Company Response
4/1/2022
I hope this message finds you well and that you and your family are staying safe and healthy at this time. I understand that you spoke with a member of our team regarding the current options available to your family.
The requirement to be fully vaccinated to participate in a Summer 2022 tour is a result of travel-related requirements and restrictions that make proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 necessary due to the ongoing and evolving impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many counties either require proof of full vaccination or are reportedly considering imposing such a requirement to enter or transit through the country. There are also on-the-ground practicalities and operational components of your group-based tour that necessitate all travelers being fully vaccinated (e.g., airlines; restaurants, hotels, attractions, or transportation suppliers). Due to rapidly changing government and supplier requirements, it is impracticable and in many cases impossible to produce a tour without a fully vaccinated group*. We understand that the decision to be vaccinated is a personal one. If you are choosing not to be vaccinated, we do have a standard cancellation policy, which you had agreed to upon enrolling Kristen. Your electronic signature for Kristen was submitted on 04/12/2019 at 03:57:41 PM. I have outlined our standard cancellation policy for you below, and you can also find a copy of it HERE.
EF's Standard Cancellation Policy:
· 150 days or more prior to departure: Full refund less the $95 non-refundable deposit, all Non-Refundable fees, and a $300 cancellation fee.
· 149 to 110 days prior to departure: Full refund less the $95 non-refundable deposit, all Non-Refundable Fees, and a $500 cancellation fee.
· 109 to 45 days prior to departure: Full refund less the $95 non-refundable deposit, all Non-Refundable Fees, and 50 of the program price.
· 44 days or less prior to departure: No refund will be issued.
Currently we are 94 days away from departure, therefore the fees are as follows: $2,145 cancellation fee + $165 insurance premium + $95 deposit = $2405 withheld per traveler.
At EF, we begin planning our tours as soon as the first traveler enrolls to ensure the highest quality service at the lowest price. For example, our staff work to vet, negotiate, and book large volumes of flights, hotels, and entrances for groups long before the tours ever depart. Many of these are at a group booking level which is subject to different cancellation rules than typical consumers. This includes booking large blocks of space with suppliers like airlines, hotels, coach companies, restaurants, and attractions that are then allocated to the traveling groups, as well as organizing the itineraries and components of the tours and vetting and selecting professional local tour guides. This advanced planning and sourcing allows EF to provide a high-quality travel experience to travelers at an affordable program cost.
Please let me know if you would like to keep Kristen enrolled on the tour or if you would prefer the cash refund option.
* Further, we cannot guarantee that the requirements in place today will not change suddenly prior to your tour's departure date.
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