Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions ("Agreement") govern the purchase and use of travel packages through our online platform. Please read this Agreement carefully before making your booking. By making a booking with us, you agree to comply with and be bound by these terms and conditions.

The Booking Conditions in place when you make your booking will apply to your trip. If you are rebooking a trip with a credit voucher you will be agreeing to the most current version of the Booking Conditions in place when you rebook.

1. Booking

1.1. To make a booking, you must be at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into this Agreement.

1.2. For us to confirm your travel arrangements you must provide all requested details with the balance of the trip price. Necessary details vary by trip; they include but are not limited to full name as per passport, date of birth, nationality, passport number, passport issue and expiry date and any pre-existing medical conditions you have which may affect your ability to complete your travel arrangements. On some more demanding trips, we may also request you to complete and forward us a Self-Assessment form which will be provided to you by your sales representative.

1.3. Your booking is only confirmed when you receive a booking confirmation from us.

2. Payment

2.1. Prices for travel packages are as quoted on our website at the time of booking, include all taxes and are subject to availability.

2.2. Payment can be made by the methods specified on our website. Full payment is required at the time of booking unless otherwise stated.

2.3. We reserve the right to cancel your booking if payment is not received in accordance with the agreed payment schedule.

2.4 Deposit requirement: You are required to pay a deposit per trip as clearly stated on check out at the time of the booking. If your booking is made within 60 days of the departure date then the full amount is payable at the time of booking.

2.5 Acceptance of booking and final payments: If we accept your booking, we will issue you with a booking confirmation invoice. A contract will exist between you and us from the date we issue the confirmation. Please refer to your booking confirmation invoice for details regarding final payments. Payment of the balance of the trip price is due 90 days before the departure date unless mentioned otherwise. If this balance is not paid on or before the due date we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled and any cancellation charges outlined in the Booking conditions will apply.

2.6 Prices and surcharges : Our advertised trip prices are subject to variable and seasonal pricing, both of which are standard practice within the travel industry. This means our trip prices may vary at any time in accordance with demand, market conditions and availability. It is likely that different passengers on the same trip have been charged different prices. Your best option if you approve of our then offering price is to book at that time. Any reduced pricing or discounts that may become available after we have confirmed your booking, will not apply to your booking. It is not permitted to cancel an existing booking in order to to take advantage of a lower price or discount. If the confirmed traveler cancels and rebooks a trip through our automated service, the price of the original confirmation shall prevail and will apply. The most up to date pricing is available on our website. Prices are based on currency exchange rates as of June 2023; note that prices may vary depending on which currency the booking is made. We endeavor to ensure that all pricing and other information on our website is accurate. However, it is always possible that, despite our efforts, there may be times when obvious errors occur such as the price or some other detail displayed being incorrect. We reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time prior to us sending your booking confirmation invoice.

2.7 We reserve the right to change the price of your trip after we have issued our booking confirmation invoice in order to pass on to you 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 on the travel services included in your booking imposed by government or third parties not directly involved in the performance of your trip, including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports; or (iii) the exchange rates relevant to your trip. In such instances we will be responsible for and absorb any increase up to 2% of the trip price and you will be responsible for the amount over and above that. If any price increase results in an increase of more than 8% of the trip price you may: (i) accept and pay for the price increase, (ii) cancel the booking and obtain a full refund, or (iii) cancel the booking, obtain a full refund and change to an alternative trip, if available and offered by us. You must communicate to us in writing of your decision within 7 days of us notifying you of the price increase.

There will be no change made to the price of your confirmed trip within 60 days prior to your departure nor will refunds be paid during this period.

Please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased by us in local currency and so changes in exchange rates may have no impact on the cost of your trip due to the arrangements we have in place.

2.8 Payment terms:

25% of the program amount is required upon confirmation and it is non-refundable.

90 days before departure: 50% of the program price

60 days before departure: 100% of the program price

3. Changes and Cancellations

3.1 Cancellation by you

If you cancel some or all portions of your booking the cancellation terms set out below will apply. A cancellation will only be effective once your sales representative has received written confirmation from you that you wish to cancel. The deposit and all other payments for the trip that we have received from you will be put towards the cancellation fees detailed below.

If you cancel a trip:

a ) 91 days or more prior to departure, we charge a cancellation fee of 25% of the total cost of your trip.

b) Between 90 and 61 days prior to departure, we charge a cancellation fee of 50% of the total cost of your trip;

e) 60 days or fewer prior to departure, we charge a cancellation fee of 100% of the total cost of your trip.

Note that different cancellation conditions may apply to some trip programs. which will be clearly stated in the confirmation contract.

