Booking Conditions

1 Making a booking

a All bookings are made with ADVENT (a trading name of Gold Crest Holidays Ltd.), a fully bonded member of ABTA (No V1341).
b The terms and conditions of your booking are subject to English law and jurisdiction.
c To enter into a contract with us you must return the booking form duly completed together with the relevant booking fees as detailed in 2 below. The contract will be created when we send you a written confirmation of the booking.
d The signatory on the booking form warrants that he/she has the express authority of each party member or their respective parent or guardian to contract with the company on the terms set out in our literature.
e It is important that you check the detailed confirmation carefully and are satisfied that it accurately confirms the booking you intend. We accept the responsibility only to provide you and your party with the tour we confirm to you in writing in this way. If you should wish to cancel or alter the booking, cancellation or amendment charges may apply and these are dealt with more fully below.

2 Payment Schedule

Deposit

The first payment of £50 per paying passenger (£125 for tours involving flights booked through the company) is non-refundable and is a booking fee paid by the client to the company in consideration of the company making the necessary arrangements for the client's tour/course. A completed and signed booking form should accompany this payment.

The full outstanding balance must be received by the company 10 weeks prior to departure date. If the company does not receive the full amount outstanding on the final invoice on the due date, the company reserves the right, at any subsequent time before departure, either to cancel the booking and charge cancellation charges in accordance with the scale set out in Section 3, or to levy penalty charges as follows: £2 per paying person for each seven days or part thereof by which the payment is delayed. Should your final invoice be inaccurate due to amendments, this does not permit late payment of the final balance, which remains due 10 weeks prior to departure.

3 Cancellation By Client

All cancellations must be received by the company by letter or fax. Cancellations by telephone cannot be accepted. Cancellation charges, payable by the party leader on behalf of the group members, are as follows:
More than 8 weeks prior to departure - deposit (see no. 2 above)
4 - 8 weeks prior to departure - 50% of total
2 - 4 weeks prior to departure - 75% of total
Less than 14 days prior to departure - 100%
Party members who cancel, can be substituted for by new members on the proviso that any payments made are transferable and that the company is notified in writing. (N.B. Insurance payments are not transferable and any replacement group member must pay an insurance premium if the party has booked travel insurance through ADVENT.)

4 Cancellation By ADVENT

The company reserves the right to cancel your tour. In this unlikely event we will give you the option of accepting an alternative tour of a comparable standard or receiving a full refund of all monies paid to us on behalf of your party. In no case except for reasons of war, natural disasters, fire, civil disturbances, riots, terrorist actions, closure of port, industrial dispute, force majeure or similar events beyond our control will cancellation take place within 10 weeks of departure date. No compensation is payable for any alterations brought about by force majeure events. Should we have to make a major change to your tour after the date on which the final balance is due, we will offer compensation up to a maximum of 10% of the brochure price of your tour. Please note that this sum excludes any money charged for theatre tickets purchased by us on your behalf.

5 Liability

a We accept responsibility for ensuring the holiday, which you book with us is supplied as described in our literature and the services offered reach a reasonable standard. If any part is not provided as promised, we will pay you appropriate compensation if this has affected the enjoyment of your holiday. We accept responsibility for the acts and/or omissions of our employees, agents or suppliers except where they lead to death, injury or illness. Our liability in all cases shall be limited to a maximum of twice the invoiced holiday cost. We accept responsibility for death, injury or illness caused by the negligent acts and/or omissions of qour employees or agents, together with our suppliers and sub-contractors, servants and/or agents of the same, whilst acting within the scope of, or in the course of their employment in the provision of your holiday. We will accordingly pay to our clients such damages as might have been awarded in such circumstances under English law.
b In respect of carriage by air, sea and rail and the provision of accommodation, our liability in all cases will be limited in the manner provided by the relevant international convention.
c Any willful damage by a group/group member to property being used by the company is the sole responsibility of that group/group member and the company will not be responsible for any costs incurred due to such action or measures taken by the various authorities or principals. Damage will be charged to the group and/or individual and must be paid for in the resort prior to departure.
d We cannot accept claims when an inferior vehicle is used as a relief or a replacement in an emergency.
e The company reserves the right to withdraw any person at any time if their conduct is deemed unsatisfactory. This will be without any liability whatsoever on the company's behalf for homeward travel arrangements or refund of holiday costs. The decision of Head Office will be final.

