"...All three of the trips have been great experiences, well organized and...." » read more
"I have traveled quite a bit, and must say this was the best tour I've been on..." » read more
"It was the experience of a lifetime. The Lawrences were a delight..." » read more
You are cordially invited to go with us to Spain, South Africa, China, or sail the Panama Canal from Miami to Los Angeles!
PANAMA CANAL CRUISE - How about a great Panama Canal Cruise next year? We have the best one ever! Sailing on April 16, 2005, from Miami to Los Angeles, you can transit the world-famous PANAMA CANAL on our 17 day cruise aboard the beautiful, new "Free Style" NORWEGIAN SUN. This cruise starts at only $1499 for an inside stateroom, plus fees, airport taxes, and a low cost add-on airfare. All meals are included, and outstanding entertainment is offered every night. Reserve your space early. Space is limited and will sell out quickly. CALL US NOW, toll-free at: 1-(888)-800-0023. Leave a message and we'll call you back. Or you can contact us directly from this website at "write us", above.
SOUTH AFRICA - We have an extraordinary tour of South Africa in early 2005. Check out the details on this website.
CHINA - Tours of China are back in full swing, and we have several great cruise-tours going this year. See below for details. CHECK OUT OUR FREE AIRFARE OFFERS!
The members of our China tour of April 25, 2004, the 16 day Deluxe China Yangtze Cruise Tour, have now returned home. Everyone had a great time! The weather was just right, not too cool, not too warm. A fog at the Great Wall on the final touring day did not prevent our tour members from climbing the Wall as far as they wished! Some of them climbed past several towers. It was a great day not only for climbing, but for shopping. They had a fine time at the Great Wall shops, and later at Silk Alley in Beijing.
We have the Ultimate China Cruise Tour scheduled for October 14, 2004, 21 days in length. This one is very comprehensive, including Hong Kong, plus the cities of Guilin, Shanghai, Suzhou, Xian, and Beijing, and an extended Yangtze cruise from Shanghai to Chongqing including the new Three Gorges Dam site and its five gigantic new locks!
CALL NOW, TOLL-FREE: 1-(888)-800-0023. Or you can contact us at "write us" above. We'd be happy to include you on one of these travel adventures!
It's easy! Just call our TOLL FREE NUMBER: 1-(888)-800-0023, from anywhere in the USA. If you live in the Boise/Treasure Valley area of Idaho, you can call us locally at: (208) 378-0393. You can also click on the "write us" form (above), or use the "reserve space for this trip" (at end of tour itinerary). We'll be happy to discuss the tour and send you a FREE detailed letter/brochure. Your deposit guarantees the space in your name. After you register we will send a series of informative Tour Member Letters on how to prepare for the tour.
A visa is a special permit, issued by various nations through their consulates, to allow the entrance of travelers to their country. It is usually in the form of a stamp (like a big postage stamp), placed on a page of your passport. Not all countries require a visa, but you need to check for information. China and Russia are among the countries that require you to obtain a visa in advance. Some countries will simply issue a visa when you arrive at passport control, while others do not require visas at all. You will be notified if a visa is required, and we supply you with an application form for the specific country, along with instructions, deadlines, etc.
Obtain a passport application form at your nearest post office, court house, or Federal office building. On request, we can send you a form, but it will take longer. Fill out the form and send it with the indicated fee to the U.S. Passport Center, enclosing two passport-sized photos of yourself. The photos must be originals, and can be obtained at one-hour photo shops, photography studios, instant print shops, or commercial mailing centers.
When you register for a tour requiring a visa, we provide you with an application form. Fill this out according to the instructions, enclose a passport type photo (original, not a copy), plus a check for the designated fee, and send it, along with your passport, to the visa office indicated. Sometimes your application goes to the visa department of the travel agency booking your tour, or directly to the consulate of the country involved. You must indicate the specific dates you plan to travel in the destintion country. Note: Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you will return from your travel. If not, it will need to be renewed.
We'd be happy to answer any questions, and send you a fact-filled letter/brochure.
There are four ways to contact us:
(1) Dial our TOLL FREE NUMBER: (888) 800-0023.
(2) Use the "write us" form (above).
(3) Use our local number in Boise: (208)378-0393.
(4) We also have a RECORDED MESSAGE on our 24-HOUR HOTLINE at (888)800-1840.
