FAQs for groupleaders

If your question isn't on here, please contact us.


About your quotation
About your booking
Change in passenger number
Group passport
Passport validity
Visa Waiver Form
Compulsory US Entry Requirements/Procedures
Itinerary
About our Coaches
Passenger numbers
Drivers
Use of the coach
About Health and Safety

About your quotation

  1. What is a 'Group Leaders Allowance'?
    This is an allowance made payable to the group leader (or school if preferred) for out-of-pocket expenses (e.g to cover telephone/stationery and time & effort)

  2. Although your quote gives me 1 free member of staff per 10 paying children (or 1 per 8 for trips involving more than one overnight stay), I would like to take more staff than this. What should I do?
    If you make us aware of this at the time you ask us for a quote, we will adjust the price accordingly. If you make us aware at a later stage, we will charge you for adding an additional adult. This will often be slightly more than the price per person for a child because of the additional cost of accommodation, ferry crossings, Disneyland tickets etc for adults.

  3. Does the price you will quote me include a rep or courier?
    No. However, we can arrange local guides for specific areas, eg. tours of battlefields, if you need them.

  4. Does the price you will quote me include admission fees?
    No, except for a small number of attractions such as Disneyland. The itinerary you receive will make it clear which admission fees are included and which are not.

  5. We have our own insurance. Will you give me a discount if I don’t take yours?
    Normally, the price we quote will include insurance. However, if you do not wish to use our insurance please let us know when you ask us for a quote and we will adjust our price accordingly. We will also require you to sign a disclaimer to formally advise that our insurance is not required.
    View our insurance policy here
top

About your booking

  1. How much do we need as a deposit for the trip?
    - For day trips normally £10 per paying passenger.
    - For longer trips it will vary, but you will normally pay an initial deposit followed by the second deposit after 6 weeks.

  2. We want to take a day trip in 6 weeks time (short notice). Is this OK?
    4 weeks is our advised minimum as it takes that long to do the necessary administration - we are flexible about last-payment dates but we really need full payment at least 2 weeks before travel.

  3. If we get 2 coach-loads can we have a discount?
    If you have 80 paying (the normal minimum number for 2 coaches) then the price per person is the same as for 44 paying. Really you should have 88 paying (44 on each coach) to qualify for that price, so you are already getting a discount effectively.

top

Change in passenger number
  1. We've got 49 passengers, can we take some more?
    Depends on the time of year and how many more passengers. Please telephone the office for advice.

  2. What happens if we don't get 44 passengers?
    The price will increase. We will send you a Re-quote showing the new price. It does get significantly more expensive below 25 paying passengers.
top

Group passport
  1. Who organises the Collective (or Group) Passport?
    The passport must be arranged directly by the Group leaders

  2. What is the cost?
    £39 - to be paid by us (we deduct £39 from the invoice)

  3. How many people can go on a Collective (Group) Passport?
    50 people (under 18 years only).

  4. What happens if there are more than 50 children?
    - Check if anyone has their own passport.
    - If there are 60 or more passengers we pay for two group passports.
  5. More information here:
    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/Aboutcollectivegrouppassports


Passport validity

Does my passport need to be valid for 6 months when I travel?

Some countries will not let you enter if your passport has less than six months left to run. The rules vary by country. More details here

top

'Visa Waiver Form’

  1. What is the Visa Waiver form?
    The Visa Waiver Form is for school trips to countries in the European Union (EU) for pupils on the trip who are of a non-EU nationality. The List of Travellers form allows the pupils to go on the trip without getting a visa. If the pupils on a trip are all from the UK or EU countries then the form isn’t needed.
    Find out more on the British council web site http://www.britishcouncil.org/home-information-centre-list-of-travellers-scheme.htm

  2. Compulsory US Entry Requirements/Procedures
    Please be aware that as from the 12th January 2009 all passengers travelling or transiting the US on the current visa waiver program will need to obtain an electronic travel authorisation prior to boarding an air or sea carrier to the US. Full details about Compulsory US Entry Requirements/Procedures
top

Itinerary
  1. Can we go one way by Eurotunnel and the other way by Ferry?
    - Yes.....but for day trips at a supplement of £7.50.
    - Yes.......for longer trips at no extra cost.

  2. Can we travel by North Sea Ferries?
    At a fairly heavy supplement it is possible to travel by North Sea Ferries (Overnight cabins are more expensive than standard reclining seat, please telephone the office for advice)

  3. How long does it take to get to Aachen?
    4.5 hours from Calais approx.

  4. Can we leave at 00.10 and get back at 23.30 on our day trip.?
    Normally a day trip duration is 21 hrs max as this is the limit of 2 drivers

  5. What do you do when you get there?
    An itinerary will be prepared beforehand. The pupils can practice language skills in the street (surveys etc. - ask the way, time, stamps & postcards), visit places of interest and have meals in local restaurants.

