Costa Rica, named by Columbus for its rich coasts, has plenty to see. Within the borders, are more than one-twentieth of all the plant and animal species on Earth.
Set in the cool mountains of the Central Valley, Costa Rica's capital , San Jose, is home to about a third of the country's population. This includes a sizeable American expatriate community, and five star hotels, convention centers, gourmet restaurants and upscale boutiques. Several museums offer treasures not seen anywhere else.
JOINING THE TOUR
Enclosed in your Tour Documents you will find a Tour Membership Ticket. This ticket shows the time and place where you are to join the tour. Please be on time. Should you experience a delay in reaching your joining point, please call 1-800-265-5530. This number is available 24 hours a day. If calling after hours, please press Option #1 to speak to the person on call. You could be picked up at your pick up point by courtesy van or taxi. Please be on the look-out for such. While all of the pick-up times are based on our 32 years of experience, weather, traffic and road conditions could potentially cause a delay. Please be patient and call the office if your transportation is more than 10 minutes late. Please be advised Hanover Holiday Tours has no arrangements for parking at any of our departure points.
CUSTOMS and PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP
For entry into Costa Rica, Canadian Citizens must have a valid passport. Your passport must also be valid for a minimum of 90 days after your expected date of return. Canadian Citizens do not require a visa. You will also be required to hand in an incoming tourist card, which you will receive on board the plane or you may fill in upon arrival.
If you are a married woman and your identification is in your maiden name, you should also carry your Marriage Certificate or certified copy as further proof of identification. Citizens of other countries should check with their travel agent as to the documents required. Please do not pack your proof of citizenship in your suitcase. It should be kept on your person so that it is easily accessible when required to be shown to immigration officials.
Upon check-in passengers will be asked to provide the following information:
1. Full legal name
2. Gender
3. Date of Birth
4. Nationality
5. Travel document number
6. Destination address
AIR FLIGHTS
We will be leaving Pearson International Airport, Terminal #1. Your "E" tickets are enclosed with your documents. Your flight information is as follows:
Air Canada #998
| Feb. 13 | Depart:
8:55 a.m. | Arrive:
San Jose 1:25 p.m.
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Air Canada #999
| Feb. 20 | Depart:
2:25 p.m. | Arrive:
San Jose 8:44 p.m.
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Your Tour Director will meet you in the departure lounge, after you have cleared security, prior to flight departure.
The Airlines agent will tag your large suitcase and give you your boarding pass.
PLEASE NOTE: In the event that you notice your luggage is damaged, the damage must be reported immediately at the airport to the Airlines claims office. Report the damage and fill out any forms that are necessary for handling the claim. If you wait until later on or until your return, the airline cannot be held responsible for the damage. If your luggage has been broken into, the local authorities should be notified immediately.
CARRY-ON BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES
The International Air Transportation Authority has tightened their carry-on baggage allowance polices, therefore you should make sure that your carry-ons are within the following limits:
Under seat storage -1 piece of cabin baggage which, does not exceed 9 inches per 16 inches per 22.5 inches)
AND
Overhead Bin Storage - one (1) soft-sided single suit garment bag which, when folded in half, does not exceed 9 inches per 22 inches per 22.5 inches
OR one (1) of the following items not exceeding 4.5 inches wide: 1 purse, 1 laptop computer or 1 briefcase.
TAXES
Every passenger has to buy a departure tax form (26.00 US) at the airport and fill in before you get to ticket counter for your return flight home.
BAGGAGE
You are allowed one large suitcase per person which is checked at the airport and stored in the baggage compartment of the aircraft. Air Canada has revised their carry on luggage policy. They allow one carry-on bag and one personal item, such as a purse, briefcase or laptop computer. Every effort is taken to ensure that your luggage is handled with extreme care by the transfers drivers. However, we recommend that you purchase baggage insurance as we cannot accept responsibility for any damage which may occur. Please do not pack any electrical appliances in your hand luggage or any sharp objects, including razors, combs, nail files, etc. This needs to be packed in your large checked baggage.
Hanover Holiday Tours will handle one large suitcase per person at hotels. Your supplied luggage tags should be secured to your large piece of luggage prior to joining the tour. Due to increased security at airports, it will be necessary for each tour member to carry their own luggage at airports.
Carry jewelry, money, important documents, spare medication, glasses or contact lenses in your hand luggage. If you are taking cameras or other expensive equipment out of Canada, be sure to have the seriel numbers registered with Canada Customs.
LUGGAGE SECURITY TRAVEL TIP
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) suggests the following:
-screeners may open your luggage for inspection, it is best to keep your bags unlocked. If the bag is locked, they will break locks and are not liable for any damage.
An inexpensive solution is to use a "Cable Tie". These plastic strips available at home supply stores can be looped through ends of the luggage zippers, but remember to carry something in your carryon to cut the cable at your destination. Legal items are nail clippers or BLUNT end scissors.
Or, connect the zippers with a twist tie and wrap with tape.
If your bag is inspected, they will cut the cable tie and attach a "seal". If the "Seal" is broken when you collect your bag, and any items are missing, direct your claim to the airline.
The simplest thing to do is don't pack anything of value in your checked luggage.
ARRIVAL SAN JOSE
Upon arrival you must clear customs and your tour director will escort you to your waiting transfer.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION
Your personal identification documentation is very valuable. May we suggest you may wish to copy your identification and leave with family at home or carry separately with you while on tour. Should this information become lost or stolen, it may assist in obtaining replacements.
