Kuoni Travel Ltd - Terms & Conditions - 2008
The Terms & Conditions below are taken from the Kuoni Worldwide 2008 brochure and these apply to all bookings made on our Website
1.1 CHOOSING YOUR HOLIDAY
We hope that your Kuoni holiday will live up to your expectations so it is very
important that you choose the right holiday for you and our staff are always
happy to advise and give you their professional opinion.
1.2 HOTEL GRADINGS
We categorise all hotels as medium, first or deluxe class to give a general
guide. However, standards can vary between hotels of the same class in different
countries, and even in the same country. For example city hotels which often
cater for business as well as leisure travellers may well have generally higher
standards than a beach resort hotel where the whole atmosphere will tend to be
more relaxed. It is important to read carefully the individual hotel
descriptions. A comparison of the extra night cost shown in the price box
against each hotel will also give some idea of how hotels in the same
resort/country are likely to compare in terms of general standards.
Accommodation in all hotels, whatever the rating, is in standard rooms based on
twins or doubles unless otherwise stated.
1.3 SINGLE ROOMS/TWIN OR DOUBLE
It is an unfair fact of life that single travellers often have to pay over the
odds for a room, often up to twice the price each person in a twin room might
have to pay. So we have negotiated some super deals and are delighted to offer
you the widest choice of single saver offers available on the UK longhaul market
today.
Please check in the Kuoni Plus box on each page for these very special
offers. However note that the standard and location of single rooms is not
always as good as that of twin/double rooms even when you pay the single
supplement. On safari, excursions and touring holidays single rooms cannot
always be guaranteed. Supplements paid will be refunded if a single room
previously confirmed is not available.
i) Why are single travellers asked to pay more for their room?
If a single person occupies a double room they will usually be asked to pay
extra (a single supplement). Hotels price their rooms, as doubles or family
rooms and they do not reduce the rates if it is occupied by a single person. The
costs to the hotel of providing the room – heating, lighting, cleaning etc are
the same regardless of how many people occupy that room. This also applies to
self-catering units where, for example, three people may choose to occupy
accommodation priced for four.
ii) Why are single rooms sometimes smaller than doubles or family rooms?
Hotel design may mean that single rooms are smaller and sometimes less well
appointed. While there is normally a supplement for these rooms, the overall
cost will usually be less than when a single person occupies a double room. We
do not make additional or excessive profits from these supplements. The prices
we charge reflect the costs of under occupancy of the rooms contracted to us by
the hotel.
1.4 TRIPLE/QUAD ROOMS
A third or fourth person sharing a room either shares existing beds or has an
extra bed (which may be of campbed style) placed in a double/twin room. As
conditions may be cramped you may wish to consider booking two rooms.
1.5 BOOKING A ROOM FOR EARLY ARRIVAL OR LATE DEPARTURE
Generally hotel rooms will be available between approximately noon and 3 pm, and
are to be vacated between 10am and noon, irrespective of your arrival or
departure times, unless we have stated otherwise. Should you wish your room to
be ready prior to noon on your day of arrival or available after 10am for an
afternoon or evening departure, it is possible to reserve the room at the time
of booking at a cost no greater than the extra night price quoted on the
brochure page.
1.6 KUONI PLUS/ROOM UPGRADE/HONEYMOON/ ANNIVERSARY OFFERS
When the offer of a room upgrade is mentioned in Kuoni Plus, it is not
necessarily an upgrade to the next category featured in our brochure, but
usually an upgrade to the next category of room (not suite) available within the
hotel.We will of course do everything possible to arrange the provision of a
double bed for honeymoon couples but it is not always possible to guarantee this
and the provision of a double bed does not constitute a term of your contract
with us. In order to qualify for a Kuoni Plus offer, your stay and/or holiday
must be started and completed within the date band specified, under the
individual offers as stated. For hotel sale discounts, where there is a minimum
stay requirement, the nights spent at the hotel must be consecutive.
1.7 ALL INCLUSIVE AND HOTELS FOR COUPLES
Some hotels specified ‘for couples’ cater for mixed sex couples only. Hotels
often place restrictions on restaurants and meal arrangements. All Inclusive
does not necessarily mean that unlimited food and beverages are available
24-hours a day. Individual hotels operate different policies and full details
will be provided locally.
1.8 ESCORTED TOURS - GENERAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Most of our tours are not suitable if you are confined to a wheelchair or have
reduced mobility. Therefore, in the interest of safety and comfort for all
groups as a whole, you must be fit enough to participate or alternatively you
must have an able bodied carer to assist you on the tour.
1.9 PASSPORTS/VISAS/HEALTH
You will need a full 10 year passport to travel to the destinations we feature
in this brochure. Some destinations also require visas. You should contact your
GP or a specialist vaccination centre for details of the measures you will need
to take prior to departure. Please read page 455 for more details prior to
booking your holiday. Many countries including USA now require children to hold
their own passports and additional countries are adopting this policy on an
ongoing basis.We therefore recommend that all children travel on full passports.
