Things you should know…
Q: Can you tell us more about Tailwind Destinations?
A: Allow me to introduce ourselves; we’re Rick and Carolyn McNabb and we're the owners of Tailwind Destinations LLC. We’re a small family-owned operation and thrilled to be able to mold Tailwinds into a product that mirrors our greatest passion which are beer, brewing, breweries, gastronomy, history, culture and yes, travel. Having attended the Culinary Institute of America, my professional career was heavily involved in the culinary arts, followed by many years in the travel industry. As a member of the American Homebrewers Association and Brewers Association, I’ve been homebrewing for over 20 years while Carolyn is a Mead-maker. With ancestral roots in Scotland and being an elected board member of an international clan society, travel to Scotland and Ireland is another passion. The fact that craft brewing is thriving in Scotland is a huge bonus. I guess that having the opportunity to share what we know by planning adventures for others, or to lead groups to some of our favorite places and is like a dream come true.
Q: Should I buy travel insurance?
A: You never know when something might happen leaving you wishing you had insurance. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss, unexpected illness, injury or other life events prior to the tour start date could easily derail your travel plans, and any money paid could be lost. Medical issues while abroad may require out-of-pocket costs while emergencies that require repatriation can cost tens of thousands, to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We highly recommend that you purchase a plan that covers all the above, plus trip cancellation for any reason.
For your convenience, we’ve added two links to travel insurance partners we work with on each page’s sidebar. Simply click the links, get a quote and purchase it online.
Q: What is your payment policy?
A: Tailwind Destinations accepts payment via credit card and personal checks. All checks must be in US Funds from a US bank. Participants can submit a reservation with their deposit by mail or by phone. Payments made by credit card will only be processed upon submission and receipt of a completed Credit Card Form.
Checks can be mailed to:
Tailwind Destinations
1101 Shagbark Lane
Union Grove, WI 53182
Deposits: A deposit of $500 per person is required for all tours.
Reservations are not confirmed unless deposits have been received.
Reservations without deposits will be cancelled at our discretion. If possible, we may reinstate a cancelled booking upon receiving payment, providing spots remain open. If the date of the tour is less than 90 days away, tours must be paid in full.
Balance Due: The full payment is required by check or credit card 90 days from the start of the trip (60 days for 2022). Reservations will be cancelled if the final payment is not received by the due date and cancellation charges will apply as noted below.
Terms and Conditions: Payment of your deposit indicates your acceptance of all Terms and Conditions.
Tour prices stated are per person and based on double occupancy. All tours prices that we offer are for land only and do not include airfare, hotel rooms before or after the tour, personal purchases or any other costs incurred not advertised in the tour. Every effort has been made to advertise pricing accurately. We reserve the right to make changes and correct errors at any time.
Q: What’s included in your tours?
A: Our tours are mostly inclusive with the exception of the meals and beers not specifically included in your itinerary, your personal purchases, your airfare and transportation from and to the airports if not with the group. It includes all hotels, daily breakfasts, several meals, and travel by coach, guide fees, admission fees, tips, etc.
Q: What is your refund policy
A: We realize that sometimes things don’t work out as planned and sometimes the best made plans need to be cancelled. If you do need to cancel, notify as soon as you can in writing.
Refund amounts will be calculated from on the date we receive your notification. Refund penalties will be assessed based on the time remaining between your notification of cancellation, and the tour start date using the following schedule.
Days prior to the start date Cancellation penalty
120 days or more $200
91-120 days $500
60-90 days 50 % of tour costs
0-59 days 100% of tour costs
Please know that our tours are set-up with our travel partners overseas many months, if not years in advance. Many of our deposits, fees and costs that are paid in advance and are not refundable to us.
Our cancellation policy and subsequent non-refundable processing fees exist to cover the non-refundable costs that we pay in advance to our travel partners and take into consideration the time and professional services needed in planning and executing these tours. As the tour date approaches, chances of re-selling open slots diminish with each passing day, this could force a tour to cancel if minimum numbers aren’t met, or go with open seats resulting in our costs to increase.
There will be no exceptions to this policy including, but not limited to weather, illness, cancelled flights, terrorism, pandemic related travel restrictions or acts of God.
To cover yourself, as we cover ourselves, we highly recommend travel insurance with cancel for any reason riders.
Q: What is a single supplement?
