Please ensure that you read the following booking conditions carefully, as they form the contract between the group and Discover School Tours Ltd, trading as The School Tour Company.
1. Booking
Your booking is made with Discover School Tours Ltd, trading as The School Tour Company (the Company) at the address of The School Tour Company, 4th Floor Capel Buildings, 121/122 Capel Street, Dublin, Ireland D01 V3P0.
You are authorising The School Tour Company to act as your tour operator and we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the provider (travel provider) of the travel related service, including among others, airlines, hotels, insurance companies, coach hire companies, transfer companies and various destination management companies.
You are bound by the travel provider’s terms and conditions of booking. We are acting as your tour operator in arranging your booking. A contract will only exist when we have received the required first deposit amount per student and have acknowledged receipt of this, sent you your confirmation letter and booking form. This form needs to be signed by the group leader and returned to us as soon as you receive it. On signing the booking form the group leader is accepting the following conditions on behalf of all members of the group. Once we receive the signed booking form, all aspects of your booking are formalised.
The group leader will be our point of contact, unless we are advised otherwise. The terms of the contract are to be interpreted under and are subject to the laws of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
2. Deposits/Payment
The full deposit amount is generally £300 per student and the deposit is non-refundable. Full payment is required 12 weeks prior to departure date. The passport name and date of birth for all passengers that are travelling will be required at the time of booking. Higher or lower deposits may be required depending on the destination and overall cost of the tour and the cost of the airline seats. You will be advised of deposit amounts in your quotation.
Deposits are non-refundable (unless the cancellation is covered by insurance). Deposits can be paid in cash, by cheque, bank transfer or by using the online payment portal. You will be provided with a booking reference number should you wish to pay online. All cheques are to be made payable to ‘The School Tour Company’.
Full payment is required 12 weeks prior to departure date. The group leader will receive all invoices applicable to the tour and final payment date will be clearly indicated. If we do not receive full payment by this date then we reserve the right to charge applicable cancellation charges as outlined in condition 6. We will not be in a position to pay final balances to our suppliers if we have not received your final payment and this could put certain aspects of your tour in jeopardy.
3. Passenger names
For groups paying online then it is the responsibility of the person who enters the student’s information, on the payment portal at the time of booking, to ensure that the passenger name and date of birth are correct. If paying by cheque/ETB/bank transfer then it is the group leaders responsibility to ensure that all passenger names provided to us at the time of booking are as per passport and they must be sent via email. If any changes are to be made once airline seats have been purchased then name change fees will apply, see condition 7(a).
4. Insurance Cover
Insurance cover is included for every passenger, unless you have indicated otherwise. Insurance cover commences from the moment we receive your deposits. If our travel insurance is not taken then we need confirmation in writing that another travel insurance scheme will be covering the tour arrangements.
5. Price changes
All tour prices are based on the current exchange rates that apply at time of booking. The Company reserves the right to pass on any increase due to currency fluctuations with exchange rates once the increase exceeds 2%. You will be notified before your final payment is due. In addition, the Company reserves the right to pass on any increases due to the introduction of any new tax or levy enforced by the Government in the Republic of Ireland or abroad or an increase in an existing tax or levy, or any increase in fuel surcharges which are outside of our control. The Company reserve the right to surcharge for any increases mentioned above at any time up until final balance due date (12 weeks prior to departure).
6. Cancellations
The group leader must advise the Company by email as soon as they receive a cancellation. Cancellation of a booking is effective only once it has been received in writing to the Company from the group leader and any cancellation charges will be calculated from this date. Deposits are non-refundable but can be transferred to a replacement passenger, where an applicable name change fee may apply. Our cancellation charges are as follows:
57 days or more prior to departure – loss of deposit.
29 – 56 days prior to departure – 80% of the tour price.
28 or less prior to departure – 100% of the tour price.
Many reasons for cancellation (other than disinclination to travel) are covered by our insurance cover, please check our insurance booklet. If the reason is insurable, a cancellation invoice will be sent to the insurance company and full money will be refunded minus the premium and excess charge. Please note that cancellations could increase your tour price if it affects the student/teacher ratio.
7. Alterations to your tour
(a) By the Group Leader
Should the group leader wish to make any changes to their tour then the Company must be notified as soon as possible. Changes can only be made once they have been confirmed by the group leader to the Company in writing. We will endeavour to make the changes, if they are practical, at a minimal cost; however this is dependent on costs imposed by our suppliers at the time of change. Please be aware that if there are any changes requested to be made to airline dates/routes or names then substantial costs may be incurred by the airlines. Name change fees are strictly enforced by all airlines and these can vary depending on the airline. The passenger that is cancelling from the tour is obliged to pay this fee for their replacement or if it is in error then the passenger/group leader is obliged to pay same. Name changes must be confirmed in writing. If the group leader wishes to add extra passengers to the group then the Company will try their best to facilitate you. Please note that surcharges may apply due to increased airfares etc.
