Below is a list of the most frequently asked questions that new and returning clients have. Please take a few moments to read through - your questions are most likely answered right here!

Q: I found the tour of my dreams and I’d like to sign up! What do I do now?

A: Very simple! You should check with us first to make sure the tour is still available. Just send us a message through the contact form on the “Contact Us” page right here on this website. You’ve already proven yourself to be internet savvy, so let’s keep it digital! While we do love hearing your lovely melodious voices, phone calls have become the least efficient option for communicating.

It's even easier if you’ve traveled on a tour with us before; we likely have all of your information already. Just send us an email and tell us you’d like to sign up for another tour. No need to call on the phone.

Q: But I hate computers and prefer speaking to a person!

A: In that case, you can call us at 212-580-1400. But we REALLY REALLY REALLY love email.

Q: Why do I have to pay more as a single traveler (a/k/a the Single Supplement)?

A: Single travelers are NOT penalized for traveling alone and DO NOT receive smaller or inferior rooms at the hotels. The Single Supplement is a mathematical addition that makes up for the fact that tour prices are calculated PER PERSON based on DOUBLE OCCUPANCY. For example: if a hotel room costs $300 per night, each traveler in a double room pays $150 per night. If you’re a single traveler, you must pay the entire cost of that room night yourself. You’re not paying “extra”; you’re simply paying your fair share of what the total room night costs. We add this on as the Single Supplement.

We’ve made this simpler on our website by tabulating the total costs for Single and Double per person prices, without referring to a Single Supplement. Our printed brochure uses the older standard travel industry language.

Hope that helps! This might be the only confusing thing about joining our tours (or any group tour for that matter).

Q: What forms of payment do you accept?

A: You can pay by credit card (all major cards accepted), check, money order or bank transfer. Credit card payments are processed through Square (one of the largest, most secure credit card processors in the world). When you sign up, we will send you a secure link via email, which you can follow and enter your own credit card information into an encrypted form – just like any order you’d place on Amazon, etc.

We CANNOT take your information over the phone or email and enter it on your behalf as this presents numerous security issues.

If you’re paying by check or money order, you can mail it to our office. Please keep in mind that ALL CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS MUST BE IN U.S. DOLLARS. We cannot accept checks and money orders drawn from accounts in foreign currencies.

Q: How soon do you need a deposit from me and when is the full payment due for my trip?

A: You should give a deposit as soon as you’re absolutely certain you’d like to join the tour. We don’t like to engage in high pressure sales tactics, but the truth is that our tours are extremely popular and can sell out quickly.

We require a $1,500 deposit for tours in the U.S./Canada and a $2,000 deposit for International tours, per person in order to sign up. The balance remaining is due 90 days before the tour begins.

Q: What if I need to cancel?

A: Take a look at our Tour Conditions, which explains our cancelation policy in full detail.

Q: Do you offer trip cancelation insurance?

A: We don’t offer policies ourselves, but highly recommend that you buy trip cancelation insurance. There are many options but we recommend www.travelexinsurance.com as a good starting point. They’re one of the bigger companies in the travel insurance industry.

Q: Do I get a refund if a tour is canceled by Great Performance Tours?

A: In the rare event that Great Performance Tours cancels a tour due to lack of participation, we will issue you a full refund. All other cancelations are subject to our cancelation policy which you can find in our Tour Conditions.

Q: The brochure explains everything so perfectly, but can I get a more detailed itinerary?

A: We try to give as much detail as possible in the brochure, but out of necessity we wait until approximately 30 days before the start of a tour to send you the Final Itinerary. As per our Tour Conditions, things are subject to change (though they rarely do).

It’s not an exact science and we deal with many independent contractors, so it might sometimes take a few days longer than the 30-day target!

Q: Can you book my flights for me?

A: Booking flights is a completely different wing of the travel industry! We’d have to start another company just to deal with the complexities of air travel. Wisely, we focus on the “land arrangements”. It’s what we do best.

All flight arrangements are made on your own. If you don’t want to do it yourself or if you don’t have an agent you already work with, we can recommend one that we’ve been using ourselves for many years.

Q: What is this “recommended Group Flight” you mention for your international tours?

A: Our international tours always have a “recommended Group Flight”. We include this flight for travelers who wish to be met at the airport by our group arrival transfer. There is a similar Group Flight for the return journey after the tour is over. A transfer is provided from the hotel to the airport for the departing flight.

You DO NOT have to travel on this flight and most of the time it will be far more convenient for you to travel on another flight of your choosing. For example: if you’re flying to Munich from London, where you live, it will make little sense to meet our flight in New York!

The cost of this transfer is NOT calculated as part of the tour cost. We run this as a courtesy for the handful of people who opt to travel on the Group Flight. In other words, you’re not being charged for this transfer, so don’t feel cheated if you’re not taking advantage of it.

