Brick House Farm
Ongar Road
Margaret Roding
Essex, CM6 1QR.
Tel: 01245 231735
Fax: 01245 231771
following conditions apply:
1. Confirmation
These booking conditions together with our general information section form the basis of your contract with us. After you have discussed all the aspects of the tour with a member of our staff, you will receive a letter confirming details of the proposed tour including the price per person. Once all the arrangements for the tour have been made you will receive notification in writing informing you of those arrangements.
2. Deposits
a. Tours by Coach: On day tours, a deposit of 10% is required with the confirmation of booking. On tours where Hotel or Hostel accommodation is required, a deposit of 30% is required with confirmation of booking. The balance is required to be paid six weeks before the tour departs.
b. Tours by Air: For tours undertaken by air, a 10% deposit for the airfare will be required for destinations within Europe and a 15% deposit will be required for destinations outside Europe. This is in addition to the 30% deposit required with the booking. Where a low cost airline is used as part of your travel arrangements, a larger deposit will be required to cover the full fare cost. Any increased amount will be specified in our confirmation letter to you.
c. All Tours
Depending on travel and/or accommodation factors, a second deposit invoice of 30% may be requested 12 weeks before departure, or at the mid way point, whichever is soonest.
3. Final Payment
The balance is required to be paid six weeks before the tour departs.
4. Cancelling Your Tour Arrangements
If you decide to cancel your tour we must be notified in writing. No charge will be made as long as the tour is cancelled not less than 42 days before departure. The exception to this is if flights are involved and have already been paid for in part or in full. In this event, any financial penalties imposed by the airline must be met by you. Where a series of tours is involved, different arrangements can be negotiated with a much shorter cancellation period.
5. Cancellation by Individual Group Members
a. Before final payment is due - If any paying person cancels after booking, the deposits due on the date when written notification of cancellation is received by us will be charged as the cancellation fee. If a substitute is put forward, the deposit will be transferred accordingly.
b. After the final payment is due - If any paying person cancels after final payment is due and no replacement is found, cancellation charges will apply as above.
c. Affecting minimum size of group - If any cancellation reduces the size of the group, the tour price and any concessions will be adjusted to reflect the new group size.
6. Alteration/Cancellation by ABT (M&A) Ltd
ABT (M&A) Ltd will endeavour to ensure that none of the elements of your tour have to be changed. However, there will be occasions when such changes have to be made due to circumstances unforeseen by us. We reserve the right to make any such alterations. You will be made aware of any significant changes, and the reasons for them, prior to the tour, and have the option to defer the tour (amendment charges may apply) or accept the changes. We accept responsibility for ensuring that the services we contract to provide are supplied and to a reasonable standard.
7. Force Majeure
Except where otherwise stated in these bookings conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our contractual obligations is prevented by "force majeure". This includes war, civil disturbance, industrial dispute, unforeseeable terrorist activity or threat thereof, natural disaster, fire or adverse weather conditions and similar problems beyond our control. ABT (M&A) Ltd will do all that is possible to protect your organisation's interest, but we cannot be held responsible for unforeseen delays, industrial disputes, war, civil riots, accidents and inoperable weather.
8. Pricing Policy
You will have agreed a price for the tour when you booked. This will be an inclusive price, unless otherwise stated and will contain any extra services/facilities you may have requested. There are however certain circumstances which may affect the cost of a tour once it has been agreed. Increased transportation costs and fuel costs, surcharges, exchange rates or Government action such as increases in VAT or other taxes may cause such an increase. ABT (M&A) Ltd will absorb the first 2% of the total cost of your tour. Should the increase be in excess of 10%, you will be entitled to postpone the tour and an alternative date will be offered. Any increases in charges made after you have been notified of a surcharge will be borne by us should you decide to go ahead with the tour. In the case of a rolling programme of consecutive tours we reserve the right to renegotiate the price for subsequent tours albeit without obligation on your part.
9. Conditions of Carriage
We only use reputable and bonded coach companies for our tours, all of whom have to comply with EU regulations for coaches operating in Europe. You will be subject to the conditions of carriage, which apply to the individual coach company. Copies of their conditions can be made available for you to see.
10. Personal Luggage
Coach operators normally only allow one medium size piece of baggage per person to go into the baggage lockers. Hand baggage may be stowed under the seat. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that your luggage is looked after, the extra per capita costs will have to be borne by the client organisation.
11. Minimum Numbers
Your tour price will have been calculated on the numbers quoted by you on booking. Should your numbers subsequently change after the booking has been confirmed, any extra per capita costs (e.g. where flights are involved - see paragraph 4 above) will have to be borne by your organisation.
