Terms and Conditions
These Terms and Conditions apply to scheduled small-group shore excursions and Special Excursions operated by Shore Excursion Scotland. By making a booking, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to these Terms and Conditions.
Private excursions arranged exclusively for an individual group are governed by our separate Private Excursion Terms and Conditions.
1. Booking and Payment
All scheduled small-group excursions and Special Excursions are booked through our secure online booking system.
Passengers may pay the full cost of their chosen excursion at the time of booking or secure their booking with a 25% deposit, where this option is available.
Where a deposit is selected, the 25% deposit is non-refundable in the event of a passenger cancellation, subject to the cancellation provisions below and applicable statutory rights.
The remaining balance will be automatically collected 45 days before the excursion date using the payment method securely held by our booking and payment provider.
For bookings made within 45 days of the excursion date, full payment is required at the time of booking.
If the remaining balance cannot be successfully collected when due, Shore Excursion Scotland may cancel the booking and retain the non-refundable deposit, following reasonable attempts to resolve the outstanding payment.
All payments are processed in GBP (British Pounds Sterling).
Most major credit and debit cards are accepted through our secure online booking system, including Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
If an excursion is fully booked, passengers may be able to join a waiting list. Joining a waiting list does not guarantee a place on the excursion.
Booking Information
The person making the booking is responsible for providing accurate information, including the cruise ship name, excursion date, passenger numbers and contact details.
The lead passenger is responsible for ensuring that all members of their party receive relevant booking confirmations, meeting-point information, joining instructions and any subsequent updates.
Shore Excursion Scotland cannot accept responsibility for issues arising directly from incorrect or incomplete information supplied by the customer, except where responsibility cannot lawfully be excluded.
Booking Amendments
Requests to amend an existing booking are subject to availability.
Changes to passenger numbers, dates or excursion arrangements may result in a price adjustment.
Where an amendment cannot be accommodated, the original booking and applicable cancellation conditions will remain in place.
Group Bookings
A group booking rate may be available for parties of six (6) or more passengers travelling on the same excursion. For group rate enquiries, please contact us directly by email at info@shoreexcursionscotland.com prior to booking.
To qualify for a group booking rate, the booking must be made and paid for by a single lead passenger.
Group booking rates cannot be applied retrospectively to existing bookings.
Special Excursions
Certain Special Excursions, including events involving pre-purchased admission tickets, may have additional booking, payment or cancellation conditions.
Any additional conditions will be clearly communicated on the relevant excursion information page or during the booking process before payment is completed.
Where a clearly disclosed, excursion-specific condition differs from these general Terms and Conditions, the excursion-specific condition will apply to that particular booking, subject to applicable law.
2. Cancellations and Refunds
Passenger Cancellations
Passengers may cancel their booking at any time. Unless different conditions have been clearly specified for a particular Special Excursion, refunds will be calculated against the total excursion price as follows:
More than 14 days before departure: 75% refund of the total excursion cost.
Between 7 and 14 days before departure: 50% refund of the total excursion cost.
Less than 7 days before departure: No refund.
Any non-refundable deposit already paid forms part of the applicable cancellation charge and will not be deducted a second time.
Where a cancellation charge exceeds the amount already paid, any outstanding amount will only be payable where this has been clearly agreed as part of the booking conditions.
Cancellations by Shore Excursion Scotland
If Shore Excursion Scotland cancels an excursion, passengers who booked directly with us will be offered a full refund or, where available, a suitable alternative excursion.
If the alternative excursion is less expensive, the difference will be refunded.
If the alternative excursion is more expensive, no additional charge will normally be applied.
This section should be read alongside our Shore Excursion Guarantee and provisions relating to cruise itinerary changes and circumstances beyond our control.
Refund Processing
Refunds will normally be issued to the original payment method.
All refunds are processed in GBP.
Shore Excursion Scotland is not responsible for differences caused by exchange-rate fluctuations or charges imposed independently by a customer's bank or card provider.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions limits any refund or other remedy to which a passenger is entitled under applicable consumer law.
3. Shore Excursion Guarantee – Direct Bookings
Our Shore Excursion Guarantee is designed to provide reassurance to passengers booking a shore excursion directly with Shore Excursion Scotland.
Missed Port Calls
If your cruise ship is unable to call at the scheduled port on the date of your booked excursion, preventing you from participating, Shore Excursion Scotland will provide a 75% refund of the total excursion cost.
The remaining 25% contributes towards costs already incurred or committed in preparing for the excursion. These may include vehicle arrangements, guides, administration, attraction admission and other supplier costs.
Attraction admission tickets and other included services form part of the overall excursion price and are not separately refundable under this guarantee.
This missed-port refund arrangement applies to bookings made directly with Shore Excursion Scotland, including bookings completed through our FareHarbor booking system.
