Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

We like to give something in return for the destinations we visit with our trips and, together with you, we would like to continue enjoying those locations in the future. An ambition that Avila Reizen has been fulfilling with love and mutual respect for many years now. The Avila Foundation is a foundation we have set up to actually put this into practice, focusing on small-scale projects in the field of People, Planet & Wildlife. For more information, we would like to invite you to our Avila Foundation website.

A classic cruise is all about relaxing on board: big ships, lots of facilities, entertainment and fixed itineraries along popular ports. It's all about comfort and entertainment, with the ship as a floating resort.

An expedition cruise deliberately chooses a different path. Small-scale, adventurous and richer in content. You travel with a smaller group aboard a ship specially designed to navigate through fragile ecosystems, fjords, polar regions or tropical islands. You do not go ashore via large ports, but by zodiac, small rubber boats, which you use to dock on remote beaches or at spectacular glaciers.

We always try to send you the travel proposal as soon as possible. However, we tailor-make the trip entirely for you and therefore this can sometimes take longer than with travel companies working with standard package holidays. We will check the best options for you and often also check the availability of accommodation. So you won't be disappointed at a later stage if all the hotels turn out to be full for your travel period. We aim to send you the travel proposal within a week at the latest. Our travel specialists will keep you informed if there are any delays.

Absolutely! Avila Reizen is a member of SGR. You can check this at www.sgr.nl, or view our SGR certificate here. Within the limits of the SGR guarantee scheme(www.sgr.nl/garantieregeling), the trips published on this website are covered by the SGR guarantee. This SGR guarantee means that you as a consumer are assured that your prepaid travel money will be refunded if Avila Reizen cannot fulfil the agreed performance due to financial insolvency. Insofar as the contract includes transport and the destination has already been reached, the return trip will be taken care of.

Own contribution to SGR
Since 1 February 2021, for every trip booked with an SGR member travel organisation, a contribution of €5 per person per booking is levied. This allows you to continue to travel carefree.

Absolutely! We are a member of the ANVR trade association. The ANVR maintains strict membership standards and promotes the quality of travel and travel information. The trips on our website are offered under the ANVR Travel Conditions (Travel and/or Booking Conditions and/or Linked Travel Package Conditions) which apply to all offers on this website unless expressly stated otherwise. View our ANVR certificate and the ANVR brochure. Read the ANVR Travelers' Conditions and other important information.

With your travel paperwork, you will receive the contact details of our local partner we work with in your travel destination. Since they operate locally and (in the case of outside Europe) are in the same time zone as you, they can best and quickly assist you in case of an emergency. All our local partners have a 24/7 emergency number where you can reach them. Should you need help from the Netherlands, you can also contact our own 24/7 emergency number. You will also receive this with your travel documents.

Travel insurance is also mandatory while travelling; when travelling, always take your travel insurance contact numbers with you.

We can specify the price of international flights and the price of the country package for your trip price. In addition, our travel specialists can provide alternatives to hotels, for example, for an upgrade, or to make the trip just a little cheaper. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide a price specification per travel component.

To withdraw money outside Europe, you need to change your profile with your bank to a World Profile. You can easily change this in your bank's app. Alternatively, you can check your bank's website for this or contact your bank's customer service to make sure you can withdraw money outside Europe.

It is recommended to always carry a small amount of cash with you (e.g. €200 or USD 200) for emergencies and to carry a working credit card. Using your credit card abroad often requires you to use your PIN, so make sure you know it.

Avila Travel strives for harmony between tourism, nature & environment and local people at our destinations. Since 2021, we have been a Travelife Partner. Travelife is a leading international management and certification programme for travel companies and accommodation providers who want to operate sustainably. With this certification, we meet more than 100 criteria, covering office management, product range, international business partners and customer information.

We have also established our own Avila Foundation where we support small-scale projects of organisations that we believe can make a difference. From every trip booked with us, a contribution positive impact is made to our foundation. The amount is mentioned in your travel proposal. With this contribution, we support inspiring projects in the field of People, Planet & Wildlife.

When booking, we ask for a deposit of 100% of any airfare we book for you and 30% on the rest of the trip price. The balance payment is due 8 weeks before departure. In some cases, for example cruise products, different payment terms apply. Your travel specialist will inform you of these at the time of booking. See our general terms and conditions for more information.

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Our payment terms are as follows:

Upon conclusion of the agreement, a deposit of 30% of the total agreed travel price for the country package is due (with a minimum of €150 per person) plus any payments for insurance premiums and costs included in the travel agreement. If airline tickets are also part of the travel package organised by Avila Reizen, they must be paid in full immediately at the conclusion of the contract. In exceptional cases (e.g. cruises or special excursions) different (down)payment arrangements may apply. For group travel and incentives, different down payment rules apply.

