Terms of Service — Scenic Excursions

Effective · January 1, 2026

The authoritative legal document is hosted as a PDF at the link above.

Scenic Excursions, Terms and Conditions, Updated for trips departing after January 1, 2026

These terms apply to excursions booked with Scenic Excursions, the travel and tour department of Niagara Scenic Tours Inc. ("Scenic Excursions," "Niagara Scenic," "we," "us," or "our"), with divisions serving Buffalo–Niagara, Greater Rochester, Syracuse, and Southern Tier New York / Northwest Pennsylvania. Headquarters: 5175 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg, NY 14075, United States. The printable terms are at https://www.scenicexcursions.net/TripDetails.pdf. By making a reservation or traveling with us, you agree to these terms. If a flyer, receipt, or supplier sets different rules for an air tour, cruise, or international package, those rules control for that trip.

Fully Escorted with Host

All trips are accompanied by a professional Tour Host unless otherwise indicated. Tour Hosts act as company travel assistants. Guests who need help walking or other special attention should travel with a companion or aide. Tour Hosts and motorcoach operators do not provide that service, except on trips with fewer than 20 people, casino excursions, or where Scenic Excursions agrees.

Making a Reservation

Reservations can be made online, by mail, or by phone. One-day excursions must be paid in full at the time of reservation. If you pay by check, call the office to reserve; space is held tentatively for 7 days until the check is received. For 2026 multi-day motorcoach excursions, a $200.00 per person deposit is required at reservation. Some departures require a higher deposit, as stated for that trip. Final payment is due 75 days before departure. Optional travel protection is due at the time of deposit.

Seat Belt Policy

New York law requires passengers to wear seat belts on our motorcoaches. Passengers age 16 and older must wear a seat belt whenever seated. Passengers age 8 to 15 must wear a seat belt at all times; if a parent or guardian age 18 or older is present, that adult is responsible for the minor's seat belt and may be fined for noncompliance. Liability for failure to buckle rests with the traveler, or with the parent or guardian if the traveler is a minor.

Motorcoach and Seating

Niagara Scenic Tours operates the motorcoaches. Coaches may seat 56, 40, or 30 guests and are equipped with overhead compartments and outlets. Lavatories are available unless a trip says otherwise, and comfort stops are made during excursions. Seats are assigned at the company's discretion, with priority for medical needs. Tell us about special needs when you book. Remain seated while the coach is moving. Step stools and step aids are not permitted. For safety, use the handrail or seat back when walking to the restroom.

Luggage and Personal Property

The company assumes no responsibility for personal property. Baggage is carried only at the passenger's risk and only as space allows in interior and exterior racks. Niagara Scenic and Scenic Excursions are not responsible for hotel luggage-handling errors.

Conduct, Service Animals, and Accessibility

Passengers may not interfere with the operator or tamper with equipment on the bus. Service animals are limited to dogs individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability, as defined by the ADA. Other animals are not allowed. Guests who need a wheelchair-lift coach must give at least 48 hours' notice before departure; without that notice, accessible equipment may be unavailable. Mobility scooters also require at least 48 hours' notice so equipment can be prepared. Without that notice, scooter transport may be denied. Damage or unusual cleaning caused by a member of the traveling party, including seats or the lavatory, is charged to that party and due when the cost is known.

Equipment and Entertainment

Equipment is inspected before assignment. If a mechanical failure requires a replacement coach, the replacement may be a different type. DVD and wireless equipment is on some vehicles only and is not guaranteed. Only non-copyrighted DVDs may be shown. Prerecorded commercial DVDs are licensed for home use. Public performance on a coach can infringe copyright. The company disclaims liability for the showing of copyrighted DVDs.

Prohibited Items

Smoking and vaping of any substance are prohibited and illegal inside a motorcoach, and smoking products are not permitted on or within 20 feet of the coach. Also prohibited: glass containers; fuel containers, oxygen tanks, and generators; storing lithium batteries in the luggage bay (everyday lithium batteries must stay with you in the passenger area); and firearms, explosives, and fireworks, whether in baggage or on your person. Niagara Scenic may remove a passenger or cancel the trip without refund if prohibited items are used.

One-Day Cancellations

Excursions that include a special event or show ticket are non-refundable unless trip protection was purchased and cancellation is for illness with a doctor's note. Non-refundable excursions are marked with an asterisk next to the price. Casino day trips: more than 21 days before departure, the full amount is credited to your Scenic Excursions account for a future trip; 21 days or less, no refund or credit. Other one-day excursions without a ticketed event: more than 45 days before departure, full refund; 22 to 45 days, refund less a $25.00 per person administrative fee; 21 days or fewer, no refund or credit. You may transfer a day trip to someone else if you find a replacement and the reservation office updates the manifest. If a trip is already non-refundable and Scenic Excursions finds a replacement, a $25.00 per person administrative charge applies.

Multi-Day Cancellations

More than 75 days before a multi-day excursion, you receive a full refund. At 75 days or fewer before departure, there is no refund or credit. You may transfer the reservation to someone else if you find a replacement and tell the reservationist, except international tours, air tours, and cruises, which cannot be transferred. World travel and cruise vacations may have different penalties set by the vendor. See your receipt or flyer.

Travel Protection

Protection is optional and strongly encouraged, and it must be purchased at booking for one-day plans. One-day motorcoach cancellation protection is $25.00 and covers cancellation up to the day of departure for documented medical reasons only. Casino one-day protection is $10.00 (not including casino show tours) and covers cancellation up to the day of travel for illness with a medical note. These plans do not cover events while you are on the tour. Multi-day protection is offered through National Tour Association AON Affinity at https://nta.aontravelprotect.com using Tour Operator Location Number 326296. The basic plan can be purchased at any time. The enhanced plan, which can cover preexisting conditions, must be purchased within 14 days of your deposit. Pricing follows the insurer's premiums. There is no company refund at 75 days before a 2026 multi-day departure.

