What if a mandatory quarantine is put into place on return from my trip?
Worldwide Quest will not cancel a tour if there is a mandatory quarantine upon your return, as we know that most travellers are comfortable self-isolating at home.
What if my tour meets Worldwide Quest’s criteria for proceeding, but I still want to cancel?
We have established comprehensive criteria for our tours’ viability. While some minor changes to the itinerary may be necessary to ensure the tour’s safety, we will ensure that the tour activities and experiences are not compromised. Therefore, if our tour is proceeding, our standard terms and conditions apply.
Does my travel insurance cover Coronavirus?
This will depend on the wording of your individual travel policy. Policies have specific clauses regarding COVID-19. Most policies will cover your medical expenses should you contract COVID-19 while travelling and your cancellation costs should you contract the virus prior to departure. We urge you to verify all details of your coverage. Many policies offer ‘cancel for any reason’ (CFAR) coverage which provides enhanced protection for cancellation.
