As the leader in Ireland and Britain and one of the longest-standing tour operators in North America, CIE Tours is partnered with the leading tourism authorities, and operates at the highest levels of health and safety guidelines in the US and Europe, including regional and national standards for COVID-19 procedures. We are proud to work in conjunction with the following organizations and charters and operate in compliance with all local and international tourism certification guidelines.

Rules and guidelines vary from country to country and are continually changing. If you are scheduled for an upcoming vacation, approximately two weeks prior to departure you will receive an online link to access detailed, up-to-date information on all policies and requirements pertaining to your trip.  See current travel requirements here.

Pre-Tour Health Questionnaire

We will ask all travelers to complete a health questionnaire at the start of each tour. A sample can be seen here but the actual form will be included in the documentation packet to be sent approximately two weeks prior to departure.

Vaccine Requirement

Because many of our destinations have vaccination requirements for indoor experiences (museums, restaurants, attractions, etc.) all CIE Tours guests ages 12 and over will need to be fully vaccinated and carry proof with them to show as needed& for departures on or after September 20, 2021. Travelers under the age of 12 must be able to produce a verifiable negative COVID-19 test result in the form of written documentation (paper or electronic copy). The negative test result must show that the test was conducted within 72 hours before the start of the trip. We will continue to monitor local requirements and update our policies accordingly.

On the Road

For guests who elect to go on a group tour, the majority of our departures will be small groups, with a number of empty seats on coaches to allow guests to space out for a more comfortable experience. For those who prefer an even smaller group and more independence, we have an extensive offering of private driver and self-drive options. While specific protocols will vary from location to location, some general guidelines will be followed:

• The interiors of our coaches will be sanitized daily, including regular cleaning of high-touch areas and surfaces. Scheduled stops will facilitate frequent hand washing and hand sanitizer will be available at all times.
• 100% of airflow on coaches will come from circulation of fresh air from outside the vehicle 
• At hotels, guest rooms will be disinfected thoroughly between stays and common areas such as lobbies, elevators, restaurants and fitness centers will be cleaned continuously throughout each day.
• When visiting attractions, all appropriate local safety precautions will be followed, and guests may be rotated in smaller sub-groups when necessary.
• Social distancing will be incorporated in some form in most activities and visits. Teams are working hard to make this as seamless as possible, ensuring your comfort and security.

Our Team

Our Tour Directors are not only local experts but are also trained to handle a variety of unexpected situations - including illnesses and emergencies. They will be thoroughly trained on enhanced hygiene and physical distancing procedures and will ensure that guests know what to expect every step of the way. If any issues arise, we have systems and protocols in place and the Tours Directors also have extensive local support to assist.

Our in-country operations and logistics team is on call 24/7. In Ireland alone, we have 30 back-office operations staff, who have accumulated over 500 years of experience with CIE Tours. This team, based in our Dublin operations office, is always ready to assist our Tour Directors in the event of an emergency.

updated August 30, 2021