Bookings made through independent third-party resellers are subject to the provisions in Section 4.
Return to Ship
Our excursions are planned around the published cruise ship schedule.
We aim to return passengers to their cruise port at least one hour before the ship's scheduled departure time.
Where unexpected delays arise, Shore Excursion Scotland and its transport providers will take reasonable steps to ensure passengers return to their ship in good time.
The safe and timely return of passengers takes priority over completing every advertised stop or activity.
4. Third-Party Bookings
Some Shore Excursion Scotland excursions may be available through independent third-party booking platforms, travel agents or resellers.
Cancellations and Refunds
Where a booking is made through an independent third party, the cancellation, amendment and refund conditions applicable to that booking will be those disclosed by the third party during the booking process, together with any applicable statutory rights.
Requests for cancellations, amendments or refunds should be directed to the company or platform through which the original booking was made.
Refund arrangements for missed, cancelled or changed cruise port calls will also be governed by the conditions applicable to the third-party booking.
The 75% missed-port refund provided under Shore Excursion Scotland's direct-booking Shore Excursion Guarantee does not automatically apply to bookings made through independent third-party resellers.
Return-to-Ship Commitment
Regardless of how an excursion is booked, Shore Excursion Scotland will plan the excursion around the cruise ship's published schedule and make reasonable efforts to return passengers to their ship in good time.
5. Cruise Line Itinerary Changes
Cruise lines may change their published itineraries, port arrival times, departure times or scheduled port-call dates.
Shore Excursion Scotland will make reasonable efforts to accommodate these changes wherever operationally possible.
Changes to Arrival or Departure Times
If a cruise ship's arrival or departure time changes, we may adjust the excursion's start time, finish time, route, order of stops or time spent at individual locations.
Where the excursion can still reasonably operate, the booking will remain valid.
A change to the cruise ship's schedule does not automatically result in cancellation or entitlement to a refund.
Changes to Port-Call Dates
If the cruise line changes the date of a scheduled port call, we will make reasonable efforts to transfer the excursion to the revised date.
If Shore Excursion Scotland cannot accommodate the new date, passengers who booked directly with us will receive a 75% refund under our Shore Excursion Guarantee.
For bookings made through independent third-party resellers, the applicable third-party booking conditions will determine the refund arrangements.
Attraction Availability
Access to castles, historic sites, distilleries and other attractions is controlled by the individual attraction.
Where cruise itinerary changes affect pre-booked admission times, we will make reasonable efforts to rearrange the visit.
If an attraction becomes unavailable, Shore Excursion Scotland may adjust the itinerary or offer a suitable alternative stop.
Where a significant advertised element cannot be provided, any appropriate price adjustment or remedy will be considered in accordance with the booking conditions and applicable consumer law.
6. Late Arrivals, Tender Ports and No-Shows
Passengers are responsible for arriving at the designated meeting point by the scheduled excursion departure time provided in their booking confirmation or joining instructions.
We understand that disembarkation and tender operations can sometimes be delayed. However, departure times must be managed carefully to protect the experience of other passengers and ensure a timely return to the cruise ship.
Ships Berthed Alongside (Docked)
Where passengers disembark directly ashore, Shore Excursion Scotland will normally wait for missing passengers for a maximum of 10 minutes after the scheduled excursion departure time.
Tender Ports (Water Shuttle)
Where passengers must travel ashore by tender boat, Shore Excursion Scotland will normally wait for missing passengers for a maximum of 15 minutes after the scheduled excursion departure time.
Cruise Ship and Tender Delays
We will always endeavour to accommodate booked passengers where operationally possible.
Where we are aware of delays affecting disembarkation or tender operations, we will make reasonable efforts to adjust arrangements.
However, we reserve the right to depart once the applicable waiting period has passed.
These waiting periods should not be treated as extensions to the advertised departure time.
No-Shows
Passengers who fail to arrive at the designated meeting point within the applicable waiting period will normally be treated as a no-show.
No refunds will normally be issued for no-shows or passengers who arrive after the excursion has departed.
Exceptional circumstances directly relating to cruise ship operations may be considered at our discretion, without affecting applicable statutory rights.
7. Minimum Passenger Requirements
Some shared excursions are subject to a minimum number of passengers in order to operate. Where applicable, the minimum passenger requirement may vary depending on the excursion.
If the required minimum number of passengers is not reached, Shore Excursion Scotland reserves the right to cancel the excursion and offer affected passengers either a suitable alternative excursion or a full refund.
Where an excursion is cancelled because the minimum passenger requirement has not been reached, passengers will be notified as soon as reasonably possible.
8. Transport Providers and Itinerary Adjustments
Transport Providers
Shore Excursion Scotland works with professional transport providers and experienced driver-guides to deliver its excursions.
Vehicles may be owned and operated by independent transport providers.
