What's Included?

Chaperone Questions

Trip Rules

Airline/Airport Questions

Payment Questions

Heartland District Trip Policies

What's included

General Questions

Can I bring a friend, host brother or host sister?

     Heartland District trips are limited to YFU students and high school age host siblings living in the the Heartland district.  American host siblings will not be confirmed on a trip until Christmas, and only on a space-available basis.  Friends may not join the tour.

Can I share a room with my friend?

     Yes, however all rooms are assigned same gender. Most students do not know anyone before the tour begins, but everyone goes home with lots of new friends.

What is included in the tour cost?

What else do I need to pay for?

         Money for lunches, shopping , and other personal expenses are also not included. Figure on $6-9 per day for lunches and snacks. Shopping budgets are up to you.

Is airfare included in the cost for the tour? 

Airfare to and from your local host community is not included.

Can I buy a plane ticket through Explore America Tours, Inc.?

     Yes, we can assist you, or you may book your own ticket. 

Is it cheaper to buy a ticket with Explore America Tours, Inc.?

     We do our best to assist in locating the cheapest fares, but there may be specials somewhere else we weren't aware of. We do not charge any booking fees to assist YFU students.  

Is my plane ticket refundable?

     Most discount airline tickets are non-refundable, which means that will not get a refund for the ticket if you do not travel. Most airlines will allow you to use the value of the ticket against another ticket later, however they will charge a fee for the change, which is usually $100.00.

I want to sign up for the tour, but I do not know which airport I will use.  What do I do?

     Please send in your deposit as soon as you chose a trip.  Indicate which airport you will probably use and add a "?" question mark, or list 2 different airports.   The most important thing is to have your space held.

Can I take more than one tour?

     Yes, you can do as many tours as you are permitted to join by your school, YFU and host family. But, you may only be confirmed on 1 trip before Christmas.  If there are still spaces after that, we will confirm your 2nd choice as well.

Must I have written permission from my natural parents?

     Yes.  Your natural parents must sign the natural parent permission form.

Can YFU refuse me permission to travel?

     Yes, if your grades are not satisfactory or if you are on probation for bad behavior, you will not be allowed to join our tours. 

Will I get more information on the tour?

     Three weeks before the tour, we will send you a complete tour packet with all of the tour details, contact telephone numbers, itinerary, etc. If you have questions before then, just email us.

Do you have an emergency phone number for my parents while I am on tour?

     Explore America Tours, Inc. office will be open during business hours, and during any hours when students are flying.  Students and Host families are also given all hotel phone numbers. We maintains a 24-hour emergency contact telephone number while you are on tour, just in case you need to be contacted in a hurry, but this is only for true emergencies.

Can I buy travel insurance?

     Most students do not buy coverage, but it is available. Please ask us for more information on travel insurance and we will send you information. 

Chaperone Questions

Are these tours chaperoned?

     All Explore America programs are chaperoned and supervised day and night by our professional tour staff as well asYFU chaperones.

Are there times when students are not supervised?

     Yes, inside amusement parks, mall or other shopping areas students are free to explore in groups of 3 or more.

How many adults will there be ?

      It depends on the trip, but there are generally 4-5 adults per bus.

How can I be a chaperone?

     See chaperone information at http://yfutrip.com/hdchap.htm

Payment Questions

Can I pay in installments?

     Yes, after we receive your deposit form and first $100.00, the balance can be paid either by credit card, check, money order or travelers checks (in installments) up until 30 days before the tour.  

Can I change my mind?

     You may always change your mind, but there are cancellation penalties for both tech tour (see below) and airline tickets. Refunds on your airline tickets are your responsibility, and you will need to contact the airline directly. Most tickets are non-refundable - you get no money back.

Heartland Hawaii: Until Jan 1st $50 cancellation. After Jan 1st $100 cancellation. After Jan 31st no refund.

Heartland East Coast: Until Jan 1st $50 cancellation. After Jan 1st $100 cancellation. After Jan 31st no refund.

Heartland East Western States & California: Until Mar 31st $50 cancellation. After April 1st $100 cancellation. After April 15th no refund.

Trip Rules

Violation of trip rules may result in Explore America grounding a student or ending a student’s tour participation.  If a student is sent home early from this trip, there is no refund.  In addition, the student will have to purchase an airline ticket at his or her own expense.  YFU reserves the right to take additional disciplinary action as needed

.

• You must follow all laws of the United States, the various states and cities we visit, rules of your host organization, rules of the hotels and other spots we visit and the rules of Explore America.
• There is a nightly curfew.  All students must remain in their rooms after curfew.  Students have assigned rooms for the tour duration.  Students must sleep in their own room.  The hotel front desk has the rooming list, and we must follow it.
• During any free time activities, students must stay in groups of 3 or more.  Groups of 3 or more are for student safety.  If something happens to one student, one can stay and one can go for help. 
• Students may socialize with any other students on the trip, but not with non-tour participants.  Students may not have anyone in their room that is not part of the tour.  Students should not give out your room number to anyone not on the tour.
• You may not leave the tour group or meet with friends or family not on tour without getting written permission before the tour begins.
• Smoking:  To buy, possess, or smoke cigarettes or other tobacco is illegal for those under 18 years of age
• Body Alterations:  No piecing, tattoos, hair dye or other alterations to your current appearance.  If you want a make-over wait until you get home.
• This is an English language trip.  We speak English and only English.  If your roommates do not all speak the same language, your room should be English only as well.  It is considered rude to speak another language and exclude your fellow travelers. 
• Many  U.S. cities have curfew laws for those under 18 when not accompanied by an adult.   Students may be out later than that, but only with a chaperones.  Drinking and Drugs.  Alcohol or drugs will result in immediate trip termination.  We believe in collective responsibility.  That means if students are in a room with drugs or alcohol, they are guilty as well, even if it belongs to a roommate.  Let the host organizations determine if the student is lying or telling the truth.
• Nothing with wheels or motors.  That means no roller-skates, bikes, motorcycles, taxi’s, or buses or anything else with wheels or motors unless your chaperones or guides give specific permission.
• Your guides and chaperones may share other rules with you.

Participating in District trips is a privilege. You have attended in post-arrival orientations and are aware of YFU rules and policies concerning student behavior. As such, now is the time for each of you to be making good decisions on how you choose to interact with your family, school and community. Only students in good standing with school, host family and YFU are allowed to participate in these tours.

Students who do not follow YFU rules during the trip and any additional rules set by Explore America will be returned to their host family at the student's expense.  These rules are simply the best way to keep a large group safe. Occasionally, chaperones are forced to “ground” students.

We encourage each of you to discuss the trips with your host family immediately.  Keep in mind that for some families the pickup/drop-off points may be a burden.  If a trip will work for your host family you must then get permission from your natural parents.  It is only after you have an agreement by natural and host parents that you should submit your deposit. You will then need to complete your other permission forms and send them to Explore America. This is YOUR responsibility.

YFU staff will review the list of students who wish to travel again shortly before departure. YFU reserves the right to remove a student from the trip at any time.  As stated earlier, your decisions on how you choose to behave in your family, school and community can affect your ability to travel with the group.

Every year we have students planning to go on a trip who do not submit deposits and forms in time.  We regret that each tour has only a limited number of spots, and those seats are filled on a first come-first serve basis.  Last year the Washington trip was full before Christmas – almost 4 months before departure.  We encourage you to act quickly.

Students may only be confirmed on 1 trip immediately. If they wish to take more than 1 trip, the 2nd one may not be confirmed until after Christmas - and only if space is available.

Students must have all trip paperwork and plane tickets at least 30 days before travel.  No late applications.