Frequently asked questions

Our tours are designed for intellectually curious travellers who enjoy discovering places in depth and in congenial company. Expert lecturers, carefully planned itineraries and thoughtful pacing are all central to the experience.

Many clients travel with us for the first time on their own and quickly find themselves among like-minded people with shared interests.

Martin Randall Travel has specialised in expert-led cultural travel for decades – since 1988, to be precise. What distinguishes our tours is the combination of scholarly expertise, meticulous planning, thoughtful pacing and genuine depth of experience.

We place great emphasis on excellent lecturers, carefully chosen hotels, well-balanced itineraries and access that would be difficult or impossible to arrange independently.

We insist on meeting and interviewing all prospective lecturers and ask each one to give a 20-minute talk to a small panel of staff. Around half the speakers we audition in this way are accepted.

Our tour prices generally include accommodation, most meals, entrance fees, expert lectures, guiding, ground transport during the tour and the services of an experienced tour manager. Details vary by itinerary, so we always recommend reading the 'Practicalities' section of the tour page carefully.

Our groups are intentionally kept relatively small to create a more enjoyable and rewarding experience. This allows easier access to sites, a more convivial atmosphere and greater flexibility throughout the tour.

Group sizes vary depending on the destination and type of tour, but many tours operate with around 10–24 participants.

While many clients are retired or semi-retired, we increasingly welcome professionals, academics and younger travellers with a strong interest in history, art, music, archaeology and culture, united by shared intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for cultural travel.

Very much so. In fact, a significant proportion of our clients travel independently.

Our tours are particularly well suited to solo travellers because the shared interests of the group naturally encourage conversation and companionship. Tour managers are also always on hand to help everyone feel included and comfortable.

Hotels generally charge by room rather than by occupancy. A single supplement reflects the additional cost of a room used by one person.

We negotiate carefully with hotels to keep supplements as low as possible and MRT does not profit from them.

Yes, where available. However, we often recommend double rooms for sole use, as hotel single rooms can sometimes be considerably smaller.

All tours require a good level of fitness; general guidance can be found here.

Exact requirements do vary. Some itineraries involve leisurely walking through towns and museums, while others may include uneven terrain, archaeological sites or longer days on foot.

We provide detailed walking and fitness guidance for every tour – please refer to the ‘Practicalities’ section on the tour page of the website or contact us directly; we are always happy to discuss whether a particular itinerary would suit you.

We do use a radio guide system on our tours. This enables the lecturer to talk in a normal conversational manner and participants to hear clearly, from several metres away if need be. The lecturer has a microphone and you are issued with receivers and earpieces.

Earpieces are placed inside or over the ear, or you can use your own. Neck loops that work with the ‘T’ setting of hearing aids can be provided – please let us know in advance if you require this.

Many of our tours have the option of including group flight or rail travel from London. However, clients are also able to book their owns flights and join the group in destination should they wish. Some tours – mainly those to long haul destinations - require clients to book their own international flights. Where MRT includes flights, your package is protected under the ATOL bonding scheme.

Upgrades can be requested once your place on the tour is confirmed. We will obtain a quote and you can decide whether to proceed.

If we cancel a tour, you will receive a full refund from us.

Occasionally a tour may be cancelled if numbers are too low, usually no later than 8 weeks before departure — though in practice this is often much earlier. Please bear this in mind if booking travel independently.

Very rarely, a tour may need to be cancelled closer to departure for safety reasons. The wellbeing of our clients and staff always comes first.

Up to 85 days before the tour, only the deposit is forfeit. Thereafter a percentage of the total cost of the tour will be due:

– Between 84 and 43 days: 40%

– Between 42 and 15 days: 70%

– 14 days or fewer: 100%

For cruises only:

– Up to 90 days: deposit only

– Between 89 and 70 days: 40%

– Between 69 and 50 days: 60%

– Between 49 days and 30 days: 80%

– 29 days or fewer: 100%

We take as the day of cancellation that on which we receive your written or emailed confirmation. Please send the request to: bookings@martinrandall.co.uk

We monitor official travel advice closely and continually assess conditions on the ground. If we believe a destination cannot be visited safely, we will amend or cancel arrangements accordingly.

Please let us know when booking. We will always do our best to accommodate dietary, mobility or other practical requirements wherever possible.

We greatly value feedback from our travellers. After your tour, you will be sent the link to an online survey to capture your options. If anything falls short of expectations — or exceeds them — we would very much like to hear from you. Should you have a specific complaint, please contact us directly.

As a specialist business, we depend on client reviews. If you are happy to share your experience publicly, please review us on our Trustpilot page.  

Simply contact us and we will update your preferences promptly or click the ‘unsubscribe’ link on any of our emails.