1. Can we get traveler's cancellation insurance for a certain price? If, for some reason, someone backs out, you still get your money from the insurance. I don't know how it works,
Insurance comes in two different forms as far as cancellation goes. I have attached one such policy to this reply. As you will note, cancellation is a covered expense if it is for sickness, injury…
Cancellation “just because” is not something covered by many policies. It is known as “Cancel for any reason” coverage. We do have a company that offers it, but if someone decides to cancel “just because…”, it will only cover 75% of what is paid for the trip. If someone drops out and does not have this type of insurance, we do have penalties (will be in the Agreement). Cancel for any reason is typically something adults will purchase. We do not normally offer it to school groups because no one has ever asked for it. If it is something you want, I can see what we can do. We do offer it through one of our companies, but it is priced out according to AGE and PRICE of TOUR.
2. Will we have security at the hotel?
Hotel Security will be taken care of. We use a company for our hotel security.
3. What are the safety protocols and measures in place during the trip?
Obviously, the hotel security is a big one we use. Though this will depend upon your enforcement, we emphasize that student must be with adults at all times. No one should go anywhere except there be a minimum of 3 people together.
In addition, we publish MULTIPLE phone numbers for everyone to have in an APP we provide to your group. If you like, we can also have name tags in lanyards with numbers on the reverse side.
It is so important than no one lower their guard wherever they travel. Washington DC is full of wonderful people and great sites and attractions. But using common sense and being in groups at all times are so important. We can work together on the final rules you feel comfortable with and how to best enforce them. If you have a large group, we can also have staff there to assist.
4. How do you handle medical emergencies or students who become ill?
This is one are where you must have an insurance card or medical sheet for each student on file. We do not carry this nor can we be the ones to seek the medical help for students as we are a tour company and for the most part, we have little authority over the students or their care beyond what we provide.
We do need to know about food allergies or other conditions so we can help our staff to be aware of them. Ultimate health care is something that must be done according to your schools protocol.
5. Will there be a tour guide or coordinator with us at all times?
You will have a tour guide with you at all times while touring. We can also have an onsite tour coordinator (or two) with your group while traveling and while in DC. We do this for groups who request it who are large enough for us to cover this extra cost. We have people here who can meet your group and travel with you.
6. Are there any additional costs we should anticipate (e.g., meals not included, souvenirs, tips for guides)?
Tips are something that is customary and appreciated. We suggest $3 per person per day for the guide and $2 per person per day for the bus driver. If you have a tour coordinator along, this is something which should be considered by your group as well because they will serve you and do an amazing job.
7. What is your contingency plan for unexpected events such as extreme weather or a government shutdown that might affect planned activities?
Another excellent question. The past two tours I have been working with directly has had weather issues. In both cases we were scheduled to visit Arlington Cemetery on a day it was supposed to rain. In both cases we moved the Arlington visit one day ahead and rearranged the itinerary. This is NOT always possible if you have ticketed visits which cannot be changed. These include – Capitol Hill Tour, Holocaust Museum, Washington Monument or Air & Space Museum. However, we typically do not arrange a day full of tickets events to allow for such changes as needed. Mt Vernon is ticketed, but some of the attractions are indoors.
We cannot plan for every adverse weather activity, but we can make some changes on the fly. Even our guides are great at this. If you miss a monument one day due to stormy weather, you go back a different day. Perhaps you change a visit to Arlington with a visit to the Museum of American History (only an example). We can make some changes.
One thing which would be very difficult to do much about is a Government Shut Down. There would be a few places which would be affected. This is a case-by-case basis and if it occurs, depending on when it would occur, we will make alterations accordingly. There are plenty of things to see and do in DC.
8. How do you communicate with parents and the school during the trip in case of emergencies?
Communication with parents is typically done though your school channels. We communicate with you and your coordinators. You would then communicate with your parents/school. This is the fastest way to do this.
Some schools employ an app for keeping parents informed about things going on during the trip. We had an app we were going to incorporate into our trips but schools told us they had their own systems. We decided to not pursue this avenue as it was not being used.
Some schools have fast links to communicate with parents. Here is one app that we considered: https://www.gochapperone.com/
9. Can I pay all at once?
You can pay the full amount or follow the payment schedule.
10. By signing up am I guaranteed a spot?
No. First thing is to sign up, that helps me plan for the number of buses we will need. Second is you need to pay the $100 deposit, those who pay first will be given priority. We have to have enough to fill the bus (minimum of 40). A full bus is 54. So, you sign up, pay the deposit and we have enough for a bus then you are guaranteed a seat.
11. What type of buses will we be traveling on?
We are taking touring buses.