CIE Tours

In addition to your suitcase, which gets stored separately on the coach, you can bring a personal item such as a purse or your CIE Tours backpack and one piece of carry-on luggage onto the coach with you. The carry-on must be soft sided, without wheels, and must be small enough to fit under the coach seat.

Most of our coaches are equipped with emergency restrooms. However, for safety reasons they cannot be used when the coach is in motion. The coach makes frequent rest/bathroom stops at two-hour intervals or less, for the comfort of all passengers.

Our coaches are not handicap accessible, so you must be able to get on and off the coach unaided by CIE Tours staff and be able to rotate seats on the coach. If you need extra walking assistance, you may bring a walker or a lightweight, fully collapsible wheelchair that can be stowed in the luggage compartment. You must advise us in advance during the booking process that you will be using a wheelchair or other medical equipment and must also travel with a companion who can push the wheelchair.

We do not offer the option of a sharing service for passengers traveling solo. Note that all prices on our website are per person, double occupancy. A single room supplement which affords you the privacy of your own room is able to be viewd by selecting the dropdown above the pricing table on each trip page.

CIE Tours predominantly uses 4 or 5-star hotels, which include some castle properties. All hotels feature a dining room, lounge, bar, and comfortable guest rooms. Many have leisure and spa facilities, and some are in historic or unique settings. We choose hotels either in central locations or scenic regions, depending on location. We clearly identify all accommodations used on each tour.

Due to the cooler climate in Ireland, Britain and Iceland, most hotels do not have, or need, air-conditioning. In Italy and Spain, all hotels are air-conditioned.

You can request to have a Twin (two separate single beds) or a Double (usually one queen sized bed). Please note that room type assigned upon arrival is subject to each hotel’s discretion and availability. No more than three people can share a hotel room on our guided coach tours and these triples are limited to a maximum of one per departure and may not be available in all destinations. A triple room will usually have a double and one twin bed (two beds total). Please note there is no reduction in cost for a third person sharing a room with two others. For comfort, we suggest that three adults take two separate rooms.

Check-in time varies between noon and 3:00 pm, depending on the individual hotel. If you arrive in the early part of the day, this can mean a wait at the hotel. Many hotels offer a checked luggage area so you may enjoy this time by taking a walk, having a snack, or doing some exploring.

The CIE Tours All-In Inclusive Advantage means that all breakfast and most meals are included in the total cost of your tour and your itinerary will clearly note which meals are included on each day.

A full hot breakfast with a wide variety of selections is included at your hotel each morning. Lunch is sometimes included, but more often you will be at leisure to go where you like. Many dinners are included where you will eat with your group either in the hotel or at a local restaurant. All included dinners are three-course meals with a choice of appetizer, entrée and dessert, with tea or coffee included.

Most hotels and restaurants feature a good assortment of poultry, meat, fish and vegetarian options and you will be given choices at all meals. Depending on your meal and the tour, wine or beer may be included or will be available for purchase. For lunches or dinners where you will be dining independently, your Tour Director can give you tips on options in your location.

If you have dietary restrictions, please notify your Global Journeys travel advisor. While hotels throughout Europe offer a wide variety of foods, we cannot guarantee all requests and it is a good idea to double check once you are in your tour hotel.

Hotel meals and most restaurants include a service charge in your bill. Ask if it has been included and if not, it’s at your discretion with a suggested amount of 10% to 15%. Tipping is not common in pubs or bars; however, if you have been given great service, a tip is always a nice way to show your appreciation.

We would be happy to help you with your flight arrangements, and when you book through CIE Tours, you’ll enjoy negotiated rates, guaranteed pricing, assigned seats, included checked baggage and complimentary round-trip transfers between your airport and hotel.

Most airlines require tickets to be paid in full at the time of final payment of your vacation. Occasionally, due to specially negotiated rates or airfare associated with a promotion, payment is required within 24 hours of making the reservation.

CIE Tours' negotiated fares do not allow for payment with frequent flyer miles. Most of CIE Tours' negotiated fares allow for mileage accrual.

One of the benefits of booking airfare with CIE Tours is that complimentary group transfers are provided on the first and last day of all tours. Transfer information is provided with your tour itinerary. If you have booked your own flights, ask your Global Journeys travel advisor about airport transfers available through CIE Tours for an additional fee.

Your deluxe travel pack, including documents, will be delivered to you approximately 3 weeks before your departure. Your documents include the vouchers for the tour and other services, an itinerary, hotel list and our Go-To-Guide booklet. Treat your tour vouchers as you would money, as they are non-refundable. You will need to present the relevant voucher in return for services such as Hop-on, Hop-off bus tours.

CIE Tours' All-In Inclusive Advantage means that all travelers will receive a deluxe travel pack including a backpack, travel adapter, water bottle, Go-To-Guide booklet, luggage straps, and luggage tags approximately 3 weeks prior to departure.

For safety reasons, small rolling suitcases are not permitted inside the coach. There is minimal space to store them securely overhead so carry-ons must be soft sided, without wheels, and must be small enough to fit under the coach seat.

We suggest dressing in layers so you can add and subtract items as temperatures fluctuate and be sure to have comfortable walking shoes. Casual attire is appropriate for all instances with the exception of guests on our Irish Heritage tour who will enjoy a more formal evening at Dromoland Castle. For that event, the dress code is "smart casual" (no jeans, leisure wear, or informal open-toed shoes).

On coach tours, you are permitted one piece of luggage and one carry-on bag per person. Luggage should not exceed 30 x 20 x 10 inches and weight should be under 50 lbs.; carry-on must be soft sided, without wheels, and must be small enough to fit under the coach seat.

Porterage between the coach and your hotel room for one piece of luggage per person is included in the cost of all coach tours and these bags will be stored under the coach during transit. Travelers are responsible for transporting their carry-on bag between the coach and hotel each day.

You will need a valid passport with an expiration at least 6 months after your travel dates. For specific details by country on other travel documents needed, please reference the Go-to-Guide that will be sent to you in advance.

Since most components of your guided vacation are included in one up-front price, your only out-of-pocket expenses will be for those meals that are not included on the daily itinerary, for wine or cocktails when they are not included, or for shopping.

Also, it is customary to tip your guide and driver at the end of the tour (please see the question on tipping guidelines for more information). We recommend either bringing a small amount of local currency with you or using a cash machine/ATM once in country. Most stores and restaurants accept credit and debit cards but note that American Express and Discover are not widely accepted - either VISA or Mastercard is best.

The price you see on the website is per person based on two guests sharing a room. Our All-In Inclusive Advantage means that we include all the necessary ingredients for a successful tour. Many competitors charge additional fees for sightseeing and dinner/shows which can add up.

Great hotel accommodations, full breakfast every day, most dinners, some lunches, special evening entertainment, pre-paid admission fees to attractions and the services of an expert Tour Director are all included in the upfront price. Airfare, travel protection and pre-and post-nights are not included.

Airfare is not included in the price of the tour shown online but can be purchased though the CIE Tours air department in conjunction with your Global Journeys travel advisor.

We encourage you to book extra nights before or after your tour and would be happy to assist. You can use the extra days to get settled in, explore more of the destination and provide a buffer for unexpected travel delays.

A non-refundable deposit of $250 per person is required for all guided coach vacation packages. Certain exclusive promotions may require higher deposits or payment in full. Full payment must be made no later than 75 days prior to departure date. If payment is not received as scheduled, the reservation will automatically cancel, and the land deposit payment will be forfeited.