How and when do I make this contract with you?

We welcome you making contact with us in a number of ways.
You can write to us or phone us.
Whichever way you contact us, the contract is made when your booking is entered on to our reservation system and we issue a confirmation of booking.
We will send you the confirmation of your booking within seven working days. Please check this confirmation very carefully to ensure all the information is correct and tell us immediately of any errors.

How is my holiday protected?

We subscribe to the code of conduct of the bonded coach Holidays group (BCHG) of the confederation of passenger Transport UK.
BCHG requires a bond to be taken out to provide protection for your financial reasons, carry out their obligations to their passengers.
BCHG Consumer Guarantee:
The bonded Coach Holiday Group guarantees to bona fide customers that, in the event of failure of a bona fide member, it will:

• Wherever possible, arrange for a holiday or tour to be completed.
• Where failure occurs after a holiday has begun, arrange for customers to be returned by an appropriate means of transport to their UK area of departure.
• If the holiday or tour cannot be completed as planned. The reimbursement of payments made by the customer to the BCHG Member.

When do I need to pay for my holiday and how much?

At the time of booking you will need to pay a deposit for each person named on the booking. The balance must be paid before the dates listed below.
If you book within our balance due period, you will need to pay the total holiday cost at the time of booking.
The balance must be paid before the dates listed below.
If you do not pay the outstanding balance for your holiday on, or before, the date when it is due, we may cancel your booking for your holiday and you will be required to pay the cancellation charges detailed below.
The date of cancellation will normally be the date your confirm in writing that you intend to cancel or 15 days after the balance due date, whichever comes first.

• Deposit £30.00 per person on holidays of two to five days.
• Deposit £60.00 per person on holidays of more than five days.

Can you change the price of a holiday after you have issued the booking confirmation?

Yes we can, but only in very Limited circumstances.
The price of your holiday can be varied due to changes in:

• Transportation costs such as fuel and /or fuel tax, ferry operator fares and tolls, embarkation or disembarkation fees at terminals.
• Exchange rates applied to the particular holiday booked
• Dues and taxes including charges in VAT or any other government imposed changes.

Can I change my holiday arrangements?

After we have issued our booking confirmation we will do our best to accommodate any changes you may want to make, but we cannot guarantee to do so.
Any changes must be notified to us in writing and signed by the person who signed the booking form (or the confirmed name when booked by telephone). If we are able to make the changes, an amendment fee of £10.00 will be payable plus any additional charge for the facilities requested.
Any significant alteration after the balance due date will be treated as a cancellation of the original booking and will be subject to the cancellation charges detailed below. A significant alteration would include a change of departure date, holiday or hotel or number of people travelling.

Can I transfer my booking to someone else?

You can transfer your booking to someone else provided you give us reasonable notice. This person must be able to satisfy all conditions for the holiday and a change cannot normally be made later than fourteen days prior to departure.
We will make administration charge of £5.00 per person for every transfer we make, plus any reasonable additional costs caused by the transfer.
You will remain responsible for ensuring that the holiday is paid for by the balance due date.

How can I cancel my holiday?

You, or any member of your party, may cancel at any time provided that the cancellation is made in person who signed the booking form (or the confirmed name when booked by telephone) and is communicated to us in writing via the office at which you made your original booking.
You will have to pay cancellation charges set out in the scale below to cover our estimated loss resulting from the cancellation. If you are insured against cancellation you may be able to recover the charged from your insurers.
Your cancellation will take effect from the date when we receive your written confirmation of your cancellation. You must also return any tickets or vouchers that you have received. A reduction in room occupancy may increase the charges for the remaining passengers by the application of supplements for low occupancy of rooms.

Scale of cancellation Charges

What happens if you change my holiday?

