Good morning Louise,
Thanks very much for your post and please don't be nervous, you will have a fantastic time with some super company. Everything that is included in the holiday is detailed in the brochure and on the website:
http://www.justyou.co.uk/destinations/north-america/northern-america/canada/canadian-rockies-and-vancouver/
Below I am going to paste the information we send out to clients prior to travel, you will receive these anyway but I'm happy to give you a head start on reading up on it :)
There are currently 15 customers booked on the tour, not full capacity but a nice number in my opinion, just right. Ages range from 32 - 77.
I hope this all helps,
anything else please ask,
Kindest,
Ben
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GENERAL INFORMATION FOR CANADA
Please find below some general information and guidelines for your forthcoming holiday with us.
Currency Information
The national currency of Canada is the Canadian Dollar (C$). We recommend you take a small amount of local currency and Canadian dollar travellers’ cheques;
Major credit cards are widely accepted. Use of debit cards is widespread, although many stores impose a $5 to $20 minimum per debit card purchase, and service charges may apply. We also recommend that you inform your bank/card company of your trip to Canada, in order to avoid any problems when withdrawing cash from ATM’s; as a security method on your behalf, banks occasionally stop withdrawals in the event that they are being used fraudulently abroad.
Sterling cash and travellers cheques can be exchanged at hotels, banks and exchange offices in Canada. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in Canadian Dollars; these are negotiable primarily in banks, hotels and tourist facilities.
Tipping
Tipping has not been part of the British way of life but it is a common practice in most holiday destinations. It is a way of saying thank you to someone who has given good service or for a job well done. It is also an important source of income for people working in the tourism industry, whether it is the driver, local guide, hotel staff or in local bars and restaurants. Your Tour Manager will be able to advise you of what an appropriate amount is and when to give it.
As a guideline, a suggested amount would be C$1 – C$3 per person per day for each of the following: Driver, local guide and your Tour Manager. Where meals are not included in your holiday price, there may be an additional 10-15% service charge added to your final bill. If a service charge is not added to your bill then you may wish to leave a tip for the service that has been given.
Tips or gratuities are not included in the holiday cost and are totally at your discretion.
Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Canada by non-residents without incurring customs duty:
• 200 cigarettes and 50 cigars or cigarillos and 200g of loose tobacco and 200 tobacco sticks per person over 18 years of age.
• 1.5L bottle of wine or 1.14L bottle of liquor or 24 bottles or cans (355ml) of beer or ale per person over 18 years of age if entering Alberta, Manitoba and Québec, and over 19 years if entering British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Yukon.
• Gifts to the value of C$60 per gift (excluding advertising matter, business-related materials, tobacco or alcoholic beverages).
Note: There are three different forms of sales tax throughout Canada; these are added onto the price of goods at the till.
A Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 5% is added on to the sale of most goods and services (in Québec, GST is known as TPS). A Provincial Sales Tax (PST) is payable on most items purchased in shops, on food in dining establishments and, in some cases, on hotel and motel rooms. The level of PST varies from province to province. Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon are the only jurisdictions that do not charge PST. A Harmonised Sales Tax (HST) of 13% has replaced GST and PST in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario and New Brunswick.
Note: Visitors may no longer reclaim GST or HST on accommodation and any goods purchased and taken out of the country.
For cameras, radios, personal computers and similar electronic products, a deposit may be requested at the port of entry; this will be refunded to the owner upon submission of proof of export.
The Canada Border Services Agency requires people arriving in the country to declare whether they intend to visit a farm within 14 days.
Banned imports:
The import of firearms, explosives, endangered species of animals and plants, animal products, meat, dairy, food and plant material is subject to certain restrictions and formalities. Enquire at the Canadian High Commission or Embassy for further details.
Public Holidays
06th April - Easter
21st May - Victoria Day
01st July - Canada Day
03rd September - Labor Day
11th October - Thanksgiving Day
11th November - Remembrance Day
25th December – Christmas Day
01st January – New Years Day
Climate & Clothing
Summer thunderstorms are common all over Canada. Occasionally, these may become severe. Tornados also occur throughout Canada, with May to September being prime months. The peak season is June and early July in southern Ontario, Alberta, southeastern Québec, and a band stretching from southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, through to Thunder Bay. The interior of British Columbia and western New Brunswick are also tornado zones. Earth tremors occur in the western mountains. Forest fires can occur at any time, regardless of the season, particularly in the grasslands and forests of western Canada.
Note: These general guidelines apply mainly to the settled areas of southern Canada. Travellers heading to northern areas, such as the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Labrador, should bring warm clothing for all but the summer months (and even in summer, at least a lightweight jacket is advisable). See the individual provinces and territories sections for more details.
March: Moderate temperatures. Winter clothing with some medium weight clothing.
April: Milder days but the evenings are cool. Medium weight clothing including a topcoat and umbrella is recommended.
May: Warm days but cool at night. Medium weight and summer clothing recommended.
June: Warm, summer clothing with some medium weight clothing for cool evenings. The weather in June is ideal for travel and all outdoor activities.
