Frequently Asked Questions

The opportunity to tour with TCU’s Traveling Frogs is open to all TCU alumni, parents, faculty, staff and University friends.

TCU partners with travel companies that specialize in alumni association travel. Tour operators are researched for experience, safety, integrity, reliability and commitment to alumni group travel needs. We enjoy a wonderful relationship with all of the companies we currently work with. You will find their service to be of the upmost quality.

Trips are planned on a calendar year basis, contracted at least a year in advance. A description of each trip is provided on the travel website. As each trip brochure becomes available, about 6 to 9 months prior to departure, it is added to the website. The companies that TCU partners with also mails out brochures. If you are not currently receiving TCU travel brochures, please contact Carrie Brown at 817-257-7845 or c.wright2@tcu.edu to be added to the travel list, or to ask about receiving a specific travel brochure.

Costs listed for trips are per-person rates, based on double occupancy (two people sharing a room or cabin). All tours also offer a limited number of single rooms, with a single supplement charge. Trips that take place on river ship or ocean liner are priced based on the cabin or stateroom category selected.

In many cases, there is a special discount if you book early. Book early to get the best price and to take advantage of special amenities or gifts (see each trip brochure for details).

Please contact the respective tour operator to register for each tour. Registration can take place by returning the form found in the brochure or by calling the company. Contact information for the tour operators will be listed on each individual trip brochure, which can be found on TCU’s travel website 6 to 9 months prior to the trip. Or, you can request that a brochure be sent to you. Also, feel free to contact Carrie Brown at 817-257-7845 or c.wright2@tcu.edu for more information about a trip.

Absolutely! Many travelers choose to go early or stay longer. You would need to work with the tour company on connection details. Also, most tours include a pre-program and/or a post-program for an additional fee.

While we are optimistic that all of our tours will receive high reservation numbers, there is no way to predict the response to a particular tour. Over the years, the tour sizes have ranged from as small as two people to as large as 50. If a trip is a land tour, the maximum size is generally around 24. Generally these trips are exclusive TCU departures. A river cruise ship capacity ranges from 60 to 150. In this case, TCU Frogs on the trip join travelers from other colleges and universities, which is always fun. On an ocean cruise, where the ship holds around 1,250, two thirds to three quarters of the ship will generally consist of college and university travelers. You can always contact Carrie Brown at 817-257-7845 or c.wright2@tcu.edu to check the status of a trip’s group size before or after you book a tour.

A minimum number of participants is required in order for a TCU host to go. We make every effort to send a host from TCU on as many departures as possible since we know this greatly enhances the travelers’ experience and makes the trip unique. To date, there have been very few trips that have not had a TCU host.

Some trips offered include airfare in the price of the trip. For the programs priced without airfare, we recommend that you utilize the airfare that the travel company can offer. This is one less detail you have to deal with, and you can also be assured of the appropriate connections and transfers. To lock in low airfares, our tour operators have negotiated special rates with major airlines that may sometimes require you to take non-direct flights. Please feel free to discuss “land only” options with the tour operator should you desire a more direct flight or if you want to use frequent flyer miles. Important to remember: If you book your own flights, you are responsible for making connections and transfers to join the main group. However, the travel company can provide you with this information prior to making your own flight.

To enjoy your travel experience to the fullest, we recommend that participants be in good health and be able to keep pace with the group. There is generally an activity level listed in the each brochure, or you can contact the company to find out the physical requirements for each individual trip. If you require extra assistance, we recommend that someone who can provide this assistance accompany you.

A passport is required for all international travel. Your passport should be valid well past your return date. To apply for a passport, contact your local post office for an application and instructions as far in advance of your departure as possible (at least several months). If a trip requires a Visa, information will be sent to you from the travel company.

After booking a trip, you will receive a confirmation letter from both TCU and the travel company. All travel documents will come directly from the travel company. This includes destination information, detailed itineraries, travel insurance packet, airfare documents, invoices for payments and excellent detailed information regarding everything you need to know prior to leaving (weather, clothing, climate, currency, etc.). About two weeks prior to departure, the travel company will send final documents. It is imperative that you check your documents immediately to ensure that everything is included and accurate. TCU’s travel program serves as a liaison between you and the company. We are always here to assist.

Be sure to read the cancellation policies that apply to your particular trip, prior to making your trip deposit, which is outlined in the brochure. Each tour operator has unique cancellation and refund policies. Cancellation penalties are structured to coincide with advance payments that our tour operators must make to their suppliers, and the penalties are strictly enforced due to these contractual commitments. Generally, penalties apply as a percent of the tour cost calculated by the number of days prior to departure. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance as part of your travel insurance package.

We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to ensure coverage in case of illness, injury, medical evacuation, delay or unforeseen emergencies. Travel insurance can also include trip cancellation, to cover expenses if you need to cancel your trip after the cancelation deadline. Generally our travel partners can recommend or connect you with a travel insurance provider. You should research the many options of travel insurance available to you, as each person has individual needs. We also suggest that you check with your medical insurance provider to determine if you are covered outside the United States. Medicare does not provide coverage outside the United States. Please note that TCU is not responsible for any injuries, medical situations or other emergencies that might occur during your trip.

As you may be aware, the U.S. Department of State recently has implemented a new system of Travel Advisories to help U.S. citizens find and use important security information when considering international travel. Employing a consistent format and in plain language, the Travel Advisories now offer four standard levels of advice designed to provide U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide. Based on conditions as assessed by the Department of State, each country has been assigned a level: 1, 2, 3, or 4. The designated level for a particular country may change over time based on local conditions or regularly scheduled reviews.

The Travel Advisory levels are as follows:
• Level 1-- Exercise Normal Precautions: This is the lowest advisory level for safety and security risk. There is some risk in any international travel. Conditions in other countries may differ from those in the United States and may change at any time.

• Level 2 -- Exercise Increased Caution: Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

• Level 3 -- Reconsider Travel: Avoid travel due to serious risks to safety and security. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

• Level 4 -- Do Not Travel: This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. During an emergency, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to provide assistance. The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or leave as soon as it is safe to do so. The Department of State provides additional advice for travelers in these areas in the Travel Advisory. Conditions in any country may change at any time.

Note that levels of advice may vary for specific locations or areas within a country. For instance, an advisory may advise U.S. citizens to “Exercise Increased Caution” (Level 2) in a country, but to “Reconsider Travel” (Level 3) to a particular area within the country. In addition, “Risk Indicators” will offer clear reasons for the level assigned, such as “C” (Crime), “T” (Terrorism), “H” (Health), and the like.

You can find the complete list of Travel Advisories here: www.travel.state.gov/traveladvisories

It is very important to purchase trip cancelation travel insurance in case you decide to cancel your trip based on a travel advisory level that is issued prior to departure.

Please do not hesitate to contact Carrie Brown at 817-257-7845 or c.wright2@tcu.edu.

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