A Week in Ireland: St. Patrick’s Day

• In order to enter Ireland (and the United Kingdom on the tour extension), U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
• We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
• There is no visa required for U.S. or Canadian citizens to enter the Republic of Ireland.
• Beginning January 8, 2025, on the tour extension, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must purchase an individual visa from the United Kingdom's government’s Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) website or the UK ETA mobile app (Apple or Android) in order to enter the United Kingdom.
• If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact your destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
• You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code IRP.

• Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in and depart from Dublin (or London on the tour extension).
• Transfers to and from the airport at the beginning and end of the tour are included for travelers who purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who booked their own flights are responsible for securing their own airport transfers.
• When you arrive in Dublin, a Go Ahead representative will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall with a Go Ahead sign or a sign with your name(s). If you don’t see a representative immediately, please be patient and stay in the arrivals area. They may be assisting another traveler who has also just arrived and will be back shortly.

Physical Activity Level

This is a moderate physical activity-level tour. You can expect casual walks and plenty of time to explore throughout your trip.

Tour Pacing

This is a briskly paced tour. Tour pacing considers how often you’ll switch hotels, what you’ll do each day, and how you’ll get from place to place. You can expect:

• Most days full of included activities (more if you add excursions)
• Most transportation by motor coach
• Daily bus time varies and can be lengthy

Walking, Terrain & Physical Considerations

• Travelers should be prepared to walk 2 miles per day on city streets, cobblestones, stairs, and hills.
• Cobblestone streets can become slick when wet.
• While visiting Blarney Castle, travelers have the opportunity to kiss the Blarney Stone. In order to kiss the Blarney Stone, travelers must climb 128 very steep, narrow stairs.
• Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance.
• Please note: Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.

Climate Considerations

• Travelers can expect cool, cloudy, and rainy days throughout the year, with occasional heatwaves in the summer months (June-September).

Physical Activity & Tour Pacing Questions

• Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special mobility or luggage-handling assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group enjoys a smooth and informative journey, and they can’t be relied on to provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.
• This tour moves at a reasonable pace to avoid missing scheduled stops. The rest of the group cannot miss any scheduled activities because of the needs of an individual.
• Due to the pace and physical activity level of this tour, mobility aids such as wheelchairs or walkers will be difficult to use and are not recommended. Please notify Go Ahead Tours before your departure if you plan to bring these on tour with you.
• If you have mobility concerns or tour pace questions, please visit our Help Center or send a message to our Customer Experience Team.

• Private motor coaches use steps for boarding, and often don’t provide ramps or lifts.
• Most transportation on this tour is by private motor coach. To board the private motor coach, you may have to climb raised platforms or steps.
• You must be able to manage your own luggage while on tour, as porterage isn’t guaranteed. This includes when arriving at hotels or airports and boarding trains or ferries.
• Luggage storage on trains is extremely limited, and often requires travelers to lift their suitcases onto racks—sometimes located above their seats.
• You should be prepared to manage your bags during ferry transfers. This includes carrying them up and down boarding ramps, lifting them onto racks, and navigating spaces crowded with other people and motor vehicles.
• Elevators in hotels aren’t guaranteed.
• Some hotels on this tour are situated on narrow streets, so our buses can’t drop you off right out front. In these instances, you’ll have to walk your luggage to the property, no more than a few blocks.
• A flight from Dublin to London is included in the price of the tour extension.

• Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches, and on-tour flight for those on the London extension.
• Some airlines may impose additional charges if you exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
• Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights. Please note that your included on-tour flight for the London extension may have more restrictive baggage limits.
• Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
• Travelers must manage their own luggage throughout tour as porters are not guaranteed. This includes at hotels and airports.

• We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
• A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
• You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
• It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
• We recommend packing a reusable water bottle to cut down on single use plastic waste.
• We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
• We recommend packing your Insurance Card (from your primary insurance provider) in your carry on luggage.

• Go Ahead handpicks every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm.
• Accommodations are typically three and four star hotels.
• All accommodations include a private bathroom.
• Most rooms will include a safe for valuables.
• Your hotels will have Wifi, but it may be limited to common areas.
• Elevators in hotels are not guaranteed.
• Some hotels on this tour require travelers to walk with their luggage a few blocks as buses cannot drop travelers off right out front.
• Please be advised that the strength of the air conditioning in European hotels/buildings is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada.
• We cannot guarantee that your hotel accommodations will have laundry services or facilities. We recommend checking directly with the hotel once they are confirmed about 30 days prior to departure.
• Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date.

• Excursions are available for purchase prior to departure, and most excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour directly through your mobile app for an additional $10 USD.
• We recommend purchasing excursions at least 3 days prior to your tour departure. Please note some excursions have advance booking deadlines. Check your tour itinerary for more information to ensure you don’t miss the deadline to add them.
• Optional excursions may be canceled on tour due to reasons like low enrollment, weather or unexpected closures. If an excursion you signed up for is canceled by Go Ahead Tours, you will be refunded the full cost of the excursion. Please note it may take up to 60 days for your refund to be processed.
• Your Tour Director may offer their own optional excursions which can only be purchased on tour via cash (in local currency).