1.10 CHILDREN ON HOLIDAY
Offers are subject to availability of triple or quad rooms. Infants under the
age of 2 years on the date of return flight pay from £95 when travelling in
economy, other classes of air travel available on request. Any charge for a baby
cot in the room and food are paid by the guest direct to the hotel and there is
no entitlement to a separate seat on the aircraft if the flight is full.
International airline regulations allow only one infant per adult.We do not
allow holidays for children under 10 on escorted tours, coach tours or on safari
(unless in private minibus). Some destinations, owing to their lack of special
child or medical facilities are also not suitable for very young children but we
would be happy to advise which hotels or resorts we think suit your requirements
best. See the relevant price box where any specific minimum age restrictions are
given.
1.11 HOLIDAY SEASONS
Most of the destinations we feature in this brochure are available all year
round. Some do have quieter 'off peak' periods when you can take advantage of
uncrowded beaches and more personal attention from hotel staff at excellent
prices. At this time it may be necessary for hotels to scale down the size of
some of their facilities, such as restaurants, to match demand. Similarly,
during peak periods hotels experience full occupancy which may result in a
livelier atmosphere and slower service in busier facilities.
1.12 EXPERIENCES
We are pleased to be able to offer various 'experiences' as detailed in our
brochure that can either be pre-booked or booked in resort. These experiences
will require you to be in good physical and mental health. By booking, you
confirm that you and your party are in good health with no medical history that
would make it dangerous to participate in an experience. The experience will be
supervised, and all reasonable precautions will be taken to ensure that you and
your party are safe. We will only accept responsibility for personal injury
where it is caused by our negligence or the negligence of our suppliers and we
do not accept responsibility for any loss or damage to property.
1.13 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Virtually all countries have public holidays, religious or otherwise. The
festivities may temporarily disrupt your holiday and some religious holidays
such as Ramadan, which affects many Muslim countries may result in a reduction
of facilities and entertainment. Others are somewhat chaotic but great fun to be
a part of.We suggest that you take this into consideration when selecting your
departure date. The dates known to us at the time of going to press, are:
The appropriate Tourist Offices are happy to supply more detailed information or you may wish to refer to the internet.
1.14 OTHER HOTEL GUESTS
Many hotels, especially in cities and major resorts, accommodate conventions and
conferences. Also, at certain times of the year, some destinations have an
influx of groups such as students, associations or clubs. The hotels we feature
are shared with guests from many countries with different cultures and customs.
We have no control over the acceptance of bookings at the hotels we feature
other than our own. We are therefore unable to accept any responsibility for any
inconvenience caused by such groups or their activities.
1.15 MEALS
Meals if included are based on table d’hôte menus, or a meal voucher system
unless specified otherwise in the text. Holidays which include main meals
generally commence with dinner on the day of arrival at your hotel and terminate
with breakfast (on halfboard) or lunch (on fullboard or All-Inclusive) on the
day of departure. No refunds on meals not taken can be given. Special diets of
any kind (including vegetarian) can seldom be catered for adequately within the
constraints of a table d’hôte menu and cannot be guaranteed.We would
therefore strongly recommend that anyone with special requirements takes a
holiday where no meals (or only breakfast) are included and simply buys the most
acceptable dishes from the à la carte menu available locally.
Supplements shown in our brochures for optional meal plans offer you the
opportunity of being able to budget for extra costs before you go. In some cases
you may find the cost of the meal cheaper locally, however we regret that it
will not be possible to refund the difference either during or after your
holiday. Pre booked meals may be subject to dining in the main restaurant only
and on occasion it may be necessary to be seated with other hotel guests.
If you have paid a half board supplement it may be possible in some hotels to
ask for a credit from the table d'hôte dinner to be used against a meal in an
à la carte restaurant. However the value of the voucher will generally be
considerably less than the half board supplement included in your holiday price.
1.16 UPGRADING YOUR FLIGHT
A longhaul flight is generally not a joyride when flying in economy class on
scheduled or charter flights. Flights are often full, your choice of seats may
not be available, and it may not be possible to obtain seats together. In many
cases a choice of upgrade options may be available, to give you a more
comfortable journey at a reasonable supplement.
1.17 FLIGHT SEAT REQUESTS AND AIRCRAFT
We strongly recommend (particularly if you are flying economy class), that you
check in early if you have particular seat requests. Kuoni has no control over
the allocation of seats by the airline and even if a request has been made with
the airline to prebook seats, no guarantee can be made that they will still be
available on departure.
The provision of particular seats does not constitute a term of your contract with us. Please note airlines operate both older and more modern aircraft within their fleet. We regret we cannot guarantee the type of aircraft you will travel on as this may be subject to change and general availability.
Community List
In accordance with EU directive (EC) no. 2111/2005, Article 9, we are required
to bring to your attention the existence of a ‘Community List’ which
contains details of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban within the
EU Community. The Community list is available for inspection via- www.dft.gov.uk.