  6. Do you recommend full or half board?
    Normally, full board ( B&B + evening meal + packed lunch) as it is easier for the Group Leader. They will not have to worry about where to stop and buy lunch for 40 + children
top

About our Coaches

  1. Do the coaches have toilets?
    Comfort stops will be made regularly at motorway service areas. Toilets should be used at these areas as far as possible but on Executive Vehicles there are toilets which may be used "for emergency use" (The toilets have a very limited capacity and constant use will lead to overflow or unpleasant smells. It is not permitted for the driver to empty his toilet anywhere other than at licenced toilet "dropping points" which are very scarce.)

  2. Do all your coaches have seatbelts?
    Yes, all coaches (for school groups) must have seatbelts by law. NB: they are usually lapbelts and not 3 point belts like the ones in cars

  3. What are the drinks facilities on the coach?
    There are usually tea/coffee making facilities. You pay the driver for drinks. (We recommend that children do not use the hot drinks facility for safety reasons.) Some coach companies will sell cans of soft drinks, but this needs to be arranged in advance.

  4. Is there a first aid kit on the coach?
    Yes there is, but we suggest you take your own as well (your LEA/school regulations will probably require that you take your own).

  5. How many TV screens will our coach have?
    Usually there is just one TV monitor. It depends on the vehicle allocated.

  6. Will there be a microphone on the coach?
    Yes. If it is essential please tell us so that we can advise the coach company allocated.

  7. Do you have any coaches with trailers?
    Yes a few, but we need at least 3 months notice to arrange this as they are in great demand.

  8. Where can I find more information about your coaches?
    You can find more information in the Transport section of this website.
top

Passenger numbers
  1. Does the 49 seats include the drivers seat?
    No - there are 49 seats for passengers, excluding the driver.

  2. We have 50 passengers, can one of them sit in the courier seat?
    The courier seat is only for drivers or official couriers/guide and not for passengers. The Group Leader or other Adult may opt to sit in this seat.

  3. We've got 49 passengers, can we take some more?
    It rather depends on the time of year, how many more passengers (and whether it is possible to change the coach allocation). With plenty of notice we can usually find 51 seats.

  4. We have 137 passengers, how many coaches will we have?
    It depends on the vehicles available on the day(s) of your trip. It could be 2 x 71 seaters (ie DDs) or 3 x 49 seaters. We will normally try to tell you nearer the time.

top

Drivers
  1. Will the driver speak French/German/Spanish/Polish?
    This is very unlikely.

  2. We don't want to spend 9 hours in Aachen (or Köln) on our day trip.
    Can we have 2 drivers and spend less time in Aachen (or Köln)? Having 2 drivers will still mean you have to spend 9 hrs in Aachen (Köln). Groups from Kent & E Sussex can do a trip within 21hrs (with 2 drivers & no 9 hr break) so you would only have about 5 hrs in Aachen (Köln is too far for this to work).

top

Use of the coach
  1. When and where will we have stops on the journey?
    The time and location of the stops will depend on the prevailing traffic conditions on the day.

  2. Can we use the coach to drive round Paris to the different visits?
    The coach can drop you off at a convenient place, but it can't wait for you because it can only park in official coach parks. Once your group is in Paris you will need to use the Métro or walk.

  3. Can we use the coach in the evenings?
    It depends. On the first night, this will not normally be possible because the driver has been driving all day. On other nights it is usually OK to use the coach provided we are informed in advance and this is shown on the itinerary. Also the driver must have his 11 hr break over-night, so if they get back very late (eg midnight) they will not be able to use the coach the next day until late morning.

  4. Can we eat on the coach?
    It depends on the driver as some prefer that food is not consumed on their vehicle. When pupils do eat on the coach please make sure that they put all rubbish in the rubbish bags.

  5. Can we leave things on the coach?
    Yes, but at your own risk - no valuables! You cannot go back to the coach to get things if the driver is on a statutory rest break.

  6. Can I have the coach company's telephone number?
    No - if they have a problem or the coach is delayed then please call the 24hr Emergency numbers that are in the Final Information Pack as we have all the out-of-hours numbers for coach companies & drivers.

top

About Health and Safety

  1. Have your drivers been Police and Criminal Records Bureau checked?
    Normally Yes. We ask all Coach Operators to take all reasonable precautions to ensure that drivers allocated to school tours are "child-friendly" and have been appropriately vetted.

  2. Does your company have a Safety Management System?
    Yes and we publish our Safety Management System for the benefit of Group Leaders, Teachers, Parents and LEA's.

  3. How often does your company conduct inspections of Hotels or Coach companies?
    Our Safety Management System gives details of all aspects of the frequency and scope of vetting of the Hotels and Coach Companies we use.

  4. Do you provide Risk Assessments for all the places on our itinerary to be visited?
    We have a great many Risk Assessments for most of the places that you are due to visit. There is no substitute for Teachers and Group Leaders conducting their own risk assessments in the light of the special needs of pupils and passengers that they are taking however.

  5. what is an E111 / European Health Insurance Card?
    The E111 is the certificate that entitles you to treatment that becomes necessary during your visit to the EEA or Switzerland. We recommend that all your students obtain a European Health Insurance Card (new name for the old E111) before travelling. You can apply through the NSH online.