Faqs

YES, we are still in business!  There has been major upheaval in the tourism industry and like all tour operators, we have faced some considerable hurdles in the past couple of years.  We have been working hard to develop new tours, including a new brand, DeLuxe Hiking, a collections of active hiking tours that incorporate some sightseeing along the way.  Depending on where your travel interests may lie, whether you are “Ready for Adventure” with a hiking tour from DeLuxe Hiking, “Ready to Escape to Warmth” with a Sunshine Long Stay or a No-Fly cruise, or “Ready to Explore” a corner of Canada or Beyond, our staff are eager to take you and yours on a journey of a lifetime.  Call us!

NO, DeNure Tours has not been sold.  Although there have been major challenges with the tourism industry and our company has been impacted extensively, we are still owned and operated by the DeNure family. (The office building was sold but we are still in business at that location.)

In 2021, the family of brands:  Tours in Canada, Sunshine Getaways, and DeLuxe Hiking were introduced to help guests easily find the type of trip they are looking for.  Now we are simplifying the online experience for our guests, and all sightseeing tours, cruises, and long stay vacations can be found on the DeNure Tours website, and a search box and an improved index are designed to make it even easier for guests to find their next trip. 

We have taken to heart the feedback from both newer guests and long-time DeNure Tours travellers. We have heard that navigating the different websites was at times, confusing. We still have our tours categorized with fitness levels, and we still have the separate DeLuxe Hiking brand, but now all sightseeing tours, cruises, and Sunshine Long Stay vacations be found on the DeNure Tours website. 

Pre-formed groups interested in reserving a departure will be welcomed, provided that the itinerary requested essentially matches one of our standard products.  For more information, group leaders should contact our office.

No, we no longer design custom student tours.  Although we did offer student tours in the past, it is felt that for now we should focus on offering standard tour products for adults.  School groups interested in chartering a motorcoach for field trips should call 1-705-878-9151 or email us at info@denurecharters.com 

Yes.  You can visit our Charters website, http://www.denurecharters.com, call 1-705-878-9151 or email us at info@denurecharters.com 

Our Denuro program, in operation since 1999, involved earning rewards for travel that could be used to discount future travel. This program ended as of April 1, 2021.  After this date, denuros can no longer be earned.  Those who have denuros 'in the bank’ are welcome to continue to redeem them on future travel reservations, with the same conditions as in the past. Ask how you can use your denuros at the time of booking.

DeNure Tours offers:

• Motorcoach Sightseeing tours in Canada, the United States, and beyond. 
• No-Fly cruises
• Sunshine Long Stay getaways

Our tours have a variety of durations, some have a special-interest focus, and there is a variety in terms of the physical demands of the tours. Our tour index page will help you find what you’re looking for, and the fitness scale assigned to a tour indicates the fitness and mobility required for that tour.

The pace of a tour varies by itinerary, and with each destination, the sightseeing activities and terrain are unique. Pacing is often subject to personal interpretation, but the Tour Fitness Rating applied to each tour will assist in determining if a tour is suitable for you. As described in our Terms and Conditions, for reasons related to safety regulations and logistics, we cannot permit guests to remain on the coach if they are unable to participate in an itinerary item with the rest of the group. Thus, when selecting your trip, it’s important to review the fitness ratings with a realistic self-assessment of physical fitness.

Many of the facilities and attractions we visit are accessible by wheelchair.  Please ask about wheelchair accessibility when you call to book your vacation. DeNure Tours  can carry your fold-up wheelchair or motorized scooter in the luggage area of the coach, but we have limited space and can only accommodate them on a first-come, first-served basis. As noted in our Terms and Conditions and in our Accessibility Policies, please advise us at the time of booking if you are bringing a mobility device. For their own protection, DeNure Tours staff and fellow guests are not permitted to provide assistance in lifting scooters or guests. If you require assistance that cannot be provided by your travel companion, we will need to discontinue your trip.

