Everything Parents Need to Know About Breakaway Tours (Safety, Supervision & What’s Included)
Your teenager has come home buzzing about a March Break trip to Montreal with Breakaway Tours, and now you’re the one doing the research. Good. That’s exactly what a responsible parent does, and it’s exactly why this post exists. This is a complete, honest guide to how Breakaway Tours works: who’s watching your kid, what’s actually included in the price and what Montreal is like for student travellers. No fluff, no sales language, just the information you need to make a confident decision.
Who is Breakaway Tours?
Breakaway Tours has been organizing supervised student travel across Canada for over 30 years.
We are privately operated and independent of any school board or academic institution, meaning Breakaway Tours is not a school-sanctioned trip. Instead, it’s a dedicated youth travel company whose entire business model is built around doing one thing well: running safe, well-organized, memorable trips for high school students.
That 30-year track record matters. Companies that don’t take safety and student experience seriously don’t survive three decades in this industry.
Is Montreal safe for students?
This is the question most parents ask first, and it’s the right one to start with.
Montreal is one of Canada’s most visited cities and consistently ranks among the safest major urban centres in North America. It has an established, well-staffed tourism infrastructure, a reliable public transit system, and a culture that is genuinely welcoming to young visitors.
For the specific areas where Breakaway Tours operates, like the hotel, event venues, and key student destinations like Sainte-Catherine Street, Old Montreal, and Mount Royal are high-traffic, well-lit, tourist-frequented areas. Students are not being dropped off in unfamiliar or isolated locations.
That said, no city is risk-free, and Breakaway Tours does not pretend otherwise. Our approach is to minimize risk through structure, supervision, and clear guidelines, which brings us to the most important part.
How does supervision actually work?
Here’s what the on-the-ground supervision structure looks like for every Breakaway Tours trip.
1:30 staff-to-student ratio. For every 30 students on the trip, there is at least one trained Breakaway Tours team member present. This is not a tour guide who disappears after check-in. These are dedicated destination team members whose job is to be available to students throughout the trip.
Background-checked, trained staff. Every team member goes through a full background check and completes extensive training before travelling with students.
A centralized info desk in the hotel lobby. One of the first things students are shown when they arrive is where to find the Breakaway Tours info desk, which is open daily in the hotel lobby. Students can walk up at any time with questions, concerns, or if they need help.
Morning and evening check-ins. Students are encouraged to check in with the destination team each morning and evening. This isn’t a roll call, it’s a structured touchpoint that gives staff visibility into how the group is doing and gives students a consistent moment to raise anything they need.
A 24/7 emergency line for parents. While your teenager is on-site in Montreal, you have access to a dedicated emergency contact number. You are not waiting for a Monday morning callback if something happens on a Friday night.
Pre-trip information sessions. Before departure, Breakaway Tours holds parent and student information sessions: once during the sign-up period and again closer to the trip date. These sessions cover what to expect, what the rules are, and how to reach the team.
What’s included in the price?
One of the most common sources of confusion for parents is figuring out what the trip package actually covers. Here’s a breakdown of what Breakaway Tours includes:
- Accommodation at a centrally located hotel in Montreal
- Transportation to and from the destination (coach bus from your area)
- Organized events: We provide students with 2 planned night events so that they can safely enjoy Montreal’s nighttime scene in a controlled environment
- Exclusive food and restaurant deals with partner venues in Montreal, giving students access to discounted meals at vetted locations
- 24/7 on-site staff support throughout the entire trip
- City Shuttle that picks students up from the hotel and takes them to key spots around the city throughout the day
- Access to the online account portal where you can track payments, view your teen’s booking details, and manage trip documents
What is not included: personal spending money, meals, and any optional extras students choose on their own. The trip package covers the structure: accommodation, transport, and organized experiences. Day-to-day spending is up to each traveller.
How does the payment plan work?
Breakaway Tours offers a monthly payment plan specifically designed to spread the cost over several months so the full amount doesn’t hit at once.
Here’s how it works:
- An initial deposit secures your teen’s spot on the trip
- After that, monthly payments are automatically charged (or manually submitted) on the last day of each month
- All payments are tracked in the online account portal, where you can view payment history and download an invoice at any time
- The earlier you book, the lower the price. Early sign-ups get the best rate, and the longer timeline also means smaller monthly payments
If you need to discuss payment arrangements or update card details, Breakaway Tours’ customer care team is reachable Monday through Friday, 10am–5pm EST at info@breakawaytours.com, or you can schedule a call directly on our website.
What are the rules students are expected to follow?
Breakaway Tours has a clear set of traveller guidelines that students agree to at the time of booking. These cover expected conduct at events, in the hotel, and during city time.
Students who violate the guidelines can be removed from events or, in serious cases, sent home… with costs borne by the student and their family. We are always transparent about this in its terms and conditions, which are available to review in full on the Breakaway Tours website.
The guidelines exist to protect all students on the trip, not just to give staff something to enforce. Most parents who read them find them reasonable and consistent with what they’d expect.
Questions parents ask most often
Can I reach my teen during the trip? Yes. Students keep their phones. There are no communication blackouts. You can call or text your teen directly, and you also have access to the 24/7 Breakaway Tours emergency line if you need to reach a staff member.
What happens if my teen gets sick or injured? The on-site team is trained to handle medical situations and will connect students with appropriate medical care in Montreal. Travel insurance is strongly recommended and available through Breakaway Tours. Details are on the insurance page.
What if my teen wants to leave the trip early? Early departures are handled on a case-by-case basis. Review the terms and conditions for the cancellation and refund policy before booking.
Is this affiliated with the school? No. Breakaway Tours is a private company that operates independently of schools and school boards. The trip is not organized, funded, or supervised by the school.
What if my teen is the only one from their school going? This is rare… most Breakaway Tours trips are built around school groups who sign up together. Your first step is to check if your teen’s school already has a group booking in place. You can search by school on the booking page or contact Breakaway Tours to find out.
The bottom line for parents
We’ve been doing this for over 30 years. The safety infrastructure, trained staff, clear ratios, a 24/7 parent emergency line, pre-trip information sessions, and a structured on-site presence is real and well-documented.
Montreal is a safe, vibrant city that is well-suited to student travel. The trip is not unsupervised, and it is not a free-for-all. It is a structured, professionally run experience designed to give teenagers their first taste of independence within a framework that keeps parents informed and students supported.
If you still have questions after reading this, good. That means you’re doing this right. Reach out to the Breakaway Tours team directly or visit the full Parent Info page to see the complete safety program.
And when you’re ready to secure your teen’s spot before their school fills up: Book Now.
