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COVID-19 policy updates from major tour operators

Post date: Mar 25 2020

Date: Mar 25 2020

By: Travelweek Group

TORONTO — With COVID-19 leading to travel restrictions around the world, tour operators have been forced to re-evaluate their plans for the coming months, with many suspending operations and updating their travel policies to accommodate impacted clients.

Here’s the latest from top tour operators. This list is updated as we receive new information from each company. The latest information can always be found at the company’s website.

LATEST UPDATES: Sept. 21, 2021 – Globus family of brands; Sept. 10, 2021- Contiki, Costsaver, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold and Trafalgar

Packages and other vacation ideas to Europe, sun destinations, Canada and more can be booked with ACV. ACV’s Information Hub can be found here .  Also helpful is ACV’s Know Before You Go, found here.

Busabout has suspended departures right through until the end of 2021. “Just know we are doing everything we can to bring Busabout back in 2022 so you can continue to explore and travel Europe just the way you want to,” says the company. More details are  here .

UPDATED JUNE 21, 2021: CIE Tours’ departures to Iceland are operational, but the company has suspended all departures to Italy and Ireland (including any combination tour that travels to Ireland) through July 2021 and all Britain tours through August 16, 2021. More information is at CIE’s Travel Update page .

Collette is making decisions to either operate or cancel specific tour dates 30-45 days prior to the planned start date of the tour. At that time, Collette will contact guests to notify them of the status of their tour. For tours that have been cancelled, clients will be offered the option to either travel on a date and tour of their choice, or be provided a refund. Travellers can find the most up to date details of their tour by going to: Tour Status and Payment . Type in the booking number and last name when prompted. Further questions can be directed to  [email protected] . Also of note, departures to China will not operate in 2021. The 2020 Oberammergau Passion Play will begin in May 2022 .  For more information click here .

Select Contiki trips have been suspended globally. “ If your trip has been suspended our team will be in touch to discuss rebooking your trip,” says the company. Contiki has extended its COVID-19 vaccination policy until Dec. 31, 2022, for all adult guests.  For the latest updates from Contiki, go to https://www.contiki.com/ca/en/resources/travel-alerts .

Costsaver is reviewing departures on a case-by-case basis. Should a trip be impacted and unable to operate, Costsaver is letting clients know that the booking agent will be in touch directly approximately 45-60 days prior to the trip’s planned start date. If A booked trip is suspended, clients will have a Future Travel Credit (FTC) automatically available for the full value of the land portion of the trip, to use for travel before Dec. 31, 2022. Costsaver has extended its COVID-19 vaccination policy until Dec. 31, 2022, for all adult guests. For more details go to  costsavertour.com/en-ca/resources/coronavirus-travel-update .

Exodus has information for trip cancellations and rebooking at the Travel Disruption Advice page on its website. That page can be found at  https://www.exodustravels.com/ca/travel-safety-advice .

G ADVENTURES

UPDATED AUG. 27, 2021: Of all the G Adventures tours departing in October 2021, 304 departures across 116 tours will operate as Vaccinated Tours and 64 departures will be designated as Travel-Ready. On Vaccinated Tours, all travellers and CEOs must have received a full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose administered at least 14 days prior to day one of the tour.   On Travel-Ready tours, all travellers and CEOs must have either received a full COVID-19 vaccination, or have a negative PCR test within 96 hours prior to day one of their tour’s departure. A page on the company’s website outlines information about Where You Can Travel During COVID . And a FAQs page is here . Travel advisors with questions can call 1-877-277-9854 or email at [email protected] .

GATEWAYS INTERNATIONAL TAILOR-MADE TOURS

Citing the health and safety of its clients and team members, Gateways International temporarily closed its office in the wake of COVID-19. “Rest assured all staff will be working from home and will remain accessible by email to handle inquiries and issues,” said the company. Clients are encouraged to contact Gateways directly at [email protected] or email their dedicated specialist.

GLOBUS FAMILY OF BRANDS

UPDATED SEPT. 21, 2021: Globus’ resumption of international operations to many destinations is continuing through 2021 and beyond. Globus is operating hundreds of 2021 departures to open international destinations as well as a wide offering of domestic vacations.

Proof of a full COVID-19 vaccination is currently required for all Globus tours. Globus family of brands has extended its vaccination requirement for all guests through 2022.

For more info go to:

• Globus –  https://www.globusjourneys.ca/travel-update/
• Cosmos –  https://www.cosmosvacations.ca/travel-update/
• Monograms –  https://www.monogramstravel.ca/travel-update/
• Avalon Waterways –  https://www.avalonwaterways.ca/avalon-assurance/

Information about Goway’s Book with Confidence Commitment, Goway Travelmate program and other policies can be found at   https://www.goway.com/goway-travel/our-policies/ . 

HOLA SUN HOLIDAYS

Hola Sun’s COVID-19 updates, insurance coverage and policies can all be found at https://www.holasunholidays.ca/covid-19/ .

INSIGHT VACATIONS

Insight Vacations is reviewing departures on a case-by-case basis. If a trip is impacted and unable to operate, Insight is advising travellers that their booking agent will be in touch directly approximately 45-60 days prior to the trip’s planned start date. If a booked trip is suspended, travellers will get a Future Travel Credit (FTC) automatically available to them for the full value of the land portion of their trip, to use for travel before Dec. 31, 2022. Insight has extended its COVID-19 vaccination policy until Dec. 31, 2022, for all adult guests. For details see  https://www.insightvacations.com/ca/information/travel-update .

UPDATED AUG. 9, 2021: Intrepid Travel has extended the suspension of the majority of tours until at least Sept. 30, 2021. Guests who were booked on a suspended tour due to the pandemic will automatically receive a credit of 110% of monies paid (of their deposit or full payment). This excludes additional flights or insurance. The credit amount is 100% if the trip was booked during a sale promotion. Intrepid’s mandatory vaccination policy for all Intrepid travellers and tour leaders is effective Sept. 1, 2021. For more information go to https://www.intrepidtravel.com/ca/trip-suspensions .

Lion World Travel is offering clients the option to postpone travel to as late as Dec. 9, 2022 (with some exceptions). Clients are asked to call 1-800-387-2706 to confirm their travel options if they wish to change, postpone or transfer their impacted trip.

If a client is uncertain about new travel dates, Lion World will issue a travel credit for any future travel with the company. Credit for issued airline tickets as well as all booked accommodations would remain with the same suppliers.

Standard cancellation penlties still apply to all bookings. To view booking terms and conditions click here .

For more information go to https://www.lionworldtravel.com/travel-alert .

LUXURY GOLD

Luxury Gold is reviewing departures on a case-by-case basis. If a trip is impacted and unable to operate, Insight is advising travellers that their booking agent will be in touch directly approximately 45-60 days prior to the trip’s planned start date. If a booked trip is suspended, travellers will get a Future Travel Credit (FTC) automatically available to them for the full value of the land portion of their trip, to use for travel before Dec. 31, 2022. Luxury Gold has extended its COVID-19 vaccination policy until Dec. 31, 2022, for all adult guests. For more details go to luxurygold.com/ca/information/travel-update .

