There are seven overarching ideas that inform all of our decisions:

1. We want any bus journeys on our scheduled tours to be as close to worry-free as possible.  That is why the overall capacity of our tour buses will always exceed the amount of actual travelers on our tours by at least 50% (and often much more than that) in order to give our guests an opportunity to stretch out and feel totally comfortable.  On longer bus journeys, we always take an extended break about halfway through in order to allow people to walk around, relax, and have a meal. And finally, we offer free beverages (and occasionally, snacks) to our guests on bus trips between cities as a way to make the journey as pleasant as it can be.
2. The vast majority of our “optional excursions” are included in the tour price, with the understanding that not every one of our guests will necessarily want to participate in every single activity, due to the fast-paced nature of certain days within our tours.  When optional excursions do incur a fee, we promise it will be a reasonable one. And every one of our tours shall include at least one “Mystery Destination” as a way to offer even more sights and services to our guests.
3. We do a great deal of research on the hotels that our guests stay in.  The decision whether or not to book a certain hotel is based not only on our own experiences with a hotel, but also on the thousands of verified hotel reviews we read every year.  As well, a hotel that is centrally located is absolutely crucial to the happiness of our guests and to the success of our tours. Even on our budget tours, we will always strive to place our guests in quality hotels that are close to major tourist attractions.  
4. The restaurants we choose are very important to us.  We opt for highly rated restaurants which offer a variety of options for our guests.  And we sometimes allow our guests to order right off a menu, as opposed to many tour companies who only offer a limited amount of choices from a narrow, pre-determined format.  We want you to be happy.
5. We welcome feedback that is private and anonymous.  At the end of each tour, our guests are welcome to fill out brief questionnaires or write concise reviews and place them in sealed envelopes to preserve anonymity.  And there is never any pressure to tip our Tour Leaders or bus drivers. That decision is entirely up to our guests.
6. All of our Tour Leaders are educated, professional, and caring individuals who adhere to a strict code of conduct at all times.  And our Tour Leaders are always available to give informed advice to our guests regarding tourist attractions, restaurants, etc.
7. Our tours tend to proceed at a slightly slower pace than those of other tour companies.  Although certain days on our tours may indeed be fast-paced, we place a premium on relaxation time and on the ability to enjoy multi-night stays in our chosen destinations.  Having to constantly pack up one’s suitcase en route to a new destination every single day is not a vacation.

II.  Regarding our different levels of service.

There are three different service levels of tours at Blue Onyx Travel:  Budget, Standard, and Luxury.

1. In our budget tours, accommodations tend to be basic, but are still centrally located and often with a decent amount of amenities.  Breakfast is almost always included and about 35-40% of overall meals are included.  Regarding historical and cultural sights, there aren’t that many included entry fees or guided tours.  However, this often translates into more free time.  Transportation is offered from the airport to the hotel on the first day of the tour.  We will usually return our guests to the starting point of the tour, but not always.  Tour group sizes tend to be larger but are still smaller than those of most tour groups.
2. In our standard tours, accommodations are very well located and have excellent amenities.  Around 55-60% of all meals are included.  Several entry fees and guided tours and excursions are included.  Private air conditioned transportation is offered from the airport to the hotel on the first day of the tour and we will always return our guests to the starting point of the tour.  Tour group sizes tend to be medium.
3. In our luxury tours, accommodations are of first order.  Often times, our guests will stay at five star hotels.  Over 70% of meals are included.  Any and all entry fees and guided tours and excursions are included.  Transportation between the airport and hotel, and vice versa, is private, luxury, and tailored to the needs of our guests.  Tour group sizes do not exceed 16 people.