(b) By the Company
While the Company’s aim is to satisfy your requirements and expectations from the time of booking, occasionally we have to make alterations to your tour due to changing circumstances and we reserve the right to do so at any time. If any changes have to be made to your tour the Company will advise you as soon as possible and endeavour to ensure that the same standards are met and a satisfactory alternative is provided. In the unlikely event of the group leader not being satisfied with alternative arrangements that the Company have been obliged to make, then a full refund of all monies will be given, except if the changes are due to circumstances outlined in condition 8.
(c) Changes by airlines
If an airline changes your departure/arrival airport or time of your flight then the refund and booking conditions for that particular airline will prevail. The company will comply to the ABTA Code of Conduct in such circumstances as significant changes.
8. Events beyond the Company’s control
We regret that we cannot pay any compensation where unforeseeable events, outside the Company’s control, prevent contractual obligations being carried out. War, threats of war, natural or nuclear disaster, volcano eruptions, ‘force majeure’, closure of airports/ ports, terrorism, pandemics, political unrest, industrial disputes, adverse weather conditions, technical faults or accidents involving transport, fires and ‘acts of God’ are all classed as events outside of the Company’s control. If any of these unlikely events occur we may have to cancel or rearrange your tour.
9. Protecting your money
(a)Flight-based packages – ATOL
We provide financial protection for our package holidays, by way of our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number], issued by the Civil Aviation Authority, Gatwick Airport South, West Sussex, RH6 0YR, UK, telephone 0333 103 6350, email claims@caa.co.uk. When you buy an ATOL protected flight orflight inclusive package from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong. We will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where we aren’t able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable). If we are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.
(b) Non-flight based packages – ABTA
We provide financial protection for our package holidays by way of a bond held by ABTA – The Travel Association, 30 Park Street, London, SE1 9EQ, www.abta.com. You agree to accept that in the Model booking conditions June 2025 event of our insolvency ABTA may arrange for the services you have bought to continue, or for a suitable alternative to be provided at the same cost as your original booking. You also agree to accept that in circumstances where the travel service supplier provides the services you have bought, you agree to pay any outstanding sum under your contract with us to that alternative travel service provider. However, you also agree that in some cases the services will not be provided, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under ABTA’s Scheme of Protection (or your payment card issuer where applicable) for a refund of the monies you have paid.
10. ABTA
We are a Member of ABTA, membership number Y6880. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com.
11. Passport, Visa and immigration requirements
All specific passport and Visa requirements are the responsibility of the passenger and they should make contact with the Embassy and/or Consulate of the country they are travelling to in plenty of time before travel. This also applies to the ESTA application for travel to the USA. The Company will accept no responsibility if you are refused boarding at any airport due to the fact that you have not complied with passport, visa and immigration requirements.
12. Special Requests
Special requests (e.g. dietary requirements) must be made in writing and shall be communicated by the Company to the relevant supplier. The Company shall use reasonable endeavours to fulfil such requests. No liability shall attach to the Company for failure to comply with a special request and such requests do not form part of this contract.
13. Complaints/Difficulties while on tour
Should the group leader have any complaints before or while on tour you are asked to contact the Company using the contact details you have been provided with.
If any difficulties are experienced while travelling or when abroad then the emergency numbers must be used to inform the Company of these difficulties in order to rectify the situation as soon as possible. If the group leader is unhappy with a particular aspect of the tour we ask you to contact the supplier on the emergency numbers you may have for them in your travel documents e.g. coach company, hotel agent. If problems are not discussed with them at the time suppliers are reluctant to help with the complaint when the group are back home, as they would not have had the opportunity to resolve the problem at the time. If the difficulty you have encountered cannot be rectified then contact the Company’s emergency number/office number in order for us to liaise with suppliers involved.
If not resolved locally, please follow this up as soon as possible after your return home, ideally within 28 days by writing to our Customer Services Department at info@schooltourcompany.co.uk giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. If you fail to follow the requirement to report your complaint while away on tour we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify it and this may affect your rights under this booking.
Please also see clause 10 above on ABTA.
14. Liability
Every effort will be made to ensure the smooth running of your tour and that all arrangements are made accurately.
We accept full responsibility if any of the services provided to you are not handled correctly by our employees and for any element of the tour arrangements which are under our direct control.
We will only accept responsibility for any personal illness, injury or death which results from the negligence of our employees, or any of our suppliers providing services on our behalf. We cannot be held responsible for the loss of enjoyment and/or additional expenses, which are caused by events beyond the Company’s control (condition 8) and could result in travel arrangements being changed.
15. Law and jurisdiction
This booking is governed by English Law, and the jurisdiction of the English Courts. You may however choose the law and jurisdiction of Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland if you live there and wish to do so.
16. Data Protection
The Company is committed to protecting your personal information. Any contact details supplied will only be used for administration purposes by the Company. On occasion we will have to provide personal information to our suppliers and agents in order to enhance the tour service. Please note that airlines are required by new laws introduced in the United States and other countries to give border control agencies access to passenger data. Accordingly any information the Company has regarding any passengers travel arrangements may be disclosed to the customs and immigration. Please see our GDPR section on the website for further information.