1.18 BRITISH AIRWAYS FRANCHISE PARTNER GB AIRWAYS FLIGHTS
The prices we advertise for flights with British Airways franchise partner GB
Airways to Morocco, Luxor, Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and Tunisia are based on
specially negotiated airfares to which special conditions apply. At the time of
booking a higher nonrefundable deposit of £275 per person will be payable and
any subsequent name changes / transferral of bookings or changes to destination
/ routing, will be subject to availability and will incur the loss of this
higher deposit. Date changes are permitted, subject to availability in the
relevant booking class for which an administration fee of £65 per person will
be charged, along with any increase in airfare that may be applicable to the new
dates. If you choose to cancel your booking, the cancellation charge payable by
you will be the higher of this deposit or the appropriate cancellation charge
detailed in the scale scale of cancellation charges in point 3.3 of these
booking conditions.
1.19 BRITISH AIRWAYS EUROPEAN FLIGHTS
'The prices we advertise for flights with British Airways are based on specially
negotiated airfares to which special conditions apply. At the time of booking a
non-refundable deposit of £150 per person will be payable and any subsequent
name changes / transferral of bookings or changes to destination / routing, will
be subject to availability and will incur the loss of this deposit. Date changes
are permitted, subject to availability in the relevant booking class for which
an administration fee of £65 per person will be charged, along with any
increase in airfare that may be applicable to the new dates. If you choose to
cancel your booking, the cancellation charge payable by you will be the higher
of this deposit or the appropriate cancellation charge detailed in the scale of
cancellation charges in point 3.3 of these booking conditions.
1.20 DIRECT FLIGHTS
The flight routings used in connection with our holidays may be used on special
fares which do not necessarily take the most direct route. Some itineraries
require a change of aircraft en route. A flight that is described as direct is
one where there is no need to change aircraft during the journey. However stops
may be made en route for refuelling or to let passengers on and/ or off. Details
of any stops will be given on your itinerary wherever possible. However, should
you require this information at an earlier stage, please check with your Travel
Agent and/or our Sales staff at the time of booking, or our HelpDesk once the
booking has been invoiced.
1.21‘NO FRILLS’ CARRIERS
We provide a choice of scheduled and ‘no frills’ carriers to take advantage
of the flexibility and pricing available. You should note that ‘no frills’
flights do not include in flight meals. The deposit payable at the time of
booking is £150 per person. However, it may occasionally be necessary to charge
a higher deposit due to a fluctuation in airfares, details of which would be
advised to you at the time of booking. Any changes to destination / routing will
be subject to availability and will incur the loss of the original deposit
collected. Date and name changes are permitted, subject to availability and the
relevant charges imposed as per the individual airlines own policies (details
available on request). Any changes made may also result in additional charges
due to an increase in airfare or charges imposed by the hotel.
1.22 CODE SHARE FLIGHTS
It is a common practice for scheduled airlines to use a code share system, which
may include you flying with a partner airline. Where this situation arises, it
is not classed as a major change.
1.23 CHARTER FLIGHTS
We provide these to destinations where there are usually no direct scheduled
flights, and/or insufficient capacity on these services to meet demand. A
charter flight is usually the cheapest and quickest way of reaching the
particular destination. However, it should be noted that leg room is slightly
less than in economy on some scheduled flights.
1.24 SMOKING
The majority of airlines have introduced a total smoking ban on most or all of
their flights and many hotels also now have a non-smoking policy in hotel rooms
and public areas. Please ask at the time of booking if this information is
important to you.
1.25 SPECIAL REQUESTS
Where special requests eg. diet, room location, twin or double bedded room, a
particular facility at a hotel, flight seat requests and/or particular meals
etc. are an important factor in the choice of holiday, you must advise us when
the booking is made. We are happy to pass your request on to the hotel or
airline but cannot guarantee that it will be accommodated. We will also pass on
any dietary requests to airlines but we recommend that you check directly with
the airline once your tickets have been issued. The provision of any special
request does not constitute a term of your contract with us.
1.26 IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY
Kuoni is happy to give you advice and to assist you in choosing a holiday that
will meet your requirements. However, because of the nature of destinations,
many lack even the simplest facilities such as ramps for wheelchairs, lifts etc.
Therefore in order to assist we must at the time of booking be provided with
full details in writing regarding your disability and any special requirements
as a result of this. An appropriate medical form will be sent to you for this
purpose.
1.27 EXCURSION/MEAL PACKAGES
Excursion or meal packages which are offered in this brochure are not
always cheaper than buying the same arrangements locally. It is often the case
that these packages are offered for the convenience of being both booked and
paid for in the UK. The cost of any unused tours within excursion packages may
not be refunded.
1.28 WEATHER
World weather is becoming more erratic and unpredictable and we cannot be held
responsible for disruption to your holiday due to bad or unusual weather
conditions.
1.29 OUR STAFF
We pride ourselves on the quality and friendly professionalism of our staff. In
our search to continually try and improve our level of service, we are committed
to on-going training, part of which involves the recording of phone calls.
1.30 LIMITED EDITIONS BROCHURES & SPECIAL OFFERS
Please note that many of the hotels and tours included in our Limited Editions
brochures and/or special offers are also featured in our other main brochures.
Any offers/facilities detailed therein are not applicable to Limited Editions
holidays or special offers unless otherwise stated.
