The question is never "what is the tour fee?" It is "what will this trip cost me in total, and what am I getting for it that I could not easily arrange myself?"
Where the money goes
| Cost | Usually in the tour fee? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Campsites / campgrounds | Usually yes | Check whether it is full hookup, and whether national park fees are included |
| Tour leader and tail gunner | Yes | This is part of what you are paying for |
| Group meals | Some | Welcome and farewell dinners are common; ask how many breakfasts, lunches and dinners |
| Admissions and excursions | Some | Coach tours, ferries to attractions, museum tickets. Optional extras are sold separately |
| Ferry fares | Sometimes, as a "base fee" | A base ferry fee may not cover extra length. Ask who pays the difference. See below |
| Fuel | No | Often the biggest variable cost on a long trip |
| Propane, dump fees, laundry | No | |
| Meals not provided | No | Restaurants, groceries |
| Insurance (RV, medical, trip cancellation) | No | Check cross-border coverage if you are crossing into the U.S. |
| Repairs and maintenance | No | Set aside a fund. Tires, brakes and windshield are typical |
| Tips, souvenirs, personal spending | No |
Compare quotes on one basis
Before you compare two tours, write the same six things for each, so you are comparing like with like:
- Price basis. Per RV, per person or per couple.
- Currency. CAD or USD, and what rate the operator applies if payments are in instalments.
- Nights per region. A "27-day" tour that spends only 6 nights in the region you care about is a different purchase to a 20-day tour that spends 14 there.
- Campsite type. Full hookups, electric only, or dry; and whether the campsite is inside the park or in a gateway town.
- Ferries. Who pays, and how is the fare worked out? See below.
- Free days. Days with nothing scheduled are good for rest, but they also mean you are paying for nothing organised.
Real fees to know
Marine Atlantic (North Sydney, NS to Newfoundland), one way, in CAD
Vehicles are priced by length. Marine Atlantic’s fare page says the vehicle category includes automobiles with trailers, campers, motorhomes and vans, and that vehicle fares do not include the driver or passengers. Fares below include the fuel surcharge.
| Vehicle length | Port aux Basques | Argentia |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 21 ft | $57.12 | $121.81 |
| 21–30 ft | $86.33 | $184.08 |
| 31–40 ft | $122.21 | $260.01 |
| 41–50 ft | $157.92 | $335.89 |
| 51–60 ft | $192.04 | $409.68 |
| Over 60 ft | $228.09 | $485.56 |
- Adult passenger fare on the Port aux Basques route: $21.92 one way. Children 5–12: $10.17. Under 5: free.
- Cabins one way, Port aux Basques: two-bed $126.50, four-bed $139.50, pet-friendly two-bed $156.00. Argentia: two-bed $176.75, four-bed $194.50, pet-friendly two-bed $218.00.
- Full payment is due at booking, and changes are charged at the rate at the time of change.
The takeaway for a tour: a rig that is 31–40 ft long pays about $122 one way on the Port aux Basques route. A 41–50 ft rig pays about $158. That is why "ferry base fee" and "length supplement" are worth asking about.
Parks Canada (Banff National Park example)
- Daily admission: adult $12.25, senior $10.75, youth free, family/group (up to seven people in one vehicle) $24.50.
- Commercial group: $10.42 per person per day. The Parks Canada Discovery Pass is for independent travellers only and is not valid for visitors in commercial groups. If your tour fee says "park fees included", that is what it is covering.
- Discovery Pass (independent travellers): adult $83.50, senior $71.50, family/group $167.50.
- Camping examples for one night: Tunnel Mountain full service $47.25, Tunnel Mountain electrical $40.00, Lake Louise electrical $40.00. Reservation fee $11.50 online, or $13.50 by phone. Fire permit $12.00 at Banff.
See national parks and guided tours for how this affects tour pricing.
BC Ferries (Vancouver Island)
BC Ferries has promoted "over-height Saver" fares on select sailings between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, with fares starting around $59 and a discount of up to 50% on each foot of length over 20 ft. Promotions like this come and go, and conditions apply, so check current rules on bcferries.com for your date and rig.
A worked example
This is an illustration, not a quote. It shows how the pieces add up. Suppose two travellers in a 35 ft motorhome take a three-week guided Maritimes tour with a Newfoundland extension, quoted at US$9,500 per RV.
| Item | Amount (CAD) | How we got it |
|---|---|---|
| Tour fee | $12,825 | US$9,500 at an illustrative 1.35 exchange rate |
| Fuel | $2,400 | About 4,500 km at 30 L/100 km at $1.78/L, rounded up |
| Meals not included | $2,100 | About $100/day for 21 days |
| Ferry length supplement, round trip | $0 to $250 | Depends on what the base fee covers. At the Marine Atlantic length bands above, a 31–40 ft rig pays a different fare than a shorter one |
| Propane, dump fees, laundry | $250 | |
| Optional excursions | $600 | |
| Trip cancellation and medical insurance | $700 | Quote varies by age and coverage |
| Repair fund | $800 | Tires, a windshield chip, a failed fridge: set it aside |
| Illustrative total | about $19,700 to $19,900 | About $940 per day for two people |
All figures are examples to show the structure, not prices from any operator. Use the budget calculator to enter your own numbers.
Currency
Many operators selling Canadian tours to U.S. and Canadian customers quote in U.S. dollars. If you pay in Canadian dollars, ask: does the price float with the exchange rate? When is the rate locked? Is there a card foreign-transaction fee? Over a large payment, a few cents in the exchange rate is a few hundred dollars.
Ways to judge value
- Cost per day, in the region you care about. Divide the tour fee by the number of nights actually spent where you want to be.
- What you could not easily book yourself. Reserved national park sites, group ferry blocks and event access are worth more than a meal.
- What you would pay anyway. Campsites on an independent trip cost money too; compare them to the campsites included.
- Shoulder-season departures can be cheaper and less crowded, if the weather and daylight suit you.
Frequently asked questions
What does a guided RV tour fee usually include?
It varies by operator and tour. Commonly it covers campsites, a tour leader and tail gunner, some group meals and some admissions. Fuel, most meals, propane, personal expenses, insurance and optional excursions are usually extra. Always get the inclusions in writing.
Are caravan tours priced per RV or per person?
Both exist. Some operators quote per RV (for one or two travellers), others per person, and some combine a rental fee with a traveller fee. The published 2027 price on one Maritime program we reviewed is in U.S. dollars, so currency matters too.
How much should I budget on top of the tour fee?
Plan for fuel, meals not included, propane, ferry supplements for long rigs, optional excursions, tips, insurance and a repair fund. Use our budget calculator and add a margin, because the biggest surprises are usually fuel and repairs.