Tour FAQ's
Q: What arrangements have been made in respect of airport transfers to and from Heathrow?
A: Swallow Coaches will provide all UK transfers from/to school/Heathrow
Q: Are they any plans or ideas for the boys in HK whilst being in transit for 7 hrs 55 minutes?
A: We are currently investigating the various options available for extended transit times (effective 16.06.10) We have now identified a suitable option for the lads, we are recommending that each tourist visits the web link below and books into Terminal 1 East Hall lounge for 5 hours at a cost of £22. Our flight number is CX107, We land in HK 1.10pm on the 18th July and would expect to be in the lounge around 2pm
https://www.loungepass.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bookyourlounge.Wizard1
If you decide to book your son into the lounge could you please email the confirmation to Mr Brooks
Q: Is entry to the lounge optional
A: As we had not budgeted for the use of the lounge facility in HK, we are unable to enforce that the lads buy into this idea, however from personal experience of longhaul flights, we would strongly recommend that the lads take the opportunity to chill out and have a reasonably comfortable area to set up camp for the majority of our time in HK. Whilst we are in transit in HK we will remain airside (not pass through customs) and therefore as some of you may know, facilities flightside of airports can be pretty boring at the best of times, and uncomfortable.
Q: The previous Itinerary mentions the transit time was 2 hrs 15 minutes. Please can you confirm?
A: The transit time is confirmed by Edwin Doran as being 7hrs 55mins, this is a result of flight schedule changes beyond our control
Q: Are towels provided for the showers in the HK lounge
A: Please see below the reply from Louge Pass
Dear Simon,
Thank you for your email.
I contacted the lounge for you and they have advised that they have their own towels for guests and lounge users.
Should you need any further assistance please don’t hesitate to contact us at all.
Kind regards,
Abbygale Engelbrecht
Customer Service Consultant
PO BOX 1441, Croydon, CR9 3XZ, England
www.loungepass.com |
Q: Are they any contingency plans or insurance in place for the flight delays e.g. volcanic eruptions?
A: The insurance policy is the standard one approved and used for all school overseas trips, this supplied by HSBC and would be subject to normal travel insurance policy restrictions. With regard to the current volcanic disruptions, we will seek advice from the tour company closer to the date of departure, as this is something that cannot be planned for.
Q: Please explain the pocket money arrangements?
A: We are currently looking at the logistics of managing large amounts of cash, whilst trying to minimise the risk associated this situation, we are currently looking at a NZ based debit/credit card which has been pre-loaded with NZ$
Q: Roughly how much spending money do parents have to give their son for the NZ & HK?
A: This is currently under review and will be governed by the number of meals that are already provided by hosts, hotels, activities etc, we have already included the cost of admissions of activities as detailed in the current itinerary
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Q: What clothes will my son need?
A: We intend to kit each tourist out with a complete set of tour attire, which will include tracksuits, polo, shirts, shorts, playing kit, t-shirts, hoodie etc, a complete kit list will be available shortly.
Kit list, click here for details of kit supplied and required
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Q: What will the weather be like whilst the boys are in NZ
A: NZ will be in the middle of their winter, however there will be a noticeable difference in climate between the North and South Island, please click on this link for more detailed info
http://www.tourism.net.nz/new-zealand/about-new-zealand/weather-and-climate.html
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Q: What weight limit does Cathay Pacific impose on luggage?
A: 20kg per tourist for checked luggage + reasonable cabin hand (6kg) luggage, any excess baggage charges will be payable by offending tourist at the point of check-in
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Q: Are there any customs issues when entering NZ
A: NZ customs department operate a zero tolerance on entry of items deemed to be a Bio Hazard please see the link for a more detailed summery, specifically regarding muddy boots !!
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Q: My son has indicated he will be taking his laptop on tour is this ok
A: We would recommend that your son does NOT take a laptop on tour, it will not be required for a rugby tour (we promise not to set any homework !!) any/all personal belongings will remain the sole responsibility of each tourist, the management team will not accept responsibility for lose or damage to personal belongings. We will be taking a staff laptop on tour which we intend to use to keep parents updated about our tour via the existing tour website and CCCS email (dates and times of updates will depend on internet access being available at staff hotels)
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Q: As you are away for 3 weeks, are there any arrangements for the boys to get their kit/clothes laundered
A: No formal arrangement exists for washing dirty laundry, however all tourists will be "encouraged" to request assistance when billeted with hosts or ask to use the washing machine. We have also tried to ensure that the tour kit is reasonably easy to clean and quick drying without the need to iron or tumble.
