To make a booking

Please contact us to check availability. To confirm your booking you must complete our online booking form or a form from the relevant brochure, accepting on behalf of all your party the terms of these booking conditions and pay a deposit of the amount per person specified in the relevant website section / brochure or, in the case of an independent holiday, the amount specified by our staff at the time of booking plus insurance premium and any additional performance tickets ordered.

A contract will exist when we issue our confirmation invoice. Your contract will consist of these terms and conditions, the completed booking form and the contents of the relevant website section / brochure.

The balance of the price of your holiday must be paid at least 10 weeks before the departure date. In accordance with ABTA’s recommendations a charge of 2% will be levied on credit card payments for the balance of your holiday. This does not apply to payment of the deposit. If the balance is not paid in time we reserve the right to cancel your holiday, retain your deposit and apply cancellation charges set out below.

What is included in the price?

All Travel for the Arts tours are inclusive of the following:

• Round trip economy class air travel on scheduled or charter airline(s) specified; (aircraft type not known at time of writing) including local airport taxes and security charges.
• Hotel accommodation at the hotels shown in the relevant brochure (or similar grade) in twin bedded rooms with private bathroom or shower and w.c. Double rooms and single rooms are available on request. NB: We are well aware of the considerable distress which can sometimes be experienced by those travelling alone when “single rooms” do not appear to come up to the standards expected. At all times we strive to overcome this on our clients’ behalf (but can offer no guarantees) and sometimes it pays to take a double or twin room for sole occupancy.
• Round trip transfers from airports or railway stations to hotels by private motorcoach.
• Hotel service charges and local taxes.
• Performance tickets as indicated. Tickets for optional performances can also be obtained by applying at the time of booking.
• Sightseeing tour programme as detailed in each itinerary including admission charges and guide services.
• The Services of a Travel for the Arts representative throughout the tour.

NB If you have any special requests relating to diet, accommodation and so forth, these must be made known at the time of booking. We will do our best to comply with them but cannot guarantee to do so.

Physical handicaps and mobility

Should you suffer from any serious physical handicaps or experience difficulty in walking long distances and tire easily, please do bring this to our attention at the time of booking in order that we can provide the necessary assistance at airport and hotels. Some of our tours are strenuous and in order to avoid serious mishap, we may discourage participation in these tours if we feel that the enjoyment of the individual or the group as a whole may be jeopardised.

Travel insurance

It is a condition of booking that clients either take out our recommended comprehensive travel insurance or produce evidence of a policy containing equivalent cover to that recommended. Provided you are a UK resident you will be automatically insured (unless you decline giving alternative details on the booking form) with a scheme underwritten at Lloyds, London (85%) and CIGNA Insurance Company of Europe (15%) and arranged by Hamilton Barr Insurance Brokers Limited. A certificate of cover will be sent with your confirmation and invoice.
A summary of the cover per insured is:

• Baggage and personal effects: £1,000.00
• Personal money and documents: £200.00
• Medical expenses: £5,000,000.00
• Cancellation and curtailment: £3,000.00
• Personal Accident: £15,000.00
• Personal Liability: £1,000,000.00
• Missed departure: £300.00
• Legal expenses: £15,000.00
• Hospital benefit: £300.00

Each certificate includes, automatically, protection and cover for tour operator and airline failure. For those who travel abroad throughout the year, taking our annual cover could be a substantial saving on your premiums. Please ask for details.

Millennium bug exclusion

Travel insurance will not pay claims arising out of failure of any computer hardware or software or electrical equipment to recognize the true calendar date. This does not apply to Personal Accident, Emergency, Medical or Rescue, Repatriation or Hospital Benefit.

Premiums

Duration of Holiday	Europe	Worldwide incl. USA
Up to 5 days Up to 10 days Up to 17 days	£27.00 £30.00 £35.00	£50.00 £60.00 £70.00

Note: No age loading – however those aged 80 years or over or suffering from pre-existing conditions must complete medical declaration.

Passports, Visas and health

British subjects require a passport. Wherever necessary Travel for the Arts will provide information about visas and health requirements. Visas can be obtained on clients’ behalf for a small fee and handling charge.

