What is the Traveling Aggies Program?
The Traveling Aggies Program offers former students, their families and friends the chance to travel among the camaraderie of fellow Aggies while experiencing local customs, lifestyles and educational opportunities. Our trips are a chance to learn about new locales in the company of great Aggie friends.
What types of trips does the Traveling Aggies Program offer?
The Traveling Aggies Program offers a little something for everyone through different destinations, duration and pricing. Whether to a traditional location or to someplace unique, tours have been selected with both seasoned and first-time travelers in mind. Our offerings for 2006 span from a voyage down the Amazon River to an African Safari to a luxurious cruise about the Queen Mary II, to Holiday Markets. Each trip has been coordinated using reputable companies that specialize in alumni travel. Regardless of the destination, Traveling Aggies trips include high-quality travel experiences and specialized itineraries not typically available to individual travelers.
How do I reserve a space on a trip?
We accept reservations by mail or fax, using the specific trip brochure's reservation form. It is perfectly acceptable to send in a deposit for a trip whose brochure has not been printed. Be advised that this is a common practice, and the reason why many trips are sold out rapidly.
Who makes all of the travel arrangements for the Traveling Aggies Travel Program?
Our programs are designed and managed by experienced Tour Suppliers, most of whom specialize in providing trips for alumni associations. We select these travel operators based on our criteria of established reputations, dependable operations and professional staff. All itinerary and flight details are handled by the travel operators. The Association selects the trips based on feedback we receive from our past travelers as well as current trends in the industry.
What is The Association of Former Student's role in operating the Traveling Aggies Program?
We provide customer service, traveler biographical information, and international connections with former students abroad when circumstances allow. Most trips include a host from The Association to accompany the group and this person will also host a private Aggie reception. The Travel staff is also available to assist travelers in making arrangements for deviations from the standard trip and reconfirming travel arrangements. Our staff will also interact with the travel companies on behalf of our travelers to obtain answers to questions or resolve problems.
Is my money refundable if I have to cancel my trip?
Most tour suppliers charge a nominal cancellation fee from the time of deposit to cover expenses incurred in processing a new reservation and mailing out preliminary trip information. As the departure date gets closer, the tour supplier has made more financial commitments to their vendors (airlines, hotel, ground transportation) and accordingly, cancellation fees become more substantial. Because our many travel providers have different policies governing cancellations, we suggest that you discuss cancellation fees with them prior to making your trip deposit. We also strongly encourage purchasing trip cancellation insurance to minimize financial risks.
Should I purchase travel insurance?
We strongly recommend that you be adequately insured against last minute trip cancellation and other travel related risks. For example, if you must cancel your trip due to a family emergency and can only recover 50% of your money based on the tour supplier's cancellation policy, the insurance company will cover the remainder of the loss up to the level of coverage that you selected, provided you meet the criteria spelled out in the policy selected. Some options for insurance purchase include:
- Purchase travel insurance through The Assocation of Former Students with Travel Insurance Select.
- You are free to make travel insurance arrangements with another insurance company of your choice.
- You may choose to forego purchasing travel insurance coverage.
- Some credit cards companies offer travel insurance coverage when you use the card to purchase your trip.
Do I have to be a member of The Association of Former Students to take a trip?
No. The Association travel program welcomes all alumni and friends of Texas A&M, regardless of whether they are members of The Association. But we certainly encourage you to join The Association if you are not currently a member!
How early should I make a reservation?
We always suggest making reservations as early as possible after the trip information is available. Some trips sell out very quickly. It is impossible to predict how quickly a trip will sell out so the longer you wait, the greater the chances are that the trip will be filled by the time you send in your registration.
Why do I have to pay more if I am traveling alone?
Trip pricing is always based on two people sharing the cost of the hotel room or ship cabin. If you are traveling alone, there is no one else to share in the lodging expense. Therefore, a single traveler must cover this entire cost, instead of half. Please note that the single supplement for a cruise is generally much higher than a "land" trip since a substantial portion of the total trip cost is the ship cabin. There are no other "extra" fees charged to a single traveler other than the additional lodging cost. Most of our travel companies will try to honor requests for roommates, but there is no guarantee that a roommate will be available.
Can I take my children on a Traveling Aggies trip?
Occasionally, we do offer trips that are designed especially for families. However, most of our trips are best suited for adults, especially trips on small expedition vessels or those with long side-trips that include lectures. Small children may be bored on many of our trips as well, since there would most likely be no activities or playtime facilities available for children. If you are interested in taking your children on one of our trips, please contact our travel staff or the travel company to find out if a particular trip is appropriate for children.
Can I take a Traveling Aggies trip if I have a disability or special need?
While The Association encourages people with disabilities to participate in its activities and programs, some of our expeditions cannot accommodate people with severe health problems or physical limitations. The Association of Former Students and their tour suppliers cannot take responsibility for special arrangements or problems incurred by passengers unable to participate in the planned activities. Travelers requiring extraordinary assistance must be accompanied by someone who can and will provide all required assistance. Many countries do not offer the same level of access for persons with disabilities as the U.S. For this reason, we recommend that you call the tour supplier or The Association prior to registering for a trip to inquire about the physical access provided and to obtain information regarding the trip best suited to any physical limitations that you may have. Please see our Travel Resources area of the website for more information on disability access and travel.
How many people generally travel on an Association trip?
The number of Aggie travelers on a trip can range from six to eighty, but is typically somewhere in between. Some travel programs also include groups from other colleges and universities.
Are trips canceled when participation is low?
Even when participation is very low, our trips generally do not cancel. However, in rare cases, our tour supplier is unable to meet minimum requirements to operate the trip and may be forced to cancel. In the event that a trip is canceled by the travel company, all funds paid to the travel company will be refunded.
Is the flight service by private charter?
Generally, no. Most flights are regular scheduled service with reputable international carriers. Occasionally, the travel company will charter a plane for a particular trip. Sometimes the cruise ships are chartered by the travel company as well.
Why do I receive travel brochures even though I didn't request them?
Our travel brochures are generally mailed to individuals who have made recent inquiries regarding our travel program, or who have taken a trip with us in the past few years. Travel brochures are also sent to alumni within specific graduation years based on selection criteria provided by our vendors. If you would like to be added to our mailing list, please contact us at TravelingAggies@AggieNetwork.com or 979-845-7514.
Does The Association provide a bus or other transportation to the gateway city?
Not normally. However, we try to ensure a Dallas or Houston gateway whenever possible. The travel company will be happy to assist you in making flight arrangements to the gateway city, or you are free to make your own arrangements.
Can I remove the air component from the travel package so that I can use my frequent flyer miles to get to the destination city?
Yes. Our tour suppliers will give you a discount if you prefer to make your own air arrangements to the destination city. However, the discount will not be substantial since most of our travel vendors receive special negotiated airfares. Also, if you are not traveling with the group, you will be responsible for arranging your own ground transportation from the airport to the hotel when you arrive in the destination city.
How can I contact The Association Travel Program?
Our direct number is (979) 845-7514. You can reach us by e-mail at TravelingAggies@AggieNetwork.com.