Gold Star Terms & Conditions – V2-2026

 

Gold Star Tours Ltd sets out booking, payment, cancellation, travel, insurance, passenger conduct, luggage, accommodation, ticketing, weather, and administrative terms for its day tours, theatre tours, and holidays. The main client is responsible for the booking, payment, and accuracy of supplied information, while clients must follow provider and tour rules throughout their journey.  

 

Booking and passenger information

The main person making a booking is responsible for payment and for providing accurate name, address, contact number, and email details where applicable. During booking, Gold Star Tours may request the number of travellers, tour dates, theatre or day-tour details, and passenger names for holiday accommodation. Clients may also provide special requests or requirements.  

Meal choices and dietary requirements should be supplied at booking because late information may not be able to be accommodated. European tours and tours involving a sea crossing require date of birth, sex, and, for European travel, passport details before the final deadline. 

 

After booking, Gold Star Tours sends confirmation by post or email, including any final-payment deadline. Day and theatre confirmations may include seat number, time, and pickup location; holiday departure information may instead be confirmed with the itinerary. Show and attraction tickets are generally retained by Gold Star Tours and distributed on the coach on the day of the tour. 

 

Information and data protection

Gold Star Tours states that client information is held on a secure server, is not sold to other parties, and is shared only where necessary. Potential recipients include the coach driver through the passenger list, crossing providers for manifests, and accommodation providers for names and special requests or needs. Gold Star Tours states that it does not hold, store, or write card details as part of its PCI policies and is registered with the ICO.  

 

Payments

Day and theatre tours require a deposit on booking and agreement to pay the final balance by the stated date. Full payment may be made earlier but must be received bythe final-payment deadline. The same final-payment approach applies across holidays, day tours, and theatre tours.  

 

If final payment is not received, Gold Star Tours may send or make a reminder. If payment remains outstanding for more than 10 days, Gold Star Tours may cancel the booking without refunding the deposit.

Private groups must pay Gold Star Tours directly to benefit from financial-loss insurance and comply with holiday laws concerning client funds. Gold Star Tours accepts card payments other than American Express, Bacs transfers, and cheques. 

 

Financial protection and travel insurance

Gold Star Tours recommends that clients on holiday tours obtain their own travel insurance, including cover for illness-related cancellation.

 

It states that it has purchased Travel Regulation Insolvency Protection Insurance for clients under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 No.684. The policy is arranged by Towergate Travel with AXA Insurance UK plc, and clients may request a copy of the policy wording. 

 

Gold Star Tours also states that it has liability insurance intended to safeguard against financial losses if a tour component, such as a hotel or travel provider, enters administration. The policy may cover losses or provide financial assistance toward alternative arrangements and is administered by Everywhen.

 

Clients may arrange travel insurance through the Everywhen introducer arrangement, which provides access to insurance arranged by David Oliver Associates, or through any provider of their choice. Gold Star Tours does not provide advice or recommend a particular policy. Clients arranging their own cover should consider their individual needs, including medical and repatriation expenses, personal liability, baggage, and cancellation. Gold Star Tours may request insurance details for emergency administration.  

 

Booking changes and changes by Gold Star Tours

Booking changes involving passengers, meals, rooms, rates, or other details must be made by the main booking person. Cancellations must also be made by that person, except where extreme illness or death prevents this.

 

Gold Star Tours states that it will notify clients of tour changes as soon as possible. For major changes involving the date or place, it may offer free cancellation with a refund or transfer if the client does not accept the revised arrangements. 

 

Cancellation policy

 

Client cancellation and non-payment

Failure to pay the final balance may result in cancellation after the stated reminder process and more than 10 days of non-payment, with no deposit refund. 

 

For day tours and theatre tours, the full payment or deposit is lost if the client cancels, and it cannot be transferred to another tour. For holidays, the deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable, while the final-payment terms continue to apply.  

 

The holiday cancellation rates stated for 2026 are:

• From booking: the deposit is lost. 

• From the final-payment date: 100 percent of payments are charged.

 

A cancellation letter may be requested for notification purposes or for submission to a client’s insurance company when making a cancellation claim.