You are strongly advised to take out cancellation insurance at the time of booking. If you leave a trip for any reason after it has commenced, we are not obliged to make any refund for any unused services. If you fail to join a trip, or join it after departure, or leave it prior to its completion, no refund will be made. Should one or more members of your party cancel, it may increase the per person holiday price for those in your party still travelling and you may be liable to pay this increase, based on the effective rates at the time of the booking for the actual number of participant.

3.2. You may request changes to your booking before the departure date, subject to availability and applicable fees.

3.3. If you wish to cancel your booking, you must notify us in writing. Cancellation charges may apply, and refunds, if applicable, will be processed in accordance with our Cancellation Policy.

3.4. We reserve the right to make changes to your travel package, including itinerary alterations, inclusions, and accommodation, due to unforeseen circumstances. We will endeavor to provide suitable alternatives, and if you are not satisfied with the changes, you may be entitled to a refund.

4. Cancellation or changes by us

4.1 Minimum Group Size: Our trips are guaranteed to depart only when a trip meets the minumum group size from paying customers. If the minimum group size is not met we may (i) cancel your booking and provide you with a full refund or (ii) amend the itinerary. A change to the itinerary may be a Minor Change or a Significant Change, for description please see below.

Minor Changes: Most changes are ‘Minor Changes’ which we are permitted to make without incurring any liability to you. A Minor Change may include, for example, but is not limited to: any change to a route and/or stopping points, a change of accommodation to another of the same or better standard with the same main features in the same destination, or changes to services available at your accommodation.

Significant Changes: Occasionally we may need to make a ‘Significant Change' that we are constrained to make to the main characteristic of your booking, or where we cannot fulfil any of your special requirements which we have accepted. A Significant Change could include a change affecting at least one day in five of the itinerary, a change of accommodation to a different area/resort or to that of a lower standard for the whole or a significant part of your trip.

If we must make a Significant Change, we will tell you as soon as possible and you will have the option of:

a) accepting the proposed change. If this results in a booking or trip of lower quality or cost, you may be entitled to a price reduction

b) rejecting the proposed change and cancelling your booking with a full refund of monies paid; or

c) rejecting the proposed change, cancelling your booking and making an alternative booking if we offer this. If you decide to take an alternative booking, we will inform you of its impact on the price of your booking. If the alternative booking is of a lower quality or cost, you may be entitled to a price reduction in accordance to the below clause.

4.2 Cancellation: On rare occasions, we may have to cancel your booking and we reserve the right to do so. If we must cancel, we will notify you as soon as possible. We will also offer you an alternative booking if we are able to do so, and inform you of its impact on the price of your trip. If the alternative booking is of a lower quality or cost, you may be entitled to a price reduction. If we cannot offer you an alternative, or even if you just prefer, we will provide you with a full refund of any payments made for the booking. We will tell you the procedure for making your choice. Please read any notification carefully and respond promptly as if you do not respond to us within the timescale given your booking may be cancelled.

4.3 We will not pay you compensation and the options set out above will not be available if we make any change or cancel as a result of your failure to make full payment on time or where the change(s) or cancellation by us arises out of alterations to the confirmed booking requested by you.

4.5 Important Note regarding credit:

In place of a refund, we may offer you the choice of a credit voucher instead. Unless specified otherwise in Special Conditions, any credit issued to you:

does not have an expiry date;
may be applied towards any other available trip offered by us;
is not transferrable to another person; and
can only be used to purchase any of our existing and advertised trips, subject to availability

5. Cancellation by You or us due to Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances

5.1 In addition to the cancellation rights set out above, you have the right to cancel your confirmed trip before departure, and we may be required to cancel your trip 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 (provided we have notified you without undue delay before the start of your trip).

5.2 For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” means any event beyond our or our suppliers’ control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare, acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), industrial disputes, labour strikes, fire, chemical or biological disaster, 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 to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination. When determining whether or not cancellation rights for unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances have arisen, we consider the advice of national authorities. However, this is not the only factor we take into account in determining whether these cancellation rights have arisen. Except as set out in these Booking Conditions, we and our suppliers have no responsibility or liability to you for any failure to perform, or a delay in performing, any obligations owed to you which are caused by unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances.