A: A Single supplement is the charge added for solo travelers who would rather not to share a room. Our hotels are booked at double occupancy rates which are cheaper than single rates. Added fees are needed to make up the cost difference.
Q: I’m a single traveler but don’t want to pay the supplement. Can I be paired with someone else?
A: If there are other single travelers of the same gender who are looking for opportunities to share as well, we can make this work.
Q: How do I make a reservation?
A: We’re absolutely thrilled that you’ve elected to travel with us. Please use the "Make a Tour Reservation" form to indicate your desire to request a spot, or spots be held. Once a request has been received, We’ll contact you and then send you any related information and forms and then securely take your credit card information over the phone. You can pay by check as well. If you have any other questions, you can contact us via the "contact us" form, call us at (262) 880-6926 or e-mail us at infor@tailwind-destinations.com
Q: Do you book air travel?
A: We can book travel on your behalf, if you’d like, but all we’ll do is book it directly with the airline as if we were you, using your credit card. To avoid errors by using a middleman, we recommend you book your own flights, add your own passport and known traveler information, select your favorite seats as well as special meals if applicable.
Again, we can do it, we’ll just be asking you for all the information above and inputting it ourselves.
Q: What are your terms and conditions?
A: See our terms and conditions page here.
Q: Can you help to find us rooms before and after the tour dates?
A: Absolutely! We’ll just add the cost to your invoice balance. Please know that in order to get some rooms at the best price, payment in advance may be needed. At times, pre-paid rooms are not refundable.
Q: Do you recommend arriving for the tour a day or two early?
A: When it comes to international travel, everyone is different. Some people can get off a transatlantic flight and hit the ground running, others need to rest. When flying from the US to Europe, you’ve essentially stayed up all night even if you slept on the plane. When you arrive in Europe, it’s still the middle of the night back home. All that said, we do recommend arriving at least one night early. This will give you an opportunity to acclimate to your new time zone and be ready to really enjoy your tour. As we mentioned above, we can help you find the rooms. For those who do arrive early, we’ll set up a meeting place away from the airport to meet our coach.
Q: Do you do private group tours or custom group tours?
A: We would love to reserve an entire tour for a private group. We can also set-up customized group tours based on your dates and your needs. We specialize in travel to Ireland, Scotland and Belgium and would prefer to limit custom tours to these locations.
Because of the time and resources involved in planning tours, we’ll require a $1,000.00 non-refundable deposit that will be applied to the cost of the tour if sold.
Q: Can I bring my minor children on this tour?
A: No, these groups are designed as a vacation for adults with an array of adult beverages consumed. For some of the places we’ll visit in our tours, participants must be 18 to enter the premises. The bottom line is that children will be bored to death.
Q: Do you provide airport transfers?
A: Our tours start and end at the airport based on specific flight arrival times so transfers will not be needed. If your plans are different than ours, we’ll be happy to provide transfers for an extra fee.
Q: I’m a vegetarian, are vegetarian meals available for tour functions?
A: Yes, at the places we’ll visit as a group, we’ll make sure there are vegetarian options.
Q: Can I do a partial tour, or choose not to partake in certain parts of a tour?
A: If you decide to leave a tour early, or join late, there will be no refunds for unused tour days and you will be on your own at the point you leave the tour. If there are places on the tour you’d rather not visit, you’re more than welcome to stay at your hotel or on the bus, but again, no refunds will be given.
Q: Are your tours physical in nature, meaning do I need to be in top physical shape to attend?
A: Please know that our tours require the ability to walk long distances on cobblestone streets and walkways as well as the ability to climb uneven stairs in very old buildings. Your health and safety and your enjoyment during your tours are our first priority, but we are not medical experts, and, in many locations, special needs cannot be accommodated. You should be in good health to fully participate in our tours. We suggest you contact us to discuss your needs before booking our tours. Our European tours, for the most part, are not wheelchair-accessible
Tailwind Destinations reserves the right to decline any tour participant whose condition, in our opinion, may affect the health, safety or enjoyment of you and other participants. Tailwind Destinations is not responsible for the costs of any medical treatment you may require during the tour. Under no circumstances is Tailwind Destinations responsible for the quality of medical care, or lack thereof, you may receive while on the tour.
Q: How are the hotels in Europe compared to the US?
A: Generally speaking, European hotel rooms are smaller than many US hotels you may have stayed in. Sometimes beds are smaller and close together. A Queen sized may be two twin beds pushed together. Power converters are required. All of the locations we’ll stay in are nice with no less than a 3* rating.