With a vacation rental by owner, long stay arrangements are made for accommodations, but you are on your own with respect to transportation, finding interesting things to do, and having people with whom to enjoy exploring the region.  With DeNure Tours Sunshine Long Stay vacations, guests are free to do things on their own, but transportation for shopping and the group activities is provided, and with the activities program, there are many opportunities to meet new friends.

The biggest difference is what is available to you once you get to the destination. While meals are included with an all-inclusive, with our long stay vacations there is an on-site Program Director who is there to see to your enjoyment. Day trips, shopping trips, dinner theaters, museums, local special events and attractions, and a variety of local restaurants are arranged so you can enjoy the flavour of the destination. You are travelling with like-minded people and for the solo traveller there is always someone to be with, if you choose. 

We strive to find the best hotels available at reasonable prices and in desirable locations. (Many of the hotels we frequent can be found through a simple online search, and their web-sites will give you an idea of what to expect.) All accommodations offer a private washroom.  For our Long Stay vacations the price charts will provide information on the various available room types. For cruises, the price is based on the specified cabin type, but other accommodation types may be available. While we make every effort to accommodate requests, specific room types are subject to availability and are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have questions about a particular hotel or cruise cabin type, we’d be happy to help you find the answers. 

Transportation is an important component of our holidays and we recognize that air travel is not for everyone. Thus, we offer a unique “express” motorcoach service to get to our long stay destinations in Florida and Myrtle Beach.  Luxury motorcoaches are bunk-equipped so that two drivers can alternately drive and sleep. This eliminates an overnight stay, though we do stop for comfort breaks every 3-4 hours. 

For motorcoach trips originating in Southern Ontario, the Connections Program is an included feature, and provides transportation to a pickup point or an overnight stay at one of our partner hotels along the route.  While some tours may involve a drive or a flight to get to the starting point, most of our tours have motorcoach travel as the primary mode of transportation.  Our No-Fly Cruises include transportation by coach to and from the port, and will have the cruise included in the price.

SUNSHINE LONG-STAY VACATIONS: Absolutely! It’s your vacation, flights can be arranged to suit your location, subject to availability, or you can book your own flight. If we book your flight, arrangements can be made to have a car meet you at the airport and deliver you to the hotel.

TOURS AND CRUISES: Many of our tours start in the Toronto area or at a fly-in location. Depending on the tour and where you are coming from, options are available. With a coach tour you are welcome to skip the drive and meet up with the group at the first destination hotel.

For specific border crossing requirements, the best source of information is the applicable government website. The Government of Canada has a specific page with COVID-19-related information and recommendations:  

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/travel-health-notices/513 

For land-based packages, guests are responsible for getting to the starting point of the tour, so guests will need to complete the declarations and provide information as necessary. Then, if during the tour there is a border crossing, information will be provided describing any additional identification or documentation that may be required.

For motorcoach-based tours that cross provincial or international borders, information will be provided 1-2 weeks in advance of departure, describing the identification or documentation that may be required. The successful crossing of borders by the motorcoach requires that everyone on the coach meets the requirements to cross.  If there are questions, please feel free to call 1-800-668-6859 or email us: info@denuretours.com 

No matter where we travel, it is strongly recommended that, at a minimum, every traveller should bring along government issued photo ID.  If travelling internationally, ensure that you passport is current, and carried with you.

We understand that it is often hard to plan your vacation far in advance. However, we need to confirm all the key features of our tours including hotels, attractions, and restaurants, typically months in advance. Often dates and room choices are gone the longer you wait to book, and flights seem to get more expensive when booked closer to departure. Booking a land only tour requires a $400.00 deposit and booking a package that includes a cruise or a flight requires an $800.00 deposit, and payment arrangements can be made.  With the increasing demand for travel, hotel space is selling out sooner than in the past.  To avoid disappointment, book early and “Save your Seat” for your selected adventure!

Since Sunshine Long Stay vacations involve travelling outside Canada, a current passport will be needed, and in most cases, it must be valid for 6 months after the trip return date. Depending on the destination country, visas may be required.  When making your reservation, please ensure that the full name provided matches the name on your passport.

For international flights, we will require the passport number, date issued, where it was issued, and the expiry date. For domestic flights, if not travelling with a passport, we will need the details from your government issued photo-ID. Once a flight is booked, it is non-refundable and any changes to the name or details may not be possible or may be subject to fees imposed by the airline.  

Please let us know at the time of booking if you will be bringing a mobility aid, or if you have any other health issues or dietary restrictions that we need to know about so that arrangements can be made with restaurants.

If you are travelling outside of your province of residence, we strongly recommend that guests have a travel insurance policy to ensure peace of mind before and while traveling.  A complete travel insurance package will provide protection in case of trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage delays or loss of baggage, and medical expenses.  DeNure Tours works with a couple of companies offering travel insurance plans.  See also our Optional Add-Ons and Before You Go information.

For many years, DeNure Tours developed and offered a ‘peace of mind’ trip cancellation waiver that applied from the time of booking until the departure date.  Today, our partner hotels, restaurants and attractions require a commitment because of staff shortages and the residual impact of COVID-19. Thus, we are currently not able to offer this protection. We are happy to provide details on other available insurance program options.

Yes, flights can be arranged to suit your location, subject to availability and pricing, and will be coordinated with the group’s flights, where possible.

Absolutely! It’s your holiday and we want to make it just right for you. For tours involving flights, we can arrange your outbound flight to arrive before the group, if you want to spend some time before the tour, or we can arrange your return flight later than the group if you would like to spend some time afterwards. Please note that flights different from the group arrangements are subject to availability and pricing.  When you refer to our Optional Add-Ons, you’ll see that we may also be able to arrange additional nights of accommodation at the airport hotel.

Some experiences require a minimum number of travellers in order to operate. If you are booking your own flights, it is recommended that flights be booked only after a departure is guaranteed. If a tour is cancelled due to minimums not being met, you will be offered an alternate date, if available, or you will be issued a full refund.

If you need to cancel your trip, cancellation charges may apply. The amount of the penalty is dependent upon the number of days from the date we are notified until the departure date. As you can see from our Payment & Cancellation Policy, if you must cancel, it is in your best interests to notify us as soon as possible.

You will be met by a DeNure Tours representative upon arrival at the destination airport either at the baggage claim area or as you exit Customs.  Specific instructions will be included with your ticket package.  When you arrive at the destination, for easy identification please wear your name tag, and secure the luggage tag provided by DeNure Tours to your suitcase.

Many airlines have moved away from providing a paper ticket, and now issue what’s called an “e-ticket” or electronic ticket. Often, it is simply a computer print-out of the flight details and includes the reservation number, which may or may not be requested at check-in or at customs. If you have questions about your e-ticket, or if you are concerned that you did not receive it, please contact us.

Travelling within Canada requires government issued photo identification. All international travellers must carry acceptable identification and a valid visa (if necessary) when entering Canada. When travelling outside Canada, a current passport will be needed. In most cases, it must be valid for 6 months after the trip return date, and visas may be required.

1 piece per person, maximum 50 pounds, plus one carry-on is permitted for motorcoach tours. Extra charges apply to overweight or additional luggage. Please see the luggage section of our Before You Go document, and if applicable, check the documents from the airlines for your flights, regarding baggage fees and restrictions.

Prior to final payment, any change to an existing reservation will incur a service fee per person. Please ensure that the full name provided on the invoice is spelled correctly, and that it matches the name on the passport and government issued identification. Name changes with airlines can be costly.

Although a personal data sheet will be included in the ticket package and this is another way to notify us of your dietary or health concerns, submitting this form when the trip is about to be underway may not provide adequate notice for meal arrangements at the beginning of the trip.  Informing our agents of any dietary requests during the booking process, BEFORE DEPARTURE will better enable us to meet your needs.

All guests will initially take their assigned seats as noted in the ticket package. The coach will be freshly sanitized, and guests are welcome to bring along hand sanitizer or wipes for use in their area. Seat rotation will be in effect, but for health or safety reasons, may be adjusted at the discretion of our staff. 