6. Booking amendments by you and transfers of bookings

6.1 Transfers to a third party are only permitted when operationally possible and where the transferee meets all the requirements in relation to the trip. You and the transferee will be jointly and individually liable for full payment of any balance due to be paid and any fees, charges or other costs arising from the transfer. We shall notify you of these costs upon receipt of your request to transfer. No amendments are permitted to your booking within 60 days of departure. However. if you or any member of your party is prevented from travelling, that person(s) may transfer their place to someone else, subject to the following conditions:

(a) that person is introduced by you and satisfies all the conditions applicable to the holiday;
(b) we are notified not less than 30 days before departure;
(c) you pay any outstanding balance payment, as well as any additional fees, charges or other costs arising from the transfer which we will notify you of on your request to transfer; and
(d) the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us.

6.2 You and the transferee will be jointly and individually liable for payment of all sums. If you are unable to find a replacement, any cancellation charges set out in clause (Cancellation by you) will apply. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services.

6.3 If you wish to make a change to your booking after we have issued our booking confirmation invoice, please contact us. We will try to accommodate your request but do not have a legal obligation to do so. Please understand that it is often not possible for us to as changes may depend on availability and the terms and conditions of our suppliers.

Change fees may be payable in some circumstances.

Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed and any alteration could incur a cancellation fee of up to 100% of that part of the trip.

7. Inclusions

Anything listed under ‘Inclusions’ in the program description

8. Exclusions

Anything listed under ‘Exclusions’ in the program description

9. Age & Health requirements

Minimum Age: For the majority of our trips the minimum age is 15 at the time of travel. All travellers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian, or in lieu of a legal guardian, by an escort over the age of 18, appointed by their legal guardian. The legal guardian or their designee will be responsible for the traveller under the age of 18’s day to day care. If a legal guardian elects to designate an escort in their lieu, they will be required to complete and sign a relevant document, to delegate their authority.

Maximum Age: For the majority of our trips we have no upper age limit though we remind you that our trips can be physically demanding and passengers must ensure that they are suitably fit to allow full participation. We can provide details on mandatory health requirements; however, we are not medical experts. It is your responsibility to ensure that you obtain proper and detailed medical advice at least two months prior to travel for the latest health requirements and recommendations for your destination.

10. Additional terms

Due to the nature of some of our trips, in addition to these Booking Conditions, you may be required to sign and submit a separate waiver, different terms and/ or a release form to a third-party supplier who is helping to run your trip. To the extent there are any inconsistencies between the terms of these Booking Conditions and the supplemental waiver, the terms of these Booking Conditions shall prevail and supersede any supplemental waiver. We reserve the right to deny participation to you if you have not signed a waiver.

11. Passport and visas

11.1 We will provide information about the passport and visa requirements for your trip, however, you should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates.

11.2 It is your responsibility to have in your possession all the required documentation and identification required for entry, departure and travel to each country or region you visit on your trip. This includes a valid passport and all travel documents required by us and/or the relevant governmental authorities including all visas, permits and certificates (including but not limited to vaccination or medical certificates) and insurance policies. Your passport must be valid 6 months after the last date of travel with us as set out on your itinerary.

11.3 You accept full responsibility for obtaining all such documents, visas and permits prior to the start of the trip, and you are solely responsible for all of the costs you incur as a result of missing or defective documentation. You also agree that you are responsible for the full amount of any loss or expense incurred by us that is a direct result of your failure to secure or be in possession of proper travel documentation.

12. Travel insurance

Travel insurance is mandatory for all our travellers. And must be taken out at the time of booking. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of US$200,000 for medical and emergency expenses. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects. You must provide your travel insurance policy number and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number on the first day of your trip. If you have travel insurance connected to your credit card or bank account please ensure you have details of the participating insurer, the insurance policy number and emergency contact number with you rather than the bank's name and credit card details.

13. Liability

We will not be liable for any loss, injury, or damage to person or property during your travel package. Our liability is limited to the cost of your travel package.

14. Change of itinerary

You appreciate and acknowledge that the nature of this type of travel requires considerable flexibility and you should allow for alternatives. The itinerary provided for each trip is representative of the types of activities contemplated, but it is understood that the route, schedules, itineraries, amenities and mode of transport may be subject to alteration sometimes without prior notice due to local circumstances or events.

While we endeavour to operate all trips as described we reserve the right to change the trip itinerary, which may be before or after your departure. We will notify you of any changes to the itinerary.

Before departure: If we make a Significant Change, the ‘Significant Change’ section (Cancellation or changes by us) above will apply.

After departure: We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure due to local circumstances or events outside of our control. Where this occurs we will make alternative arrangements for you at no extra charge. If the alternative arrangements are of a lower quality you will be entitled to a price reduction.

