Frequently Asked Questions
Do you charge fees?
When you contact me to start planning a vacation, we start off with a free 30-min consultation (via phone, Zoom, or in person). If after that consultation you wish for me to plan your trip, there is a non-refundable fee due at that time. The amount of the fee differs depending on the type of trip but starts at $100.
Can you work within my budget?
The beauty of the free 30-min consultation is that we can talk about your budget and discuss if it is realistic for the details of the trip you have in mind. If the budget is a bit too low, you can elect to change destinations or to wait until you are able to save enough for the trip. If the budget is high, you can determine if you’d like to add on extra days, upgrade your components of the trip, or reduce budget size. To get tips on how to estimate a budget for a trip, check out this blog post I wrote.
How will I get my final itinerary for my trip?
Based on your preference, I can either email you your final documents, or print and mail them to you. The default option is for me to email them AND print and mail them so that you aren’t reliant on having cell phone service in destination to see your itinerary; however, if you would prefer to save paper, I can send them electronically only.
How do I cancel a trip?
If you end up needing to cancel your trip, you will be charged a cancellation fee (fee schedule is listed and agreed upon when we start working together). You must request and complete the Cancellation Request form to initiate the cancellation process. If only a percentage of the travel party wishes to cancel, they must request and complete the Cancellation Request form. You will be charged any cancellation fees/penalties from the supplier on top of the cancellation fee that I (Experience Culture Travel) charge. If only a percentage of people in a room decide to cancel, the remaining people may have to pay more than they originally were billed to keep their reservation (this is due to the hotel having to re-price the room to single occupancy, which is generally more expensive than what one person would pay for their portion of a double+ occupancy room).
What do I do if there is an error on my final itinerary?
It is your responsibility to review the invoice and final itinerary within 24 hours to ensure there are no errors or misspellings. If (within that first 24 hours) you have reviewed it and found an error or misspelling, please email kara@experienceculturetravel.com to inform me of the error at no charge to you. If you wait until after 24 hours, you will be charged a fee to correct any errors, and it may require complete cancellation (including any cancellation fees) and rebooking of the trip at the current rates.
What name will show up on my credit card statement?
Depending on the type of trip you book, you may not see Experience Culture Travel on any credit card statements. If you submit a credit card authorization, you will see the suppliers that I am using to create your vacation experience. If you are paying using my Stripe payment feature, you’ll see Experience Culture Travel. For example, an AmaWaterways river cruise in Europe is one that would be a credit card authorization, so it will show up on your credit card as AmaWaterways, but if I’m making a customized trip through Italy, it would be Experience Culture Travel on your statement.