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TRADING CHARTER AND BOOKING CONDITIONS
These Booking Conditions, together with our Privacy Policy and where your holiday is booked via our website, our Website Terms of Use, together with any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirm your booking, form the basis of your contract with Arvonia Coaches Ltd a company registered in England and Wales with company number: 02752976 and registered office address of The Square, Llanrug, Gwynedd, LL55 4AA (“we”, “us”, “our”). Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. In these Booking Conditions references to "you" and "your" include the first named person on the booking and all persons on whose behalf a booking is made or any other person to whom a booking is added or transferred.
By making a booking, the first named person on the booking agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that:
(a) he/she has read these Booking Conditions and has the authority to and does agree to be bound by them;
(b) he/she consents to our use of personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and is authorised on behalf of all persons named on the booking to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements);
(c) he/she is over 18 years of age and where placing an order for services with age restrictions declares that he/she and all members of the party are of the appropriate age to purchase those services;
(d) he/she accepts financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking.
1. FINANCIAL PROTECTION
When you book a holiday with us, which does not include a flight, the money you pay us for the booking will be protected by Bonded Coach Holidays (BCH) and the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT), this is a Government approved consumer protection scheme. The scheme will also ensure your repatriation in the event the company becomes insolvent.
If you book arrangements other than a package holiday from us, your monies will not be financially protected.
2. BOOKING AND PAYMENT
A booking is made with us when you pay us a deposit (or full payment if booking within the balance due date notified to you) and we issue you with a booking confirmation. A binding contract between you and us comes into existence when we despatch the booking confirmation to the first named person on the booking.
Upon receipt, if you believe that any details on your booking confirmation or any other document are wrong you must advise us immediately as changes cannot be made later and it may harm your rights if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within ten days of our sending it out.
The balance of the price of your holiday must be paid at least 8 weeks before your departure. If you book within our balance due period, you will need to pay the total holiday cost at the time of booking. If the balance is not paid in time we reserve the right to cancel your holiday, retain your deposit, and apply the cancellation charges set out in the paragraph below.
Where optional items are purchased as part of the holiday, these are payable on the balance due date except where items, such as theatre tickets, have been specifically purchased for you. In this case the cost will be payable at a separate date notified to you and will not normally be refunded unless we obtain a refund from the supplier we use.
A deposit of £50.00 per person is required for all British and Continental holidays.
A deposit of £200.00 per person is required for all River Cruise holidays.
3. BROCHURE ACCURACY
Although we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our website, brochure and any advertising material that we publish, regrettably errors do sometimes occur and we reserve the right to correct information and pricing in such circumstances. You must therefore ensure you check the price and all other details of your holiday with us at the time of booking and when you receive our confirmation invoice.
4. OUR PRICING POLICY
We reserve the right to amend the price of unsold holidays at any time and correct errors in the prices of confirmed holidays. We also reserve the right to increase the price of confirmed holidays solely to allow for increases which are a direct consequence of changes in:
(i) the price of the carriage of passengers resulting from the cost of fuel or other power sources;
(ii) the level of taxes or fees chargeable for services applicable to the holiday imposed by third parties not directly involved in the performance of the holiday, including tourist taxes.
(iii) the exchange rates relevant to the package as applicable on the date the departure first went on sale.
You will be charged for the amount of any increase in accordance with this clause. However, if this means that you have to pay an increase of more than 8% of the price of your confirmed holiday (excluding any insurance premiums, amendment charges and/or additional services or travel arrangements), you will have the option of accepting a change to another holiday if we are able to offer one (if this is of lower quality you will be refunded the difference in price), or cancelling and receiving a full refund of all monies paid to us, except for any amendment charges and/or additional services or travel arrangements. Should you decide to cancel for this reason, you must exercise your right to do so within 7 days from the issue date printed on your final invoice. We will consider an appropriate refund of insurance premiums paid if you can show that you are unable to transfer or reuse your policy.
Should the price of your holiday go down due to the changes mentioned above, then any refund due will be paid to you less an administrative fee of £10. However, 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.
There will be no change made to the price of your confirmed Package holiday within 21 days of your departure nor will refunds be paid during this period.
Local Authorities in many towns and cities throughout Europe have introduced new tourist taxes which must be paid directly to the hotel by all guests in person. These taxes are not included in our prices but we will notify you when applicable.
