Travel Deviations Planning - AO Trips
You must choose "Make My Own Arrangements" or "Travel Agency Assist" prior to 4/1/2021. Travel deviations during the program are not available.
Deviations from the program are defined as any travel outside of your assigned group dates, seating choices other than coach/economy, or booking frequent flyer reward travel. Please refer to the Make Your Own Arrangements or Travel Agency Assisted page for complete details.
If you are considering visiting additional destinations while in Europe, we recommend you extend your trip after the group program in Switzerland and not before the group’s scheduled arrival day in Zurich.
After a morning flight arrival into the Zurich airport, we will begin our Switzerland adventure with a 1-hour bus ride to Lucerne for brunch and a walking tour. We will then depart via motor coach for our three-night stay in Interlaken. If you are planning an extension, making your own flight arrangements, and arriving within the window as indicated in the own air policy, you will be able to use our group ground transportation from the airport to Lucerne and then onto Interlaken.
If you pre-extend your trip in Lucerne or plan to meet your group on arrival day in Lucerne for the group activity, You MUST arrive at the Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne BEFORE 1:00 P.M. on arrival day in order to join in the group activity and to be included in the group transfer to Interlaken. In order to participate only in the group transfer to Interlaken, you must arrive at the Hotel Schweizerhof in Lucerne prior to 2:00 P.M. on arrival day. Prior notice to Gavel International of your participation in this activity is required.
If you arrive outside of the arrival window or on a different day, you will be responsible for making your own arrangements to get to Lucerne or Interlaken. Uber, Lyft, and Taxis at the Zurich airport will typically not transfer people to destinations that are not close to Zurich. This could make obtaining transportation to Interlaken complicated and costly.
We recommend you extend at the end of the trip, after our time in Montreux. You will be conveniently located near the train station should you choose to take a train to the neighboring countries of France or Italy. If you are flying to another destination and departing within the group departure window, you would be able to use the group ground transportation to the Geneva airport.
For Complete Travel Planning Assistance (assistance with booking flights or pre/post trip travel excursions), Gavel International will send you a deviation request form after 3/15/2021. Flights must be booked by 6/1/2021 in order to receive reimbursement.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Complete Travel Planning Assistance | $350 (Air, Alternate Hotels, Ground Transportation) |
| Gavel Assisted - Air Only Travel Planning Assistance | $200 per couple or $100 per person |
| Preliminary Quote Only | A $50.00 fee will be charged to you if you should request a preliminary air fare quote or request a preliminary quote of extension itinerary. In the event that you confirm the itinerary, the $50 service fee will be applied to either Air Only Travel Planning fee of $200 or the Complete Travel Planning fee of $350. |
| Extra Hotel Nights/Upgrade Deviation Fee | $50 per booking (including extra nights at hotel or room upgrades) |
Note: A booking is considered to be 1 couple on a group; for example, if you requested an upgrade AND requested to extend at the hotel, there would only be one $50 booking fee.
Acceptable forms of payment are American Express, Visa, or MasterCard. Note: The deviation fee will be charged to your credit card when the Auto-Owners Insurance Travel Desk at Gavel International has provided you with preliminary information regarding your request. Once charged, the deviation fee is non-refundable. Your statement will reflect these fees charged by Auto-Owners Insurance Trips.