Frequently Asked Questions

Call or Come By

What is the best way to contact you? Email, usually. We are out of the office a small portion of the time and can’t always answer the phone. Click on the Contact Me link on the bottom of the page to email us now, or use this address: expeditions@mac.com.
Can I come by the office to drop off payments or pick up information? Yes. You should call first to make sure someone will be here.
Where is the World Expeditions office? The office is located next to Steve Ewalt’s house in Mission Hills near Old Town San Diego. The address is 4312 Witherby St., San Diego, CA 92103. Please walk to the office at the end of the driveway. If no one is here, there is a mail slot above the mail box next to the front door of the house.

California Seller of Travel and Trust Accounts

World Expeditions, Inc., dba World Expeditions of San Diego is registered as a California Seller of Travel (CST 2035286-40) through the California Attorney General’s office, as required by law. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.
Trust Account: California law requires certain sellers of travel to have a trust account or bond. This business has a trust account. All tour payments are deposited into a tour trust account at Chase Bank until withdrawn to pay for tour services.

Registration and Payments

How do I make sure my student is registered in time? Most of our tours are first-come, first-served and have a limited number of spaces. Refer to your Expedition Info. sheet for details. We will need the registration form and deposit in order to add your student to the list. If you want to be assured of being on the confirmed list, register as soon as you can. Some tours fill up faster than others. You may call or email to find out the list status. If you are ever in doubt about how soon you need to sign up, do one of these: 1. Drop off registration form and payment at World Expeditions. 2. Fax or email the form and submit a credit card payment or cash transfer.
What payment methods can we use? Checks, Cashiers Checks, Bank Checks and Money Orders made payable to World Expeditions. You may also do a cash transfer through Zelle. Please be aware that some banks do not allow cash transfers to Zelle business accounts. You may also use a credit or debit card, however, there will be a 3% fee, rounded to the nearest dollar, added to each charge.
How do I pay with Zelle? Some banks offer Zelle as a means to transfer cash. You must be registered through your bank to use Zelle. Using their website or app, please send to either expeditions@mac.com, or to 619 994-8800.
What about PayPal, Venmo, etc? We can’t use those. Please check with your bank about using Zelle.
Can I split the payment between different methods? Yes.
Can I make smaller payments, more frequently? Yes. Please try to make sure that you have paid the correct amount by the due date.
Should I mail the second payment now or drop it off? Mail it now. Once you are registered, the deadlines are not as strict. You may mail it on the date that it is due or a few days later. Please make sure to mail it so that it gets here within 5 to 7 days of the due date.
How do we pay with a credit card? Submit a note with your registration card, or tear off the top third of your statement if you have one, and write your American Express, Visa, Mastercard or Discover card number, expiration date, CID (3 or 4 digits) name on card and amount you want charged. Mail, fax or email to World Expeditions. You may also call us with the same information.
Can I pay with a debit card? Yes, however, your card will be charged as a credit card as opposed to a cash payment, so there will be a 3% fee added to your charge.
What if we have already sent in a written authorization, do we need to send in the card information for the next payment? If you would like for us to charge the same card again, you must call, email, mail or fax asking us to use the card number on file. Please be sure to specify your student’s name, school and amount you want charged.
Can you charge my card automatically when it is due? Yes, if you specified that on your original authorization. Otherwise, you need to remind us each time you are ready for us to charge it again. Please see question above.
What if our payment is late? If your payment will be more than one week late, please contact us. If you are extremely late or ignore a payment altogether, your student may be moved to the end of the wait list, or disqualified.
Should we wait until we get my statement before paying? Your statement should arrive 1-3 weeks prior to your payment. You may pay before that. If you do not get your statement, it is still your responsibility to know when payments are due and to pay on time.
What if our check “bounces?” When a check is returned to us, we redeposit it within a few days. If you want to use a different method to replace that payment, you need to call us before we redeposit. We do not call to warn you. We also charge you a $15 fee.

Wait List

How do we find out where we are on the wait list? We will notify you on your mailed statement. You may also contact us at any time for updates. Your group leader at school may also be able to help you with that information.
When are we notified that we have moved off the wait list? As soon as space becomes available. Sometimes, space does not open up until the last minute. If you cannot wait that long, please cancel with us as soon as possible.
Are we refunded if we don’t make it off the wait list? Yes. It will probably be after the trip unless you cancel before that.

Cancellations and Disqualifications

How do we cancel? You must cancel in writing either by mail, fax or email. We need to know the name of the student, school, name of person to make check out to and address. Payments made by credit card will be refunded to that card.
When do we get our refund? Refunds are processed approximately every two weeks, sometimes longer if we are on tour. The $100 registration fee is non-refundable.
What if we cancel and someone from the wait list takes our place? You may get a full refund, however, if there is a cancel or change fee imposed by the airline or other vendor, that amount will be subtracted from the refund of the cancelled student.
Who gets the refund? Checks are payable to the sender of the cancellation letter as long as they are listed on the registration card. If there is any discrepancy, the check will be written to the student.
What are the causes of disqualification? Your group leaders have set eligibility requirements for the trip, which are listed on the Expedition Information sheet that is specific to each tour. Most, but not all requirements are based on school grades and personal behavior. Failure to live up to the requirements will lead to disqualification. Students may also be disqualified if they fall behind in the scheduled payments. If there are health/vaccination requirements in place at the time of the trip, students who are not in compliance may be disqualified. Students may be disqualified at any time prior to the trip. We recommend that parents and students be pro-active about checking their grades on a regular basis to make sure that they remain eligible.
Is there a cancel fee if my student is disqualified? Yes. It is your and your student’s responsibility to remain eligibility.

How the Expeditions Work

When do we get travel documents? Your group leaders will schedule a final pre-trip meeting several weeks prior to departure. Travelers will get a final itinerary with flight and hotel information, check-in and packing information, health forms, luggage tags and other information. Most airline tickets are electronic so boarding passes will be handed out when we check-in at the airport.
How do we check-in with the airline? Our Tour Director and your school’s chaperones will handle the group check-in. Students will find their chaperone at the airport at the time and place specified at the final pre-trip meeting.
Are baggage fees included? Yes, unless otherwise stated on your Payment Info sheet. Students will be allowed one check-through bag under 50 pounds and one carry-on item. We recommend suitcases or bags with wheels for the checked baggage and a backpack or shoulder bag for the carry-on.
Why do you need birth dates and full names? The TSA requires that all airline tickets have this info. For a student, name should match birth certificate. For an adult, name must match the government-issued photo ID to be used at airport check-in.
Does my student need to have an ID or birth certificate to check in? If the trip is outside the U.S. all travelers will need a valid passport. For trips inside the U.S. anyone under 18 does not need an ID or birth certificate. Everyone 18 or over must have a government-issued photo ID. We do recommend that students carry their school ID with them at all times.
How do we choose roommates? The group leaders at school will hold a meeting to discuss this approximately 2 months prior to departure.
How much spending money should I send with my student? You should work out a budget with your student prior to the trip. Students will need to pay for all personal items including airline or airport meals, snacks, refreshments and souvenirs. Most students will also pay for their own lunches, depending on the trip. Please check your Expedition Information sheet to be sure.
What is the dress code for the theater? Nothing too fancy, but nicer than what you will wear during the day. Remember to wear comfortable shoes, we will be walking 5-10 blocks to and from the theater. Ladies should wear nice pants, a skirt or a dress. Gentlemen should wear nice pants (no jeans, no shorts) and a collared shirt or nice sweater.