5. IF YOU CHANGE YOUR BOOKING
If, after our confirmation has been issued, you wish to change to another of our holidays or change departure date, we will do our utmost to make the changes, but we cannot guarantee to do so. However, notification must be received in writing at our offices from the ‘lead name’ who made the booking, at least 28 days before departure. Where we can meet a request, all changes will be subject to payment of an administration fee of £10, plus any additional costs we incur in making the amendment. Changes cannot be made within 28 days of departure, and if you do not wish to proceed with the original booking we will treat this as a cancellation by you, and will be subject to the cancellation charges set out in clause 7 below. Some arrangements cannot be changed without paying a cancellation charge of up to 100% of the ticket cost.
6. TRANSFERRING YOUR BOOKING
You can transfer your booking to somebody else but the person must satisfy all the conditions of the holiday and you must inform us either by letter or email no less than 7 days before departure. This transfer will cost £10 plus reasonable costs to make the transfer. You will remain responsible for ensuring payment before the balance due date. This is in addition to (and does not affect) the separate liability of the transferee to us.
7. IF YOU NEED TO CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY
You or any member of your party, may cancel your holiday at any time provided the cancellation is made by the ‘lead name’ who made the booking and is communicated to us in writing as soon as possible. Any notification by telephone must also be confirmed in writing or by e-mail. Any cancellation will be effective from the date on which we receive it in writing.
Should one or more member of a party cancel, it may increase the per person holiday price of those still travelling and you will be liable to pay this increase.
Since we incur costs in cancelling your arrangements, you will have to pay the cancellation charges as follows:
| Period before departure within which written cancellation of package price is received | Amount of cancellation charge as a % of total package cost |
|---|---|
| More than 42 days | Deposit only |
| 42 - 29 days | 50% |
| 28 - 15 days | 75% |
| 14 - 1 days | 100% |
| Departure day or later including voluntary termination during the package | 100% |
You have the right to cancel your confirmed holiday before departure without paying a cancellation charge in the event of “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” occurring at your holiday destination or its immediate vicinity and significantly affecting the performance of the holiday or significantly affecting the transport arrangements to the destination. In these circumstances, we shall provide you with a full refund of the monies you have paid but we will not be liable to pay you any additional compensation. You must be able to show at the time you wish to cancel that there is no reasonable possibility of your trip going ahead, in order to rely on this clause.
For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” may include warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which significantly affect travel to the travel destination as agreed in the package travel contract.
This clause outlines the rights you have if you wish to cancel your Package booking. Please note that there is no automatic statutory right of cancellation under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.
If you are forced to return home early, we cannot refund the cost of any travel arrangements you have not used. If you cut short your holiday and return home early in circumstances where you have no reasonable cause for complaint about the standard of accommodation and services provided, we will not offer you any refund for that part of your holiday not completed, or be liable for any associated costs you may incur. Depending on the circumstances, your travel insurance may offer cover for curtailment and we suggest that any claim is made directly with them.
8. ALTERATIONS TO YOUR HOLIDAY BY US
We hope that we will not have to make any change to your holiday but, because our holidays are planned many months in advance, we sometimes do need to make minor changes. We reserve the right to do this at any time.
If we make a minor change to your holiday, we will make reasonable efforts to inform you or your travel agent as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure, but we will have no liability to you. Examples of minor changes include a change of accommodation to another of the same or higher standard and changes of carriers.
Occasionally we may have to make a significant change to your confirmed arrangements. Examples of “significant changes” include the following, when made before departure:
• A change to location of resort.
• A change of accommodation to that of a lower standard or classification for the whole or a significant part of your time away.
• A change of outward departure time by more than 12 hours.
• A significant change to specification of the coach.
We will not cancel your travel arrangements less than 21 days before your departure date, except for reasons of Events Beyond Our Control or failure by you to pay the final balance. We may cancel your holiday before this date if, e.g., the minimum number of clients required for a particular travel arrangement is not reached.
If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible and if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of:
(a) (for significant changes) accepting the changed arrangements; or
(b) having a refund of all monies paid; or
(c) if available and where we offer one, accepting an offer of an alternative holiday (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value).
You must notify us of your choice within 7 days of our offer. If we do not hear from you within 7 days, we will contact you again to request notification of your choice. If you fail to respond again, we will assume that you have chosen to accept the change or alternative booking arrangements.
If we cancel or make a significant change and you accept a refund, we will provide a full refund of your travel insurance premiums if you can show that you are unable to transfer or reuse your policy.
In addition to a full refund of all monies paid by you, we will pay you compensation as detailed below, in the following circumstances:
(a) If, where we make a significant change, you do not accept the changed arrangements and cancel your booking;
(b) If we cancel your booking and no alternative arrangements are available and/or we do not offer one.
The compensation that we offer does not exclude you from claiming more if you are entitled to do so.
| Period before departure in which significant change is notified to you or your agent | Amount per person |
|---|---|
| More than 28 days | Nil |
| 27 - 15 days | £10.00 |
| 14 - 8 days | £20.00 |
| 7 - 0 days | £25.00 |
We will not pay you compensation in the following circumstances:
(a) where we make a minor change;
(b) where we make a significant change or cancel your arrangements more than 56 days before departure;
(c) where we make a significant change and you accept those changed arrangements or you accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements;
(d) where we have to cancel your arrangements as a result of your failure to make full payment on time;
(e) where the change or cancellation by us arises out of alterations to the confirmed booking requested by you;
(f) where we are forced to cancel or change your arrangements due to Events Beyond Our Control (please see condition 10).
If we become unable to provide a significant proportion of the arrangements that you have booked with us after you have departed, we will, if possible, make alternative arrangements for you at no extra charge and where those alternative arrangements are of a lower standard, provide you with an appropriate price reduction.
9. OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO YOU
We will accept responsibility for the arrangements we agree to provide or arrange for you as an “organiser” under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, as set out below and as such, we are responsible for the proper provision of the travel services specifically included in your package, as set out in your confirmation invoice and in the relevant holiday description in our brochure or on our website, together with any other written information provided to you prior to booking.
Please note that we shall not be responsible for any additional services provided to you, whether provided by the travel service providers or otherwise, which are not set out in your confirmation invoice and the information we provided to you regarding the services prior to booking.
We will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any personal injury or death unless you are able to prove that it was caused by our negligence or the negligence of our suppliers.
We will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from:
(a) the acts and/or omissions of the person affected; or
(b) the acts and/or omissions of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable; or
(c) Events Beyond Our Control (as defined in condition 5).
We limit the amount of compensation we may have to pay you if we are found liable under this condition:
(a) loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions and money: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is an amount equivalent to the excess on your insurance policy which applies to this type of loss per person in total because you are required to have adequate insurance in place to cover any losses of this kind.
(b) Claims not falling under (a) above and which don’t involve injury, illness or death: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is up to three times the price paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you or your party has not received any benefit at all from your booking.
(c) Claims in respect of international travel by air, sea and rail, or any stay in a hotel:
i) The extent of our liability will in all cases be limited as if we were carriers under the appropriate Conventions, which include The Warsaw/Montreal Convention (international travel by air); The Athens Convention (with respect to sea travel); The Berne/Cotif Convention (with respect to rail travel) and The Paris Convention (with respect to hotel arrangements). You can ask for copies of these Conventions from our offices. Please contact us. In addition, you agree that the operating carrier or transport company's own 'Conditions of Carriage' will apply to you on that journey. When arranging transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within these international conventions and those 'Conditions of Carriage'. You acknowledge that all of the terms and conditions contained in those 'Conditions of Carriage' form part of your contract with us, as well as with the transport company and that those 'Conditions of Carriage' shall be deemed to be included by reference into this contract.
ii) In any circumstances in which a carrier is liable to you by virtue of EC 261/2004 (denied boarding and flight disruption), any liability we may have to you under our contract with you, arising out of the same facts, is limited to the remedies provided under the Regulation as if (for this purpose only) we were a carrier.
iii) When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the transport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.
Subject to these Booking Conditions, if we or our suppliers negligently perform or arrange those services set out in the confirmation invoice and in the relevant holiday description in our brochure or on our website, together with any other written information provided to you prior to booking and we don’t remedy or resolve your complaint within a reasonable period of time, and this has affected the enjoyment of your package holiday you may be entitled to an appropriate price reduction or compensation or both. You must inform us without undue delay of any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services included in this package. The level of any such price reduction or compensation in respect of any claim for damages or compensation whatsoever will be calculated taking into consideration all relevant factors such as but not limited to: following the complaints procedure as described in these Booking Conditions and the extent to which ours or our employees’ or suppliers’ negligence affected the overall enjoyment of your holiday. Please note that it is your responsibility to show that we or our supplier(s) have been negligent if you wish to make a claim against us
It is a condition of our acceptance of liability under this condition that you notify any claim to us and our supplier(s) strictly in accordance with the complaints procedure set out in these conditions.
