MAKING YOUR BOOKING
Please complete the booking form and forward it to The Ultimate Travel Company Ltd., together with your non-refundable deposit of 20% of the total holiday cost or £250 per person (whichever is the greater) made payable to The Ultimate Travel Company Ltd. On occasion, some tours may require a higher deposit, in which case you will be advised at the time of booking. If you are booking less than 10 weeks prior to departure, the full cost of the tour is payable. On receipt of your booking form and deposit for a bespoke tour, we will confirm your booking in writing and send you a confirmation invoice together with further information relevant to the tour that you have booked. On receipt of your booking form and deposit for an Escorted Tour, we will confirm your booking in writing and send you a confirmation invoice, then approximately 12 weeks prior to departure send you a final invoice, which will reflect any applicable surcharges due, together with further information relevant to the tour. Invoices must be paid no less than 10 weeks prior to departure (or immediately if bookings are made within ten weeks of departure), otherwise we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled and apply cancellation conditions as set out below. Your travel documents are dispatched about 15 / 21 days before the tour departs.
AIRLINES & OTHER SUPPLIERS
The Ultimate Travel Company Ltd. acts only as agents for the owners of accommodation and services provided, for all carriers by air or otherwise and for road transport proprietors, and all bookings must be accepted subject to the ticket or transport conditions and regulations of the carriers or transport proprietors, and also subject to the laws of the country in which such carriage or other facility is required.
We are required to bring to your attention the existence of a ‘Community list’, which can be inspected at ‘https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/safety/air-ban_en’ and contains details of air carriers who are subject to an operating ban within the EU. We are also required to advise you of the carrier(s) that will operate your flight(s) at the time of confirmation. Any change to the operating carrier(s) after your booking has been confirmed will be notified to you as soon as possible. If the carrier with whom you have a confirmed reservation becomes subject to an operating ban as above, as a result of which we are unable to offer you a suitable alternative, the provisions contained under the heading ‘Alterations by The Ultimate Travel Company Ltd.’ will apply.
PASSPORTS, VISAS & HEALTH
All clients are personally responsible for ensuring that they have a valid passport, relevant visa/s and conform to the health regulations required by the country/s that will be visited during the tour. The Ultimate Travel Company Ltd. can provide a service to obtain/renew passports and visas. Advice on health requirements may be obtained from your GP, or alternatively from the Department of Health.
EXCHANGE RATES
The price of the tour is based upon tariffs, other costs and exchange rates published in the Financial Times on the date of publication shown on the relevant itinerary.
SURCHARGES
The price of your travel arrangements may be varied due to changes in: transportation costs e.g. fuel, scheduled air fares and any other airline surcharges which are part of the contract between airlines (and their agents) and us, Government action such as increases in VAT or any other Government imposed increases, currency in relation to adverse exchange rate variations. In the case of any small variation, an amount equivalent to 2% of the price of your travel arrangements, which excludes any amendment charges, will be absorbed or retained. For larger variations this 2% will still be absorbed for increases but not retained from refunds. In either case there will be an administration charge of £1 per person together with an amount to cover agents’ commission. If this means that you have to pay an increase of more than 10% of the price of your travel arrangements, you may cancel your travel arrangements and receive a full refund of all monies paid, except for any amendment charges. Should you decide to cancel for this reason, you must exercise your right to do so within 14 days from the issue date printed on your final invoice. Whether you cancel or not you will also be entitled, on the terms set out in respect of major changes in the ‘Alterations by The Ultimate Travel Company Ltd.’ paragraph below, to accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements from us if we are able to do so and compensation as set out below. Please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.
PASSPORTS, VISAS & HEALTH
All clients are personally responsible for ensuring that they have a valid passport, relevant visa/s and conform to the health regulations required by the country/s that will be visited during the tour. The Ultimate Travel Company Ltd. can provide a service to obtain/renew passports and visas. Advice on health requirements may be obtained from your GP, or alternatively from the Department of Health.
EXCHANGE RATES
The price of the tour is based upon tariffs, other costs and exchange rates published in the Financial Times on the date of publication shown on the relevant itinerary.
SURCHARGES
The price of your travel arrangements may be varied due to changes in: transportation costs e.g. fuel, scheduled air fares and any other airline surcharges which are part of the contract between airlines (and their agents) and us, Government action such as increases in VAT or any other Government imposed increases, currency in relation to adverse exchange rate variations. In the case of any small variation, an amount equivalent to 2% of the price of your travel arrangements, which excludes any amendment charges, will be absorbed or retained. For larger variations this 2% will still be absorbed for increases but not retained from refunds. In either case there will be an administration charge of £1 per person together with an amount to cover agents’ commission. If this means that you have to pay an increase of more than 10% of the price of your travel arrangements, you may cancel your travel arrangements and receive a full refund of all monies paid, except for any amendment charges. Should you decide to cancel for this reason, you must exercise your right to do so within 14 days from the issue date printed on your final invoice. Whether you cancel or not you will also be entitled, on the terms set out in respect of major changes in the ‘Alterations by The Ultimate Travel Company Ltd.’ paragraph below, to accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements from us if we are able to do so and compensation as set out below. Please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.
CANCELLATION
You or any member of your party may cancel your trip at any time providing that the cancellation is made by the person who signed the booking form and is communicated in writing. As this incurs administration costs we will retain the deposit and in addition will apply cancellation charges as shown below:
The periods before departure within which written cancellation is received and the cancellation charges, shown as a percentage of the total holiday price, which will be applied are shown in the table below.
