Preparing for your trip

Checklist

In addition, if you booked flights with your package:

Documents & Entry Requirements

Entry requirements are provided for your convenience. However, unless otherwise stated, it is your responsibility to determine the requirements that apply to you and your trip and to comply with them, including obtaining any necessary visas or other travel documents by the required deadlines and carrying them with you. Especially with COVID-19, requirements are subject to change, so check back for the latest before you depart.

Ireland Entry Requirements

Advice from our partner Sherpa

Northern Ireland Entry Requirements

Advice from Friendly Planet

Please see entry requirements for the United Kingdom.

United Kingdom Entry Requirements

Advice from our partner Sherpa

General Requirements & Guidelines

• In general, you must have a passport to travel abroad, which should be valid for at least six months after your return date. Passports expiring before then should be renewed as soon as possible. Passports contain at least 2 blank pages for each country visited. If your passport does not have this many pages, obtain a new passport as soon as possible.
• if your passport and visa are not in order, airlines and cruise ships may deny boarding, countries may deny entry, and your trip may be disrupted. Travel insurance may not cover such losses.
• Any changes in names or passport information should be reported to us immediately. Airlines and cruise ships may deny boarding if the name on your passport does not match your tickets.
• Minors (age 17 or younger) departing and/or returning to the U.S. without parents or with only one parent may be required by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) to present a notarized parental consent letter and/or unabridged birth certificate (more information). Many other countries have similar entry requirements, especially for minors traveling with a parent/guardian with a different surname; check with the consulates of all countries you'll be visiting to learn more.

Final Documents

Your final travel documents will be sent to you via email by 14 days prior to departure. These will include your daily itinerary, hotel and emergency contact information, and other relevant information. Please print your documents and take them with you. If you're departing in less than a week and haven't received your documents, let us know immediately!

Travel Insurance Documents

If you purchased travel insurance, please print and carry your policy documents, including contact information for emergency travel assistance and instructions on how to make a claim. If you purchased the travel protection plan we offer, we recommend you print the full policy.

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

We encourage all U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This free service allows you to receive important updates about safety and security issues in your destination, and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy, as well as family & friends, to contact you in case of an emergency. To enroll or get more information, please visit the STEP website or any U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Flights, Transfers & Arrival

Questions about your flights before you depart? Read the information below first. If you still have questions, contact our air specialists at 800-555-5765 ext. 2 or [email protected].

Tour Only Option

If you purchased this package without flights, you are responsible for booking your own flights in and out of Dublin. The touring program will begin at the hotel in Dublin on Day 2 of the listed itinerary and end in Dublin on Day 14. Generally, hotel check-in time is at 3 PM and check-out is at 11 AM. 

Find out what to do in case of arrival complications.

Flights & Tickets

If you selected flights with your package, we generally book your flights and issue tickets after your final payment due date.

If you requested flights from another city, our air specialists will research the best options and send you a tentative flight schedule and quote for your approval within 5 business days of your booking (or approximately 330 days prior to travel, if you booked further out than that).

Once we have issued your tickets, we'll send you an "e-ticket receipt" which contains all of your flight information, including times, carriers, an airline booking reference number, and an e-ticket number. If you have not received this, or have questions about the flights we booked for you, please contact our air department. You will not receive paper tickets. We recommend you print and carry a copy of your flight details, including the airline booking reference number and e-ticket number, as some airports require this to enter the terminal. You do not need to reconfirm your flights with the airline prior to your departure, as we will handle this for you.

Toll-free numbers for the airlines used on this program:

• Aer Lingus (EI): 800-474-7424
• Air Canada (AC): 888-247-2262
• American Airlines (AA): 800-433-7300
• British Airways (BA): 800-247-9297
• Delta Air Lines (DL): 800-455-2720
• Icelandair (FI): 800-223-5500
• United Airlines (UA): 800-864-8331

Flight Schedule

If you selected flights with your package, you will receive your flight schedule by email once we issue your tickets.

If you requested flights from another city, our air specialists will research the best options and send you a tentative flight schedule for your approval, and a confirmed schedule once we issue your tickets.