15. Authority on tour

Our trips are generally run by group leaders, local representatives, crews or skippers (Leaders). The decision of the Leader is final on all matters likely to affect the safety or well-being of any traveler or staff member participating in the trip. If you fail to comply with a decision made by a Leader, interfere with the well-being of the group or our ability to run a trip as planned, the Leader may direct you to leave the trip immediately, with no right of refund. We may also elect not to carry you on any future trips booked. You must at all times comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and drug regulations of all countries visited, and you also agree to travel in accordance with our Responsible Travel Guidelines which will provided to you before the trip.

16. Acceptance of risk

16.1 You acknowledge that the nature of the trip may be adventurous and participation involves a degree of personal risk. You may be visiting places where the political, cultural and geographical attributes present dangers and physical challenges greater than those present in our daily lives.

16.2 You acknowledge that you are choosing to travel at a time where you may be exposed to the COVID-19 virus. We will take all reasonable steps to ensure your safety and may require you to follow additional safety protocols on your trip.

16.3 We use information from government foreign departments and reports from our own contacts in assessing whether the itinerary should operate. However, it is also your own responsibility to acquaint yourself with all relevant travel information, including applicable health risks, and the nature of your itinerary. You acknowledge that your decision to travel is made in light of consideration of this information and you accept that you are aware of the personal risks attendant upon such travel. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability in relation to these additional risks.

17. Our responsibility for the performance of your package

17.1 As the “organiser” of your package, we are responsible for the performance of all travel services included in your package, which are as set out in your booking confirmation invoice.

17.2 You must inform us without undue delay of any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services included in your package (Failure). This will give us the opportunity to resolve the Failure whilst you are on your trip. If we refuse to do so, or if it is necessary to remedy the Failure immediately, then you may resolve the Failure yourself and request reimbursement of reasonable expenses from us. However, these rights will not arise if remedying the Failure is impossible or entails disproportionate costs. In that case, your only right will be to seek a price reduction or compensation.

17.3 When alternative arrangements may be offered

If a significant portion of your package cannot be provided as agreed in the booking, we shall offer, at no extra cost to you, suitable alternative arrangements for the continuation of your trip. The alternative arrangements shall, where possible, be of equivalent or higher quality than those specified in your booking. Where they are of lower quality you will be entitled to a price reduction.

17.4 You may only reject the alternative arrangements we offer to you if they are not comparable to what was agreed in your booking or if the price reduction is inadequate. If you do reject the alternative arrangements, or if we are not able to offer them, then you may, where appropriate, be entitled to a price reduction and/or compensation.

18. Optional activities

Optional activities not included in the trip price do not form part of the trip or this contract. You accept that any assistance, recommendations or advice given by your group leader or local representative in arranging optional activities (including before or after a trip) does not render us liable for them in any way. The contract for the provision of that activity will be between you and the activity provider.

18. General claims and Complaints

If you have a complaint about your trip you must inform your group leader or our local representative at the time so that they can attempt to rectify the matter. If you believe that your complaint has not been resolved through these means then any further complaint should be put in writing to us within 30 days of the end of the trip. Failure to follow the procedure, might affect ours and the applicable supplier’s ability to investigate your complaint, and will affect your rights under these Booking Conditions.

19. Prompt assistance

If, whilst you are on the tour, you find yourself in difficulty for any reason, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is appropriate in the circumstances. In particular, we will provide you with appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance, and assistance with distance communications and finding alternative travel arrangements. Where you require the assistance which is not owing to any failure by us, our employees or sub-contractors we will not be liable for the costs of any alternative travel arrangements or other such assistance you require. Any supplier, airline or another transport supplier may, however, pay for or provide refreshments and/or appropriate accommodation and you should make a claim directly to them. Subject to the other terms of these Booking Conditions, we will not be liable for any costs, fees or charges you incur in the above circumstances if you fail to obtain our prior authorization before making your own travel arrangements. Furthermore, we reserve the right to charge you a fee for our assistance in the event that the difficulty is caused intentionally by you or a member of your party, or otherwise through your or your party’s negligence.

20. Registered address

DPH World Ltd

124 City Road, EC1V 2NX

London

21. Jurisdiction

This Agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from this Agreement will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.

By making a booking with us, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms and Conditions It is your responsibility to review these terms periodically for any updates or changes.

If you have any questions or concerns about the Terms & Conditions above, please contact us:

Travel Boutique Office

347, 5th Avenue, Suite 1402

New York, 10016, USA

info@travel-boutique.com

+1 (646) 205- 8230

a division of DPH World Ltd

Kemp House, 124 City Road,

London, EC1V 2NX, UK

+44 (0) 203 6933810

Last updated: 12 September 2023