Cruise & Stay Holiday Booking Conditions

Key Points:-

• You enter into a booking with us as soon as we issue our Booking Confirmation Invoice. If you then cancel, there will be cancellation charges. Initially, this may only be a deposit but can go up to 100%

• You can make changes to your booking in certain circumstances. We make a charge for this. We can change and cancel your booking. We’ll pay you compensation in certain circumstances.

• We are responsible to you for providing your holiday but there are legal limits.

• We are a member of ABTA & hold a CAA ATOL licence, which provides protection for your money.

YOUR PACKAGE HOLIDAY BOOKING IS WITH Cruise.co.uk Ltd.

Our Details

Cruise.co.uk Ltd., Grosvenor House, Prospect Road, Redditch, Worcestershire, B97 4DL

1. Your holiday booking

1.1 A booking will exist as soon as we issue our Booking Confirmation Invoice. This booking is made on the terms of these booking conditions. When you make a booking, you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions.

1.2 All holidays are subject to availability at the time of booking.

1.3 A booking can only be made by a person aged 18 years or over. All passengers who, at the time of departure, are under the age of 18 years must be accompanied by a responsible adult. If travelling with a child and only one parent is present, please be aware that you must have the permission of everyone with parental responsibility before that child can be taken abroad. You automatically have parental responsibility if you’re the child’s mother, but you still need the permission of anyone else with parental responsibility before you take the child abroad. A letter from the person with parental responsibility for the child is usually enough to show you’ve got permission to take them abroad. You might be asked for the letter at a UK or foreign border. The letter should include the other person’s contact details and details about the trip. If you are a single parent but your family name is different from the child’s you are advised to travel with evidence of your relationship (eg a birth certificate) and a divorce or marriage certificate. You should also check the requirements of the country you are travelling to as they may have additional specific requirements and the age limit up to which a person is considered a child may vary.

1.4 The passenger names given have been confirmed by you at the time of booking. The spelling of the first name and surname must match your passport exactly. Middle name/s may also be required. Any changes will result in a charge to you from the cruise or tour operator and Cruise.co.uk. Please contact us as soon as you have received your Cruise.co.uk confirmation invoice.

2. Health & Safety

2.1 Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Your Ability to Participate (including pregnancy) - The nature of many of the destinations we travel to means that in some cases they may be unsuitable for those who use a wheelchair, scooter or have a lack of mobility and/or have dietary or medical requirements. However, we will be delighted to discuss the feasibility of creating a tailor-made itinerary for you that takes into consideration your level of mobility. To assist us in doing this we may ask you to complete a short questionnaire. It is essential that you advise us before booking if you do have any disability, pre-existing medical condition or pregnancy which may affect your holiday, or if you have any special requirements as a result of any disability, medical condition or pregnancy (including any which affect the booking process) so that we can assist you in considering the suitability of the arrangements and/or in making the booking. It will also enable us to make sure you receive the relevant level of assistance when you fly. Full details must be confirmed in writing at the time of booking and whenever any change in the condition or disability occurs. On our tailor-made tours and escorted group tours the guides and tour leaders are, unfortunately, unable to offer additional assistance to passengers with limited mobility and all such assistance will need to be provided by whoever the passenger is travelling with. We may request that you provide a letter from your doctor confirming your fitness to travel.

Please also make sure you have read through the itinerary carefully and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel. Please note that if, in the opinion of our group leader or local guide, any traveller is unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group, the Tour Operator and/or Cruise.co.uk reserves the right to exclude them from all or part of a trip without refund.

2.2  Your Health - It is essential that you visit your GP or a travel clinic well in advance of travel, preferably at least six weeks ahead, to make sure that you have taken all the necessary health precautions. Some vaccinations require more than one visit with a period of weeks between injections, and some may be incompatible with certain medicines or medical conditions. It is therefore important that your own individual medical history is taken into account. For up-to-date medical advice, you may wish to use the Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad (MASTA) www.masta-travel-health.com , the NHS website www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk  or NaTHNaC www.travelhealthpro.org.uk  

2.3 Special Dietary Requirements  - Special diets should be disclosed to us before booking; however, it is not always possible to expect special diets to be catered for in some of the destinations we feature. We will advise the cruise line/operator/airline/hotel of your request but we cannot guarantee their availability. If you have an airborne nut allergy you must make us aware at the time of booking as most airlines require this information in advance of travel. Please note that all special meals for flights must be requested at least 48 hours in advance.

