Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions for Elegant Irish Tours

Elegant Irish Tours is a trading name of Paddywagon Tours Ltd. Elegant Irish Tours operate small group premium tours and private tours on behalf of the Paddywagon Tours Group.

Once Paddywagon Tours Ltd. confirms your booking a contract is made between "Paddywagon Tours" and you upon the terms and conditions set out below. Paddywagon Tours Ltd. hereinafter referred to as "we", will only confirm your booking once we have received full payment for your tour.

We offer two types of tours: Scheduled Small Group Tours (individual seats available for purchase by the public) and Private Hire Tours.

  1. Scheduled Small Group Tours
    1. Booking
    2. Insurance
    3. Cancellation & Refund Policies
    4. Changes by Us
    5. Travelling
    6. Pick up Points
    7. Your Obligations and Responsibilities
    8. Complaints
    9. Weather Conditions
    10. No Smoking Policy
    11. Affiliate Restrictions
    12. General
  2. Private Hire Tours
    1. Booking Your Holiday
    2. Amendments & Cancellation
    3. Insurance
    4. Refunds
    5. Travelling
    6. Collection Points & Times
    7. Your Obligations and Responsibilities
    8. Complaints
    9. Weather Conditions
    10. No Smoking Policy
    11. General

A) Scheduled Small Group Tours

A.1. Booking

  • 1.1 Once full payment is made you will be allocated a place/places on the particular tour and a confirmation emailed to you. This is your confirmation of booking. This should be printed and saved for own reference.
  • 1.2 Once you begin you tour, you accept and abide by these terms and conditions.
  • 1.3 We accept no responsibility for incorrect email or inability to deliver email. If your confirmation does not arrive on time or at all, then you must ask us to resend the email confirmation of the tours you have paid for.
  • 1.4 All internet bookings will be confirmed by email.
  • 1.5 We reserve the right to sell any places reserved without full payment or a deposit.
  • 1.6 It is the responsibility of the passenger to check the accuracy of dates booked upon receipt of their travel documents.

A.2. Insurance

  • 2.1 There is no travel insurance cover included in the price of the ticket.
  • 2.2 We take no responsibility for any injuries or loss to you incurred whilst you are taking part in any optional activities that are outside our all inclusive package. We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive insurance cover for cancellation, medical expenses, personal accident, personal baggage, money and public liability before you travel. You may not be accepted as a "Paddywagon Tours Ltd." passenger unless you have arranged satisfactory insurance. We accept no responsibility for the theft, loss or damage to personal belongings from at any time during the duration of your tour.

A.3. Cancellation & Refund Policies

Please note that the following cancellation terms are valid for bookings made from 10:00 GMT on 7th December 2021. For bookings made prior to this please see your ticket for the terms governing your booking.

Bookings for our tours can be made in four ways:
  • 3.1 Online, (directly) via our website
  • 3.2 Online, (indirectly) via agent and affiliate websites
  • 3.3 Offline, at our retail locations or via phone or email

