1. RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENTS
1.1 Reservations can be made by contacting Old High House Chapel Here, hereafter referred to as the “Company,” through the central reservations centre in Bedlington.
1.2 Vacancies are booked and confirmed only on receipt of a 20% advance payment of the basic program rate. This advance payment is due within fourteen (14) days of making the reservation. There shall be no binding contract until the advance payment has been received by the Company. Failure to remit your advance payment on time will result in an automatic change of status of any confirmed space to a provisional basis and the possible inability to reinstate your reservation. When the Company receives your advance payment, a booking reference number will be assigned and noted on your original invoice. This number shall be deemed to constitute acceptance and confirmation of the booking. Your wire transfer authority will act as your receipt.
i) If the Company is NOT making your complete travel arrangements for you, it will be necessary to furnish us with a copy of the CONFIRMATION OF YOUR TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS before we confirm our portion of your travel plans. The Company cannot be liable for any penalties or losses incurred as a result of voluntary or involuntary changes to transportation schedules.
1.3 The balance is due no later than sixty (60) days prior to commencement of the program. If the balance has not been received by that date, the Company shall be entitled in its discretion to treat your reservation as cancelled, and consequently to forfeit such part of the advance payment as determined solely by the Company.
1.4 Any reservation made within sixty (60) days of commencement of a vacancy may be accepted provided payment in full is received, and provided that documents can be delivered prior to departure.
1.5 The Company will not provide tickets, coupons, vouchers or documents until full payment has been received.
1.6 The Company will not accept responsibility for wire transfer and/or overnight mail charges.
1.7 No client will be permitted into the field without payment in full being received by the Company.
1.8 Special airfares are capacity controlled and often sold out months in advance. In addition, many accommodations offered by the Company have limited capacity. It is essential to make reservations well in advance to ensure your preferred arrangements.
2. CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
2.1 Any cancellation of a booking must be in writing and shall only be effective upon its acknowledged receipt by the Company. If written notification is received prior to 8 weeks before departure, your deposit is forfeited. If your cancellation is made within 8 weeks of departure, cancellation charges will be levied. The scale of charges, expressed as a percentage of the tour price, is as follows: More that 8 weeks notice – deposit forfeited (20% of tour fare) Less that 8 weeks notice – deposit 20% plus 30% Less than 4 weeks notice – 60% Less than 3 weeks notice – 80 % Less than 2 weeks notice – 100%.
2.2 If you are a “no show,” the Company shall be entitled to treat your reservation as cancelled without having given the Company any notice, and the provisions of Paragraph 2.1 shall apply. (Please note that if the reason for cancellation falls within the terms of any holiday insurance policy held by you, such charges will normally be refunded by the insurance company, subject to the terms of the insurance).
2.3 Any request to amend or change a booking once it has been confirmed may be accommodated subject to space availability. If the Company is able to assist, an administrative fee of $50 per change will be assessed. These fees will be added to your final invoice.
2.4 No refunds are given
(1) for lost travel time or substitution of facilities, (2) for itineraries amended after departure, (3) for circumstances arising beyond the Company’s control, necessitating alternative arrangements being made to ensure the safety and/or further participation and enjoyment of your program, (4) if you do not appear for any accommodation, service, sightseeing or trip segment without notifying the Company, or (5) if you leave your program after it has begun, or miss any scheduled sightseeing, activities, meals or accommodations.
3. FOR YOUR INFORMATION
3.1 The information contained on this site is an invitation to do business and not an offer. Old High House Chapel, act herein as agents for our respective business partners and therefore any agreement resulting from the acceptance of an order is deemed to be an agreement between the relevant business partner and yourself.
3.2 The Company acts as booking agent for hotels, airlines, air charters, bus companies, ground transportation, boat purveyors or owners, and other independent contractors providing accommodations, transportation, and/or other services abroad. Each of these companies is an independent corporation with its own management and is not subject to the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, various overseas ground operators.
3.3 All bookings like those described above are accepted by the Company, as agent for independent overseas ground operators. The transportation, accommodations and other services provided by the ground operators are offered subject to the terms and conditions contained in the tickets, exchange orders or vouchers issued by them and/or their suppliers. Because the Company does not have the right to control the operations of the independent operators and their suppliers, IT CANNOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE which may arise out of these services. The Company reserves the right to cancel any itinerary or any part of it, to make such alterations in the itinerary as it deems necessary or desirable, to refuse to accept or to retain as a member of any program any person at any time, and to pass on to program members any expenditure incurred by delays or events beyond its control. In case of any appreciable variation in its cost, the Company reserves the right to adjust its rates.
4. RISKS
4.1 The Company draws your attention to the fact that there are certain inherent risks involved in participating in the type of trips sold by the Company. The Company will ask you to sign a Release to acknowledge this warning and also to release and hold harmless the Company from any damages that may result.
4.2 It is your sole responsibility to take all appropriate medical advice prior to departure as to whether or not you are fit enough to undertake the trip booked. The Company shall not be liable for illness, injury or death sustained on a program sold by the Company which is not due to the gross negligence of the Company, its officers, employees, authorised representatives or agents whomsoever.
5. FORCE MAJEURE
5.1 “Force Majeure” means, in relation to the Company, any circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Company (including, but without limitation, acts of God, explosion, flood, tempest, fire or accident, war or threat of war, sabotage, insurrection, civil disturbance, or requisition, sickness, quarantine, government intervention, weather conditions or other unexpected occurrences).