QUARK EXPEDITIONS

With Quark Expeditions’ S.A.F.E. COVID-19 policy, ‘A’ stands for Anytime Cancellation & Rebooking. Guests can rebook their trip for any reason up to 30 days prior to the voyage, no questions asked. For Antarctica 2021/2022, this policy applies to all existing and new bookings made by Aug. 31, 2021. For Arctic 2022, the policy applies to all new bookings made as of May 1, 2021 through August 31, 2021. More details are here . Agents are also encouraged to visit Quark’s Partner Resource Centre for more details, or email [email protected].

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER

UPDATED JULY 5, 2021:  Rocky Mountaineer resumed operations on July 5, 2021. The company says it plans to ramp up operations through July to run its full schedule for August and beyond. However not all departures will operate in July and early August, due to ongoing travel and health restrictions. More details are here .

UPDATED JULY 30, 2021: Sunwing resumed partial service to select sun destinations from Toronto and Montreal on July 30. Sunwing’s initial lineup of destinations includes Cancun, Punta Cana, Varadero and Montego Bay. Sunwing’s latest travel updates can  be found here .

UPDATED JUNE 30, 2021: Tauck plans to resume full operations of all remaining 2021 itineraries during August and September. Tauck’s travel updates, health and safety policies, travel requirements, flexible payment terms and more can be found at https://www.tauck.ca/travel-updates .

Trafalgar is reviewing departures on a case-by-case basis. If a trip is impacted and unable to operate, Insight is advising travellers that their booking agent will be in touch directly approximately 45-60 days prior to the trip’s planned start date. If a booked trip is suspended, travellers will get a Future Travel Credit (FTC) automatically available to them for the full value of the land portion of their trip, to use for travel before Dec. 31, 2022. Trafalgar has extended its COVID-19 vaccination policy until Dec. 31, 2022, for all adult guests. More details are at https://www.trafalgar.com/en-ca/resources/coronavirus-travel-update .

UPDATED JULY 30, 2021:  Transat restarted operations on July 30. Air Transat’s winter 2021-2022 flight program features flights to nearly 50 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, the U.S and Europe.  Transat’s FTCs are fully transferable, with no expiry date.   More information for Transat can be found here .

WESTJET VACATIONS

UPDATED JUNE 25, 2021: WestJet is ready for summer 2021 with a long list of resumed flights. Complete details can be found here .

SUPPLIER UPDATE LISTS:

For the latest list of Airline updates, click here

For the latest list of Cruise Line updates, click here

For the latest list of Hotel & Resort updates, click here

Tags: COVID-19, updates

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Hi, I’m just looking for feedback on the 10 day Costsaver tour Italian Scene. Has anyone done this tour?

9 replies to this topic

Costsaver is a division of Trafalgar just a more budget version. Reputable company. I wish TA had a tour operator forum but they don't. Perhaps someone will see this but people may have an experience with the tour operator and can give you some feedback.

The Senior Travel Forum is virtually an escorted tours forum.

Have you tried booking with costsaver? Ive seen a lot of negative feedback with them. Please advise.

I am interested in the Costsaver European Experience 12 day tour for June 2023.

What’s your thoughts on this tour?

Kind Regards,

Lynton Nathan

Before you book, check distances between overnight Hotels.

You can spend a lot of your vacation time on the bus, depending on itinerary.

I only travel (3 times) with Trafalgar.

Decent company, at least they were before pandemic.

Only difference will be Hotels (location, category)

Buses and guides will be the same.

The tours cannot be too bad.

Cannot comment on their Insurances and Refunds policy, this is very important right now.

I liked them before covid, but standards have dropped a lot.

How have you found the standards have dropped?

We went on the Costsaver European Discovery 28 day tour in May/June 2023. It was a great way to see the countries, but it was quite disciplined and we found rushed in most cases. The hotels were surely not up to our standards and we had changed rooms a few times due to the condition. (we are picky people but standing water in a tub and no pillow cases with stained pillows is just not acceptable!). On very hot days the guide did not read the room or so to say and insisted on still going on the long walk (which he had said it would be a five minute short walk) and it turned into over a hour without water, hats etc as we believed him that we would just be doing a quick stop. I guess its an experience. Would we do it again, most likely not.

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(January 4, 2024) As reported in the media, the tragic conflict in Israel and Gaza continues. As a result of the on-going hostilities in the region, Tauck has made the difficult decision to cancel all Israel and Jordan and Jerusalem, The Red Sea & Petra tours through May 2024.

Our Global Response Team and colleagues in Worldwide Operations continue to actively monitor all events and news on an on-going basis, consulting with our vast network of outside agencies, supplier partners, and other industry contacts to stay abreast of circumstances and unfolding events in all areas where we operate. As always, the health and wellbeing of our guests, employees, and partners are our highest priorities.

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Prospective Students

Join a student-led campus walking tour to learn about important buildings, resources and the student experience at UMD. Geared toward sophomore and junior high school students and prospective transfer students, this tour is generally 90 minutes long. Registration required.

(If you are an admitted student, please register for a Next Stop Maryland or Admitted Student Open House.)

What to Expect:

• Student-led tour of UMD's campus. (Terrapin Tours do not include a formal presentation.)
• Hear directly from current students about their experiences at UMD and get your questions answered.
• Terrapin Tours are geared toward high school and transfer students, and are typically a 90 minute visit.

How to Register:

• If your preferred date does not appear on the registration form, that date is currently at capacity. As cancellations are processed, spaces may become available.
• Complete the registration form and submit. A confirmation will be sent to the registered attendee’s email address after completing the form. Please check your spam folder if you do not receive one.
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• Terrapin Tours only include a student-led tour. If you are hoping to learn more about UMD from an admission representative, register for one of our Maryland Information Session & Tours. You can also visit the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Building during your visit to speak with our staff.
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Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Randomized Study of the Tolerability, Safety and Immunogenicity of an Inactivated Whole Virion Concentrated Purified Vaccine (CoviVac) Against Covid-19 of Children at the Age of 12-17 Years Inclusive"

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Recruitment of volunteers will be competitive. A maximum of 450 children aged 12 to 17 years inclusive will be screened in the study, of which it is planned to include and randomize 300 children who meet the criteria for inclusion in the study and do not have non-inclusion criteria, data on which will be used for subsequent safety and immunogenicity analysis.

Group 1 - 150 volunteers who will be vaccinated with the Nobivac vaccine twice with an interval of 21 days intramuscularly.

Group 2 - 150 volunteers who will receive a placebo twice with an interval of 21 days intramuscularly.

In case of withdrawal of volunteers from the study, their replacement is not provided.

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Type of participants • Healthy volunteers.

