Frequently Asked Questions

Sometimes picking a destination for the perfect vacation or volunteer program can be difficult. This is where our well travelled and experienced staff members come in. You can consult with a S-Trip! travel counsellor to help you figure out which experience will best suit you and your friends for a getaway you won’t soon forget!

Youth and Student Comprehensive Package includes all the benefits of medical protection plus trip cancellation and interruption, baggage and personal effects, and flight and travel accident coverage. The comprehensive package is highly recommended. Please ensure you have reviewed your policy for insurable reasons for cancellation. Even with RBC Youth and Student Insurance, there may be circumstances such as a change of mind that are not covered and not eligible for a refund.

S-Trip! is Canada’s most dynamic student travel company. We’ve been travelling with students since 1976 and have built our reputation based on strong relationships with suppliers and our passion for providing great customer service. Our goal is to create a remarkably fun, memorable, and safe travel experience for you and your friends. S-Trip! run trips throughout Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and beyond! We pick out student friendly hotels and partner them with exciting, active, and historical excursions. In order to include all your friends, we’ve arranged special deals with our suppliers to offer early-bird discounts. With our trained staff always nearby, the S-Trip! experience goes above and beyond to create the most exciting vacation you and your friends can imagine!

Students and youth 16-30 travel with S-Trip! from across Canada. We run trips throughout Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and beyond! We choose our travel partners very carefully to ensure they meet the needs of our groups without undue impact on other guests. Our goal since day one is to offer Canada's youth a way to see the world, meet new people, experience new cultures and make memories that will last a lifetime. Trips are divided into high school, university/college and open to ensure that each groups special needs are handled properly.

When travelling out of Canada , the name on your travel documents should match the name that is on your passport. It may be embarrassing at times to let your friends know your full legal name, but it is a lot more embarrassing to be denied boarding at the airport because your travel documents do not match.

Travelling to Europe has been a rite of passage for young adults for many years and S-Trip! is happy to offer several options. The Euro S-Trip! is a great introduction to Europe in a safe, group atmosphere. This is the right trip for first timers or those who want to travel with their friends. These trips include S-Trip! staff, flights to/from Toronto to the starting point, RBC Classic Medical Insurance and more. The Independent Europe trips are recommended for more experienced travellers who want to visit a smaller area. You would be joining an existing group of travellers aged 18-35 from around the world. Flights are not included and their is no S-Trip! staff, however there are local tour staff to assist.

Students will receive a comprehensive list of what-to-pack suggestions in their pre-trip package several weeks before their departure. Air travellers should be aware of standard airline limitations of 20 kg per luggage for each passenger. To make travelling in and out of hotels and between different forms of transportation easier, we recommend travelling with one suitcase per passenger.

If a student misses a payment, their trip is no longer guaranteed. Students must make all required payments on time in order to have a guaranteed reservation. Reservations can be reinstated with an updated payment subject to availability.

Some countries have different visa or entry requirements for travellers of different citizenships. Be sure to check with the embassy of your destination country to figure out if you’ll require a visa to visit. We’ll do our best to help out, but each country has the final say on visa and entry requirements.

Please email us at info@s-trip.com to verify your contact information. Make sure to include the correct information in your request.

All S-Trip passengers are required to have a valid Canadian passport for travel outside of Canada. You can get the forms to apply for a passport here: www.ppt.gc.ca We also suggest bringing at least one piece of government photo ID, such as a driver’s license. Please note it is the passenger’s responsibility to obtain all necessary travel documents. Double check with the appropriate embassy before your departure to ensure that you have met all entry requirements.

S-trip! works with many different suppliers and each one is responsible for a portion of the trip that is relevant to a specific trip type. As we use different suppliers for all of our flight and bus trips it is not possible to transfer a payment from one trip type to another. Each supplier has their own individual rules and regulations regarding deposits and payments.

As the name states, these are for independent travellers who want to join an exiting tour with other youth 18-35 from around the world.. We work with our local operators and tour partner, Top Deck, on these trips. However, there are no S-Trip! staff assigned to these departures. The passenger would be responsible for making their way to the start point to meet with their local tour guide or group. We’ve made a point of choosing student-friendly partners that have experience dealing with the demands of young travellers. Although they are not S-Trip! run trips, they still meet our high standards for safety and supervision.

When planning an amount to take for spending money, please be aware that prices in Europe, especially in the bigger tourist cities, are generally 20-50% higher than in North America. Once you factor in the exchange rate, you have to be ready to stretch your dollar. The positive side is that it is possible to see many of the most famous sights on a discounted basis. To make budgeting easier, we offer some activities that allow you to pre-book and pre-pay. This ensures that you’ll be able to do what you want, when you want, and that you won’t miss out by not bringing enough money. More information will be sent out to you closer to the departure date on these options. Spending money should be based on the length of the trip and the lifestyle habits of the traveller. A frugal traveller can make do on 10-20 Euro a day, whereas for others they may need 30-50 Euro a day.

