Spotlight on Australia

Deposit Information:

The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking. Your deposit is AUD $750.

Terms and Conditions:

For additional information pertaining to our Tauck Journeys, including Cancellation Information and Booking Conditions, click here to learn more.

• Tour Name and Departure Date Desired
• Traveler Name(s):  Please have first and last names as they appear on the passport or driver's license.
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)
• Emergency Contact Information: This would be a relative or friend whom we could contact during the tour in the event of an emergency. Please provide their name and phone number(s).
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection product (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares.

Regarding your final payment:

Final Payment is due in the Tauck Australia office as specified on the invoice. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. 

Book With Confidence in 2021 - Flexible Payment Terms:

All 2021 departures enjoy flexible payment terms with no change fees. Click here for details.

Deposit Protection Plan – Tauck provides a "Deposit Protection Plan" at a cost of AUD $75 per person per tour or cruise. The cost is non-refundable and non-transferable and must be paid at the time of booking with your deposit. It only applies when you cancel your tour or cruise prior to final payment date. The deposit held in credit will exclude fees imposed by third parties in relation to air, rail travel, hotels, transfer or applicable cruise cabins. When booking airfares through Tauck (including when taking advantage of a special offer that includes air travel), standard airline cancellation fees will apply. In some cases, airfares will be non-refundable. In the event of cancellation, these fees will be deducted from the deposit paid, and therefore the credit being held. We will only credit the remainder of deposit to a future tour or cruise booking if you book within 24 months of cancellation of the original Tauck tour or cruise. This offer expires after the 24 months. We will only credit the remainder of the deposit to a future tour or cruise booking Balance Due and it can't be used as a credit for the initial deposit of a future tour or cruise booking. The Tauck "Deposit Protection Plan" only covers a Tauck tour or cruise and it does not replace Travel Insurance, which we recommend at the time of booking.

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a valid passport to enter Australia, and that passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the completion of travel. (Please note that although adult passports are valid for a full ten years, children's passports require renewal every five years.)  If you are a United States citizen and do not have a valid passport, please contact the closest U.S. passport agency or consult the U.S. State Department web site for detailed information on how to obtain or renew your passport at: www.travel.state.gov.

REQUIRED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS - AUSTRALIA:  U.S. citizens need a valid passport for this journey, and a visa to enter Australia.  Australian visas are simple to obtain and can be processed electronically by Tauck.  As a service, Tauck will process your visa free of charge.  In order for Tauck to process your Australian visa, an Australian visa form, supplied by Tauck, needs to be completed and returned to us by mail, by fax at 203.899.6601, or by email at passportinfo@tauck.com.

You may also obtain an Australian visa at participating travel agencies, airlines, or online at www.ETA.immi.gov.au.  More information about entry requirements to Australia is available on the Embassy of Australia s website at www.austemb.org.  Visa inquiries may be directed to the Australian Visa Information Service, toll-free at 1-888-990-8888.

In October 2019, New Zealand will make it obligatory for U.S. Citizens and citizens of other countries to apply for the ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) New Zealand before arriving.

In New Zealand. For a list of countries and to apply — please visit www.etanewzealand.com.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact an embassy or consulate of Australia to determine what travel documentation is required.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

VACCINATIONS

If you are a resident of the U.S. traveling internationally, no vaccinations are currently required for entry into Australia; however, an International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever is required when entering Australia if you arrive from an infected area within 5 days. For complete vaccination information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. You may also log on to the CDC Internet website by clicking here.

If you are a resident of another country traveling internationally, please contact an embassy or consulate of Australia to determine what vaccinations may be required for your travel.

MOBILITY

You should be in good health and able to walk moderate to significant distances over varied terrain. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. Pack sturdy, comfortable walking shoes that have already been broken-in in order to appreciate fully the challenging terrain of the beaches, rainforests and outback.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ON SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN AND MOBILITY ISSUES: This Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate oxygen tanks, wheelchairs or motorized scooters. Oxygen tanks are strictly prohibited in many foreign countries on regional flights aboard small aircraft, such as those intra-tour flights featured on this Tauck journey.  Likewise, the very limited cargo capacity on such flights prohibits the transport of wheelchairs or motorized scooters.

Guests should also bear in mind that the infrastructure in many foreign countries, particularly in developing countries, often presents severe and even insurmountable challenges for those with walking difficulties or other mobility issues. The responsibility of the Tauck Director is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest.  Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.

Airline Disinsection

Please check with your carrier or the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) guidance letter that requires airlines and travel agents to disclose to consumers countries that require the use of insecticides by airlines. Please click here for more information.