Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions I have decided on a trip. What do I do next? I have questions. Who can I talk to about a trip? Should I take a guided or a self-guided tour? What is the difficulty level of the bicycling? I am not a great cyclist. Will I be comfortable on the trip? I am a serious cyclist. Will I be comfortable on the trip? What is a typical day of cycling? How many miles is a typical day of cycling? What kind of condition must I be in to enjoy the trip? Once I reserve space on a tour what information will I receive? How will I know what clothing and equipment to bring? How much deposit is required to reserve a trip? When is the balance of the price of the trip due? What if I cancel the trip? Is there a penalty? What is included in the price of the tour? What is not included in the price of the tour? Does the price of the trip include airfare? Can I reserve a room before the tour or after the tour? What are the pros and cons of bringing my own bicycle? If I bring my own bike, can I pack it in my carrying case? Must I sign a liability release?
Questions Regarding Guided Tours What are the hotels like on your guided tours? What is the difference between Inn and Chateau tours? How many meals are included in the price of the trip? What do I do about dinners on "not included" nights? Can I purchase additional dinners in advance? Do I have to keep up with the group? Does a support vehicle support the guided tours? What does the support vehicle do? What if it rains on a guided tour? Is my luggage transferred each day on a guided tour? What will I need to carry on my bicycle? What if I get too tired to finish the day on a guided tour? What do tour leaders do? What are they like? Can I bring my own bicycle on a guided tour? What are the bikes like on your guided tours? Is there a rental charge for bicycles on guided tours? How are the guided tour bikes equipped? How long has WorldVentures been leading tours? How big are the groups on guided tours? What is the mix of the tour members on guided tours? What is included on a WorldVentures guided tour? Can you find me a roommate to avoid the single supplement?
Questions Regarding Self-Guided Tours What are the advantages of self-guided tours? Who are the associates providing support for the tours locally? Is my luggage transferred to the next hotel each day for me? What if something on my bike breaks and I can't go on? How do I get my bicycle and tour information on the first day? Will there be and emergency telephone number? What are the hotels like on self guided-tours? Do the hotels have swimming pools on self-guided tours? Are the hotels air conditioned on self-guided tours? Do hotels have the bathroom in the room on self-guided tours? Are meals included on self-guided tours? When do self-guided tours depart? Will there be other people on my self-guided tour?
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When you have narrowed your choice of tours, give us a call on our toll free number 1-800-800-1775. We will be happy to discuss them with you. When you have selected your trip, simply call us or send in the registration form on this Web site via mail or fax.. It is wise to register as early as possible. Return to top We can tailor any of our trips to meet your group's needs. A group of six people registering together is entitled to a 10% discount from our trip price. If your group is ten or more, you can select your own departure date and alter the itinerary to your liking. We would enjoy working with you in planning your dream vacation. Return to topIf this is your first bicycle tour in a country foreign to you, or if you want to be within a group of Americans with the supportive services of a great tour leader and a van, then our traditional guided tours are probably for you. If you have done all that and are comfortable on your own with or without knowledge of the language (English gets you almost everywhere these days), you may want to consider a self-guided tour. The savings are great and they leave almost anytime you want to go. You must be able to fix a flat (or be with someone who can!) and be willing to ride on rainy days. Self-Guided Tours Return to top Self-guided or "individual" bicycle tours offer the ultimate in economy and freedom all the while offering the amenities of limited mechanical backup and luggage transfer. Because this type of tour demands that some local back up be in the area from March through October, we have partnered with European bicycle touring companies who are experts in their own areas of operation. After sorting through many possibilities, we selected partners capable of delivering the same kind of travel experiences our cycling friends have come to expect on our trips. They are all small to medium size companies who have specialized in these tours for many years. We have left the tour descriptions in their own vernacular to retain the charm and enthusiasm in describing their region. Until now they have served only the European market; with clients principally from Denmark, Holland and Germany. They have worked with us in designing these tours to our specifications. We have inspected each of the tour routes, the hotels, the restaurants and we have cycled the routes to assure the road books and directions are clear and comprehensive. We are very proud to be associated with them. These tours provide neither a tour guide nor a support vehicle. You must be able to fix a flat tire (or be with someone who can) and be willing to