Where any payment is made, the person(s) receiving it (and their parent or guardian if under 18 years) must also assign to us or our insurers any rights they may have to pursue any third party and must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require.
Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss or expense or other sum(s) of any description:
(a) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you;
(b) relate to any business;
(c) indirect or consequential loss of any kind.
We will not accept responsibility for services or facilities which do not form part of our agreement or where they are not advertised in our brochure. For example any excursion you book whilst away, or any service or facility which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you.
Where it is impossible for you to return to your departure point as per the agreed return date of your package, due to “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances”, we shall provide you with any necessary accommodation (where possible, of a comparable standard) for a period not exceeding three nights per person. Please note that the 3 night cap does not apply to persons with reduced mobility, pregnant women or unaccompanied minors, nor to persons needing specific medical assistance, provided we have been notified of these particular needs at least 48 hours before the start of your holiday. For the purposes of this condition, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” may include warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely back to your departure point.
10. EVENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Booking Conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation where the performance, or prompt performance, of our contractual obligations to you is prevented or affected, or you otherwise suffer any damage, loss or expense of any nature, as a result of Events Beyond Our Control. For the purpose of these Booking Conditions, this means any event beyond our, or our supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include (whether actual or threatened) war, riot, civil strife or unrest, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions (including flooding and exceptionally high or low water levels on rivers), coach, train, or ship breakdown or accident, fire, pandemics or epidemics (including any ongoing effects of Covid-19), closure, restriction or congestion of ports, stations, other transport hubs, restrictions imposed or guidance issued by any government (local or national) or any regulatory authority or other third party. Unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances will also include the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office advising against all travel or all but essential travel to any country, region or destination where relevant to your holiday.
River Cruises - Occasionally, water levels may vary to the extent that the operation of the cruise ships on our river cruising programme is affected. It is ultimately the Captain’s decision regarding the running order of the itinerary and any changes which may be necessary. This situation constitutes events beyond our control. In the event that any resulting change is significant or the cruise has to be cancelled, Condition 8 will apply. However, no compensation will be payable and we will not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred as a result.
11. IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT
If you have a problem during your holiday, please inform your driver/representative or the relevant supplier (e.g. Hotel) immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If your driver/representative isn’t available, you should contact our travel office. If your complaint cannot be completely resolved locally, you must complete a Holiday Report Form which can be obtained by your driver/representative, which you should keep. Our contact number, for unresolved complaints will be our office number on 01286-675175 (during normal office hours).
If you remain dissatisfied, please follow this up within 14 days of your return home by writing to Arvonia Coaches Ltd giving your original booking reference number and all other relevant information, including the reference of the Holiday Report Form.
It is a condition of this contract that you communicate any problem to the supplier of the services in question AND to our representative whilst in resort and obtain a written report form. Failure to follow the procedure set out in this clause may affect ours and the applicable supplier’s ability to investigate your complaint, and will affect your rights under this contract. Should you wish to pursue the complaint further, BCH/ABTOT have an Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme and full details are available from them. Please contact them at ABTOT, 69 Leadenhall Street, London EC3A 2BG.
12. OUR COACHES-SEATING ARRANGEMENTS
We will always use our reasonable endeavours to provide a coach to the specification in our brochure or advert but reserve the right to substitute an alternative vehicle should there be unforeseen circumstances. There is a seating plan but, in some cases, operational reasons may require a coach with a different seating configuration to be used. We reserve the right to alter a coach seating plan and allocate seats other than those booked. Single passengers may be required to share a double seat with other single passengers. When your booking is confirmed, you will be offered the best seats that are available at that time. If you feel that you require two seats, then these must be booked and paid for in advance, at the time of booking. If you fail to do this and it transpires that the seat allocated to you is insufficient for your needs and there is no alternative seating available then you will be refused access to the coach and any payments made will be liable to forfeiture.
Specific seats will not be allocated on coaches operating a feeder service between joining points and main holiday departure points or on coaches that carry out transfers between airports, seaports etc.
13. HOTEL ACCOMMODATION AND FACILITIES
Choosing the right hotel can be a dilemma, and whilst most hotels have official star ratings locally, standards of accommodation throughout the United Kingdom and Europe can vary between hotels of the same class. The range of hotels used in our holiday programme includes everything from luxury establishments to homely, family-run hotels and we advise you to look upon the category ratings as a general guide. While we do go to great lengths to ensure that your holiday accommodation will be of an acceptable standard it is important to carefully read the individual hotel descriptions to ensure the selected accommodation will be suitable to your requirements.
Accommodation in all hotels, regardless of the rating, will be in standard rooms unless otherwise stated. Room upgrades are available at most hotels, please enquire at the time of booking.
Single rooms are always in short supply and early booking is advised. Hotel design may mean that single rooms are smaller and sometimes less well-appointed than other categories. While there is not normally a supplement for these rooms, on some occasions however a supplement charge will be applied by the hotel. The payment of a single room supplement does not imply that any room allocated will be anything other than a single room.
If a single person occupies a double/twin room, they will be asked to pay a sole occupancy supplement. Hotels generally price double/twin rooms on a double occupancy basis do not halve the rates if they are only occupied by a single person. While there is normally a supplement for sole occupancy of these rooms, the overall cost will usually be less when a single person occupies a double room.
A third or fourth person (adult or child) sharing a room either shares existing beds or will have an additional fold-away bed, which may not always be of the same standard or comfort of the existing beds and will reduce room space. As conditions may be cramped, you may wish to consider booking two rooms.
Please note that the location, position, size or type of any room cannot be guaranteed. Room allocation is the responsibility of the hotelier. All special requests, such as low floor rooms, are passed on and we make every endeavour to see that they are considered.
Unless specified otherwise in your travel documentation, all packages will include breakfast. Holidays which include main meals (half board) generally commence with dinner on the day of arrival at your hotel and terminate with breakfast on the day of departure. When included, evening meals will normally comprise a three-course menu with a choice of dishes for each course or may be served or self served buffet style. Dining may not be in the main restaurant and it may be necessary to be seated on tables with other passengers. Should you have any specific dietary requirements, please notify us at the time of booking in order for us pass on the information to the relevant accommodation provider.
Many hotels, especially in cities and major resorts, accommodate weddings, conventions, conferences and reservations from associations or clubs. The hotels we feature are shared with other guests we have no control over the acceptance of bookings at the hotels that we feature, we are therefore unable to accept responsibility for any inconvenience caused by such groups or their activities.
All the amenities described will normally be available for the enjoyment of our customers. However some amenities such as lifts or swimming pools may occasionally require servicing or cleaning and therefore we cannot guarantee that they will always be available. Entertainment provided by hotels is frequently subject to demand and the type or frequency may be varied if there is a lack of demand or insufficient numbers staying at the hotel.
Whilst we aim to provide general information about hotel facilities, this may not be sufficient to establish suitability of a hotel for your needs. If you have any concerns whatsoever about the suitability of a hotel for your own particular requirements, please contact us prior to booking in order that we can request precise information to establish the suitability of the hotel for your needs.
14. HEALTH AND SAFETY
In some foreign countries, standards of infrastructure, safety and hygiene may be lower than those to which we are accustomed in the UK. You should therefore exercise greater care for your own protection.
15. ENTRY, VISA, PASSPORT AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
It is your responsibility to check and fulfil the entry, passport, visa, health and immigration requirements applicable to your itinerary including entry & exit arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Requirements do change and you must check such requirements well in advance of departure to ensure you have sufficient time to fulfil them for your destination and any country or countries you may be transiting through.
In relation to holidays in the European Union or where travel passes through an EU Member State, you are responsible for ensuring that you comply with all relevant entry documentation, which may include systems such as the EU’s ETIAS or the UK’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) where applicable. For more information on ETIAS visit www.etiasvisa.com.
For all Continental holidays, you will require a full 10-year British passport (machine readable) valid for at least six months after your return date. If your passport is in its final year, you should check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting. For further information contact the Passport Office on 0870 5210410 or visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/passports.
For travel within the European Union or Schengen area, you should obtain a UK Global Health Insurance Card (UK GHIC) prior to departure unless you are able to rely upon an existing European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). The GHIC is available free of charge from the NHS by visiting www.nhs.uk and is valid for five years.
For travel to Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, UK GHIC and EHIC cannot be used for medical treatment. Passengers to these destinations should obtain comprehensive medical insurance prior to departure, including cover for emergency medical treatment and associated costs.
