The email landed at 4 pm on a Wednesday. The subject line said TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT — Spring 2027. The first line was a destination. The second line was a price per kid.

You did the math in your head. Then you did it again with the calculator app because the first number could not be right.

It was right. Here is what that money actually covers and how to think about whether to send her.

What a typical tour costs

US tours of three to five days, by charter bus or short flight, usually run $600 to $1,200 per kid. That includes the bus or flight, three to four nights in a hotel, two meals a day, performance venue rental, and a few entry fees for tourist sites.

International tours of seven to ten days run $2,500 to $4,500. Sometimes more for two-week tours of Europe. This covers transatlantic flight, hotels, most meals, motor coach in country, performance fees, and group entry fees.

A tour for the top show choir might include extras like masterclasses, professional venues, or guest conductor sessions. These cost more.

What is usually not included

A few things almost always are not in the price.

Souvenirs and pocket money. Most directors recommend $20 to $40 per day of pocket money. For a five-day trip that is $100 to $200 in cash the kid carries.

One or two restaurant meals where the kids order from a menu instead of a group meal. Budget $40 to $60 per kid for these.

Passport for international trips. About $130 for a new US passport, takes 6 to 11 weeks to get unless you pay for expedited.

Travel insurance. Not required at most programs but worth considering for international travel, particularly if you are paying for the trip up front. About $50 to $150 per kid.

Specific dress code items. Most tours require formal concert attire (a tux or a long black dress) plus casual matching team gear. Some programs include the team gear in the price. Some bill separately.

Why the tour matters

Here is the case for going.

The tour is where the choir becomes a real ensemble. Hotel rooms shared with other singers, late nights in lobbies, rehearsals before performances at unfamiliar venues, the long ride home. Kids come back changed.

The repertoire often includes pieces the kid will sing nowhere else. A performance at St. Patrick’s Cathedral or the Liverpool Cathedral or a town square in Salzburg is a different musical experience than the spring concert at school.

For high school seniors, the tour is the last big choir experience together. Many of the kids will not stay close after graduation. The tour is their goodbye to each other and the music.

Why the tour might not matter for your family this year

The cost is real. The schedule conflict with siblings or family obligations is real. Some kids do not bond with the tour group. Some kids are uncomfortable far from home.

A few situations where it is fine to skip.

Your kid is a 9th grader and the tour is in a high-cost destination. They will have three more tours over high school. Skipping freshman year tour is fine.

The tour conflicts with another major commitment. A sibling’s graduation, a family wedding, a planned college visit. The tour will repeat next year.

The kid is on the fence about choir as a whole. A $1,500 trip is not the right way to find out if they love it. Better to commit financially after the kid has decided choir is their thing.

The fundraising part

Most choirs run aggressive fundraising for tour. You will be asked to sell things. Wreaths, candy, pies, coffee, mattresses.

A few thoughts on this.

Take the fundraising seriously. The dollars add up. A kid who sells 10 wreaths at $25 markup has cut their tour cost by $250.

If you do not want to sell things, ask if there is a no-sell donation option. Many programs have one. You pay an extra amount up front and skip the door-to-door work.

Pay your kid for the time. Some families have the kid earn the trip by working at the local pizza shop or babysitting. This is a great life lesson. The kid who pays half their tour has different ownership of the experience.

Asking for help

If money is tight, ask the director quietly.

Most choir programs have a scholarship fund. It is not advertised. You ask, you fill out a short form, and the program covers a portion of the cost. The form is usually due 4 to 6 months before the tour.

The community is usually generous. A kid who would not be able to go without help is often able to go with help. Do not assume your family is the only one in this situation. Most groups have at least one or two kids on a scholarship every year.

The conversation with the director is private. Other parents do not know. Your kid does not know unless you tell them.

The packing

For the tour, your kid will need.

Concert dress (formal black) for performance days.

Casual matching team gear for travel days.

Comfortable shoes for walking. Not new shoes. Broken-in shoes.

A small day bag for tourist activities. A waist pouch for pocket money and a phone.

A printed packing list from the choir director. Most programs send one. Follow it exactly. Tour rooms are full of “I forgot to bring socks” moments.

Bring less than you think they need. Hotel rooms are not big. Three pairs of jeans is plenty for a week.

After the tour

Most kids return exhausted and changed. Give them a day to sleep. Then ask them to tell you about it.

What did they sing where. What was the audience response. Who did they room with. What surprised them.

Then keep the photos for a long time. The tour photos become the senior slideshow at graduation. Future you will be glad you have them.