3.1 Cancellation - Direct online bookings

  1. Guests who book online via www.paddywagontours.com enjoy our most competitive cancellation and refund terms.
  2. Online bookings (day tours) can be cancelled up to 24 hours before the start time of the Booking, or in the case of overnight and extended tours, 72 hours before the start time.
  3. The cutoff time for a tour can be viewed on the corresponding product page on our website and on your email ticket, once purchased.
  4. Times are based on local time in Dublin, Ireland. For example, if a tour with a 24 hour cutoff period is scheduled to commence at 08:00 Dublin time on 22nd November, you will be able to cancel for a full refund up to 07:59 Dublin time on 21st November.
    This is the most competitive Free Cancellation & Full Refund policy in the Irish tours market.
  5. If you have booked online via www.paddywagontours.com, there will be a “cancel and refund” link in your email ticket. Simply click this link and complete the steps to process your cancellation and automated refund
  6. Your full refund will be made automatically and securely to the card used to make the booking. We will not issue refunds to you by other means e.g. in cash, to an alternative credit card, to your bank account or by cheque etc. It can take between 5-10 business days for your refund to make its way back through the financial system and reappear on your account, once released.
  7. You will receive automatic email confirmation of cancellation and refund immediately upon successful completion of cancellation. Please check your inbox to make sure you have received this as we will not enter into discussions over refunds for “no shows” where your cancellation was not successfully processed before the 24 or 72 hour cutoff points referenced above.
  8. If you prefer, you may ask our staff to execute the cancellation and refund for you. You can do this in person at our retail locations, by telephone or by email. Please bear in mind that staff are only able to assist within business hours and making contact outside of business hours may mean that you miss the cutoff. Where our staff assist, they are simply following the same process that you have access to yourself via your email ticket. It is not possible for staff to override the process or the secure automated refund method.
  9. If you choose to cancel after the cutoff time governing the tour you have booked, no refund will be granted. Likewise, no refund or partial refund will be made once a tour has commenced, or in respect of any tour package, accommodation, meals or any other services that have started to be utilised.
  10. If you need to cancel after the cutoff time for refunds has passed, you may be able to make a claim under your insurance policy.

3.2 Cancellation - Indirect online bookings

  1. Guests who book online via agents and affiliates such as e.g. www.booking.com, www.tripadvisor.com, www.viator.com, www.getyourguide.com etc enjoy similar cancellation terms to those governing direct online bookings via our website.
  2. Bookings made via an agent or affiliate can only be cancelled via that agent or affiliate. Please see your ticket for instructions.
  3. If you need to cancel after the cutoff time for refunds has passed, you may be able to make a claim under your insurance policy.

Good to know:

When you book directly via www.paddywagontours.com rather than via an affiliate platform such as www.booking.com you contribute a higher percentage of your ticket price to supporting our local business and thereby help to maximise the employment opportunities of our world class drivers and guides. You support local communities and families in a very real way and contribute to the sustainability of travel.

To reciprocate, we offer guests who book directly guaranteed protection against overbooking. Paddywagon Tours is Ireland’s premier and highest rated tour operator and demand for our tours can outstrip supply on particularly busy dates. On the rare occasions where we have to turn away guests in the event of overbooking, direct bookings are guaranteed.

3.3 Cancellation - Offline bookings

  1. All sales made offline (paid by cash or credit card in a retail location, by telephone or email) are final. If you choose to cancel a tour that you have booked offline, no refund will be granted.
  2. If you need to cancel a booking made offline, you may be able to make a claim under your insurance policy.
  3. Subject to availability, you may reschedule a booking made offline up until 24 hours before the start time of the tour, or in the case of overnight and extended tours, 72 hours before the start date. Cutoff times are based on local time in Dublin, Ireland.

A.4. Changes by Us

  • 4.1 We reserve the right to change our typical itineraries at any time and at our discretion. As professionals we will endeavour to avoid this and if this is necessary, we will substitute alternative arrangements of comparable monetary value.
  • 4.2 Once your booking has been confirmed we will make every effort to provide you with the booked arrangements but reserve the right to alter or cancel the whole or part of the tour in the event of happenings outside the control of Paddywagon Tours Ltd. Reasons for doing so may include but shall not be limited to such force majeure matters as extreme adverse local weather conditions or weather warnings, natural disasters, civil strikes or conflict, terrorist activity, fire, flood conditions and similar. No compensation will be paid for force majeure cancellations.
  • 4.3 We are constantly striving to make our tours even more brilliant than they are perceived by many to be, therefore should attractions open or become open to us, that we feel will enhance your experience of our beloved motherland then we reserve the right to include these in your best interests.
  • 4.4 We reserve the right to decrease the price of our tours at any time.
  • 4.5 We reserve the right to launch amended brochures in the public domain at any time.