See the rest of our: terms and conditions.

See our cancellation policy on our terms and conditions page in article 3.

Of course! For this, feel free to contact our travel specialist who organised the trip for you.

Our travel specialist who organised the trip for you can inform you about the outstanding amount of your trip.

Should we not receive your payment properly, we will contact you.

We can specify the price of international flights and the price of the country package for your trip price. In addition, our travel specialists can provide alternatives to hotels, for example, for an upgrade, or to make the trip just a little cheaper. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide a price specification per travel component.

The payment terms are set up this way as we also need to make payments for your trip ourselves in order to maintain e.g. seats for your flight or availability in hotels. If you cannot pay on time, please feel free to contact our travel specialist who organised the trip for you. We will try to find a solution together.

We must always receive written notice (email) from you to cancel the trip. For our cancellation policy, please see our terms and conditions page.

If your flight is cancelled during your trip, the relevant airline will rebook you on another flight. Should this not be the case, your best option is to walk to the airline's counter to make sure they arrange a flight for you. If it turns out that no airline counter or staff are available, you can always call our emergency number so that we can help you further. It is also always important that you inform us or the local partner so that the transfer is aware of the changes and also for the smooth running of the rest of the programme.

See our cancellation policy on our terms and conditions page in article 3.

You often cannot change and/or cancel your airline ticket(s) free of charge after booking. In some cases, the airline does not allow you to change and/or cancel your flight ticket(s) at all. This depends, among other things, on the airline and the class booked for you. For more information about this, please contact our travel specialist who organised the trip for you.

If you want to make changes to your trip after booking, please contact our travel specialist who organised the trip for you. Often, adjustments/additions to your trip are certainly still possible. However, if a component has to be cancelled, additional charges may apply.

In most cases, it can. Keep in mind that the airline may charge for this. Please inform our destination travel specialist of your seat preference as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Contact us.

This partly depends on the flight fare booked and availability at the time of enquiry. Generally, the earlier the request is made, the more likely it is that it can be relatively advantageous to upgrade. If you would like a flight upgrade, please inform our destination travel specialist as soon as possible.

When meeting with our travel specialist of your desired destination, your preferences will be discussed and we will then option the required international flights for you with no obligation. This ensures that there is no longer availability at the time you want to book and you get the best possible fare. When you are completely satisfied with the programme of your trip, we will definitively book the flights for you.

To option your flights with no obligation, we need the full passport names and dates of birth of all travellers. If the name details are not properly provided, the flights must be rebooked at the then current fare and availability.

This depends on the flight route and airline booked and the cabin class booked (Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class or First Class). In general, 1 piece of check-in baggage of up to 23kg per person is allowed, but this also depends on the final destination. Your e-ticket will always state the correct amount. Feel free to ask our travel specialist for your destination.

Yes, this is definitely possible! Please inform our destination travel specialist of your allergies as soon as possible. Please note that only 1 type of meal can be requested, so if you are vegetarian and also have a gluten allergy, please indicate the meal that is most important to you.

In most destinations, your passport should still be valid for at least six months when you enter the country. Therefore, make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the end of your trip and that you have at least 2 blank visa pages in your passport. If the expiry date is within 6 months of the end of your trip, you will need to renew your passport.

Are you travelling to a country outside the European Union? If so, you may need an (e-)visa. Visas ensure that a government keeps control over who enters the country. Each country has its own (e-)visas and/or travel authorisations with associated conditions. Should you travel to a country that requires an (e-)visa, you can easily apply for one through our trusted visa partner Traveldocs.

Of course, you can also choose to arrange the (e-)visa directly at your destination's immigration office; this can be cheaper. Without the correct (e-)visa, you may be refused entry to your destination; we recommend that you get this in order as soon as possible.

You are responsible to have valid travel documents such as passport (in most destinations, your passport should still be valid for at least 6 months when you enter the country) and any required (e)visas. Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after the end of your trip and that you have at least 2 blank visa pages in your passport. If the expiry date is within 6 months of the end of your trip, you will need to renew your passport.

It is very important to check with your GP, the GGD or similar organisation well before departure about the vaccination requirements of when you will be travelling. They can also advise you on important medical aspects applicable to your destination. You are responsible for having any mandatory vaccinations for your trip.

Do you use medicines? Some medicines require you to carry a statement with you during your trip abroad. CAK can help you with this. Go to www.hetcak.nl or contact your GP. If, for health reasons, you take a large quantity of medicines with you when travelling, we strongly recommend that you carry a medical passport. This medical passport is provided by your doctor and indicates which medicines you are carrying. This can prevent any problems at the airport.