2.4 High Altitude - your itinerary may include sections where the altitude exceeds 10,000 feet (3,048 metres). E.g. Cuzco in Peru is 11,152 feet, 3,399 metres.  If you suffer from circulation, heart or respiratory problems we advise that you consult with your doctor before confirming your booking.

2.5 Mosquito Bite Avoidance In many tropical countries, mosquitoes can spread diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, West Nile, malaria, yellow fever and Zika virus. It is essential that you seek medical advice prior to travel, especially if you are pregnant or have an underlying medical condition. Whilst travelling there are several simple measures you can take to reduce your risk of infections spread by mosquitoes: wear suitable clothing and cover-up at times of day when mosquitoes are active, use insect repellent on exposed skin, and use a mosquito net if sleeping in unscreened accommodation. It is important to seek prompt medical attention if you have a fever or display any other symptoms. If you become unwell on your return, make sure you tell your doctor about any trips abroad you have taken in the past year.

2.6 Government Travel Advice - The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel Advice Unit monitors all overseas destinations and offers advice to British citizens. In order to be fully informed of safety issues, crime rates, political stability and local customs you can view the advice at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.  We monitor FCO advice carefully and on occasion may be required to cancel trips, re-route itineraries or make other changes to trips based on the warnings given. Any decision will always be taken in the interests of your safety and security and will be communicated fully with you.

2.7 World Travel & Cultural Differences  - Many of our destinations are in parts of the world where attitudes, infrastructure, priorities, lifestyles and cultures are very different from our own. This is often the very reason to visit the destination but certain aspects may be frustrating, disorientating or even stressful. A sense of humour can prove invaluable when travelling over rougher roads, waiting for a delayed aircraft/cruise/tour/transfer and communicating with hotel staff whose first language is not English. Airlines may change their schedules, roads may close and government regulations may alter. Should there be any changes to the travel arrangements you have booked we will do our best to keep you informed of the situation prior to departure, and we will of course assist with any issues that arise whilst you are travelling.

2.8 Health & Safety Standards - Every country has its own regulations and enforcement levels relating to health and safety standards. These do not always match the very high standards we are used to in the UK. The health and safety of our customers is of paramount importance and we are continually working to assess and improve the services we provide.

2.9 Security  - Opportunistic crime such as bag-snatching and pick-pocketing is unfortunately a fact of life in many destinations. Use your common sense when walking around, make use of  hotel/cruise safes where available, and leave all but essential valuables at home. We suggest carrying a photocopy of your passport separately from the original document, purely as a backup.

2.10  Additional Assistance - If you’re in difficulty whilst on holiday and ask us to help we will provide appropriate assistance, in particular by providing information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance; and helping you to find alternative arrangements and any necessary phone calls/emails. You must pay any costs we incur if the difficulty is your fault.

3. Passport, Visa & Immigration Requirements

3.1 Your specific passport and visa requirements and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements. You must hold a passport which is valid for at least six months following the return date of your trip. Failure or inability to obtain all required visas for whatever reason does not entitle you to cancel without paying the applicable cancellation charges.

3.2 It is especially important to check in plenty of time before your holiday as entry visas or permits may be necessary for certain destinations and it is the responsibility of the individual traveller to obtain them. For preferential rates on visas, please contact CIBT at www.cibtvisas.co.uk/cruise.co.uk or call 0844 7360211, mentioning Cruise.co.uk & Victoria Travel.