Kuoni’s Price Guarantee
All prices quoted in this brochure are calculated on rates of exchange as known
on 13 April 2007 and as published in the Financial Times of 16 April 2007
(US$1.9829). Brochure prices can go up or down. Before you make a booking we
will give you the up to date price of your chosen holiday, including the cost of
any peak season supplements, upgrades or additional facilities which you have
requested*. Once you have accepted this price and a booking has been made, that
price is fully guaranteed and will not be subject to any surcharges. *See out of
date range flights at 2.3
Once you have accepted this price and a booking has been made, that price is
fully guaranteed and will not be subject to any surcharges. *See out of date
range flights at 2.3
The Price Includes
2.1 YOUR COMMITMENT TO US
When you or your Travel Agent wish to confirm a holiday booking you must pay a
deposit of £150 per person or any higher deposit which applies to your
holiday.When you make a booking you are confirming that you understand and have
accepted on behalf of yourself and all members of your party our Important
Holiday Information which forms our booking conditions. All contracts with Kuoni
are made subject to these booking conditions and are subject to English law and
the jurisdiction of the English Courts or, if your booking was made in Scotland,
to Scottish law and jurisdiction.
Many airlines now require the full name of all passengers travelling. We will therefore ask you at the time of booking to provide us with your first forename (as shown in your passport) as well as your title and surname.When booking your holiday, if you wish to make a modification to a holiday shown in the brochure we will try to assist. Should you wish to change to an alternative featured hotel, this will be charged at the difference in published price, as long as Kuoni holds the space required. If we have to make a special request for alternative or extra space, an administration fee of £10 per booking will be charged. Additional services will be quoted for upon request. Should you wish to extend your holiday making your own private arrangements, this can usually be done subject to an administrative charge of £3 per person per night. Prices for accommodation only bookings can be quoted on request.
2.2 OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU
Your contract is with Kuoni Travel Ltd.We will arrange to provide you with the
various services which form part of the holiday you book with us. Before your
booking is confirmed and a contract comes into existence we reserve the right to
increase or decrease brochure prices (see Kuoni’s Price Guarantee opposite) or
to change any of the information contained in this brochure. Changes will be
made known to you before you book. The prices we advertise are based on
specially negotiated airfares to be booked in a specific airline booking class.
At the time of booking, if there is a lack of availability in the specified
class on any particular flight, we will endeavour to secure seats for you in an
alternative economy class and you will be told the amount of the applicable
flight supplement before you book. A booking is not accepted until we issue an
invoice. The date shown on the invoice, which will be sent to you or your Travel
Agent is the date of booking. It is important to check the details on the
invoice when you get it. In the event of any discrepancy please contact us or
your Travel Agent immediately.
The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 require
us to provide security for the monies that you pay for the package holidays
booked from this brochure and for your repatriation in the event of our
insolvency.We provide this security by way of a bond held by the Civil Aviation
Authority under ATOL number 132. If you book arrangements other than a package
holiday from this brochure, your monies are also protected through a separate
bond.
2.3 OUT OF DATE RANGE FLIGHTS
Our brochures are prepared well in advance and scheduled airlines will generally
not have loaded their seats to sell until approximately 10 months before the
departure. Should this apply we will inform you at the time of booking and
calculate the price in anticipation that seats will be available in the specific
airline booking class to which our specially negotiated airfares apply. We will
issue an invoice recording the arrangements reserved for you and will take a
deposit, but a contract will not exist between us.When the airline seats become
available to book we will tell you the price and give you 7 days to either
accept the price or cancel the booking and receive a full refund. If you accept
the price, we will issue an invoice and a contract exists between us.
2.4 PEAK SEASON SUPPLEMENTS
During peak periods such as Christmas and Easter when demand outstrips the
supply of airline seats and accommodation, you may find that supplements are
added to the cost of your holiday. The supplements may be for certain holiday
departures and/or accommodation on specific dates. They do not necessarily
indicate that additional services such as Gala dinners will be provided. The
cost of these supplements will be quoted to you at the time of booking.
2.5 PAYING FOR YOUR HOLIDAY
After your booking is taken and a deposit received, a balance invoice will be
sent to you detailing the total cost due. Full payment is due not less than 61
days before departure. If you do not pay in full 61 days before departure, we
reserve the right to cancel your booking and forfeit your deposit by way of
cancellation charges. If you make a holiday booking within 61 days of your
departure date then you must pay the full cost of the holiday at the booking
stage. Any money paid by you to a travel agent is held by the agent on our
behalf.
2.6 INSURANCE
It is important that you have insurance cover and that it is adequate for your
needs. You can take out cover through Kuoni, in which case the premium will be
added at the time of booking. Should you decide to arrange a policy yourself,
please check carefully to ensure that it provides an equal or higher level of
cover. Travel insurance sold by Kuoni is only valid for UK residents. For those
who participate in sports and activities whilst on holiday that have been
organised and arranged independently of us, it should be understood that
participation is at the individual’s own risk and it is your responsibility to
obtain the relevant insurance.