Age at the time of signing the Informed Consent

• from 12 to 17 years inclusive (12 years 0 months 0 days - 17 years 11 months 30 days).

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• For young men capable of conception - consent to adhere to adequate methods of contraception (use of contraceptives within a month after the second vaccination). Young men and their sexual partners should use methods of contraception with a reliability of more than 90% (cervical caps with spermicide, diaphragms with spermicide, condoms, intrauterine spirals).

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Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
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New modification of Russian VVER-440 fuel loaded at Paks NPP in Hungary

DECEMBER 14, 2020 — After the recent refueling at power unit 3 of the Hungarian Paks NPP, its VVER-440 reactor has been loaded with a batch of fresh fuel including 18 fuel bundles of the new modification. The new fuel will be introduced at all four operating power units of the Paks NPP, and the amount of new-modification bundles in each refueling will be increased gradually.

Development of the new VVER-440 fuel modification was completed in 2020 under the contract between TVEL JSC and MVM Paks NPP Ltd. Its introduction would optimize the hydro-uranium ratio in the reactor core, enabling to increase the efficiency of fuel usage and advance the economic performance of the power plant operation. All VVER-440 fuel modifications are manufactured at the Elemash Machine-Building Plant, a facility of TVEL Fuel Company in Elektrostal, Moscow Region.

“Introduction of a new fuel is an option to improve technical and economic performance of a nuclear power plant without substantial investment. We are actively engaged in development of new models and modifications of VVER-440 fuel for power plants in Europe. The projects of the new fuels for Loviisa NPP in Finland, Dukovany NPP in the Czech Republic, Mochovce and Bohunice NPPs in Slovakia, are currently at various stages of implementation. Despite the same reactor model, these projects are quite different technically and conceptually, since we take into account the individual needs and requirements of our customers,” commented Natalia Nikipelova, President of TVEL JSC.

For reference:

The project of development and validation of the new fuel has been accomplished with participation of a number of Russian nuclear industry enterprises, such as OKB Gidropress (a part of Rosatom machine-building division Atomenergomash), Bochvar Institute (material science research facility of TVEL Fuel Company), Elemash Machine-building plant and Kurchatov Institute national research center. At the site of OKB Gidropress research and experiment facility, the new fuel passed a range of hydraulic, longevity and vibration tests.

Paks NPP is the only functioning nuclear power plant in Hungary with total installed capacity 2000 MWe. It operates four similar units powered by VVER-440 reactors and commissioned one by one in 1982-1987. Currently, Paks NPP is the only VVER-440 plant in the world operating in extended 15-monthes fuel cycle. The power plant produces about 15 bln kWh annually, about a half of electric power generation in Hungary. In 2018, the project of increasing the duration of Paks NPP fuel cycle won the European competition Quality Innovation Award in the nomination “Innovations of large enterprises”. Russian engineers from TVEL JSC, Kurchatov Institute, OKB Gidropress, Bochvar Institute and Elemash Machine-building plant provided assistance to the Hungarian colleagues in accomplishment of the project.

  TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom incorporates enterprises for the fabrication of nuclear fuel, conversion and enrichment of uranium, production of gas centrifuges, as well as research and design organizations. It is the only supplier of nuclear fuel for Russian nuclear power plants. TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom provides nuclear fuel for 73 power reactors in 13 countries worldwide, research reactors in eight countries, as well as transport reactors of the Russian nuclear fleet. Every sixth power reactor in the world operates on fuel manufactured by TVEL.  www.tvel.ru  

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The Secret Push That Could Ban TikTok

U.s. lawmakers have long worried that the chinese government could use the app to spread propaganda..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. And this is “The Daily.”

[THEME MUSIC]

American lawmakers have tried for years to ban the video app TikTok over concerns that its ties to China pose a national security risk. Last week, they passed a law that might finally do it. Today, my colleague, Sapna Maheshwari, on the secret effort behind the law and what a ban would mean for the company’s 170 million American users.

It’s Tuesday, April 30.

So Sapna, tell me about this law that just passed that potentially bans the social media app TikTok. We’ve seen efforts in the past to rein in TikTok, but this one really seems like the most substantial yet.

It’s a huge deal. What this law really does is it puts the future of this hugely popular app with 170 million American users into question. TikTok has reshaped the way many people listen to music. It’s changed the way we cook. It’s made a whole different kind of celebrity.

But it’s never been able to shake these concerns around the fact that it has really close ties to China. It’s owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance. And lawmakers, for years, have been worried that the Chinese government could somehow use ByteDance and TikTok to get information on Americans or possibly spread propaganda.

President Trump tried to ban it in 2020. The State of Montana tried to ban this app last year. TikTok has largely survived those challenges, but this time it could actually be banned in the United States.

So let’s talk about this. Why did this effort succeed where the other ones failed?

So it’s an interesting story.

Here we go.

The committee will come to order.

And it really dates back to this hearing about a year ago that Congress had with Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok.

Mr. Chew, you are here because the American people need the truth about the threat TikTok poses to our national and personal security.

Members of the committee, thank you for your time.

— TikTok has repeatedly said that it has addressed these national security concerns and that there’s no issue here. And you can hear that when Shou Chew testified.

Let me start by addressing a few misconceptions about ByteDance of which we are a subsidiary. ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government.

He’s saying American investors are behind ByteDance.

Now, TikTok itself is not available in mainland China. We’re headquartered in Los Angeles and in Singapore.

And I myself am Singaporean. I live in Singapore.

The bottom line is this — American data, stored on American soil, by an American company, overseen by American personnel.

And we are actually going above and beyond what American technology companies do to keep things safe.

And I look forward to your questions. Thank you very much.

And is Congress convinced by that?

Congress is not convinced by that.

ByteDance is a Chinese company?

Well, ByteDance owns many businesses that operates in China.

Is it or is it not a Chinese company?

Congressman, the way we look at it, it was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs.

No, no, no, no. I’m not asking how you look at it. Fact, is it a Chinese company or not? For example, Dell is a company —

It was this really fiery, five-hour hearing, where Republicans and Democrats asked really contentious questions.

We do not promote or remove content at the request of the Chinese government. Will you repeat —

The question is, are you percent certain that they cannot use your company to promote such messages?

It is our commitment to this committee and all our users that we will keep this free from any manipulation by any government.

OK. If you can’t say it 100 percent certain I take that as a no.

There’s this underlying sense of distrust around the company and its ties to China.

I will remind you that making false or misleading statements to Congress is a federal crime.

I understand. Again, you can go on our platform. You will find that content.

And it becomes clear through the hearing that, across the board, Republicans and Democrats largely feel the same way.

Mr. Chew, I got to hand it to you. You’ve actually done something that in the last three to four years has not happened except for the exception of maybe Vladimir Putin. You have unified Republicans and Democrats.

So within weeks of this hearing, this small group of lawmakers gets together. And they say, let’s come up with a law that works where all the other ones have failed and actually make TikTok answer to its Chinese connections once and for all.

