Archive Page for the 2022 London/Paris Tour:

(update: 4 FEB 22)

REQUIRED Business Meeting, 2/28/22

There is a REQUIRED Business Meeting on February 28, 2022 at 6:30pm over Zoom. PLEASE plan on attending, as we have a lot of practical details to work through together with you. Link for the Zoom is at the bottom of this message. Also, please be sure your Zoom name is accurate so we know who you are; we'll be taking attendance for this meeting.

  • Agenda for 2/28 Meeting

    • "How to Travel"

      • Health & Safety

      • Etiquette, cultural differences

      • Rules and Expectations

      • Practical stuff: money, packing, electronics, phones, medical, etc.

      • Group travel considerations

    • Rooming assignments

    • Chaperones, Groups

    • Outstanding paperwork: passports, contracts, releases, etc.

    • Alternate Return Requests

Alternate Return Requests

If you plan to stick with the regularly-scheduled trip and return on the last day of the tour, July 3, 2022, then you can stop reading! If you plan to stay abroad longer and not come back with the main group, please keep reading below. 

If you'd like to extend your time in Europe, here's what you need to do.

  1. Finalize your alternate return plans, i.e. decide exactly when and where you wish to return from.

  2. Submit an Alternate Return Request to ACIS (not to Mr. Dokko) IN WRITING (emailing a PDF copy is acceptable) no later than 90 days before departure, which for this tour is March 24, 2022. However, if possible, I STRONGLY encourage you to submit before this deadline to allow time for any changes or issues.

    1. This form will require you to specify your return city/gateway and return date. Trip Code is #31075

    2. ACIS will then adjust your return flights to reflect your requested Alternate Return.

    3. You will be billed from ACIS directly a fee of $175, plus any differences in airfare. In my experience, this change fee has been anywhere from $175 - $350.

    4. IMPORTANT - any additional change requests will be an additional $130, so be sure of your plans before submitting your Alternate Return Request.

    5. If you elect to return on a weekend, you may incur an additional $50 surcharge.

  3. Notes/Tips:

    1. To avoid higher surcharges, try booking your return from a larger airport (e.g. London LHR, Paris CDG, Rome FCO, etc). ACIS may charge more for a non-major airport gateway (or automatically assign you the nearest major gateway).

    2. If you have family flying out to meet you after the trip, coordinating flights can be challenging. Reach out to me and I'll help you navigate that.

    3. If you have questions, please feel free to ask me!

Zoom Meeting Details: February 28, 6:30pm

Join Zoom Meetinghttps://lbusd.zoom.us/j/84807151339?pwd=TWltUFNQem5qVnNvZXcwd1VnWVVXdz09Meeting ID: 848 0715 1339Passcode: 096244

(update: 27 JAN 22)

146 days until departure!

Please take a moment to review the following details:

  • Update for 01/27/22:

    • The UK just announced this week they are easing travel restrictions. Currently, vaccinated passengers arriving to the UK are required to take a COVID test within two days of arrival (unvaccinated passengers are required to quarantine for a full 10 days). Starting 11 FEB 22, fully vaccinated travelers (and children under age 18) can skip testing. HOWEVER: at this time, airlines are still requiring proof of full vaccination for air travel.

    • MAKE YOUR PAYMENTS! We have about 15 passengers who have only paid deposits. If you still plan on participating, please let me know what your plan is. If you plan to drop, PLEASE let me know so we can update our roster. We have begun assigning chaperone groups, and will be moving on to rooming assignments soon (more on this below).

  • Protection Plans - I've had a few conversations recently re: which Protection Plan to enroll in. In a "normal" year (non-pandemic), I'd always say the Basic Plan is good enough, but the pandemic has made things much less predictable, so I understand the general desire to have more protections in place. ACIS is offering a new top-tier protection plan, the Ultimate Protection Plus, which offers the following benefits:

    • FULL REFUND (less plan premium) all the way up until four days before departure.

    • If you were to test positive for Covid-19 within those four days, you'd also be similarly refunded (less premium) based on a medical reason.

    • UPP+ is $45 per day, or for this tour, $540 total (non-refundable).

    • If you elect to stay with the Basic Protection Plan, see the Refund Policies for International Tours here. You can also read about all the Protection Plans on that page.

      • On the ACIS website, you'll see mention of vouchers. Think of it as "store credit," and those vouchers are transferable, meaning you can sell them to a participant for a future tour (scheduled for 2024).

    • Whatever Protection Plan you decide to go with, the deadline to change plans is 130 days before departure, of February 12, 2022.

  • Stay tuned for when our next REQUIRED business meeting will occur, sometime in March 2022. Topics for that meeting:

    • Rooming assignments (you are allowed to make requests)

    • Chaperones and Chaperone Groups

    • Outstanding paperwork, passports, travel documents

    • Travel Orientation ("How To Travel"):

      • Health and Safety

      • Etiquette, cultural differences

      • Rules and Expectation

      • Practical Stuff: money, packing, electronics, etc.

      • All your other questions

  • Old reminders:

    • polychoir.com has all our updates posted.

    • Make your payments!

    • Submit your Contracts, Releases, Passports, and Medical Info (all available on polychoir.com). You can also check on polychoir.com if I've received your documents.

    • Send me your questions! ANY questions!

(update: 14 OCT 21) - Google Slide presentation from Business Meeting #1 available today.

(update 14 AUG 21) - Seine River Cruise added. Scheduled for 30 JUN 22 upon arrive to Paris (after dinner).

Required documents (contracts, medical, etc) are accessible here (available beginning 14 OCT 21).

If you plan to stay abroad longer, you’ll need to complete this Alternate Return Request form. Note - all requests must be received in writing to ACIS offices in Boston no later than 90 days prior to departure. More details outlined on the form.

Medical Google Form is available here.

Unsure if we’ve received your contract/release, medical info, passport copy? Click here to check.