The facilities in all our locations are “en-suite” meaning there will be no need to walk down the hall and share a restroom.
Q: Are tips included?
A: On most of our tour inclusions tips are included, however, at the end of the tour if the driver was awesome, we’ll pass an envelope where you can add a tip. The same for the guides who join the tour.
For independent travel outside of our organized tour, the following is the rule of thumb in the countries we specialize in:
Belgium:
Restaurants and Bars: Service charge is automatically added to your bill. No need to tip.
Taxis: Round up and leave the change as a tip
Hotels: Service charge is automatically added to your bill. No need to tip.
Ireland:
Restaurants and Bars: Service charge is automatically added as some sit-down restaurants If not, leave 10-15%. Leave 1 to 2€ if you order more than a single drink at a bar.
Taxis: Round up and leave the change as a tip or up tom10% if the driver provided extra service.
Hotels: Tip porters 1€ for carrying your bags and leave 2€ per night for housekeeping.
Scotland and UK:
Restaurants and Bars: Service charge is automatically added as some sit-down restaurants If not, leave 10-15%. Do not tip at bars,
Taxis: Round up to the nearest £ and leave the change
Hotels: Tip porters two £ for carrying your bags
Q: Will my cell work in Europe?
A: Please, check with your cell provider before toy even consider turning your cell phone on abroad. There are quite a few horror stories out there where people without an international plan racked up thousands of dollars in roaming charges when traveling. My former provider charged me $10.00 per day to use my data I already purchased for each phone we used. My new provider has free unlimited data as well as texts but a call costs $1.00 per minute. Check with your provider and see what’s best for you.
Q: What are the current covid requirements?
A: Please see the three links in the sidebar for your COVID related questions.
Q: Why the big bus?
A: We insist on the larger coach so that people, especially in these days of social distancing, can spread out. Our coaches have WiFi, restrooms and lots of extra seats. While on the bus, there are no luggage limits to worry about. We do, however, reserve the right to secure a smaller bus based on the size of the group.
Q: What are the maximum amount of passengers allowed on your tours?
A: Our Belgium tours are limited to 18 passengers. Our Scotland Tours are limited to 20 passengers.
A: Allow me to introduce ourselves; we’re Rick and Carolyn McNabb and we're the owners of Tailwind Destinations LLC. We’re a small family-owned operation and thrilled to be able to mold Tailwinds into a product that mirrors our greatest passion which are beer, brewing, breweries, gastronomy, history, culture and yes, travel. Having attended the Culinary Institute of America, my professional career was heavily involved in the culinary arts, followed by many years in the travel industry. As a member of the American Homebrewers Association and Brewers Association, I’ve been homebrewing for over 20 years while Carolyn is a Mead-maker. With ancestral roots in Scotland and being an elected board member of an international clan society, travel to Scotland and Ireland is another passion. The fact that craft brewing is thriving in Scotland is a huge bonus. I guess that having the opportunity to share what we know by planning adventures for others, or to lead groups to some of our favorite places and is like a dream come true.
Q: Should I buy travel insurance?
A: You never know when something might happen leaving you wishing you had insurance. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss, unexpected illness, injury or other life events prior to the tour start date could easily derail your travel plans, and any money paid could be lost. Medical issues while abroad may require out-of-pocket costs while emergencies that require repatriation can cost tens of thousands, to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We highly recommend that you purchase a plan that covers all the above, plus trip cancellation for any reason.
For your convenience, we’ve added two links to travel insurance partners we work with on each page’s sidebar. Simply click the links, get a quote and purchase it online.
Q: What is your payment policy?
A: Tailwind Destinations accepts payment via credit card and personal checks. All checks must be in US Funds from a US bank. Participants can submit a reservation with their deposit by mail or by phone. Payments made by credit card will only be processed upon submission and receipt of a completed Credit Card Form.
Checks can be mailed to:
Tailwind Destinations
1101 Shagbark Lane
Union Grove, WI 53182
Deposits: A deposit of $500 per person is required for all tours.
Reservations are not confirmed unless deposits have been received.
Reservations without deposits will be cancelled at our discretion. If possible, we may reinstate a cancelled booking upon receiving payment, providing spots remain open. If the date of the tour is less than 90 days away, tours must be paid in full.
