Important information before you go

Please ensure you bring...

• Tour vouchers: These are supplied to you electronically and will be sent either to your travel agent or to your personal email as provided by you. Please ensure that you have saved a copy or printed out copies while you travel.
• Luggage tags: Please ensure your luggage is clearly tagged with your first name and surname, to take advantage of the included porterage and ensure it's efficiency. Albatross Tours no longer supply luggage tags in line with our commitment to responsible environmental and tourism practices.
• Valid passport: Please ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond the return date of your trip. Please check www.smarttraveller.gov.au for Australian passport holders or https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/ if you are a New Zealand passport holder for the most up to date information regarding visas and entry requirements for the countries you are visiting. Currently, Australians and New Zealanders do not require a visa for entry to the UK or Europe, however Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for the UK and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) for Europe are being introduced (see below sections relating to each).
• Travel insurance with specific COVID cover: It is a condition of travel on our tours, that you are covered by adequate International Travel Insurance. Please ensure you bring your insurance details with you.
• Are you taking prescribed medications? You will need a doctor's letter to cover prescribed drugs you are carrying with you.
• Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? It is possibly a good idea to take details of your optical prescription just in case you need to replace them.

UK ETA: New requirement to travel to the United Kingdom

From the 27th of November 2024 Australian and New Zealand passport holders can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for entry to the United Kingdom, which is required for travel from the 8th of January 2025. Please check https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta#apply-for-an-eta for the most up to date information.

ETIAS: New requirement to travel to Europe

From the first half of 2025, a new travel authorisation will be required to enter Europe: the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).The ETIAS is a new entry requirement for travellers who do not need a visa to enter 30 European countries for a short stay. These include the 27 countries belonging to the Schengen Area as well as Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania. With ETIAS, visa-free travellers will need to apply for a travel authorisation before starting their trip. ETIAS is not a visa, and its introduction does not modify the visa-free status of travellers. For further details regarding when this will be introduced and whether you are required to have this travel authorisation for your trip to Europe in 2025, please click here: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en

EU EES: New border management process in Europe

From November 2024 the new Entry/Exit Systems (EES) will register visa-free and visa-required travellers entering Europe for a short stay by collecting travellers’ facial image and fingerprints. It will also collect travel document data as well as the date and place where the traveller entered and exited the territory of European countries using the system. For EES, no action will be required from travellers before they start their trip, as registration will be done at the external border of any of the 29 European countries using the system. The countries in question include the 27 Schengen countries, Bulgaria, and Romania. Registration on the EES will be done every time travellers cross external borders and will replace the manual stamping of passports. For more information on the EES, please click here: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en

Copy important legal documents

We suggest you take photocopies of the first few pages of your passports, your insurance policy, and any tickets or vouchers you are taking. Put these in an envelope and keep them in your suitcase away from the ‘originals’ which will be presumably in your hand luggage.

Special diets

All the hotels and restaurants, along with your Tour Manager, will have been notified of any special dietary needs you advised to us by you on the Traveller Information Form.
Nevertheless, please do check with your Tour Manager to ensure they are aware of them. Whilst every effort will be made to accommodate your special needs we cannot guarantee they will always be available.

Do you have a disability or medical condition we need to know about?

If you have advised us of any mobility concerns, disability or medical condition on your Traveller Information Form, we will have passed these details on to your Tour Manager. We recommend that you also raise the matter confidentially with your Tour Manager at the beginning of the tour.

Luggage Dimensions

Allowed luggage on your Albatross Tour

• 1 suitcase per person - maximum 23 kg
• Hand luggage - 1 piece - maximum 7kg
• Plus 1 handbag or backpack.

Your tour may have more specific requirements due to the mode of transport being utilised. Refer to your tour pre-departure documentation for specific requirements.

Porterage

Hotel porterage for one suitcase per person is included at each stay during your group touring programme^*. It is not included on the first or last days of your tour when arriving or departing your hotel independently.

^*Some exclusions do apply, please refer to your tour specific pre-departure documentation.

For more specific details about your Europe & UK Summer or your European festive tours, please refer to the information below.