Passport
A standard ten year British passport is required for all holidays in this brochure which must be valid for at least six months beyond your planned date of return travel, however, please see any exceptions to this below. If your passport expires earlier than this, it may still be acceptable but you should contact your local passport office or the consulate or embassy of the country to be visited for detailed advice. |
| Clients applying for a new passport, or renewing an expired one, should allow eight weeks for the application to be processed and up to three months if applying between February and August. Lost, stolen and new passports will take one week minimum to replace. It is essential that you check whether you are in possession of a valid passport before you make your holiday booking. |
| If your passport is endorsed in any way, you should check immigration requirements with the relevant embassy or consulate of the country to be visited. |
| Exceptions - ALL passengers entering the USA on the visa waiver programme will be required to hold a machine-readable passport (MRP). An MRP includes the holder's personal details, e.g. name, date of birth, nationality and their passport number contained in two lines of text as letters, numbers and chevrons at the base of the photo page. If you are NOT in possession of an MRP you will need to contact the US Embassy to obtain a visa for entry, or apply for a new passport. Travellers without an MRP who do not have a visa will be denied entry into the USA and possibly fined. The vast majority of non-machine readable British passports that are in circulation were issued outside of the UK. |
| There has been much media coverage on the introduction of biometric passports in relation to entry into the USA. The US government has recently delayed the requirement for biometric identifiers to be included in new UK passports until 26th October 2006. From that date, all new UK passports will be required to include an integrated circuit chip capable of storing biometric information from the data page in the passport, a digitised photograph and any other biometric information that may become standard in travel documents. |
| The UK Passport Office is developing this capability and currently anticipates being able to meet this deadline. NB. This requirement will only apply to new passports issued after 26th October 2006 and will only apply to current passports with expiry dates after that date, when they are due for renewal. This information has been issued for general guidance only, if you have any doubt about travel to the US or require any further information we strongly recommend that you contact the US Embassy’s Live Operator Information Service on 09055 444546 (calls cost £1.30 per minute) or visit the US Embassy website on www.usembassy.org.uk for further information. |
Holders of British Subject Passports and Non-British Citizens
We can only advise on immigration requirements if your passport was issued in the UK and endorsed ‘British Citizen’. Holders of a British Subject passport and non-British citizens should check immigration requirements with the relevant embassy or consulate of the country to be visited. |
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Visas
The following visa information is for British citizens only. All consular fees are correct at the time of going to print and are subject to change. Visa forms and guidelines for the relevant country will be sent with confirmation invoices. |
| NOTE: Some travellers including those with certain serious communicable illnesses, criminal records, previous deportations, overstays on the visa waiver programme (USA) and other problems may not be eligible by law to enter certain countries. Such travellers must check with the embassy or consulate of the country to be visited in order to ascertain if they are eligible to apply for a special restricted visa. In the case of the USA, they will be refused entry if they attempt to use the No Visa plan. |
| Titan Travel regrets that it cannot accept responsibility for any passenger who has not obtained the correct documentation prior to travel. |
| Canada - British citizens are not required to have a visa to enter Canada. However British subjects or overseas subjects who are subject to British Immigration control do require visas to visit Canada. |
| USA - Most visitors to the USA, including Alaska, are required to have a U.S. visa in their passport. However since the introduction of the waiver scheme, full British Citizen passport holders with the right abode in the U.K. will be able to travel on this scheme by completing a visa waiver form which is handed to the U.S immigration authorities on arrival. This does not include Irish citizens who carry a British subject passport. It is the responsibility of each passenger to ensure they are able to comply with all U.S. government requirements contained in the visa waiver form. US - Visit is a simple procedure where all passengers will have a digital photograph taken and have their index fingerprint scanned by an inkless device at the immigration desk upon arrival into the USA. In addition this procedure is gradually being introduced at all airports upon your departure from the USA. Please ensure you adhere to these new procedures, as it is your responsibility to enter and exit in the correct format. |
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Safety
Your safety and security is our first consideration. In the event of the Foreign Office advising against travel to a certain area, we would act on this advice. However, we do recommend that you check Foreign Office Travel Advice before you make a booking and this can be found on the internet at http://www.fco.gov.uk/travel. Although we take every precaution in looking after you on tour, the responsibility for your personal safety and welfare and the care of your possessions is obviously the same as that which you exercise whilst at home. Extra care should be taken when walking around cities, especially at night and we recommend you stay in well lit, populated areas. It is also wise to avoid carrying valuables or wearing expensive jewellery. |
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Health
At the time of publication, no vaccinations are required for entry into Canada. |
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Holiday Insurance
This is an essential requirement. Please click here for details of our insurance policies. |
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Clients with Disabilities
We are not specialists in holidays for the disabled but are able to give advice to clients on choosing a holiday to meet their requirements. We do need to be informed of any medical or physical disability at the time of booking so that we can make recommendations on your choice of holiday. A ‘special needs form’ will need to be filled out at the time of booking to ensure that we are able to meet your requirements, where possible. |
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Documentation