Balance Due: The full payment is required by check or credit card 90 days from the start of the trip (60 days for 2022). Reservations will be cancelled if the final payment is not received by the due date and cancellation charges will apply as noted below.
Terms and Conditions: Payment of your deposit indicates your acceptance of all Terms and Conditions.
Tour prices stated are per person and based on double occupancy. All tours prices that we offer are for land only and do not include airfare, hotel rooms before or after the tour, personal purchases or any other costs incurred not advertised in the tour. Every effort has been made to advertise pricing accurately. We reserve the right to make changes and correct errors at any time.
Q: What’s included in your tours?
A: Our tours are mostly inclusive with the exception of the meals and beers not specifically included in your itinerary, your personal purchases, your airfare and transportation from and to the airports if not with the group. It includes all hotels, daily breakfasts, several meals, and travel by coach, guide fees, admission fees, tips, etc.
Q: What is your refund policy
A: We realize that sometimes things don’t work out as planned and sometimes the best made plans need to be cancelled. If you do need to cancel, notify as soon as you can in writing.
Refund amounts will be calculated from on the date we receive your notification. Refund penalties will be assessed based on the time remaining between your notification of cancellation, and the tour start date using the following schedule.
Days prior to the start date Cancellation penalty
120 days or more $200
91-120 days $500
60-90 days 50 % of tour costs
0-59 days 100% of tour costs
Please know that our tours are set-up with our travel partners overseas many months, if not years in advance. Many of our deposits, fees and costs that are paid in advance and are not refundable to us.
Our cancellation policy and subsequent non-refundable processing fees exist to cover the non-refundable costs that we pay in advance to our travel partners and take into consideration the time and professional services needed in planning and executing these tours. As the tour date approaches, chances of re-selling open slots diminish with each passing day, this could force a tour to cancel if minimum numbers aren’t met, or go with open seats resulting in our costs to increase.
There will be no exceptions to this policy including, but not limited to weather, illness, cancelled flights, terrorism, pandemic related travel restrictions or acts of God.
To cover yourself, as we cover ourselves, we highly recommend travel insurance with cancel for any reason riders.
Q: What is a single supplement?
A: A Single supplement is the charge added for solo travelers who would rather not to share a room. Our hotels are booked at double occupancy rates which are cheaper than single rates. Added fees are needed to make up the cost difference.
Q: I’m a single traveler but don’t want to pay the supplement. Can I be paired with someone else?
A: If there are other single travelers of the same gender who are looking for opportunities to share as well, we can make this work.
Q: How do I make a reservation?
A: We’re absolutely thrilled that you’ve elected to travel with us. Please use the "Make a Tour Reservation" form to indicate your desire to request a spot, or spots be held. Once a request has been received, We’ll contact you and then send you any related information and forms and then securely take your credit card information over the phone. You can pay by check as well. If you have any other questions, you can contact us via the "contact us" form, call us at (262) 880-6926 or e-mail us at infor@tailwind-destinations.com
Q: Do you book air travel?
A: We can book travel on your behalf, if you’d like, but all we’ll do is book it directly with the airline as if we were you, using your credit card. To avoid errors by using a middleman, we recommend you book your own flights, add your own passport and known traveler information, select your favorite seats as well as special meals if applicable.
Again, we can do it, we’ll just be asking you for all the information above and inputting it ourselves.
Q: What are your terms and conditions?
A: See our terms and conditions page here.
Q: Can you help to find us rooms before and after the tour dates?
A: Absolutely! We’ll just add the cost to your invoice balance. Please know that in order to get some rooms at the best price, payment in advance may be needed. At times, pre-paid rooms are not refundable.
Q: Do you recommend arriving for the tour a day or two early?
A: When it comes to international travel, everyone is different. Some people can get off a transatlantic flight and hit the ground running, others need to rest. When flying from the US to Europe, you’ve essentially stayed up all night even if you slept on the plane. When you arrive in Europe, it’s still the middle of the night back home. All that said, we do recommend arriving at least one night early. This will give you an opportunity to acclimate to your new time zone and be ready to really enjoy your tour. As we mentioned above, we can help you find the rooms. For those who do arrive early, we’ll set up a meeting place away from the airport to meet our coach.
Q: Do you do private group tours or custom group tours?
A: We would love to reserve an entire tour for a private group. We can also set-up customized group tours based on your dates and your needs. We specialize in travel to Ireland, Scotland and Belgium and would prefer to limit custom tours to these locations.
