Seatbelts and Children

• All passengers are required to wear seatbelts in seatbelt equipped vehicles. Connect Coaches employees are not responsible for policing this requirement.
• Parents, guardians and clients are required to ensure all children wear seatbelts in seatbelt equipped vehicles.
• Connect Coaches is not responsible for the provision, installation and securing of children and child booster seats, capsules and child restraints. Parents, guardians and clients are responsible to provide, install and secure all child restraint and booster seats.
• Connect Coaches drivers are not responsible for the behaviour and safety of children when not accompanied by a parent or guardian. Connect Coaches bus and coach drivers are responsible for the safe operation of the vehicle as this is their primary focus.

Where a wheelchair lift is fitted;

• Connect Coaches is responsible for the operation of the wheelchair lift or ramp,
• Connect Coaches wheelchair accessible vehicles will have generic anchor points and straps for use,
• Connect Coaches is not responsible for the anchoring of the wheel chair,
• Connect Coaches employees will assist in anchoring wheel chairs but the parent, guardian, supervisor or client is responsible for the anchoring.

• Connect Coaches reserve the right to eject any passengers behaving in an inappropriate, offensive, intoxicated or destructive manner from the vehicle or stop the vehicle until the situation has been resolved.
• This may include requesting police to attend.
• No illicit drugs or alcohol is to be consumed on any Connect Coaches vehicle.
• Smoking is not permitted on any Connect Coaches vehicle.

• Passengers and clients are responsible for any damage caused to the vehicle as a direct result of their booking.
• Examples include vandalism, excessive vehicle cleaning due to food or beverage spillage and breakage of interior or exterior fittings.
• Connect Coaches is not responsible for any damage or soiling of luggage. Connect Coaches will exercise all care when loading and unloading luggage.

Connect Coaches employees may request assistance in loading or unloading any luggage items.

• Connect Coaches is not responsible for any property left or thought to be left on a Connect Coaches vehicle.
• Connect Coaches will endeavor to search each vehicle at least daily for lost property and store it at the depot office for a minimum of 48 hours. Connect Coaches reserves the right to dispose of or destroy any lost property after this time.
• Any lost property found must be collected from a Connect Coaches depot within 48 hours.

Connect Coaches does not guarantee the security of any lost property.

• Connect Coaches will issue confirmations for all bookings (invoice &/or receipt)
• Passengers are advised to check all details thoroughly
• Bookings are not confirmed until payment has been received
• Payment must be received by the due date on the invoice unless another arrangement has been made with Connect Coaches to have this due date extended
• If payment has not been received by the due date & an alternate arrangement has not been made, Connect Coaches has the right to sell this ticket to another person
• In the event of a passenger cancelling their ticket after they have made payment for a public day tour, Connect Coaches will only refund the amount if the passenger's ticket can be resold
• If Connect Coaches has already paid a third party involved in a day tour (such as, but not limited to: a restaurant reservation, guided tour fee, concert ticket, accommodation, wraps/sandwiches from a bakery etc.), they will not refund this component of the total cost unless they can resell the passenger's ticket
• If a day tour is cancelled by Connect Coaches, due to vehicle breakdown or driver illness, they will endeavour to provide an alternate vehicle & driver. If unable to do so, they will provide an alternate date for the planned day tour. If a passenger is unable to attend on this alternate date, Connect Coaches will issue a full refund
• If a day tour is cancelled by a third party, Connect Coaches will refund or credit our component of the ticket cost. The third party component of the ticket cost will be refunded to passengers once this amount has been refunded to us by the third party
• Credit notes may be issued by Connect Coaches, at their discretion, & are valid for 12 months from their date of issue & cannot be exchanged for cash

• Food & drinks (with the exception of water) are not to be consumed onboard a Connect Coaches' vehicle.
• Passengers are to remain seated with their seatbelts fastened at all times when travelling on a Connect Coaches vehicle.
• Connect Coaches will issue confirmations for all bookings.
• Customers are advised to check all details thoroughly. Bookings are not confirmed until a confirmation has been issued. 
• Full payment is required for all non-account customers prior to travel.
• Refunds will not be provided once payment has been made, unless at least 28 days' notice has been given to Connect Coaches.
• Connect Coaches may, at its sole discretion, charge cancellation fees.
• Connect Coaches may, at its sole discretion, require a payment of a deposit.
• Full payment for account customers is required within 14 days of completion of the charter.

