Blog

Frequently Asked Questions

Date Added 09/02/2023

Thinking of booking a Johnsons holiday? You must have lots of questions. We have compiled a list of everything you may need to know before booking your next coach holiday!

Why is there a supplement for single travellers?

Generally we endeavour to contract any actual ‘single bedded’ rooms without any single room supplementary charge but any supplementary charges we make are those that are passed on to us by the hotel and may vary from hotel to hotel.  In the main most of the single supplementary charges we show are where the room is equipped to accommodate two people (i.e. a ‘double room for Sole Occupancy’.

When we contract a hotel we receive an initial allocation of rooms (i.e. twin bedded, double bedded or single occupancy. Single occupancy of rooms, when available, may be subject to a supplementary charge and these will be shown within the price panel of each tour. These charges may also vary once we have exceeded the available rooms within our initial allocation from the hotel – and any additional charges will be advised to you at the time of booking.

The cost of coach travel is per person, but it is standard practice for hotels to charge a supplement for single occupancy as the cost of heating, lighting, and cleaning the room etc is the same regardless of the number of people occupying it.

Any applicable supplementary charges will be advised to you at the time of the booking by a member of our Reservations Team.

How much luggage can I bring?

Please restrict your luggage to one medium sized suitcase per person (approximately 36” x 18” x 10”) weighing no more than 44lbs (20kgs). A small holdall can also be taken on board the coach. On holidays which include overnight stops, you may take a small overnight bag with you.

Due to the increased risk of injury to our staff at the point of manual handling a bag which exceeds the above weight limits, we would request that for couples travelling together, that the weight of their luggage is evenly distributed over a second bag. We would respectfully request that couples should always bring two medium sized suitcases as opposed to one, large, overweight bag. Please help us to assist with the well-being of our drivers and feeder drivers.

Can I bring my mobility scooter?

Those who have difficulties with mobility are more than welcome on our tours and excursions, however it’s important that you let us know at the time of booking if you wish to bring a wheelchair, mobility scooter or walker, as well as any other requirements you may have. We can accept one ‘compact’ electric mobility scooter per holiday. Our definition of ‘compact’ is that the scooter is class 1 specification, i.e. it must be designed to be dismantled, so that it can be loaded into the boot of a car. The actual maximum size of class 1 mobility scooters are;

Length – 1200mm, Width – 700mm max, Maximum Weight – 60kgs.

*We cannot accept class 2 scooters as these are too large and heavy to lift. All users of scooters and wheelchairs must be able to negotiate the five steps to board the coach to manage and enjoy our tours and excursions. *

Why do I need travel insurance?

Travel insurance can give you peace of mind. It can cover a range of things that could happen when you are travelling and therefore, we strongly advise that you take out personal travel insurance for your trip. You may choose to use our insurance or use your own, but you must advise us if you use an alternative insurer, the policy number and a 24-hour contact number.

Do I need a passport?

For all Continental holidays, you will require a full 10-year British Passport valid from the issue date (machine readable) valid for the period required for the country or countries you are visiting. We cannot accept responsibility if passengers are not in possession of the correct travel documents.

Since Britain left the European Union on 31 January 2020, rules around the ‘old style’, burgundy, British passports have changed. To save you getting caught out at the airport or your ferry terminal, here’s everything you need to know.

How to know if your passport is valid?

Any UK passports issued before the UK left the European Union are now only valid for ten years exactly from the issue date. This means that any extra months that have been added are no longer valid.

E.g. If your passport is valid from 2 June 2015 and has an expiry date of 2 September 2025, the expiry date is actually 2 June 2025.

As well as this, most countries in the EU require you to have a minimum of six months left on your passport when you travel. This would mean that the last date you could return from your holiday using the above example would be 2 December 2024.

Can I request a specific room?

You should tell us about any requests i.e. low floor rooms. We will pass your request to the relevant supplier, but this does not necessarily mean that your request will be fulfilled.

Do I need to declare my disabilities when booking?

We are happy to advise and assist you in choosing a holiday best suited to you. But, as some of the accommodation and resorts featured may not cater for even minor disabilities, it is important that, when booking, you advise us of any disability, specific need or complex need you may have and any special requirements that will make sure the holiday is suitable.

You must tell us if you have an existing medical condition, disability or complex need that may affect your holiday or other group members’ enjoyment of it, before you book your holiday. We reserve the right to request a doctor’s certificate confirming the passenger is fit to travel.

When do I need to pay my balance?

Your balance is due 8 weeks before departure date for all British and European coach holidays. 10 weeks before departure date for all air holidays and currently 18 weeks for cruise holidays (This will extend to 20 Weeks in 2024). If you book within our balance due period, you will need to pay the total holiday cost at the time of booking. If the balance is not paid in time, we reserve the right to cancel your holiday, retain your deposit, and apply the cancellation charges set out in the brochure.

If you would like to know further information regarding any of the previous questions, details are outlined within the Trading Charter section of our brochures or please call 01564 797000.