Cultural Exchange Tour Information and Policies

For the 15-day tour, it is $3,850 per person in the peak travel season.  

Single Room supplement:  $1000

Registration
Once we receive your reservation form and $500 deposit ($300 is refundable), you will receive a detailed registration form. Spaces are limited. Acceptance is based on a first-come, first-serve basis. In case CACBC must cancel tour due to unforeseen events, deposit will be refunded in full.

Discounts
It can be received in the following two situations, if both situations apply only one can be offered.

1. Groups of six or more receive a $50 discount per person. To ensure their discount, all group members must send reservation forms and deposits at the same time.  

2. Early bird registration before June 1st receive $50 off

Roommates
We encourage you to find a roommate (two people per room), so everyone has more fun! If requested, CACBC will try to find you a roommate, but not guaranteed.

Passport and Visa
A valid passport and a visa are required when you visit China.  You should obtain these yourself, however, CACBC will obtain these for you for a fee. More information below.

Health
The Centers for Disease Control currently do not require inoculations; however, current tetanus and hepatitis are recommended.  Visit the CDC website for more info.  

Medication: Bring all medications you will need, as we may not have time to obtain them in China.  

Nonprofit Rate
All tours sponsored by the Chinese American Cultural Bridge Center are priced at nonprofit rates, and include all travel, lodging, meals,  site-seeing guides, admissions, and limited travel insurance while in China.

Single Supplements
Quoted prices are based on single traveler, double occupancy. Group discounts are based on number of individuals in the group. Supplement for single occupancy is $1,000

For more information call Jennifer Chan, 847-902-7229, or email: jc120882@hotmail.com

More Policies and Information

Pre-registration/Reservation
 • Pre-registration/Reservation Forms for groups and individuals are open till the delegation is full.  The reservation fee is $500 per person and reservations will be made on a first-come first-serve basis.  You will receive confirmation as soon as we receive your Pre-registration/Reservation Form either over email or through the mail.

Detailed Registration
• Fill out the Detailed Registration Form after your reservation is made.  Detailed Registration Forms for groups and individuals are due with the first payment by September 1, 2008. If the $500 reservation fee has not been paid, the deposit and reservation fee must accompany completed and signed Detailed Registration Forms.  Reservations will be made in the order they are received.  Pre-registration and Detailed Registration will remain open if the delegation is not full.

Method of Payment
Checks and Money orders are payable to Travel Study China. Send to: Chinese American Cultural Bridge Center, 2809 Embers Lane, Arlington Heights, IL, 60005.

Payment Deadlines
• The last payment should include your U. S. departure tax of  $80, and Airline Fuel charge of about $200 (Departure tax and fuel charge are subjected to change).

Deposit of $500 & reservation till delegation is full

Detailed Registration is due with First Payment ($1,100) by September 1, 2008

Second payment ($1,100) due by January 1, 2009

Final payment ($1,100)+ $80 departure tax +$200 Airline fuel charge due by April 1,2009

If you have group reservation or Early Bird registration, your applied credit of $50 should be calculated at the final payment.

Cancellations and Refunds

• Cancellation notices must be submitted in writing to CACBC. Cancellation fees will be charged, and deducted from your refund. The airline ticket portion of your tour is refundable (*see restrictions below). Cancellation fees will be calculated based on your total land tour price, not including airfare. Fees are based on date of receipt of written notification, as follows:  

Before September 1,2008: refund minus administration fee of $200. 

After September 1, 2008: refund minus administration fee of $500.

  • 61 to 90 days prior to departure: refund minus administrative fee of $500 plus 20% of the total tour price.

  • 31 to 60 days prior to departure: refund minus $500 fee, plus 40% of total tour price.

  • 8 to 30 days prior to departure: refund minus $500 fee, plus 60% of total tour price.

  • 7 days or less prior to departure: no refund.

  * Airline tickets will be refunded according to restrictions imposed by the participating airline. Cancellation notices received on Fridays after 4:00 PM (PST) will be treated as if received Mondays 9:00 AM (PST).  

Waiting List Period:

The waiting list for groups and individuals will begin 60 days before departure. The WAITING LIST WILL BE CLOSED 30 DAYS BEFORE DEPARTURE.