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Q: In-flight entertainment
A: Cathay Pacific operate a fully inclusive entertainment system on all long haul flights a link for full details including specific games/films/tv programs available can be found by clicking here, please remember that this will be updated each week until we depart
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Q: What are the meals like on Cathay Pacific?
A: Cathay Pacific in line with most international airlines operating out of Asia offer meals that cater for most requirements, these typically will be a mixture of eastern and traditional western tastes.
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Q: My son is over 6ft will there be enough leg room for a long haul flight
A: Please see the following link detailing the general layout and facilities on-board most Cathay Pacific planes Click Here, where possible and if available we will request bulkhead seats for the taller members of the touring party, however we must stress that allocation of such seating will be at the sole discretion of the airline
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Q: Are there any restrictions on my son taking his mobile phone to NZ.
A: We would strongly urge to convince your son that the use of their mobile phone whilst on tour be limited to occasional texts to the UK, calls to other tourists or home should be avoided if possible, due to the extremely high charges made by third party service providers. During a recent tour to South Africa a local rugby club teenage player ran up a bill of £600+ calling his GF in two weeks !!!!! All call costs remain the sole responsibility of each individual tourist. **You have been warned**
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Q: Will my son have access to telephone land lines whilst staying in the tour hotels.
A: Your son may well have a phone in their bedroom, however all/any call costs must be paid personally and will not be settled by the tour management team. This will also apply to any additional charges incurred e.g. room service, laundry, etc
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Q: Are any of the management team medically and RFU qualified
A: In line with school PE Department policy, all permanent CCCS hold basic first aid certification, in the event of better qualified medical assistance being required, appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that NZ emergency services are alerted in a timely manner. All staff members are also qualified RFU coaches.
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Q: Will the boys be told which families they will be billeted with in NZ.
A: All billeting arrangements remain the responsibility of the Edwin Doran employee based in NZ and the hosting school staff.
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Q: Is there a phone tree that can be used should the need arise.
A: Mr Jupp has agreed to be the first point of call should the need arise to contact the group as a whole, our initial call will be to the school senior management team who will cascade onwards
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Q: Who will look after any medication my son needs
A: Due to the nature of the tour and the frequency of billeting away from school staff, it will be necessary for each tourist to be responsible for their own medication. We would request that ALL parents notify Ms Dorrell (school office) of any changes to medical data currently held on file.
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Q: In the event of an emergency in the UK will I be able to contact my son.
A: A list of staff emergency contact numbers will be available as well as contact details of hotels when the squad members are being billeted. For obvious logistical reasons we will be unable to provide contact details of all billeted accommodation.
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Q: Insurance
A: We are covered by the Schools HSBC travel policy, should you have a specific question regarding the policy and how it may affect your son, please contact either Mr Marshall or Mr Brooks to discuss, in the event we are unable to answer your query, we will provide you with contact names/numbers for HSBC Insurance.
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Q: Is there a tour logo
A: We have thought long and hard about what we actually wanted as a tour logo, and finally decided that it should capture a few key points with the minimum of images or text (nothing worse then having to explain what something is supposed to represent !!) we wanted a logo that was self-explanatory. We were fortunate enough to have an offer of assistance in the shape of Mr Tony Healy (Daily Telegraph cartoonist). We are sure you will agree that he has met his brief of keep it simple, but must include, who,what,where,when and why.
Please click the link below to see an image of our tour logo, we will have it embroidered on as many pieces of kit/luggage as is possible. The official tour logo will also take pride of place on each blazer and tour tie.
Tour Logo
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Q: Which company has been appointed to supply the tour kit
A: The simple and short answer is Raging Bull. We looked at a number of specialist rugby kit suppliers including, Kooga, Samurai, Rugby Tech, Kwahiri and a couple of other smaller companies. The reason we choose Raging Bull is because they are the only company that offered a specific tour package that could be "tweaked" to meet our requirements and in colours that matched our existing school colours. They were also prepared to offer the kit priced as a package and not as individual items.
