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Frequently Asked Questions

Reservations & Travel Documentation

Reservations & Travel Documentation

What does “Quo Vadis” mean?

“Quo Vadis” is Latin for “Where are you going?”

How do I make a reservation?

Simply send us an email (info@quovadisholidays.com) via the “Contact Us” drop-down menu on the Home page or call us directly on 1800 722 311 to request a Booking Form for the holiday you’re interested in.

As we are a small, boutique Tour Operator we don’t deal directly with Travel Agents so to make your booking you’ll need to contact us directly rather than through your Travel Agent.

Are there any discounts or money saving offers to take advantage of? Can I book a group?

We have different Earlybird discounts for different trips for those who book and pay for their tours directly through us by the published dates.

Past guests also receive discounts for joining us again on one of our boutique holidays!

Quo Vadis Holidays welcomes groups of any size if you fit our demographic. If a group of six or more people travel together then please ask us about any Group Discounts applicable to the tour you’re wanting to join! If you have a group of friends then it pays to get yourselves together and book as one group!

What is the single supplement?

The single supplement is the added price you pay to guarantee a single-room during the course of your tour. In most cases these rooms will have single beds and will of course be smaller than a normal twin-room.

What happens if I am travelling alone? Is there an extra charge?

There are two options if you are a solo traveller with Quo Vadis Holidays. If you prefer to have your own room then you can book and pay for the added single supplement (see below).

Alternatively you can book for a twin room and if we end up with another guest of the same gender also wishing to share a Twin Room then we will match you up with them for the tour, thereby saving you the cost of that single supplement. If we don’t end up with another same-sex solo traveller for you to share with then the Single Supplement is payable.

Are prices based on double occupancy?

Yes, all our tour prices are quoted on a two people sharing a twin-room.

Are airport transfers included?

No. As we believe many people will be opting to spend more time in the departure and/or end cities then we leave it up to you to determine your travel arrangements pre and post tour. Your travel agent will be able to organize transfers for you or alternatively please refer to our “Hotel” page on this website for other options for making you way to/from your hotel from our gateway and conclusion hotels.

Does the price include any flights?

No International flights are included however on some trips, Internal flights are part of thew itinerary and they are of course included.

When is final payment due?

The final payment is due in full 100 days before the departure of your trip. If you’ve booked your trip within 100 days of the departure date, full payment is needed at that time to confirm your place on the tour.

How far in advance do I need to book?

There is no guarantee as to when other people will book and hence when the tours will fill up. Our advice is that when you know which one you want to book, don’t delay – put your name down as soon as possible, that way you won’t be disappointed. However, we can take bookings for our tours right up until the departure date if there are spaces left, so have a look at the availability.

Will I need a passport?

Passports are needed when travelling outside your home country. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the conclusion of your trip.

When will I receive my documents from Quo Vadis holidays?

Travel documents will be sent approximately 21 days prior to tour departure. If your travel plans mean that you might potentially be away already prior to this time then please inform us at the time of your booking.

May I request special dietary meals?

The included meals provided whilst on tour will provide you with a balanced diet and are based on local foods and menus, particularly those as included in our Highlight range of included meals. In all these cases we can accommodate passengers who prefer a vegetarian diet and can often assist with diabetic and other medically recommended diets. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at time of your booking. Unfortunately we are unable to supply meals in accordance with strict religious requirements.

Do you have a frequent traveller program?

Please contact us directly if you have travelled with us before to see what discounts we are offering our Frequent Travellers!

When do I need to tip?

Your Tour Director works hard to ensure you have a great trip however you are not required to tip as it is included in the tour price. Likewise for your Tour Driver. For local guides if you feel that they have done a wonderful job then you may at your own discretion choose to give them a gratuity. Generally 1-2 euros per person is fine however this is completely up to each individual.

What type of person would travel on a Quo Vadis tour?

Quo Vadis is a company that aims to provide tours for fit and active guests who are generally independent travellers and enjoy free-time to explore cities on their own as well as in the company of small-groups for the included activities. We don’t like to hold your hand around places like some of the bigger Tour Operators do and feel that many of our guests are well travelled and like their independance but also like the efficiency of having most of the big ticket-items already pre-planned for them.

Singles, couples, groups of friends are all welcome. Those who enjoy good food, good wine and great company. Those wanting to enjoy the cultures, histories and sites of each country as well as enjoy the fun side of travel but to do so at a more relaxed pace than your typical coach tour around Europe and with a mature but not elderly group of people. It is for those who are looking to make great new friends whilst experiencing amazing new experiences in unique destinations and have a great time in the process.

Whilst on Tour

What form of transport do we use?

For our travel days we gernally use mini-coaches (16-20 seats generally) that allow us to get onto the smaller roads and into and around the older cities that a full-size coach cannot get to. Sometimes we use a full-sized coach but still limit the number of guest to around 20 people. Sometimes local maxi-taxis, local trains (including sometimes the French TGV fast train!),a real mixture! Also a mix of public and private boats for lake and sea excursions.

For mountain excursions a mix of aerial gondolas and cable cars are used!

How long are the travelling days?

At Quo Vadis we understand that you don’t want to see Europe only through the windows of a coach nor be rushed through the countries visited. For that reason our aim has been to reduce the length of typical travel days.

The tours are basically designed to reduce the length of driving days in comparison with most other tour companies. On the occasional long day where we travel relatively long distances, our trips are organised to make travelling as convenient and efficient as possible with interesting stops and or scenery. The journey between different parts of a country or region is sometimes a highlight of a trip, with interesting and spectacular landscapes encountered en route.

As an example, when comparing the average distance travelled by six popular tours of similar length to the Quo Vadis’ “Apéritif” from some of the major tour operators in Europe is almost ~5500km. Our “European Apéritif ” travels around 2600km in the same period – less than half their average distance! Not only that but 14 of 21 days on this tour will start no earlier than 9am!

