Questions before you go?
Twenty-two straight answers on booking, paying, changing plans, paperwork and life on the road. If yours isn’t here, a real person answers the phone.
Most asked: deposits, cancelling, visas for Bali
Booking
How far ahead should I book?
For the Maldives, Japan in cherry-blossom season and anything over Christmas, six to nine months. Most other trips are comfortable at three to four months. We can turn around a last-minute trip in a week, but the best rooms go first.
What's actually included in a package price?
Return economy flights from San Francisco (or the airport you choose), every night's accommodation, the transfers between them and whatever is listed under "Included" on the package page. Taxes are always in the price. Travel insurance, visas and most lunches and dinners are not.
Can I book flights from a city other than San Francisco?
Yes. Choose your departure airport on the package page and the price updates. If you'd rather use miles or book your own flights, pick "Land only" and we'll remove the flights and match your transfers to your arrival times.
Do you book for solo travellers?
All the time. Package prices assume two sharing, so a solo booking shows a single supplement, usually 25–40% of the stay cost. Ask your designer about "solo-friendly" dates, when partner hotels waive it.
Will I get confirmation straight away?
Ready-made packages confirm instantly by email. Tailor-made trips confirm within 48 hours, once every hotel has replied. You'll see each one switch to "Confirmed" in My trips.
Payments & deposits
How much is the deposit, and when is the rest due?
20% of the trip price per person, or 30% for trips with non-refundable flights or overwater villas. The balance is due 60 days before departure. Book inside 60 days and we take the full amount at booking.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes, at no extra cost. After the deposit, split the balance into as many monthly payments as you like, as long as the last one lands 60 days before you fly. Set it up at checkout or later in My trips.
Which payment methods do you accept?
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal and bank transfer (ACH) from US accounts. Card payments carry no surcharge. We don't accept cash or cheques.
Is my money protected if something goes wrong?
Deposits are held in a client trust account, as required for California Sellers of Travel, and aren't released to suppliers until they're needed. If a supplier fails before you travel, you're refunded or rebooked.
Changes & cancellations
Can I change my travel dates?
Free of charge up to 60 days before departure, once per booking, as long as the new dates are within 12 months. You pay only any difference in price. Inside 60 days, it depends on the hotels and airlines; we'll show you the exact cost before you decide.
What happens if I cancel?
- More than 60 days before departure: you lose the deposit only.
- 59–30 days: 50% of the trip price.
- 29 days or less: 100%, so travel insurance matters.
Planning fees are not refundable once your designer has delivered a route.
Can I swap the name on a booking?
Usually, yes, for a $50 admin fee plus whatever the airline charges. Some low-cost and domestic carriers don't allow name changes at all; in that case we'll rebook the flight at the current fare.
What if you have to change my trip?
If we make a significant change, like a different hotel area or a departure moved by more than 12 hours, you can accept it, choose an alternative trip, or cancel for a full refund. Minor changes, like a swap to an equivalent hotel, we'll tell you about as soon as we know.
Do you require travel insurance?
We strongly recommend it, and it's required for trips with diving or high-altitude trekking. Your policy should cover cancellation for at least the full trip cost and medical evacuation of $250,000 or more.
Visas & documents
How long does my passport need to be valid?
At least six months beyond your return date for almost everywhere we go, including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the UAE, with two blank pages. Schengen countries ask for three months, but we use six as the safe rule.
Do I need a visa for Bali?
US citizens need an e-VOA (electronic visa on arrival), about $35, valid for 30 days and extendable once. Apply on the official Indonesian immigration site up to 14 days before arrival, and pay the separate Bali tourist levy online too. Your designer sends both links with your documents.
Will you handle my visas?
We tell you exactly which documents you need for each country on your route, with links and deadlines, and Concierge clients get applications filed for them. For everyone else, the application itself has to come from you, since it needs your passport details and signature.
When do I get my travel documents?
Fourteen days before departure, once the balance is paid. You'll get e-tickets, hotel vouchers and a day-by-day itinerary in the Sunmile app, which works offline, plus a PDF copy by email.
On the trip
Who do I call if something goes wrong?
Our 24/7 helpline, on the front page of your itinerary. It's staffed by Sunmile people, not an outsourced call centre, and they can see your whole booking. Most fixes, like a missed transfer or a rebooked ferry, happen within the hour.
Will someone meet me at the airport?
On every package with transfers, yes. Your driver tracks your flight and waits up to 90 minutes after landing, holding a sign with your name. Their phone number is in the app the day before you fly.
Should I tip guides and drivers?
It's appreciated rather than expected in most places. As a guide: $10–15 per person per day for a full-day private guide, $5 for a half-day driver. In Japan, don't tip at all; it can cause genuine confusion.
Can I change plans once I'm there?
Often, yes. Message the helpline or, on Concierge trips, your designer directly. Adding a night or swapping an excursion is usually easy; moving flights depends on the fare. We'll always quote the cost before changing anything.
Still stuck? Ask a person.
Every message is answered by someone who plans trips for a living, usually the same working day.