ride on rainy days. Mechanical assistance is available for serious problems.A Choice of Accommodations Return to top You may choose from two styles of tours: Chateau Tours are our signature line of luxury-oriented bicycle tours, for which we have become well known, enjoying the best hotels available, with all breakfasts, two dinners and a gourmet picnic lunch included... and never more that sixteen people. Inn Tours are a lower price, value line of tours featuring small, well-managed, less expensive inns. Inn Tours feature breakfast every day, two dinners and slightly larger groups. The itineraries are identical for both types of tours, allowing, of course, for the different hotel destinations. Return to top Some of our trips offer half board on an optional basis at an extra charge. Half board includes dinner at the specified hotels each day. Our trips include all breakfasts but only two dinners because many of our travelers prefer to find their own little restaurants. The half board option will provide dinner at the hotel on the balance of the nights. It is a good way to insure an all inclusive price for your trip. The half board price does not include beverages. Some of our hotels do not offer this feature and on those trips only a limited number of dinners may be available or the option may not be offered. Return to topYour hotel each night will be a fitting finale to a day well spent. An oasis of solitude, comfort and service carefully selected for its cultural ambiance... often with authentic period antiques, swimming pool, tennis court or a sun splashed beach. On each trip we try to arrange a variety of accommodations to include in your experience all that an area might offer. We plan two people to a room. Single rooms are available at extra charge. If you are traveling alone and would like to share a room, we will attempt to find you a roommate. We always request our rooms with a shower but if you prefer a tub to soak those tired legs at night - we can arrange it for you. Return to topYou will spend nights in luxury hotels carefully chosen for authentic period furnishings and excellent service, often with beautiful gardens or grounds, swimming pool, beaches and tennis courts. You may find yourself in a luxurious French chateau, Austrian castle or Italian villa; many from the renowned Relaix and Chateaux group. Of course, our spirit of adventure does not always put us near an extravagant hotel every night and, on these occasions, you may find yourself in a country inn of some character or a well-located city hotel -- always very comfortable. The dinners are leisurely and include authentic samplings of the local cuisine... a time when conversation rivals the sparkle of the wine. Two dinners and all breakfasts are included on each tour. On free evenings, we are always ready with a few dining suggestions that may range from local country fare at a neighborhood restaurant to grand cuisine with a famous chef-- whatever suits your evening's palate. Return to topYour accommodations will be in comfortable hotels and cozy country inns, which often are family owned and managed. We try to select inns with character that typify the region and present an ambiance of peacefulness and comfort, more often that not they include an excellent restaurant serving the cuisine of the countryside. The Champagne Reception and Get Acquainted and Farewell Dinners, as well as breakfast every day, are included on each tour, and on free evenings your guides will be ready with dining suggestions to suit your mood and your budget. Return to topDining With World Ventures - The Cuisine AHHHH... the food! The taste of it!... The look of it!... The smell of it! Fresh ingredients from fields about the town... olive oil from nearby groves... wine from local vineyards... and all most elegantly served! Dinners long savored... and picnics that will float in your memory for months. It has been said, "Food defines the culture of a country" and it's close to the truth. Each country is special---the afternoon tea and scones of England, served with a rich dollop of cream and jams... the elegant and formal French dinners that take hours each night... the rich assortment of Italian fare ... the Austrian and Swiss sausages and pastries... the seafood of the Pacific interwoven with the various Asian cooking styles. Needless to say, a great part of the day is spent indulging yourself and cycling it off. We feel the cuisine of a country is at least as important as its monuments and arts... and one of the richest experiences of travel. Each of our trips includes breakfasts and dinners as specified. The breakfasts are in the tradition of the region ranging from the well known continental breakfasts of France and Italy to the full English breakfast and the sausage and cheese laden buffets of Switzerland and Austria. It always includes coffee or tea or hot chocolate and usually there is something to carry away and tuck into your handlebar bag for a late morning snack. The dinners are well-served and include the specialties of the region ranging from plain country cooking to the lighter fare of nouvelle cuisine--- sometimes dining in a neighborhood restaurant with the locals and sometimes in a Michelin-starred event. On free nights we are ready with suggestions that may include one of the finest restaurants in the country. If you're not in that mood, it's always fun to roam the streets going from restaurant to restaurant in small groups - reading the menus (they are all posted outside) - and then