Because of the time and resources involved in planning tours, we’ll require a $1,000.00 non-refundable deposit that will be applied to the cost of the tour if sold.
Q: Can I bring my minor children on this tour?
A: No, these groups are designed as a vacation for adults with an array of adult beverages consumed. For some of the places we’ll visit in our tours, participants must be 18 to enter the premises. The bottom line is that children will be bored to death.
Q: Do you provide airport transfers?
A: Our tours start and end at the airport based on specific flight arrival times so transfers will not be needed. If your plans are different than ours, we’ll be happy to provide transfers for an extra fee.
Q: I’m a vegetarian, are vegetarian meals available for tour functions?
A: Yes, at the places we’ll visit as a group, we’ll make sure there are vegetarian options.
Q: Can I do a partial tour, or choose not to partake in certain parts of a tour?
A: If you decide to leave a tour early, or join late, there will be no refunds for unused tour days and you will be on your own at the point you leave the tour. If there are places on the tour you’d rather not visit, you’re more than welcome to stay at your hotel or on the bus, but again, no refunds will be given.
Q: Are your tours physical in nature, meaning do I need to be in top physical shape to attend?
A: Please know that our tours require the ability to walk long distances on cobblestone streets and walkways as well as the ability to climb uneven stairs in very old buildings. Your health and safety and your enjoyment during your tours are our first priority, but we are not medical experts, and, in many locations, special needs cannot be accommodated. You should be in good health to fully participate in our tours. We suggest you contact us to discuss your needs before booking our tours. Our European tours, for the most part, are not wheelchair-accessible
Tailwind Destinations reserves the right to decline any tour participant whose condition, in our opinion, may affect the health, safety or enjoyment of you and other participants. Tailwind Destinations is not responsible for the costs of any medical treatment you may require during the tour. Under no circumstances is Tailwind Destinations responsible for the quality of medical care, or lack thereof, you may receive while on the tour.
Q: How are the hotels in Europe compared to the US?
A: Generally speaking, European hotel rooms are smaller than many US hotels you may have stayed in. Sometimes beds are smaller and close together. A Queen sized may be two twin beds pushed together. Power converters are required. All of the locations we’ll stay in are nice with no less than a 3* rating.
The facilities in all our locations are “en-suite” meaning there will be no need to walk down the hall and share a restroom.
Q: Are tips included?
A: On most of our tour inclusions tips are included, however, at the end of the tour if the driver was awesome, we’ll pass an envelope where you can add a tip. The same for the guides who join the tour.
For independent travel outside of our organized tour, the following is the rule of thumb in the countries we specialize in:
Belgium:
Restaurants and Bars: Service charge is automatically added to your bill. No need to tip.
Taxis: Round up and leave the change as a tip
Hotels: Service charge is automatically added to your bill. No need to tip.
Ireland:
Restaurants and Bars: Service charge is automatically added as some sit-down restaurants If not, leave 10-15%. Leave 1 to 2€ if you order more than a single drink at a bar.
Taxis: Round up and leave the change as a tip or up tom10% if the driver provided extra service.
Hotels: Tip porters 1€ for carrying your bags and leave 2€ per night for housekeeping.
Scotland and UK:
Restaurants and Bars: Service charge is automatically added as some sit-down restaurants If not, leave 10-15%. Do not tip at bars,
Taxis: Round up to the nearest £ and leave the change
Hotels: Tip porters two £ for carrying your bags
Q: Will my cell work in Europe?
A: Please, check with your cell provider before toy even consider turning your cell phone on abroad. There are quite a few horror stories out there where people without an international plan racked up thousands of dollars in roaming charges when traveling. My former provider charged me $10.00 per day to use my data I already purchased for each phone we used. My new provider has free unlimited data as well as texts but a call costs $1.00 per minute. Check with your provider and see what’s best for you.
Q: What are the current covid requirements?
A: Please see the three links in the sidebar for your COVID related questions.
Q: Why the big bus?
A: We insist on the larger coach so that people, especially in these days of social distancing, can spread out. Our coaches have WiFi, restrooms and lots of extra seats. While on the bus, there are no luggage limits to worry about. We do, however, reserve the right to secure a smaller bus based on the size of the group.
Q: What are the maximum amount of passengers allowed on your tours?
A: Our Belgium tours are limited to 18 passengers. Our Scotland Tours are limited to 20 passengers.
