Rocky Mountains

Arrival:

• Airport: Calgary International.

Departure:

• Airport: Edmonton International (for departure on the last day of the tour).
• Airport: Calgary International (for departure one day after the end of the tour).

Check-In:

• Your crew will meet on the arrival day at the first accommodation in Calgary.
• You will be picked up from the airport and taken to the first accommodation.
• Exact times will be discussed together in the crew chat.

Check-Out:

• The tour ends in Edmonton on the last day (transfer to Calcary possible on the next day).

Arrival by plane

• You can fly directly to Calgary from many airports. If you want to explore Canada on your own, you can also fly to Vancouver and take the bus directly to Calgary / Golden (approx. 12 hours by bus).

Late arrival

• Please plan your arrival according to the time indicated. If there is no other possibility in your case, it may be more complicated and more expensive to arrive and depart. In this case, please inform your guide immediately after booking your tour in the Crew chat.
• You can find more information on this in our FAQ section under Arrival.

Important notice:

• Prior to entry, all entrants must register via the ArriveCAN-App and provide accurate contact information and upload their proof of vaccination on or before entry.
• The use of the app is binding.
• The Canadian authorities are following up on compliance with the quarantine regulations.
• The Canadian government provides further Information information in case of technical problems.

What supplies do we have during the Canada tour?

• We provide for ourselves. The group goes shopping together or visits restaurants together.
• On the canoe tour we are fully catered for (except for alcoholic drinks).

Is a vegetarian/vegan diet possible during the Canada trip?

• As we are self-sufficient, this is possible without any problems.

What equipment do I need for the Canada tour?

• For the hikes you need normal hiking and sports clothing, including hiking/trekking shoes and a rain jacket.
• In the mountains you need a fleece jacket in the evening and early morning.
• If possible, use a backpack instead of a suitcase so that you can also camp in the backcountry.
• While we are camping, you can store excess luggage in the rental cars.
• Sun and mosquito protection.
• Remember to bring your own sleeping bag. If we go on the backcountry tour, we will also discuss tents before the trip.

How sporty is the Canada tour?

• It depends very much on the group. For the canoe tour it is definitely necessary that you can swim. For the hikes, we can adapt to the group accordingly. However, as Canada is a country where most of the mountains are not particularly well developed with cable cars, you should not mind climbing more than 1000 metres in altitude on some days.

For the canoe tour?

• Previous experience is not required, the selected river stretches can be mastered even by novices, but the current, many islands, rapids and gravel banks demand constant vigilance. Safety and comfort of the participants are the main concerns of the guide.

Currency & Prices

• The official currency in Canada is the Canadian dollar (CAD).
• We recommend that you take Euros with you, but there are also plenty of ATMs and banks on the tour.
• You should not change money at the airport because of the bad exchange rate.
• There are several ways to change money on the way.
• We strongly recommend that you also carry a map.
• Prices in Canada tend to be high

Tips

• Tipping is common in Canada

Electricity 

• For Canada, you will need an appropriate power adapter.

Time shift

• We live right on a time zone border. While Alberta has a 7-hour time difference, British Columbia has an 8-hour time difference.  

Climate

• It can also be very hot and dry in Canada in summer. Nevertheless, temperatures between 10-20 degrees can usually be expected in Alberta. 
• From June to September, especially in western Canada, such as British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Manitoba, bush and forest fires occur repeatedly due to drought.
  Heavy smoke and impaired visibility can also affect the infrastructure in tourist areas.

Safety in the country

• The crime rate is low. In big cities and tourist centres, petty crime such as pickpocketing occurs. Theft of luggage from or in front of tourist hotels is not unknown.

Driving licence

• Depending on the province, a German driver's licence can be used for tourist or visiting trips in Canada for up to three or six months.
• Nevertheless, if possible, also carry your international driving licence with you.

Entry requirements

• The electronic travel authorisation must be applied for on the Canadian government's website for a fee of 7 CAD (approx. 5 EUR) prior to the start of the flight. This is also possible by representatives of persons with physical or mental disabilities. More information and instructions can be found on the Canadian government's website.
• Apply for the eTA as early as possible. If your application is rejected, you can expect long processing times, and the Canadian authorities have the discretion to request further proof.
• Use only the official government website. Non-official websites offer to arrange the eTA by charging significantly excessive fees, some of which are not recognised by the Canadian authorities.

