Booking Terms & Conditions
RegalDive booking terms and conditions and general information
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
BOOKING CONDITIONS & GENERAL INFORMATION
The following booking conditions, together with the information completed in Departure Lounge, form the basis of your contract with The Natural Travel Collection Limited trading as RegalDive, company number 07860375 (The Natural Travel Collection). Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. By asking us to confirm your booking, we are entitled to assume that you have read these booking conditions and agree to them.
Except where otherwise stated, these booking conditions only apply to holiday arrangements which you book with us in the UK by telephone, email, in person or from our website and which we agree to make, provide or perform (as applicable) as part of our contract with you. All references in these booking conditions to booking, contract, itinerary, tour or arrangements mean such holiday arrangements.
In these booking conditions, the following words have the following meanings. References to you, your, party and participants mean all persons (or any of them as the context permits or requires) named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date) and their parent or guardian for any person under 18 at the time the booking is made. References to party leader mean the adult who makes the booking and accompanies the party. We, us and our mean The Natural Travel Collection.
The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018
The combination of travel services offered to you by The Natural Travel Collection will be a package within the meaning of the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 (Package Travel Regulations). The Natural Travel Collection will be the organiser of that package.
The Natural Travel Collection is responsible for the proper performance of the services we contract to provide in accordance with the Package Travel Regulations and these booking conditions.
As required by the Package Travel Regulations, The Natural Travel Collection has financial protection in place to refund your payments, and where transport is included in the package, to ensure your repatriation in the event of our insolvency.
More information on key rights under the
Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.
Unavoidable & Extraordinary Circumstances
Flexibility of Itineraries & your Responsibilities Overseas
Assistance Whilst you are on Holiday
Inherent Risks & UK Foreign Office Advice
Excursions, Activities & General Area Information
Our Responsibility for your Holiday
Delays & the UK Denied Boarding Regulations
Brochure/Website/Advertising Material Accuracy
Passports, Visas & Health Requirements
1. Making Your Booking
The party leader is the adult who will accompany and be responsible for all participants under the age of 18 when the booking is made. To make a booking, the party leader must provide us with sufficient information for us to complete a booking request. The party leader must be at least 18 when the booking is made and is responsible for making all payments due to us. This individual must be authorised to make the booking on the basis of these booking conditions by all persons named on the booking and by their parent or guardian for all participants who are under 18 when the booking is made. By providing us with the information required, the party leader confirms that they are so authorised.
The party leader is not our agent and we are not responsible for any payments held by the party leader at any time.
It is a condition of our accepting your booking that you are covered by appropriate and adequate personal travel insurance which should be in effect when you make the booking. See clause 6 on the subject of insurance.
On receipt of your deposit in relation to your chosen arrangements, we will confirm your booking by sending an email to the party leader. At this point, a binding contract between you and The Natural Travel Collection comes into existence. We will also send you a link to your Departure Lounge web form which you must complete. You are responsible for the accuracy of the information completed in your Departure Lounge web form. Once you have completed this information and we have received confirmations from all our suppliers, we will send a confirmation and confirmation invoice to the party leader or your travel agent. Please check your invoice carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact us immediately if any information which appears on the confirmation or any other document appears to be incorrect or incomplete as it may not be possible to make changes later. We regret we cannot accept any liability if we are not notified of any inaccuracy (for which we are responsible) in any document within 10 days of our emailing it out (or within 48 hours for bookings made within 3 weeks of departure). We will do our best to rectify any mistake notified to us outside these time limits, but you must meet any costs involved in our doing so. The only exception to this requirement to meet any such costs is where the mistake in question was made by us and there is good reason why you did not tell us about it within these time limits.
2. Payment
In order to confirm your chosen holiday, a deposit (which is usually £200 per person or 20% of the holiday cost, whichever is the greater) must be paid at the time of booking. If you are booking 8 weeks or less before departure (16 weeks for Wildlife Cruises or 12 weeks for the Falkland Islands), the total cost of the holiday must be paid at the time of booking. For some holidays, we may require a higher or additional deposit to cover non-refundable elements payable by us to our suppliers on booking or prior to balance due date.
Except for flight-inclusive bookings, all monies you pay to one of our authorised travel agents for your holiday with us will be held by the agent on your behalf until a contract between us comes into existence. After that point, your agent will hold the monies on our behalf until they are paid to us. For flight-inclusive bookings, all monies paid to any authorised travel agent of ours for your holiday with us will be held on behalf of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust subject to the travel agent’s obligation to pay such monies to us in accordance with our trading terms unless we fail. In the unlikely event of our financial failure, all monies then held by the travel agent or subsequently paid by you to the travel agent will be held by the agent on behalf of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust without any obligation on the agent to pay such monies to us.
Payments must only be made to your travel agent in sufficient time for them to be paid to us by the balance due date and not earlier even if your travel agent asks you to do so.