deciding what the night will bring. Lunch is always an evolving mystery. It seems to just "happen" each day. Sometimes a sidewalk cafe... or a seaside promenade... but the best is the impromptu picnic! Wandering from shop to shop -- butcher to baker to green-grocer to wine shop -- assembling the stuff great feasts are made of... then the quest for the perfect spot -- alongside a castle or a river or a vineyard or a seashore or other magical place. Always good food, good wine, good talk, good friends... all along the way. About the Bicycling Return to top We do not rate our trips with regard to difficulty because it is so subjective. What may seem to be an enormous hill in the spring of the year (if your cycling has been hampered by snow!) may seem no more that a bump in the road come autumn after a season of cycling. We have had both beginners and experts on all of our trips and all are quite comfortable. Many a novice has finished one of our trips as a committed cyclist and returned with us year after year. These tours are designed with both beginners and experts in mind. Rides average 25 to 35 miles per day. It seems that every four or five miles we come upon a major sight, worth a stop --- so the cycling is in short segments of an hour or so. If you can ride a bicycle for an hour at a leisurely pace, you will be very comfortable on most of these tours. We encourage a slow pace to take it all in --- smell the flowers, feel the wind in your face, enjoy the colors, stop for a picnic, sample the stuff of patisseries, stop for refreshments at a sidewalk cafe, never - ever - pass a gelati stand without a sample, take a swim or stroll on a deserted beach --- and so the days go by... it's no wonder that over the years we have earned a reputation for laid-back trips... where each day gets lazier, where neckties seldom leave the suitcase and minds can't recall the date --- and don't care... Return to topA Worry-Free Supportive Framework Our tours are loosely structured. They allow you to plan your day around your own special interests and at your own pace, leave at whatever hour you choose each morning, travel with the group, pair off or go it alone... whatever suits your mood. If you choose not to cycle because of rain, terrain or just an off day, you can climb into the support van and take it easy. It is our feeling you will want to do it your way, and our job is to see that you can --- worry-free --- by providing a supportive framework. Your Support Vehicle Return to top Your support vehicle is a spacious, comfortable van stocked with plenty of water, fruits, juices and snacks. It patrols the route keeping in touch with you and is available for mechanical problems. If you get tired or caught in the rain, just stop in a comfortable spot... the van will come along eventually for an easy ride to the nights hotel. It carries the luggage which will be in the room when you arrive. All that you need carry on your bicycle is what you will want handy during the day: perhaps a camera, bathing suit and towel, sunscreen and a little fruit or pastry for sustenance along the way. Our tour leaders are the heart and soul of World Ventures. Through the years they have guided vacationers through many happy trips. Your World Ventures tour leaders have but one goal: To make this, "The best vacation you've ever had". Each day they will keep your bicycle in good shape, make sure your luggage is in your room when you arrive and patrol the route in the support-vehicle keeping in touch with you. They can suggest alternate routing if you want a longer ride or arrange a pickup point if you prefer a shorter one. You will find them always friendly, helpful and fun to be with. Their main concern is to smooth the way for you and make your trip as rich an experience as possible. Return to topYou may, or course, bring your own bicycle. But if, after considering the pros and cons of handling, you decide to use one of ours for your trip - free of charge - you will find yourself astride a recent model, 18 speed, light weight machine - great for going up the very steepest of hills (well, most of them!). Your trusty steed, soon to become your best friend (and practically part of your anatomy) will be prepared to your specifications and fit to your complete satisfaction. All of our bikes come with toe clips (which may be removed if they make you uncomfortable), water bottle, handle bar bag, air pump, lock, and rear rack. Frequently tour members will tell us at the end of a trip that they are going to buy a new bike when they go home --- because we spoiled them on ours. Return to topWe have been operating bicycle tours since 1983 and we have many happy clients to show for it. . Many have expressed their intent to tour with us again this year. We specialize in small groups; usually of 10 to 16 people... small enough to assure that you can always encounter the local people on a one to one basis without overwhelming a restaurant, bakery or gelati stand. Our tours are generally composed of about 50% singles traveling alone. The rest are couples, friends and occasionally a family. Ages have been fairly evenly spread from the twenties through the sixties... but then, on a bicycle, everyone seems to be 10 years old... again. It truly seems that after the first day we are just a happy group of cyclists rolling through the countryside --- the friendships forming fast and deep. Return to top Free use of an 18-speed WorldVentures bicycle (except Bermuda & self-guided tours)Hotels each night Breakfast every day Dinners as specified One gourmet picnic lunch on Chateau ToursLuggage transferred and in your room every day Guided tours are supported by a roomy; fully equipped van with on-board water, juices, fruits and snacks All rail, bus and ferry tickets during the tour HAPPY WORRY-FREE TOURING Return to top
