Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions teachers, principals and parents ask before booking a school trip.
What is included in my trip cost?
Depending on your package selection, Richmond Tours can handle every aspect of your trip from start to finish. Your trip cost can include ground and/or air transportation, hotel accommodations, meals, admissions, events, security, customer support, a detailed itinerary, complimentary chaperones, all gratuities and taxes, and liability insurance.
Are you a Department of Education vendor?
Yes, Richmond Tours is an approved New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) vendor. Our vendor number is RIC397449, and we are MWBE-certified, which may allow schools to purchase our services without bidding, subject to applicable DOE procurement guidelines.
Are chaperone costs included in my price?
Yes! We recommend a ratio of one chaperone for every 10 students, with the cost of those chaperones included in the trip package. Additional chaperones are welcome but may be subject to an additional charge.
How do you handle dietary restrictions?
We do our best to accommodate all of the different dietary restrictions that our customers may have. Upon booking a trip, students and teachers are encouraged to let us know of any dietary restrictions in a timely manner, ideally at least one week before the trip.
Do you offer support while we are on tour?
Yes! Our team is available during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time, at 718-979-3111. If you are traveling with us outside of these hours, we encourage you to call our office, as an agent may still be available to assist you. If no one is available, please leave a detailed message, and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Do you accommodate participants with disabilities?
Of course. We welcome all participants and will go above and beyond to accommodate students' needs, including wheelchair-accessible motorcoaches and accessible hotel rooms. Please contact us in advance regarding any special needs.
What payment methods do you accept?
Richmond Tours accepts credit card, cash, check, purchase orders, wire transfer, and BILL.com. Because we are MWBE certified, NYC public schools can pay by purchase order without a bid.
Do you offer flexible payment options?
Yes. We understand that some students may take longer to come up with the funds for a trip. We do our best to accommodate late payments or last-minute additions to a trip. Just talk to us.
How far in advance should we book?
For overnight trips, book three to six months ahead so we can hold hotel rooms and motorcoaches for your dates; popular senior-trip weekends at Villa Roma fill up a year out. Day trips can often be arranged with four to six weeks' notice.
Is there a minimum group size?
We work with groups of all sizes. Every trip is quoted for your actual headcount, and a full motorcoach gives the best per-student value, but tell us your numbers and we will build the trip around them.
Do you provide security?
Yes. Private security guards can be added to any trip for an additional cost, and several overnight packages already include one security guard per bus with 10 PM to 7 AM hotel security.
Can we get a price without transportation?
Yes. If your school arranges its own buses, most packages have an admission-only rate without transportation. Mention it when you request a quote and we will price the trip both ways.
Still have a question?
Call us and a real person picks up, Monday to Friday 9 to 5.