July/August: These are the warmest months of the year. Lightweight summer clothing is recommended.
September: Warm days and cool evenings. Light- to medium weight clothing recommended.
October: Cool, with the first frost in the air.
November: Cool to frosty. Medium- to heavyweight clothing is recommended. First signs of snow.
December/January/February: Winter temperatures. Winter clothing is necessary (eg overcoat, hat, boots and gloves). Heavy snowfall in most provinces.
In the winter months it is useful to take sunglasses with you as the reflection of the snow can be a strain on the eyes. Rubber soled shoes are also recommended.
Food & Drink
Canadian cuisine is as varied as the country. The colonial influence is still strong, with European menus available in all major cities. The French influence in Québec is easily discernible in the many restaurants that specialise in French cuisine. Areas where particular groups of immigrants have settled have their own distinct specialties; look for German-style cuisine in south-western Ontario, Ukrainian dishes on the Prairies and Asian foods in Vancouver, for instance. Waiter service in restaurants is common. Dress requirements and billing procedures vary. Imported European and 'New World' wines and spirits are widely available.
Specialities:
• The hundreds of miles of coastline offer varied seafood.
• The central plains provide first-class beef and agricultural produce.
• Some more unusual games meats include elk, bison and caribou
Voltage
The standard voltage in Canada is 110 volts AC, 60Hz. American-style (flat) two-pin plugs are standard. We recommend you take an international adaptor plug with you.
Safety
Problems of pick-pocketing of handbags and passports can be common in Canada especially in the major cities, as in any major tourist destination. We would warn you always to be careful of your personal belongings and not to carry your passports/extra cash/credit cards etc unless necessary. These should be left in a hotel safe where possible.
You should be particularly careful of handbags and wallets - where you need to carry money and documents it is advisable to use a money belt under your clothes rather than an exposed one.
If you’re exploring on your own we recommend you carry a card or brochure containing the hotel name and address which you can then give to a taxi driver in case you become lost.
Immunisations
There are currently no compulsory vaccinations for travel to Canada however we strongly recommend that you consult with your General Practitioner or Practice Nurse who will assess your particular health risks before recommending vaccines. This is also a good opportunity to discuss important travel health issues including safe food and water, accidents and insect bites. Many of the problems experienced by travellers cannot be prevented by vaccinations and other preventive measures need to be taken.
A leaflet entitled 'Health Advice for Travellers' is available from the Department of Health and you can contact them for a copy on 0800 555 777 (this is a free-phone number).
Accommodation & Bathrooms
You will find that in some hotels in Canada there is not always uniformity of rooms, so size and shape may vary a great deal. We cannot therefore guarantee that all rooms for our customers will be the same in each property.
Please also note that Canadian hotels generally do provide tea/coffee-making facilities in their rooms.
In some Canadian hotels you may find there is no shower curtain or screen, in which case please be extra careful in case of slippery floors. Bathmats are not always provided.
Tap water
Tap water everywhere contains some bacteria and different minerals. You are used to the tap water back home but when you travel, simply because the water is different, it may upset you. For this reason it is safer to drink the bottled water. It is safe to clean your teeth with tap water, but it is advisable to ask for drinks without ice.
Air Conditioning/Heating
In Canadian hotels which are equipped with air conditioning, the period in the season and times of day when it is operational are at the discretion of the management. The provision of central heating is also at the discretion of the management but in compliance with the current fuel saving requirements in Canada, this is normally limited to the period from Nov-March.
Swimming Pools (if applicable)
Where hotels have their own swimming pools, please arrange to take your own towels, as some hotels do not provide these. Also note that many pools do not have depth markings, so always familiarise yourself with the pool before swimming. Diving is not recommended.
Time zones
As Canada is such a vast country (3,000 miles from coast to coast), it has been divided into time zones.
Toronto is 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
Montreal is 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
Calgary is 7 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
Banff is 7 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
Vancouver is 8 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
From April to late October, Canada adopts ‘daylight saving time’, which is equivalent to our British Summer Time, so the time ratios remain the same between the two countries
Coaches
Some coaches used on our Canadian holidays may be equipped with WC and washbasin however this cannot be guaranteed. In all cases, regular comfort stops will be made to ensure a relaxing journey.
Please note that smoking is not permitted on any of our coaches.
Extra charges
Please note that payment for any extras such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls and meals other than those included in your tour price, must be made directly to your hotel prior to departure.
Lost property
We will endeavour to trace any lost property and provide you with contact details in order that you may recover your property.
Smoking
Smoking laws have changed throughout Canada. Smoking is prohibited in all public buildings & areas and only permitted in some designated areas outside
where ash trays are provided.
Shopping
Many of our tours take in local shops and markets and some will visit factory shops or outlets, selling a range of goods. However we cannot accept responsibility for the quality of the goods you have purchased or for any costs you may incur in having them delivered to your home address.
Please ensure you have a clear understanding of the price you have agreed with the vendor and the conversion rate of local currency to sterling pounds, before signing for the sale either in cash or using your credit card. Please exercise care when using your PIN number abroad making sure it is not visible to others.