Self-guided bicycle tours offer the ultimate in economy and freedom all the while offering the amenities of limited mechanical backup and luggage transfer. Because this type of tour demands that some local back up be in the area from March through October, we have partnered with European bicycle touring companies who are experts in their own areas of operation. We have selected partners capable of delivering the same kind of travel experiences our cycling friends have come to expect on our trips. They are mostly small to medium family run companies who have specialized in these tours for many years. We have left the tour descriptions in their own vernacular to retain the charm and enthusiasm in describing their region. Until now they have served only the European market; principally in Denmark, Holland and Germany. They have worked with us in designing these tours to our specifications. We have inspected each of the tour routes, the hotels, the restaurants and we have cycled the routes to assure the road books and directions are clear and comprehensive. We are very proud to be associated with them.These tours provide neither a tour guide nor a support vehicle. You must be able to fix a flat tire (or be with someone who can) and be willing to ride on rainy days. Mechanical assistance is available for serious problems at the hotel each night. If something should prevent continuing the cycling, roadside assistance is available and emergency numbers are provided. Return to top Your road book and bicycle will be waiting for you at your first nights hotel. It will include the tour directions and maps, vouchers and other information. You will be provided with an emergency phone number to use should you encounter any serious mechanical difficulties. The level of these mechanical services varies to some degree with each partner and is spelled out in the tour description for each tour. Return to topThe hotels are two, three and four stars as specified in the tour descriptions. Many of them have swimming pools. All of them have a bath or shower and toilet in the room. Most breakfasts and dinners are included in the price of the tour and on one tour you can order an option where the hotel will pack a picnic lunch for you to take with you each morning for a very reasonable charge. All of these things are detailed in each tour description. Keep in mind that, in the European tradition, most of these hotels are not air conditioned. Return to topYour baggage is transported each day and will be delivered to the next nights hotel by the time specified in the tour description. Departures are every week from March or April through October depending upon the tour selected. Some tours depart every day. You may find that you are the only one on the trip or you may find companions not only from North America but also from Holland, Denmark, Germany and Austria. If you don’t want to be the only one we can advise you of the situation six weeks prior to departure and move you to a date or tour with companions. Weekend departures are the most popular if you are looking for a tour with cycling companions. Return to topAdvantages of Self-Guided Tours * Your can save money * You can depart on the date of your choice. * Your baggage is delivered to the next hotel each day. Return to top Airfare is not included in the price of the trip. RESERVATIONS BEFORE AND AFTER THE TRIP If you plan to arrive before your trip or to stay on for a few days after, we can make reservations for you at our first or last nights hotel. YOUR BICYCLE - TO BRING OR NOT TO BRING You are encouraged to bring your own bicycle simply because you are used to it and comfortable on it. However, it is sometimes difficult to handle going through customs and through airports. Many taxis will not accept them in Europe. Domestic flights and some international flights will add a surcharge.If You will be using a train in Europe, be aware that bicycles do not always travel on the same train with you--- sometimes you can wait for days. Where train travel is required with the bicycle on our self guided tours, those trains are known to have a bicycle area available. We know of one instance in which a traveler had to leave for home without it after waiting for four days on a Rome to Paris train. If you decide to bring yours, we will send you packing instructions for a corrugated box. We cannot accept either a bicycle case or a bicycle bag because there is not sufficient space in the van. We will be happy to break down your bicycle box, fold it up and store it in the support-vehicle for you until the end of the trip. On self guided tours, this is not possible.THE SMALL PRINT Return to topWorldVentures; bicycles are good quality, lightweight, well maintained and 18 speeds. You are welcome to use one at no charge on our guided tours with the exception of Bermuda where you must bring your own. AIR TRAVEL Return to topAirfare is not included in the price of the tour. You may register for the trip of your choice by printing the reservation form on our web site or by returning the reservation form in our brochure via fax or mail or by phoning toll free, 1-800-800-1775. A deposit of $300.00 per person in U.S. dollars by check or