2.7 TRAVEL INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS
You should receive with your invoice a copy of our destination book(s) covering
the area/s you are visiting and general information. We strongly recommend that
you read these. Approximately 7 days before departure you will receive your
flight tickets together with an itinerary. However, in the case of late payment
and/or late bookings, tickets may be handed to you at the airport on departure.
Please ensure that you check the flight timings on your tickets carefully. The
correct timings, using the 24 hour clock system, may have been adjusted since we
published the brochure and since you received your invoice.
3.1 CHANGE OR ADDITION TO YOUR HOLIDAY
If you want to change any part of your holiday arrangements after the invoice
has been issued, we will do our best to make the change, but it may not be
possible. Any request for changes must be made in writing by the person who made
the original booking, or his or her travel agent. If it is possible to make the
change, it will be subject to an administration charge of £35 per booking, and
payment of any further costs incurred as a result of the change. Scheduled
airlines normally regard name changes as a cancellation and rebooking, and any
alteration may incur a 100% cancellation charge in respect of the air fare.
Please note that save for the transfer of a booking (see below), or the addition of any offers made by Kuoni in the brochure which were not requested at the time of booking, it will not be possible to make changes within 28 days of your scheduled departure date.
3.2 TRANSFERRING BOOKINGS
If any person named on a booking is prevented from travelling as a result of
illness, the death of a close relative, jury service or significant reason, we
will agree to that person’s booking being transferred to another person who
satisfies all the conditions applicable to the package, subject to both persons
accepting liability for full payment of the holiday cost and any additional
costs arising from the transfer. This will also be subject to our suppliers eg.
airlines and/or hotels approval. We must be given at least 14 days notice of the
transfer request. An administration charge will be made of £50 per person for
requests made more than 61 days before departure, and £100 per person within 61
days before departure.
3.3 CANCELLING YOUR HOLIDAY
If you or anyone on your holiday booking decides to cancel the holiday you must
notify us of the decision as soon as possible. Any notification by telephone
must also be confirmed in writing or by e-mail within 24 hours by the person who
made the original booking. Cancellation will take effect from the day we are
notified provided that written confirmation is received by us within 24 hours of
the original notification. A cancellation invoice will be sent to you within 7
days, if you do not receive this please contact us immediately in order to
prevent an increase in charges.
You may also check your booking has been cancelled on our web-site, www.kuoni.co.uk. Should you already be in receipt of your airline tickets please also return these to us along with your cancellation request. The following scale of charges will be payable depending on when the notification of cancellation is received:
Prior to 61 days: deposit forfeited;
We would strongly recommend that you take out full insurance, which will in most cases include cover, under certain circumstances, against loss of deposit or cancellation fees. If you have taken advantage of an airline offer as detailed on the relevant page and paid a higher non refundable deposit, the cancellation charge payable by you will be the higher of this deposit or the appropriate cancellation charge detailed above.
4.1 BROCHURE ACCURACY
We rigorously check the information given in our brochure about accommodation,
resorts, itineraries etc., to ensure it is correct at the time of going to sale
(May 2008) but in view of the fact that brochures are prepared in advance,
advertised facilities may be changed. Therefore changes may be made to the
particulars in this brochure at any time before the contract with you is made.
In these circumstances we will notify you of changes before you book. However,
please bear in mind that hoteliers, restaurateurs, night club owners etc., may
wish to maintain or improve their facilities, or even take a break themselves.
Flight times, carriers and routes in the brochure are given for guidance only as
there may be changes. Final details will be shown on your tickets. Tour,
excursion, cruise or safari itineraries may change as a result of local
conditions. Circumstances such as these, or weather conditions, time of year
etc., may cause some of the amenities we have described to be unavailable or
different from those advertised in our brochure.When we are told of any
significant or long term changes we will always endeavour to advise you prior to
your departure.
4.2 BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT WORK
Many hotels and resorts are continuing to develop, sometimes rapidly and
intensively and often with little or no advance warning. Whilst we have no
control over such work, as a responsible tour operator, it is important to us
that you are aware of any significant building/refurbishment work that may be
going on during your stay. General refurbishment at hotels is necessary to
maintain standards but if we are informed of such work, we will endeavour to
notify you of any activity as soon as possible, however near to your departure
this may be.
4.3 FLIGHT CHANGES
Airlines occasionally may change the type of aircraft used on a particular
flight without advance warning. Scheduled and charter flight timings, and days
of operation are subject to change. We will advise you of any significant change
as soon as we ourselves are informed by the airline. Minor timing changes will
be shown on the flight tickets, which you should check carefully when received.
Should the changes involve a reduction of your duration, we will offer you a
refund of any applicable costs.
4.4 IF WE CHANGE YOUR HOLIDAY BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE
We hope and expect to be able to provide you with all the services we have
confirmed to you at the time of booking. We plan arrangements a long time in
advance of your holiday using independent suppliers such as airlines, hotels
etc., over whom we have no direct control. On occasions changes do have to be
made, and we reserve the right to make these. Most of these changes are minor.
However, if we consider them a SIGNIFICANT CHANGE we will endeavour to advise
you or your Travel Agent as soon as reasonably possible.
