Grand Classroom Terms and Conditions of Travel
The trip price includes: round trip transportation, hotel accommodations, motorcoach or vans, meals per itinerary while on tour, sightseeing, trip leader, admissions, taxes, customer service and accounting, unless otherwise stated. All prices quoted are the student price. The adult price is higher and if not specified, please call for the adult price of your trip. Not included: any fuel, security or baggage surcharges imposed by the airlines or bus companies, installment fees for accounting, room upgrade fees, Travel Refund Program premiums, small group increases or processing fees. It is against our company policy to disclose internal base cost structures. We are a full-service agency with a staff dedicated to planning your trip and that service is included in the cost.
Limited Medical and Dental Insurance: All participants are covered with limited medical and dental insurance while on tour. Claims over those limits, or claims that are denied, are the responsibility of the individual family affected, including hospitalization and accommodation, and families should use their own insurance in addition.
Registrations: Please register early, as all registrations are processed on a first come, first served basis. Register online with a non-refundable deposit by check draft, Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. If paying by paper check send to P.O. Box 7166, Charlottesville, VA 22906. Your bank or credit card statement is your receipt. Each registration is considered separately and is subject to the terms and conditions. There will be a fee of $35 if your check is returned, your credit card is declined, or your check draft is declined. All late registrations will be accepted based on the availability of space on the hotel, bus and/or the airlines. Any increase in airfare will be passed on to late registrants. Participants with disabilities are welcomed on the tour, but must be accompanied by a fully paid companion capable of providing all assistance required, and not require special assistance from Grand Classroom or its suppliers. Registrants with disabilities must notify Grand Classroom in writing by the registration deadline of their status and of the identity of the traveling companion. The price of your tour is based on a minimum number of participants.. Should your group have fewer than the price was based on, a small group increase will be added to the trip price. The company will attempt, when requested, to combine small groups to help lessen the cost but cannot be guaranteed. Flexibility is required as dates, format and itinerary may need to be changed and is at the sole discretion of Grand Classroom to make these changes.
Payments: Payments are made online via check draft or credit card through your Grand Classroom account. Checks should be made payable to Grand Classroom at P.O. Box 7166 Charlottesville VA 22906. UPS or FedEx should be sent to 200 Garrett St, Suite M, Charlottesville, VA 22902. The payment schedule is as follows: register online with a non-refundable deposit, and choose online between paying in full within 30 days of registration or selecting a payment schedule. For customers paying on a payment schedule, the final installment will be due 95 days before departure. We reserve the right to cancel unpaid accounts and the account funds will be subject to the limited refund policy. If a credit card is declined a $35 fee will be assessed to the account. Returned checks or declined check drafts will be assessed a $35 fee. All payments made by credit or debit card will be assessed a 3% convenience fee. There will be a $10 fee for each installment payment. If your account is unpaid 90 days before departure, or on the date the flights are being purchased, your account will be subject to cancellation and/or a $49 late fee. Fees for returned checks, late fees, handling fees and credit card processing fees are not refundable, nor are fundraising monies or specialized plane tickets purchased for individuals. No refunds will be issued to families with active credit card or EFT disputes. Trip funds are not transferable to other participants.
Refunds and Cancellations: If you cancel or your trip is canceled, your refund will be based on the program/policy you choose with your registration. If you registered through the school, the school has selected a refund program Below are the three options:
Travel Refund Program PLUS (TRP PLUS): For your convenience and protection we offer the Travel Refund Program PLUS. This program offers cancellation for any reason, including Acts of God such as pandemics. The additional fee for the program will be added to the trip price when you register. Participation in this program is optional and you have 30 days from the date of registration to opt in or opt out before your decision becomes binding. The program protects your payments and provides a refund minus the TRP PLUS fee and non-refundable deposit if you cancel up to 24 hours before departure. Returned check fees, late fees, handling fees, credit card processing fees, and fundraising monies are not refundable, nor the cost of the program itself. Airline tickets already purchased for a group are non-refundable. Late payment(s) may void the benefits provided by the program. Cancellations must be made in writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. outside of 24 hours of departure to be valid. Please include the date, student name and school name.
Travel Refund Program (TRP): For your convenience and protection we offer the Travel Refund Program. This program offers cancellation for any reason, except Acts of God, war, terrorist activities, incidents of politically motivated violence, outbreak of illness or quarantine, strikes or government restrictions. In these cases, the TRP program is void and the Limited Refund Policy will apply. The additional fee for the program will be added to the trip price when you register. Participation in this program is optional and you have 30 days from the date of registration to opt in or opt out before your decision becomes binding. The program protects your payments and provides a refund minus the TRP fee and non-refundable deposit if you cancel up to 7 days before departure. Returned check fees, late fees, handling fees, credit card processing fees, and fundraising monies are not refundable, nor are specialized plane tickets purchased for individuals or the cost of the program itself. Airline tickets already purchased for a group are non-refundable. Late payment(s) may void the benefits provided by the program. Cancellations must be made in writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. outside of seven calendar days of departure to be valid. Please include the date, student name and school name.
Limited Refund Policy: For those who do not participate in the Travel Refund Program PLUS or the Travel Refund Program, the limited refund policy is as follows. All cancellations must be made in writing to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Please include the date, student name and school name. Cancellations with no trip protection are determined solely by the date of cancellation with respect to the departure date, regardless of the reason. The policy applies to each individual registration as follows: 95 days or more prior to departure: Grand Classroom will retain 35% of the trip cost - 94-46 days prior to departure - Grand Classroom will retain 65% of the trip cost. 45 days or less: We regret that no refund will be issued. Cancellation due to rescheduling: In the event the departure date needs to be rescheduled for any reason, the limited refund policy is based on the original dates unless otherwise specified.