Transport providers are responsible for maintaining the appropriate licences, insurance and safety requirements applicable to their services.
Passengers must comply with reasonable safety instructions issued by drivers, guides and transport providers.
Itinerary Adjustments
Excursion itineraries and advertised timings are provided as a guide and may be adjusted where circumstances require.
Traffic, weather, road closures, attraction availability, cruise schedule changes and other operational circumstances may affect the itinerary.
Shore Excursion Scotland and its transport providers reserve the right to adjust the route, order of stops, duration of visits or overall itinerary where reasonably necessary.
Where delays could affect the scheduled return to the ship, the driver or guide may shorten or omit planned stops.
The safe and timely return of passengers to the cruise port will take priority.
Reasonable operational adjustments will not normally result in a refund, although this does not affect any applicable statutory rights.
In-Vehicle Recording Devices
Some vehicles may be equipped with dash cameras or other recording devices that record video and/or audio.
These devices may be owned and operated independently by the transport provider.
Shore Excursion Scotland does not control or have access to recordings made by independent transport providers.
Further information about personal information and recording equipment is available in our Privacy Policy.
9. Passenger Conduct and Responsibility
Passenger Responsibility
Passengers are responsible for their personal belongings throughout the excursion.
Shore Excursion Scotland is not responsible for loss, theft or damage to personal property except where liability cannot lawfully be excluded.
Following Instructions
Passengers must follow reasonable instructions provided by guides, drivers, transport providers and attractions.
Passengers are responsible for returning to the excursion vehicle or designated meeting point at the times specified by their guide.
Repeated failure to follow instructions or behaviour that significantly disrupts the excursion may result in exclusion from the remainder of the excursion where reasonably necessary.
Alcohol and Behaviour
Passengers are expected to behave responsibly throughout the excursion.
Shore Excursion Scotland reserves the right to refuse or discontinue participation where a passenger's behaviour, intoxication or actions create a safety concern or significantly disrupt the excursion.
No refund will normally be provided where participation is discontinued because of serious misconduct.
Leaving the Excursion
Passengers who voluntarily leave the excursion, separate from the group or choose to make their own onward travel arrangements are responsible for returning to the cruise ship independently.
Our return-to-ship commitment cannot apply once a passenger voluntarily leaves the excursion and does not return with the group.
10. Passenger Eligibility and Accessibility
Our scheduled small-group excursions are generally unsuitable for children under the age of 12. Families travelling with younger children are encouraged to consider a private excursion.
Vehicles used for our scheduled excursions are not wheelchair accessible.
Passengers must be able to board and leave the excursion vehicle safely without physical assistance from the driver or guide.
Passengers using wheelchairs, walking frames, mobility scooters, crutches or other mobility aids should contact Shore Excursion Scotland before booking to discuss their requirements.
Where suitable storage space is available, certain collapsible mobility aids may be carried by prior arrangement.
Some attractions and locations may involve uneven ground, steps, cobbled streets or extended periods of walking.
Where a passenger cannot safely board, disembark or participate in an excursion, we will consider the individual circumstances and any reasonable adjustments that may be possible.
Where safe participation cannot reasonably be accommodated, Shore Excursion Scotland may decline or discontinue participation, subject to applicable legal obligations and consumer rights.
11. Insurance
Shore Excursion Scotland maintains appropriate insurance for the activities for which it is responsible, including public liability insurance.
Independent transport providers are responsible for maintaining the insurance and licences required for the transport services they provide.
Passengers are strongly advised to obtain suitable personal travel insurance covering cancellation, illness, delays, missed excursions, personal belongings and other unforeseen circumstances.
12. Force Majeure and Circumstances Beyond Our Control
Shore Excursion Scotland cannot accept responsibility for delays or failure to provide an excursion where this results from circumstances genuinely beyond our reasonable control, except where liability cannot lawfully be excluded.
Such circumstances may include severe weather, natural disasters, road closures, industrial action, civil unrest, government restrictions, attraction closures, serious transport disruption, mechanical breakdowns and changes to cruise ship operations.
Where such circumstances affect an excursion, we will make reasonable efforts to minimise disruption and provide the excursion safely wherever possible.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or restricts any statutory rights or liabilities that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.
13. Entire Agreement
These Terms and Conditions, together with the excursion description, booking confirmation and any additional conditions clearly communicated before booking, form the agreement between the passenger and Shore Excursion Scotland.
Where additional conditions apply to a particular Special Excursion, those conditions will form part of the booking agreement.
14. Severability
If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is found to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply.
15. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions are governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of Scotland.
Any disputes arising from or relating to these Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Scottish courts, except where applicable law provides consumers with a mandatory right to bring proceedings elsewhere.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or restricts any consumer rights or legal protections that cannot lawfully be excluded.
Last Updated - October 2026