The balance of the holiday cost must be received by us not less than 8 weeks (16 weeks for Wildlife Cruises or 12 weeks for the Falkland Islands) prior to departure. This date will be shown on the confirmation invoice. Reminders are not sent. If we do not receive all payments due (including any surcharge where applicable) in full and on time, we are entitled to assume that you wish to cancel your booking. In this case, we will be entitled to keep all deposits paid or due at that date. If we do not cancel straight away because you have promised to make payment but fail to do so, you must pay the cancellation charges shown in clause 8 depending on the date we reasonably treat your booking as cancelled.
3. Prices
We reserve the right to increase or decrease, and correct errors in, advertised prices at any time before your holiday is confirmed.
Once the price of your chosen holiday has been confirmed at the time of booking, we will only increase or decrease the price in the following circumstances. Price increases after booking will be passed on by way of a surcharge. A surcharge will be payable, subject to the conditions set out in this clause, if our costs increase as a direct consequence of a change in (i) the price of the carriage of passengers resulting from the cost of fuel or other power sources or (ii) the level of taxes or fees on the travel services included in the contract imposed by third parties not directly involved in the performance of the package including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports or (iii) the exchange rate(s) relevant to the package.
You will also be entitled to a price reduction where there is a decrease in our costs as a result of a decrease in the costs referred to above which occurs between confirmation of your booking and 20 days before departure.
If any surcharge is greater than 8% of the total holiday cost, clause 9 will apply on the basis the surcharge is a significant change. You will be notified of any price increase or reduction applied in accordance with this clause together with the justification for and calculation of this not less than 20 days before departure. Where a reduction is applicable, we are entitled to deduct our administrative expenses from the refund. Any surcharge must be paid with the balance of the holiday cost or within 14 days of the issue date printed on the invoice, whichever is the later.
Please note that arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your holiday due to contractual and other protection in place.
For group holidays, the price per person given at the time of booking is based on a specified number of participants. If the group size changes at any time prior to departure (including where confirmed participants cancel without being substituted and pay less than 100% cancellation charges) we reserve the right to re-cost the trip per person. Any increase in the price will be payable by the remaining participants. The increase will not be a surcharge and accordingly will not be subject to the surcharge provision set out in this clause.
Some of the holidays we offer require a minimum number of participants before we can operate them. The applicable minimum number depends on various factors and varies from tour to tour. If the group size drops below the applicable minimum number, we reserve the right to cancel, re-price the trip on the new group size or run the trip as contracted. We promise to advise you no later than 20 days before departure if we have to cancel or re-price your holiday due to lack of minimum numbers. Clause 9 of our booking conditions will then apply.
4. Your Contract
A binding contract between you and The Natural Travel Collection will come into existence when we send an email to the party leader, or your travel agent, confirming your booking.
We all agree that English law (and no other) will apply to your contract and to any dispute, claim or other matter of any description that arises between us (claim) except as set out below.
We both also agree that any claim must be dealt with by the courts of England and Wales only unless, in the case of court proceedings, you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland. In this case, proceedings must either be brought in the courts of your home country or those of England and Wales. If proceedings are brought in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you may choose to have the contract and your claim governed by the law of Scotland or Northern Ireland as applicable (but if you do not so choose, English law will apply).
5. Special Requests & Health Conditions/Disabilities/Reduced Mobility/Allergies/Special Dietary Requirements
If you have a special request, you should inform us of it at the time of booking. Full details should be provided in your Departure Lounge. Although we will endeavour to pass any reasonable requests on to the relevant supplier, we cannot guarantee that any request will be met. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part unless that request relates to a special requirement which we have specifically confirmed as set out below. Confirmation that a special request has been noted or passed on to the supplier or the inclusion of the special request on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation is not confirmation that the request will be met. Unless and until specifically confirmed by us in writing, all special requests are subject to availability. For your own protection, you should obtain confirmation in writing from us that your request will be complied with (where it is possible to give this) if your request is important to you.
Special requirements are generally different to special requests. Special requirements are requirements communicated to us at the time of booking which need to be met or fulfilled to enable someone to participate in one of our trips. They will usually relate to a disability, medical condition or significantly reduced mobility. It is important that you fully and clearly communicate any special requirements to us in writing when making your booking. Any special requirement which we have accepted and which has become a term of our contract will be specifically confirmed as accepted on your confirmation documentation.
Some of our trips may not be suitable for people with certain disabilities, medical conditions or significantly reduced mobility. Before you make your booking, we will advise you as to whether the proposed holiday arrangements are generally suitable for someone with significantly reduced mobility. However, reduced mobility of course means different things to different individuals as we fully appreciate that individual capabilities, restrictions and requirements are likely to vary considerably. When we refer to reduced mobility, this means any material reduction in mobility whether this is permanent or temporary and whether caused by age or by physical or mental disability or impairment or other cause of disability.
Should you suffer from any medical condition, disability, significant reduction in mobility or significant allergy which may impact your arrangements (including any which affect the booking process) or have any special requirements as a result, please tell us before you confirm your booking so that we can assist you in considering the suitability of the arrangements and/or making the booking. We will need to notify our suppliers to make sure that they can properly meet your needs. In any event, you must give us full details in writing at the time of booking and whenever any change in your condition, disability or mobility occurs. You must also promptly advise us if any medical condition, disability, reduction in your mobility or significant allergy which may affect your holiday develops after your booking has been confirmed.
If you are affected by a disability, medical condition or significantly reduced mobility, you must check that your intended insurance policy will cover it. You must also check and comply with any insurer notification requirements.
Acting reasonably, if we or our suppliers are unable to properly accommodate the needs of the person(s) concerned, we will be unable to confirm your booking or, if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, we will be entitled to cancel it and impose the applicable cancellation charges when we become aware of these details.
We will advise our suppliers of any allergy information you provide us with. However, you must take appropriate precautions to protect yourself whilst on holiday. Without limitation, it is your responsibility to ensure that any food you are intending to consume does not include anything to which you are allergic at the time you order or purchase this.
6. Insurance
It is a condition of our acceptance of your booking that you have adequate and appropriate travel insurance to cover the entirety of your holiday. This insurance must include cover for (i) cancellation or curtailment of your holiday as a result of circumstances outside your control (including accident or illness and inability to travel for other reasons), (ii) personal accident, (iii) personal liability, (iv) medical expenses and repatriation in the event of medical need, and (v) cover for costs and liability arising from any specific activity you intend to participate in. Policy details should be read carefully and taken on holiday with you. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your particular needs including, without limitation, in respect of any pre-existing medical condition (which must be disclosed to the insurer prior to purchasing the policy).
7. Changes by You
Should you wish to make any alterations to your confirmed holiday, you must notify us in writing as soon as possible. Whilst we will endeavour to assist, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet any such request. An amendment fee of £100 per amendment/booking (as applicable) will be payable together with any costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers. A change of holiday dates will normally be treated as a cancellation of the original booking and rebooking in which case cancellation charges will apply. Changes may result in the recalculation of the holiday price where, for example, the basis on which the price of the original holiday was calculated has changed.
You may transfer your booking or your place on the booking to someone else (introduced by you) without payment of our cancellation charges providing the request for the transfer is made in writing not less than 7 days before departure. The persons(s) to whom you wish to make the transfer must also satisfy all conditions which form part of your contract with us. Requests for transfer must be accompanied by the name and other applicable details of the replacement person(s). Where a transfer to a person of your choice can be made, all costs and charges incurred by us and/or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers as a result together with an amendment fee of £100 per person must be paid before the transfer can be made.
As certain arrangements (such as flights) cannot be changed after a reservation has been made, name changes and most other alterations affecting these services will incur a 100% cancellation charge and the applicable cost of rebooking the service. The rebooking will always be subject to flight availability and to the payment of the full cost of the new ticket.
8. Cancellation by You
You may cancel your confirmed booking at any time before departure. You may also transfer your booking as referred to in clause 7. If you want to cancel your booking after we have confirmed it, you must do so by email or by posting or hand-delivering written notice of cancellation to us or your travel agent. Your notice of cancellation will only be effective when it is received in writing by us at our offices. We will ask you to pay cancellation charges on the scale shown below based on your original booking departure date. In calculating these cancellation charges, we have taken account of possible cost savings, including the refund of airline passenger duty and the generation of income from other bookings which may be able to utilise cancelled services to the extent this is likely to be achievable. Cancellation charges shown are per person calculated on the basis of the total cost payable by the person(s) cancelling, excluding any previously incurred amendment charges (which are not refundable in the event of cancellation).
| Period before departure within which written notification of cancellation is received by us | Cancellation charge per person cancelling |
| More than 56 days |
Deposits and other payments due before balance due date |
| 45 to 56 days | 50%* |
| 31 to 44 days | 75%* |
| 30 days or less | 100% |
*Cancellation charges for holidays including a liveaboard will be higher than those shown above. Once you have made your final payment for the booking, the liveaboard element of your booking is non-refundable in the event of cancellation.
Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim cancellation charges (less any excess) under the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to the insurance company concerned.
Where any cancellation reduces the number of full-paying participants below the number on which the price and/or any concessions agreed for your booking were based, we will recalculate these items and re-invoice you accordingly.
We will not make any refunds in respect of any unused element of your holiday, including but not restricted to, accommodation, flights or transfers.
9. Changes & Cancellation by Us
(1) Changes to confirmed bookings sometimes have to be made and we reserve the right to do so in accordance with this clause 9. Most changes will be insignificant, and we have the right to make these. Where an insignificant change is made before departure, we will notify you in writing. No compensation is payable for insignificant changes. Occasionally, before departure, we may be constrained by circumstances beyond our control to make a significant alteration to any of the main characteristics of the travel services which form part of your confirmed booking or to any special requirements which we have accepted as referred to in clause 5. Where we have to do so, clauses 9(4) and 9(5) will apply.
(2) All alterations which are not significant in accordance with clause 9(1) will be treated as insignificant changes. Carriers such as airlines may be subject to change. Any such change will be insignificant. A change of flight time of less than 12 hours, airline, departure airport between London (Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Stansted or London City) or regional airports, type of aircraft (if advised), destination airport or accommodation to another of a similar standard and with similar facilities will also all be treated as insignificant changes. Occasionally, we may have to replace a tour leader scheduled to lead a trip. This can be at short notice. The need to do so may arise as a result of the scheduled tour leader’s personal illness or accident, a significant illness or accident affecting a tour leader’s close family member, bereavement, or other unforeseen circumstances outside the tour leader’s control. Where this happens, we will arrange an alternative tour leader with appropriate experience. Depending on when we become aware of the situation, we may not have time to inform you of the change prior to your departure from home / arrival on the trip. Any change of tour leader will be treated as an insignificant change. Please also refer to clause 11 (flexibility of itineraries). In booking one of our trips, you are taken to have agreed that the confirmed itinerary is not contractually binding and that whilst we will endeavour to provide this, changes may be made.
(3) All group holidays require a minimum number of bookings to enable us to operate them. We reserve the right to cancel any such holiday where this minimum number is not achieved. You will be advised before your booking is accepted of the minimum number applicable to your holiday. Failure to achieve this minimum number does not, however, oblige us to cancel. We will notify you of cancellation for this reason not later than 20 days before departure.
(4) In the event we have to significantly alter any of the main characteristics of your confirmed arrangements or accepted special requirements, we will provide you with the following information in writing as soon as possible: (i) the proposed alteration and any impact this has on the price; (ii) in the event that you do not wish to accept the alteration, details of any alternative holiday arrangements we are able to offer (including the applicable price); (iii) your entitlement to cancel your booking and receive a full refund if you do not want to accept the alteration or any alternative holiday arrangements offered; and (iv) the period within which you must inform us of your decision and what will happen if you don’t do so.
(5) If you choose to cancel your booking in accordance with clause 9(4), we will refund all payments you have made to us within 14 days of the date the cancellation takes effect and terminates your contract (which is usually the date we, or the travel agent through whom you made your booking, send you a cancellation invoice following receipt of your written cancellation notification). If we don’t hear from you with your decision within the specified period (having provided you with the above-mentioned information for a second time), we will cancel your booking and refund all payments made to us within 14 days of the effective date of cancellation (see above). No compensation will be payable or other liability accepted where a change results from unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances (see clause 10).
(6) Occasionally, it may be necessary to cancel a confirmed booking. We have the right to terminate your contract in the event (i) we are prevented from performing your contracted holiday arrangements as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances (see clause 10) and we notify you of this as soon as reasonably possible or (ii) (where applicable) we have to cancel because the minimum number of bookings necessary for us to operate your group holiday has not been achieved and we notify you of cancellation for this reason as referred to in clause 9(3). Where we have to cancel your booking in these circumstances, we will refund all monies you have paid to us within 14 days of the effective date of cancellation (see clause 9(5)) but will have no further or other liability to you including in respect of compensation or any costs or expenses you incur or have incurred as a result. We will of course endeavour to offer you alternative holiday arrangements where possible which you may choose to book (at the applicable price) in place of those cancelled. We also have the right to cancel if you fail to make payment in accordance with these booking conditions in which case clause 8 will apply.
(7) Please note, a full refund entitlement only arises where we are prevented from performing your contracted holiday arrangements as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances in accordance with clause 9(6) and we exercise our right to cancel as a result.
(8) If we have to make a significant change or alteration as referred to in clause 9(1) or cancel as referred to in clause 9(6), we will, where compensation is appropriate, pay you the compensation set out in the table below, subject to the exceptions to the payment of compensation referred to in clauses 9(5) and 9(6).
| Period before departure within which significant change or cancellation is notified to the party leader / your travel agent | Compensation per person |
| More than 56 days | Nil |
| 56 – 43 days | £10 |
| 42 – 29 days | £15 |
| 28 – 15 days | £20 |
| 14 or less | £30 |
(9) In the event that unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances (see clause 10) occur in the place of destination of your holiday or its immediate vicinity and significantly affect the performance of the contracted arrangements or the carriage of passengers to that destination, you will be entitled to cancel prior to departure without payment of cancellation charges. You will receive a full refund of all monies you have paid to us (except for any previously incurred cancellation or amendment charges). Where applicable, you must notify us of your wish to cancel for this reason in writing. Providing we are in agreement that you are entitled to do so in accordance with this clause, we will send you a cancellation invoice to confirm the cancellation. Any refund then due will be paid in accordance with clause 9(5) above. We will notify you as soon as practicable should this situation occur. You will not be entitled to any compensation.
10. Unavoidable & Extraordinary Circumstances
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our contract with you is prevented or affected by, or you otherwise suffer any damage, loss or expense of any nature as a result of, unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. In these booking conditions, references to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances means a situation which is beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Such situations are likely to include (whether actual or threatened) war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, flood, an outbreak of a serious illness at your overseas destination, severe adverse weather conditions, closure, restriction or congestion of airports, other transport hubs or airspace, flight restrictions imposed by any regulatory authority or third party and volcanic activity.
11. Flexibility of Itineraries & Your Responsibilities Overseas
The type of travel we offer requires flexibility on your part. The itinerary provided at the time of booking is intended to be followed but local conditions and other circumstances may require changes. The final decision on the itinerary and conduct of any holiday will be taken by us in the interests of the participants. At all times, the decision of our tour leader or overseas representative will be final on all matters likely to affect the safety and well-being of the tour being operated. You must at all times strictly comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange requirements and drug regulations of the countries visited. Should you fail to do so, you may be required to leave the holiday. In this situation, you will not be entitled to the payment of any refund, expense or other sum whatsoever.
12. Assistance whilst you are on holiday
In the event you end up in difficulty (of any sort) during your holiday, we will provide you with appropriate assistance as soon as reasonably possible. Such assistance will usually include the provision of appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance and assisting you to make distance communications and to find alternative travel arrangements as applicable. Where you are in difficulty as a result of your negligence, we may charge you a reasonable fee for this assistance which will not exceed the costs we actually incur.
13. Damage & Behaviour
When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you. Full payment for any such damage or loss (reasonably estimated if not precisely known) must be made direct to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier or to us as soon as possible. If the actual cost of the loss or damage exceeds the amount paid where estimated, you must pay the difference once known. If the actual cost is less than the amount paid, the difference will be refunded. You will also be responsible for meeting any claims subsequently made against us and all costs incurred by us (including our own and the other party’s full legal costs) as a result of your actions. You should ensure you have appropriate travel insurance to protect you if this situation arises.
We expect you to have consideration for other people and the environment. We strongly condemn the collecting of any specimen from the natural world. Our holidays often provide the opportunity to view and photograph wildlife but not to disturb it. If in our reasonable opinion or in the reasonable opinion of any other person in authority, you behave in such a way as to cause or be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to anyone or deliberately damage, disturb or cause distress to wildlife or wildness areas, or damage to property or fail to comply with the reasonable instructions of our tour leader or overseas representative, we are entitled, without prior notice, to terminate your holiday. In this situation, you will be required to leave the accommodation and cease use of any other service. We will have no further responsibility towards you including any return travel arrangements. No refunds or compensation will be paid and we will not meet any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.
14. Conditions of Suppliers
Many of the services which make up your holiday are provided by independent suppliers. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier's liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable international conventions or EU regulations (see clause 17 (6)). Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions and of the relevant international conventions/EU regulations are available on request from ourselves or the supplier concerned.
15. Inherent Risks & UK Foreign Office Advice
By booking with us, you acknowledge and accept that the holidays we offer often involve their own inherent risks and dangers due to factors such as the geographical location of the tour, activities involved (such as diving), proximity to wildlife and distance from medical facilities. Such risks may on occasion be significant and include injury, disease, illness, death, loss or damage to property, inconvenience and discomfort.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office publish regularly updated travel information on its website and Travel Aware which you are strongly recommended to consult before booking as well as in good time before and close to departure.
16. Excursions, Activities & General Area Information
We may provide you with information (before departure and/or while you are on holiday) about activities and excursions which are available in the area you are visiting. We have no involvement in any such activities or excursions which are not operated, supervised, controlled or endorsed in any way by us. They are provided by local operators or other third parties who are entirely independent of us. They do not form any part of your contract with us even where we suggest particular operators/other third parties and/or assist you in booking such activities or excursions in any way. We cannot accept any liability on any basis in relation to such activities or excursions and the acceptance of liability contained in clause 17 (1) of our booking conditions will not apply to them. We do not, however, exclude liability for the negligence of ourselves or our employees resulting in your death or personal injury.
We cannot guarantee the accuracy at all times of information given in relation to such activities or excursions or about the area you are visiting generally or that any particular excursion or activity which does not form part of our contract will take place as these services are not under our control. If you feel that any of the activities or excursions referred in our brochure, on our website and in our other advertising material which are not part of our contract are vital to the enjoyment of your holiday, contact us immediately and we will tell you the latest known situation. If we become aware of any material alterations to area information and/or such outside activities or excursions which can reasonably be expected to affect your decision to book a holiday with us, we will pass on this information at the time of booking.
17. Our Responsibility for Your Holiday
(1) We promise to make sure that the arrangements we have agreed to make, perform or provide as applicable as part of our contract with you are made, performed or provided with reasonable skill and care. This means that, subject to these booking conditions, we will accept responsibility if, for example, you suffer death or personal injury or the contracted holiday arrangements are not provided as promised or prove deficient as a direct result of the failure of ourselves, our employees, agents or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care in making, performing or providing, as applicable, the contracted arrangements. Please note it is your responsibility to show that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make a claim against us. In addition, we will only be responsible for what our employees, agents and suppliers do or do not do if they were at the time acting within the course of their employment (for employees) or carrying out work we had asked them to do (for agents and suppliers).
(2) We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (including, without limitation, loss of enjoyment or possessions), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any nature whatsoever which results from any of the following:-
a) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected; or
b) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party not connected with the provision of your arrangements and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable; or
c) Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances as defined in clause 10 above.
(3) We cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised by us in our brochure, on our website and we have not agreed to arrange them as part of our contract and any excursion or activities you purchase during your holiday. Please also see clause 16 'Excursions, activities and general area information'. In addition, regardless of any wording used by us on our website, in any advertising material or elsewhere, we only promise to use reasonable skill and care as set out above and we do not have any greater or different liability to you.
(4) The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract, together with the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim occurred, will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question had been properly provided. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim were provided in compliance with the applicable local laws and standards, they will be treated as having been properly provided. This will be the case even if the services did not comply with the laws and standards of the UK which would have applied had those services been provided in the UK. The exception to this is where the claim concerns the absence of a safety feature which might lead a reasonable holidaymaker to refuse to take the holiday in question. Please note, however, our obligation is to exercise reasonable skill and care as referred to in clause 17(1). We do not make any representation or commitment that all services will comply with applicable local laws and standards and failure to comply does not automatically mean we have not exercised reasonable skill and care.
(5) Except as set out in clause 17(6) or as otherwise permitted by English law, we do not limit the amount of damages you are entitled to claim in respect of personal injury or death which we or our employees have caused intentionally or negligently. For all other claims, if we are found liable to you on any basis, the maximum amount we will have to pay you is three times the total cost of the arrangements we have agreed to provide (excluding any amendment charges) which has been paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total, unless a lower limitation applies to your claim under clause 17(6). This maximum amount will only be payable where you have not received any benefit at all from your holiday.
(6) Where any claim concerns or is based on any travel arrangements (including, without limitation, the process of getting on and/or off the transport concerned) provided by any air, sea or rail carrier to which any international convention or EU regulation applies where we have arranged that travel as part of our contract, our liability (including the maximum amount of compensation we will have to pay you, the types of claim and the circumstances in which damages/compensation will be payable) will be limited as if we were the carrier in question as referred to in this clause 17(6). The most we will have to pay you for that claim if we are found liable to you on any basis is the most the carrier concerned would have to pay you under the applicable international convention(s) or EU regulation(s). Such conventions and regulations include the Warsaw Convention as amended or unamended and the Montreal Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air 1999 and for airlines with an operating licence granted by an EU country, the Regulation (EC) No 889/2002 on air carrier liability in the event of accidents, the Athens Convention relating to the carriage of passengers and their luggage by sea 1974 (as amended by the 2002 protocol) and Regulation (EC) No 392/2009 on the liability of carriers of passengers by sea in the event of accidents, the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims as amended by the 1996 protocol and the Convention of 1980 concerning International Travel by Rail (COTIF) as amended and Regulation (EC) No 1371/2007 on rail passengers’ rights and obligations. You may also have rights under regulation (EU) no 1177/2010 concerning the rights of passengers when travelling by sea and inland waterway or regulation (EC) no 1371/2007 on rail passengers’ rights and obligations. Where a carrier would not be obliged to make any payment to you under any applicable international convention or EU regulation (including where any claim is not notified and issued in accordance with the stipulated time limits), we are similarly not obliged to make a payment to you for that claim. When making any payment, we will deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the carrier for the claim in question. Copies of the applicable international conventions and EU regulations are available from us on request. Please note that strict time limits apply for notifying loss, damage or delay of luggage to the airline or ferry/cruise operator. Any proceedings in respect of any claim (including one for personal injury or death) must be brought within 2 years of the date stipulated in the applicable international convention or EU regulation.
(7) We cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss, expense or other sum(s) of any nature or description which (a) on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would be likely to suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you or (b) did not result from any breach of contract or other fault by ourselves or our employees or, where we are responsible for them, our suppliers or (c) relates to any business (including without limitation, loss of self-employed earnings).
18. Complaints
In the unlikely event you have any reason to complain or may have a basis for making a claim in respect of any aspect of your arrangements, you must immediately inform our local representative or agent (if we have one) and the supplier of the service(s) in question. The issue can then be promptly investigated and, where appropriate, steps taken to resolve the situation. Any verbal notification must be put in writing and given to our representative/agent and the supplier as soon as possible. If we do not have or you cannot contact our local representative or agent and/or the situation is not resolved to your satisfaction within a reasonable time, you must contact us in the UK as soon as possible. You will be provided with contact details to enable you to do so before you go on holiday. Until we know about a complaint or problem, we cannot begin to resolve it. Most issues can be dealt with quickly.
In the event a complaint or problem is not resolved to your satisfaction locally and you wish to pursue the matter, you should email or write to us with full details within 28 days of the end of your contracted holiday arrangements.
If you fail to follow the simple procedure set out in this clause, we are unlikely to be in a position to properly investigate the matter and may have been deprived of the opportunity to remedy it during your holiday. Subject to clause 17 (5) your right to claim any compensation you may otherwise have been entitled to may be affected or even lost as a result.
19. Land Only Arrangements
For land only arrangements where you have booked your own flights, it is your sole responsibility to ensure you arrive at the departure point for the contracted arrangements in good time before these commence. In the event that flight delays or cancellation result in your late arrival, you will be responsible for all costs we incur in assisting you to join the holiday at a later stage. No refunds will be provided in respect of any services which are unused as a result. Similarly, our contractual responsibilities cease at the end of your contracted arrangements.
