Terms and Conditions for our 2020 traditional trip to Israel

Thank you for trusting Experience Israel Now with the responsibility for arranging a tour of Israel for you! In addition, thank you for carefully reading and understanding this document. A trip to Israel is not only the “trip of a lifetime,” it is also an expensive investment. Your application to travel with EIN is not complete until you indicate you’ve read this document.

This tour has been scheduled for April 25-May 5, 2021.

The all-inclusive cost of this tour, including airfare, is $4,690. There is a land-only option (details near the end of this page) if you’d like to arrange your own airfare.

Cost includes:

Round-trip airfare from Atlanta to Tel Aviv, via the airline chosen for your particular tour. (If you need to fly from another airport, we’ll help you make those arrangements and negotiate the best options for your travel to Israel.)
All transfers abroad and touring by luxury, air-conditioned motor coaches.
All entrance fees to archaeological sites, national parks and other locations we’ll visit.
Luggage handling at hotels and airports abroad (tips included).
All meals, including breakfast and dinner each day at our places of lodging, and lunches on the road.
Taxes and service charges in hotels and restaurants.
Services of our professional tour guide, licensed by Israel.
Lodging each night in Israel.
All tips for tour guide, bus driver, boat crew (on the Sea of Galilee), offering at the Garden Tomb, and the staff at each place we stay. We will not ask you for extra tips at the conclusion of this tour.
Bottled water on the bus.
Any fee charged for your baptism in the Jordan River (fees for dressing room and shower facilities), if you choose to be baptized.
The “Basic Plan” medical insurance through Faith Ventures. To view the coverage details and limits of this policy, click here.

Cost does not include:

Optional trip interruption or cancellation insurance. If you would like to purchase this kind of policy through EIN and Faith Ventures, the cost is $260 per traveler. To see the details of this plan, click here. If you would like to review the details of many plans other than the one we’re offering through Faith Ventures, visit insuremytrip.com. Enter the required information and compare “comprehensive” plans. Typically, about half of our travelers choose to purchase trip interruption/cancellation insurance.
Luggage fees charged by airlines. Typically, airlines allow one large bag (50-pound limit), one carry-on bag, and one “personal” bag, without any charge. If that policy changes, any luggage fees would be the responsibility of each traveler. Please note: If you plan on taking more luggage than this, you must communicate your needs with EIN. Like airlines, our bus has limited storage room for luggage.
Any tips needed for personal requests outside normal service. Tips for tour guide and bus driver ARE included. Tips for luggage handling at our places of lodging ARE included. But if you order room service, catch a cab for a private outing or simply want to thank someone who has provided outstanding service, you should provide the tip.
Passport costs (if needed).
Any snacks, drinks or even meals not included in the regular schedule. This would include any such purchases in airports or if you elect to eat in a local restaurant instead of at the hotel where we’re staying. It is OK to carry snacks with you for the trip, and there will be plenty of food in the regular agenda, with all meals covered by the tour cost.

Costs that could change:

Our margin for error in pricing these trips is extremely small. Please be aware that there are costs outside of our control that could change.
If the tour company changes its price because of radically fluctuating currency rates, the increase will be passed along to the traveler. The odds are very slim that this could happen, and it has never happened before. Nevertheless, the tour company reserves this right.
If our airline increases its charged price even after it has given us a quote, that cost will be passed along to the traveler. Examples of such charges could be changes in luggage fees or a “fuel surcharge” that would reflect rising fuel prices. This has happened to a few of our past trips.
In the unlikely event that this tour does not gather at least 35 paying travelers, the price of the trip could increase. At that point, travelers would also have the opportunity to withdraw from the trip without penalty. If the trip does not have 20 committed travelers six months prior to departure, the trip might be canceled. If that happens, all payments to all travelers would be refunded without penalty.
The airport departure taxes have been included in the quoted price. However, these taxes are set by country, and could change before our trip takes place. If the taxes change, up or down, we’ll either issue a refund, or charge an increase.
Any other unseen charge over which we have no control and is required for travel.

SINGLE-ROOM SUPPLEMENT

If a traveler desires a single room, there will be an additional charge of $950.

ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF SEATS ARE GUARANTEED

Each tour has a projected number of travelers. Once that number has been reached, we often can find room for more travelers. However, we may be forced, at that time, to use a different airline for the extra travelers. Even if we are able to obtain seats on the same flight, those seats might cost more. This means the price of the tour may increase for the late additions. Every effort will be made to keep the price of the trip the same for additional passengers beyond the guaranteed projection. However, the best way to guarantee getting this trip at this best price is to register with a deposit early.

