2008 Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Stockholm
Your Scandinavia tour begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel. A transfer is included from Stockholm Arlanda Airport to the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel in the heart of this historic city. Meet your traveling companions at this evening's welcome reception and dinner.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Sheraton Stockholm Hotel, Stockholm, Sweden

Day 2: Discover Stockholm
Begin your discovery of Sweden's capital with a guided tour of the Vasa Museum, featuring the impressive Vasa, an ornate royal warship that sank in the harbor following its launch in 1628 and was raised in 1961. A sightseeing highlight is the impressive City Hall, where Nobel Prize festivities take place. In your free afternoon, perhaps take a canal tour, or walk through the cobbled streets of medieval Gamla Stan, or Old Town.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Sheraton Stockholm Hotel, Stockholm, Sweden

Day 3: Journey to Toftaholm
Your Scandinavia tour takes you through the Swedish countryside today, past idyllic meadows, forests, and lakes. Arrive in lovely Toftaholm, where your lodging is a lakeside family-run hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Toftaholm Herrgård, Toftaholm, Sweden

Day 4: Wonderful Copenhagen
Depart Toftaholm to visit Sofiero Slott, a majestic castle built in 1865, featuring colorful rhododendron gardens. Continue your Scandinavia tour with a drive across the Oresund Bridge to Copenhagen, Denmark. Your hotel, designed by renowned architect Arne Jacobsen, is a fine example of modern Danish architecture.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark

Day 5: Danish Crown Jewels
Start your exploration of Copenhagen with a visit to Rosenborg Palace, built in Dutch Renaissance style, to see the Danish Crown Jewels. See The Little Mermaid statue commemorating Hans Christian Andersen’s book, and take a walking tour with a local guide along the Stroget, Copenhagen's main street. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark

Day 6: Visit an island castle and the Danish Riviera
Journey to North Sealand, a region of villages, palaces, lakes, and forests. Visit 17th-century Frederiksborg Castle – built in Danish Renaissance style on three islands in a small lake – and the Museum of the Danish Resistance 1940-1945. Savor local fare at a rustic country inn and drive the Yellow Roads along the "Danish Riviera" back to Copenhagen; board the overnight ferry to Norway.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Sailing aboard a steamer ferry to Oslo

Day 7: Sculptures and Viking ships
Enjoy awe-inspiring scenery as you cruise up Oslo Fjord. Upon arrival in Norway's capital, take in the Sculpture Park with 212 life-sized sculptures made by Gustav Vigeland, who devoted his career to the project. Visit the Viking Ship Museum, featuring three well-preserved Viking ships dating to 800 AD, found in royal burial mounds with fascinating artifacts. Explore Oslo’s many museums on your own in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Clarion Hotel Royal Christiania, Oslo, Norway

Day 8: Train to Flåm
Following a Norwegian buffet breakfast, board a train for a five-hour rail journey to Myrdal. Change trains and continue to Flåm, covering breathtakingly scenic terrain while descending 2,600 feet. Your Flåm hotel is within walking distance of Aurlandsfjord, one of Norway's most dramatic fjords, with its deep valleys and roaring waterfalls.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Fretheim Hotel, Flåm, Norway

Day 9: Cruise three fjords
Continue your Scandinavia tour with a cruise through Aurlandsfjord, followed by Naeroyfjord, a narrow, pristine fjord recently added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list for its outstanding beauty. Enjoy valley views during lunch in Stalheim, then visit the Stalheim Folk Museum for a glimpse at Norwegian life during different eras, from the Middle Ages to present day. Visit Hopperstad Stave Church, one of the 29 ornate wooden architectural masterpieces built in the 12th century that remain standing. Take a ferry across Sognefjord to the town of Balestrand.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Kvikne's Hotel, Balestrand, Norway

Day 10: All About Glaciers
Travel to the farming village of Fjaerland near the largest glacial area in continental Europe to visit the Norwegian Glacier Museum. Journey to Briksdal Glacier, set at the end of one of the Nordfjord's three branches. Drive to a mountain meadow where you have a choice of taking an optional hike (slightly strenuous) to the glacier’s tongue; the view makes it worth the effort. It’s a Scandinavia tour highlight!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Hotel Alexandra, Loen, Norway

Day 11: Geirangerfjord cruise
Take a cruise through Geirangerfjord, one of the longest, deepest, and most scenic fjords in the world, recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the sheer, crystalline rock walls rising 4,500 feet from the water, with waterfalls cascading over the edge. Upon arrival in the town of Geiranger, drive to a high overlook on Dalsnibba for memorable views when weather permits.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Hotel Alexandra, Loen, Norway

