Coronavirus Update

Coronavirus Update
Last Updated 2.10pm Wednesday 25.08.21

Important Travel Announcement

We are closely monitoring the situation and due to the continued travel restrictions across Europe, unfortunately this means we will be unable to operate any European tours (excluding Ireland) due to depart up to and including the 13th September 2021. If you have a booking with us that is affected, you can choose to move your holiday free of charge, plus you’ll receive a discount.

You can choose to:

• Move to the same tour or a different tour, departing later this year – places are filling up fast so don't miss out!
• Move to the same tour next year at the same price you paid for 2021.
• Switch to a different tour altogether for 2022.
• Leave your money in our secure Trust Account until you decide.
• Receive a full refund.

Whichever option you choose for moving your tour, you’ll receive a discount of £20pp for holidays under 7 days in duration, and £50pp for holidays of 7 days or more.

We will be contacting all affected customers to discuss the above alternative travel options or to arrange a refund. Customers will be contacted in departure date order.

We have a limited number of staff working and expect a high volume of calls during this time. Therefore, we politely request that you await our call. If your holiday is affected, you will be contacted by us soon.

Coronavirus Peace of Mind

Your safety and wellbeing are our utmost priority and we would like to reassure you that we are continuously monitoring all government advice.

If you are due to travel in the coming weeks, we understand that you may feel anxious to travel after the recent announcements regarding social gatherings in groups of no more than six people. We can confirm that this announcement does not affect transport, and therefore tours are scheduled to go ahead as planned.

We have taken many measures to safeguard your holiday, which you can read about below and we have worked closely with our coach/hotel partners to ensure all health and safety guidelines are met. We want to ensure you travel with complete peace of mind on your next tour.

What to expect on your Shearings holiday

We understand you may have questions about what to expect on your upcoming holiday with us, including the procedures in place with regards to Coronavirus. Providing you with a safe experience is our highest priority, and we want to ensure your holiday is one to remember. Find out more about the measures we are taking, along with general information on what you can expect, here

COVID-19 Travel Insurance Cover

We’ve teamed up with travel insurance providers, Towergate Insurance, to offer complete peace of mind when booking your holiday during the Coronavirus outbreak. Our new COVID-19 policy covers you for disruption to your holiday plans as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you have already taken out our insurance, you will be happy to know that all existing policies have been backdated to include our COVID-19 cover at no extra cost to you. Find out more about our insurance cover here

Coronavirus Peace of Mind Policy

If you contract COVID-19 before you’re due to travel, or you have been told to self-isolate, you will also be able to move your booking to another tour or date for free*.

• You can change your holiday and date for free – for a limited time only, you can change your holiday to a later departure date or different tour at no extra cost. One change per booking can be made – call for more details.
• SUPER-LOW deposit – reserve your place from just £1pp for all October and November* 2021 holidays (*Up to the 14th November 2021 holidays only), then nothing to pay until 6 weeks before departure.

* proof will be required.

Measures we're taking to safeguard your holiday

Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, we have been closely monitoring Government guidelines. As of today, there are no specific restrictions around the number of people on coaches, however, in order to make your journey as safe and comfortable as possible, we’re putting the following into practice:

1. The front row seats behind the driver will not be occupied for the duration of your holiday. However, the front seats on the passenger side of the coach will be available for UK breaks.
2. You will be required to bring your own face covering and to wear it throughout your journey on the coach.
3. At your joining point, each customer will be temperature checked before entering the vehicle. Any customer who has a temperature above 37.5 degrees will be advised that they can’t travel. They will receive a full credit, to be used against another holiday, less a £20pp administration fee.
4. We will provide hand sanitiser on board the coach that must be used upon entrance and exit of the vehicle.
5. Onboard toilets will be out of use during all journeys, however, the facility can be used in an emergency, and regular stops will be made throughout your journey.
6. During each night of your holiday, your coach will be treated with an antibacterial fogging machine that will disinfect all surfaces within the vehicle.

General advice

All customers should follow sensible guidance to reduce their risk of exposure to Coronavirus while this outbreak is ongoing. Viruses can easily be passed from person to person, however, the best preventative measure to stop the spread of infections is to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap, then rinse them well under running water. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Always cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin and wash your hands with soap and water.

We will update this page with further information as guidance from the Government changes. The latest information and advice on travel to specific countries can be found at www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

If you have further questions that aren’t covered above, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01709 249 699.