A significant change includes a change of accommodation to that of a lower
category and/or price, a change of flight time of more than 12 hours, a change
of UK departure airport, or a significant change of resort area.
In accordance with EU regulations we are required to advise you of the actual
air carrier operating your flight/connecting flight/transfer.We do this by
listing carriers to be used or likely to be used on the relevant brochure pages
and/or your holiday confirmation invoice. Any changes to the actual airline
after you have received your tickets will be notified to you as soon as possible
and in all cases at check-in or at the boarding gate. Such a change is deemed to
be a minor change. In the case of a SIGNIFICANT CHANGE before your departure we
will provide you with three alternatives:
(a) alternative travel arrangements of equivalent or of very closely similar
standard and price, if available.
(b) alternative travel arrangements of a lower standard together with a refund
of the difference in price; or
(c) cancel your holiday with a full refund of all monies paid.
In all 3 cases, minimum compensation will be paid as detailed below unless the change occurs as a result of circumstances beyond our control.
Period before departure within Compensation which a major change is notified per person to you or your travel agent:
More than 60 days: NIL
4.5 CHANGES DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL
We will not be liable to pay any compensation if we are forced to cancel or in
any way change your holiday as a result of unusual or unforeseeable situations
outside our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even
with all due care. These include unavoidable technical problems with transport,
changes imposed by rescheduling or cancellation of flights by an airline or main
charterer, the alteration of the airline or aircraft type, war or threat of war,
civil strife, industrial disputes, natural disaster, bad weather, epidemic or
terrorist activity.
4.6 IF WE CHANGE YOUR HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION
We do not control the day to day management of your accommodation, and in
exceptional cases it is possible that we may be advised that the reserved
accommodation has been overbooked. If this happens before your departure or on
arrival in resort we will endeavour to provide accommodation of at least the
same standard in the same resort area. If only accommodation of a lower standard
is available we will refund the difference of the brochure price between the
accommodation booked and that available, and will pay up to £50 per person for
any inconvenience.
4.7 IF WE CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY
We reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your holiday for any reason.
However we will not cancel your holiday within 61 days of departure unless it is
for a reason outside our control (see changes due to circumstances beyond our
control). If we have to cancel your holiday we will offer you:-
(a) alternative travel arrangements of equivalent or of very closely similar
standard and price, if available.
(b) travel arrangements of a lower standard and a refund of the difference in
price; or
(c) a full refund of all monies paid.
Compensation as offered for ‘significant changes’ will also be paid unless
the holiday is cancelled because you have failed to pay on time or as a result
of circumstances beyond our control. No compensation is payable if the holiday
is cancelled because the number of persons who agreed to take it is less than
the minimum number required and you are informed of the cancellation in writing
within the period indicated in the description of the package.
4.8 MINIMUM NUMBERS
Price boxes on relevant pages will indicate whether a particular holiday is
subject to a minimum number of participants for its operation. We will advise
you at least 61 days before departure if minimum numbers have not been reached.
You will then have the choice of booking an alternative holiday with us,
changing your departure date at the appropriate additional cost, or having a
refund of monies paid.
4.9 TOURS
Whilst every effort is made to operate a tour as advertised, on occasion it may
be necessary to make changes to the accommodation, the routing or order of an
itinerary. Unless the change significantly alters the holiday, compensation will
not be payable for minor alterations to the itinerary or nightly accommodation.
5.1 FLIGHT DELAYS
In the event of a flight being delayed, we will arrange for the following to be
provided, whenever practical, and subject to the airport being able to cater for
this:- over 4 hours, an appropriate meal, and for delays of at least 8 hours
extending beyond midnight, overnight accommodation will be provided wherever
possible. However, this will depend on such factors as the expected length of
delay, local availability of accommodation, immigration rulings etc. Where long
flight delays result in lost holiday time, no refunds are given by hotels for
unused accommodation, as rooms are held for delayed arrivals, not re-let. Our
travel insurance policy offers compensation for certain flight delays.
5.2 WATER/ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES
In many of the less sophisticated destinations we feature, the water and
electricity services struggle to keep up with the increased demands from
tourism. Limited rainfall can put further pressure on their provision. Hotels do
everything possible to maintain full services. However, occasional power cuts
and/or water restrictions may be experienced.
5.3 ACCOMMODATION IN THE TROPICS
In many hotels, especially beach resorts ‘insects’ in the rooms (eg.
cockroaches etc) are almost inevitable. It should by no means be taken as a sign
of dirtiness, simply a fact of life in these destinations. Views from some hotel
rooms may be partly obscured by palm trees and other vegetation that can grow
very quickly in tropical climates.
5.4 WATERSPORTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
Many hotels offer watersports and other sporting activities, in some cases these
may be free of charge. Please note that in the interest of your personal safety,
the operators of these activities may require that you demonstrate your
competence (for example a swimming test) prior to commencement and reserve the
right to refuse participation for any reason if they feel this may compromise
your or another guest’s safety.