• At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website at cdc.gov.
• If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies, please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to your departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
• If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
• Most of our itineraries include headsets used during certain sightseeing tours so travelers can hear their guides or Tour Director. If you use an assisted listening device, such as a hearing aid or cochlear implant, please visit our Help Center for more information or contact our customer experience team. Please note that at this time not all our destinations offer headsets due to supplier limitations.
• The water is safe to drink throughout your tour unless posted otherwise.
• You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code IRL.

• This tour includes three dinners. Included meals may be plated set menus, buffet or family style depending on the location. Dinners include one glass of beer, wine, or soft drink and water, coffee and tea.
• Breakfast each morning is also included at the hotel and is typically buffet style with hot and cold options.
• Irish pubs serve up hearty lunches, such as the traditional stew of bacon and boiled cabbage. Soda bread is delicious, very filling, and served with many meals. Nibble a scone at afternoon tea, with a pat of high-quality butter from County Kerry. Guinness stout is an international sensation, but locals might favor Murphy's, depending on where you are.
• Dublin has seen something of a culinary revolution, and the city now boasts an impressive array of new restaurants offering exciting cuisine with continental Europe, Asian, and even American influences.
• For traditional English fare at a reasonable price, try a pub meal of fish and chips or bangers and mash. Stilton cheese, steak and kidney pie, and Cumberland sausages are also worth a try. Sip afternoon tea with delicious finger sandwiches and scones at Harrods in London for the ultimate in English tradition.
• Modern-day London boasts an array of diverse international restaurants. Popular options for the adventurous palate include Indian, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian, Greek, and West African cuisine.

• At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
• We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $4USD per person per day for your driver.
• If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
• Tips can only be paid in cash.
• If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
• The cost of porterage is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.

• You will use the euro in Ireland (and the Pound sterling in the United Kingdom on the tour extension).
• Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
• We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
• You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
• Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
• International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
• Plan ahead and bring cash to tip your tour director, local guides, and bus drivers. We also recommend keeping coins in the local currency on hand, as some public bathrooms may charge a fee for use.

• To help you feel prepared before going on tour, we strongly recommend downloading the EF Go Ahead Tours mobile app. It’s free and provides information about important deadlines and entry requirements, as well as your detailed itinerary, packing tips, and more. You can also connect with fellow travelers through the app’s chat feature.
• Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
• There’s no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
• Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.

• Your Tour Director will lead your group. Their role is not only to provide information and context on the destinations you visit, but also to confirm services, coordinate inclusions, prepare each day’s activities, and support travelers while on tour. As such, they must focus on the success of the group, and can’t provide individualized assistance to any one traveler.

• One of the benefits of traveling with EF Go Ahead Tours is having access to our 24/7 Emergency Support Team.
• Our extensive network of global offices and our integration of ISO 31000 Risk Management Guidelines help this dedicated team anticipate and address on-tour challenges in a flexible, iterative way.
• Using a combination of extensive training, thorough incident response planning, and decades of experience, this team assists travelers and Tour Directors in case of emergencies—stepping in for everything from personal health concerns and injuries to major world events.
• Our On-Tour Support team can also provide additional help to travelers on tour, arranging assistance from outside specialists and liaising with local and international authorities as needed. And if there’s an emergency on the road or at home, the team will facilitate and support communication between travelers and their families.

• The United Kingdom and Ireland are on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is 5 hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
• When it’s noon in New York, it’s 5pm on tour.

• When you travel with EF Go Ahead Tours, you’ll make a positive impact on the places you visit, and the people and animals you meet along the way. That’s because our three core Responsible Travel commitments—protecting the environment, supporting local communities, and promoting animal welfare—are at the heart of every tour we offer
• Travel, when done responsibly, can make an enormous socio-economic impact to communities. To maximize your impact, eat at locally owned restaurants and shop at local businesses. Ask your Tour Director to point out restaurants they recommend
• Prepare for your trip: be aware of the monetary norms such as tipping and negotiating in a market, learn about the destination’s forms of etiquette, and take some time to learn a few words in the local language
• When interacting with locals, make sure to ask people for permission before you take their picture, and approach cultural differences with empathy and an open mind
• EF Go Ahead Tours encourages our travelers to limit their waste while on the road, especially single use plastics. You can avoid single use plastics by packing your own toiletries, using electronic documents, and bringing a reusable water bottle and shopping bag. If you need to use plastics or paper, please recycle
• Environment: On this tour, we recommend the use of a reusable water bottle, as the local drinking water is safe for travelers. Your Tour Director can provide additional guidance on local water standards. Make sure to bring a reusable water bottle to cut down on single use plastics.
• Environment: When visiting national parks, reserves, or other protected areas, please do not remove anything from the natural environment or leave any litter. Carry out what you carried in.