Day 12: Bergen’s historic wharf
Journey south past more photo-worthy fjords to the town of Bergen, located on the Byfjord. Your hotel is located in the city’s old wharf district, called Bryggen, featuring traditional wooden buildings and a medieval atmosphere. It was founded in 1070, and is one of the oldest large trading ports in Northern Europe. It’s now an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Bergen, Norway

Day 13: Edvard Grieg’s musical inspiration
Visit Troldhaugen, former home of Edvard Grieg, Norway’s foremost composer who is best known for his musical score for the play Peer Gynt. Return to Bergen to spend the afternoon at your leisure. Share your favorite Scandinavia tour experiences at tonight's farewell reception and dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Bergen, Norway

Day 14: Homeward bound
Your Scandinavia tour ends in Bergen, Norway. A transfer from Radisson SAS Royal Hotel to Bergen Airport Flesland is included. Please allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in procedures.
Meals: Breakfast

Inclusive Prices

Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, the overnight cruise from Copenhagen to Oslo on board the m.s. Crown of Scandinavia or the m.s. Pearl of Scandinavia, the train ride from Oslo to Flåm, cruises through several fjords, special dinners, sightseeing, admissions, luggage handling and the services of local guides, drivers, and the Tauck Director are included. You will be provided with a transfer voucher for a taxi ride with Taxi Stockholm from the Stockholm-Arlanda Airport to the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel. This voucher will be included in the documents that we will send you upon receipt of your final payment. At the end of the tour, we will also provide you with transportation from the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel in Bergen to the Bergen Airport regardless of the day or time of your departure.

Hotel and Ship Accommodations – The tour price includes all hotel and ship accommodations with private baths. The Tauck standard is to provide the best available hotels without sacrificing value. Although the quality may differ slightly from place to place, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bedded rooms with a rollaway cot where available and are not recommended for comfort.

The cabins aboard the ferry are situated on deck 4 and above, and are available as single, 2, 3 or 4-berth, outside cabins with sea views. They are equipped with air-conditioning, at least 2 lower berths, 1 or 2 upper berths, en-suite shower and toilet with towel, soap and bed linens. Four cabins are configured as disabled access cabins with no carpeting on the floor and with toilets custom made for wheelchair users.

Meals – Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary.

Tauck Director – ‘Scandinavia’ is conducted by a Tauck Director who remains with the group throughout the tour. Your Tauck Director is a professional, fully trained employee of Tauck.

Gratuities Included – All gratuities for restaurant, hotel and ship staff, and local guides are included.

No Options Sold – Your Tauck Director will assist you with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance, but will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed, pleasant experience for you.

Not Included

Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from Tauck for travel originating in the United States.

Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours – To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may wish to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your tour. As a service, Tauck will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through Tauck. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult the Extend This Journey section on this website and discuss it with the reservations agent when you book your tour.

Luggage Responsibility – Although every effort is made to handle your luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities. Please refer to Tauck Travel Protection for more information.

Personal Expenses - Phone calls, room service, alcoholic and bar beverages, laundry, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.

Tauck Director and Driver Gratuities - The customary gratuities to the Tauck Director and driver are not included. Gratuities should be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.

Additional Information

Airline Security Measures - In the U.S., you must provide identification in the form of a passport at the time of airport check-in for travel to international destinations. Your passport name must match the name on your tour reservation and airline ticket or you may be denied boarding.

If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification is required for that particular airport.

Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocket knife, cigarette lighter, or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times. You may also wish to visit the Transportation Security Administration website at www.tsa.gov.

Air Services – Airfare may be purchased through Tauck for travel originating in the United States. By using Tauck's air services, you agree that Tauck, in purchasing, selling or otherwise arranging air transportation, is acting only as your agent and is not liable or responsible for any accident, death, personal injury, illness, property damage, delay or other loss or expense of any nature whatsoever arising directly or indirectly out of any act of God, or any actions or omissions (including any failure to provide services) or default of, any carrier. All carriers are independent contractors and are not owned, managed, controlled or operated by Tauck. Your airline ticket constitutes a contract between yourself and the airline (and not Tauck), even if purchased through Tauck. Tauck is not liable for, and does not assume responsibility or accept claims with regard to, seat assignments, schedule changes, flight changes, cancellations, claims for a refund or reimbursement of airline ticket fees, or any other loss incurred by you for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation to, bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar relief from creditors). Tauck must handle ticketing for Tauck's special fares, which are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until reserved. Special fares cannot be combined with any other promotional offer. Tauck's air services can only be purchased in conjunction with a Tauck tour. Tickets or e-ticket numbers will be mailed with final documents. If you cancel or change your air before or after departure, all airline cancellation and change fees will apply.