Compensation: When getting a refund, cashing a check, or accepting a credit to your bank or charge account is final and parties agree to pursue no further compensation.
Hotel accommodations: Students will be placed four to a room with students of the same gender, and in some cases five to a room with a roll-away or pullout. Adults will be placed two to a room also according to gender except in the case of married adults. Triple, double and single room upgrades are an additional cost if available, please call 434-975-2629 to inquire. If a parent wishes to room with their student, they should call and pay for the student to be upgraded to double occupancy. Most hotels are located outside of the cities or locations we visit and can require significant driving time for the participants.
Meals and Food Services: Meals provided as part of the program may be arranged through independent third-party vendors such as restaurants, caterers, or food service providers. Grand Classroom does not own, operate, or control these vendors and therefore assumes no responsibility or liability for their acts, omissions, errors, or negligence. This includes, but is not limited to, issues relating to food preparation, quality, service, food allergies, dietary restrictions, or contamination. Participants are responsible for communicating any special dietary needs directly to Grand Classroom which will make reasonable efforts to inform vendors, but we cannot guarantee that all dietary requests will be accommodated or that meals will be free from allergens.
Flights: We reserve flights on major carriers. We cannot guarantee non-stop flights, and in some cases, the group will have to be on split flights. We cannot guarantee a specific airport, airline or time of day. While we attempt to get groups out of their preferred airport, it can never be guaranteed so be prepared to depart from airports that may be a significant distance from your home. Seating assignments will be made by the airlines, and participants can at times be seated apart. Use of frequent flyer mileage is not available. Grand Classroom is not responsible for schedule changes and mechanical or weather delays and cancellations that may occur. In the event of a flight cancellation, delay, or other travel disruption beyond our control, it may be necessary to provide overnight accommodations. While we will make every reasonable effort to secure suitable lodging, travelers should be aware that such accommodations may be located in an airport-area hotel rather than the originally planned destination hotel. Please allow flexibility on each side of your student’s travel dates for contingencies. Any baggage fees charged by the airline are the responsibility of the individual traveler at the time of check in. If a participant is a no-show on the flight, no refund will be offered, and if the outbound flight is missed the airline will also cancel the return flight. As of 2025, domestic carriers require REAL ID compliant identification, and participants 18 or over must provide it to board the flight.
International Flights: For International travel, all travelers, regardless of age, must have a valid passport for travel. In some cases, countries might require a visa, which varies depending on the country that your passport is issued. You are responsible to check the rules for the country you are travelling to as it relates to the passport you hold. In many cases, a country will require you to have an expiration date on your passport that is later than your return date, sometimes as much as 12 months. Some destinations may require additional entry documentation including Electronic Travel Authorizations that are the responsibility of the individual travelers.
Travel Resources: For more information regarding possible dangers at international destinations, we recommend visiting the Travel Advisories section of the US State Department website (travel.state.gov). For medical information about the destination you are visiting including domestic locations, please contact the Centers for Disease Control (cdc.gov/travel) or 1-877-394-8747.
Third Party Vendors: The suppliers providing travel services and accommodations are third party vendors/independent contractors and not agents and may require separate waivers or releases for participation. Grand Classroom, Inc. cannot be held responsible for personal injury, property damage, or loss of earnings from any event whatsoever caused by hotels, motorcoaches, airlines and all sub-contracted services.
As is customary in travel, subcontracted transportation can be delayed, cancelled or have mechanical issues on tour, and participants may from time to time be late or miss some itinerary stops as a result.
Sponsorship: Unless otherwise noted, this tour is not sponsored by any school, school district or public entity, and is organized by a private company, Grand Classroom. Grand Classroom and the trip leader reserve the right to refuse or cancel a registration at their discretion.
Behavior and Early Departure: While traveling, your student will be expected to abide by local laws, including those concerning drugs or alcohol. They will also be responsible for any damage done to the buses or hotels while on tour. All students are required to sign a behavior contract prior to traveling. Breaking these laws or rules may be grounds for being sent home early from the trip. Additional travel expenses due to behavior or medical reasons are the responsibility of the family. If a child is ill during the trip, they may miss meals or itinerary stops as a result and will not be refunded for portions missed.
While on tour: All photographic images and videos taken by Grand Classroom while on tour are property of Grand Classroom and may be used by Grand Classroom without compensation or notification of individuals therein. Grand Classroom cannot be held responsible for loss of personal property including money, and is not responsible for locating lost property.
Additional provisions: Grand Classroom cannot be held responsible for hazards of travel, such as Acts of God, war, terrorist activities, incidents of politically motivated violence, pandemics, outbreak of illness and/or quarantine, strikes or government restrictions. We reserve the right to cancel any tour for any reason, in which case you will receive a refund based on the cancellation policy you chose. Grand Classroom reserves the right to alter, modify, or cancel any portion of the itinerary due to safety, weather, or unforeseen operational issues, without liability for compensation for the value of services not provided.
The participants shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Grand Classroom and its officers, directors, partners, agents, members and employees from and against all demands, claims, damages to persons or property, losses and liabilities, including reasonable attorney's fees, except to the extent and percentage attributable to Grand Classroom negligence or wrongful action. All parties agree that in the event of legal action concerning this agreement, all litigation shall be brought only in the City of Charlottesville, Virginia and that such litigation shall be decided pursuant to the laws of Virginia. You agree to all of the terms and conditions by your registration for the trip. Grand Classroom may amend the Terms from time to time without notice to you, other than posting the amended terms to the www.grandclassroom.com website.