We also used several other local independent suppliers for additional items of kit e.g. blazer, black wheelie bag, dress shirts, ruck sacks, fleeces, winter jacket (sponsored by Smurfit Kappa Lokfast, thanks to Mrs Hasted), training top etc, as this proved to be the most cost effective option.
All the kit has been seen and approved by both the Tour Management Team and also the Team Captains.
Each tourist attended a dedicated fitting session for all items of Raging Bull kit and was asked to complete a size request form for each of the items of clothing they will receive.
Kit List
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Q: Has a playing kit been decided on or are the boys wearing existing school kits.
A: As you may be aware we were fortunate enough to secure several sponsorships for tour kit (thanks to Mr Hood), Firesure donated a substantial amount of money towards the tour kit fund. The lads will be presented with two complete playing kits, graphic design images of both kits can be found by clicking the links below. Each kit will also have shorts and socks that compliment the playing shirt
White/Red Kit
Navy/Gold/Sky Kit
Both kits are unique and have been designed by the lads specifically for the NZ tour.
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Q: I have heard that the school needs permission from the RFU to tour overseas, has this been obtained
A: As we are a RFU affiliated rugby school we are required as part of our formal preparation to tour to complete various applications forms, these forms were duly completed and signed off by Mr Marshall and Mr Mansfield and submitted to the RFU, details of who/what/where/when were the basis of the application. As part of our permission to tour we will be required to complete a post tour report, which must be filed with the RFU.
A copy of our permission letter can be found by clicking this link
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Q: Will we be able to get updates whilst the boys are on tour
A: We intend to take a laptop with us, which we will endeavour to use it at every opportunity (WiFi availability permitting) to upload pictures, we are also investigating the possibility of creating a blog page.
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Q: Will the boys be allowed to purchase "goods" in Hong Kong
A: Anything the boys buy will remain their responsibility with regards to customs restrictions, they will of course not be permitted to purchase anything that is either illegal or banned in the UK.
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Q: The itinerary shows that there is a charge for dinner in the evening in Hong Kong, will they have to pay this themselves
A: As part of our negotiations with Edwin Doran, we have agreed that the end of tour presentation dinner will be held on the 2nd evening in HK and the cost of this dinner will be met by the tour company. As we do not arrive in HK until late evening from NZ, we will not be in time for dinner, and on the last evening will be preparing to leave the hotel for our journey back to the UK. We envisage that the lads will grab a late supper at one of the globally recognised fast food outlets opposite the hotel.
Q: Eating outside of the hotel in HK !!!
A: Will will actively encourage the lads to avoid eating/buying any food outside of the hotel complex and especially from street vendors. As mentioned above we will try to point them in the direction of traditional western fast food outlets, Mc Donalds, Burger King etc. We will of course remind them that spending 12 hours on the homeward flight with "gut's ache" will be pretty miserable !!!
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Q: Can we email the boys whilst they are on tour.
A: As previously mentioned we would encourage the boys to not take laptops or expensive electronic equipment on tour, and as also mentioned the use of Blackberry's and other telephone based communications/internet contact could leave you and your son a rather large bill from your mobile company. However it is likely that the lads will be able to log on whilst staying with host families to check email accounts. It may also be possible for the lads to log on when we are hotel based.
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Q: Are the staff members going on tour now confirmed.
A: Yes all staff members going on tour have been confirmed, they are as follows, Mr Marshall, Mr Brooks, Mr Walters, Mr Richards, Mr Pat Daly
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Q: Will you be taking copies of the boys passports with you on tour
A: Each member of the touring party has had their passport scanned and copied electronically, these files will be held on the tour laptop and also separately on data storage devices, as will all information generated since the start of tour preparations.
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Q: Is the final number of touring members now confirmed.
A: All final names and details have now been submitted to Edwin Doran and Cathay Pacific, these details have been forwarded to hosting schools for billeting arrangements to be made. The final number of lads touring NZ is 40, with 5 Staff members.
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Q: What is the time difference in NZ & Hong Kong
A: Auckland Hong Kong
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Q: Are there any webcams where we can have a look at where the boys are going
A: Click this link to look at most of the places the boys will be visiting whilst in NZ
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Q: My son has tried to convince me that the touring party are staying in a 5* hotel whilst in Hong Kong is this correct !!
A: We can confirm that we are booked into one of HK's best resort hotels, which we hope will be the closing chapter of what has been a fantastic journey to the other side of the world. We will be staying at the Gold Coast Hotel HK
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Q: What shops are there at London Heathrow for my son to buy things for the flight?
A: There is a multitude of concessions both airside and check-in side for the lads to grab a few bits and pieces if they need anything, we are scheduled to fly from Terminal 3, this link will navigate you to most of the information you might need about our UK departure location, please remind your son to NOT buy any fluids until he is airside of the terminal
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Q: Can you tell us anything about Hong Kong & Auckland International Airports
A: All the infomation you might need can be found at the official airport websites by clicking the links below
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Q: Should I update my son’s school medical notes
A: It is VERY important that we are fully aware of any medical conditions your son has, if there have been any changes since you last notified the school, please contact Ms Dorrell ASAP. We will request an up to date medical report from the school office just before we depart for NZ.
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Q: I have been told that the lads will be doing something called the triple challenge, what is this ?
A: Basically it is morning or afternoon of intense action packed fun, where the boys will be white water rafting-jet boating through canyons and taken for a helicopter ride, click this link
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Q: What should my son wear for the flight to NZ
A: We will be departing school in what the boys will quickly learn is termed as No 1's (Blazer, Chino's, Dress Shirt, Tour Tie, Shoes cleaned and polished, Leather Belt), they will remain in this until after the flight has taken off, when they will be encouraged to change into track pants and a polo shirt. A full list of what to wear and when will be distributed a few days before the tour departs for NZ
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Q: Are the boys permitted to wear flip flops on the airplane
A: Under no circumstances are the lads to parade around the aircraft in flip flops or any other form of beach footwear. This point is non-negotiable as we are trying to create an image of professionalism at all times
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Q: I have been told that the boys will not be playing in the Bradford 10's tournament this year
A: A decision was made at the start of this year that it would be extremely unwise to allow the boys to form a squad to play in the Bradford 10's this year, the tournament is being held the weekend before we fly to NZ and the risk of injury this close to departure is something we are keen to avoid. The boys are also actively discouraged from playing any contact sport or taking part in any dangerous activity other then essential pre-tour training under the guidance and supervision of CCCS appointed coaches
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Q: Will i be able to contact tour staff whilst they are on tour
A: Unless the need to contact us is extremely urgent, we would encourage you to email us in the first instance as we intend to access Mr Brooks's Coopers email account each evening (WiFi permitting), Click on the image below to email Mr Brooks
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Q: What luggage are the boys provided with if any ?
A: Each member of the toruing party will have the following pieces of luggage provided to them. Large wheeled kit bag (big enough for 3 weeks, please remember the weight limit !!! as the bag will take a lot more then 20kg), ruck sack and a cabin hand luggage sized kit bag.
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Q: Cabin baggage
A: Please remember that the airline will only permit ONE piece of hand luggage into the cabin. The bag this being supplied by Edwin Doran complies with cabin baggage restrictions
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Q: Gifts for billet families
A: It is normal practice for host families to be given a small token from our each tourist, we have avoided controlling this aspect of the tour, so that the lads get a chance stamp thier own personality on thier chosen gift. All we would ask is that they steer clear of breakables or anything too tacky.
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Q: At the final parents tour meeting we were asked to sign a code of conduct, will it be uploaded to the tour website
A: Code Of Conduct
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Q: Where can I find a copy of the tour handbook
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Q: Do you know what planes the flights will be on A: We have been informed that the flights are scheduled to be on the following aircraft
*All aircraft are subject to operational availability and subject to change without notice at the airlines discretion.
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Q: Is the a overall tour summary that we can have instead of the full tour intinerary
A: We have created a single A4 sheet dashboard summary that captures the full intinerary in an easy to follow and read format
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Q: Will my son share hotel rooms with the same boys for the whole tour
A: Mr Marshall was keen to explain out way back in May 2008 that his vision for the tour is not one of only rugby, he wants the tour to be an opportunity for the boys to expland their existing "year group comfort zones" and foster lifelong frienships with all members of the touring party. With this in mind the boys will be allocated rooms on a semi structured rotation basis. One of the aims of the tour is for the boys to develope both on and off the pitch.
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Q: How will my son know what to wear each day. A: A couple of days before the tour departs for NZ, tour member will be given a tour dashboard summary report, which will include a "simple" mechinism that cleary shows what the dress code will be for each day and/or activity.
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