Tour Documents
• A tour document packet (ticket, identification badges, meeting-point information, etc.) will be sent to you two to six weeks before departure.  If you request your documents be sent earlier, there is a $80 per person special handling charge.

Group Registration
 • If we cannot put you on the cultural exchange Tour to China because of late registration or limited space, you will receive a full refund.
• If you request to be specifically grouped with friends and partners (see Registration Form), we will do our best to keep your specified group together when organizing ground transportation, hotel rooms, site-seeing activities, etc.
• Discount for a group registration of six (6) people or more is $50 per person

Methods of Payment

• Checks are preferred, but credit card payments are accepted through Paypal.com.  There is a $1,300 limit for credit card payments.  Please make checks and money orders payable to Travel Study China. Returned checks are subject to a $90 processing fee.

Pricing Adjustments

• Price quotations, whether written or verbal, are subject to adjustment in event of error in price computation or changes in travel costs. You will be sent an adjusted invoice reflecting the increase or decrease.

Special Requests
• Special travel arrangements will be charged a service fee of $95 or more. Special arrangements include, but are not limited to: Stay Ahead/Stay Behind Options    

Revision Fees
• Any alterations made to your registration (change of names, city, dates, etc.) could result in up to a $300 fee (this includes airline, agent’s and processing costs).  Please fill out your Registration Form carefully to ensure it exactly matches the information on your passport.

International Travel
• Quoted prices are from flights departing from California, if participants want to leave from the east coast (either New Jersey or New York) there will be a $150 additional fee.  CACBC only uses airlines with good safety records for its international flights, including Northwest Airlines, Air China, United Airlines, and Air Canada, Continental Airline etc.  CACBC reserves the right to make final decisions regarding departure gateways.

Domestic Travel
• Domestic travel from your hometown to the departure gateway is your responsibility. We encourage you to anticipate arrival in the gateway city at least seven hours before your scheduled departure.  We cannot be responsible for domestic flight delays or other travel issues that may arise during your domestic travel. U.S. domestic flights can be arranged upon request by CACBC for groups larger than fifteen departing from the same city.  Please do not arrange your domestic flight until we confirm your international flight to China since airlines have made many changes and may change again.  Fares are based on existing tariffs.  We encourage all participants to keep in touch with us through the web site to keep up with the latest international flight information. You can use your travel agent to book your domestic flight if needed. We will be happy to give you our Travel Agent name and phone number for you to book domestic flights if needed.

Permission and Supervision
• Participants younger than eighteen years of age must have a signed letter of parental consent.  A parent or guardian must accompany children under twelve.  Groups must provide chaperones to accompany student-age participants. 

Passport and Visas
• A passport (must be valid for at least six months from your expected departure from China), and a visa are required for travel to China. You are responsible for obtaining the proper travel documents (valid passport and visa), and for keeping them on you throughout the tour.  Any delays, including missed portions of the tour, or other losses or damages resulting from improper or missing travel documents are your responsibility.  Any costs from hiring a tour guide for an extended stay in China, or expired airline tickets are your responsibility.  You can get more information about obtaining a visa by contacting the following lists, or if your state is not among one of the lists then you can find it through this website: http://www.asststork.com/pages/consulate.html

Visa Office of the Chinese Embassy
Room 110
2201 Wisconsin Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20007

Tel: 202.338.6688

Faxback: 202.265.9809
Fax: 202.588.9760
email: chnvisa@bellatlantic.net
Office Hours: 10:00am - 12:30pm; 1:00pm - 3:00pm
www.china-embassy.org

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the U.S.A.
Ambassador: Zhaoxing Li
2300 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Washington D.C., 20008

www.china-embassy.org
email: webmaster@china-embassy.org
Tel: 202.328.2500, 202.328.2551
Fax: 202.328.2582

Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Houston
Consulate General: Zurong Wu
3417 Montrose Blvd.
Houston, TX 77006

Tel: 713.524.0778
Fax: 713.524.7656
email: chinaconsulate@houcon.com

Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in San Francisco
Consulate General: Yunxiang Wang
Address: 1450 Laguna Street
San Francisco, CA 94115

