School Trips That Give Parents Peace of Mind

+ Fundraising/Scholarships: What kind of fundraising options are available for my child?

Whether your child is traveling on a middle school trip or high school trip, GL Travel offers customizable fundraising pages that families may share with family and friends.

Step 1 - Create a video clip and share it via email, Facebook, or YouTube.

Step 2 - Send the clip to friends and family. Resend during the holidays, birthdays, or suggest a trip donation in lieu of your graduation gift.

Step 3 - All of the proceeds go towards funding your trip. Trip Fundraising can be highly effective if it is targeted and consistent. We have seen student trips funded entirely by friends and family through the GL Travel fundraising feature.

School Fundraising: Below are examples GL Travel has seen for groups fundraising for middle school and high school trips. Schools raise trip funds in various ways, including car washes, bake sales, wrapping paper, and jog-a-thons. Parents and teachers have been successful in writing grant letters to local non-profit organizations. Funds must be collected and sent to GL Travel 120 days before trip departure and then applied equally to each student's account.

Individual Fundraising: Below are examples GL Travel has seen for individual students fundraising for middle school and high school trips.

Students have reported raising money by having bake sales, selling goods at a farmers market, selling chicken eggs, and even firewood! As the saying goes, if there's a will, there's a way!

+ What is the Trip Protection Program, and do I get a refund if I cancel my child’s trip?

***The Trip Protection Program is offered at the time of registration for convenience and protection of your travel program. The program provides you a refund of all monies paid, less the trip protection program fee and other non-refundable fees (see your registration form), if you find it necessary to cancel up to 24 hours prior to scheduled trip departure. The Trip Protection program is offered for a fee (listed on the back of your registration form). You have an option of enrolling in this program during the registration process. The program does not make refunds in the event the tour is canceled as a result of or following an act of God, war (whether declared or not), terrorism, civil unrest, or in the event of GL Travel’s bankruptcy, insolvency, or cessation of business. *The non-refundable deposit, fees for returned checks, late payments, handling charges, late registration, and merchandise fees are not refundable.

Any cancellations initiated by GL Travel, school or church authorities, group or trip leader, or the traveler will fall under the Standard Cancellation Policy. The Standard Cancellation Policy is based upon the number of days prior to departure that the cancellation occurs.

• If your cancellation is in writing and postmarked more than 110 days prior to the group’s departure, GL Travel will retain 25% of the Base tour Price*

• If your cancellation is in writing and postmarked 109-76 days before the group’s departure, GL Travel will retain 50% of the Base tour Price.

• If your cancellation is in writing and postmarked 75-31 days or less before the group’s departure, GL Travel will retain 75% of the Base tour Price.

• If your cancellation is in writing and postmarked 30 days or less before the group’s departure, GL Travel will retain 100% of the Base tour Price.

• The standard cancellation policy is based on the originally scheduled tour dates. This policy does not apply in the event of GL Travel’s bankruptcy, insolvency, or cessation of business.

*(Base Trip Price= All trip fees less non-refundable deposits, credit card charges, and late fees.)

*Initial deposits are not refundable at any time.

Refunds will be made in the form of the original payment. Please include the registrant’s name and complete address. The refund process takes approximately four weeks. Exceptions to our refund policy are not made.

+ I missed the registration deadline. Is there still space available?

There is always a chance that space may still be available, and there is no risk to register if we place your child on a waitlist. For faster service, register online at www.gltravel.com or call (800) 681-4578. Otherwise, please contact the Program Leader for a registration form.

Check-in with your trip leader frequently and ask friends to join the waitlist. There are cases where we add a bus to the tour or space becomes available.

We will do our best to accommodate you. If your child’s program is leaving in less than 75 days:

(1) We require full payment with your registration, and (2) your child is automatically placed on a waitlist until we determine whether we can secure a bus seat or airline seat. In the rare instance that space does not become available, you will receive a full refund. If your child registers after the group’s final payment deadline, we will add a late registration fee (10% of the tour cost) to the base tour price.

+ General Tour Questions: What can you tell me about my child’s trip and any special accommodations?

Roommate Selection: While some schools have trip participants select rooming preferences, the Program Leader creates final rooming lists. We assign students of the same gender, four to a room, with double beds in each room.

