Most Frequently Asked Questions FAQs

1. What is included in the Program Fee?

- Round-trip international airfare (from Los Angeles to Beijing and from Shanghai to Los Angeles.). For those (groups led by professors) making their own flight arrangements to China and back to U.S.A , an ALC representative will meet you at Beijing International Airport when you arrive.

- Airfare in China.

- Hotels in China. We will stay in comfortable 3 or 4 star quality hotels. Two people with the same gender per room. If you don’t want to share with another person, please notify ALC 25 days before the trip and pay an additional $50 per day (total $500) to ALC 25 days before departure.

- All meals except when there is free time.

- Learn, practice and improve Chinese with a language specialist during the trip.

--Sightseeing tours and excursions, led by local guides or ALC Journeys representatives.

- Airport transfers.

- Entrance fees to select attractions.

- Medical Insurance for students led by college professors. Through TripProtector (HTH Worldwide), ALC Journeys provides medical insurance, trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance for all professors and students.

- Full-time services of an ALC Journeys tour director or representative or local tour director throughout the program.

2. What is not included?

- The U.S. domestic airplane tickets. However, ALC Journeys will arrange U.S. domestic airfare for all participants. (We recommend all groups led by professors fly first to Los Angeles and depart from Los Angeles International Airport to Beijing, China.) 

- Beverages and meals for free time or days.

- Free-time activities.

- Airport fees.

- Expenses caused by last-minute airline rescheduling, cancellations, or delays caused by airport control.

- Customary gratuities (for your tour director, local guides, and coach driver). Unlike many other tour companies, ALC Journeys will uphold the Western practice of educational tours and not shepherd the group to shopping areas in return for a 10 or 15% commission on the sales. There is some free time where the tour escort may organize some shopping excursions, but this is 100% spontaneous and ALC Journeys by no means receives any “kick-back” on the sales. Tipping is totally up to the individual group members; if the member feels like giving a tip, he or she may but it is by no means required.

- Passport and visa fees.

3. Individual stay-ahead/stay-behind option: Where possible, ALC Journeys will provide alternate flight arrangements, according to your request. A $95 service charge is payable for such an arrangement, and participants will be invoiced for any additional air costs incurred by the new itinerary. No responsibility is incurred by ALC Journeys for loss of passports, airline tickets or other documents, or for loss of or damage to luggage or any other passenger belongings. ALC Journeys is not responsible for locating lost property but will assist in the process whenever possible.  In this case, a service fee of $50 plus shipping costs will be charged to the participant. Lost luggage will be donated to charity if unclaimed by 6 months after your date of departure.

4.  Activities and restaurants in Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities may be altered due to the weather, holidays, reservations and tickets available.

            Visit China, Learn Chinese at the Same Time. A  Fantastic Way to Travel!