Airlines may change schedules at any time, even after flights have been confirmed, and we are not responsible for such changes. Please check for updates to your flight schedule prior to booking any connecting flights and again 72 hours prior to departure.

Connecting Flights

If you need to fly from (and/or return to) a different U.S. or Canadian city, we suggest you request those flights from us. If feasible, we will try to book all your flights together with a single carrier or a partner network on a single ticket. This ensures that your luggage will be transferred between flights for you, and more importantly, that if there are any schedule changes, flight cancellations, or delays that affect your trip, the airline(s) will adjust your flights to ensure you have sufficient time to make your connections and/or make alternate arrangements to get you to your destination. Besides offering the most peace of mind, this often yields lower fares than purchasing separate connecting flights.

If you plan to purchase connecting flights to your departure city, we strongly suggest waiting until after your final payment due date and after you receive the e-tickets for your international flights, to reduce the chances that that your departure might be cancelled or rescheduled or that your international flight times might change. Before purchasing connecting flights, verify the times for your international flights. Leave at least 3½ hours connecting time between flights, and if you're traveling within a few weeks of Daylight Savings Time changes (in March and November, when flight schedules may change even more dramatically), allow 5–5½ hours between flights. Nobody likes waiting around the airport, but missing your flight is far worse!

Airport Transfers

Scheduled airport transfers at the destination are included with this package. When you exit customs, please look for our representative holding a Friendly Planet sign, who will cheerfully escort you to your transfer vehicle and assist with your luggage. 

If you purchased the tour without flights and you submitted your flight itinerary no later than 30 days before your departure date, airport transfers will be provided. If you did not submit your flight itinerary or you are not arriving/departing from the same airport as the rest of the group, you will need to arrange your own ground transportation to the package start and end points. Note that there is no discount for any unused included transfers. Please send us your flight itinerary no later than 30 days prior to your departure date from the U.S. so that we can arrange your arrival and departure transfers accordingly.

Arrival Complications

We make every effort to ensure our tours run smoothly and trouble-free. We don't expect any problems, and nor should you. But when things don't go as planned, here's what to do:

• You miss your flights, or your flights are cancelled: Please call us immediately. If it's outside our normal business hours, leave a message in our emergency mailbox, with a phone number at which to reach you, and we'll get right back to you.
• Your flights are delayed and you're worried about missing your included transfers: Please contact us to let us know about the delay, and we will notify our partners in destination. If you are arriving on one of our group flights, or booked your own flights and supplied us with the details, our partners will be tracking your arrival and will plan accordingly.
• Your package includes transfers, but you can't find our representative at your destination: Don't panic—they may have been unexpectedly delayed. Wait up to 30 minutes. Then contact our local partners in destination, listed on the emergency contact page of your final documents. If you can't reach them, call us. If it's outside our normal business hours, leave a message in our emergency mailbox. If all else fails, make your own way to the starting hotel (or cruise port), and we'll refund you the cost of your transfer.

Packing & Luggage

Baggage allowance: In general, our tours & packages allow per person: one checked bag, not to exceed 50 pounds; one personal item such as a purse or camera bag; and one carry-on bag, which should fit under your seat or in the overhead compartment. If your trip includes domestic flights within your destination and/or travel by motor coach, your carry-on should also fit should also fit under your seat or in the overhead bins on those flights or coaches.

Many airlines now charge a fee for checked luggage. Often, these fees must be paid directly to the airline. Please review your carrier’s baggage policy or contact the airline directly to verify their specific policy. If you are booked on an airline that charges for checked luggage, we recommend that you prepay for the checked bag if possible.

We recommend that you bring your own personal toiletries. Although there are drugstores and pharmacies throughout Ireland where you may purchase snacks, medicine, cosmetics, and toiletries in the event of an emergency, these stores do not usually carry an extensive range of products commonly available in the U.S.