Packing:

• The bottom line for any trip : pack light! Remember that you’ll be toting your luggage around at the airports and hotels, so only bring what you need—ideally in one suitcase and one carry-on bag.
• For all air trips, check with your program leader to see whether your trip allows a carry on or checked bag.
• For all domestic flights please limit your baggage to either one checked bag or one carry-on bag and one personal item (e.g. purse, backpack).

Dining: Your child will enjoy a full American breakfast at the hotel or a local restaurant. Groups typically eat at fast-food courts or cafeteria-style lunches. Dinners are either buffets or sit–down and kid-friendly. See your registration letter for more details. If your child has any dietary restrictions or allergies, GL Travel will work to accommodate those needs given advance notice. Please contact your Program Leader or teacher and make him/her aware of any special dietary requirements before the tour.

Special Accommodations: If your child has a physical disability or handicap, GL Travel will contact the airlines, hotels, and historical sites to make the proper accommodations. GL Travel can arrange wheelchairs, ADA accessible coaches, and ADA accessible hotel rooms. If your child takes medication, please let the Program Leader know. They will collect this medication and instructions on how to administer it on the day of departure. Only the program leaders or teachers will be able to carry the medication while touring with the exception of emergency medications.

Airlines: We use all major carriers. American, United, Delta, Southwest, and Jet Blue are our top carriers.

Number of Participants: Often posted outside a classroom window, the Trip Leader will have the most recent participant counts.

Identification: Students under 18 will not need to show identification; however, we recommend that each student carry their school ID just in case. Students over the age of 18 will be required to present proper identification (state-issued ID, driver’s license, or passport) to travel domestically.

Disciplinary Actions During Touring: The Group Leader will handle all disciplinary actions. If a child exhibits unsafe behavior that puts them in danger or endangers any group member, we will send them home at their parents’ expense.

How are social/emotional disorders accommodated?
Please let your group leader know if your child exhibits any social or emotional disorders. GL Travel will work with the Group Leader and family to accommodate needs and identify which tour components may need modification.

Communication During Traveling: Whether students can bring cell phones on the trip is at the discretion of the Group Leader and parents, students may call home when they are not touring if they are allowed cell phones.

How is homesickness addressed? Will I have any contact with my child?
The Group leader will communicate with the child and home. Oftentimes this takes a few calls home and frequent check-ins between the group leader and student.

How will medications be handled? Will there be refrigeration available for medications?
Please remind your Group Leader at the pre-trip departure meeting of the medication needs of your child. The Group Leader will collect medications and corresponding medication forms up to 3 days before departure. If a medication requires refrigeration, GL Travel will arrange for refrigeration at each hotel.

Emergencies:
If an emergency arises during travel, GL Travel has response plans to keep both the students and adult chaperones safe. GL Travel will update parents on any emergencies, and the Emergency Hotline will also be available 24/7 to keep parents informed at all times. If the group cannot travel back on the scheduled return date, GL Travel will arrange hotel accommodations, transportation, and meals until they can travel home. A Group Leader will always accompany students.

+ Payments:

You can make payments easily when we create an account for your child’s tour. Log in to the account you have created and go to “My Account.” There you will see your child’s trip information. To make a payment, go to the large green “Balance” amount and click on “Make Payment,” located underneath.

After the initial trip deposit, we create payment plans for each participant. Typically, final payments are due 90 days before departure.

Please note that we do not take automatic monthly payments. All payments are made through our site or over the phone. You must make payments on time to ensure your reservation.

There is a $60 fee for all past due accounts received after the final payment deadline. You must follow the payment plan terms to guarantee your child’s reservation. All payments must be received before the tour, and all payments received after the final payment deadline must be in the form of a credit card, cashier’s check, or money order. If you pay after the deadline, please contact Customer Service at info@gltravelco.com to confirm your child’s registration status.

Once an account is created, the username associated becomes locked in.
If you would like to change your password, log in, and navigate to “My Account,” where you will see the “Edit Password” option. If you would like to change your email, please contact our customer service department for assistance.
If you happen to forget your password, click, “Login” and there will be a reset password option located under the login. Enter your email, and we will send you a reset password link.

+ Can I join my child’s trip as a parent chaperone?

Check with your registration form or Program Leader to inquire about parent participant availability. Adult travelers pay for the program and additional rooming fees for single or double occupancy room accommodation.

Due to the nature of group airline ticketing, you may not use frequent flyer mileage on GL Travel programs.

Due to the nature of group travel, we cannot change any aspect of the flight, including departure and return flight times and destinations.