Files notified as being on pending status have missed one or more payments and are not up to date. As a result, we are unable to submit payments and/or release documents for a trip. At this point the passenger is not guaranteed a seat on the trip. Once you have the balance applied and are caught up with payments, we will put a request into the supplier to re-instate the file to active status.

For our S-Trip! Europe program, the minimum age is 16. For the independent European trips the minimum age is 17 and must be accompanied by someone 18 or older.

We’re so excited you’re going to join us on the trip of a lifetime! To sign up, please go to our website www.s-trip.com and enter your trip code. Just follow the instructions and you will receive an e-mail confirming you are signed up.Print off a copy of the reservation form, have it signed by your parents/guardians if you are under age and give it to your student organizer or fax it in at 1.866.800.6950.

Your first and last name should appear as they do on your passport, your middle name is not required. Other information such as address and phone number should also be correct. Please email corrections to corrections@s-trip.com. Changes that are requested within seven days of departure may incur a change penalty.

Name changes are processed using a Name Change Form and must occur at minimum 90 day prior to departure. You can request a form by calling or e-mailing the S-Trip! office. The new passenger will submit his/her’s reservation form to S-Trip! along with all the payments to date. S-Trip! will refund the cancelling passenger, less a $150 name change fee. Name changes are on a request basis and are not always possible.

Where to go to travel or volunteer is an important decision made in conjunction with the trip organizer and our S-Trip! counsellors. We look at where other groups in the area are travelling, exam schedules, local events, and avoid conflicts whenever possible. We also look at a groups’ expectations to try to ensure the right fit. Some destinations are more suited to experienced travellers, some to first time travels, some have a more upbeat vibe and some are more relaxed. Once the decision is made, it is then presented to the group with the knowledge and confidence that it will be the best vacation or volunteer experience possible.

Travel documents are generally released three weeks prior to the departure. They will be posted on your online portal. Any outstanding balance would need to be cleared before tickets can be released. These tickets and documents must be brought with them to the airport or starting point for departure.

Students can choose to purchase the Youth and Student Comprehensive insurance package to cover for unexpected incidents. The insurance includes medical coverage as well as coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, baggage and personal effects, and flight and travel accidents. This insurance is offered by RBC Travel Insurance. It is important to review the policy for specific information about the package before your purchase. To purchase the comprehensive package, you must make a payment on top of the trip deposit. The comprehensive package is highly recommended.

Although there are no mandatory inoculations for any of our grad, spring break or Europe trip destinations, it’s best to ask your family doctor. The Canadian Government often makes recommendation for vaccinations or immunizations. You can review their travel advisories at www.voyage.gc.ca. In all cases, we encourage you to to visit your physician several months before of departure.

A valid passport is needed for all destinations that S-Trip! travels to outside of Canada. A passport is the best and most easily recognized form of identification for travel to another country. Your passport should be up to date and have an expiry date that is a minimum of six months after the RETURN date of your trip. For example if you are scheduled to return to Canada on March 19, 2011 your passport should be valid until at least Sept 19, 2011.

We appreciate the work that organizers do to help us make these trips as memorable as possible. S-Trip! does provide “extras” for organizers on the trip. These can include, but are not limited to, front of line access, organizer giveaways, thank you dinners and more. Not every trip has every option, so please keep an eye on your e-mail for more details.

All cancellation requests for S-Trip! accounts must be given in writing to info@s-trip.com, or must be in writing via Canadian or US mail to be effective. The initial deposit is non-refundable. Within 90 days of the departure date all monies received are non-refundable. In the event of a trip cancellation more than 90 days prior to departure, passengers will receive Trip Dollars for the amount paid above the initial deposit. 1 Trip Dollar is equivalent to $1 that may be used towards a trip with S-Trip!. Trip Dollars are valid for 5 years from the date of cancellation.

Once the deadline passes, S-Trip!’s planning team jumps into gear with finalized numbers. As a result, space may limited. However, it may be possible for someone to sign up to the trip at a later date. Please speak to your trip counsellor to make an inquiry. After the deadline, reservations are always accepted on an availability basis. Even after students submit payment, they still have to wait a few weeks for confirmation. As costs tend to increase closer to departure, prices are also subject to change. The best way to reserve your spot and keep your costs low is to book early!

Luggage is loaded and unloaded from the bus almost every day. We recommend soft sided backpacks for our Europe trips. Students will receive a comprehensive list of what to pack in their pre-trip package several weeks before their departure. Air travellers should be aware of standard airline limitations of 20 kg per luggage for each passenger.

Cell phones work at most destinations, depending on your mobile providers. Generally, roaming charges can be quite expensive, but we’ve found that text messaging – although slightly more expensive than in Canada – can be used effectively to communicate with your friends and family back home. For detailed information on cell phones in your destination, contact your provider.