We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel or incur any other loss because you have not complied with any entry, passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities. You agree to reimburse us in relation to any fines or other losses which we incur as a result of your failure to comply with any entry passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities.
Up to date travel advice can be obtained from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, visit https://www.gov.uk/travelaware.
16. SPECIAL REQUESTS
Please advise us at the time of booking if you have any special requests, dietary requirement or allergies etc. Whilst every effort will be made by us to try and arrange your reasonable special requests, we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled. We may not always be able to tell you before you leave if the supplier cannot meet your special request. Confirmation that a special request has been noted or passed on to the supplier, or the inclusion of the special request on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation, is not confirmation that the request will be met. Unless and until specifically confirmed in writing, all special requests are subject to availability. Any special requirement which we have accepted will be specifically confirmed as accepted on your confirmation invoice. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part unless the request has been specifically confirmed by us. We do not accept bookings that are conditional upon any special request being met.
17. HEALTH CONDITIONS, DISABILITIES AND REDUCED MOBILITY
We want everyone to enjoy our travel arrangements. We are not a specialist disabled holiday company but we will do our utmost to cater for any special requirements you may have. If you or any member of your party has any medical problem or disability which may affect your trip, please provide us with full details before your booking is confirmed so that we can try to advise you as to the suitability of your chosen travel arrangements. We may require you to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that you are fit to participate in your chosen tour.
Acting reasonably, if we are unable to properly accommodate the needs of the person(s) concerned, we will not confirm your booking or if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, we will cancel it and impose applicable cancellation charges when we become aware of these details.
If a passenger requires personal assistance (for example, assistance with feeding, dressing, toileting, mobilising) then this passenger must travel with an able-bodied companion or carer and written confirmation that such assistance will be provided for the entirety of the holiday is required at the time of booking. Coach drivers/representatives are unable to provide such assistance.
Some people may be at risk from discomfort or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) if they remain immobile on a journey for a long period. If you are planning to undertake a journey of more than three hours, you should consult your doctor, if you have ever had DVT, pulmonary embolism, a family history of clotting conditions, cancer or treatment for cancer, stroke, and heart or lung disease or if you have had major surgery in the past three months.
We will accept a limited number of lightweight mobility scooters, wheelchairs or walking aids to be transported on our coach, provided that no individual part or item is more than 15kgs in weight. You must notify us at the time of booking is you intend to bring a mobility scooter, wheelchair or walking aid with you on holiday and this must be documented on your holiday confirmation, if you do not tell us, we may not be able to accommodate your mobility item. We are unable to transport mobility scooters, wheelchairs and walking aids on feeder vehicles as this service will be provided by taxi or mini bus which will not have the required space. We regret that battery powered wheelchairs or scooters over 15kg in weight cannot be accepted and our driver / representative will not be responsible or be able to provide assistance to dismantle and re-assemble, disconnect and connect the batteries and load your mobility item into the luggage area of the coach. We cannot guarantee that you will have unaided access, internal use or storage of your mobility scooter at any of the premises or places we visit, including hotels. We recommend your mobility items are fully insured as we don’t accept responsibility or liability for loss or damage to any of your mobility items.
Before booking your holiday, you should be sure that you and your party are capable of completing the itinerary. If you need advice or further information either you should contact us.
We are happy to accommodate registered assistance dogs on mainland British holidays but do not allow pets or any other animals.
18. TRAVEL ARRANGEMNTS, ITINERARY & EXCURSIONS
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are at the correct departure point, at the correct time, and in possession of all necessary travel documents. We reserve the right to modify itineraries to comply with requests from competent authorities, both within the UK and abroad.
Excursions included in the cost of your booking are detailed in the relevant holiday description. Refunds will not be made for excursions not taken. Optional excursions booked and paid for while on holiday do not form part of your package. Admission fees to buildings or attractions may not be included in the price of your holiday unless stated otherwise.
Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on your holiday are not part of your contracted arrangements with us. For any such excursion or tour that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. Although we may recommend certain suppliers to you, we are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during its operation by the supplier.
Passengers must return to the coach at the time advised by the driver or representative. To avoid inconvenience to other passengers, the coach will not normally wait for late-returning passengers, and any costs incurred in re-joining the coach or continuing the holiday will be the responsibility of the passenger concerned.