5.2 If the Company is affected by Force Majeure it shall forthwith notify you of the nature and extent thereof.
5.3 The Company shall not be deemed to be in breach of these terms and conditions or otherwise be liable to you, by reason of delay in performance, or by non-performance, of any of its obligations hereunder to the extent that any such delay or non-performance is due to any Force Majeure.
5.4 If the Company is affected by Force Majeure it shall be entitled to, and may in its sole and absolute discretion, vary or cancel any itinerary or arrangement in relation to the trip. Payment of any refund by the Company to you as a result of the non-performance of any of the Company’s obligations hereunder shall remain in its sole and absolute discretion although the Company shall use its reasonable endeavours to reimburse you where possible. However, the Company shall be entitled to deduct from any refund recoverable the reasonable actual and potential costs to the Company of the Force Majeure.
5.5 Regarding civil unrest, once the Company has investigated the prevailing situation as it deems fit, it shall remain in the Company’s sole and absolute discretion whether to proceed with the trip. You may in such circumstances cancel the trip. However, if, after having made all reasonable and proper inquiries, the Company is of the opinion that the trip may proceed, no refund will be payable to you and the provisions of Paragraph 2 shall apply.
6. INSURANCE
6.1 The Company strongly recommends that you obtain the following types of insurance which are commercially available: Accidental death and disability, Emergency medical evacuation, Trip cancellation, Major Medical Loss of personal effects.
7. SURCHARGES & EXCHANGE RATES
7.1 Although the Company hopes that it will not need to levy surcharges it reserves the right to do so on the invoice amount, if this becomes necessary. The Company will endeavour to notify you in writing as soon as it is aware of any likely surcharge, and you must pay the amount of such surcharge no later than fourteen (14) days after written notification has been received (depending on the circumstances). If the surcharge is not paid within such time, the Company may construe such non-payment as an act of cancellation on your part and the provisions of Clause 2 shall apply.
7.2 Rates used in the programs are based on tariffs quoted in Pounds Sterling. Payments are only accepted in other currencies by prior arrangement with the Company management. The exchange rate on the day of payment should be confirmed with the Company in advance.
8. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
These terms and conditions govern the relationship between the Company and you, to the total exclusion of any other terms and conditions. No alteration to the terms and conditions may be made by any of the Company employees, authorised representatives or agents, unless in writing by an authorised officer of the Company. All decisions and matters subject to the Company’s discretion shall be made by an authorised officer of the Company.
9. CARRIAGE BY LAND. SEA AND AIR
9.1 Carriage by Land, Sea and Air is subject to the terms and conditions of the carrier with whom you travel and to international conventions, some of which may limit liability. Land, Sea and Air travel are also subject to operational decisions of carriers and air and sea ports which may result in cancellations, delays or diversions, over which the Company has no control and for which the Company accepts no liability whatsoever.
9.3 CHARTER FLIGHTS
9.3.1 Charter flights booked with specific departure times are strictly adhered to, and a “no shows” will be charged in full. Incoming passengers coming off private or scheduled flights arriving 30 minutes or more after scheduled arrival times will be treated as “no shows” and charged accordingly.
9.3.2 It is an expressed condition that passengers’ luggage is limited to 12kg. Only soft hold-all type bags will be permitted.
10. BAGGAGE
Temporary or permanent loss of baggage is the responsibility of you or the carrier.
11. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS AND VACCINATIONS
It is your responsibility to ensure that passports, visas, travel permits, health certificates, inoculations, international driving license, or other documentation required for the trip are obtained and are in order. It is your responsibility to meet any additional costs incurred either by yourself (or by the Company on your behalf) as a result of any failure by you to comply with such requirements.
12. SPECIAL REQUESTS
You must advise the Company in writing of any special requests; e.g. diet, facility or physical handicap, when you submit your reservation request to the Company. The Company will meet such requests, if possible.
13. INFORMATION IN THE TRAVEL PROPOSALS
All information given in the Company’s travel proposals is, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, correct at the time of going to print but the Company reserves the right to change same. The information provided in this travel proposals convey typical scenes experienced and details on each destination; but the subject matter may not necessarily be experienced in the exact detail thereof while visiting that destination.
14. DISPUTES
If you have any cause for complaint while travelling, you must immediately bring it to the attention of the Company’s local representative.
15. CONSENT
The payment of the advance payment OR any other partial payment for a reservation constitutes consent to all provisions of the conditions and general information contained in the Company’s Internet Pages, Brochures, Invoice and Travel Documents. The terms under which you agree to take these vacancies cannot be changed or amended except in writing signed by an authorised officer of the Company.
16. CONDITION OF BOOKING
You shall comply with the instructions of the Company’s representatives at all times. No Client shall be accepted or be permitted to continue on a program while their status or mental or physical condition is, in the opinion of any representative of the Company, such as to render them incapable of caring for themselves or make themselves objectionable to other Clients or become a hazard to themselves or other Clients and the Company will not be responsible for expenses by such persons precluded from completing the program for this reason.
17. NOTICE OF ENFORCEABILITY
Please remember, when you book a vacancy with the Company, you are entering into a binding agreement that assumes all terms and conditions are fully understood as stated in this brochure.
