Brendan Vacations

When viewing the Dates & Prices in a trip page, you’ll see some departure dates shown as “Definite Departure”. A Definite Departure has reached the required minimum number of guests to operate and therefore will run barring any extraordinary circumstances.

Dates are regularly updated to show as Definite Departure throughout the year. Even if a date is not marked as a Definite Departure yet, you can still make a booking. If the departure fails to meet the minimum number of guests, you will be offered the best alternative dates or a full refund of any payment made towards your Brendan Vacation. 

Travelers must be at least 5 years of age. To receive a Young Travel Discount, the child must be between 5 to 17 years old at time of travel.

Brendan guests can book with confidence knowing you’re free to change your travel plans up until your final payment is due. With our Deposit Protection program, you will receive a travel credit up to $200 per person to be used toward a future booking within 5 years.

If you are within the cancellation penalty period, charges will apply. All changes are subject to differences in rates and availability. This policy only applies to your Brendan trip, airlines will have different policies and change fees/costs. Please note: additional amendment fees may be incurred.

We offer enticing discounts when you travel with Brendan in a group. Secure a trip for nine or more people on a set guided vacation departure and enjoy great benefits.

Once you’ve pre-registered for your trip and made final payment on your booking, your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will send your Travel Documents to you electronically approximately three weeks prior to your departure. These documents will also be available to download on the MyBrendan portal (details wil lbe provided).

Brendan guests can each travel with one suitcase not exceeding 50lbs in weight, with the dimensions of 30” x 18” x 10”. Carry-on/hand luggage is restricted to one piece per person, not exceeding 12”x11”x6” to fit under your coach seat or in the small overhead compartment.

So your driver and the hotel porters can safely lift and transport your suitcase throughout your vacation, we strongly recommend that you test the weight of your baggage prior to travel. You should be able to lift and comfortably transport it for short distances.

For safety reasons, small rolling suitcases that are permitted to bring on airplanes are not permitted inside the coach on Guided Vacations. As our coaches have large, panoramic windows, there is minimal space to store them securely overhead or under the seat. We suggest bringing a carry-on that is soft-sided similar to a backpack, tote bag, etc.

The weather in Ireland and Scotland varies depending on the time of year you visit. We would suggest that you pack clothing to layer, a waterproof jacket (there’s a reason our islands are so green!) and a comfortable pair of shoes/sneakers.

Other useful items we suggest you pack include:

• Phone charger
• Adaptor/converter plug
• Medication
• Travel iron
• Carry/day bag
• Reusable water bottle
• Travel pillow
• Photocopies of your passport, hotel list, travel document and luggage contents for reference

When planning how much money to bring, we suggest you consider things such as money for meals that are not included (i.e. lunches, beverages, etc.), Optional Experiences on guided vacations that you may wish to purchase, shopping, gratuities for your Travel Directo and any incidentals like laundry, dry cleaning and so on.

While most major credit cards are generally accepted by shops and hotels worldwide, you may find that there is a minimum charge for using them. It is also becoming more common for identification to be requested when making payments by credit card, so remember to carry your passport or driver’s license with you. Visa, American Express and MasterCard are widely accepted.

No. Pre-paying for your gratuities is not required. We offer this option  because many guests like to budget for all elements of their vacation ahead of time. Gratuities can be pre-paid during the booking process. 

Electrical plus and outlets differ and we recommend bringing a universal travel adaptor that’s suitable for the countries you are traveling to.

We can accommodate vegetarian guests and can assist with diabetic, gluten-free and other medically-recommended diets. Please advise us at time of booking or by adding your dietary request by logging into your MyBrendan profile and selecting ‘Personalize Your Trip’ on the right-hand side. Login details will be provided by your Global Journeys Travel Advisor.

We pride ourselves on having the finest fleet of fuel-efficient, fully air-conditioned coaches for our Guided Vacations – all with reclining seats and on-board restrooms. We also have onboard Wi-Fi.