A.5. Travelling

  • 5.1 You must obey the laws of the Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union, whilst travelling on our Southern and Northern routes. We would ask you to show respect to the many diverse customs that exist in Ireland and also foreign exchange restrictions. If you do not do so, you may be asked to surrender your ticket, which may be cancelled without any refund. It is our representative who will decide to cancel your pass or not and their decision will be final.
  • 5.2 Your appointed guide may need to make a decision in the interests of safety. It is a condition of bookings that you comply with the authority and decisions of the appointed representative of Paddywagon Tours Ltd. If you do not comply with the said representative and are not compatible with the general enjoyment and well being of members of the tour, we reserve the right to refuse to allow you to continue the tour. In such a case we will not be liable for any refund, compensation or any additional costs incurred by you. We cannot accept liability for the behaviour of others on your tour nor if any facilities are curtailed as a result of their actions.
  • 5.3 It is your responsibility to meet your tour at arranged points. Because of the nature of the service, Paddywagon Tours Ltd. will not be liable if any service leaves or arrives later than its specified time, even if as a result you miss a connecting service. Paddywagon Tours Ltd. will endeavour to ensure that departure and arrival times are met.

A.6. Pick up Points

  • 6.1 Tours depart from the locations published online or otherwise agreed between us and confirmed in writing no later than close of business on the day prior to touring. It is your responsibility to meet your tour at the place agreed.
  • 6.2 Pick up times are approximate and dependant upon Dublin traffic.

A.7. Your Obligations and Responsibilities

  • 7.1 You must inform us in writing of any medical condition that requires attention or medication before your tour commences.
  • 7.2 It is your responsibility to have all necessary visas, passports, permits and certificates required for your selected itinerary as well as any necessary vaccinations and to comply with all applicable laws.
  • 7.3 During your tour your tour guide may take photographs and films of you (as part of a group) while you are a passenger and these may be used in our Group brochures and/or advertising and publicity material without obtaining any further consent or payment in respect of such photographs and/or films.
  • 7.4 When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you. Full payment for any such damage or loss must be paid at the time direct to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier. If you fail to do so, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of your actions.
  • 7.5 The Irish way of life is one of enjoying life, relishing and respecting other people's company. We would ask you come to our tour with a positive frame of mind, ready to enjoy your adventure with us. At all times you must show courtesy and respect to your driver/guide and more importantly the other Tour members. Failure to do so may result in you being asked to leave the tour at the management's discretion.

A.8. Complaints

In the highly unlikely event that you may wish to make a formal complaint against Paddywagon Tours Ltd. Please inform the Driver/Representative at the time. If the matter cannot be resolved immediately or during your trip after the Driver/ Representative's best endeavours to do so, your complaint should be made in writing to Paddywagon Tours as soon as is reasonably possible after the holiday, but within 30 days thereof so that your complaint can be investigated. Paddywagon Tours will not consider any claims after the 30-day period. You will be assured of respect and courtesy whilst your complaint is being dealt with.

A.9. Weather Conditions

Under no circumstances can we be held responsible for weather conditions. No ticket can be cancelled or amended by you at any time on the basis of weather conditions. We accept no responsibility for weather conditions that may affect the delivery and implementation of our itinerary.

Under certain wind conditions the authorities at the Cliffs of Moher may decide, in their sole discretion, to close the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre. In such a scenario guests may choose whether to approach and view the cliffs at their own risk. If you choose to proceed it will be at your sole discretion and we cannot accept responsibility for any injuries or loss suffered. Please see Paragraph 5. “Changes by us”, subsection 2. for more information governing such “Force Majeure” scenarios.

A.10. No Smoking Policy

We do not permit smoking on any of our vehicles.

