Frequently Asked Questions
What's included in the tour price?
Inclusive fares mean no unexpected extras. Your fare includes luxury coach travel, comfortable accommodation, cooked breakfasts, most lunches and morning teas and 2 course dinners (with choices). Check the itinerary for the BLD symbols to tell you which meals are included each day. Tea and coffee are included with most meals. Alcoholic beverages or other drinks are at your own expense.
All admittances to attractions and venues are included as per the itinerary – if it’s in the itinerary, there’s no more to pay. If it’s not stated on the itinerary, it’s not included.
How many people will be on my trip?
Blue Bus Tours have a maximum of 34 passengers on our 36 seat luxury Blue Tour Coach and 30 on our new 5 star luxury Blue Tour Coach. Our usual tour sizes are between 20 and 34 passengers. Two person crews are used on all our tours that are 5 days duration or more, subject to minimum passenger numbers. Your driver and tour manager offer extensive experience and will provide excellent caring and professional service and commentary.
What is the coach like?
Our luxury tour coaches are fully air conditioned with extra wide comfortable reclining seats and very generous legroom. There are footrests and map pockets on each seat. There is an onboard restroom, onboard fridge and USB charge points for your mobile devices at every seat. Our tour coaches are a striking blue colour so you won’t miss them!
Do you have seat rotation?
For the enjoyment of all passengers, there is a daily seat rotation in which all passengers, by booking a tour, agree to accept and participate. This allows for everyone to experience the spectacular views from front and window seats (although with our large panoramic windows, the view is excellent from every seat), and you’ll have a better opportunity to get to know your fellow passengers.
Passengers suffering from motion sickness are advised to take the necessary precautions as seat rotation is compulsory so no seats can be reserved.
What type of accommodation do we stay in?
We book into comfortable 3 – 4 star motels (sometimes 5 star!), or the best available in some regional areas. The rooms are ensuited (although this may not be the case for some regional accommodation such as outback pubs). Most will have TV, air conditioning, tea and coffee facilities and guest laundry facilities on site.
Do we stay in ground floor accommodation?
Wherever possible, ground floor accommodation is provided or rooms close to a lift in multi-storey buildings. However, ground floor accommodation cannot be guaranteed and on occasions you may need to manage a full flight of stairs to reach first floor rooms. We will deliver and collect your luggage from your room, in this case. Please advise us when booking of any mobility/disability issues.
What is the difference between a twin room and a double room?
A double room may feature just one bed and this may be a double, queen or king size bed. A twin room has two separate beds of any size, this may be two singles, two doubles or one single and one queen.
What is the single traveller supplement?
A single supplement is a charge paid by a solo traveller for accommodation where only one person is staying in a room. If you wish to twin share you will need to organise your own travelling companion, otherwise the single supplement is payable. This gives you the privacy of a room on your own.
Will I have any free time?
Blue Bus Tours offers easy pace itineraries that have a balance between the need to “move on” to reach the destination and the opportunity to stop and enjoy the places we visit. Our itineraries are designed so that you don’t feel rushed, there are plenty of comfort stops along the way and we arrive at our motels in plenty of time to settle into your room and freshen up before dinner.
Our Stayput tours offer an easier pace of travel where we stay in the one place for the duration of the trip and only need to unpack once. This provides a greater opportunity to explore and enjoy all the hidden delights a region has to offer and greater relaxation for you.
Where do you pick up?
Blue Bus Tours is based in the Redlands Coast so our tours start and end there. We will pick up at local points in Redland Bay, Victoria Point, Cleveland (including the Rail Station) and Capalaba, depending on where our passengers are. We will also pick up at the Redland Bay Marina, Victoria Point Jetty and Toondah Harbour for the convenience of passengers travelling from the Bay Islands, Stradbroke and Coochie Islands. For travellers coming from further afield, we will pick up at Roma St Station in the city, on request. Otherwise, there are some wonderful accommodation providers in the Redlands who would be delighted to have you stay before and/or after your tour. Contact us for recommendations or visit Redlands Coast Visitor Information. The tour pick up schedule including locations and times will be notified prior to the tour commencement once we know where everyone is located.
What if I have special dietary requirements?
All efforts are made to accommodate special dietary requirements for most common and medically-recommended diets such as vegetarian, diabetic or gluten-free. Most catering for our tours is provided by other parties including restaurants, cafes and the onsite kitchens at the accommodation. We will inform all meal providers of special passenger diets where advice is needed, however we cannot guarantee such requests will be met in all instances. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that dietary requirements in accordance with strict religious requirements such as Kosher or Halal, and requests for specific dietary supplements such as non-dairy milks, salt-free, and high protein or low-carb meals will be provided, particularly in regional areas.
Please advise any special dietary requirements at the time of your booking and we will ensure that all information is passed on to our suppliers. Blue Bus Tours accepts no responsibility for catering providers that do not meet expected dietary requirements.
How fit do I need to be?
You must be able to walk up a flight of stairs and embark and disembark the coach unaided to travel on a standard Blue Bus Tour. We ask that if you have a medical condition which may affect you while on tour to inform us on booking. We recommend that you consult your doctor to see if you are fit to travel.
Blue Bus Tours welcomes passengers with disabilities or special needs to travel on our All Abilities tours. These will be noted on the tour itinerary. However, self-independence and mobility capacities apply and, with limited staff on a coach, we cannot provide individual assistance for walking, dining, getting on and off the coach or other transportation vehicles or other personal needs. If personal assistance is required on tour, we do require that passengers are accompanied by a companion capable of providing all necessary assistance. Any special requirements must be advised at time of booking.
On some extended tours, there will be a limit to the number of wheelchairs and walkers we can carry due to space limitations. Please enquire if this may affect you.
How much luggage can I bring?
You can bring one medium suitcase or bag per person, maximum weight not exceeding 20kg due to the limited space on the coach and our staff workplace health and safety. You can also bring one piece of hand luggage with your personal items, provided it is small enough to take on the coach. You need to be able to manage your own suitcase. We prefer couples to bring two smaller cases rather than one large case.
When do I need to pay?
We will send you an invoice with payment details once we have received your booking form. A non-refundable deposit is due within 7 days of booking, with final payment due 45 days prior to departure unless otherwise advised.
What if my tour is cancelled?
If we cancel a departure due to insufficient numbers or for reasons in our control, you will be given the opportunity to transfer to another tour or receive a full refund.
If a tour is cancelled for reasons outside our control (eg Force Majeure) we may not be able to refund your tour payments (see our Terms and Conditions). We recommend you purchase adequate travel insurance.
What if I cancel my trip due to unforeseen circumstances?
Depending on when you cancel your tour, various fees apply, as set out in our Terms and Conditions. We strongly recommend that you consult an independent travel insurance provider for peace of mind before and during your trip.
Can I smoke on the coach?
Government regulations prohibit smoking or the consumption of alcohol on board coaches.
Do you have gift vouchers?
Yes, Gift Vouchers are available. When the kids or the grandkids ask you what you want for Christmas or your next birthday, why not tell them to buy you a Blue Bus Tours Gift Voucher? Travel gift vouchers are available for any amount. Just call our office staff for details.