FAQs

For destinations in the European Union your passport must be valid for at least three months from the date your tour ends.  Passports must also have been issued within the last 10 years.  The requirements for other countries may vary and we will notify you at the time of booking whether there are any specific rules that you need to be aware of.

UK and US citizens may need a valid ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) travel authorization to visit most European countries for short stays of up to 90 days.  We will always notify you during the initial consultation process and also at the time of booking what visas and waivers you need, and what the costs are.

As of January 8th 2025, US citizens will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to visit the United Kingdom. This requirement applies to all parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland and British Overseas Territories.  This is similar to the ESTA system and is a pre-clearance for travel to the UK.  We can advise you how to obtain an ETA during the booking process. 

In many cases we can provide you with indicative flight details as soon as you make your initial inquiry.  However, most airlines make their flights available to book no more than 11 months prior to departure so if you are planning your tour a year in advance you will need to wait until flights come into range. We will always endeavour to offer you the closest departure airport if there are flights scheduled.

In general when we secure your flights we are making a group booking for a fixed number of passengers but without actually entering the names into the booking.  Most airlines require names no more than about 30 days before departure so you are generally free to change names within your group as many times as you wish.  Once we have provided the airline with the final name list (usually about 30 days before you travel) and tickets have been issued, any subsequent name changes will incur a charge which can vary from airline to airline.

When your tour includes a long-haul flight, check in baggage will always be included as standard.  However, if your tour includes shorter connecting flights, we may use budget airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair who have different baggage policies, and in these cases your quote will specify whether or not checked baggage is included. In general, adding a bag to a booking with Easyjet or Ryanair incurs quite a significant cost so we would always recommend that you travel with cabin baggage only whenever possible.

We use a variety of accommodation types depending on several factors including your destination and budget. These can range from youth hostel style properties where students share multi-bedded rooms up to 3 or even 4 star hotels on twin share basis. When you speak with one of our travel advisors we will guide you though the different options and make suggestions according to your criteria. We are always able to provide details of the proposed accommodation for your tour so your can review it before moving ahead.

Caution deposits are very occasionally required for some properties. If a deposit might be required we will notify you in advance before we confirm the accommodation.

All local hotel and room taxes will always be included in your tour pricing so there will never be any local payment to make.

We normally include single rooms for staff members as standard but will adapt this according to your budget. There will obviously be a cost saving on the trip price if staff share twin rooms, but we also understand the importance of having your own space at the end of the day.

Although we generally include breakfasts and dinners as standard, meal arrangements can be tailored around your specific requirements.

We normally find that in city centre situations where there are many different choices of places to eat, it makes sense to allow students to buy their own lunches.  For other trips where there are fewer options or where we are travelling in the developing world, we will normally include lunches.

Dinners can be arranged either in city centre restaurants or in some cases at your hotel.  The exact arrangements will vary from country to country. For example in New York we always use restaurants such as the Hard Rock Café or Bubba Gump.  In Iceland it is normal for hotels to provide evening meals at the accommodation. Where there is a choice, our travel advisors will liaise with you to make the right choice for your group.

We do all we can to cater for vegans, vegetarians, restricted diets or allergies.  Any special requests will be notified to hotels, restaurants and the airline.  There can be some circumstances where specific requirements cannot be met either in whole or in part and we will discuss such situations with you in advance. Please note we will not make specific requests for halal or kosher diets and for most destinations halal and kosher requests will be offered a vegetarian choice.

Yes, the coach will be available for all touring during your trip.

Drivers hours are strictly regulated so if you require the use of a coach into the evening, please discuss this with your tour advisor as it may be necessary to have a second driver in such circumstances.

Where the school has a favourite local coach provider we are always happy to work with them if you request that.