4. Insurance

4.1 Cruise lines & operators require passengers to have comprehensive travel insurance. Please ask your Specialist Cruise Consultant for details. If you have purchased travel insurance through Cruise.co.uk and our Insurance provider Holiday Extras please read all the terms & conditions of the policy document. 4.2 There is a 14-day "cooling off" period from the date of purchase if you decide not to be covered through Cruise.co.uk. 4.3 14.4 It is advisable to take out your travel insurance at the time of booking your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. This will therefore provide cover should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious accident. We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are adequately insured, providing financial protection against unforeseen circumstances. Cover should include medical expenses, as well as repatriation, in the event of an accident or illness. In addition, we strongly recommend that you have cover for personal belongings, delay at your outward or homeward point of departure, personal liability, overseas legal expenses and cancellation. If you are undertaking any sports or adventurous activities on your trip, including trekking, you should also make sure that your policy covers these. Please also ensure you read the policy conditions and exclusions. The type of trips we create and the requirements of Cruise.co.uk clients vary greatly. If you have not purchased travel insurance through Cruise.co.uk, alternative insurance arrangements should be made for all passengers travelling and you must notify us with the policy details.

5. What’s Included/Not Included            

On Your Cruise                                                                     

5.1 ‘Guarantee’ Cabin- if you have booked a cabin on a "GUARANTEE" (GTEE or GTY) basis, this means you will be allocated any cabin in the grade booked (where specified) or higher. You will normally receive a specific cabin number when the cruise tickets are issued or at the latest, when you board the ship.  

5.2 Onboard Credit/Spend - if your booking includes any ONBOARD CREDIT per cabin or per person, this will be specified on the Cruise.co.uk confirmation invoice.

5.3 Gratuities - If you have pre-paid GRATUITIES, then these will be specified on the Cruise.co.uk confirmation invoice.

5.4 Cruise Dining Arrangements - Your meal sitting & table size (where specified) have been requested. Please be aware that these are on "a request basis" and are not guaranteed. However, the cruise line will do all they can to accommodate every request.

Hotels, Tours, Transfers

5.5 Hotel Room Configuration  - There is often confusion over the terminology used for bed arrangements (e.g. single, double, twin) in hotel rooms, and this can vary considerably from country to country. If you have specific requirements please do make this clear to your Specialist Cruise Consultant. We will endeavour to confirm your preferred configuration wherever possible but please note that all rooms are allocated at the discretion of the hotel and cannot be guaranteed.

5.6 Transfers - Any TRANSFERS between home, ports, airports and hotels, that are included will be specified on the Cruise.co.uk confirmation invoice.

5.7 Tours - Any TOURS / EXCURSIONS that are included will be specified on the Cruise.co.uk confirmation invoice. Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on holiday are not part of your package holiday provided by us.

Baggage

5.8 Baggage - Whilst cruise lines & some scheduled airlines often allow 2 bags (e.g. up to 23k per bag, business or first class allowances), many internal flights have restrictive baggage allowances (regardless of the international sectors), so please be aware that some of our tailor-made, bucket list & escorted tours, may have a more restrictive baggage capacity due to those internal flights (refer to point 6.3)/coach/touring capabilities in some destinations - typically limiting to one large 1 bag per person. Please pack accordingly in a minimalistic way taking into account your overall trip comfort and enjoyment. If you need advice, please speak to your Specialist Cruise Consultant.

5.9 Porterage - Some hotels may charge a local "PORTERAGE" fee. If this has been pre-paid, it will be specified on the Cruise.co.uk confirmation invoice.

5.10 Local or Resort Tax - some cities or resorts charge a tax that is only payable locally. This is not included unless otherwise specified on your Cruise.co.uk confirmation invoice.

5.11 Special Requests - Any special request (where specified) has been requested. Please be aware that these are on "a request basis" and not guaranteed. However, the cruise line/operator/airline/hotel will do all they can to accommodate every request.

5.12 UK airport hotels, car parking and lounges - We are able to arrange airport hotel accommodation, car parking, meet and greet services and airport lounge access in the UK, subject to availability. To arrange any of these services please speak to your Specialist Cruise Consultant.

6. Flights

6.1 Flight Routing - The difference between a direct flight and a non-stop flight can cause confusion. To clarify, on a direct flight no change of aircraft is scheduled but touchdowns will be made en route either to refuel or to board or disembark passengers. On non-stop flights, no change of aircraft is required and no stops are made en route. Exact details of your route will be given in your itinerary.