Holiday and Museum Closures – Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or the many religious, state and local holidays locally observed.

Itinerary Changes and Price Flexibility – We pledge to make every effort to operate your tour as advertised. We reserve the right to alter or curtail the itinerary, or substitute sightseeing, hotels, and/or conveyances as deemed necessary. Any savings realized by these changes will be refunded to you. Any resultant added expense will be covered by Tauck. Although not expected, prices on this website may be modified due to unexpected significant external factors not forecast at the time of printing.

Journey Start and End Times are provided at the time of booking. The tour begins at 6:00 PM at the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel on the first day of the tour. You or your booking agent will be advised of any change to this schedule. Please allow sufficient time to claim your luggage and clear customs in order to join the tour on time. The tour ends upon your arrival at the Bergen Airport. We suggest you allow at least 2½ hours for flight check-in.

Membership will be granted to all persons. We reserve the right to terminate the tour of any person who is abusive of others or whose behavior disrupts the tour.

Photography on Tour – Occasionally, we will use photographs taken by fellow guests or your Tauck Director on your tour for promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any marketing activities, please notify your Tauck Director at the start of your tour.

Preparing To Go

Air Conditioning – The ferry boat and the motor coaches are air-conditioned for your comfort. The hotels that provide air-conditioning are: the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel, the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen and the Clarion Hotel Royal Christiania. The other hotels on this itinerary do not provide air-conditioning.

European air conditioning should be considered as a climate-control system; most have three settings for the fan, plus a "cool" setting. Very few of the European systems actually have a temperature setting. In general, the amount of cool air that is produced from a European air conditioning system may be less than what you may have in your own home. Some hotels in Europe do not operate their air-conditioning systems on a year round basis, but only during certain months of the year.

ATM and Credit Cards - We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing for this tour to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be “suspicious” charges. We also recommends that you make a photocopy of the front and back sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Clothing and Packing – Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is flexible and allows for layering. Casual, cotton clothing is recommended. The summers in Scandinavia are warm, but medium-weight sweaters and jackets are recommended. A waterproof raincoat with a removable lining will give you the versatility you will need in this northern clime. A topcoat is recommended for spring and fall.

In Europe, especially in finer restaurants, it is generally customary to dress somewhat formally. Slacks or a dress for women and a jacket and tie for men are acceptable dining attire. It is advisable to avoid wearing jeans, sneakers or shorts for dinner. You may also wish to dress up a bit for the welcome reception and the farewell dinner, but by all means be comfortable.

You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room, but not in your cabin on the ferry. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are also available for a fee; however, these fees may be very expensive.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription (or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you), a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your trip to Scandinavia:

• Sports jacket and tie for men
• Casually-elegant outfits for women
• Short and long sleeve shirts
• Shorts, slacks and jeans
• Tee shirts
• Socks
• Medium-weight sweater
• Medium-weight jacket
• Comfortable yet sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Waterproof raincoat with removable lining, and rain hat
• Collapsible umbrella
• Swimwear
• Gym wear
• Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat
• Insect repellent
• Travel iron
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and plenty of film
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling
  

Elevation – The maximum land elevation on this tour is approximately 4,800 ft (1,463 m).

Health – You should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances over uneven terrain, as some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. Scandinavia is home to innumerable historic buildings and sites. Therefore, roads, walkways and architecture may present difficulties for some guests with physical disabilities. The visits to the palaces and castles, including Frederiksborg and Rosenborg, require climbing some steep stairways and walking moderate distances from the motor coach park to the entrance of the sites as well as within the grounds. There is a forty-five minute stroll on day 7 inside Vigeland Park in Oslo mostly on flat terrain. Perhaps the most challenging walk is at Briksdal glacier on day 10; the twenty-minute walk to the glacier is over rocky, uneven terrain. Although it can be rewarding and even exciting to get close to the glacier, the walk may not be for everyone. For the most part, however, the amount of walking you do at the various sites and towns is at your discretion.

All hotels on this itinerary have elevators, with the exception of the Toftaholm Herrgård due to the historic nature of the property. If you have difficulty walking, be sure to advise your Tauck Director at the beginning of the tour so that a room close to the public areas may be requested.

Smoking is not permitted on the motor coaches. The smaller hotels in Scandinavia tend not to have designated non-smoking rooms although they will make every effort to accommodate this request. On board the overnight ferry, there are designated non-smoking areas; however, the bars and nightclubs do permit smoking.

We regret that we cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.