19. PASSENGER BEHAVIOUR
We want all our customers to have a happy and carefree holiday. All our customers are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and acceptable manner and not to disrupt the enjoyment of others. You are responsible for your behaviour and hygiene and the effect it may have on others. If in our opinion, your behaviour or that of any member of your party is causing or is likely to cause distress, danger or annoyance to any other customers or any third party, or damage to property, or to cause a delay or diversion to transportation, we reserve the right to terminate your booking immediately. This may include if you or any other member of your party is unacceptably under the influence of drink or drugs, abusive, disruptive or behaves in a way that could cause damage or injury to others or affect their enjoyment of their holiday.
Should this happen we will have no further liability or obligation to you, no refund or compensation would be paid and we will have no further responsibility for your holiday arrangements including return travel. No refunds for lost accommodation or any other arrangements will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination.
You and/or your party may also be required to pay for loss and/or damage caused by your actions and we will hold you and each member of your party jointly and individually liable for any damage or losses caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or losses must be paid directly to the hotel or other supplier prior to departure. If you fail to make payment, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of your actions together with all costs we incur in pursuing any claim against you.
We will not be responsible and will not be liable for accidents or injuries, loss or damage which may have been caused as a result of your inappropriate or irresponsible behaviour, or your judgment being impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Neither we be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.
20. TRAVEL INSURANCE
It is a requirement of booking a holiday with us that you obtain adequate travel insurance. It is your responsibility to ensure that the policy you choose meets your personal needs, including (but not limited to) coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation or delay, medical and repatriation expenses, and loss or damage to personal items.
We advise all customers to carefully review the terms and conditions of their chosen policy and to bring the relevant insurance documents with them on holiday, which should include the insurer's details, policy number, and emergency contact information.
By booking with us, you agree to take responsibility for arranging suitable insurance cover. Please note that we do not review or endorse individual insurance policies and cannot accept liability for any expenses arising from insufficient insurance coverage. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.
21. LUGGAGE & PERSONAL ITEMS
Please restrict your luggage to one medium-sized suitcase per person, weighing no more than 15kgs. A small bag or holdall may also be taken on board the coach.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your luggage and personal belongings are correctly loaded onto the coach on which you are travelling, particularly at ports, interchange points and when departing from hotels. You should ensure that the luggage label provided by us is securely attached to your suitcase at all times.
Your luggage and other personal possessions remain your responsibility throughout the holiday. You must take appropriate care of them and ensure they are covered by a suitable travel insurance policy that provides an adequate level of protection based on the nature and value of your belongings. Any luggage left on the coach at any time is at your own risk, and we cannot be held responsible for any damage to or loss of your property. We do not accept liability for any luggage or personal possessions unless you are able to demonstrate that the damage or loss was caused intentionally or negligently by our employees or suppliers.
Arvonia Coaches Ltd accepts no responsibility for any private property or possessions left on our coaches, nor any liability should lost property be returned to someone other than its rightful owner. Any items of lost property found on our coaches will be kept at our office for one month, after which they will be disposed of. The return of lost items by post can be arranged and will be subject to a minimum charge of £5, with items sent entirely at the owner’s risk.
22. CONDITIONS OF SUPPLIERS
Many of the services which make up your holiday are provided by independent suppliers, such as hoteliers, transport companies, and excursion providers. These suppliers provide their services in accordance with their own terms and conditions, which form part of your contract with us. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier’s liability to you, generally in accordance with applicable International Conventions or local laws. Copies of the relevant documents may be requested directly from the supplier concerned.
23. LAW AND JURISDICTION
These Booking Conditions are governed by English law and we both agree that the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute, claim or other matter which may arise between us (unless you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, in which case you can bring proceedings in your local court under Scottish or Northern Irish law, as applicable).
24. ADVANCED PASSENGER INFORMATION
Certain governments require travel operators and their suppliers to provide Advanced Passenger Information (API) to the relevant authorities before travellers arrive at their destination. This may include details such as full name, date of birth, nationality, and passport or identity document information.
Such data may be collected by us at the time of booking or after a booking has been made, depending on the requirements of the transport or accommodation provider. Where we collect this information, it will be handled and stored securely in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
25. EMERGENCY CONTACT
The emergency contact details for Arvonia Coaches Ltd are 01286-675175. For calls made outside of normal office hours you will have the option to be transferred to our duty manager.