Vaccinations

• Vaccination or convalescent status is required for Canada.                   

Mobility and health

• If your mobility is limited, participation is not possible as we want to conduct a safe tour. 
• If there is another illness/restriction, participation must be discussed in advance with the family doctor.
• If there is any doubt about fitness, Hüttenleben must be notified before booking.

Cancellation regulations

• Depending on when you cancel, the fee is between 0 - 90% of the tour price.
• You can find the exact rates in our terms and conditions.
• If we are not able to organise a tour due to the number of participants, you will be refunded 100% of the price.
• If your cancelled date is fully booked at the start of the tour, you will get your payments back in full in any case.

Here's how the booking process works:

Find a free space on your dream Tour:

• For all Tours and Tour dates, you can find up-to-date information on free spaces. 

Book your space:

• Fill in the booking form, and pay the 30% deposit by PayPal or bank transfer to secure your place
• You have until 6 weeks before your Tour to pay the remaining balance
• You'll receive a confirmation immediately after booking 

If you're not sure, you can reserve:

• While filling in the booking form, you can select to reserve a space on your chosen Tour
• Reservations for  any of our 5 day Tours are absolutely free, as long as they’re made  at least 6 weeks in advance

Crew-Chat
Right after booking, you'll be able to log into the website and use the Crew-Chat to get to know the other members of your Crew and your Skipper. You can even plan your flights together.

Packing your bags
To help you know what you'll need on board, we've created a handy Packing List for Sailing. Remember, there's limited space onboard a yacht, so less really is more.

Reading for your flight
First time sailing with us? Once you've booked, you'll receive two information packs, detailing important information about the concept of our Tours and the basics of sailing.

Setting sail
You'll get to meet your Crew and Skipper in person by the afternoon/early evening of Day 1 at the latest. We’ll go shopping for supplies, discuss the coming week and once everyone has arrived and the weather is just right, the sailing starts!

You book all trips as a beginner. During the first few days of the trip, our skipper explains how to handle the sailing boat and how to work together as a sailing crew.

Individuals

Most of our participants book individually and are  assigned a bed in one of the yacht’s double cabins. On Day 1 you and your crew can decide who will be cabin mates. Our Crew expert, Ari tries to organise things so that (where possible) there's an even split between male and female. And there's always the option of sleeping under the stars, if you're feeling like it

Couples

Want to book with your partner or friend? When filling out your booking forms, let us know that you're booking together, and we'll make sure you're allocated to the same cabin/yacht. For our Flotilla Tours, we make sure that there are no more than two couples/pairs per yacht, so that nobody feels like a fifth wheel.

Groups We also have solutions for those coming on Tour as a group:

• Up to four people: book your place normally, and let us know who else is part of your group - we'll make sure you're on the same yacht
• More than four: If there are more than four of you in a group, you can book an entire yacht for yourselves - you can either fill out a Group Booking, or make a Yacht Inquiry 
• Either way, if you come as a group, we'll provide the Skipper for you

Who's in the Crew? 

Our guests are  relaxed, open-minded, nature-loving individuals. The average age on Tour is around 30 (with 80 % between 27-33). There's an even split between male and female too.

Is this a one-person trip? 

While most participants are solo-travellers, we do not only offer trips for single individuals. For us, we love the harmonious group dynamic that flourishes among like-minded people in search of adventure. Whether you're booking alone, as a couple, or part of a group, you’re sure to have a great time and make new friends.

Is my Crew going to be... you know... cool?

Of course when booking, you can't know this in advance because you don't know who else is going to book. What we do know, from having had more than 20,000 people join us at Join The Crew, is that our Tours attract open-minded, friendly people in search of a great, shared experience - just like you! And, to be honest, you seem pretty cool, so we think you'll manage just fine ;)

Cooking on board
Every day of the Tour, we cook together on board the yacht. We try to buy locally and cook delicious, healthy meals.