Special Accommodations

Tell your reservationist about dietary needs, including vegetarian or gluten-free meals, and about accessible or reserved seating, when you sign up. Requests are honored when stated in advance and when the vendor can provide them. Medical notes on file supersede seating requests. Reserved seats depend on availability. You may buy the seat next to you to hold it. Give the names of everyone in your party so we can try to seat you together.

Guest Responsibilities

Bring a companion if you need assistance during the tour. Wear comfortable, safe walking shoes and dress as you would for a nice restaurant, with a sweater or jacket. Bring a watch, a charged phone, medicines, and a snack if you have dietary needs. Avoid heavy perfume or cologne. Walking is usually required between the coach and venues, and some restaurants and theaters have stairs. Arrive at least 15 minutes before departure. We cannot wait, and there is no refund or credit for a missed departure. Return times are estimates and may change for traffic, weather, or customs.

Gratuities

Gratuities for the motorcoach operator, Tour Host, and local guides are not included. Suggested amounts are $3 to $5 per person for a one-day excursion and $5 to $7 per person per day on a multi-day excursion. Local step-on guides are customarily thanked at $1 to $2 per person per half day. Envelopes are provided on multi-day tours.

Health and Safety

Do not travel if you are sick. By taking an excursion you agree that you are in good health. Niagara Scenic Tours follows applicable New York State, CDC, and FMCSA motorcoach guidance. A guest who is ill or who does not follow safety protocols may be removed at the guest's expense with no refund. Any medical or psychological episode that creates a risk to the traveler or others will be referred to police, medical professionals, or EMTs. There is no refund for unused portions, and Niagara Scenic is not responsible for transportation home. A physician's clearance is required before a guest who was removed for illness may rejoin. Multi-day guests must complete a health form and provide an emergency contact before boarding. Motorcoach travel includes the risk of contagious illness. A passenger who leaves the group mid-trip receives no refund or credit for the unused portion.

Canadian and International Travel

Every passenger traveling into or through Canada, or internationally, must present proof of citizenship before boarding. U.S. and Canadian citizens age 16 and older need a valid passport, passport card, enhanced New York driver's license, or NEXUS card for U.S.–Canada motorcoach travel. Youth under 16 need an original birth certificate and, if not traveling with a parent, a notarized note from a parent or legal guardian. If a border agent denies entry, any onward transportation is at the traveler's expense and no refund or credit is issued.

Travel Dollars

You earn one Travel Dollar for each day you travel on an eligible excursion. One-day casino trips do not earn Travel Dollars, and Travel Dollars cannot be earned or used on casino or group travel. Bingo Bucks may be used on casino tours unless a trip says otherwise. Travel Dollars cannot be combined with other specials, are not transferable, and cannot be redeemed for cash. They remain valid while you are active. If you do not travel with Scenic Excursions within two years of your last travel date, unused Travel Dollars are forfeited.

Inclusions and Changes

Unless a flyer says otherwise, the price includes transportation, a professional Tour Host, sightseeing and attraction entry as listed, meals as listed, taxes, and base gratuities for staff at included meals. Niagara Scenic may substitute an attraction, restaurant, or meal. There is no credit or refund for substitutions, weather, or vendor issues outside our control. If a cancelled component produces a credit to the company, that credit is applied to your Scenic Excursions account for a future trip. Prices can change when vendor costs rise; your reservationist will confirm any increase before the reservation is final. Itineraries for multi-day motorcoach trips are sent about 10 to 14 days before departure. Not every trip uses every listed departure point.

Air, Cruise, and International Packages

Deposit, payment, and cancellation rules for vacation, air, and international packages are set on each tour flyer. Trip protection is strongly recommended.

Pricing Errors

Niagara Scenic Tours is not responsible for misprinted prices in flyers, brochures, the Website, newsprint, or social media. The price confirmed at booking is the price that applies.

Company Cancellations and Responsibility

The tour department acts as a booking agent and assumes no responsibility for delay, cancellation, schedule or itinerary changes, loss, injury, or damage to persons or property arising from services used on the trip, including equipment problems, traffic, construction, weather, border crossings, and other circumstances outside our control. If a boat or other operator cancels, a credit for the purchased item may be placed on your Scenic Excursions account for a future trip. A disruptive passenger, or a passenger unsafe to travel, may be removed and must arrange the return home at their own expense. Casino day-trip guests must arrive and depart on the motorcoach and present valid government-issued photo identification to receive an incentive. Impaired or intoxicated guests will not be permitted to board and will not be refunded. If Niagara Scenic cancels an excursion, a full refund is made within 30 days. Notice may be by postcard, letter, phone (including voicemail), or email. A trip may be cancelled up to the day before departure for unforeseen circumstances, weather, mechanical issues, or passenger load.

Website Use

You may view pages on https://www.scenicexcursions.net for personal, non-commercial use. You may not copy, republish, or scrape site content, interfere with the reservation system, or use the Website for unlawful purposes. Excursion descriptions are invitations to book and are confirmed only when a reservation is accepted under these terms.

Contact

Questions about these terms: experience@scenicexcursions.net or (716) 649-9694, Scenic Excursions, 5175 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg, NY 14075. Greater Rochester: discover@scenicexcursions.net, (585) 438-3063, 2926 Lakeville Road, Avon, NY 14414. Southern Tier: explore@scenicexcursions.net, (814) 362-6884. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM.