Booking Terms and Conditions
Expat Explore Ltd (referred to hereafter as Expat Explore) accepts bookings subject to the following conditions:
1. Your Contract with Expat Explore
a) Deposit in order to reserve the booking: The greater of £50-00 or 10% of the total tour price. The full amount is payable to reserve the booking for any tour quoted less than £200-00. Your place on the tour will only be reserved and confirmed as such, after payment of the deposit or full amount as prescribed above has been confirmed by our accounts department.
b) To secure a booking Expat Explore requires a deposit as above per person, or the full quoted amount if travel is due to commence within 30 days. The payment is deemed to be confirmation that the Client has read and accepts the Expat Explore Booking Conditions. Clients booking by telephone, facsimile, e-mail or over the Internet will be deemed to have read the booking conditions and accepted them. A booking is accepted and becomes definite only from the date when Expat Explore has confirmed acceptance by issuing an Invoice. Errors or omissions on the Invoice may be subsequently amended after advising the client in writing. Before your booking is confirmed and a contract comes into force, Expat Explore reserves the right to increase or decrease brochure prices. Expat Explore or our agents reserve the right to decline any booking at our/their discretion.
The contract is between Expat Explore and the Client, being all persons named on the booking as travelling or intending to travel with Expat Explore. The person making the booking (which is subject to these terms) warrants that he/she has full authority to do so on behalf of all persons named, and confirms that all such persons are fully aware of and accept these conditions.
The contract, including all matters arising from it, is subject to English law and the exclusive jurisdiction of their respective Courts. No employee of Expat Explore other than a director has the authority to vary or omit any of these terms or promise any discount or refund.
2. Payment for your holiday
The balance of all monies due, including any surcharges applicable at that time, must be paid not later than 28 days before departure. In the case of non-payment of the balance bye the due date, Expat Explore will treat the booking as cancelled by the Client and apply the appropriate cancellation charges.
Monies paid to an agent acting on behalf of Expat Explore are held by the agent on behalf of Expat Explore.
Changes
3a Changes by you
The client may change the holiday at any time provided that the change is communicated to Expat Explore in writing. Written notification is essential even if verbal notification of an intention to cancel has been given. Charges will be applied as shown below, calculated from the day written notification is received by Expat Explore.
The date used for calculating charges:
35 days or more: No charge
19-35 days: 50% of total cost
18 days or less: 100% of total cost
These charges may be at any stage waived by a company Director of Expat Explore Explore Ltd if a person can be accommodated on a different tour without Expat Explore Explore Ltd incurring any costs because of the change.
3b Changes by us
While Expat Explore will use its best endeavours to operate all tours as advertised, by entering into this contract the Client accepts that it may prove necessary or advisable to vary or modify a tour itinerary or its contents due to prevailing local conditions
Expat Explore reserves the right at any time either before or during a tour to cancel or change any of the facilities, routes, services or prices described in the brochure (including transport, accommodation or other arrangements) and to substitute alternative arrangements of comparable monetary value without compensation and accepts no liability for loss of enjoyment as a result of these changes.
If a major change is known to us, the Client will be told at the time of booking. If a major change becomes necessary, Expat Explore will inform the Client as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before departure. The definition of a major change will depend on the individual’s tour and circumstances as is at the sole discretion of Expat Explore. When a major change is made the client will have the choice of accepting the change of arrangement, or within 7 days notification of the change, purchasing another available tour or cancelling the tour and obtaining a full refund, provided that the major change is not because of force majeure.
Force majeure is ward, threat of war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire or adverse weather conditions, technical or maintenance problems with transport, changes imposed by cancellation or rescheduling of flights by an airline or aircraft type, or other similar events beyond the control of Expat Explore. Expat Explore is not liable for any penalty charges associated with non-refundable airfares, in the event of a change to a tour departure time, date or airport.
3. Cancellation
3a. Cancellation by You
The client may cancel the booking at any time provided that the cancellation is communicated to Expat Explore in writing. Written notification is essential even if verbal notification of an intention to cancel has been given. Cancellation charges will be applied as shown below, calculated from the day written notification is received by Expat Explore.
The date used for calculating cancellation charges will be as follows:
35 days or more: 25% of the total cost of the tour, limited to a maximum of £100
19-35 days: 50% of total cost
18 days or less: 100% of total cost
3b Cancellation by us
Expat Explore reserves the right to cancel a tour in any circumstances but, except for force majeure or the Client’s failure to pay the final balance or on of the conditions detailed in Clause 5 below, will not cancel a tour less than 14 days before departure. Unless the Client fails to pay the final balance Expat Explore will, upon cancellation, return all monies paid excluding payment for travel insurance, travel visas and administration charges or offer an alternative tour of comparable standard.
4. Guaranteed departures & Minimum Numbers
Expat Explore sets its own minimum numbers based on logistics and guarantees to operate once minimum numbers have been achieves as follows:
a) 6-16 days
b) Paris weekends
c) Custom tours
d) Egypt
Where minimum numbers have not been achieved on a given departure, Expat Explore may choose to either operate the trip with below minimum numbers or cancel the trip and refund the full fee subject to the conditions stipulated in section (3b). All clients also have to option to book a replacement holiday up to value of the original holiday booked. If there is a difference in price from the original tour, the balance is payable either as a refund by Expat Explore or as a cash payment by the client.
5. Surcharges
Expat Explore reserves the right to increase the tour price or local payments/funds to take into account the following items: entrance charges, government action, currency and transportation costs. If the surcharge results in an increase of more than 10% of the tour price the Client may cancel the booking within 7 days of notification of the surcharge and obtain a full refund.
6. Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is mandatory for all Clients whilst on a tour organised by Expat Explore. Clients together with their personal property including baggage are at all times solely at their own risk. Clients are wholly responsible for arranging their own insurance. A suitable insurance policy should provide adequate cover for medical expenses arising through illness or accident prior to or during the holiday and loss of holiday monies through cancellation or curtailment of the holiday or other insurable reasons. Clients should ensure that there are no exclusion clauses limiting protection for the type of activities in their tour. Proof of adequate insurance will be requested at the start of your tour, failure to provide this will result in the Client being prevented from joining the tour.
7. Passports, Visas and Vaccinations
It is the responsibility of the Client to be in possession of a valid passport, visa permits, vaccination and preventative medicines as may be required for the duration of the tour. Information about these matters or related items is given in good faith but without responsibility on the part of Expat Explore.
8. Age, Fitness and Participation
All Clients are expected to satisfy themselves prior to booking that they are fit and able to complete the itinerary of their chosen tour as described in this brochure or as changed by the tour guide during the tour.
Clients agree to accept the authority and decision of Expat Explore’s employees, tour leaders, and agents whilst on tour with Expat Explore. If in the opinion of such person that the health or conduct of a Client before or after departure appears likely to endanger the safe, comfortable or happy progress of a tour, the client may be excluded from all or part of the tour, without any refunds. In the case of ill health Expat Explore may make such arrangements as it sees fit and recover the costs from the Client.
If a Client is excluded from the tour as above or chooses to leave the tour of their own free will or leaves the tour due to ill health or any other reason there will be no refund of the tour price, extra services, surcharges, local payments/funds or any local surcharges. All services forming part of the whole package booked will be forfeited though may be recovered through travel insurance in some circumstances.
9. Local Laws
All participants in tours operated by Expat Explore are expected to obey the laws and regulations of the countries visited and any failure to do so will relieve Expat Explore of any obligation that they may otherwise have under these booking conditions.
10. Illness or Disability
Anyone suffering from illness or disability or undergoing treatment for any physical or medical condition must declare the true nature of such condition at the time of booking and make arrangements for the provision of any medication or other treatment which may be required during the tour. Failure to make such disclosure will constitute breach of these booking conditions and result in such persons being excluded from the tour in which case all monies paid will be forfeit.
11. Complaints
If the Client has a compliant about any of the tour arrangements the Client must bring it to the attention of the Tour leader or other representative of Expat Explore at the time so that they may use their best endeavours to rectify the situation. It is only if Expat Explore is made aware of any problems that there will be the opportunity to put things right. Failure to complain on the spot will result in the Client’s ability to claim compensation from Expat Explore be extinguished. Should the problem remain unsolved a complaint must be made in writing to Expat Explore within 7 days of the completion of the tour or all claim for compensation will be forfeited
12. Our Responsibilities
As with all holidays, there is an element of personal risk and exposure to potential hazards. All bookings are accepted with the understanding all risks and hazards are appreciated by the Client and they undertake all tours, excursions and activities on own volition. Expat Explore or any Expat Explore employee can not be held accountable for any injury to a client, loss sustained or death of a client on holiday.
No compensation will be paid if any tour arrangements were adversely affected due to no fault of Expat Explore or its suppliers. Expat Explore is exempt from paying compensation if failure in the tour arrangements is due to force majeure, The Client’s fault, the action of someone unconnected with the tour arrangements or on which neither Expat Explore nor its suppliers could have anticipated or avoided even if all due care had been exercised.
These conditions are issued on the sole responsibility of Expat Explore and have been compiled with reasonable care.
13. Financial Security
To ensure that your holiday arrangements are fully protected all monies received as payment for holidays booked with Expat Explore are immediately deposited into a Client’s Account and remain there until your holiday has been completed or the services comprising your holiday have been paid for in full by Expat Explore.
Company Information
Expat Explore Ltd is a registered UK trading company: Registration number 05372359
The companies registered address is:
Unit 40
City Business Centre
London
SE16 2XB