Restaurants
When we dock in a harbour during our Tours, we always try to visit one of our favourite local restaurants, so you and your Crew can get a real taste for the local cuisine - we promise you won't be disappointed!

Dietary requirements
Whether you're vegan, vegetarian or have any allergies or intolerances, don't worry. In every Tour, different Crewmembers have preferences when it comes to food. Let your Skipper and Crew know in the Crew-Chat before the Tour begins, and you'll be in safe hands on Tour.

Join The Crew is the original sailing Tour organiser for young people in the German speaking world, and we've been at it since 2007. In 2015, we led our first skiing Tour, and in 2018, began leading our summer hiking Tours. Finally, in 2022, we started offering English-speaking Tours.

Spirit of Join The Crew

 Enjoy a week of positive vibes:  

• JTC believes in having a healthy relationship with our surroundings, whether that's with your Crew, the locals we meet on Tour, or of course, the Earth itself
• Our Crews are made up of excited adventurous and experienced Skippers - it doesn't take long for strangers to become friends, and friends to become family
• We’re grateful for the incredible places the we can explore, on land and at sea, and therefore make efforts to minimise our impact and give Mother Nature some TLC during our Tours - check out what we do for the environment and sustainability here
• Visiting stunning locations, we want to bring you close to the local culture and traditions, and support those who live in the areas we explore - it's a beautiful relationship that we have nurtured for years now, and will keep nurturing it for many years to come

A lively community

When you book with us, you don't just get an incredible holiday you'll never forget: you literally Join The Crew!

• Over the years, our community has grown massively, with over 30,000 Crewmembers enjoying our sailing Tours
• We've become the largest sailing community for young people aged 20-39 in the German-speaking world - and now that we've started leading English-speaking Tours, we can't wait to welcome more people to our community!

Expert Skippers

Your trip is in safe hands:

• Our Skippers, male and female, are energetic and friendly folks in the same age group as our participants
• Their main job is to help their Crew have the best possible experience together while on Tour with us
• Each Skipper has been through our Skipper Academy, meaning they have hundreds of nautical miles under their belt and have sailed solo before, and are up to date when it comes to first-aid training - in short, they'll take good care of you
• Most of our Skippers, despite their young age, are already seasoned sea-wolves, who've gathered a lot of knowledge and experience in all areas of sailing 
• The most experienced Skippers become "Flotilla Leader" on our Flotilla Tours: responsible for several yachts as well as their own. They have thousands of nautical miles of sailing experience and know the sea like the back of their hand

100 % stress-free

Allowing you to switch off and just enjoy the experience:

• Our concept is perfect for both the beginner and the experienced sailor
• Super flexible cancellation policies and a guarantee if your Tour is affected by the pandemic: more info here
• We've never had to cancel a Tour due to underbooking , meaning your Tour is 100 % guaranteed to take place 
• New sailing yachts and catamarans (between 0-5 years old) 
• We only lease our vessels from large, renowned chartering companies, guaranteeing both the quality of the ship and the support we can receive on location if required
• You will sail on the exact yacht type that you book, with all of the information (such as build year) accurate and up to date
• All of the important extras, such as deposit insurance, are included in the advertised price 
• We offer 24-hour hotline help with problems and concerns

Due to the limited space on board, we recommend that you pack your gear in a duffel-bag, or some other type of collapsible bag; a suitcase would take up too much space in your cabin. When packing, think about the following:

• Passport & visa (if required)
• Cash (in the appropriate currency) for the Crew Cashbox - this pays for the shared expenses such as food  (see how much is recommended for each Tour under "What's included?")
• Phone or similar device with USB or AUX connection - you can connect this to the onboard radio, and enjoy your favourite music
• (Light) raincoat 
• Sunglasses and sun cream (biodegradable with min. SPF 25)   
• For anyone who wants to sleep under the stars on deck: a (light) sleeping bag

Check out the Packing List for Sailing we prepared, with a list of everything you should need on Tour.  Most of the advertised Tours provide a clean towel, clean sheets and bedding, wool blanket and mattress cover.