12. Health Regulations
a. Europe
At the time of going to print, no vaccinations are required for travel to Europe. However, this situation may change, and you are advised to check with the relevant authorities, such as Department of Health or the Post Office. All passengers are required to have a valid European Health Insurance Card. This card, which replaces the E111 form, can be applied for on line, by telephone or by post and is issued on an individual basis. For further information visit www.dh.gov.uk/travellers.
b. Outside Europe
ABT (M&A) Ltd can and will advise on vaccination requirements, but it is your responsibility to ensure that such advice is up to date and that all members of your group have the appropriate vaccinations, that these are up to date and, most importantly, that they are carrying the appropriate certificates when travelling. Again, the website at www.dh.gov.uk/travellers can help.
13. Insurance and Safety
It is a condition of booking that all travellers are covered by comprehensive insurance including cover for lost or damaged baggage. It is the responsibility of your organisation to ensure that they have adequate travel insurance, and that no member of the group travels against medical advice. In the event of a delay in returning to the UK of over five hours, ABT (M&A) Ltd will provide a light meal. If additional overnight accommodation is required due to unforeseen circumstances, then ABT (M&A) Ltd will meet the costs for one night's accommodation. ABT (M&A) Ltd has full Public Liability cover through our insurers - The Royal Sun Alliance. A copy of this Schedule of Insurance is available on request.
Battlefields can be dangerous places. Each year, several tons of live munitions are unearthed in France and Belgium. When walking on old battle sites, you should be extra vigilant. Everybody on the tours is briefed on safety dos and don'ts. Whilst ABT (M&A) Ltd will do everything it can to ensure the safety of its customers, we cannot take responsibility for any injury sustained as a result of failing to heed advice given, or any act of stupidity or wilful act of negligence.
14. Complaints Procedure
Should you have a complaint about any aspect of your tour, you should notify the senior guide or Tour Manager without delay, in order that the problem can be quickly resolved. On your return from the tour you will be sent a Company Assessment sheet, which we ask you to complete and return to us. All comments, especially adverse ones, are acted upon as soon as is practicable. Once your complaint has been dealt with, you will be notified of the outcome.
15. Passengers with a Medical Condition or Disability
Please note that some people with certain disabilities may have difficulty getting on and off coaches, and some of our Hotels/Hostels do not offer ground floor accommodation. On most tours there is a certain amount of walking involved, often over steep or broken terrain. Should any member of your group suffer from a medical condition or disability that could affect their or other members of the group's tour, then we must be notified in writing as your booking arrangements may be affected. You should also confirm that any assistance required by the individual can be met by other members of the group.
16. Indemnity
We expect all members of your organisation to behave in an appropriate manner and to have consideration for others at the sites visited and in particular the accommodation you may be staying in. In the event of any member of the organisation causing offence, danger, damage or distress to others, we reserve the right to terminate that individual's tour arrangements. In that event, we will not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by them or the organisation as a result. If the actions of a member of your organisation cause damage to the accommodation in which you are staying, or to the vehicle, train or ship in which you are travelling, or cause delay or diversion to any means of transportation, you agree to fully indemnify us against any claim (including legal costs of all concerned) made against us by or on behalf of the owners of such accommodation or the operator of such means of transportation or by any third party.
17. Tour Information
Our staff always endeavour to give precise, accurate information to telephone enquiries and on preliminary visits. However, we cannot accept liability for information given orally to customers unless it is confirmed by us in writing.
18. Passports and Visas - Your Responsibilities
a. Travel to countries other than the USA: It is your responsibility to ensure that all those travelling in the group have a valid individual passport and the necessary visas if required. It is your responsibility to confirm the requirement of visas for non-British passport holders, by contacting the relevant Embassy or Consulate. Guidance and visa exemption form and are available from the British Council Information Centre, Tel: 0161 957 7755 (1000-1645 hrs Mon-Fri), Fax: 0161 957 7762 Email:
If a collective passport is used, then this again remains your responsibility. You are responsible for any charges or fines that might be levied by authorities in the UK or abroad for non compliance with regulations in the area. Any such amounts will be recharged to you.
Where the group consists of serving military personnel intending to travel on a NATO Travel Order, it is your responsibility to ensure that this documentation is acceptable for travel to or through any countries to be visited on the tour. In addition, where air travel is involved, ABT (M&A) Ltd is to be notified of any intent to use NATO Travel Orders at the time of booking, as not all airlines accept military ID.
b. Travel to USA: All passengers, including children, must have their own machine readable passport and a visa waiver form (obtainable at airport on departure) or obtain a United States visa.
19. Consistency
In the event of any inconsistency between these Terms and Conditions and the additional general information in the brochure, then these Terms and Conditions will apply in respect of the inconsistency.
Anglia Battlefield Tours Ltd
Company Registered in England and Wales Number 4958490
Brick House Farm Ongar Road Margaret Roding Essex CM6 1QR
Tel: 01245 231991 Fax: 01245 231771
E-mail
www.angliabattlefields.co.uk
March 2007