20. Delays & The UK Denied Boarding Regulations
In the event of any flight delay or cancellation at your UK or overseas point of departure, the airline is responsible for providing such assistance as is legally required by the UK Denied Boarding Regulations (see below). The ferry, tunnel or rail operator is similarly responsible in relation to any delayed or cancelled sea crossing or international rail departure. Except where otherwise stated in our brochure or on our website, we regret we cannot provide any assistance in such circumstances other than information and advice to the extent we are in a position to do so.
We regret we are not in a position to offer you any assistance in the event of delay at your outward or homeward point of departure. Any airline concerned may however provide refreshments etc. We cannot accept liability for any delay which is due to any of the reasons set out in clause 17 (2) of these booking conditions (which includes the behaviour of any passenger(s) on the flight who, for example, fails to board on time). In addition, we will not be liable for any delay unless it has a significant effect on your holiday arrangements.
If your flight is cancelled or delayed, your flight ticket is downgraded or boarding is denied by your airline, depending on the circumstances (including the airport of departure and/or return of the flight and whether you are flying with a UK or EU airline), the airline may be required to pay you compensation, refund the cost of your flight and/or provide you with accommodation and/or refreshments under EC Regulation No 261/2004 (as amended by The Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (Amendment)(EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (UK Denied Boarding Regulations). Where applicable, you must pursue the airline for the compensation or other payment due to you. All sums you receive or are entitled to receive from the airline concerned by virtue of these Regulations represent the full amount of your entitlement to compensation and/or any other payment due to you where applicable. This includes any disappointment, distress, loss, inconvenience or effect on any other arrangements. The fact a delay or change may entitle you to cancel your flight under the UK Denied Boarding Regulations does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight. We have no liability to make any payment to you in relation to the UK Denied Boarding Regulations or in respect of any flight change, cancellation or delay, downgrading of any flight ticket or denial of any boarding as the full amount of your entitlement to any compensation or other payment (as dealt with above) is covered by the airline’s obligations under the UK Denied Boarding Regulations. If, for any reason, we make any payment to you or a third party which the airline is responsible for in accordance with the UK Denied Boarding Regulations, you must, when requested, assign to us the rights you have or had to claim the payment in question from the airline. If your airline does not comply with its obligations under the UK Denied Boarding Regulations, where applicable, you may use the CAA Passenger Advice and Complaints Service. See here for further details.
21. Flights
In accordance with EU regulation (EC) No 2111/2005 as incorporated into UK law and amended, we are required to bring to your attention the existence of a UK Air Safety List. This contains details of air carriers which are subject to an operating ban in the UK. The UK Air Safety List (which is updated from time to time) can be found on the UK CAA’s website.
We are required to advise you of the actual carrier(s) (or, if the actual carrier(s) is not known, the likely carrier(s)) that will operate your flight(s) at the time of booking. Where we are only able to inform you of the likely carrier(s) at the time of booking, we will advise you of the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon as we become aware of this. Any change to the operating carrier(s) after your booking has been confirmed will be notified to you as soon as possible.
If the carrier with whom you have a confirmed reservation becomes subject to a UK operating ban and we/the carrier are unable to offer you a suitable alternative, the provisions of clause 9 Changes and cancellation by us will apply. We are not always in a position at the time of booking to confirm the flight timings which will be used in connection with your flight. Any flight timings shown in our brochures, on our website and/or detailed on your confirmation invoice are provisional only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. Flight timings are outside our control. They are set by airlines in conjunction with airport authorities and coordinators. They are subject to various factors including air traffic control restrictions, weather conditions, potential technical problems and the ability of passengers to board on time.
Specific instructions relating to departure and travel arrangements will be sent with your air or other travel tickets approximately 2 weeks before departure. You must check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times and other up-to-date travel information. It is possible that flight times may be changed even after tickets have been despatched. We will contact you as soon as possible if this occurs.
Any change in the identity of the carrier, flight timings and/or aircraft type (if advised) will not entitle you to cancel or change to other arrangements without paying our normal charges except where specified in these booking conditions.
22. Brochure, Website & Advertising Material Accuracy
The information appearing in our brochures, on our website and in our other advertising material is believed to be correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of our brochures, website, quotations and prices at the time of publication or when they are given to you, regrettably errors may occasionally occur and information may subsequently change. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us or your travel agent at the time of booking.
23. Safety Standards
Please note, it is the requirements and standards of the country in which any services which make up your holiday are provided which apply to those services and not those of the UK. As a general rule, these requirements and standards will not be the same as the UK and may often be lower.
24. Passports, Visas & Health Requirements
It is your responsibility to meet all applicable entry and other requirements of your destination country(ies) as well as those applicable on your return home. You must ensure that all your travel documents (physical and electronic), including your passport, visas/visa waivers and currency, are in order, meet all applicable requirements and are valid and acceptable for travel. All costs incurred in meeting all requirements applicable to your holiday must be paid by you. If you attempt to travel without fully complying with all requirements, you are likely to be refused boarding on your flight or other transport or entry into your destination country. We cannot accept any liability and cancellation charges will apply (as set out in clause 8) if you are refused entry onto any transport or into any country, or decide not to travel, due to failure (or inability) on your part to obtain and carry all required documentation or to otherwise comply with all applicable entry and other requirements.