Meal arrangements differ between trips. Trips are planned to allow for a variety of food options and timing. Some meals will be just with you and a small group of friends on your own. Others will be for your entire group. Your S-Trip! destination staff will review the specific arrangements for your trip at the destination briefing to be held at your hotel upon arrival. As not all meals are included, please see your trip itinerary.

Most of our hotels are comfortable catering to food allergies or special needs. However, as food preparation standards can differ outside of Canada, we are unable to guarantee an allergy free environment. We recommend researching in advance and coordinating directly with the airline and food and beverage manager of the hotel. S-Trip! can initiate contact with the appropriate persons.

In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, the first priority is ensuring that the injured student receives immediate medical attention. All trips are staffed by experienced and trained S-Trip! staff comfortable in the local culture and trained in first responder tactics. S-Trip! will be with the student as soon as possible after an incident occurs and will be present until the situation has stabilized. Immediately after ensuring that medical needs are met, staff will contact the insurance company and the student’s parents to advise all parties of the situation. S-Trip! generally escalates the situation immediately, involving our most senior staff members as necessary. As the situation stabilizes, we’ll continue to monitor the student as appropriate, following the instructions of medical professionals.

All S-Trip passengers are required to have a valid Canadian passport for travel outside of Canada. You can get the forms to apply for a passport here: www.ppt.gc.ca We also suggest bringing at least one piece of government photo ID, such as a driver’s license. Please note it is the passenger’s responsibility to obtain all necessary travel documents. Double check with the appropriate embassy before your departure to ensure that you have met all entry requirements.

S-Trip! staff meet the group in Toronto or Vancouver (depending on the departure) and supervision/support starts from that point. Normally, there will be a minimum of three staff per departure. One staff memebr travelling from Canada will meet with additional staff in London, UK. These staff members are available to the group through the entire tour and stay at the same accommodation as the group. Although there is free time in each of the city stops, the students are provided with clear instructions regarding meeting points and times.

All S-Trip! staff are required to be in uniform during the duration of the trip. They will also have lanyard and staff tags that are clearly visible. An introduction meeting to is held to introduce the staff at the beginning of each trip.

All hotel rooms come equipped with safes for the use of the students. There may be a nominal charge at check-in to use the safe. This cost can be divided among all the students in the room. Although we highly recommend the use of the safes, it is up to the students in the room to remember to use it diligently.

It is an unfortunate fact of life that sometimes luggage does go missing. In the event your luggage gets lost, we ask that you start fill out a lost item form, which can be found on our website. Please fax or e-mail the form to us and we will forward the form to the relevant suppliers on your behalf. Unfortunately we are unable to submit any lost item forms more than seven days after the end of a trip. S-Trip! cannot be held responsible for lost or stolen items.

Parents will receive contact details for their son or daughter’s accommodation in the S-Trip! pre- trip package several weeks before departure. We recommend establishing an arrangement in advance to ensure that your student is around when you wish to contact them. Internet access is readily available and travellers are encouraged to check-in with parents upon arrival and throughout the trip. As a general rule, it is always less costly for the parent or guardian to call the hotel from Canada, rather than the student calling from their destination. Text messaging is a quick and relatively inexpensive way to communicate. Check with your mobile telephone provider about service at your destination. In case of emergency, the S-Trip! staff will contact parents as soon as possible. If there is an emergency in Canada, parents can call the emergency number to reach an S-Trip! representative, who will be available 24 hours a day to facilitate contact with our staff at destination.

S-Trip! has selected hotels and properties with high health standards. Bottled water is available across all properties for a nominal charge. We recommend that those with sensitive dietary needs should bring the appropriate medications just in case.

Rooming on Europe trips are based on single sex multi -share. Due to the nature of the trip, it could be quad occupancy one night, double the next or dorms. Regardless of the rooming there is no mixing of gender allowed in room assignments. Students from the same school or group will be roomed with others from their group as a first priority.

We appreciate the work that organizers do to help us make these trips as memorable as possible. S-Trip! does provide “extras” for organizers on the trip. These can include, but are not limited to, front of line access, organizer giveaways, thank you dinners and more. Not every trip has every option, so please keep an eye on your e-mail for more details.

S-Trip! does not collect or redeem Air Miles for any of our trips. It is possible after the final group is assigned to a flight that points may be collected. However as these are bulk group reservations, they cannot be applied before departure and it is the responsibility of the passenger to show their frequent flyer number at check-in.

Amounts paid for the purchase of insurance are non refundable. Once insurance payment is received we forward your information to the insurance company and your coverage starts. Insurance protects you against any issue that may cause you to need to file a claim. Insurance is an “all or nothing” purchase and does not allow the option to decide you do not want it after a period of time.