The arrangements for your holiday will usually have been made many months in advance. Sometimes changes are unavoidable and we reserve the right to make them. Most of these changes are likely to be minor and we will do our best to keep you informed. If, after booking and before departure, we make a significant change to your holiday you will have the option of withdrawing form the holiday without penalty or alternatively you may transfer to another holiday without paying an administration fee.
In either case we will pay you compensation according to the scale set out below.
A significant change includes a change in departure time or return time of more than 12 hours, a change of departure point location of resort or quality of hotel, (excluding single overnight hotels on touring holidays where the quality of the hotel is comparable) a change of mode when crossing the channel, or the specification of the coach. If you withdraw form the holiday for because we have made a significant change or if we have to cancel your holiday for any reason other than non-payment by you we will offer you the choice of:

• A comparable replacement holiday if available
• A replacement holiday of lower quality together with a refund of the difference
• A full refund of the money you have paid

• The holiday is cancelled because of the number of persons who agree to take it is less than the minimum number required and you were informed of the cancellation in writing within the period indicated in the description of the holiday
or
• The holiday is changed or cancelled by reason of Unusual and unforeseeable circumstance beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised. These circumstances include war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial disputed, fire, quarantine, epidemic or health risks, natural or nuclear disasters, port and terminal closures and adverse weather conditions.

What is the extent of your liability?

We accept responsibility if you or any member of your party is killed or injured as a result of an activity forming part of your holiday arrangements which is booked with us before your departure or if any part of your holiday arrangements, booked with us in the UK is not as described in the brochure or not of reasonable standard.
If the failures in your holiday arrangements are any death or personal injury is due to any fault of ours or of our agents or suppliers whilst acting in the course of their employment. We do not accept responsibility if the failure, death or personal injury not caused by any fault of ours or our agents or suppliers or is caused by you or someone not connected with your holiday arrangements or if failure death or personal injury is due to unusual or unforeseen circumstances which even with all due care, we or our agents or suppliers could not have anticipated or avoided. 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 will have received no benefit from your holiday. If you or any member of your party is killed, injured or becomes ill as a result of transport by ship, train, or coach any liability which we may have to pay compensation is limited in line with the Athens convention (applies to transport by ship) the Berne convention (applies to transport by rail) and the Geneva convention (applies to transport by road). You can get copies of the relevant convention from us if you ask. You should also note that these conventions might limit or remove the carriers liability to you and the amount which the carrier has to pay you. If we make any payment to you or any member of your party for death, personal injury or illness you will be asked to assign to us or insurers the rights you may have to take against the person or organization responsible for causing the death, personal injury or illness.
Our suppliers (for such things 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 providers or other supplier’s liability to you. You can get copies of such conditions from our offices or the offices of the relevant supplier.

What do I need to do if I have to complain?

If you have a complaint during your holiday you should tell the driver/representative or supplier at the earliest opportunity so that they can do their utmost to resolve the problem immediately. If they are unable to resolve the problem the problem to your satisfaction you should complete a holiday report from which is available from the driver/representative. You will be given a copy of this report, which you should keep. If on your return from holiday remain dissatisfied, you should write within 28 days to: the managing director, Gardiner Bros Ltd 36 High Street Spennymoor, DL16 6DB.
In your letter you will need to quote your booking reference number, departure date and the date you completed the holiday report form. If you do not tell us at the earliest opportunity about a problem giving rise to your complaint we cannot take steps to investigate and rectify it. In deciding how to respond to your complain we will take into account the date you first drew the problem to the attention of our driver/representative or supplier.

If I do not agree with your decision can I request arbitration?

Yes you can.
If we cannot resolve your complaint amicably, you may request that the dispute is referred to an independent arbitration scheme established by the confederation of passenger transport UK (CPT). Full details of this scheme ill be provided on request or you can obtain a copy from CPT. This arbitration scheme provides a simple and inexpensive method of arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on the customer in respect of costs. This scheme does not apply to claims for an amount greater than £1500 per person. There is also a limit of £7500 per booking. Normally there is a time limit of 9 months from the date of return from your holiday within which to request arbitration but in exceptional circumstances the scheme can be used beyond this date. This scheme does not apply to claims that arise mainly in respect of physical injury or illness or the consequences of any illness or injury.

