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Chapel Choir of the Catholic Community
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Chapel Choir of the Catholic Community
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We have collected some questions (and answers) and used them to construct this page.
- What kind of breakfast can I expect at the hotels?
- How can I get frequent flyer miles for this trip?
- How much luggage can I bring?
- How will luggage be moved from the bus into hotel rooms?
- How big can my checked piece of luggage be?
- What's the Ruzon's diet tip for avoiding jet lag?
- Do I have an assigned seat on the plane?
- How much money should I bring with me?
- What happens if I miss the bus?
- When can "land-only" travelers check in at the hotel?
- How early do we have to arrive at the airport in San Francisco?
- Should I bring my driver's license with me on the trip?
- Can I just bring an adapter and plug in my hair dryer in England?
1. What kind of breakfast can I expect at the hotels?
Breakfast at the Elizabetta Hotel in London will be continental, i.e., rolls, cereals, juices, milk and coffee. In Harrogate and Edinburgh we will have a full breakfast of eggs, meats, fruit, rolls - everything.Back to top of page
2. How can I get frequent flyer miles for this trip if I'm not already signed up with American?
If you are a member of American's frequent flyer program, give your name and frequent flyer number to the ticket agent at check in. If you're not signed up with American for frequent flyer miles and want to be, go to the American Airlines web site and select "AAdvantage" from the menu at the top of the page. They will even print out a temporary card for you.Back to top of page
Note: The American Airlines site will open in a separate browser window.
At the airport, make sure you give the ticket agent your frequent flyer number at checkin, and keep your boarding pass in case there is a problem later.
3. How much luggage can I bring?
You can check ONE piece of luggage and bring ONE additional carry-on bag. (Accompanists, that does NOT include large instruments.) The main space constraint is the bus. There is simply no room for anything else.Back to top of page
Want to get it all into a single carry-on bag? Take a look at the Travelite web site (thanks, Suzanne).
4. How will luggage be moved from the bus into hotel rooms?
You do that yourself! Each traveler is reponsible for getting their luggage off the bus and into their hotel room, and reverse when we leave. Keep that in mind when you pack!Back to top of page
5. How big can my checked piece of luggage be?
Checked luggage must be less than 62 linear inches (add the length, width and height together, and the resulting number must be less than 62). The weight limit is 72 pounds.Back to top of page
6. What's the Ruzon's diet tip for avoiding jet lag?
Here, courtesy of Mark Ruzon, is a link to an Anti-Jet-Lag diet. It starts three days before the trip. Any questions, contact Mark.Back to top of page
7. Do I have an assigned seat on the plane?
For those traveling with the tour group, we have been assigned a block of seats. You will get a ticket with an assigned seat, and, once we are en route, you may then change seats within the block as you please.Back to top of page
8. How much money should I bring with me?
That depends in part on what you want to do in Europe. You will need to pay for lunch and dinner every day (except for two tour-provided dinners) and for whatever sightseeing and shopping you want to do.Back to top of page
There is inexpensive food in London, mainly at Chinese, Indian, Greek or other ethnic restaurants. There are also very expensive restaurants. The London from A - Z Travel Guide prices a meal for one at McDonald's at £2.88, and a meal for two at a mid-range restaurant including wine at £40.00. Meals in the north will generally by cheaper than London.
The British pound is currently worth about $1.50. So that meal at Mickie D's translates to about $4.25. Check the currency converter on the web for the up-to-the-minute exchange.
Don't forget to budget for transportation on days when we are on our own. Information about fares on the London underground (the tube) is at their web site.
Many museums and other points of interest are free, and many have an admission charge. You can find that out in advance on the web, starting on our "Things to do" page.
And you will want to do some shopping for souvenirs, gifts, film, etc. If you plan ahead of time, you should be able to figure out a budget that's right for you, including how much you should plan on spending each day. And then, if you're like me, bring a little more along with you.
9. What happens if I miss the bus?
If you miss a bus departure, you will be on your own to get to the choir's next destination. That means you will have to find a train or bus schedule, and get yourself and your luggage to wherever we are going. You should call ahead to that destination to let someone there know that you are coming separately, and when you expect to arrive.Back to top of page
All travelers need to understand that THE BUS CANNOT WAIT FOR ANYONE. You will get a detailed daily itinerary with departure times, destinations, addresses and phone numbers. If you miss the bus, you will need to use it to figure out your transportation plans. Even better, you will need to use it to make sure that you're ON TIME for bus departures.
10. When can "land-only" travelers check in at the hotel?
If you're getting to London on your own, you can arrive at the Elizabetta Hotel any time during the day on Friday, June 16. If your room is ready, the hotel will check you in. If your room is not ready, they will keep your luggage, freeing you to go off on your own.Back to top of page
11. How early do we have to arrive at the airport in San Francisco?
We've checked with both the airport and the travel agent on this. If you are flying out with the group, you should arrive at the American Airlines domestic terminal at SFO between 90 minutes and two hours early (the itinerary says to be there by 2:30 p.m. on June 15). We will be boarding AA flight #2875 to Los Angeles.Back to top of page
The only customs activity that will take place in San Francisco for this first leg of the trip is a check of your passport. So DON'T FORGET TO BRING IT (and have it available - don't pack it).
12. Should I bring my driver's license with me on the trip?
It's not necessary (unless you plan to rent a car on one of our free days), but it might be a good idea to have it as backup identification in case you lose your passport. For that reason, if you DO bring it, don't carry it in the same place as your passport.Back to top of page
Speaking of identification, it's a good idea to photocopy the information page in your passport and carry that separately. If tour members would like the choir to hold that page for them, we will keep it with your emergency information. If you lose your passport, having that information sheet and two passport photos readily available will greatly speed the process of getting a replacement.
13. Can I just bring an adapter and plug in my hair dryer in England?
No. You will most likely destroy the device. If the device has a switch for switching it from 120V to 220V, or it is rated for 220, you can. You can usually look at the label for the power rating. Adpters are not usually converters and therefore will not change the 220 volts that comes out of the wall in Europe to the 110 volts we use in the US.Back to top of page
Suzanne's packing web site includes a thorough explanation of all things electrical.
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