All Grand Circle Program Directors are fluent in both English and the local language. So while all tours and commentary will be in English, you’ll also enjoy the benefit of having someone on hand to teach you helpful phrases and translate when necessary.

Yes—and even if your group of travelers isn't large enough to fill a departure, you can still earn discounted travel by becoming a Group Leader. Read more about our Group Travel program.

While we specialize in vacations for travelers over 50, you can bring children aged 13 and older on Grand Circle trips. Please note, however, that our land-based programs often include lengthy motorcoach sightseeing tours that may not be enjoyable for younger travelers. Select countries may include additional document requirements for minors.

We are unable to mix and match extensions and trips. However, on select vacations, if you wish to explore your arrival or departure cities on your own, we can arrange for you to spend up to 30 additional days at each location. View our Breakaway policy.

We can usually accommodate special dietary requirements (vegetarian, salt-free, low-calorie, kosher, etc.); be sure to notify our Travel Counselors before you depart if you have not already done so. If you prefer a special airline meal on your international flight, please call the airline directly to reconfirm your requests after you receive your airline tickets.

Most Grand Circle trips are not wheelchair or motorized scooter accessible, as wheelchair or motorized scooter assistance or accessibility in international destinations cannot be guaranteed. Be sure to ask your Travel Counselor. If your trip is wheelchair-accessible and you require a wheelchair, you must provide your own small, collapsible wheelchair. On some tours, travelers requiring walkers, crutches, or other mobility aids may have difficulty moving around due to cobblestones or other uneven terrain, and should consider other Grand Circle destinations. Grand Circle cannot accommodate motorized scooters of any kind on any international trips. For more information, review the “Medical Issues” section of our Terms & Conditions.

No. With the exception of the U.S. National Parks and Alaska, Grand Circle specializes in foreign travel. Limiting our focus in this way helps us bring you the most discovery-rich travel experience at the very best value.

If length is a factor when choosing a trip, click the “Find Your Trip” button on the top of each page. Here, you can sort your search results “By Duration” and easily determine which vacations are best for you.

If you're interested in receiving promotional materials by mail--or if you're already on our mailing list, but would like to receive mail better tailored to your interests--tell us what destinations you’d like to visit by adding trips to your Travel Planner on your My Planner.

In general, we can book reservations up to 30 days prior to departure for most GCT Land Vacations and River Cruises. At that time, we’re required to finalize our passenger information with the airlines and hotels, and we release all unused space back to the vendors. On select tours, we must finalize bookings at 90 days prior to departure. All reservations booked inside 45 days of departure are entered on request to ensure hotel and flight availability and are confirmed on a case-by-case basis. Please contact our Travel Counselors for more details.

Depending on your trip, Grand Circle groups have 24-47 travelers.

Feeling healthy and confident of your mobility is essential if you want to fully enjoy your trip abroad. Most Grand Circle programs features a fair amount of walking up and down inclines in towns with uneven or cobblestone streets. For your comfort and safety, we recommend our trips only to individuals in good physical condition. Visit the “Physical Requirements” section under "Trip Details" found on each of our trips to see the specific requirements needed for that vacation.

Due to limited availability and the popularity of our trips, we are unable to hold space without a deposit. However, once you make a deposit you'll have a good deal of flexibility. You can transfer your deposit without penalty to any trip or any date, provided you are more than 121 days from departure on a River Cruise or more than 91 days from departure on a Grand Circle vacation. For more information about the deposit amount required to secure your reservation, click here.

Most full-sized coaches have restrooms for emergencies. However, all motorcoaches and minibuses make frequent stops to ensure your comfort for the whole ride. Often, we'll break up a long transfer with an included walking tour in a location of interest en route to our destination, so you'll have ample time to stretch your legs as well.

While your accommodations will vary from trip to trip, we use our worldwide buying power to negotiate low rates on quality hotels—and pass the savings on to you. Grand Circle selects hotels conveniently set in pleasant, safe areas, with easy access to attractions and entertainment. On the water, we feature privately owned ships, private charters, and small ocean ships. You can view a selection of featured accommodations when you select any trip from our search results page.

To ensure that our optional pre- and post-trip extensions have enough participants to run, we only offer extensions on select departures throughout a destination's travel season. Airline schedules may also limit us to offering extensions on certain dates only.