ROLE OF YOUR TOUR DIRECTOR
Every Hanover Holiday Tour Director has been specially trained to conduct your tour in a friendly and professional manner. The tour director is responsible to ensure that you receive all that was advertised to be included in your tour package at the level expected by the company.
At various times, there are local guides hired to provide their expert overview of a city. Your tour director at that time will take a "back seat" and also ensure the local guide performs in a professional and pleasant manner.
The tour director is on call 24 hours a day, and should an emergency arise, he/she will assist you in acquiring any services that are needed.
It is the duty of the tour director to make the tour run as smoothly as possible, and to enhance your enjoyment of it. If a situation arises that you need help or if you have any problems, please inform the tour director immediately so it can be resolved as soon as possible. Most times, the tour director can correct the problem on the spot, but only if he/she knows about it. It is to your benefit as well as ours, that you inform him/her of any minor detail which could corrected to help make your tour more enjoyable.
SPECIAL REQUESTS
When Hanover Holidays receives a special request from your travel agent, such as a request for non-smoking rooms or lower floor rooms, we will gladly pass these requests on to all of the hotels involved. Please refer to the Tour Membership Ticket enclosed to make sure that we have correctly received your requests from your travel agent. However, due to limited availability of these types of rooms, not all requests of this nature can be met by the hotels. If a medical condition exists which makes it imperative that you have a special type of room please make sure that your travel agent has made us aware of this condition and we will ask the hotels to give your request special consideration.
SEAT ROTATION
As indicated in the Terms and Conditions on the Hanover Holidays Tour Brochure, your Tour Director will lead you through the Seat Rotation process once aboard the Motor Coach. Recently, a number of people have asked us to not be included in the Seat Rotation. Our policy is that, if any passengers wish do not participate in Seat Rotation, they should indicate this to the tour Director when first boarding the Motor Coach and then sit behind the last of the passengers, who are participating in Seat Rotation.
INSURANCE
When travelling outside the province of your residence, please make sure you have taken out an Accident/Sickness Insurance Policy to cover you over and above your provincial health plan. If you have purchased medical protection, either from Hanover Holiday Tours or your Travel Agent, be sure to call the 24 hour travel assistance line within the time specified on your policy should you need medical assistance. Failure to contact the assistance provider may result in the compensation being declined or substantially reduced. If you wish, please ask your tour director for assistance.
MONEY
Due to the wide acceptance of credit cards, debit cards and travellers cheques, it is unwise and unnecessary to travel with large amounts of cash on your person while travelling. Please remember to keep PIN numbers and cards secure. Purchases and funds should be obtained in US currency.
RULES/ALLERGERIS
Past experience has shown that for the comfort of all our passengers we do not allow smoking on our motorcoach. Passengers should also be advised that due to transportation laws, there is absolutely no consumption of alcoholic beverages on board the motorcoach. Many clients suffer allergic reactions to perfume and fragrances, and we would ask you to refrain or limit the use of perfume or cologne while on tour.
MEALS
For moderate eating, please allow approx. $35.00 U.S. Funds per person per day. Since individual tastes differ greatly, we try to choose places with varied menus. Prices will vary with the area and your eating habits. It is an accepted custom in restaurants/dining rooms to leave a gratuity for your waiter/waitress in the amount of 10-15% of your bill. Some meals are included in your tour cost. Please refer to your itinerary.
NAME TAGS
Your name tag has been included with your tour documents. While on tour, we would ask you to wear it to identify us as a group.
PASSENGER STATISTICAL SHEET
Enclosed in your tour documents is a passenger statistical sheet which we would like you to complete and give to the tour director on the day of departure.
ACCOMMODATION LISTS
You will find an extra copy of your accommodation list included with your tour documents so that you can leave a copy at home with family or friends should you need to be contacted in case of an emergency.
TIPPING DRIVER and TOUR DIRECTOR
The most common question that is asked of us is in regards to an appropriate amount to "tip" to the Tour Driver and Tour Director. As common in the service industry, many clients choose to show their appreciation for a job well done or beyond expectation. General guidelines are about $3.00 per person per day, for each of them. However, you should determine an amount that you feel comfortable with providing. Past tour passengers have found that our Tour Directors work harder than those from other companies, as they assist you by arranging extra meals, shows, attractions and tours that would normally have been defined as "free time" by other companies. The only thing we would ask is that you keep this a personal activity by yourself and not collect tips as a group. In one unfortunate incident, an individual collected tips from the other passengers, but did not pass the collected money on to the Tour Director or Driver, and kept the money for their own personal use.
MEDICATIONS AND CUSTOMS
The following should be kept in mind if you must carry prescription drugs with you into Costa Rica
1. Non-prescription drugs should be in the manufacturer's original package.
Quantities should be sufficient only for reasonable personal use.
2. Prescription medications should be carried in the original dispensing package, and not be mingled with one another or transferred to an unlabelled container
3. Persons with chronic conditions who require ongoing medications would be advised to carry with them a note from the practitioner which certifies the drug(s) being used.
4. Persons carrying needed medications may wish to volunteer this information when crossing the border.
Thank you for travelling with HANOVER HOLIDAYS!! HAPPY TRAVELLING!!! |
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