Applies to:
Corporate-Owned Locations (Mandatory)
Franchise Locations (Recommended Best Practice)
Brands Covered:
Trolley Pub • Paddle Pub • Tiki Pub • Cruisin’ Tikis
After reviewing two years of refund and insurance data, we’ve found that the previous 24-hour voluntary cancellation window with trip insurance often encourages last-minute cancellations — especially due to minor weather concerns.
Key findings:
Several customers used the short window to cancel last-minute without a significant reason.
Some refunds have been issued outside the existing policy.
Our target refund rate nationwide is ≤7% of total charges. Corporate-owned locations are currently over 10%, which impacts profitability.
Every $1 refunded can remove $2–$3 from the bottom line.
We understand breakdowns and extreme weather happen, but those circumstances should remain well below 7% of bookings.
We recommend replacing the 24-hour cancellation window for voluntary cancellations with a 7-day window for all locations. Corporate-owned locations will adopt this change immediately.
With Trip Insurance
Voluntary cancellations for a full refund must be made at least 7 days before your tour.
Example: Tour on July 7 at 5 PM must be canceled by July 1 at 5 PM for a refund.
Covers full refund if a Severe Weather Warning from the National Weather Service causes us to cancel.
Trip insurance premiums are non-refundable.
Without Trip Insurance
All sales are final — no exceptions.
If severe weather forces us to cancel, issue a nationwide credit valid at any TourScale location (Trolley Pub, Paddle Pub, Tiki Pub, Cruisin’ Tikis).
Credits are redeemable in 30+ U.S. cities.
For phone bookings, clearly explain before taking payment:
“Before we process your card, I want to let you know all sales are final. We do offer trip insurance in case of severe weather or if your plans change — would you like to purchase that now?”
Corporate-owned locations: No refunds outside policy without upper management approval.
Franchise locations: Strongly encouraged to follow this standard to ensure nationwide consistency.
For out-of-policy requests:
Politely inform guests you’ll review their request with management.
Gather details and escalate as needed.
When issuing refunds in Xola:
Manually subtract trip insurance cost before refunding.
Never refund the trip insurance premium.
Trip insurance pricing should be ~10% of ticket/tour cost (check “Add Ons” in your Xola listing).
Forward all chargebacks to corporate for review.
Trip Insurance Option – Trolley Pub, Paddle Pub, Tiki Pub, Cruisin’ Tikis
We recommend offering optional trip insurance to give guests flexibility if plans change or if a tour must be canceled due to severe weather.
With trip insurance:
Cancel for any reason at least 7 days prior to your scheduled tour for a full refund.
Receive a full refund if a Severe Weather Warning from the National Weather Service cancels your tour.
Trip insurance premiums are non-refundable.
Without trip insurance:
All sales are final.
If we cancel due to severe weather, guests receive a credit for a future tour at any TourScale location nationwide (Trolley Pub, Paddle Pub, Tiki Pub, Cruisin’ Tikis).
To purchase, select “Trip Insurance” at checkout. For mixer tours, insure the exact number of tickets you want covered.