Once we receive your deposit, you will receive a confirmation invoice from us detailing all aspects of your holiday. We ask you to take the time to check the details and call us immediately should you be concerned about anything. Air tickets and travel vouchers will be despatched approximately two weeks prior to your departure, subject to us receiving documentation from our Canadian partners or cruise companies. With certain self-drives you will receive full documentation at your first hotel. |
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Taxes
There are two types of tax in Canada. General Sales Tax, more commonly known as (GST) and Provincial Sales Tax (PST). Within Canada most goods and services will be quoted without tax. The GST is similar to our VAT and will be added at the point of sale and clearly marked on the receipt. Presently the GST tax is 6% and is in addition to the Provincial Sales Tax (PST). |
PST varies from each province and will also be added to your purchases. The current rates are as follows (subject to change): Alberta: Nil, British Columbia & Manitoba:7%, Quebec: 7.5% (PST is known as TVQ), Ontaria: 8%, Saskatchewan: 9%, the Atlantic provinces 14% (Harmonised Sales Tax or HST - a combination of GST and PST). |
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Assistance Abroad
Should you require assistance during your trip, please use the telephone number printed on your voucher to call our representative who will be happy to assist. |
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Cruise Information
A ‘no cash‘ system operates on most Alaska cruises. An impression of your credit card will be taken to enable you to sign for on board expenses. Should you decide not to pay by credit card, a deposit will be required (approximately USD 75 per day). |
| Generally the on board currency is the US dollar and we recommend you take US dollar travellers cheques. There are limited exchange facilities on board. |
| A gratuity charge of USD 10-15 per guest per day (including children but excluding Cruise West where gratuities are included) will be automatically added to each shipboard account for dining and stateroom service. Tipping is still discretionary and guest wishing to make adjustments to this amount may do so onboard by visiting the Front Office. |
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Drinking Alcohol
Each province has a different regulation for the legal drinking age. British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, the Atlantic Provinces and Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut is 19 years old. Alberta, Quebec and Manitoba is 18 years old. We recommend that you carry photo ID, as you will be required to produce this to enter bars and clubs. |
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Electricity
110 volt (60 cycle A.C) is standard and plugs are the flat two-pronged type. Adapters and voltage regulators will be required. |
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National Parks
All National Parks charge an entrance fee. This will be charged locally. These will vary from park to park, but are normally only a nominal amount from CA$7 per day. |
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Public Holidays & Special Events
Banks will be closed on these statutory Holidays & shops may either be closed or have restricted opening hours. |
| New Years Day, Good Friday Mar 21, Victoria Day May 19, Canada Day July 1, Labour Day Sept 1, Thanksgiving Oct 13, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. |
| In addition to the public holidays mentioned above Canada does have many festivals, conventions, shows and events which will mean that availability may be difficult to secure and in some cases may be blacked out totally. It may also mean that surcharges will apply. Further details on these events may be requested. |
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Smoking Policies
Airlines, coach, cruise and rail companies generally now operate a non-smoking policy. Many hotels as well as entire provinces have also adopted smoke-free policies. As these are changing on a regular basis we ask that you call us for up-to-date information. |
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Tipping
Service charges are not usually included on bills in restaurants or bars in Canada. It is standard practice to tip between 12 - 15% of the bill. Customary gratuity to tour guides and motor coach drivers is $1.00 - $2.00 per person per day. This is at your own discretion. |
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Special Requests
These should be advised at the time of booking, and noted on the booking form. Although we shall endeavour to meet special requests, this is dependent on our suppliers and we cannot guarantee that your requirements will be met. We cannot accept any booking that is conditional upon a special request being met. Requests for extra leg-room on aircraft are so frequently requested that it is unlikely to be available in most circumstances. |
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Accommodation
Our hotels have been carefully chosen to provide a range of value for money accommodation in the best areas. To help ensure that your expectations are fulfilled, we have utilised a rating system of our own which reflects the quality of each property. |
 - A good standard of hotel with several onsite facilities and amenities. Rooms are clean and comfortable. Most hotels have a restaurant and a swimming pool. |
 - A good quality superior hotel with an array of facilities, such as bar, restaurant, swimming pool and fitness centre. Rooms offer a range of amenities. |
 -An excellent hotel providing first class service and facilities. Rooms are well appointed with superior amenities. |
 This means the hotel is of the highest level in its category. |
| The hotels we feature are among the best in the big cities with smaller but excellently run properties in the national parks and rural areas. Where the word 'hotel' is used in this brochure it encompasses limited service properties, sometimes described as motels, as well as the full service hotels in larger towns and cities. Some facilities, services and activities described at our hotels may incur a local charge and may only open/operate seasonally. |
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Hotel Rooms
Most hotels featured are priced on standard rooms. The majority of our hotels offer upgraded room types. These may be requested at the time of booking. In Canada, rooms generally have two beds. Any special requests for one-bedded rooms or rollaway/extra beds can be made at the time of booking but cannot be guaranteed. Although we shall endeavour to meet special requests we cannot accept any booking that is conditional on these being met. Please note that many hotels in Canada allow pets. |
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Fairmont Gold Rooms
Available at a supplement at Fairmont Hotels, Fairmont Gold creates an atmosphere of privacy with a separate Concierge, check-in desk and an exclusive lounge, which features complimentary breakfast and morning newspapers. Complimentary coffee, tea and is served throughout the day, with canapes served at cocktail hour. |
Motorhomes