If you have a medical condition which might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify Tauck as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

If you are a U.S. citizen, no vaccinations are currently required for travel to the countries visited on this tour. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour, prerecorded "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 877-394-8747 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on on to the CDC Internet website at www.cdc.gov.

If you are a citizen of another country, please contact an embassy or consulate of each of the countries visited on this tour to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for your travel.

Luggage

Checked Luggage – General
While it is common that airlines allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.

In addition, airlines have adopted more strict policies in enforcing size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.

Many carriers require checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, Tauck cannot be held liable to the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage size and weight may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers.

Tauck World Discovery cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage size, piece or weight policies.

Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home.

Carry-on Luggage - General
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and only those items you need handy during the day such as purses, make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or in the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may not be accessible during daytime travel.

Travel Document Requirements – If you are a U.S. citizen, you will need a valid passport to enter Sweden, Denmark and Norway; however, you do not need a visa for the short duration of this tour. Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

If you are a citizen of another country, you should contact an embassy or consulate of each of the countries visited on this tour to determine what travel documentation is required.

We strongly recommend that your passport be valid for six months beyond the completion of your tour. Also, we recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, date of expiration and your citizenship, as well as the front and back sides of your driver’s license. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Travel with Children

Age Recommendations – Children 5 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, for each itinerary we have a minimum recommended age to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.

Babysitting – Tauck journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. However, our guests have occasionally inquired about babysitting services. If you are interested, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements, to ensure your precise needs are met. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer babysitting services that may be arranged on site; however, babysitting services are not guaranteed at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.

Safety and Welfare Responsibility – We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. For safety and security purposes, children under 18 years of age must be booked into a room with at least one accompanying adult. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with Tauck, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.

Special Travel Documentation for Children

Authorization for Travel
If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so.

CBP also suggests that this note be notarized. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.

If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.

All children who are U.S. citizens should also have a certified copy of their birth certificate or baptism record for ID. Children over the age of 14 are also required to have a photo ID.

Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, Tauck requires all guests to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information is available from each country’s consulate.

Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment
In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.

Tauck is not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for any travelers, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard for these letters, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.

Destination Information

Cell Phones - We understand and appreciate the value of instant communication when we travel; it keeps us in touch with friends and family, and it's a reassurance in the event of an emergency. However, the use of cell phones can be disruptive to a tour and to other guests who are enjoying their vacation. As a courtesy to others, we ask that you refrain from using your cell phone during motor coach travel, during group functions, when sightseeing and when the Tauck Director is addressing the group as a whole. There are usually many opportunities to make or receive calls at times when it does not affect others.

Please contact your cell phone carrier to determine whether your service extends to Scandinavia.

Currency and Exchange Rates - The official currencies of each of the countries visited on this tour are as follows:

• Sweden Swedish Krona (SEK), divided into 100 öre
• Denmark Danish Krone (DKK), divided into 100 øre
• Norway Norwegian Krone (NOK), divided into 100 øre,
  

Although the official currencies of these Scandinavian countries may appear to be identical, they are in fact not interchangeable. Currency exchange services are available at each of the hotels listed on this itinerary. ATMs are widespread throughout Scandinavia, and all major credit cards are widely accepted. Travelers’ checks are welcome at banks and hotels, and most restaurants and shops, and these are convertible into local currency only, not into U.S. dollars. Most banks are not open on weekends

To obtain the up-to-date currency exchange rate, you may want to check your local newspaper or log on to the Internet website www.oanda.com.

Customs and Tax-Free Shopping – If you are a U.S resident who will be returning to the U.S. at the end of the tour, current regulations permit bringing back $800 worth of items duty-free, as long as you physically bring them with you. There are limits to the amount of alcohol that can be a part of this exemption. Certain restrictions apply to unaccompanied goods mailed from abroad to the United States. Please call your local customs office or consult the government's customs regulations as contained in their publication entitled Know Before You Go.

If you are a resident of another country, you should refer to your own country’s rules and regulations regarding customs and duty-free shopping to ensure compliance upon your return.

Currently, all the countries visited on this tour levy a 25% Value Added Tax (VAT) on most consumer goods and services. (The tax may be higher on luxury items and lower on basic goods.) As a rule, if you are not a resident of the country in which the purchase is made (or of the country’s intergovernmental economic community, e.g., the European Union), you may be entitled to a VAT refund and should inquire about the refund policy where you shop. Please note that Norway is not part of the European Union.

Electrical Current – The electrical current in the countries visited on this tour and on board the overnight ferry is 220/230 V, 50 Hz, AC. If your electrical devices do not conform to this standard, you will need to bring the appropriate converters and adapters.