international bank draft is required with the trip reservation. This includes a $100.00 nonrefundable registration fee. The balance is due sixty days prior to departure and if final payment is not received at this time, WorldVentures Ltd reserves the right to regard the reservation as cancelled. WorldVentures Ltd guaranties the price of the tour regardless of fluctuations in the currency exchange rateELIGIBILITY Return to topWorldVentures Ltd tours are limited to anyone at the age of 18 and above, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. WorldVentures plans its trips based on double occupancy of rooms. If you are traveling alone, we will make every effort to provide a roommate if you request it. If a roommate is not available, one-half the single supplement will be charged. If you request a single room, the full single supplement will be charged. The hotels pictured on this web site are our usual choice of accommodations, however, due to a lack of availability in space due to prior commitments, it may be necessary from time to time to select another hotel as an alternate. We will make every attempt to secure lodgings as comparable to our usual as possible. Return to topAll cancellations must be received in writing and our refund policy is based on the date the cancellation is received in our office. Should you find it necessary to cancel your reservation, all refunds will be less the $100.00 registration fee. Cancellations up to sixty days prior to departure will have the entire balance of the deposit refunded. Cancellations between 60 and 45 days prior to departure will result in the loss of the deposit. No refund will be made on cancellations within 45 days of departure. WorldVentures Ltd reserves the right to cancel any tour prior to departure for any reason and, in such an event, a full refund of all monies received will be returned. We will do our best to provide 30 days notice of cancellation to give ample time to make other travel arrangements. WorldVentures Ltd is not responsible for additional expenses such as nonrefundable "Advance Purchase" airline tickets. Trip cancellation insurance is available and its purchase is encouraged. Return to topTour participant agrees to sign a liability release as a condition for participation in the tour. Upon participants failure to provide the signed Liability Release a minimum of 45 days prior to the departure of the tour, WorldVentures Ltd. reserves the right to regard the reservation as cancelled by the participant and our normal cancellation refund policy will be in effect. Return to topRESPONSIBILITY WorldVentures Ltd and its agents shall be responsible to the tour participants only for supplying land services and accommodations offered as set forth in this booklet, except to the extent such services cannot be supplied due to causes beyond the control of the organizers. In such cases the tour organizers will use their best efforts to supply comparable services and accommodations. All arrangements for transport or accommodations are made by WorldVentures Ltd and/or its agents for the tour members upon express condition that they shall not be liable for any injury, damage, loss accident, or irregularity occasioned either on or off the bicycle or by reason of defect in any vehicle or through the act or defaults of any company or personnel engaged in conveying the tour member or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour or otherwise in connection therewith. Carrier services used in these tours are not to be held responsible for any act, omission or event during the time passengers are not on board their conveyance. The passenger contract in use by these companies when issued shall constitute the sole contract between the companies and the purchaser of these tours. WorldVentures Ltd reserves the right to alter the itinerary in the event such changes are advisable or necessary for any reason whatsoever or to cancel any tour. WorldVentures Ltd reserves the right to decline to accept or to retain at any time, any person or participant on any tour. In such cases a refund will be made from our home office in the U.S.A. by check in U.S. Dollars on the following basis: Total number of nights on the trip divided into the price paid for the trip times the number of unused nights. WorldVentures Ltd will not be responsible for any other loss incurred by the tour participant as a result of this action. Return to topLOSS DUE TO THEFT WorldVentures Ltd will not be held responsible for any loss of tour participant's property. Tour participant recognizes that loss of property is a possibility at any time during the tour including the time property is being transported in the support vehicle or is left in the hotels or at any other time and agrees to hold WorldVentures Ltd and its representatives free of responsibility for all loss of property whether due to theft or casualty or any other reason. We highly recommend that homeowners, renters or trip/baggage insurance be purchased to cover loss of property. Return to topLand tour rate does not include any air transportation or expenses including, but not limited to, costs of personal bicycle repairs, telephone, entrance fees, unspecified transfers and items of a personal nature such as laundry, insurance and food and beverages other than those specified.
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Contact Information WorldVentures Ltd World Class Vacations
Adventure Tours in Europe
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