A.11. Affiliate Restrictions

There is strictly no PPC bidding on the Paddywagon brand name or any variations or misspellings thereof. Please do not bid on the brand name as we will reverse commissions and reject any affiliates found doing so. Affiliates may make use of the name Paddywagon in the description. Paddywagon has an extensive in-house PPC programme. We do not want affiliates to compete with our own campaign or to drive up our costs. Please contact us if you would like to use the Paddywagon URL as your display URL.

A.12. General

  • 12.1 The booking conditions detailed herein contain the entire contract between you and Paddywagon Tours Ltd. No representation, term, warranty or condition can be expressed or implied by reference to any other writing, advertisement or conversation. This contract may only be varied in writing by a duly authorised officer of Paddywagon Tours Ltd.
  • 12.2 This contract and all matters arising out of it are governed by Irish law. We both agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises out of or in connection with this contract or your holiday will be dealt with by the Courts of the Republic of Ireland only. Changes to these Booking Conditions will only be valid if agreed by Paddywagon Tours Ltd. in writing.
  • 12.3 Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our brochures and other printed material at time of going to print, however Paddywagon Tours Ltd. cannot be held responsible for printing and typographical errors, or errors arising from unforeseen circumstances.

Elegant Irish Tours are operated operated by:
Paddywagon Tours Ltd.
34 O'Connell Street (Lower)
D01 EY17
Dublin
Ireland
Tel: (+353) 89 969 5499
www.elegantirishtours.com
info@elegantirishtours.com

B) Private Hire Tours

B.1. Booking Your Holiday

  • 1.1 Our aim is to provide the right holiday to suit your requirements. You can call us on (+353) 89 969 5499 or email: info@elegantirishtours.com and we will tailor make an itinerary for you and provide you with a price. In order to maintain our customer services standards and to assist with the on-going training of our staff we may record or monitor our telephone conversations or emails with you.
  • 1.2 To secure your booking we require a minimum deposit of 10% of the total booking cost – or such other amount as advised by the Company. If you are booking within 14 days of departure, then full payment is required at the time of booking. Payment can be made by bank transfer or by most major credit cards in favour of Paddywagon Tours Limited. If for any reason we do not accept your booking your deposit will be returned. Some suppliers and certain timeframes may require higher deposits at the time of booking. You will be notified of these requirements before you pay your deposit.
  • 1.3 Special Requests, such as diet, room location, twin or double bedded room, or a particular facility which are an important factor in the choice of holiday, should be indicated in writing at the time of booking. Where special requests relate to components of a tour operated by a third party such as a hotel etc, we will pass your request on to the hotel or other third party supplier but cannot guarantee that it will be accommodated. The Company will try to arrange for Special Requests to be met, but cannot guarantee that they will be, nor will the Company be liable if any Special Request is not met. The provision of any Special Request does not constitute a term of your contract with us unless we have confirmed in writing that your requirement will be met.
  • 1.4 On receipt of your correct deposit we will book your arrangements and issue a Confirmation. A contract will come into existence on the date on which we issue a Confirmation. When you make a booking you are confirming that you are at least 18 years of age and that you understand our booking conditions and have accepted them on behalf of yourself and all members of your party. All contracts for private hire arrangements with Paddywagon Tours Limited are subject to these booking conditions.
  • 1.5 It is important for you to check the Confirmation details as soon as you receive them, as these set out the services we have agreed to provide. In the event of any discrepancy please contact us immediately. If you arrange your tour direct with the Company all correspondence and other communications will be sent to the address of the person who made the initial payment unless you specify otherwise.
  • 1.6 If your booking is made through a travel agent, the Company will address all communications to that travel agent, who will act as agent for you in regard to all communications from us to you. All monies paid by you to a travel agent under or in contemplation of this contract will be held by the travel agent for the Company until such monies are forwarded to the Company.
  • 1.7 The balance is due 14 days before departure (unless otherwise communicated in writing at time of booking). If it is not paid in time, we reserve the right to cancel your travel arrangements and retain your deposit.

B.2. Amendments & Cancellation

  • 2.1 Amendments by you:
    The Company will make every effort to assist you if you wish to alter your arrangements, but it may not always be possible. Requests for an amendment must be signed by the person who made the initial payment. If it is possible to make the amendment, it will be subject to expenses imposed by our suppliers and incurred by the Company as a result of the change, where applicable.
    If you wish to change your arrangements whilst on tour, all costs are payable by you.
  • 2.2 Cancellation by you:
    Special note regarding "New Coronavirus COVID-19" - There is currently no change to normal travel advice issued by the US, EU and Irish authorities regarding travel to or within Ireland. Our tours are operating as normal. Accordingly, standard terms and conditions on tickets continue to apply. We would like to reassure customers that our existing policies and procedures are in line with the guidance provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Irish Health Service Executive (HSE).

    All cancellations must be advised by email to info@elegantirishtours.com, signed by the person who made the initial payment. Cancellations are effective on the day they are received (& confirmed by return email) by the Company. Since we incur costs in cancelling your travel arrangements, the following cancellation charges will be payable, depending upon the number of days prior to departure the Company receives your notice of cancellation.

    Written Advice of Cancellation Received
    Days prior to departure date % of total holiday cost
    28 days or more Full refund (Or loss of deposit where accommodation is a component of your booking)
    14 days 50% of total holiday cost
    7 days 25% of total holiday cost
    Less than 7 days 100% of total holiday cost
    Please note that at certain times of year, for example peak season, or for certain products, for example castles and certain hotels, stricter cancellation conditions may apply. Any such revised conditions will be notified to you prior to booking.

    We highly recommend that you secure adequate travel insurance as per clause 3 below.
  • 2.3 Re-booking following a cancellation:
    Should you wish to cancel a holiday and re-book an alternative this will be subject to the cancellation terms within these booking conditions. If the alternative booking requires a greater deposit than has already been paid (after deducting cancellation fees) then the balance between what is required as a deposit and any sums already paid becomes due.
  • 2.4 Accuracy of information:
    We check the information which we provide about our tours very carefully. However, tour itineraries may change as a result of local conditions. Circumstances such as these, or weather conditions, may cause some of the amenities we have described to be unavailable or different from those advertised. When we are told of any significant or long term changes we will always endeavour to advise you prior to your departure.
  • 2.5 Amendments & Cancellation by the Company:
    1. We reserve the right to change itineraries at any time and at our discretion. As professionals we will endeavour to avoid this and if this is necessary, we will substitute alternative arrangements of comparable monetary value.
    2. Once your booking has been confirmed we will make every effort to provide you with the booked arrangements but reserve the right to alter or cancel the whole or part of the tour in the event of happenings outside the control of Paddywagon Tours Ltd. Reasons for doing so may include but shall not be limited to such force majeure matters as extreme adverse local weather conditions or weather warnings, natural disasters, civil strikes or conflict, terrorist activity, fire, flood conditions and similar. No compensation will be paid for force majeure cancellations.

B.3. Insurance

  • 3.1 There is no travel insurance cover included in the price of the ticket.
  • 3.2 We take no responsibility for any injuries or loss to you incurred whilst you are taking part in any optional activities that are outside our all inclusive package. We highly recommend that you take out comprehensive insurance cover for cancellation, medical expenses, personal accident, personal baggage, money and public liability before you travel. You may not be accepted as a 'Paddywagon Tours Ltd.' passenger unless you have arranged satisfactory insurance. We accept no responsibility for the theft, loss or damage to personal belongings from at any time during the duration of your tour.

B.4. Refunds

  • 4.1 Any refund which has been agreed with the management of Paddywagon Ltd. can only be refunded by bank transfer, it cannot be carried out using a credit card.
  • 4.2 Refunds may only be made to the bank account of the person to be refunded. This cannot be done by credit card and the onus is on the person to be refunded to provide bank account details, IBAN and swift code with email proof on any overcharge.

B.5. Travelling

  • 5.1 You must obey the laws of the Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union, whilst travelling on our Southern and Northern routes. We would ask you to show respect to the many diverse customs that exist in Ireland and also foreign exchange restrictions. If you do not do so, you may be asked to surrender your ticket, which may be cancelled without any refund. It is our representative who will decide to cancel your pass or not and their decision will be final.
  • 5.2 Your appointed guide may need to make a decision in the interests of safety. It is a condition of bookings that you comply with the authority and decisions of the appointed representative of Paddywagon Tours Ltd. If you do not comply with the said representative and are not compatible with the general enjoyment and well being of members of the tour, we reserve the right to refuse to allow you to continue the tour. In such a case we will not be liable for any refund, compensation or any additional costs incurred by you. We cannot accept liability for the behaviour of others on your tour nor if any facilities are curtailed as a result of their actions.

B.6. Collection Points & Times

  • 6.1 Tours depart from the locations published online or otherwise agreed between us and confirmed in writing no later than close of business on the day prior to touring. It is your responsibility to meet your tour at the place agreed.
  • 6.2 Pick up times are approximate and dependant upon traffic.

B.7. Your Obligations and Responsibilities

  • 7.1 You must inform us in writing of any medical condition that requires attention or medication before your tour commences.
  • 7.2 It is your responsibility to have all necessary visas, passports, permits and certificates required for your selected itinerary as well as any necessary vaccinations and to comply with all applicable laws.
  • 7.3 When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you. Full payment for any such damage or loss must be paid at the time direct to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier. If you fail to do so, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of your actions.
  • 7.4 The Irish way of life is one of enjoying life, relishing and respecting other people's company. We would ask you come to our tour with a positive frame of mind, ready to enjoy your adventure with us. At all times you must show courtesy and respect to your driver/guide and more importantly the other Tour members. Failure to do so may result in you being asked to leave the tour at the management's discretion.

B.8. Complaints

In the highly unlikely event that you may wish to make a formal complaint against Paddywagon Tours Ltd. Please inform the Driver /Representative at the time. If the matter cannot be resolved immediately or during your trip after the Driver/ Representative's best endeavours to do so, your complaint should be made in writing to Paddywagon Tours as soon as is reasonably possible after the holiday, but within 30 days thereof so that your complaint can be investigated. Paddywagon Tours will not consider any claims after the 30-day period. You will be assured of respect and courtesy whilst your complaint is being dealt with.

B.9. Weather Conditions

Under no circumstances can we be held responsible for weather conditions. No ticket can be cancelled or amended by you at any time on the basis of weather conditions. We accept no responsibility for weather conditions that may affect the delivery and implementation of our itinerary.

Under certain wind conditions the authorities at the Cliffs of Moher may decide, in their sole discretion, to close the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre. In such a scenario guests may choose whether to approach and view the cliffs at their own risk. If you choose to proceed it will be at your sole discretion and we cannot accept responsibility for any injuries or loss suffered. Please see Paragraph 5. “Changes by us”, subsection 2. for more information governing such “Force Majeure” scenarios.

B.10. No Smoking Policy

We do not permit smoking on any of our vehicles.

B.11. General

  • 11.1 The booking conditions detailed herein contain the entire contract between you and Paddywagon Tours Ltd. No representation, term, warranty or condition can be expressed or implied by reference to any other writing, advertisement or conversation. This contract may only be varied in writing by a duly authorised officer of Paddywagon Tours Ltd.
  • 11.2 This contract and all matters arising out of it are governed by Irish law. We both agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises out of or in connection with this contract or your holiday will be dealt with by the Courts of the Republic of Ireland only. Changes to these Booking Conditions will only be valid if agreed by Paddywagon Tours Ltd. in writing.
  • 11.3 Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our brochures and other printed material at time of going to print, however Paddywagon Tours Ltd. cannot be held responsible for printing and typographical errors, or errors arising from unforeseen circumstances.