6 Course Changes

If you wish to make a change or alter details of a confirmed booking, we will do our utmost to satisfy your requirements. The company must be notified in writing before changes can be implemented. If we have to make a minor change, we will notify the party leader as soon as possible. In the case of a major change, please see section 4.

7 Surcharges

The price of your holiday is subject to surcharges on the following items:
a Unfavourable changes in currency rates.
b Government action
c Fuel surcharges
d Significant reductions in the group size (see over leaf).
The company guarantees that the price of your holiday will not be subject to any surcharge except for those stated above. Even then, we will absorb an amount equal to 2% of the holiday price, which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment charges. Only amounts in excess of this 2% will be surcharged and where a surcharge is payable, there will be no administration charge. If this means paying more than 10% of your holiday price, you will be entitled to cancel your holiday with a full refund of all money paid except for any insurance premiums and amendment charges. Should you decide to cancel because of this, you must exercise your right to do so within 14 days from the issue date printed on the invoice.
Prices are based on exchange rates published in the Financial Times on August 15th 2004, Euro 1.47.

8 Special Requirements

Great care is taken in the compilation of your tour information. However, facilities at locations may vary according to weather conditions, seasonal and other operational criteria outside the control of the company. If there is any facility or item, which is fundamental to your tour, party leaders must advise us in writing, so that we can ensure the appropriate arrangements are made.

9 Complaints

If you have a complaint during your holiday, in the first instance please inform your tour rep (if provided) or coach driver. If you are unable to resolve the problem, please notify ADVENT by phoning our emergency number as listed in your information pack. Please follow this up by letter within 28 days of your return. If this procedure is not followed whilst in resort, the company regrets that it is unable to accept liability for any claims which are not notified in this way, as we have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify the problem. It is the policy of this company to settle amicably the few complaints, which are received. Disputes arising out of, or in connection with, this contract which cannot be settled amicably, may (if the client so wishes) be referred to arbitration under a special scheme, which though devised by arrangement with the Association of British Travel Agents, is administered independently by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. The scheme (details of which will be supplied on request) provides a simple and inexpensive method of arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on the clients in respect of costs. The scheme does not apply to claims of greater than £1,500 per person. There is also a limit of £7500 per booking. Neither does it apply to claims, which are solely or mainly in respect of physical injury or illness or the consequences of such injury or illness. The company will only accept claims made under clause 9 if they are received within 28 days of your return.

10 Group Supervision and Group Leader Responsibilities

In signing the booking form, and/or remitting deposits, the party leader warrants to the company that he/she has the authority of each party member (for children under 18 years old, the authority of the parent or legal guardian) to contract with the company on their behalf, and that all the party members are aware of these conditions as set out in our literature and have agreed to abide by them. The party leader also accepts responsibility for the good conduct of all party members and warrants that there will be at least one responsible adult who is on duty at all times. The following conditions are also to be enforced:
a No party member under 18 years of age may consume alcohol except where written permission from a parent or guardian is produced.
b No party member consumes alcohol to excess.
c No party member smokes in hotel accommodation or in any other way causes a fire hazard.
d All local laws, customs and regulations are adhered to.
e All party members abide by the house rules for each individual hotel or accommodating agent.

11 Accuracy of Information

All facts in our literature about resorts, resort facilities, accommodation and their facilities and other services are checked so that they are as accurate as possible before going to press. The literature is compiled many months in advance and we are sure that you will appreciate that changes may happen which are out of our control. Such changes are regrettable and where a major change takes place, we will inform you as soon as possible.