What to Wear: We recommend that you pack for unpredictable weather, especially the possibility of frequent rain. We suggest that you bring a packable rain jacket, a small windproof umbrella, a lightweight scarf for the chilly mornings, and comfortable non-skid shoes for walking. Rain boots may be too heavy to pack during your trip, so we strongly suggest bringing waterproof footwear. Packing to dress in layers is another way to prepare for a variety of weather conditions. Finally, remember that comfort and convenience should dictate your wardrobe for the tour, and casual clothes are in order for most every occasion as you travel.

Learn more about Baggage Allowances on your international flights. Note that our baggage allowances may be less than those for your international flights. If you exceed the baggage limits, you may be subject to excess baggage charges levied by the airlines and/or by Friendly Planet.

Regardless of the limits—we recommend a smaller size and weight for both your checked and carry-on bags. It's so much easier and faster for you to get around when you have fewer, lighter bags! For your carry-on, consider a soft-sided bag such as a duffel rather than a hard clamshell-type case, which may not fit as easily into overhead compartments or under your seat, especially on buses. For your protection, we suggest your checked luggage have a TSA-approved lock.

Luggage tags: For your safety, we are no longer mailing Friendly Planet luggage tags to you. We encourage you to use your own. Fill in the luggage tags with your name and contact information and attach to each bag, including carry-ons and camera cases, so that your luggage can be identified should it get misplaced during your trip.

What to pack: Check out our list of top 10 must-haves for international travel, as well as what not to pack. Pack smart: put your travel documents, medications, one change of clothing, and other essentials in your carry-on, in case your checked baggage is misplaced. And pack light, for your own comfort and convenience. For clothing, we suggest packing a variety of separates with climate and comfort in mind.

What not to pack: U.S. law forbids you to carry hazardous materials aboard aircraft in your checked or carry-on baggage or on your person, including explosives, compressed gases, flammable liquids & solids, loaded firearms, poisons, corrosives and radioactive materials. Common examples include paints, lighter fluid, fireworks, mace/tear gas and oxygen bottles. Restricted materials may vary by airline and destination. Some items, in quantities of no more than 70 ounces total, may be carried within baggage, including medicinal or toilet articles such as hairspray, perfume and certain medicines that are necessary during your journey. Please check with the airline and/or visit the FAA website prior to travel if you have any questions.

While on Tour

What to Expect

This moderately-paced, escorted tour includes a reasonable amount of walking or hiking and requires an average level of physical fitness.

This is a Value Vacation tour that is larger than our small group tours and is operated by our carefully selected, valued partners and may be shared with other English-speaking passengers, ensuring guaranteed departures.

Your tour is operated in partnership with Abbey Tours, an established, well-respected Irish tour operator with many years of experience operating travel programs in Ireland. Please be assured that all arrangements have been made to ensure a wonderful experience.

Abbey Tours operates this program under the name “Explore Ireland” and starts in Dublin on a Tuesday. Our tour arrives on a Tuesday, which Abbey Tours refers to as Day 1 of the program.

Vouchers: Upon your arrival in Dublin you will receive a packet with the following vouchers: 

• The first voucher is for the Hop on/Hop off bus valid for 24 hours from the time it is exchanged or activated. Please exchange your voucher with the city tour bus drivers at any Hop-on/Hop-Off Green Bus Stop.
• The second voucher is for a Pint of Guinness for one glass of soda at Merchants Bar, valid for use anytime during your stay in Dublin. Please present this voucher at the Merchants Bar to redeem your complimentary pint. The transfer to Merchants Bar is not included; however, you may use your Hop On/Hop Off bus ticket to get to and from Merchants Bar.

Please be sure to keep these vouchers in a safe place. There are no vouchers needed for any other services on this tour.

Important Note: Friendly Planet & Abbey Tours, our local travel partner in Ireland, are only liable for the services specified in the vouchers. Any additional services must be paid and settled locally.

Remember that you're a guest in someone else's homeland, and that you're traveling to experience their country and culture. Be sensitive to local customs and manners, as many things may be done differently than what you're used to. And while we have made every effort to secure modern and comfortable accommodations and transportation, please note that the standards in other countries may be different from those you are accustomed to at home. Overall, you will find a polite, positive, patient, and open-minded approach generally yields the best travel experience!