5.5 BEHAVIOUR
Most people go on holiday for rest and relaxation, so if in our reasonable
opinion or in the opinion of any airline pilot, hotel manager, tour leader or
other person in authority, your behaviour is causing danger, damage to property
or persistently affecting the enjoyment of others, we reserve the right to
terminate your holiday. Should this happen no refund or compensation would be
paid.
5.6 LOST ITEMS
If you lose any personal items whilst on holiday, please obtain a written report
from a local representative, or police, to help with any insurance claim upon
your return.
5.7 IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT WHILE YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY
If you have cause for complaint whilst on holiday, you must bring it to the
attention of our local representative or agent and the hotel immediately. They
will do their best to rectify the situation. It is unreasonable to take no
action whilst on holiday, but then to write a letter of complaint upon return.
If you do not raise concerns immediately, this may affect our ability to
investigate and take remedial action and it may impact on the way your complaint
is dealt with.
5.8 KUONI DUTY OFFICER
Kuoni operates a 24 hour emergency duty officer system, and the contact number
for this will be provided with your itinerary.
5.9 CONSERVATION
It is becoming ever more important to conserve the world’s natural resources,
its landscapes, flora and fauna. Someone coined the phrase "Take only
photographs; leave only footprints" and a number of countries now use this
to promote conservation. It would be hard to improve on this statement.
5.10 OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU FOR YOUR HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS
(a) The air holidays and flights in this brochure are ATOL protected. We hold an
Air Travel Organisers’ Licence (ATOL 0132) granted by the Civil Aviation
Authority. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you
are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us
for an advance booking. For further information, visit the ATOL website at
www.atol.org.uk.
(b) Subject to (d), we will accept responsibility if due to fault on our part, or that of our agents or suppliers, any part of your holiday arrangements booked before your departure from the UK is not as described in the brochure, or not of a reasonable standard, or if you or any member of your party is killed or injured as a result of an activity forming part of those holiday arrangements. We do not accept responsibility if and to the extent that any failure of your holiday arrangements, or death or injury: is not caused by any fault of ours, or our agents or suppliers; is caused by you; is caused by someone not connected with your holiday arrangements or is due to unforeseen circumstances which, even with all due care, we or our agents or suppliers could not have anticipated or avoided.
(c) For claims which do not involve personal injury, illness or death, the
most we will have to pay if we are liable to you is twice the price, the person
affected, paid for their holiday (not including insurance premiums and amendment
charges). We will only have to pay this maximum amount if everything has gone
wrong and you have received no benefit from your holiday. Where enjoyment of
only some days has been affected, we will refund reasonable related expenses and
pay a daily sum of compensation up to £50 per day per person affected.
(d) Subject to (b) above, if any failure in your holiday arrangements relates
to, or if you or any member in your party is killed, injured or becomes ill
during or as a result of, carriage by aircraft, ship, train or coach forming
part of the holiday arrangements booked before departure from the UK, our
liability to pay compensation and/or the amount of compensation we will pay is
limited in accordance with the liability of the carrier under any international
convention which governs such services. International Conventions which may
apply include: in respect of carriage by air, the Montreal Convention 1999 or
the Warsaw Convention 1929 (including as amended by the Hague Protocol of 1955
and by any of the Montreal Additional Protocol of 1975); in respect of carriage
by sea, the Athens Convention 1974; in respect of rail carriage, the Berne
Convention 1961; and, in respect of carriage by road, the Geneva Convention
1973. The terms of these conventions are incorporated into and form part of your
contract with us. In respect of death or personal injury, the liability of an
air carrier under the Montreal Convention and the Warsaw Convention is limited
to damage sustained in the case of death or bodily injury caused by an accident
which takes place on board the aircraft or in the course of any of the
operations of embarking or disembarking. You can get copies of the relevant
conventions if you ask us for them or view them online at www.kuoni.co.uk. You
should also note that these conventions may limit or remove the carrier's
liability to you and the amount which the carrier has to pay you. You should
also know that the carrier will rely upon its 'conditions of carriage' which may
limit or remove the carrier's liability to you and limit compensation under
international conventions.
Under EU law you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or
compensation from your airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or
delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be publicised at EU airports
and will also be available from airlines. However reimbursement in such cases
will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your holiday cost from us. If
any payments to you are due from us, any payment made to you by the airline will
be deducted from this amount. If your airline does not comply with these rules
you should complain to the Air Transport Users' Council on 020 7240 6061 - www.auc.org.uk
(e) Our suppliers (such as accommodation or transport providers) have their own booking conditions or conditions of carriage, and these conditions are binding between you and the supplier. Some of these conditions may limit or remove the relevant transport provider’s or other supplier’s liability to you. You can get copies of such conditions from our offices, or the offices of the relevant supplier.
(f) If we make any payment to you or any member of your party for death, personal injury or illness, you must give us or our insurers the rights you may have to take action against the person or organisation responsible for causing the death, personal injury or illness and you must co-operate fully with us in seeking recovery of any payment we make.