6.2 Internal Flights - Smaller local airlines are more likely to change their schedule at short notice. We will endeavour to inform you of any changes in advance of travelling but this may not always be possible.

6.3 Baggage on Internal Flights - Where we include internal flights, many airlines do not allow us to pre-book baggage at the time of booking the flights, so this has to be paid for at the time of check-in and will be your responsibility as we do not include this charge in the price. We will advise you at the time of booking if this affects your holiday.

6.4 Seating - Most airlines now operate one of two main seating policies. The majority offer paid-for seating, with a smaller number maintaining a free-of-charge seating policy; please ask your Specialist Cruise Consultant for details regarding the seating policy of the airline you are booked to travel with. More details on each type of seating can be found below:

6.5 Paid-for Seating - The majority of airlines now offer you the opportunity to secure specific seats in advance of travel by paying an additional premium.  Please note, this may not be possible on some group departures. In order to do this it is a requirement of the airlines that you have fully paid for your flight ticket. Once a flight ticket is fully paid for amendment charges will apply should you wish to change your arrangements (please see the section entitled

6.6 Free-of-charge Seat Requests - For the airlines that still maintain a free-of-charge seating policy we will do all we can to try to reserve a specific seat for you. Please note, this may not be possible on some group departures. However, whilst airlines may allow us to make free-of-charge seat requests, they will not guarantee any such seat reservations. Most airlines now allow you to check in online 24 hours ahead of travel and select or re-confirm free-of-charge seat reservations at this stage. If seating is important to you and you have been unable to check in online, it is always best to arrive for your flight early.

6.7 The Flexibility of Flight Arrangements If fully flexible flight arrangements are important to you, please let your Specialist Cruise Consultant know at the earliest possible time in the quote process so they can include the most appropriate fare for you. We primarily use special ‘inclusive tour’ fares when we purchase your tickets from our operators/airlines and while these fares are very good value they can be inflexible in terms of changes and offer no refunds once the tickets are issued. If your Specialist Cruise Consultant uses this type of fare then once your flight is confirmed the airlines will charge an amendment fee or insist on the purchase of a completely new ticket should you wish to make changes.

6.8 Frequent Flyer Clubs - If you collect points through any of the airline frequent flyer clubs and wish to accrue points on your Cruise.co.uk trip, please let your Specialist Cruise Consultant know so that they can choose an appropriate airfare where points can be awarded. Please provide your membership details and we will ensure that these are recorded against your flight reservation. If you wish to use your points to purchase flights then you will have to make these arrangements directly with the airline as we are not able to access fares in this way. If you do choose to do this please provide the flight details to your Specialist Cruise Consultant so they can ensure the ground arrangements match with your flights.

7. Paying for Your Holiday

7.1 When you make your booking, you must pay a deposit or the full amount if the booking date is inside the balance due payment date. The amount of deposit due will depend on the individual holiday and the elements involved – your Specialist Cruise Consultant will confirm the amount of deposit due before the booking is confirmed.

7.2 The date when the balance of the price of your travel arrangements must be paid will depend on the elements involved in your cruise holiday package. This is because different suppliers will require full payment at different stages. Your balance due date will be confirmed by your tailor-made agent and will also appear on your booking confirmation. If the deposit and/or balance is not paid in time, we shall cancel your travel arrangements. If the balance is not paid in time we shall also retain your deposit.

7.3 All payments must be made in pounds sterling. There is no charge to pay by Debit or Credit Card. Transactions will appear as Cruise.co.uk. If you prefer to pay by cheque (for any payment except the deposit), please remember to quote your booking reference when forwarding your payment. Please make cheques payable to Cruise.co.uk.

£1pp Low Deposit Offers & Payments

Low Deposit - General

7.4 Cruise.co.uk may periodically offer customers a ‘low deposit’ option. Your Specialist Cruise Consultant will be able to advise on eligibility details at the time of enquiry.