All information and advice given by us on passports, visas, vaccinations, health related precautions and recommendations, climate, clothing, baggage, special equipment etc. is given in good faith on the basis of known facts and available information when provided.
The passport and visa requirements applicable to the holidays we offer, and of which we are aware, are shown in our Practical Travel Advice. You must check entry and other official requirements for all countries to or through which you are travelling as well as any requirements applicable on your return to your home country, at the time of booking, and in good time before, and close to, departure. Requirements may change, sometimes at short notice.
We require details of the passports held by all participants no later than 6 weeks prior to departure. A British passport for a British citizen usually takes approximately 3 weeks to obtain but may take longer. If any participant (who is a British citizen) is 16 or over and hasn't got or previously held a British passport, more time needs to be allowed as the UK Passport Service has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport. If any person on the booking is not a British citizen or holds a passport which is not a British citizen’s passport, you must check the applicable passport and visa requirements with the embassy or consulate of the country(ies) to or through which you are intending to travel. Please ensure that you check the latest position on applying for or renewing a passport at the earliest opportunity.
Details of any compulsory health requirements applicable to your holiday, and which we are aware of, are shown in our Practical Travel Advice. It is your responsibility to ensure you obtain details of and comply with all required and recommended vaccinations, health precautions and other health related measures in good time before departure. Details are available from your GP surgery, local travel clinic and the National Travel Health Network and Centre. Vaccination and other health requirements/recommendations are subject to change at any time for any destination, which can be at short notice. Please therefore check with a doctor or clinic or other reliable source of information at least 6 weeks prior to departure and also closer to departure to ensure that you are aware of and can meet the necessary requirements and have the latest information.
Existing issued European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) remain valid until they expire even though the UK has left the EU. When your EHIC expires, or if you have not had an EHIC, you should apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) providing you are eligible for one. A GHIC provides the same cover as an EHIC. EHICs and GHICs are free to apply for. However, both EHICs and GHICs provide only limited access to healthcare whilst you are outside the UK which also varies from country to country. They also provide no cover in the event that you require medical repatriation to the UK. Neither an EHIC nor a GHIC offer comparable protection to travel insurance and are not a substitute for travel insurance. Accordingly, you must purchase appropriate travel insurance. For more information, visit here.
The party leader is responsible for ensuring that all participants are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before departure. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results in fines, surcharges, other financial penalty, costs or expenses being incurred by us, the party leader and participant concerned will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly.
25. Financial Protection
The Natural Travel Collection holds an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL number 10544).
When you buy an ATOL-protected flight or flight-inclusive holiday from us, you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.
We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).
If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit, you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent or your credit card issuer where applicable. You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.
The Civil Aviation Authority can be contacted at Gatwick Airport South, West Sussex, RH6 0YR, UK tel +44 (0)330 022 1500, by e-mail or visit their website.
Please note: Not all holiday or travel serves offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL scheme *The air-inclusive holidays and flights we arrange are ATOL protected providing they are made available in the UK.
For further information, visit the ATOL website.
The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for The Natural Travel Collection Limited (membership number 5099). In the event of the insolvency of The Natural Travel Collection, protection is provided for:
Non-flight packages
ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if transportation, other than flights, was included in the package you booked with The Natural Travel Collection. Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly from The Natural Travel Collection Limited.
In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to Natural Travel Collection’s financial failure, please call ABTOT’s 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT-protected travel company.
You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here.
For further information visit the ABTOT website.
26. Additional Terms
Some destinations and liveaboard itineraries require a minimum level of qualification and/or diving experience. These requirements are indicated on our website. It is your responsibility to ensure that your diving experience and/or qualification meets these requirements. If on arrival in resort, you are deemed not to have the level of experience and/or qualification required for the trip booked, you will not be able to participate in the diving activities advertised. If this is the case, we or any of our suppliers will not have any liability for any missed diving or costs paid for the holiday. Your logbook is the only true representation of your diving experience (i.e. number of dives completed).
Please note that we usually charge a £100 per person booking fee for booking separate flights from (or additional flights to) the main group flights to cover our administrative costs. If you wish to book a tour with a connecting flight from a regional airport, you must tell us at the time of booking.
Our tailor-made prices are based on two people travelling together and sharing a room. If you require a single room, a supplement (available on request) will be payable. We will always try to accommodate clients who request single rooms, but this is not always possible, and clients may be asked to share for all or part of the holiday. In this case we will of course not charge the single room supplement for the portion of the holiday where the room is shared. We will also try to accommodate clients travelling on their own but wishing to share, but if there is no other single person on the tour willing also to share we will have to charge the single room supplement.
No pets may be brought on any holidays.
Smoking is not allowed in any vehicle we use or when in close company with other members of the group, or in fire risk areas.
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