Terms and conditions

Acceptance of the conditions detailed below as per Scottish Law and Custom is implied when a booking is made.

1. Payment - we accept Visa, Mastercard, Visa Debit, Solo, JCB and Visa Electron cards
2. Children and Families - we are happy to carry children who are charged at the concessionary rate (under 12's)
3. Tours - the price quoted for each tour is inclusive of transportation and guiding only. Lunch and other refreshments are not included. Entrance fees to attractions are not included although reduced prices are sometimes available.
4. Smoking - smoking is not allowed on the mini-coach.
5. Behaviour - we reserve the right to refuse to carry any person or persons whose behaviour is causing offence or alarm to others. In such cases full cancellation charges will apply.
6. Vehicles - we reserve the right to change the type of mini-coach used if the circumstances dictate this is necessary.
7. Luggage -luggage is limited to one small item per person.
8. Alterations to Itineraries - we reserve the right to change timetables or tour itineraries due to weather, availability of attractions, roadworks or any other situation beyond our control.  Refunds will not be offered in these circumstances.
9. If you book online within 24 hours of departure you MUST also phone us to confirm your booking.
10. Cancellations and refunds - where the passenger cancels a tour reservation, the effective date of cancellation will be the date on which we receive notification by telephone, email or in writing.  Your notice of cancellation must be confirmed (in writing or verbally) as received by Heart of Scotland Tours to be effective.  No refunds are offered if a customer is late for a tour/cannot find the pick-up point. Please be there 15 mins before the advertised departure time. Cancellation charges for 2012/13 are applied as follows:
    
    • Day of departure - 100% of full cost
    • 0 - 5 days - a full refund will be granted by Heart of Scotland Tours if the seat can be resold. Every effort will be made to resell the seat but a 50% charge will be applied if the seat cannot be resold. In the event of a tour being cancelled by Heart of Scotland Tours the customer will be fully refunded and every effort made to find a suitable alternative.
    
    
11. Complaints - all complaints should be initially directed to your driver/guide who will make every effort to resolve the problem. In the event that a complaint cannot be resolved on the day of the tour then it should be made in writing to nick@heartofscotlandtours.co.uk.
12. Travel insurance is recommended.

Minimum age policy

The minimum age for our scheduled tours (Tours 1-7) is 3 years old. Please be aware there may be extended periods of travelling and the longer tours, in particular, may not be suitable for children especially if they are unfamiliar with English or too young to be distracted by the driver guide's stories.

Breaks may be very short on some tours, anything from 15-45 minutes. Photostops may be as short as 5 minutes, or cancelled due to delays.
There are no changing facilities on the vehicle, so please check that the rest stops will be frequent and long enough if you are travelling with kids..

Passengers with children will be allocated seats where they will not be a distraction to the driver/guide.

An accurate age for any child travelling is required so the correct and legal type of seating can be installed. An incorrect age entered will result in a refusal to travel, so extra care must be taken when entering these details into your tour requirements. Please call us on 01828 627799 if you have any queries.

A child having an unpleasant experience on a tour can result in everyone having an unpleasant time, so every care will be taken to make sure this does not happen. The booking office can advise you on the tours most suitable to the age group, language abilities and rest stop needs for your child. Accurate information on your child's needs will be most helpful in determining which tours will best suit you and your child.

OVERNIGHT TOURS - TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Overnight tours are operated by Real Scottish Journeys whose terms and conditions are outlined below.

Heart of Scotland Tours terms and conditions are different and can be viewed here.

1. You are booking and paying for transportation and the services of a driver/guide only. Accommodation, meals, refreshments and entry fees are NOT included.

2. Accommodation: The cost of your accommodation is NOT included and you should budget for two nights accommodation on Skye (on the three day tour) and one night in Inverness (on the two day tour). Choose from the best hostels in Scotland or the best B&B’s. Tell us your budget and we will try to find the best option for you. We book it in your name and you pay for it on arrival. Some B&B’s only accept cash payment and it is always a good idea to have cash when travelling in rural Scotland.

Accommodation Price Guide:

• Hostels from £14 to £20 per person per night (Doubles sometimes available)
• B&B from £35 to £45 per person per night
• Hotels £50+ per person per night

Real Scottish Journeys will check availability of accommodation in Skye and Inverness. Some B&B’s will offer evening meals if booked in advance. Alternatively clients will be directed to a local pub, hotel or restaurant.

Please note that accommodation may be in a rural area and may involve a short walk. If clients are self catering there will be ample opportunities to buy groceries each day. Accommodation will be reserved in the clients name in the following categories: HOSTEL, B&B or HOTEL.

It is unlikely that the client will know the name of their accommodation prior to the morning of departure. Please note the client pays the accommodation provider directly and the client may remain liable for the total cost of the accommodation in the event of cancellation by the client. Some of the smaller family run establishments may only accept cash.

Your reservation will only be confirmed when full payment is received by Real Scottish Journeys or Heart of Scotland Tours or an agent appointed by Real Scottish Journeys or Heart of Scotland Tours.

3. Cancellations - a cancellation more than 14 days before tour departure – 100% refund. A cancellation less than 14 days before tour departure – entirely at our discretion but typically no refund unless the seat(s) can be resold in which case 100% refund.
Real Scottish Journeys or Heart of Scotland Tours reserves the right to cancel trips under exceptional circumstances.

In such cases clients will be promptly informed and offered:

• a transfer to a substitute tour or an alternative tour provided by another tour operator.
• a full or partial refund of any monies paid to Real Scottish Journeys, Heart of Scotland Tours or appointed agents.
  

4. Luggage  - overloaded buses are illegal and dangerous. Please limit your luggage to a small suitcase, maximum weight 10kg per person. If you are returning to the same accommodation in Edinburgh they will store your excess luggage. There are left luggage facilities at Waverley Station (10 mins walk from our pick-up point at Waterloo Place).  We reserve the right not to carry luggage that we believe to be overweight.

Minimum age policy

The minimum age for our scheduled tours (Tours 1-7) is 3 years old. Please be aware there may be extended periods of travelling and the longer tours, in particular, may not be suitable for children especially if they are unfamiliar with English or too young to be distracted by the driver guide's stories.

Breaks may be very short on some tours, anything from 15-45 minutes. Photostops may be as short as 5 minutes, or cancelled due to delays.
There are no changing facilities on the vehicle, so please check that the rest stops will be frequent and long enough if you are travelling with kids..

Passengers with children will be allocated seats where they will not be a distraction to the driver/guide.

An accurate age for any child travelling is required so the correct and legal type of seating can be installed. An incorrect age entered will result in a refusal to travel, so extra care must be taken when entering these details into your tour requirements. Please call us on 01828 627799 if you have any queries.

A child having an unpleasant experience on a tour can result in everyone having an unpleasant time, so every care will be taken to make sure this does not happen. The booking office can advise you on the tours most suitable to the age group, language abilities and rest stop needs for your child. Accurate information on your child's needs will be most helpful in determining which tours will best suit you and your child.