Important:

Please note; the payment schedule listed in #2 & the cancellation fees listed in #9. are not applicable to our "Escape to Paradise Lord Howe Island Tour".

The terms, conditions and limitation of liability under which the tour operates are detailed below and the payment of the tour deposit &/or balance represents acceptance by the passenger of the following:-

1. Extended Tours & Short Break Tours are organised & operated by Connect Coaches.

2. To confirm your reservation, a non-refundable deposit of $300 per person must be received within 14 days of booking. The balance must be paid 12 weeks before departure date. Reservations will only be held until this date unless a prior arrangement has been made with Liam & Alison. Connect Coaches reserves the right to accept waitlist passengers in place of applicants failing to finalise within the prescribed time.

3. Occasionally it may be necessary to alter or amend *itineraries, accommodation and sightseeing arrangements from those published. This may be due to road, weather and other operational needs prevailing at the time and is always made in the best interest of your comfort. Times listed on the *itinerary are approximations only. Any personal expenses incurred by a passenger as a result of any delay, alteration or curtailment of any tour, whether caused by mechanical defect, strikes or any other cause are the responsibility of the passenger.

4. A minimum number of bookings is required to operate a tour and also to ensure an enjoyable group atmosphere. Where sufficient numbers cannot be achieved, Connect Coaches reserves the right to cancel or postpone a scheduled departure date or tour. When a tour is cancelled by Connect Coaches, any money paid will be refunded in full. If the tour is postponed & you are unable to travel on the new date, your money will be refunded in full.

5. Any special passenger requirements must be notified to Connect Coaches on the Booking Form provided at the point of booking. No passenger will be permitted to embark or continue on the tour while their mental or physical condition is, in the opinion of any representative of Connect Coaches, such as to render themselves incapable of caring for themselves, or whereby they become objectionable to other passengers, or they become a hazard to themselves or other passengers. Connect Coaches will not be responsible for expenses resulting in such persons being precluded from completing the tour for any such reason.

6. Where a tour is cancelled prior to the departure date, according to sections 2 or 3 above or due to an outbreak of Covid-19, Connect Coaches shall endeavour to offer the nearest possible alternative tour (subject to a refund or payment to cover any tour price difference.) or, if this is not acceptable, refund your monies in full.

7. Connect Coaches cannot guarantee exact arrival and departure times and is not liable for any failure to make connections with any other service or guarantee the operation of any particular service.

8. Connect Coaches reserves the right to cancel any ticket or booking or to refuse to carry any passenger where payments have not been received within the times specified. It is a condition of carriage that a passenger has paid all tour monies prior to departure of the tour.

9. Cancellation Fees - Connect Coaches’ tours require extensive planning, coordination and costs, as well as advance bookings and payments of accommodation and activities. In the event that you have to cancel your tour with us, we will endevour to resell your seat. If we are able to resell your seat, we will refund what you have paid for this tour, less a $100 administration fee. If unable to resell your seat, the following rates will apply to our transport component only of the tour. Any motel or additional travel cancellation costs may be applicable as per their individual cancellation policies. Please note; our "Escape to Paradise: Lord Howe Island Tour" has its own Payment & Cancellation Policy & is different to those listed below.

• 43 - 59 days’ notice - 100% refund of transport component

• 28 - 42 days’ notice - 50% refund of transport component

• less than 28 days’ notice - 0% refund of transport component

10. Comprehensive travel insurance cover is strongly recommended for all tours to cover you against possible associated risks of travel including cover for medical expenses and costs, loss of luggage, and expenses incurred due to cancellations, delays or other disruptions.

11. Although your safety and comfort are our highest priority, all passengers who participate in our tours do so at their own risk and Connect Coaches cannot accept responsibility for any loss of personal belongings, accident, illness or injury incurred by you.

12. "Act of God" or "Force Majeure" Clause: the occurrence of an event that is beyond Connect Coaches' reasonable control and which could not have been reasonably prevented which includes, but is not limited to: (a) pandemic events such as Covid-19; (b) natural disaster (including but not limited to flooding, fire, earthquake, landslide), adverse weather conditions, high or low water levels; (c) nuclear or other industrial accident causing environmental pollution or contamination; or (d) change in government restrictions or regulations. Should a Force Majeure event prevent Connect Coaches from providing your tour as planned, we will change our travel arrangements as reasonably practicable to ensure your safety and invoice you for any possible additional costs if required.