Almost all of our hotels are a quick jump in a taxi from the airport. So, if you’re not on the Group Flight, it’s still easy to get to where you need to go. Airport taxi stands are safe and always cheaper than booking a car ahead of time. Just get in line and wait your turn. NEVER accept a ride from someone who isn’t on the official taxi line.

We cannot include you in the Group Transfer even if you’re on a different flight that arrives at the same time as the Group Flight. Our drivers won’t wait for you if your flight is delayed, and things just get messy if you arrive in a different terminal from the Group Flight arrival. Sorry, no exceptions.

Q: Will you book a private car to pick me up at the airport and take me to the hotel at the beginning of the tour?

A: If you insist on booking a private car, despite our sage advice not to, your best option will be to arrange it yourself directly with the concierge at the hotel we’re staying at. Their contact information will always be provided in the Final Itinerary.

Q: There are 2 cities on the tour I’m signing up for. How do we travel from place to place?

A: For most of our tours stopping in multiple cities, a bus transfer is included in the tour price. Sometimes we travel between two cities that require a short flight instead. In those cases, flight arrangements (as always) are made independently, by you. The brochure will indicate which flight we will be taking so you can purchase your tickets.

Q: Okay, I’m booking my flights – how do I know when to arrive and depart?

A; The arrival and departure date is always clearly indicated in the brochure. Keep in mind that for international tours, the start date is always listed as the date you embark on your outbound flight (presumably from the U.S.). Due to the nature of transatlantic travel, most flights are overnight and arrive on the following morning in Europe.

For all of our tours, try to book your incoming flight to arrive by 3:00pm latest. Most tours begin with an opening reception at around 5:00pm. This will give you ample time to get ready for the first night’s festivities.

Q: Is it possible to arrive before the tour begins and/or stay longer after the tour ends?

A: Absolutely! Just let us know when you’re signing up and we can adjust your arrival/departure dates and add the cost in to your invoice. We usually have the flexibility to extend our group rate a day or two before or after the tour.

Q: My flight arrives at 7:00am. Will my hotel room be ready for me?

A: As a general rule, check in at hotels and private clubs is usually in the mid-afternoon. If you arrive at 7:00am, expecting your room to be ready, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Housekeeping staff must wait for previous guests to check out and clean the rooms. Usually, they’ll be ready by 3:00pm at the latest. You can always leave your bags with the front desk and explore the town while you wait for your room.

If you absolutely must get into your room right away, the best solution is to book the room for one extra night before the tour begins. It’s the only way to guarantee that everything will be waiting for you when you get there.

Q: How big (or small) are your groups?

A: The average answer: anywhere between 15 and 25. The real answer: it depends. Sometimes a tour will run with a minimum of 3 of 4 people. Other times, a tour is so popular we can expand to 30. But, in general we don’t go over groups of 30 as it becomes too difficult for a Tour Guide to handle.

Q: I have a disability which limits my mobility. Can I still join the tour?

A: We welcome all travelers, including those with disabilities on our tours. If your disability requires that you need specialized assistance, we recommend that you bring a caretaker on the tour with you. Our Tour Guides cannot be responsible for helping you get around if you cannot do it on your own.

Q: How do we get from the hotel to the performances and other events on the program?

A: If a venue or scheduled event is within walking distance, we walk together as a group. For events that are further than a reasonable walking distance, bus transfers are provided by Great Performance Tours. This is also true for any excursions on our program to places in the surrounding countryside.

Q: Where are the seat locations for the performances?

A: Almost all our tickets are in the Orchestra sections of the concert halls and opera houses we travel to. Occasionally, seats will be in an upper level due to high subscription attendance or if the acoustics are more favorable in a different category. We always do our best to get the best seats!



Q: What types of hotels do you stay in?

A: We stay in boutique, 4 & 5-Star hotels and private clubs on our tours. Guests are treated to service and amenities of the utmost quality.

Q: Why don’t you include 3 meals a day for every day of the tour?

A: We try to strike a balance between group activities and independent time. All of our tours include an opening night dinner or cocktail reception (with as much to eat as a standard dinner) along with a few other group meals interspersed throughout the tour.

Too many group meals leave little time for YOU to explore and find things that resonate with your own tastes. We like to cultivate an experience that allows our clients to experience new things.

On international tours breakfast is included every morning at the hotel. Breakfast is NOT included in the tour price for U.S. and Canadian tours.

Q: I want to book a day trip on my free time to _______________. Will you do that for me?

A: Our focus is on putting together the best itinerary that we possibly can, but we understand you might have other interests you wish to explore while on a tour. We choose to stay at hotels and clubs with excellent concierge service. This cuts out the middleman and allows you to have direct access to the most up to date options. Although we’ve been in business over 40 years and know a whole lot, things change so fast “on the ground” that you’re better served going straight to the source.

Feel free to ask us our opinion, but in the end, we’ll always tell you to contact the hotel concierge for the best price and service!