First, you will receive an acknowledgement letter("Tour Member Letter No. 1") along with a receipt/payment form. Additional letters follow to update you on preparations for travel. We also like to get acquainted personally with each tour member. We do this locally by holding a Tour Member gathering, usually a dinner a week or two before departure, when we distribute your tour packets (air tickets, passports and visas, itineraries, hotel lists,packing lists, etc.). If you live at a distance, we confer with you by phone and/or email, and send your packets by the fastest method, such as Express or Priority Mail.
Requirements are different for domestic flights and international flights, based on size of the aircraft. If you are on a domestic plane such as a 737 or similar, the limit is 44 pounds per person. Some countries now are quite strict about weight limits, and will require a surcharge if you are overweight (your luggage, not you!). If you are on a large aircraft such as a 747, 777, Airbus, or similar, the limit is 70 pounds per person. There is also a limit of two pieces of checked luggage totaling 106 inches (sum of three dimensions).
There are two ways you can use frequent flier mileage. The first and best is to collect even more miles by going on a tour. Our tour members often collect a lot of mileage credits, and use them later for a ?free? domestic flight. For example, a trip from the US to the Orient or to Russia could give you around 12,000 to 15,000 frequent flyer miles.
The second way to use frequent flier miles is to trade some of your miles for your round-trip domestic flight to and from the international departure city.
Usually, because our tour packages are arranged with the international fare built in to the package, it's not quite so easy to use your miles for this portion. Best plan: Collect many more miles by going on the tour.
CIJ is a home-based agency organizing group tours and cruises exclusively, having done so since 1979. We are members of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), the National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents (NACTA), and the International Airlines Travel Agency Network(IATAN), and are registered to do business in the State of Idaho. We traveled on our first world-wide tours in 1977 and 1978.
First, people tell us they like our selection of tours, which take you, over time, to most of the important destinations of the world (See our travelogue on this website). Second, you will be enjoying your personally chosen, custom-arranged, travel adventure with us! We believe our tours have a certain unique "ambience of confidence". We've often been told by the professional tour managers in Europe and Asia that our groups have a special quality about them, particularly in how easy our tour members are to "manage" - i.e., our tours move along very smoothly, with seldom any problems.
The key thing is that we choose just a limited number of excellent tours or cruises each year, and then we help you to prepare for your travels. You do not have to spend a lot of hours trying to select from thousands of "book tours", as we have solved the selection process for you: We've chosen the best.
Our tour members frequently say things like, "Nothing compares to this", "I travel a lot, and this was the best tour I've ever taken,", "It was the trip of a lifetime," or "I'd love to take this tour again in exactly the same way." So our classic journeys really do "speak for themselves."
It is very important to insure your travel against unforeseen events, such as a personal illness or other major emergencies. However, please understand that ?trip cancellation? does NOT mean that you can easily ?get your money back? if you simply change your mind and decide to cancel your travel arrangements. Each tour has certain clearly defined Terms and Conditions to be strictly followed by you and by all parties to the travel arrangements. It is extremely difficult to obtain refunds for cancelled tours, unless you have a clear reason that is legally defined in the policy. Carefully read both the Terms and Conditions of the tour, and the fine print of the insurance policy.
Your tour with CIJ is carefully planned down to the last detail, for your enjoyment. We enhance the experience with our Tour Member Letters, and by getting acquainted, if time and locations permit, through a luncheon or dinner meeting a week or two before departure. From having the very best in-country guides, to seeing the most important historic sites, staying in the best possible hotels - often Five Star properties, and having wonderful entertainment shows, we seek to offer the top travel experience, always.
The initial deposit (applied to the total price), plus the travel protection insurance premium if you are taking it, is due at the time of booking. The balance is normally due at least 90 days before departure, or as indicated in the Tour Member Letter. Please be sure you thoroughly understand the "Terms and Conditions", especially concerning cancellations.
Our promise: You will have a superb travel adventure, in the company of friendly people, which you will remember later with great satisfaction (read our testimonials!). We often meet friends who have traveled with us over the years, and exchange memories of the adventures we enjoyed together.
Yes. We provide a detailed ?packing check list? in the Tour Member letters. You can use it to make sure you don?t forget something! Our travel partners (agencies setting up the tours) usually include a detailed check list with your tickets.
Are you a "big spender" or a "penny pincher"? Or somewhere in between? Your answer will help determine how much to take with you while traveling.
If you are on a tour that includes all the hotels and meals, you will have only a few extra expenses. For example, a tour director/guide may offer a few optionals, such as an evening entertainment, dinner theater, or a special excursion not on the original itinerary. The cost could be anywhere from $10 to $75 per person.