 

Cancellation by Gold Star Tours

If Gold Star Tours cancels the whole tour, clients may be offered a refund of monies paid, a transfer to another tour, or retention of the monies on the client account for a future booking.  

 

Travel conduct and punctuality

Clients must follow the rules and applicable laws imposed by travel providers, including requirements such as wearing seat belts and not smoking. Behaviour that causes problems for the driver or other clients, including verbal offensive behaviour or threats, may result in removal from the tour without a refund. Clients must tidy up after themselves and may be charged for cleaning where an extreme mess is created.  

 

Clients are responsible for keeping to departure, comfort-stop, and return times. If a client is extremely late, the coach may leave without that person, with no further transport, provision, or refund. Clients are also responsible for being ready for timed departures, attractions, and other events; Gold Star Tours is not responsible if a late client misses an event. 

 

An emergency contact number or the main Gold Star Tours number may be used if a client becomes lost or encounters a problem. Clients are asked to contact Gold Star Tours or the driver when late or unable to locate the coach or group. The terms state that an escort or guide cannot be provided to give directions if clients become lost or separate from the group. 

 

Property, luggage, and mobility equipment

Gold Star Tours and its providers accept no responsibility for property lost or stolen during a tour. Clients should check luggage lockers before departure and confirm that their suitcase or luggage is on board. Items left on the coach remain at the client’s own risk, particularly if the coach is being used by another group.  

 

Large items must be declared when the tour is booked and will be issued a tag with the itinerary pack. Drivers and hotel staff may refuse items that exceed their weight or size limits, and Gold Star Tours does not provide ramps for loading.  

 

Mobility scooters may not be accepted on coaches or in some hotels because certain battery types present a fire risk. Extra-large or heavy scooters will not be loaded or permitted on the coach. Clients are advised that many hotels have arrangements for hiring scooters at the resort. 

 

Comfort and onboard conduct

Day and theatre-tour coaches generally do not have toilets. If a toilet is available, it is for emergency use only. On holidays, Gold Star Tours tries to provide an executive coach with a toilet, but limited water and tank capacity mean that it should also be used only in an emergency. Tours lasting more than two hours from the final pickup point generally include an attempted comfort stop at services; a driver’s full rest break may last up to 45 minutes. 

 

Hot food is discouraged on coaches because of its smell, and hot drinks should be carried in travel-type cups for safety. Ice cream is not allowed because dairy products can mark seats and develop odours in warm conditions. Chewing gum is prohibited. Adults may bring one or two cans of alcohol, but disruptive behaviour may lead to removal from the tour without a refund.  

 

Accommodation and tickets

For holidays, Gold Star Tours seeks to provide a suitable hotel. Clients with accommodation problems should first contact hotel reception and then Gold Star Tours so that the issue can be addressed. Hotel rules apply, and a person required to leave the hotel may lose the right to continue the tour without a refund. 

 

Tickets are handed out on the coach to reduce the risk of loss or forgetting them at an attraction or theatre. Lost tickets are not replaced; the client must arrange and pay for any replacement or entrance cost. Theatre tickets may be purchased more than 12 months in advance and become non-refundable once purchased or booked. For holiday attractions or shows, payment of the deposit confirms the ticket, which in most cases has already been paid for at that point.  

 

Extreme weather and other acts of nature

Extreme weather may require Gold Star Tours to delay or cancel part of a tour until travel is safe. Drivers have the final decision on whether to drive in the prevailing conditions. If a return ferry crossing or further travel is delayed until the following day, Gold Star Tours states that it will provide accommodation or other arrangements to help clients return home safely. If weather or another act of nature cancels an excursion or show during a tour, Gold Star Tours will refund ticket costs that formed part of the general tour costs.  

 

Additional charges from 1 January 2027

The terms list the following charges:

 

• £6.00 for an additional itinerary pack.

• £2.50 for a late letter reminder.

• £0.50 for additional luggage tags supplied with an itinerary pack.

• £2.50for replacement luggage tags.

• £1.50 for reprinting and posting invoices.

• £25.00 administration fee for changes made after the final confirmation deadline.  

 

Gold Star Tours states that these charges are being introduced because of rising postage and printing costs.