Time Zones – Sweden, Denmark and Norway are 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (or Greenwich Mean Time). From late March through October, these countries switch to Daylight Savings Time and are 2 hours ahead. To determine current time major cities around the world, we suggest you log on to the Internet website www.timeanddate.com.

Weather – The southern halves of Sweden and Norway share in the climactic benefits of the Gulf Stream with Denmark. Their temperate climate has few extremes of heat or cold. The average high temperatures from May through September range from 55 to 75˚F (13 to 24˚C) and the average low temperatures range from 40 to 55˚F (4 to 13˚C). The lowland area around Oslo in Norway is the driest and warmest part of the country in summer. Not only is Bergen the warmest city in Norway, but it is also probably the wettest, averaging approximately 80 in (2,000 mm) per year.

	Average Temperature
	Stockholm, Sweden		Copenhagen, Denmark
Month	Hi/Lo ºF	Hi/Lo ºC	Hi/Lo ºF	Hi/Lo ºC
January	30 / 23	-1 / -5	37 / 30	3 / -1
February	30 / 22	-1 / -6	36 / 28	2 / -2
March	37 / 27	3 / -3	41 / 32	5 / 0
April	47 / 34	8 / 1	49 / 36	9 / 2
May	60 / 43	16 / 6	60 / 45	16 / 7
June	69 / 52	21 / 11	66 / 52	19 / 11
July	71 / 56	22 / 13	69 / 55	21 / 13
August	68 / 54	20 / 12	69 / 54	21 / 12
September	59 / 48	15 / 9	61 / 50	16 / 10
October	49 / 41	9 / 5	53 / 44	12 / 7
November	40 / 33	4 / 1	44 / 37	7 / 3
December	34 / 26	1 / -3	39 / 32	4 / 0
	Oslo, Norway		Bergen, Norway
Month	Hi/Lo ºF	Hi/Lo ºC	Hi/Lo ºF	Hi/Lo º C
January	29 / 20	-2 / -7	37 / 30	3 / -1
February	30 / 20	-1 / -7	37 / 30	3 / -1
March	38 / 26	3 / -3	43 / 32	6 / 0
April	48 / 33	9 / 1	48 / 37	9 / 3
May	60 / 44	16 / 7	57 / 45	14 / 7
June	71 / 54	22 / 12	61 / 50	19 / 12
July	71 / 54	22 / 12	66 / 54	19 / 12
August	68 / 52	20 / 11	66 / 54	19 / 12
September	59 / 45	15 / 7	59 / 50	15 / 10
October	49 / 39	9 / 4	52 / 43	11 / 6
November	38 / 29	3 / -2	46 / 37	8 / 3
December	31 / 22	-1 / -6	41 / 34	5 / 1

	Average Rainfall
	Stockholm, Sweden		Copenhagen, Denmark
Month	Inches	Millimeters	Inches	Millimeters
January	1.5	38	.7	119
February	1.1	28	1.0	25
March	1.0	25	1.4	36
April	1.2	30	1.6	41
May	1.2	30	1.7	43
June	1.8	46	2.1	53
July	2.8	71	2.6	66
August	2.6	66	2.9	74
September	2.0	51	2.0	51
October	2.0	51	2.1	53
November	2.1	53	2.1	53
December	1.8	46	2.0	51
	Oslo, Norway		Bergen, Oslo
Month	Inches	Millimeters	Inches	Millimeters
January	1.6	41	5.6	142
February	1.2	30	5.6	142
March	1.3	33	4.3	109
April	1.4	36	5.5	140
May	1.8	46	3.3	84
June	2.3	58	5.0	127
July	2.9	74	5.6	142
August	3.4	86	6.6	168
September	2.8	71	9.0	229
October	2.8	71	9.2	234
November	2.2	56	8.3	211
December	1.9	48	8.0	203

To determine current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, www.weather.com.

If You Have to Cancel

Cancellation Fees – Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in Tauck incurring costly penalties and cancellation fees from our travel and hotel providers. Therefore, if you have to cancel a confirmed booking, Tauck will charge you a cancellation fee according to when your cancellation notice is received in its Norwalk, CT office. To help limit your liability, Tauck offers Tauck Travel Protection.

If you choose to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will have your cancellation penalties waived. Click here for more details.

If you choose not to purchase Tauck Travel Protection, you will incur cancellation penalties per person as follows:

Did you know that you can link-up Tauck itineraries to create longer journeys? Many of these trips are in the same region, and depending upon availability you might connect with them before or after your trip. Alternatively, you might find one of these options better suited for your interests and preferences or for when you are available to travel.

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