Your Health & Safety

Suspended Packages

We have suspended all programs departing now through June 2021. If you are booked on one of these departures, our travel specialists will contact you to help reschedule your trip for a future date, with no fees or penalties assessed by Friendly Planet. If you prefer to cancel, we can issue a refund, minus a $99 future travel credit (and any premiums paid for our travel protection plan).^† If we haven't been able to reach you, please contact us.

Please note that if you booked prior to Mar 19, 2020, and we issued flight tickets for your trip, there may be limitations on your rebooking options or refund. In most cases, we can transfer the value of your flights to a future trip, but within the airlines' rebooking policies, which may require your new trip to be on the same airline and to occur within a certain amount of time. Ask us for more information.

How We’re Protecting You

Protecting the health and safety of our travelers has been our highest priority for 40 years. The coronavirus pandemic presents new challenges, and we're enhancing our protocols for every package to meet those challenges. These are our commitments to you:

• We will not operate trips to any destination that has not been authorized for safe travel by its government, the US Dept. of State, the CDC, and the World Health Organization.
• We've lowered deposits and implemented new Carefree Booking policies on most packages that allow you to book with confidence, knowing you can modify your departure date or destination or even cancel if you don't feel comfortable traveling.
• On our group tours, we are adjusting the size of our groups and motor coaches to provide additional spacing.
• We are redesigning many aspects of our itineraries to avoid large gatherings and crowded spaces, and to schedule visits to popular sites during off-peak times.
• On our motor coaches, you will have assigned seating on each coach throughout your itinerary.
• All vehicle surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized each day.
• All restaurants will serve plated meals instead of offering buffets.
• All rooms and cabins will be sanitized and deep-cleaned prior to check-in, and housekeeping staff will wear masks and gloves.
• All porters, drivers, hotel staff, and tour representatives will wear a face mask and gloves when handling your luggage.
• Our tour staff will wear face masks and other appropriate personal protective equipment and regularly wash their hands and/or use hand sanitizer.
• All travelers will be required to wear face masks while touring public places, particularly indoors, and on our motor coaches. While you should bring your own face masks and hand sanitizer, we will have both available.
• On itineraries with tour guide listening systems (headsets), the headset will be sterilized and sanitized, and you will use the same one throughout your trip.
• For the safety of you and others, including local populations, and to comply with local regulations, closures, or other unexpected circumstances, we may adjust your itinerary before or during travel. If it is necessary to omit certain sites or experiences, we will do our best to substitute other, similarly rewarding ones.
• If you or any other traveler exhibits symptoms of illness, we will promptly seek a medical evaluation, and assess whether any travelers should be isolated from the group.
• In the unlikely event that your trip is interrupted, our team in the US and in destination will help modify your travel arrangements and get you home as soon and as safely as possible.

What You Can Do

Together we can stay safe and healthy! To make sure your travel experience is exciting, enjoyable and safe, we need your help. A full list of guidelines and tips, specific to your tour or package, will be included with your final documents.

• Wear a face mask in public places wherever possible, including in airports and on airplanes and motor coaches. We strongly recommend you bring your own supply of face masks and hand sanitizer.
• Do your best to minimize your contact with people outside your household for two weeks prior to departure, to minimize your chances of becoming ill.
• If you're not feeling well or are exhibiting symptoms of any illness, please do not travel unless your doctor says that it's okay. (If you have a fever, many airlines, airports, and/or customs officials may prevent your boarding or entry.)
• While on tour, please defer to your tour leader, guide or manager. They are there for your safety and wellbeing, and to ensure the journey goes smoothly for everyone, and know the local customs & regulations.
• Be flexible and open-minded! While most itineraries operate as scheduled, international travel is always a bit unpredictable, especially now. On the off chance that it is necessary to adjust your itinerary, you'll enjoy your trip much more if you roll with the punches.
• To protect against the unexpected, purchase a travel protection plan to protect you and your travel investment, including coverage for emergency medical coverage abroad.

Frequently Asked Questions