Tel: 415.269.0311 (24 hours)
Tel of Operator: 415.674.2900
Tel of Visa Office: 415.674.2925, 415.674.2926
Fax: 415.563.0494

Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York
Consulate General: Zhang Hongxi
520 12th Ave.
P.O. Box 1007
New York, NY 10036

www.nyconsulate.prchina.org
Tel: 212.244.9392
Fax: 212.502.0258

Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Chicago
Consulate General: Ruixing Wei
100 West Erie Street
Chicago, IL 60610

Tel: 312.803.0095
Fax: 312.803.0110, 312.803.0105

Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles
Consulate General: Wenbin An
443 Shatto Place
Los Angeles, CA 90020

www.chinaconsulateLA.org
Tel: 213.807.8088, 213.807.8012
Fax: 213.380.1961

Travel Document Systems
925 Fifteenth Street N.W. 3rd Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005

Voice: 800.874.5100
Local: 202-638-3800
Fax: 202.638.4674
email: info@traveldocs.com

Visa Procurement
• CACBC would prefer not to handle individual visas.  You may obtain it yourself or through agencies.  If you would like us to obtain a visa for you, send your valid passport, one passport-sized photograph, and payment of $250 (covers cost of visa, processing fee and FEDEX) in a secured FEDEX package.  Your passport, photograph, $250 fee and final payment must be received 70 days before scheduled departure. We will return both your passport and newly obtained visa to you in a secured FEDEX package. 

Luggage 

• We recommend that you limit baggage to one piece of luggage per person plus one carry-on bag for ease of travel. Excess luggage (limited up to 2, 70lb bags, 62 inches.  Carry-on 9 in. deep, 14 in.) may be subject to charges according to the air carrier’s existing tariffs.  Domestic flights in China have a limit of one bag of luggage up to 70 lbs.

Portage

• You will be responsible for taking your own luggage through customs. We will provide porters and assistance with your luggage whenever possible. Because porters may not always be available, you should be prepared to handle your own luggage whenever necessary.

Accommodations 

• Accommodations are provided at three or four-star hotels when touring in Beijing as stated in the itinerary.  Accommodations are provided in the Shaolin Temple Authorized Training Centers, training center dorm rooms, or 2-star hotels.  All rooms have private bathrooms. All rooms are double occupancy unless otherwise requested.

Liability Insurance in China 

• Limited liability insurance is included in the cost of your tour by China Insurance Company, covering you from the time you land in China until you get on the plane to the U.S. This insurance covers only emergency treatment within China. This does not cover medical treatment in the U.S. or anywhere else and it does not cover cancellation. If you have special needs, pre-existing conditions, etc. you should discuss them both with your doctor and with your current health insurance provider. Please be advised to pack any medicines, prescriptions or other health items you may need during your stay in China.

Travel Cancellation and Comprehensive Medical Insurance

• We provide the option of purchasing comprehensive medical insurance through Travel Guard International.  This insurance packet provides you with:

1.      Trip Cancellation Reimbursement.

2.       $500 or 100% of Trip Cost for Trip Interruption.

3.       Trip Cost Default Protection.

4.       $500 Trip Delay Insurance.

5.       $750 Lost, Stolen or Damaged Baggage and Travel Documents.

6.       $200 Baggage Delay.

7.       $10,000 Medical Expense.

8.       $100,000 Emergency Medical Transportation (includes visitor to bedside).

If you sign up for Travel Guard within 15 days of your registration, all pre-existing medical conditions will be waived. Call travel Guard international for more and updated coverage.

The policy cost for complete coverage throughout your entire tour is:

$148 for people ages 0-34

$162 for people ages 35-59

$240 for people ages 60-69

$323 for people ages 70-74

$388 for people ages 75-79

$519 for people ages 80-84

$592 for people 85 and over

Travel Guard International    

1145 Clark  Street       

Stevens Point, WI 54481-9970
Tel: 800.826.1300 7am-7pm (CST) – 7days a week

www.TravelGuard.com

Tipping Guides:  

• In China, tips for guides are usually $7-$10 dollars per day for bus drivers, local and national guides only during tour days in Beijing. To avoid misunderstandings and/or unwanted solicitation, we find it better that we collect, negotiate, and distribute tips on your behalf.