Coach seating

There is a seating plan of the coach for each holiday, but it is possible that on occasions, operational reasons will require a coach with different configuration to be used. We therefore reserve the right to alter a coach seating plan and allocate sears other than those you have booked.
Requests for particular seats can be made on most holidays when booking, but because allocations are made on a first come first served basis you are recommended to book early. When your booking is confirmed you will be offered the best seats available at the time. If you know someone who may want to book later but wishes to sit near you please discuss this with the booking clerk at the time you make your booking.
Specific seats will not be allocated on coaches that operate on feeder services between joining points and main holiday departure points or on the extra coaches where more than one coach is required for a holiday.

Health and Safety on holiday

In some foreign countries, standards of infrastructure, safety & hygiene may be lower than those to which we are accustomed in the UK. You should therefore exercise greater care for your own protection. Further information can be obtained fro your GP or from your travel agent who can provide you with the leaflet health advice for travellers published by the department of health. Some people may be at risk from discomfort or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) if they remain immobile on a journey for a long period of time. If you are planning to undertake a bus or coach journey of more than 3 hours you should consult your doctor if you have ever had DVT or pulmonary embolism a family history of clotting conditions, cancer or treatment for cancer, stroke heart or lung disease or if you have had major surgery in the past 3 months.
We reserve the right to refuse any booking in the absence of a doctors certificate confirming that you are fit to travel.
During the journey we will provide comfort stops as frequently as possible. During these stops you are encouraged to get off the coach and walk around. Exercise reduces any discomfort, which may be caused by periods of immobility. During any journey you should drink only in moderation as it leads to dehydration.

Passenger Behaviour

We want all our customers to have a happy and carefree holiday, but you must remember that you are responsible for your behaviour and the effect it may have on others. If you or any member of your party is abusive or disruptive or behaves in a way which in our reasonable opinion, could cause damage or injury to others or affect their enjoyment of their holiday or which could damage property, we have the right after reasonable consideration to terminate your contact with us.
If this happens we will have no further obligations or liability to you. The coach driver/representative, ships captain or authorised official of other means of transport is entitled to refuse you boarding if in their reasonable option you are unacceptably under the influence of drink or drugs or you are being violent or disruptive. If you are refused boarding on the outward journey we will regard it as a cancellation by you and we will apply cancellation charges according to the scale. If the refusal s on the return journey we have the right to terminate the contract and will have no further obligations or liability to you.

No smoking Policy

We operate a strict no smoking policy on all our coaches, however we do make frequent comfort stops. The no smoking policy of other carriers and suppliers will vary and will be supplied on request if you contact us.

Pets

We do not allow pets to taken on our holidays.
Registered assistance dogs will normally be accommodated on UK holidays but not on overseas holidays.

Pick up point, itineraries, travel documents and passports

You are responsible for ensuring that you are at the correct departure point at the correct tome, with the correct documents and we cannot be held liable for any loss or expense suffered by you or your party because of an incorrect passport or late arrival at the departure point. If you are a British citizen travelling outside the United Kingdom you must have a full UK passport valid for a minimum of three months after your scheduled date of return. Non UK citizens must seek passport and visa advice from the consulates of the countries you plan to visit prior to making a booking for one of our holidays. The name on the passport must match the name on the ticket. If someone in your party changes name after the booking is made you must tell us immediately so that we can issue the ticket in the new name.
Approximately 2 weeks prior to departure we will send you all the necessary labels so that you receive then in good time for your holiday. Certain travel documents may have to be retained by us and your driver/courier will then issue them to you at the relevant time. If you lose a travel document after it has been issued to you we will require you to meet the direct cost charged by the carrier /supplier for the issue of duplicate or replacement.
Gardiners Travel reserves the right to modify itineraries to conform to requests from the competent authorities in the United Kingdom and any other sovereign state through which the tour will operate.
INCLUDED EXCURSIONS ARE DETAILED ON THE RELEVANT BROUCHURE PAGE. Refunds will not be made for any excursion not taken. Optional excursions may be booked and paid for in resort but these will not form part of the package booked with us.
Administration fees to buildings, grounds etc are not included in the price of the holiday unless otherwise stated on the relevant brochure page.

What happens if I am delayed?