If you are obliged to cancel, you may, with reasonable notice, transfer your booking to a third party who satisfies the conditions required to take the tour. However, we will retain your deposit to cover the administration costs and pass on any additional fees levied as a result of the transfer. Certain tours may attract different cancellation fees. You will be advised accordingly during the booking process.
ALTERATIONS
By The Ultimate Travel Company Limited
We will do our utmost to provide the tour arrangements that have been confirmed, but we must retain the right to modify or cancel any tour, flight schedule, accommodation or arrangement, if unforeseen circumstances amounting to ‘force majeure’ arise. In such circumstance, we will inform you as soon as possible, and, should the change be such that it alters the nature of the tour, we shall give you the choice of an alternative tour or a full refund of all money paid. In recognition we will absorb all financial loss consequent upon cancellation due to ‘force majeure’. We shall not cancel any tour for reason of political tension or natural disaster unless specifically recommended to do so by the Foreign Office.
By You
We will do our best to make any alterations you may require after confirmation has been issued, subject to availability and to the payment for any increased costs relevant to the change. Any requests for alteration to an itinerary should be made in writing and signed by the signatory of the original Booking Form. If alterations are made less than 10 weeks prior to departure, an additional £50 per booking charge will be levied together with any communications costs incurred.
ESCORTED TOURS
Cancellation
The prices of our Escorted Tours are based on a varying minimum number of passengers travelling. If this minimum number is not reached at least 10 weeks prior to the scheduled departure date, we will either cancel the tour and offer a refund in full, or propose a supplementary charge to enable said tour to operate, subject to the passenger’s agreement.
Escorted Tour Leaders / Fitness to Travel
Where applicable, a tour leader has the right to disqualify any client at any time during the course of a tour, if considered necessary for the medical well being or safety of the individual, or in the tour leader’s opinion, the client’s actions are materially affecting the enjoyment of the tour for the remainder of the group. Any decision with regard to reimbursement for any part of the tour not completed will be decided by the Managing Director of The Ultimate Travel Company Ltd. and the tour leader. While we do not impose any age limitations on joining an Escorted Tour, participants must be reasonably fit and able to cope with its specific demands, specially where sustained periods of sightseeing and walking are involved. If you are in any doubt, please ask for our advice before booking your place.
OUR LIABILITIES
We do not exclude or limit any liability to our clients which may arise from proven negligence by any person employed directly by us or by our suppliers and subcontractors, servants or agents of the same whilst acting in the course or their employment (other than air and sea carriers performing any domestic internal or international carriage of whatsoever kind) in respect of death, bodily injury or illness. Such liabilities shall be subject to English law and all proceedings shall be within the exclusive domain of the English courts. We shall endeavour to afford general assistance to our clients in the event of illness, injury or death during the period of the tour. We accept responsibility for ensuring that all parts of the tour are supplied as described and that all services shall reach a reasonable standard. These obligations and responsibilities shall be limited to where international conventions in respect of air or sea carriers apply. Naturally, we cannot assume responsibility for loss or expense due to war, riots, strikes, terrorist activities or natural disaster.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is imperative that you take out adequate travel insurance to our reasonable satisfaction. We will require you to let us have evidence of your insurance at least 8 weeks prior to departure or at the time of booking if later. We reserve the right to terminate your booking if you fail to obtain travel insurance cover. Particular care should be taken to ensure that you have adequate cover, in particular for cancellation and emergency repatriation in the event of medical problems.
COMPLAINTS & ARBITRATION
We will always endeavour to resolve any complaints on the spot. However, if the matter cannot be resolved, you must write to Nick Van Gruisen, Managing Director, within 14 days of the end of the tour. We will endeavour to resolve the problem as promptly as possible. In the unlikely event that the problem is not amicably resolved the case may be referred to arbitration, if the customer so wishes, under a special Scheme arranged by the Association of British Travel Agents, and provided by CEDR Solve, Europe’s leading commercial and workplace mediation service. The Scheme provides for a simple and inexpensive method of arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on the customer in respect of costs. The Scheme does not apply to claims for an amount greater than £5,000 per person. There is also a limit of £25,000 per booking form. Neither does it apply to claims which are solely in respect of physical injury or illness or their consequences.
The Scheme can however deal with compensation claims which include an element of minor injury or illness subject to a limit of £1,000 on the amount the arbitrator can award per person in respect of this element. The application for arbitration and Statement of Claim must be received by ABTA, who will forward them to CEDR Solve, within eighteen months of the date of return from the holiday. Outside this time limit arbitration under the Scheme may still be available if the company agrees, but the ABTA Code does not require such agreement. Full details will be provided on request or can be obtained from the ABTA website (www.abta.com).
CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS
We do have the facility to accept payment by most credit cards. Deposit payments can be made by credit or debit card free of charge. Balance payments can be made free of charge by debit or credit card.
BAGGAGE & PERSONAL EFFECTS
These remain your responsibility and risk at all times.
DATA PROTECTION STATEMENT
Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect the personal booking information held by us. This information will be passed on to the principal and to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. If you travel outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We will only pass your information on to persons responsible for your travel arrangements. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary/religious requirements. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to provide your booking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. Full details of our data protection policy may be found in our Privacy Policy.
YOUR FINANCIAL PROTECTION
Book with confidence. We are a member of ABTA (ABTA No. W0745) which means you have the benefit of ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct. We provide financial protection for your money when you buy a package holiday. If you buy other travel arrangements such as accommodation only this protection doesn’t apply.
Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays found on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But this ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive and ATOL Certificate but all parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to https://www.atol.org/about-atol/atol-certificates. Relevant ATOL clauses relating to your ATOL protection have been highlighted below:
AST1.7A
“We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).”
AST1.7B
“If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reason of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.”