If you book your flight with us, we can arrange for a car to meet your flight at the airport and bring you to our location. If you make your own arrangements, or if your arrangements are made through your travel advisor, you can take a taxi or contact the DeNure Tours office and they can let you know if there is a pick-up service for your destination. There may be an additional fee for this service.

Drinks must be in a travel mug or container with a sealed lid (no paper coffee cups or plastic fountain drink containers). Bringing a reusable water bottle is highly recommended and great for the environment. Snacks that are ideal for motorcoach travel include granola bars, muffins, nuts, dried fruit etc.  Please refrain from consuming any dairy, chocolate products, or foods with a strong smell which can disturb fellow travellers.

During the tour, your tour director can guide you to laundromats when necessary. he hotels used for our long stay vacations have guest laundry facilities on-site.

Absolutely! Many of our guests have friends who are staying in the area; however, our activity buses are restricted to DeNure Tours guests only.

In your travel documents, you are provided with an extra copy of your hotel listing, which includes the names, addresses and phone numbers of the hotels you will be visiting during your tour. We suggest leaving a copy with a friend or relative, so they have a means of contacting you. In the case of an emergency, a relative may contact the DeNure Tours head office, and we will contact your tour director.

It is your choice to bring your cell phone with you on your vacation. Our staff can be reached if there's an emergency, so a cell phone is not a requirement.  The following are a few tips to ensure you do not come home to a large bill:  

a. Ask your carrier about international roaming and travel plan options if you plan to use your phone or tablet with mobile data while outside Canada.

b. Shut off ‘data roaming’ before departing Canada, so that data is not used inadvertently. It can be turned back on if you need to use it.

c. Switch cell phone to ‘manual choice of provider’ (to make sure the phone does not automatically switch to another carrier, especially near the border).

d. Become familiar with ‘Airplane Mode’.  Using this feature for the duration of the trip will decrease the chance of accidental roaming charges.  Airplane mode will also prevent the phone from receiving incoming calls or placing outgoing calls. This will put the holder of the phone in charge of receiving calls and checking messages while travelling. If turned on with data enabled, even for just a few minutes, the expense can be significant if the phone should automatically download email messages with large attachments, such as photos.

e. Become familiar with web-based text and video messaging.  Many restaurants and hotels have good wireless internet service. With ‘Airplane Mode enabled’, Wi-Fi can be turned on, and web-based video messaging services (Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Apple Facetime, Google Duo, and Zoom are examples) can be used to communicate with friends and family without using your personal mobile data. If you need to set up a new account, be sure to practice with a friend or family member before departure.

Many hotels today have a no-smoking policy. You may smoke in your hotel room, only if it is designated for smoking. Please advise us at the time of booking and we will do our best to accommodate this request.  If there are no guest rooms designated for smoking, unless the property is 100% smoke-free, hotels usually provide a dedicated smoking area where they request you go to smoke. Most properties have a hefty fine if you do smoke in a non-smoking room or in an area where smoking is not permitted, and this will be your responsibility to pay.

Banking machines are widely accessible, but it may be difficult to find your particular bank, so there may be ATM service fees. Most businesses throughout North America accept debit as a form of payment. When leaving the country, we also recommend that you let your bank and credit card companies know, and take steps to ensure that you can use your debit card if you want to have access to local currency while on the road. Please note that outside of Canada, and particularly overseas, ATMs require a maximum 4-digit PIN number and often must be connected to your chequing account, as opposed to a savings account.

We’ll check you in, look after your luggage and take care of all hotel porterage, tips and gratuities – whether it is for restaurant staff, hotel housekeeping staff or porters. Please note that Tour Director and Driver’s gratuities are not included in the trip cost. Gratuities have been built into the cost of your trip for baggage handling at hotels and for the included meals on your itinerary. As a per person guideline for gratuities for other components of your trip, for local guides $2/guide, for coach drivers $5/day, and for tour directors, $5/day.