Your travel insurance may cover you for some delays. In addition, where you are delayed for more than six hours in any one day we will seek to minimise any discomfort and where possible arrange for refreshments and meals.

Do I need to take out travel insurance?

We strongly advise all our customers to take out travel insurance to cover medical and repatriation costs, personal injury loss of baggage and cancellation charges. It is not compulsory in law to have travel insurance for our tours within the UK but it is compulsory for our tours outside the UK. You do not need to take out travel insurance but you should have insurance, which is at least as good as or better than the insurance we offer. If you do not have adequate insurance and require our assistance whilst on holiday we reserve the right to reclaim from you any medical, repatriation or other expenses which we may incur on your behalf which would otherwise have been met by insurers.

What assistance will you give me if things go wrong when it is not your fault?

If you or any members of your party suffer death, illness or injury whilst overseas arising out of an activity which does not form part of your package, travel arrangements or an excursion arranged through us in the UK, we shall at our discretion, offer advice, guidance and assistance. Where legal action is contemplated and you require our assistance, you must obtain our written consent prior to commencement of proceedings. Our consent will be given subject to you undertaking to assign any costs benefit received under any relevant insurance policy to our-selves. We limit the cost of our assistance to you and any member of your party to £5000 per party.

Special Needs

Unfortunately, many hotels overseas do not provide adequate facilities for guests with mobility problems or who suffer from other disabilities but whether you are planning a holiday overseas or in the UK please notify us before you book if you or any member of your party has special needs or suffers from any disability.
We are keen to plan arrangements for your holiday so that special needs and requests can be accommodated as far as possible. If you will need assistance for your holiday so that special needs and requests can be accommodated as far as possible. If you will need assistance or special facilities in the hotel or may have difficulties in taking part in excursions or boarding and travelling on the coach or other means of transport you must let us know in advance.
Not all the holidays in this brochure may be suitable for you. We want you to enjoy your holiday and will try to help you select an appropriate trip. If you need advice or further information you should contact us.

Special requests

If you have a special request, we will do our best to help but save as set out below, we cannot guarantee that it will be fulfilled. Please inform us of your request before you make your booking and ensure that you provide as much detail as possible. If fulfilment of your request is vital to your holiday it must be specifically agreed with us before or at the time when you make your booking. We will comply with any special request that has been specifically agreed. General confirmation that a special request has been noted or passed to our tour supplier is not confirmation that your request will be met. All special requests are subject to availability unless and until we specifically confirm them. If fulfilment of your request incurs any additional costs we will either invoice this prior to your departure or inform you that it will have to be paid locally.
If your special request relates to a special diet. Please tell us before booking or as soon as you are medically advised and send us a copy of the diet. We will contact hotel or hotels on your holiday, but please note that some hotels may not have the facilities to cope with special diets and we cannot be held liable to their failure to do so unless we have specifically confirmed to you that a special diet will be catered for. Where we think that a hotel is unlikely to be able to cope with a special diet, we will tell you prior to issuing a booking confirmation so that you can exercise your right to cancel without charge.

Single Occupancy

Single occupancy of rooms when available may be subject to a supplementary charge and this will be shown on the brochure page.

Date Protection Act

In order to process your booking and to ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly and meet your requirements we and your travel agent, need to use the information you provide such as name address any special needs/dietary requirements etc. We take full responsibility for ensuring that proper measures are in place to protect your information. We must pass the information onto the relevant suppliers on your travel arrangements such as hotels, transport companies etc.
The Information may also be supplied to security or credit checking companies, public authorities such as custom/immigration if required by them or as required by law. Additionally, where your holiday is outside the European Economic area (EEA), controls on the data protection in your destination may not be strong as the legal requirements in this country. We will not pass information on to any person who is not responsible for part of your travel arrangements.
This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities or dietary/religious requirements. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we cannot provide your booking.
In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. You are entitled to copy of your information held by us. If you would like to see this, please contact us. We retain your full contact details and other information in secure files and electronic storage facilities. We may use this information to contact you by email, telephone or electronic means.

Publication date and details
25^th May 2008