PASSPORT INFORMATION

We must provide your passport information to our agents in Israel before we travel. We prefer having a copy of your passport, either as a photocopy or an electronic copy via e-mail. A simple way to do that is to take a photo of your passport with your phone and e-mail it to us. Please provide a copy as soon as you can, preferably with the application. The passport must be valid six months beyond our return date, or Nov. 1, 2020. You do not have to wait on a passport to arrive before filling out an application.
If you do not want us to have a photocopy or digital copy, we must have your name exactly as it appears on your passport, your passport number, your birthday, the date of issue, and the date of expiration. We strongly advise having a copy of your passport at home, and one you can carry with you in case you lose the real thing.

DEPOSIT AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE

DEPOSIT: A deposit of $500 per person is due with a completed registration form to secure a place on this trip. In the case you cancel after signing up and making a deposit, $100 of this deposit is non-refundable. Contact us directly for individual payment plans related to our new travel date.

Final payments on this trip are due no later than March 15. Contact us for payment schedules if you’re just joining this trip.

Checks should be made out to “Experience Israel Now,” or “EIN.” We cannot accept credit card payments for this trip.

SEND PAYMENTS TO:

Experience Israel Now, Inc. (or simply, “EIN”)

164 Old South Way

Fort Valley, GA 31030

CANCELLATIONS AND CANCELLATION FEES:

If you have to cancel your trip for any reason, some or even all of the money you’ve invested cannot be returned. For instance, once we purchase airline tickets, we are unlikely to see that money again if you cancel. We cannot return to travelers what is not returned to us. The same is true for reservations we make in Israel.
Up to six months prior to departure: $100 is non-refundable.
Four to six months prior to scheduled departure: Up to 30% of tour cost is non-refundable, plus any fees charged by the airline.
Two to four months prior to scheduled departure: Up to 50% of tour cost is non-refundable, plus any fees charged by the airline.
Last two months before scheduled departure: Up to 100% of tour cost is non-refundable, plus any fees charged by the airline.
A reminder: Purchasing trip interruption or cancellation insurance is the only way to cover unexpected cancellations, medical emergencies during the trip, or the cost of emergency travel home during the tour. An investment in travel insurance could prove to be very valuable in the case of an emergency like a last-minute surgery, injury or the death of a close relative. Many policies are available for a reasonable fee. However, be aware that trip cancellation policies usually do not cover trips that have been canceled for non-emergency reasons. This includes world events like war, terrorism and pandemics. If governments restrict travel or close borders, travel insurance usually does not cover such an instance. Read any policy you’re considering carefully for details of what is and is not covered. To repeat information already covered in this document, EIN partners with Faith Ventures for trip interruption insurance. You can also visit insuremytrip.com for more policy options.

POSSIBILITY OF DATE CHANGE OR TRIP CANCELLATION BEYOND OUR CONTROL

It is conceivable that circumstances in Israel might cause us to change the date of our trip or cancel it outright. EIN promises that it will do everything possible to refund as much money as possible to travelers who are adversely affected by such a change. Our first priority in such a situation would be to reschedule the trip at a later date. Trip insurance does not typically cover things like war, pandemics or travel restrictions imposed by governments. It certainly does not cover the fear that such things could happen.
There is an inherent financial risk involved in the possibility of trip schedule changes or cancellation. Experience Israel Now promises to refund a maximum amount of money to travelers who must cancel. However, money given to airlines, hotels and travel agents as deposits or payments is usually not refunded in such cases. In short, if you must cancel your trip, you will not receive a full refund. The closer the cancellation to the actual date of travel, the larger the financial loss is likely to be.

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

We are waiting on the details of our rescheduled flight arrangements.

LAND-ONLY” PACKAGES

If you would like to make your own flight arrangements, the “land-only” price of this trip is $3,490. Once in Israel you would also be responsible for your own transportation to our first place of lodging unless you arrive at the airport when our main group of travelers arrives. If you choose this option, we promise to help you make the connection with our group as smoothly and as quickly as possible. Many travelers have, indeed, taken this option on past tours. Some are able to save money by using airline miles to purchase their flights. Others want to arrive earlier or stay later than the tour dates.

UPGRADES

If you would like an upgrade in seating, it is best to go with a land-only package and make your own arrangements.

QUESTIONS?

There are a myriad of questions when considering a trip to Israel, and we’ve got the answers. A few months before the trip, we’ll provide more detailed information to each traveler about packing tips, traveling advice and detailed descriptions of what to expect on our trip. Some of it can be discovered now by clicking this link. Watching this video will also be very helpful.