7.5 When you choose this 'Low Deposit' option and make a low deposit payment, it means you (the Lead Name on the booking) have accepted these conditions for yourself and each member of your party.

7.6 In order to qualify & secure a booking for a low deposit offer, you must pay the ‘Low Deposit’ by debit or credit card.

Low Deposit - with the remainder of the Full Deposit paid by debit or credit card

7.7 The remainder of the Full Deposit amount and payment date will be advised by your Specialist Cruise Consultant.

7.8 If you make any changes to your booking PRIOR to the date on which the remainder of the full deposit has been paid, please be aware that this may affect the total amount of the remainder of the full deposit. If it does, then you agree to pay the amended amount of the remainder of the full deposit amount. Direct Debit Subscription Schedule and/or agree to a new mandate with a new Direct Debit payment schedule.

7.9 If you cancel your booking PRIOR to the date on which the remainder of the Full Deposit must be paid, you will still be liable to pay the remainder of the Full Deposit. You agree to this amount being processed through the same debit or credit card used for the low deposit payment.

Note - this amount is the minimum cancellation charge, which is the remaining deposit amount as required by the cruise line plus Cruise.co.uk’s cancellation fee.

Low Deposit - with other payments through our Direct Debit Scheme

7.10 The remaining deposit amount and payment date will be advised by your Specialist Cruise Consultant and will be taken as the next payment of the Direct Debit Subscription schedule in monthly instalments

7.11 Your ‘Subscription Schedule’ will detail the payment dates and monthly instalments for your Direct Debit. You can specify the date of each month you prefer the direct debit schedule instalments to be taken (or it will be set up automatically) based on the final payment date for your booking less approximately 3 – 5 working days. E.g. the balance due date for the booking is 26th April 2020, the monthly direct debit payments will be taken on or around the 23rd of the month (to the nearest working day). These details will be advised by your Specialist Cruise Consultant and highlighted in the ‘Invoice Notes’ section of your Cruise.co.uk Booking Confirmation Invoice.

7.12 If you make any changes to your booking BEFORE the balance of the full deposit has been paid, please be aware that this may affect the total amount of the remainder of the full deposit and/or the Direct Debit Payment Subscription Schedule. If it does, then you agree to pay the amended Direct Debit Subscription Schedule and/or agree to a new mandate with a new Direct Debit payment schedule.

7.13 If you cancel your booking or cancel your direct debit PRIOR to the date on which the remainder of the Full Deposit must be paid, or default after that date, you will still be liable to pay the remainder of the Full Deposit. You agree to this amount being processed through the same debit or credit card used for the low deposit payment.

Note - this amount is the minimum cancellation charge, which is the remaining deposit amount as required by the cruise line plus Cruise.co.uk’s cancellation fee.

7.14 You will be able to disregard any other ‘Balance Due’ communications other than the dates on your Direct Debit payment ‘Subscription Schedule.’

Failed Direct Debits Payments

7.15 We’ll attempt to collect your Direct Debit instalments on the date/s as per the payment Subscription Schedule. If the first attempt at collecting an instalment isn’t successful for any reason, we’ll make 3 further attempts to collect over the following 14-21 days. If we still can’t collect payment, that particular instalment payment will be skipped. You’ll need to contact us to make this final payment by a suitable alternative payment method and by your final balance due date as shown on your Cruise.co.uk Booking Confirmation Invoice. The remaining payments will be collected as normal until the next failed payment and then the process will be followed as above.

7.16 If you cancel your Direct Debit after the first instalment of the subscription schedule has been processed, you must inform Cruise.co.uk and advise how the remaining balance on your booking will be paid.

7.17 If you cancel your Direct Debit, it cannot be reinstated and before a new direct debit schedule is set up, a new Direct Debit mandate will need to be agreed upon.

Changes to your Direct Debit Payment Schedule

7.18 If you change your bank/current account provider, you will need to ask your new bank to transfer your existing Direct Debit to your new account to ensure your payment instalments are not missed. Please speak to your bank before contacting us.

Changes to your Cruise Holiday

7.19 If you make any changes to your holiday, the following chart highlights the impact of applicable payment options: