Tauck: Travel with Peace Of Mind

Tauck’s commitment to their guests never wavers – to earn your trust by always doing the right thing. This commitment is more important than ever as we all adapt to living and travelling in the presence of COVID-19.

Tauck is 95-years young this year, and their ability to weather many storms over the decades is a result of their values and beliefs – as a family and as a family-owned and led company.  Their extensive experience, local knowledge and global support network help to ensure your safety on every Tauck journey. Building upon our bedrock of award-winning guest care, Tauck have worked tirelessly to prepare for your return following the COVID-19 hiatus in travel. With guidance from leading experts, including the CDC ( Center for Disease Control ) and WHO ( World Health Organisation ) together with their internal Global Response Team and feedback from thousands of guests, Tauck have redefined how they will conduct their experiences when travel resumes.

Prepared for the Unexpected

For decades, Tauck has operated in over 70 countries across the seven continents. Over this time, their staff and network of supplier partners have always been there to support guests and their team on the road. Tauck guests travel with a comprehensive, built-in support system that starts with the care and local knowledge of Tauck Directors and extends to their network of partners around the world, including hoteliers and transportation companies.  

At the core of Tauck’s ability to quickly and effectively respond to the unexpected is their Global Response Team - a group of over 50 employees across all departments who has plenty of experience springing into action, from weather events, high and low water on rivers, earthquakes, volcanic ash, civil unrest and work stoppages. They have also dealt with past virus outbreaks including the SARS and Zika viruses.  

The Tauck Travel Well Pledge

Before Tauck operate tours and cruises, all employees, supplier partners and guests will take Tauck’s Travel Well Pledge. As a company, Tauck will follow their enhanced protocols with diligence and rigour; review these frequently as the landscape changes and always make common sense decisions grounded in purpose and pride. Tauck embrace these new and necessary measures to combat COVID-19 and will do their very best to provide the Tauck care they have delivered for 95 years.  

New Health and Safety Protocols

Consistent with their commitment to the wellbeing of their guests, Tauck are implementing enhanced health and safety protocols. These protocols may vary by geographic regions and will certainly evolve over time, as science and society respond to new realities:  

Tauck Staff

Prior to interacting with guests, each member of Tauck’s field staff is trained in enhanced protocols and participates in a personal health screening. On your tour, Tauck Directors and supporting staff are responsible for maintaining these protocols with a special focus on cleanliness and physical distancing. They will relay critical information regarding requirements, advise when protocols are mandatory – such as wearing a face covering in group settings – and help facilitate guest care should you or another guest become ill on tour. All Tauck staff will adhere to the same requirements.

Guest Responsibility

When joining a Tauck journey, every guest is responsible for their own health and also the protection of their fellow travellers, the Tauck staff, suppliers and the people in the places the group visit. Guests will pledge to follow the direction of the Tauck staff and adhere to health and safety protocols. Guests are expected to wear face coverings in all group settings, to wash their hands frequently and to adhere to supplier and government regulations wherever they tour. While supplies of face coverings, gloves, and hand sanitizer will be available, guests are asked to bring these personal items for their own comfort.

Smaller Groups

For many years, Tauck has created more choices of activities, resulting in smaller groups for sightseeing and events. Tauck initially focussed on these elements to improve the guest experience. Yet today they take on an additional dimension; small group experiences and more personal space are critical in providing the peace of mind guests expect. Accordingly, Tauck are offering even more small group experiences and limiting guest numbers across all of their journeys.

Working with Partners

Tauck has worked meticulously with their global supplier partners to plan for every itinerary following the hiatus in travel.  All partners, whether they be a hotel, museum, small ship/riverboat, restaurant or other partner, have been thoughtful about how to provide a Tauck experience in this environment, so they are prepared to welcome you back when the time is right. And while it's impossible to list all of the enhanced health and safety protocols for the hundreds of Tauck partners across the globe, here is an overview of what you can expect:

Hotels

Tauck’s hotel partners all have world-class health and safety protocols. These guidelines may vary depending on local situations and regulations. Here are some typical examples:

• Upon arrival, health questionnaires and temperature checks may be required. Some hotels may require daily temperature scans.
• Social distancing may be required in public areas, bars and restaurants.
• High-touch areas such as railings, door handles and elevators will undergo enhanced cleaning.
• In-room measures may include removal of brochures and magazines. Common use items, such as coffee makers and minibar amenities may be on demand.
• There will be enhanced and more frequent cleaning of high touch areas, such as light switches, thermostats, remote controls and door handles
• Guests will have the option to determine housekeeping frequency.
• All hotel staff will undergo daily health screenings.

Ships and Riverboats

Tauck have worked closely with their cruise and river cruise partners to ensure the best possible health and safety protocols and to ensure the care and service you expect:

• Guests on cruises and river journeys will be required to complete a health questionnaire and will undergo a temperature check prior to boarding. In some instances, ship partners will conduct daily temperature checks.
• Face coverings and physical distancing will be required in most public spaces for guests and crew alike.
• Meals may be offered at staggered times and self-serve buffets will be eliminated.
• In-cabin measures include removing common use items. Coffee makers, minibar amenities and housekeeping will be on demand at guest discretion.
• Ship staff will undergo daily health screenings.
• All vessels will have medical staff onboard.

On-Tour Transportation

Keeping on-tour transportation safe is a major focus of Tauck’s team, who have worked with hundreds of partners to ensure continuity in health and safety protocols: ·         On coaches and other on-tour ground transportation, such as airport transfers, guests should expect physical distancing and will be required to wear face coverings

• Prior to each trip, coaches, vans, airport transfer vehicles and on-tour aircraft will undergo a deep sanitising process.  
• Luggage may also be sanitised at each movement. 
• Drivers will wear gloves and face coverings during all guest interactions. 
• Drivers will frequently clean handrails, door handles, arm rests, tables, seats, air conditioning/HVAC units, restrooms, and overhead storage areas. 

Dining

Tauck has always been known for à la carte dining; having more freedom to decide when and with whom to dine now has more value than ever. Additionally, their partners whether they be hotels, ships, special venues or restaurants, are raising their already rigorous hygienic standards. Here are some examples:

• Waitstaff will likely be wearing face coverings and gloves.
• Seating will be adjusted to accommodate physical distancing.
• Self-serve buffets will be eliminated. Common use menus will no longer be used unless sanitised. 

Sightseeing and Local Activities

Many of Tauck’s experiences are exclusive and/or private and that’s important in taking care of you. Whether it be a guided tour, a visit to an iconic museum or private home, a musical performance, or any other special Tauck activities, the same rigour to health and safety protocols apply:

• Tauck listening devices will be sanitised thoroughly and frequently.
• Sightseeing is being adjusted to ensure proper physical distancing.
• Admission times at venues may be altered to ensure no crowding.

With their global experience and enhanced health and wellbeing protocols in place you can book your next trip with Tauck with peace of mind that you will be well cared for when the world returns to travel.