(g) Operational decisions may be taken by air carriers and airports resulting in delays, diversions or rescheduling. Kuoni has no control over such decisions, and is therefore unable to accept responsibility for them. Where, as a result of circumstances beyond our control we are obliged to change or end your holiday after departure, but before the end of your holiday, we will not pay compensation or reimburse you for expenses incurred. You should have adequate travel insurance for your holiday and claim via your insurance company for any loss or damage to luggage and/or personal possessions. In the event that any claim is made directly with us, our liability to pay compensation and/or the amount of compensation will be limited in accordance with the conventions referred to in (d).
5.11 REPRESENTATIVE SERVICES
Please note we do not have representative services available in all the
destinations we feature and therefore you will not necessarily be met on
arrival. Please ensure you refer to your itinerary which will provide the
appropriate contact details should you need assistance whilst on holiday.
5.12 CURTAILMENT
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 the remainder of your
holiday not completed, or assist with 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.
6.1 QUESTIONNAIRE
We are committed to improving the standard of our holidays and it is only with
the help of your feedback that we will be able to achieve our aim. We would
therefore appreciate it if you would spend a few moments to complete and return
the questionnaire which you will find in your document wallet. The Quality
Control Manager at Kuoni Travel Limited, Kuoni House, Dorking, Surrey RH5 4AZ
(e-mail address: customer@kuoni.co.uk)
would also welcome and act upon any comments you would like to pass on to us.
6.2 IF YOU HAD A PROBLEM
If a problem remains unresolved during your holiday, you should make a complaint
in writing to Kuoni within 28 days of the completion of the holiday. Please
remember to quote your holiday booking number and daytime telephone number. We
will reply to you within 28 days of receipt of your letter, as laid down by the
ABTA Tour Operator’s Code of Conduct.
6.3 DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS
We certainly hope that we can settle any holiday complaints amicably, however,
should this prove not to be the case you may refer any dispute relating to this
contract to an Arbitrator appointed by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
The scheme provides for a simple and inexpensive method of arbitration on
documents alone with restricted liability for you in respect of costs. The
scheme does not apply to claims for an amount greater than £5,000 per person or
£25,000 per booking form. Neither does it apply to claims which are solely in
respect of physical injury or illness or their consequences, although claims
which include an element of minor injury or illness can be considered 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 the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators within nine 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.
For injury and illness claims, you may like to use the ABTA/Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Mediation Procedure. This is a voluntary scheme and requires us to agree for mediation to go ahead. The aim is to help you resolve your dispute in a quick and cost effective way. Details on request or from www.abta.com.
6.4 OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU FOR PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS (UNCONNECTED
WITH ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY US)
Should you or any member of your party suffer illness, personal injury or death
through any misadventure during your holiday arising out of an activity which
does not form part of your holiday arrangements provided by Kuoni, we will, in
our reasonable discretion, offer you advice, guidance and assistance. This may
include a contribution towards your initial legal costs of making a claim
against the offending party. Any contribution made by us will be limited to £5000
per booking form. Any request for assistance must be made within 90 days from
the date of the misadventure in question. If you are able to make recovery of
these costs whether from the third party or from a policy of insurance you may
be asked to refund our outlay.
7.1 Web site accuracy
We rigorously check the information provided on our web site about
accommodation, resorts, itineraries etc., to ensure it is correct at the time of
being added. However, please bear in mind that hoteliers, restaurateurs, night
club owners etc., may wish to maintain or improve their facilities, or even take
a break themselves. There may be changes to flight timings. Tour, excursion,
cruise or safari itineraries may change as a result of local conditions.
Circumstances such as these, or weather conditions, time of year etc., may cause
some of the amenities we have described to be unavailable or different from
those advertised on our web site. When we are told of any significant or long
term changes we will always endeavour to advise you prior to departure.
7.2 Web site Copyright
The copyright in the material on this web site rests with Kuoni Travel Ltd. and its suppliers. Your access to it does not imply a licence to reproduce and/or distribute this information. This means that you cannot reproduce or distribute this information.
8.0 Limited Editions and Special Offers Terms & Conditions
All prices in the Limited Editions brochure (Holiday/Brochure References starting with the letter N) are per adult based on two people sharing a twin or double room. All holidays are subject to availability and are based on economy class flights from the UK back to the UK. Visa fees where applicable are not included. Please note that many of the hotels and tours included in out Limited Editions brochures are also featured in our main brochures. Any offers/facilities detailed therein are not applicable to limited editions or other special offer holidays unless otherwise stated.
Star Ratings: These reflect our own assessment of the standards and
facilities that apply at each hotel but do not necessarily reflect any official
classification given:
2* Medium class hotels with basic accommodation and facilities.
3* Medium class hotels with comfortable accommodation offering excellent value.
4* First class hotels with an expanded range of public facilities and a good
standard of accommodation.
5* Deluxe hotels offering a high standard of accommodation and a wide choice of
public facilities.
An addition of a half (4.5*) indicates a hotel that is above average in its category. City hotels are generally of a higher standard than beach hotels of the same rating.
Children: In our Limited Editions brochure up to one child under 12 travelling with two adults received 50% discount when sharing a room with two adults (subject to availability or triple rooms). Subsequent children or first child in their own room receive 10% discounts. Infants pay £95 for economy flights.