Below you'll find answers to some of your frequently asked questions about group travel.
- What defines a group?
- Is group travel support only for trips departing from the University?
- When should I start planning?
- What if I already have accommodations or transportation services booked?
- I have a group that travels to Princeton each year from all different locations. Can you help with them?
- What do I book first – flights or hotels?
- Who do I call to plan and book group travel?
What defines a group?
In order to book group air, you need 10 or more people traveling on the same itinerary. However, we handle any groups that need our services — such as those with fewer than 10 people with unique travel needs and groups traveling to or from different destinations but with a common purpose.
Is group travel support only for trips departing from the University?
No. Group travel is not always outbound, it is often inbound. The group travel program supports outbound groups traveling from the University (such as course travel, internships and global seminars) as well as inbound groups traveling to the University for conferences and events. Groups of guests coming to Princeton are able to book their own reservations thorough World Travel and have them billed directly to the University.
When should I start planning?
The earlier the better! As soon as you have dates and an estimated number of travelers, we can hold air space. As soon as you know where your group is going and when, we can help work out the logistics for you and help you create a day-to-day itinerary if you do not already have one.
What if I already have accommodations or transportation services booked?
Many group planners call on us to source and identify suppliers for their entire trip, particularly for first visits to a country. Others have established programs already in place with trusted suppliers. In those cases, we are here to fill in the gaps such as meals, special venue reservations, or anything else you need.
I have a group that travels to Princeton each year from all different locations. Can you help with them?
Absolutely! Our goal is to make travel seamless for our students, staff and faculty, and for our guests as well. We partner with you to learn about your group or event and develop a travel support model that minimizes your workload.
We can set up a self-book model where guests call directly to book their travel and all travel costs get charged directly to the University. We can offer split-payment solutions when the University pays a sponsored portion of travel and guests can pay the balance. We can transition your program from a reimbursement model to a direct bill model. Our objective is to incorporate best practices to build the travel support model that most effectively serves your program and your department.
What do I book first – flights or hotels?
Booking flights should be your first priority when planning a group trip. As soon as you have your departure and return dates set, we can hold seats. Generally, the closer you get to your departure, the fewer seats will be available and the more expensive they’ll be. After flights are booked, hotels are the main focus.
However, some groups have specific hotels they want to use. If that is the case, as soon as you have your dates close to finalized, we can hold hotel space. Hotels will allow us to shift dates, so it is not a problem to book a hotel even if your dates are not finalized yet.
Who do I call to plan and book group travel?
The group travel contacts are:
Susan Godfrey
Associate Director, Princeton University Travel Program
(609) 258-7316
[email protected]
For assistance with planning and logistics, reach out to Susan. She provides the following consultative services for groups:
- Pre-planning guidance, program design, logistics planning, and best practice recommendations
- Budget development and payment planning
- Development of travel support models that assure a seamless process for guest groups booking their own reservations
Stephanie Shores
Senior Group Specialist, World Travel, Inc.
(888) 530-4087
International calls (484) 722-6215
[email protected]
If you have specific group services you have already identified and need to book, you can do so directly with Stephanie at World Travel. Stephanie manages all groups and coordinates the bookings and payments for air, car, hotel, and ground transportation reservations. She also coordinates arrival/departure reports, rooming lists, group detail report, and oversees air ticketing and ticket changes.