So tell me about this small group of lawmakers. Who are they?

So it starts with Republicans. Among them is Steve Scalise, one of the most powerful Republicans in the House. And a small group sort of works together for a few months, but they realize that in order to really make this law work, they’re going to need Democrats. So they end up working through this House Committee that’s focused on China and competition. And this is where the bulk of the work on this bill takes place.

And just to note, this is a really small group. There’s less than 20 key players who are working on this. And all throughout, they are keeping this very, very secret.

And why exactly are they keeping it secret? What’s the point of that?

So this group really wanted to keep this out of the eyes of TikTok, which has a huge lobbying presence in DC, and has successfully worked to kill bills that targeted TikTok in the past. And what they’re really doing is looking at all of the past efforts to either force a sale or a ban of TikTok, and trying to work their way through why those plans didn’t succeed and what they can do differently.

But while the lawmakers are working on this bill, something big happens that kind of changes the politics around it. And that’s October 7.

Your social media feeds are unique to you, but could they be shaping how you view the Israel-Gaza War? The BBC’s —

As the war breaks out and people start getting information about it, a lot of people are getting information about the Israel-Hamas War on TikTok, especially young people.

Social media algorithms seem to be driving some users towards increasingly divisive posts —

And there’s this big messy argument spilling out into living rooms and all over the internet, and, of course on TikTok. And it’s getting very heated. For instance, there’s this moment in the fall where a bunch of TikTok users start sharing this old manifesto.

I read Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America.”

It’s wild, and everyone should read it.

Go read “A Letter to America.” Seriously, go read it.

That was actually written by Osama bin Laden, defending the 9/11 attacks and criticizing the United States’ support of Israel. TikTok users start trying to tie it to the modern day conflict.

Reading this letter, it becomes apparent to me that the actions of 9/11 were all just the buildup of our government failing other nations.

The way this letter is going viral right now is giving me the greatest sense of relief. Now it’s all coming to light because of Palestine.

And there’s these accusations that TikTok may be promoting one side of the conflict over the other. And a couple of researchers look at hashtags around Palestine, and they say that the data they pulled shows that TikTok is showing way more pro-Palestine videos and not so much for Israel. And this sets off huge alarm bells for this small group of lawmakers.

But isn’t that just a function of the fact that TikTok, at this point, is the public square in the United States for young people? I mean, this is what young people were talking about, and this is where they’re doing the talking.

TikTok has pushed back really forcefully against these accusations. They said that Gallup polls show that young people view Israel differently than older generations. They say that they’re not the ones influencing what people post, that the hashtags and the videos are a reflection of the user base and nothing that they’re doing to influence.

But for lawmakers, this doesn’t really make their concerns go away. Instead, this conflict shows them how TikTok could be used to spread propaganda. It made lawmakers feel that TikTok could be really dangerous when it comes to shaping the views of Americans on foreign policy, on US elections. And what it also does is, it provides this driving force to this group that’s drafting this bill. And they suddenly see that this might be a way to bring more people into their effort.

And so heading into November against this backdrop, they even bring in the White House and the Justice Department to help work on this bill. And with the White House, they want to make sure that this is a bill that the president will support. And they work with the Justice Department to shore up the language in the bill to help defend against court challenges.

Because the Justice Department, of course, would be the one that would have to defend the bill, right?

That’s exactly right. And so they’re trying to make it as rock solid as possible so that they can win in court when TikTok challenges this law. And so March rolls around, and they decide that it’s time to unveil this bill that they’ve been working on for close to a year.

The battle over TikTok on Capitol Hill is intensifying.

This morning, House lawmakers have agreed unanimously to move a bill to a full floor vote.

And TikTok is caught completely flat footed. They didn’t see this coming. And this is just what the group wanted. So TikTok has this army of lobbyists that’s suddenly scrambling. And they go into damage control mode. They start reaching out to members of Congress.

This app is so much more than just an app for dumb TikTok dances.

They fly a group of TikTok stars and small businesses to come to DC —

This is a life-changing apps.

— and lobby on the steps of the Capitol and meet with lawmakers.

Standing up here with all these amazing TikTokers behind me is a complete honor, and every single one of them would voice their opinion just like this. This is how we feel. This has to stop.

They set up interviews between these TikTok creators, as they’re known, and big TV shows and news programs. And they’re doing everything they can to fight against this bill before it goes any further. And then they decide to do something unusual, which is use TikTok itself to try and derail this bill.

How exactly do they do that?

So days after this bill is announced, a ton of TikTok users get a message when they open the TikTok app that basically says, call Congress and tell them not to ban TikTok.

Hmm. OK. So like, literally this window comes up and says, call Congress. Here you go.

Exactly. You can enter your zip code, and there’s a button that appears. And you can press it, and the call goes straight to your representative.

So offices are quickly overwhelmed by calls. And TikTok sent out this message to users on the same day that a House committee is going into vote on this bill and whether to move it forward. And so the stunt happens. They go into vote, and they come out, and it’s 50 to 0 in support of the bill.

One of the representatives who worked on the bill said that this stunt by TikTok turned a lot of no’s into yeses and yeses into, quote, “hell yeses.”

[LAUGHS]: so the whole episode sounds like it actually backfired, right? Like, TikTok’s stunt essentially just confirmed what was the deepest fears of lawmakers about this company, that the app could be used to influence American politics.

That’s definitely how a lot of lawmakers viewed it. And when this bill is brought to the full House a week later, it passes by an overwhelming majority. And weeks later, it passes in the Senate as part of a broader aid package. And on Wednesday, it’s signed into law by President Biden.

But now the question is, what does it mean? Like, how will this actually work? And how will it affect the tens of millions of Americans who use TikTok every day?

[MUSIC PLAYING]

We’ll be right back.

So Sapna, now that Biden has signed this bill, what does it actually mean in practice for TikTok? What does the law do?

So the law is really trying to push ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, to sell to a non-Chinese owner. And the company basically has nine months for this sale to happen. There’s an option for President Biden to add another three months to that clock. And if the company doesn’t find a buyer or refuses to be sold, it will be banned.

And what would a ban actually mean, Sapna? I mean, people would still have the app on their phones, right? So it wouldn’t disappear overnight.

Yeah, no one’s coming to pick up your phone and to forcibly delete this thing. What the law says is that app stores and web hosting services wouldn’t be allowed to carry TikTok anymore. So basically, it would kind of die a slow death over time, where it wouldn’t be updated and just kind of peter out.

So the bottom line here is that the clock has started on this potential sale, right? They have 12 months to find a buyer. So what are the obstacles here? I mean, it sounds pretty ferociously complicated.

There’s a ton of challenges here. And it’s a very messy choose-your-own adventure. So one of the first big questions is who could buy this?

ByteDance and TikTok are private. We don’t know their financials. But analysts estimate that it will cost tens of billions of dollars. That narrows the buying pool pretty quickly. And a lot of the companies that could afford to buy it, like Meta, the owner of Facebook, or Google, which owns YouTube, would probably be kicked out of the running because they are simply too big. Regulators would say, you already own these big apps. You can’t possibly add this to your stable.

There’d be a monopoly concern there.

Exactly. And then, there’s a lot of questions around how this would work, technically. ByteDance and TikTok are very much global organizations. You have the CEO in Singapore. They have huge operations in Ireland. They have this big workforce in the US. And of course, they do have engineers in China.

So how do you extract all those things, make it all work? It’s a very big international transaction.

And then there is the chance that the Chinese government blocks this sale and says, you cannot do this, ByteDance. We will not allow it.

So Sapna, how does that actually work, though, in terms of China? I mean, can China actually just ban the sale of this company? I mean, it is a private company after all, right?

Well, here’s one way it could work. The Chinese government could block the export of TikTok’s algorithm. And let me explain that in kind of plain English.

They could basically block the technology that fuels the TikTokiness of this app, the recommendations, the magic of it, why you see what you see when you’re looking at TikTok.

TikTokiness, is that an adjective?

That is now an adjective.

[LAUGHS]: Nice.

And there’s a chance that Beijing could say, hey, you can’t export this technology. That is proprietary. And if that happens, that suddenly makes TikTok way, way less valuable.

So the Chinese government could let the sale go through potentially, but as a kind of an empty shell, right? The thing that makes TikTok TikTok, the algorithm, wouldn’t be part of the company. So that probably isn’t very appealing for a potential buyer.

Exactly. And I mean, the role of the Chinese government here is really interesting. I’ve talked to experts who say, well, if the Chinese government interferes to try and block a sale of this app, doesn’t that underscore and prove all the concerns that have been expressed by American lawmakers?

If you’re worried about China being in control of this thing, well, that just confirmed your fears.

Exactly. And I mean, it’s an interesting thing that ByteDance and TikTok have to grapple with.

So bottom line here — selling TikTok is quite complicated, and perhaps not even possible for these reasons that you’re giving, right? I mean, not least of which because the Chinese government might not allow the algorithm to leave the country. And that’s not something that the US Congress has a lot of control over.

So is this law fundamentally just a ban, then?

That’s what TikTok is calling it. Right after this bill was signed into law on Wednesday —

Make no mistake, this is a ban, a ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice.

— Tiktok’s CEO made a TikTok — what else?— that explained the company’s position.

Because the freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom.

He actually argued that TikTok reflects American values.

TikTok gives everyday Americans a powerful way to be seen and heard. And that’s why so many people have made TikTok part of their daily lives.

And he said that this law infringes on the First Amendment free speech rights of Americans who love it and who use it every day.

The facts and the Constitution are on our side, and we expect to prevail again.

So it’s very clear that TikTok plans to challenge this law in court. And the court fight to follow will determine the fate of TikTok’s future in the US.

So is that First Amendment argument that the TikTok CEO is making here going to work?

Nobody wants to put money on that. I mean, the company is really approaching this with the idea that the First Amendment rights of Americans are being infringed on. But if you remember, the government has been working on this law. They’ve been anticipating those challenges. And they can justify an infringing of First Amendment rights in certain cases, including with national security concerns. And so it’ll be up to a judge on whether those concerns pass muster and justify this sale and even a potential ban of TikTok.

Got it. So TikTok will argue free speech, First Amendment. And the government will counter by saying, look, this is about China. This is about America’s national security interests.

That’s right. And the legal experts that I’ve spoken with say this is a really big and sticky area of the law, and it’s a huge case. And they really think that this will go to the Supreme Court, regardless of who wins in the first round of this.

So where does that leave the millions of Americans who use TikTok, and many of them, of course, who earn a living on the platform?

I mean, it’s really uncertain what happens now with the company, and the clock has started ticking. When I’ve looked at TikTok and looked at videos from users —

This is about the impending TikTok ban. And it just triggered me so much. It makes my blood boil, and I have to get this out there.

There’s a lot of shock —

The most success I’ve had has been here on TikTok, and now they’re trying to take it away.

This is so stupid!

— and anger.

You can’t ban apps! You can’t ban things from people!

People are confused.

Word on the street is that in the next 9 to 12 months, TikTok could be banned.

And they’re also caught a bit off guard, just because there have been these years of efforts to do something about TikTok. People on the app have been hearing about a TikTok ban, really, since 2020.

The government can take away a literal app on our phones, and we’re supposed to believe we’re free?

A few TikTokers have said, how can this be the thing that the government is pushing through so quickly?

Can we stop funding a genocide? No. Can we get free COVID tests? No. Can we stop killing the planet? No. Can we at least watch videos on an app of people doing fun things and learn about the world around us? No.

So there’s this sense of distrust and disappointment for many people who love this app.

We got rid of TikTok. You’re welcome. Protecting you from China. You know that phone was made in China. Ah!

And I think there’s also this question, too, around what about TikTok makes it so harmful? Even though it has increasingly become a place for news, there’s plenty of people who simply use this app for entertainment. And what they’re seeing out of Washington just doesn’t square with the reality they experience when they pull out their phones.

And I wonder, Sapna, I mean, just kind of stepping back for a second, let’s say this ban on TikTok succeeds. If it goes through, would Americans be better off?

It depends who you ask. For the users who love TikTok, if it actually disappeared, it would be the government taking away a place where maybe they make money, where they get their entertainment, where they figure out what to read or what to cook next. To free speech advocates, this would be dystopian, unheard of for the government to crack down on an app with such wide usage by Americans.

But for the American political class And the National security establishment, this is a necessary move, one that was years in the making, not something that was just come up with on the fly. And ultimately, it all comes down to China and this idea that you can’t have a social media app like this, a source of news like this, that is even at all at risk of being influenced by the Chinese government and our greatest adversaries.

Sapna, thank you.

Here’s what else you should know today. On Monday, in its latest high-profile showdown with pro-Palestinian protesters, Columbia University gave students until 2:00 PM to clear out from an encampment at the center of campus or face suspension. It appeared to be an effort to remove the encampment without relying on New York City Police, whose removal of a previous encampment there two weeks ago inspired similar protests on campuses across the country.

Free Palestine!

Hi, this is Sharon Otterman reporting for “The New York Times.”

00 PM deadline for protesters to clear out of the encampment at the center of Columbia University has come and gone, and there’s still quite a large contingent inside the encampment.

But Monday’s warning seemed only to galvanize the Columbia protesters and their supporters.

And hundreds of students and others from around the campus have come out to support them. They are currently walking around in a picket around the encampment.

Hundreds of students, standing for or five people deep, encircled the encampment in a show of solidarity. They were joined by members of the Columbia faculty.

There’s also dozens of faculty members, who are prepared to stand in lines in front of the main entrance to the encampment, in case Public Safety or the NYPD move in. But as of 2:00, there was no sign of that happening.

Then, on Monday evening, Columbia announced it had begun to suspend students who had failed to leave the encampment. It was unclear exactly how many students had been suspended.

[PRO-PALESTINE CHANTING]:

Today’s episode was produced by Will Reid, Rachelle Banja, and Rob Szypko. It was edited by Marc Georges and Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Dan Powell and Marion Lozano, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sharon Otterman.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Sabrina Tavernise. See you tomorrow.

• May 1, 2024   •   35:16 The New Abortion Fight Before the Supreme Court
• April 30, 2024   •   27:40 The Secret Push That Could Ban TikTok
• April 29, 2024   •   47:53 Trump 2.0: What a Second Trump Presidency Would Bring
• April 26, 2024   •   21:50 Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out
• April 25, 2024   •   40:33 The Crackdown on Student Protesters
• April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
• April 23, 2024   •   30:30 A Salacious Conspiracy or Just 34 Pieces of Paper?
• April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
• April 19, 2024   •   30:42 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
• April 17, 2024   •   24:52 Are ‘Forever Chemicals’ a Forever Problem?
• April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Sapna Maheshwari

Produced by Will Reid ,  Rachelle Bonja and Rob Szypko

Edited by Marc Georges and Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Marion Lozano and Dan Powell

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

American lawmakers have tried for years to ban TikTok, concerned that the video app’s links to China pose a national security risk.

Sapna Maheshwari, a technology reporter for The Times, explains the behind-the-scenes push to rein in TikTok and discusses what a ban could mean for the app’s 170 million users in the United States.

On today’s episode

Sapna Maheshwari , who covers TikTok, technology and emerging media companies for The New York Times.

Background reading

A tiny group of lawmakers huddled in private about a year ago, aiming to bulletproof a bill that could ban TikTok.

The TikTok law faces court challenges, a shortage of qualified buyers and Beijing’s hostility .

Love, hate or fear it, TikTok has changed America .

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

Special thanks to Sharon Otterman .

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Sapna Maheshwari reports on TikTok, technology and emerging media companies. She has been a business reporter for more than a decade. Contact her at [email protected] . More about Sapna Maheshwari

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Yes. Flights are not included in the trip price but you can add flights during the booking process. Ask your agent to book flights through Costsaver as part of your booking. Or select Continue on your preferred departure on the trip page and add flights during the online booking process.

Can I book extra hotel nights before or after my trip through Costsaver?

Yes, you can book extra hotel nights through Costsaver. Many guests like to give themselves a little more time in a destination before or after their trip. If you haven't booked a trip yet Additional hotel nights can be added to your booking during the online booking process, simply select your departure date and follow the booking steps. If you are booking through a Travel Agent, they can add your extra hotel nights during the booking process too. If you have already booked your trip Don't worry, you can still add extra hotel nights even if you've already booked. If you've booked through a Travel Agent, please reach out to them and they will add the extra nights to your reservation. If you've booked directly through Costsaver, you can add additional hotel nights through the MyCostsaver portal. Travel Agent Partners, please log in to TAP where you can add these. Alternatively, please Contact Us and we will be happy to add these extra nights for you.  Please note: All hotels are subject to availability.

Where can I find solo pricing?

The price displayed on our trip pages is for a twin room. To check the solo price for a trip, select Continue on the departure of your choice and view the price and availability of solo rooms in the next step. You can check the cost and availability of solo pricing from the itinerary page of your chosen trip. Once you've selected your trip and departure date, select 'Continue' to select your room type and check pricing/availability. If you see the message that the room is 'on request', this means the departure has limited single-room availability. In this instance, we will need to request a single allocation.

Please  Contact Us if you need any further assistance. If you're a Travel Agent, you can see all pricing and availability in our Travel Agent Portal (TAP) .

How much are your deposits and when is full payment due?

Our trip deposit amount and full payment due date depend on your trip level. You can check the trip level for your trip using our  trip level document . Our deposit amounts and full payment due dates are as follows: Level 1 - $200 Deposit, full payment due 60 days before departure Level 2 - $350 Deposit, full payment due 90 days before departure Level 3 - $500 Deposit, full payment due 120 days before departure All payment dates and amounts are also on your invoice. Please note, deposit and full payment terms may vary for special offers.

Are airport transfers included?

Costsaver offers airport transfers under certain circumstances. For more information, please visit Airport Transfers .

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What is a definite departure and when will my trip become definite?

When viewing Dates and Prices for your trip, you'll see some departure dates shown as 'Definite Departure'. A definite departure has reached a minimum number of guests booked and that particular departure will therefore definitely run barring any extraordinary circumstances.  The number of guests booked can fluctuate, so we can't show exact numbers. However, departures are regularly updated to show as definite. You can still go ahead and book a departure not yet marked as definite and in the scenario, this departure doesn't meet the minimum number of guests you will be offered the best alternative dates or a full refund of any payment made. We will contact you if there are any changes to your departure -definite or otherwise - that you should be aware of.

What does it mean if a departure says Call Us. And what does On Request mean?

A departure listed as Call Us on the website is almost full and availability will need to be confirmed with our Travel Advisors. If you select a departure and then receive a message saying that the departure is On Request, this means availability is limited. You will still be able to complete your booking request but your place won't be confirmed immediately. General tour requests usually take 24 – 72 hours to get confirmation. It is highly likely that your place on an On Request tour will be confirmed. If you have selected additional hotel nights and the hotel is listed as On Request, the time to confirm this can vary. We aim to get requests answered in 24 – 72 hours. If your request is taking longer than expected please know we will contact you as soon as possible.

What age range is classed as a child when booking with Costsaver?

To book a child on to a Costsaver tour, the child must be aged between 5 and 17 years at the time of travel.

If I need to correct, or add my middle name to a booking, how can I do this?

If your booking is tour only (no internal or international air through Costsaver), please Contact Us  with the details of the change. If your booking has internal flights as part of the tour or international flights, please call us to speak to one our reservation agents. Any name changes are subject to airline rules and fees.

Can I change my date and/or trip at any time?

Costsaver guests can book with confidence. You're free to change your travel plans up until your final payment is due. If you are within the cancelation period, additional charges will apply. All changes are subject to differences in rates and availability. This policy only applies to your Costsaver trip, airlines will have different policies and costs. Please note: Additional amendment fees may be incurred.

What happens if I can't go on my trip?

For bookings made through a Travel Agent, please contact the agent if you're unable to travel. If you booked directly with Costsaver, please Contact Us . For trips departing within 24 hours, please call us using the phone number on the website.

Can I book a triple room?

Triple room bookings are available, suitable for 2 adults and 1 child. When booking your trip, we define a child as somebody aged 17 or under. A triple room is not recommended for 3 adults, as the third bed is often a rollaway, which may not be comfortable for an adult.  If you're on a trip as a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 children), then you would require 1 triple room (for 1 adult and 2 children), and 1 double room (1 adult and 1 child).

Flights and transfers

Are flights included in the trip price.

No. Flights are not included in the trip cost shown on our website but you can add flights to your booking during the booking process (subject to availability). Simply select your desired departure and click Continue to start building your trip package.

What airport information do I need to know?

Your departure Generally, check-in times require guests to arrive at the airport a minimum of two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight. Please allow enough time to get to your flight – be aware that during busy travel periods or at airports with heightened security, you may experience longer queues. Airport check-in All guests including children must have a machine-readable passport valid for six months after your trip return date along with any applicable visas. When you travel internationally, you are responsible for ensuring you have the correct documents to enter and pass through any countries during your trip, and then make your way back home. Airport security Before flying, you will go through airport security. Restrictions on what you can take on board and in hand luggage vary from time to time and from country to country, so we recommend you read the latest security advice before travelling. Please remember that although all airports must adhere to relevant aviation security requirements, security procedures may vary from airport to airport. More information can be found on the website of the airport you are flying from.

How can I add transfers to my booking?

We’ll be happy to arrange airport transfers for your booking. If you have booked through a travel agent, please reach out to them, and they will contact us and arrange it.

If you have booked directly with us, you can add transfers once flight details have been added. Do this by going to MyCostsaver and clicking on the Extras Tab.

If you are a Travel Agent Partner, please visit TAP to add the details under the Extras Tab

Some transfers may require you to contact us to book. If this is required please Contact Us and we will be happy to add these extra for you.

How do I find transfer times and information?

For transfer times and all other information regarding airport transfers, please see Airport Transfers .

If your booking is trip only (no internal or international air through Costsaver), please Contact Us with the details of the change. If your booking has internal flights as part of the trip or international flights, please call us to speak to one our reservation agents. Any name changes are subject to airline rules and fees.

If my flights were booked through Costsaver and the flight times change, do I need to do anything?

No. If your flights were booked through Costsaver then we will notify you or your Travel Agent of any schedule changes. Sometimes the airline will notify you at the same time they notify us. Rest assured, we will contact you if required.

If I booked my own flights and the flight times change, what will happen to my Costsaver airport transfers?

If you've booked your flights independently and provided flight details for a Costsaver airport transfer then please Contact Us to let us know about the change. Please ensure you have received a confirmation from Costsaver reconfirming your transfers, particularly if your departure is in the near future. Transfers are not available in all destinations, please see Airport Transfers for more information. The ability to amend transfers will also vary across destinations. We will do our best to make any adjustments, however, if we are unable to confirm please make your own way to the start hotel.

If flights are booked with Costsaver, are my airline seats guaranteed?

Airline seats are not guaranteed. Some airlines will allow us to pre request seats in advance, where others will offer advance purchase seating once airline tickets are issued. Most airlines will allow guests to allocate seats at time of check in for flight(s). All seating availability and allocation is subject to the airlines terms and conditions. 

Extra hotel nights

If i book the same hotel before or after my trip, will i be in the same room as my trip.

The hotel will do their best to keep you in the same room, however this can't be guaranteed. Should you need to change rooms, the hotel will typically let you know at the time of check in.

Is breakfast included when I book extra nights before or after my trip with Costsaver?

This will vary depending on the hotel. When you receive your travel documents on the MyCostsaver portal, your hotel booking will show whether breakfast is included.

Solo Travel

What are my room options as a solo traveler.

As a solo traveler you can choose between two room options. Solo room share: You will be matched with another guest of the same gender in a twin room. This option does not incur any solo supplement. This option is not available on trips in Asia, Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. Solo room: If you prefer more space, you can opt for a solo room. This option will incur a solo supplement. Solo rooms depend on availability.

What is the solo room share?

Europe, North & South America, Australia & New Zealand trips If you’d rather not incur an additional expense, consider our solo room share option. We’ll accommodate you with a fellow guest of the same gender, on a twin-bed basis. Asia, Africa & Eastern Mediterranean Please note the solo room share option is not available on our Asia, Africa & Eastern Mediterranean trips.

What is the single traveler supplement?

If you prefer the privacy of your own room, you can opt for a solo room. This option incurs a single traveler supplement. The cost will depend on the trip and departure date. To find out the cost of a solo room, select Continue on the departure of your choice and then select the solo room option. On many departures, you can enjoy single room upgrades or reduced single supplements.

Group bookings

Can i book a group trip.

We offer enticing discounts when you travel with Costsaver in a group. Secure between 9-48 places on a set departure and enjoy great benefits. Find out more about our Group Travel Benefits .

Can I book a custom trip for a group?

Yes. If you're traveling a group of 10 or more then you can get in touch with us about arranging a Custom Trip .

How do I use my past guest discount?

If you've traveled with us or one of our TTC Family of brands (including Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold) before then you are automatically a member of our Global Tour Rewards program and entitled to a 5% discount of your next trip. This discount will be applied during the booking process. Simply select your preferred departure and Continue. You will be asked to provide details of your previous trips with Costsaver or another TTC brand, including the trip name and month and year of travel. If you don't have this information available then please Contact Us .

I've signed up to your newsletter, how do I use my travel credit?

When you sign up to the newsletter you'll receive a special code to claim your travel credit. Please see Terms and Conditions for more information.

Is there a discount for group bookings?

If you're booking for a group of 9+ you may be eligible for a discount of 5% per person. For more details see Group Travel .

How can I make a payment towards my booking?

How you make your payment depends on how you booked your trip. If you booked with a Travel Agent, you will need to contact your agent and make payments through them. If you booked directly with us, you can pay via our website by signing up/logging into MyCostsaver . You'll just need your name and booking reference (for example B123456). Alternatively, you can Contact Us  and we will send you a one-time secure payment link to make a payment. If needed our reservations team is available to take payment over the phone. Please note that we are experiencing higher-than-normal wait times. If you are a Travel Agent, you can also make payments directly in our system using our Travel Agent Portal (TAP) . You can also view invoices within TAP.

What payment methods can I use?

We accept credit/debit card payments (Visa, MasterCard) and PayPal.

Our trip deposit amount and full payment due date depends on your trip level. You can check the trip level for your trip , which vary according to when you booked and when your trip departs. For bookings made after 15 August 2023 for tours departing on or after 1 April 2024 please see the relevant Booking Conditions and Tour Deposit Levels. Or for bookings made before 15 August or departing before 1 April 2024 please see the relevant Booking Conditions and Tour Deposit Levels. All payment dates and amounts are also on your invoice. Please note, deposit and full payment terms may vary for special offers.

Is the trip deposit refundable once I have paid?

Once you have placed a deposit on a vacation, your deposit amount is non-refundable. However, we appreciate that plans can change, and we do offer our deposit protection. This deposit protection allows you to use your base deposit of $200 towards a future vacation within the next 5 years. All you have to do is Contact Us . or speak with one of our agents to provide the details of your reservation.

How do I gift my Travel Credits to somebody?

If you would like to give someone your travel credit all you need to do is Contact Us . Please include:

• Original booking number
• Name of the new guest
• New booking number

Costsaver will then reach out to verify and move everything over as requested.

Before You Travel

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Keep the joy going post-tour by staying in touch with your Costsaver travel friends, enjoy exclusive discounts as a past guest and more.

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Politics latest: Polls set to open across England and Wales as voting takes place in local elections

England and Wales are holding a series of elections on Thursday, with several regional mayors and police and crime commissioners being decided as well as council seats up for grabs. Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.

Wednesday 1 May 2024 23:28, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• First illegal migrants bound for Rwanda detained
• Jon Craig:  Raids were like something from Miami Vice
• Scottish government survives confidence vote
• Yousaf denies he was victim of plot to oust him
• 'Realistic prospect' Tories try to oust PM after local elections
• Local elections:  All you need to know about this week's votes
• Live reporting by Faith Ridler and (earlier)  Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

Guto Harri, the former Number 10 director of communications under Boris Johnson, has said it is a "realistic prospect" the Conservatives could move against Rishi Sunak if the results of the local elections are bad.

"I think that would be mad and unfair, but I think it's a realistic prospect now," he tells Sophy Ridge .

"It's clear that one or two mayoral contests could be read as the trigger. It could be that the overall number is so bad that that is the trigger."

'It can be very brutal'

Mr Harri says that, by Sunday, there could be conversations across Westminster on whether Tory MPs could move against Mr Sunak.

"It can happen very, very quickly, and it can be very brutal," noting the speed at which his old boss Mr Johnson was toppled.

Andrew Fisher, former head of policy for Jeremy Corbyn, says that, in contrast, Thursday could be a good night for Labour.

"It's clearly going to be a bad night for Rishi Sunak," he says.

We'll be back from 6am as polls prepare to open in local elections across the country, with mayoral and police commissioner votes also planned.

Until then, here are the headlines:

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf has resigned – days after he cut the SNP's powersharing deal with the Scottish Greens.

It followed a bitter row over the SNP's climbdown on climate targets as he said the agreement between the parties had "served its purpose".

As a result, his former Green allies teamed up with the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats to get behind two no-confidence motions, one in himself as leader of Scotland and another regarding the entire Scottish government.

Now attention turns to another SNP leadership contest and what the divisions in Scottish politics could mean for the future of the independence campaign.  

On the Sky News Daily , Matt Barbet speaks to Paul Hutcheon, political editor of the Daily Record, and Shona Craven, from The National, about how the SNP can move on after Mr Yousaf's resignation.

Plus, Connor Gillies , our Scotland correspondent , explains how the leadership election will unfold.  

Sir Keir Starmer told Sky News today he doesn't "believe" in the government's Rwanda scheme.

He said Labour would ditch it, vowing not to "flog a dead horse".

His plan would be to "stop the gangs that are running this vile trade" of smuggling people across the Channel, working with law enforcement in Europe.

"And that's why I've already had discussions in The Hague (including with EU law enforcement agency Europol) about how quickly we can share data intelligence to do that," he said.

"I'm absolutely determined to tackle this problem because the government has lost control of the borders."

Watch more below:

It's been three years since the 2,600 council seats up for grabs this week were in play - and Sir Keir Starmer couldn't be in more different place as he goes into polling day.

Back in 2021, facing an ascending Boris Johnson, Sir Keir lost the Hartlepool by-election, hundreds of councillors and a clutch of councils.

It was, Sir Keir tells me on his final election rally in the Essex town of Harlow - where Labour wants to take the council off the Tories this week and win the constituency back at the general election - a "low point", as he confirmed for the first time that he considered quitting as the results came in and the Johnson inflatable blimp flew high over Hartlepool.

"I did [consider quitting] because I didn't feel that I should be bigger than the party and that if I couldn't bring about the change, perhaps there should be a change," he said.

"But actually in the end I reflected on it, talked to very many people and doubled down and determined no it is the change in the Labour Party we need."

You can read more from Beth below:

A trade union representing senior civil servants has submitted an application for a judicial review against the government's controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda.

The FDA said its move related to the relationship of the Civil Service Code with the government's Safety of Rwanda Act.

The union said that under the act a minister could determine whether to comply with an order made by the European Court of Human Rights.

A direction to ignore such an order would breach international law, which conflicts with the duty of civil servants under the Civil Service Code to act in compliance with the law, which includes international law, said the FDA.

General secretary Dave Penman said it was not a decision the union had taken lightly, adding: "The government has had plenty of time to include an explicit provision in the act regarding breaking international law commitments which would have resolved this but it chose not to.

"Civil servants should never be left in a position where they are conflicted between the instructions of ministers and adhering to the Civil Service Code, yet that is exactly what the government has chosen to do.

"This is not an accident, or down to poor drafting. It's a political choice from the government, made not for the good of the country but to avoid upsetting either of the warring factions within its own party."

Mr Penman said the union had to protect the interests of its members and the integrity of the Civil Service Code.

A government spokesperson said: "The Home Office already sought advice from the director general of proprietary and ethics in the Cabinet Office on the issue of the Civil Service Code and claims over the legality of implementing the Rwanda deportation scheme under the new legislation."

The week has kicked off with a huge political story - the resignation of Humza Yousaf - and will end with another, as voters across England and Wales turn out for the local elections.

Sky's political reporter Alexandra Rogers   has looked ahead to a potentially defining night for Rishi Sunak's premiership, when hundreds of council seats, police and crime commissioner jobs, and mayoral posts will be up for grabs.

Read her full explainer below:

The Tory mayor of the West Midlands is sending voters an endorsement from Boris Johnson which urges people to "forget about the government", Sky News can reveal.

Andy Street's campaign website makes no mention of Rishi Sunak on its homepage and is coloured in green rather than Conservative blue, suggesting the mayor is trying to run on his credentials as an independent campaigner rather than under the unpopular Tory brand.

Other campaign literature - including the front page of a campaign "newspaper" seen by Sky News - makes no mention of the Conservative leader.

You can read more from Sky News below:

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

With the local election campaign well under way, Labour is still sitting comfortably ahead, with the Tories trailing behind.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker  here .

By Sam Coates , deputy political editor

More than 2,600 seats are up for election in 107 English councils on Thursday.

Now, YouGov has made its final calls for some key contests using the MRP polling method after interviewing almost 9,000 people over two weeks.

Here, exclusively on Sky News, are the headlines. 

We'll start with two key battlegrounds...

By Tomos Evans , Wales reporter

Calls for an investigation into a £200,000 donation to Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething have intensified in recent weeks.

A motion calling for an independent probe into the money was debated in the Senedd on Wednesday and defeated by 27 votes to 25.

But former deputy climate change minister Lee Waters said Mr Gething should do "the right thing" and return the donation.

Mr Gething was elected leader of Welsh Labour in March and succeeded Mark Drakeford as Wales's first minister.

Opposition parties launched a bid to appoint an independent advisor to check whether there was any conflict of interest over the donation during the leadership campaign.

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