In addition to your suitcase, which gets stored separately on the coach, you can bring one piece of carry-on luggage onto the coach with you for your Guided Vacation. The carry-on must be small enough to fit under your seat or in a small overhead compartment. The dimensions are 12” x 11” x6”. Please note that for safety reasons, small rolling suitcases are not permitted inside the coach. There are a number of things you may wish to bring on the coach with you, including a travel pillow, something to read, sunglasses, your phone, headphones if you’d like to listen to music, etc.

Tipping etiquette varies by country and is a gesture that shows appreciation for the quality of service that you received. When traveling with Brendan Vacations you can choose to pre-pay for tips and gratuities for your Travel Director and Driver.

Brendan’s Guided Vacations include plenty of free time for you to explore destinations in your own way. Optional Experiences are a great way to make the most of your time and tailor your trip to your interests. Available Optional Experiences are listed on the trip itinerary. No need to book or prepay, you can do this with your Travel Director on trip and payment can be made by credit card or cash.

To enable you to personalize your Brendan Guided Vacation experience, you will find a number of Optional Experiences designed to complement the itinerary. These are offer a deeper insight into the culture and character of the areas to be visited and provide some wonderful highlights to your travels. The optional program is designed to let you experience more of what interests you and to get the most from your vacation without replacing or overlapping with anything included in an itinerary.

The majority of Optional Experiences will be offered to you by your Travel Director at the beginning of your trip. Our Optional Experiences cannot be pre-booked. Some may be subject to change, depending on the time you are traveling or local circumstances including weather and days of the week. Further information will be provided by your Travel Director.

Each itinerary offers the perfect balance of downtime and discoveries. Brendan also give you the opportunity to tailor your trip with Optional Experiences. Some of our trips offer a more relaxed pace, with later starts and longer stays in each place.

If you would like to exclude yourself from an included experience, please ensure you speak with your Travel Director, so they are aware of your plans. They will make sure you are aware of any necessary times or meeting points. Please note, we cannot provide any compensation or refunds, if you decide to not take part in an included activity or meal.

Brendan offer a well-balanced mix of walking and enjoying sites for the comfort of your coach. The activity level and amount of walking can vary, so it is important that you bring adequate footwear to ensure your comfort and safety. When walking there can be some uneven terrain, or times when more walking is required than others.

How much coach travel there is depends on the  itinerary, but we rarely spend longer than a couple hours on the coach without a photo stop or visit.

To ensure fairness and to enhance your coach experience, Brendan Vacations operates a daily seat rotation system on our Guided Vacations. This enables guests to enjoy the panoramic views from a different seat and provides opportunities to get to know your fellow travelers and make new friends each day.

Brendan Vacations’ hotels are handpicked to ensure they meet our high standards. A few hotels may not have air conditioning due to the colder climate and historic buildings.

Most hotels offer a laundry service; in some cities, laundromats are also available. However, it’s sensible to try and pack enough clothing to avoid having to do laundry, as it can sometimes be costly or inconvenient.

Sharing your experiences with friends and family back home is an important part of your trip. If you choose to bring a smart phone with you, ensure you contact your service provider to find out how much it will cost you to use your phone internationally. You might consider disability data roaming or purchasing a prepaid service or SIM to keep control of costs. Be mindful of other guests if you take a cell phone call on the coach.

Complimentary Wi-Fi is usually available on our coaches and your hotel will also provide complimentary Wi-Fi access.

Yes, hotels can change from those listed on the website or in your travel documents. This might be due to a variety of reasons and is often out of Brendan’s control. If this does happen, we will ensure the new hotel is in a similar location and meets our high standards.

Food and drink is at the heart of every destination. Your trip itinerary contains information on included meals and your Travel Director, Private Chauffeur, Local Host or Local Specialist can provide recommendations for places to eat in each new place.

All of our guests will have access to the personal service of a dedicated and knowledgeable Travel Director. They will be on hand to help guide and support you throughout your trip and are able to offer a true insider’s perspective of each destination.

Absolutely. Once you’ve traveled with Brendan Vacations you automatically become a member of Global Tour Rewards and have access to member-only pricing on 1000+ worldwide vacations across our world-leading sister brands.

When making your booking, be sure to let your Travel Advisor know that you are a past guest of Brendan or one of their TTC sister brands. Your discount will be applied to your quote and invoice.