How much luggage can I take?

There is an ~20kg luggage weight limit for you main bags on our mini-coaches and you may also bring one piece of carry-on onto the coach, which is limited to a small daypack sized bag.As we use mini-coaches for our main transport, please ensure your suitcase is a standard size and not oversize.

Leave some space in your luggage though – you’ll no doubt want to bring home some souvenirs from the cities and places you visit!

Each airline has specific rules as to luggage allowances – check directly with them or ask your travel consultant to confirm for you.

Some of our trips include internal flights. In these cases, specific information will be given for those particular trips in regards to luggage limits

Where will my hotel be and what will it be like?

Quo Vadis is using mostly hotels that of European 4 star quality and occasionally a high level 3 star. Of those we have requested hotels in each location that we believe offer the best combination of quality and location. Quo Vadis hotels are consistently of first class standard and higher or in a style appropriate to the destination. They have been selected because they are good private or small collection hotels or from well-known chains such as Marriott, Renaissance and Hilton. Insight also chooses hotels based on their location. We know you’ll prefer to stay centrally, convenient to the main historic, shopping or entertainment districts; or scenically in areas of natural beauty. For those destinations off the beaten track we have researched the area to find what we believe also provide that same high standard of quality and convenient location.

What is the difference between "visit", "view" and "see" in the itineraries?

“Brochure-speak” can quite often confuse and even mis-lead a lot of guests! Here is a glossary of some common terms used in our itineraries:

  • Visit – Your mini-coach will stop and you’ll get to visit a specific site.
  • View – A brief stop and an opportunity to take photos.
  • See – Your mini-coach will drive by the site so that you can see it.
  • Sightseeing tour – A local city guide will accompany you on a tour of a city or site.
  • Orientation tour – Typically provided by your Tour Director, the places of interest are pointed out, allowing you to go and explore them on your own.
  • ‘Why not see’ or ‘perhaps enjoy’ – These phrases refer to optional excursions not included in the tour package, but are available for an additional fee.
  • Time to explore and discover – Free time on your own.
  • A day to relax – No planned activities; time for optional excursions or other independent activities.

What laundry facilities will be available?

Most hotels offer a laundry service however they can be extremely expensive. Unfortunately it can generally be difficult to find Laundromats that are convenient in the cities. The easiest solution is to take advantage of three night stop-overs and wash your “whites” by hand in your hotel rooms and leave to dry over a couple of days. Some “travel wash” and a travel clothesline can assist here. Ultimately the hotels will generally offer a good but relatively expensive service.

Do I need a Visa for my trip?

This will vary greatly depending on which country you are travelling to and which passport you hold. It’s best to get visas sorted out as far in advance as possible – the processing time in some cases can be quite long.

Should I have Travel Insurance?

It is highly recommended that you have comprehensive travel insurance. We suggest you to be adequately insured before participating in our tours. Please check the terms of the policy carefully, particularly with regard to limits of cover (eg for replacement of photographic equipment, baggage loss, etc) and the procedure for making claims (for example, most policies stipulate that claims must be made within a certain time after completion of your journey). Your policy MUST cover medical costs in case of hospitalization, emergency travel and repatriation.

Once you have paid your deposit or full payment, certain fees will apply if you cancel your holiday. Insurance should therefore be organised at the time of booking to protect yourself against unforeseen circumstances that would require you to cancel before travelling.

Will my mobile phone work overseas?

If you want to take your phone with you, there is a good chance that it will work in most major cities. Check with your service provider before you go if they have a reciprocal agreement with the countries you are travelling to, and make sure you remember to get international roaming turned on. To avoid excessive costs minimize your usage and especially ensure that your “Data Roaming” is turned off.

Will I be travelling with people from other countries?

As we are an Australian-based business we expect most of our guests to be from Australia. However as our website will be viewed globally there is no reason why there might not be a few guests from New Zealand, South Africa, North America or perhaps even further afield.

You & Your Travelling Companions

Is a Quo Vadis Holiday tour for me?

If you enjoy better quality, relaxed- pace, more highlight inclusions, more free-time and enjoy learning about the cultural side of each country as well as the wonderful food and wine of each with like-minded people then YES! Wineries, lake and sea cruises, snow-mobiling and husky sled-dog rides in the Arctic and later starts and time to enjoy finding your own special dinners in exotic places.

Our tours get you closer to the places you are visiting with more time to enjoy them. Immersing yourself with like-minded travellers in interesting, unique, cultural experiences whilst we take the hassles out of travelling – taking care of your transport and accommodation, transfers and tickets, so that you can spend more time getting to know and enjoying the country you’re in.

How many people are on tour with me?

On our “European Aperitif” we shall be using mini-coaches with 16-20 seats generally. Many other tour companies have potentially up to 49-51 guests where you feel like one of a “herd”! Our tours cater for a much nicer,boutique 10-20 guests. Depending on each tour, they typically operate with a minimum of 10 guests.

Who will I be travelling with?

For our debut tours in 2013 we had guests from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. We market to all English speaking countries so we hope longer term to have guests also coming from North America and other English speaking regions as well.

What ages are typically on the trips?

For Quo Vadis, your holiday is all about discovering amazing places with a group of like–minded people and having a great time whilst on it.

From 2016  onwards, we are running mostly trips for fit, active and independant guests of all ages. We hope that you will have the time-of-your-life on our tours!

We cater for guests from 18 and above. Typically our guests are in their 40s to early 70s and as mentioned, fit and active to be able to keep up with our city walking tours and included excursions. As we include many walking tours of cities and places we visit, guests should be fit and active enough to manage 1-2 hour walks through sites often with uneven or cobble-stoned surfaces.