Please keep in mind that you'll be traveling with a group. Sharing your explorations with like-minded folks can often be a source of joy, and some of our travelers become lifelong friends. But traveling with strangers can also sometimes be challenging, especially in a foreign country. We ask that you be patient and respectful with your fellow travelers, including their needs and preferences. Also remember that you have responsibilities to the group—please be prompt for group activities so you don't keep everyone else waiting. Lastly, please defer to your tour leader, guide or manager. They are there for your safety and wellbeing, and to ensure the journey goes smoothly for everyone. If you have a problem with one of our tour guides or managers, please let us know, either while you're on tour or after you return, and we'll make sure your concerns are addressed.

Accommodations

The hotels throughout Ireland range widely and vary depending on location. Hotels outside of major cities, such as Dublin and Belfast, resemble boutique-style hotels across most of Europe. They are clean, comfortable, and offer modern amenities. When you drive through the beautiful, green countryside of Ireland, you will notice a dearth of the skyscrapers, high-rise buildings, and shopping malls typical in the U.S. Dublin and Belfast are fast-paced, modern cities, whereas the rest of rural Ireland lives at a slower, more relaxed pace. 

Eating & Drinking

The meals included with your package are listed in the itinerary.

Ireland’s pubs are essential parts of Irish life, known for much more than a place to enjoy a drink! They are social centers where you can enjoy the traditional music scene of Ireland. Dance and sing along to ballads, hear storytellers, and make lifelong friendships in these pubs, where culture, community, and tradition thrive. Ireland also produces great seafood, and you should not miss the opportunity to experience the fresh tastes of this island when dining out. 

Non-Included Meals: Your hotels on tour will typically have a restaurant and a bar/lounge. Average cost for lunch (not including drinks) in the local shops and cafes is about $15 - $20 per person, per meal. Average cost for dinner is about $25 - $35 per person, per meal. Your hotels accept major credit card payments for not-included meals. Most restaurants and pubs accept major credit cards.

Please see above for special meal requests.

Tipping

You will be traveling through Ireland in the company of professionals who are very committed to making your tour the dream vacation you are counting on. These people feel great pride in being given a chance to show foreign visitors their country. If your guide, driver and others with whom you are traveling are doing a good job, please take our suggestions for tipping seriously. Naturally, tipping is personal and completely voluntary, and if you have not received good service, your tip should reflect this fact. 

The recommended amounts are as follows: 

• Driver/guide: $8-11 per person per day (approximately € 7-10 euro)
• Dublin guide: $4-6 per person (€ 3-5 euro)
• Restaurant staff: $1-2 per person per meal 
• Hotel/lodge porters: $3 per bag upon arrival and departure
• Housekeeping: $1-2 per person per day

Optional Excursions

To enhance and make your trip more memorable, we offer optional excursions that can be prepaid. If you did not prepay the optional excursions and prefer to purchase them locally, space will be subject to availability, the local selling price may be higher and payment will be collected at the venue.  

Independent Activities

During your free days in Dublin, take advantage of your Hop on/Hop Off bus voucher for independent exploration of the city. The bus voucher is valid for 24 hours from the time it is exchanged or activated by the city tour bus driver. At the end of the day, use your voucher at the Merchants Bar to enjoy a complimentary pint of Guinness or a glass of soda on us. 

You can leave the group and explore on your own at any time; however, should the group have planned activities for that day, please make sure to inform your Tour Escort in advance. There is NO refund for unused group arrangements. We recommend that you ask the front desk for a business card of the hotel with the address and local phone number. Your hotel staff will gladly assist you with these arrangements.

Special Needs & Requests

Please see above for special meal requests and seat requests. If you have any other special requests, including wheelchair or electric cart assistance, please mention your request when you book with an agent, or in the special requests section when you book online. We will do our best to accommodate them!

Country FAQs

Ireland Fast Facts

Northern Ireland Fast Facts

Fine Print

Terms & Conditions: Please review our terms & conditions for this package.

Cancellations: If something comes up and you need to cancel your trip, please let us know as soon as possible. All cancellations must be made in writing. Cancellation fees vary by package; please see the cancellation fees for this package.