Whether you need an international driving licence depends on the country you are going to. In many European countries, a Dutch driving licence is sufficient, but outside Europe some countries require an international driving licence. Our travel specialists will be happy to inform you about what applies to your travel destination.

You will receive your travel documents about two weeks before departure. These include your e-tickets and your vouchers, which you will need during your trip. And, of course, a comprehensive day-to-day programme.

We send the travel documents by post as standard, in addition you will also receive a digital version by e-mail. If desired, we can also send only the digital version. You can make your preferences for receiving the travel documents known to your contact person at Avila Reizen.

Make sure you travel well insured! When doing so, also pay attention to the coverage amount of your insurance (that it covers the amount of your trip).

If you do not yet have travel and/or cancellation insurance, we may be able to help you with that. The company Biesbrouck will be happy to make you a tailor-made proposal. We can put you in touch with them to arrange suitable insurance. They offer tailor-made insurance for Dutch nationals living in the Netherlands (if this does not include you, please contact us for other possibilities).

It is mandatory to have travel insurance for when you travel. Cancellation insurance should be taken out within 7 days of booking.

It is mandatory to have travel insurance for when you travel. So make sure you are properly insured when you travel! When doing so, also pay attention to the coverage amount of your insurance (that it covers the amount of your trip).

If you do not yet have travel and/or cancellation insurance, we may be able to help you with that. The company Biesbrouck will be happy to make you a tailor-made proposal. We can put you in touch with them to arrange suitable insurance. They offer tailor-made insurance for Dutch nationals living in the Netherlands (if this does not include you, please contact us for other possibilities).

Because we are affiliated with the Calamity Fund, we adhere to the same view that this fund takes:

A calamity an "abnormal event caused by molest or natural disaster". In other words, a special situation caused by molest or natural disaster that is highly unusual in the country visited during the period in question. Example: in the Alpine countries, snow in winter is common, but the lack of snow is not a natural disaster and so that is not a calamity.

Absolutely! Avila Reizen is affiliated to the Stichting Calamiteitenfonds Reizen. The Calamiteitenfonds guarantee means that you, as a traveller taking part in a trip to which the guarantee applies:
- (part of) your travel sum will be refunded if we are unable to complete the trip due to a calamity;
- be reimbursed for the necessary additional costs if we have to make changes to the trip or have to repatriate you early due to a disaster.

Calamity means an abnormal event caused by molest or natural disaster. More information about the Calamity Fund can be found at www.calamiteitenfonds.nl.

With your travel paperwork, you will receive the contact details of our local partner we work with in your travel destination. Since they operate locally and (in the case of outside Europe) are in the same time zone as you, they can best and quickly assist you in case of an emergency. All our local partners have a 24/7 emergency number where you can reach them. Should you need help from the Netherlands, you can also contact our own 24/7 emergency number. You will also receive this with your travel documents.

Travel insurance is also mandatory while travelling; when travelling, always take your travel insurance contact numbers with you.

The best travel time for your destination depends on the climate, your travel goals and crowds. On your destination's page you will find more information about the country's best travel time and our travel specialists will be happy to inform you more!

We always try to send you the travel proposal as soon as possible. However, we tailor-make the trip entirely for you and therefore this can sometimes take longer than with travel companies working with standard package holidays. We will check the best options for you and often also check the availability of accommodation. So you won't be disappointed at a later stage if all the hotels turn out to be full for your travel period. We aim to send you the travel proposal within a week at the latest. Our travel specialists will keep you informed if there are any delays.

By contacting us! You can do so through our contact page, where you will find all our information, such as our phone number, address and e-mail address. You can also use our contact form to request your trip and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

We tailor trips entirely to your needs, so if you want to take a trip that is wheelchair-friendly, we will take that into account with the programme.

We always try to book your rental car including full coverage (without excess). However, this is not possible in all destinations. Your travel proposal will always specify this.

If you have included a rental car through us in your package, you will need to bring a valid credit card in the name of the main driver to collect the car. The credit card will be used to block an amount as a deposit. When you return the car, this amount is unblocked. So it is never actually charged.

It is important to note that there is sufficient limit on the credit card to block the amount. Deposit amounts can range from €750 to €2,500 per car. If you are renting several cars within 1 month, you need to have limit for the total car security deposit amount added together, as the credit card company only releases the amounts at the end of the month. In addition, know the PIN of your credit card.

Whether you need an international driving licence depends on the country you are going to. In many European countries, a Dutch driving licence is sufficient, but outside Europe some countries require an international driving licence. Our travel specialists will be happy to inform you about what applies to your travel destination.