You will probably have some extra meal expenses. Some tours include breakfast and dinner, with lunch on your own, and so lunch might be $5 to $12, depending on your preferences. While the tour guides will usually discourage it with a smile, there is nothing to prevent you from picking up lunch at a handy McDonald's or KFC, found in many countries today, all over Europe, and even China and Russia! You still have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the regional quisine of the country you are visiting.
Bottom line: It's really up to you to calculate your own optional expenses.
We understand how you feel. Actually, you need not feel regimented. The way our tours are operated, you will really enjoy the experience. Our group tours take into account your desire for a mix of travel activity, plus times to relax, go shopping, or enjoying an evening's entertainment. Even an on-your-own trip requires meeting a schedule, going through airport security, finding lodging, ground transportation, good places to eat, etc. Most people find that an organized tour will smooth the way, and is a definite advantage.You are able to visit the most important places in a country, with valuable information provided to assist you. Our carefully planned and personally escorted tours remove the worry and hassle. We handle all the major details for you, smooth out the itinerary, and save you a lot of unnecessary work.
Another advantage is that we can save you a bundle! A tour like ours can cost thousands of dollars less than you might spend if you traveled the same itinerary on your own. We obtain an economical "group rate" for all the major components (air, land transportation, hotels, guides, site admissions, even meals) and pass the savings along to you. You know in advance how much the trip will cost, and can budget accordingly for extras such as tips and souvenirs.
A third advantage is that we work with the major travel suppliers of the world, and select their best offerings, saving you a frustrating search through dozens of catalogs. Using the highest quality travel venues, the most interesting itineraries, and the most qualified guides and tour managers, we seek to provide the best travel experience available anywhere.
Finally, our tours will, over time, take you to the major travel destinations of the world, and show you the most important historical sites and the best entertainments.We've had people tell us how they went to a certain country "on their own" and spent an undue amount of time looking at maps, negotiating for accomodations, or feeling generally "lost". Meanwhile they missed many important attractions! They also gained a collection of impressive "horror stories" to tell their friends! A well-organized tour would have saved them a lot of trouble, so their memories could have been pleasant ones.
If you still want to feel independent while traveling, our tours have ample free time for shopping, relaxing, or rubbing elbows with the locals. You usually are free to "opt out" of a specific day's activity if you prefer to venture on your own. For instance, if you are in London and you've always wanted to visit the British Museum, while the group is scheduled to go to Stonehenge and Salisbury, which you've already seen, you can enjoy your own preference. We have often done so ourselves.
Some people like to make shopping a major focus of their travels. They can hardly wait to get into the souvenir shops or department stores! Others prefer to bypass shopping altogether. Whatever the situation, most tour members find themselves in souvenir shops, or buying items from street vendors. This can be quite enjoyable, if you have the right outlook. In almost any country, it's a chance to buy a good book on the area you are visiting, or a nice coffee table book. Some people like to shop for Christmas or other occasions. For example, in Rothenberg and other German cities, there are wonderful Christmas stores even in mid-summer, so you can do some of your seasonal buying in advance. In Moscow, Russia, you can shop in the "GUM" an amazing, up-to-the-minute shopping mall that goes back to 1892! It has everything from camera shops to high fashion clothing. China is a shoppers paradise, where Oriental carpets, Chinese art, jade, pearls, silk and cloisonne, as well as clothing, is available in abundance at excellent prices. Wherever you travel, you will probably want to take home at least one symbol of your tour, or gifts for others.
The choice to shop is entirely yours, but we recommend you go ahead and enjoy it, because it's going to happen! "Go with the flow" and have a good time! If you don't want to spend money, just do some people-watching and you'll have a memorable experience.
An essential item while traveling will be tips. Normally there are customary end-of-trip gratuities for your national tour manager, as well as for local guides, drivers, or others who have served you well such as wait staff on the cruise ship, cabin attendants, etc. Think of around $20 per day, per person (you, the traveler), as a guideline to cover everything.
The best approach concerning tips: Plan to be generous. You will feel great about it, and the guides in the country you are visiting will be delighted!
Many excellent options are now available. Sending and receiving emails is very easy through internet cafes or business centers in the major cities and hotels of the world, and most larger cruise ships. Hotels and ships usually have satellite systems, international phone capabilities, fax options, and internet service. Another way, if you have many calls to make, is to purchase an international cell phone option. Another is the international phone card.