What Collette Tours Is
Collette Tours is a tour operator that organizes group travel packages to destinations around the world. The company handles the logistics — transportation, hotels, meals, and guided activities — so you book one package rather than arranging each piece separately. Collette has been operating since 1918 and sells tours through travel agents and its own website.
When you book a Collette tour, you are joining a group of other travelers on a planned itinerary. The company assigns a tour director who travels with your group, manages the schedule, and handles problems on the road. You stay in hotels Collette has selected, eat at restaurants it has arranged, and visit attractions according to a set daily plan.
Collette operates tours across Europe, Asia, Central America, South America, Africa, Australia, and the United States. Tour lengths range from about five days to three weeks. The company offers different tour styles — some focus on culture and history, others on outdoor activity, others on food and wine.
Key Takeaways
- Collette tours include transportation, lodging, most meals, and guided activities in one package price, so you know the cost upfront.
- A tour director travels with your group and manages the daily schedule, logistics, and any issues that arise during the trip.
- You travel as part of a group, typically 20 to 40 people, and follow a set itinerary rather than choosing your own activities each day.
- You book through a travel agent or directly through Collette's website, and you pay a deposit upfront with the balance due before departure.
- Collette offers trip insurance as an optional add-on that covers cancellation, medical emergencies, and lost baggage.
What Is Included in a Collette Package
A Collette tour package includes transportation from your home airport to the destination and back, hotel rooms for each night, breakfast most mornings, and several dinners. The company also includes entrance fees to major attractions, guided tours at those sites, and the services of a tour director for the entire trip.
What is not included varies by tour but typically does not cover lunch, drinks, tips, personal shopping, or activities not listed in the itinerary. Some tours include more meals than others — read the detailed itinerary to see which meals are provided and which you pay for separately. Airfare from your home city to the tour's starting point is usually included, but check the fine print because some tours price airfare separately.
Collette also offers optional excursions — activities beyond the main itinerary that you can add for an extra fee. These might be a cooking class, a wine tasting, a boat tour, or a visit to a site not on the standard route. You decide whether to join these when you book or sometimes even after you arrive.
How to Book a Collette Tour
You can book a Collette tour in two ways: through a travel agent or directly on Collette's website. Many travel agents specialize in Collette tours and can answer questions about specific itineraries, help you choose a tour that fits your interests, and handle the booking paperwork. If you prefer to book yourself, you can browse tours on collette.com, select your dates and destination, and complete the booking online.
When you book, you will choose your tour, select your hotel room type (single, double, or triple occupancy), and decide whether to add trip insurance or optional excursions. You will then pay a deposit — typically $500 to $1,000 per person depending on the tour — and the balance is due 60 to 90 days before departure. Collette accepts credit cards, checks, and bank transfers.
After you book, Collette sends you a confirmation and a detailed pre-trip packet with information about the destination, what to pack, what documents you need (passport, visas), and the day-by-day itinerary. You will also receive the name and contact information of your tour director and the names of other travelers in your group if you want to connect with them before the trip.
What Happens During Your Tour
On the first day, you meet your tour director and the other members of your group, usually at the hotel or at a welcome dinner. Your director explains the itinerary, answers questions, and tells you how to reach them if you need help. From there, each day follows the planned schedule — you might visit a museum in the morning, have lunch on your own, and attend a guided dinner in the evening, or you might spend the day on a bus tour of countryside and villages.
Your tour director is responsible for getting the group to each location on time, managing check-ins and check-outs, and solving problems — a flight delay, a hotel issue, a traveler who gets sick. They also provide historical and cultural context at each stop and can recommend restaurants or shops if you have free time. Most tour directors have worked for Collette for years and know the destinations well.
You will have some free time most days, usually in the afternoon or evening, to explore on your own, rest at your hotel, or join an optional activity. The itinerary is structured but not rigid — if you want to skip a meal or an activity to do something else, you usually can, though you do not get a refund for what you skip.
Costs and Payment Terms
Collette tour prices vary widely depending on the destination, length, and season. A five-day tour in the United States might cost $1,500 to $2,500 per person, while a two-week tour in Europe could range from $3,500 to $6,000 or more. Prices are per person and typically assume double occupancy (two people sharing a room). Single rooms cost extra, and some tours offer discounts if three people share a room.
The deposit is due when you book, and the final payment is due 60 to 90 days before departure. If you cancel before the final payment date, you may receive a refund of your deposit minus a cancellation fee — the fee amount depends on how far in advance you cancel. Cancellations within 60 days of departure usually forfeit the entire deposit. Trip insurance can cover cancellation fees if you need to cancel for a covered reason like illness or a death in the family.
Collette also charges extra for certain add-ons: single room supplements, optional excursions, trip insurance, and in some cases airfare if you are not flying from the main departure city. Ask about any discounts — Collette sometimes offers early-booking discounts or discounts for groups of four or more.
Trip Insurance and Cancellation Protection
Collette offers optional trip insurance through a third-party provider. This insurance typically covers trip cancellation (you get your money back if you cancel for a covered reason), trip interruption (you are reimbursed if you have to leave the tour early), medical emergencies, emergency dental work, lost or delayed baggage, and emergency evacuation. The cost is usually 5 to 10 percent of your tour price.
Without insurance, your cancellation options are limited to Collette's standard cancellation policy, which usually allows refunds only if you cancel well in advance. With insurance, you can cancel closer to your departure date and still recover your money if the reason is covered — illness, injury, death of a family member, or job loss, for example. Read the insurance policy carefully to understand what is and is not covered.
If you do not purchase insurance and need to cancel, contact Collette when ready. The sooner you cancel, the more of your deposit you may recover. Some tours have waiting lists, so canceling early also gives Collette time to fill your spot and may result in a smaller loss for you.
Questions to Ask Before You Book
Before committing to a Collette tour, clarify a few details. Ask how many people are typically in a group — some tours have 20 people, others 40 or more. Ask which meals are included and which you pay for separately. Ask whether the itinerary has a lot of walking or physical activity, especially if you have mobility concerns. Ask what the weather is typically like at that time of year and what the dress code is for dinners.
Ask whether the tour includes time to explore on your own or whether most days are fully scheduled. Ask about the hotel quality and location — are they in city centers or outside town? Ask whether tips for the tour director and hotel staff are included in the price or whether you are expected to tip separately. Ask what happens if you miss a meal or activity — do you get a refund, or is it straightforward not available to you?
If you are booking through a travel agent, they can answer many of these questions. If you are booking online, call Collette's customer service line or email them with your questions before you pay your deposit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I customize a Collette tour or skip parts of the itinerary?
Collette tours follow a set itinerary, so you cannot change the destinations or major activities. However, you usually have free time most days and can skip optional activities or meals without penalty — you straightforward do not participate. If you want a fully customized trip, Collette is not the right choice; you would need to book hotels and activities independently.
What if I get sick or injured during the tour?
Your tour director can help you find a doctor or hospital and can contact your travel insurance provider if you have one. Collette does not provide medical care, but they will information you in getting it. If you need to leave the tour early due to illness, trip insurance can reimburse you for unused portions of the tour if the policy covers medical emergencies.
Do I need a passport for a Collette tour?
For international tours, yes — you need a valid passport, and some destinations also require a visa. Collette's pre-trip packet will tell you what documents you need for your specific tour. Check your passport expiration date at least six months before your trip, as many countries require this. Collette can provide visa information but does not obtain visas for you.
What if I want to travel with a friend but we do not want to share a room?
You can book separate rooms. Each person pays for a single room supplement, which is an extra charge on top of the base tour price. The supplement varies by hotel and tour but is typically $500 to $1,500 for the entire trip. You will still be in the same group and attend activities together.
Can I extend my trip before or after the Collette tour?
Yes, many travelers add extra days to explore on their own. You would book your own hotel and flights for those days. Collette can sometimes help arrange this, or you can book independently. If you are flying from home, you might arrive a day early and stay in the destination city before the tour starts, then stay a few days after it ends.