Alterations and cancellation by the client

If, after our confirmation has been issued, you wish to change to another of our holidays or change departure date, we will do our utmost to make the changes, provided that notification is received in writing, at our offices from the person who signed the booking form, at least 8 weeks before departure. This must be accompanied by a payment of £35.00 to cover our administration costs. Any significant alteration by you within 8 weeks of departure will be treated as a cancellation and subject to the charges set out below.

You, or any member of your party, may cancel your holiday at any time providing that the cancellation is made by the person signing the booking form and is in writing. As this incurs administrative costs, we will retain your deposit and the cost of any performance tickets, and in addition may apply cancellation charges up to the maximum shown below.

Period before departure within which written cancellation is received		Amount of cancellation charge shown as a percentage of the holiday price
More than 70 days 70-42 days 41-25 days 24 - day of travel		Deposit for performance tickets 40% of tour price 60% of tour price 100% of tour price

No refund will be given after the commencement of travel except at the discretion of the company.

Note: If the reason for cancellation is covered under the terms of an insurance policy you may be able to re-claim all or part of these charges.

Should you or any member of your party wish to change or modify, at any time, the arrangements on the tour itineraries shown, Travel For The Arts will endeavour to comply with these requests and reserve the right to levy an amendment fee of £25.00 per person (up to a maximum of £100.00 in total) in addition to any increase in the cost of the revised arrangements.

Complaints

If you have a problem with your holiday, please inform our representative who will endeavour to put things right quickly. If your complaint cannot be resolved locally, your representative will ask you to make a report, the original of which is for you and a copy will be forwarded to our Head Office. Please follow this up within 7 days of your return home by writing to us giving your original tour reference number and all other relevant information. It is unlikely that you will have a complaint that cannot be settled amicably between us.

However, disputes arising out of, or in connection with this contract which cannot be amicably settled, may (if you so wish) be referred to Arbitration under a special scheme, which, though devised by arrangement with the Association of British Travel Agents, is administered quite independently by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. The scheme, details of which can be supplied on request, provides for a simple and inexpensive method of Arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on the customer in respect of costs. The scheme does not apply to claims in respect of costs. The scheme does not apply to claims for an amount greater than £1,500 per person and £7,500.00 per booking form. Neither does it apply to claims which are solely or mainly in respect of physical injury or illness or the consequence of such injury or illness. If requesting Arbitration complaints must be made within 9 months after the schedule date of return from holiday. Full details are available from the Association of British Travel Agents, 55-57 Newman Street, London W1P 4AH.

Alterations and cancellations by us

It is possible that we will have to make changes to your holiday as the arrangement is planned many months in advance. Occasionally changes may be made, and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes are minor, and we will advise you at the earliest possible date. Flight timings and carriers in the brochure are subject to change as a result of airline procedures which are beyond our control. Flight timings in the brochure are for guidance only. Actual times will be given on your ticket. If a major change becomes necessary, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before departure. When a major change occurs, provided it does not arise from circumstances of force majeure (see below), you will have the choice of either accepting the change of arrangements, purchasing another available holiday from us or cancelling your holiday.

If it is necessary to make a significant change after the date when payment of the balance becomes due, we will in addition pay you compensation as follows:

Period before departure Compensation within which notification per personof change or cancellation is given

More than 56 days 56-42 days 41-25 days 24-16 days 15-1 day

Nil £10.00 £20.00 £30.00 £40.00

except where the change is made as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequence of which we could not have avoided even with all due care which include but are not limited to those amounting to force majeure. Compensation will not be payable if we are forced to cancel, or in any way change your holiday due to war, threat of war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire or adverse weather conditions. Please note compensation is not payable in the case of minor changes.

We reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your holiday. However, in no case will we cancel your holiday less than 56 days before the scheduled departure date except for reasons of force majeure or failure on your part to pay the final balance.

In circumstances where we are unable to provide the holiday booked we will return to you all monies paid, or offer an alternative holiday of comparable standard.

We require an economic number of participants to operate tours. Should this number not be achieved we reserve the right to cancel the tour up to 56 days in advance. In this case we offer the choice of an alternative tour or a full refund of all monies paid.

Our liabilities to you

We accept responsibility for ensuring the holiday and service which you book with us are supplied as described in the relevant brochure. If any part is not provided as promised, we will pay you appropriate compensation if that has affected the enjoyment of your holiday. We accept responsibility for the acts and/or omissions of our employees, agents and suppliers save where they lead to death, injury or illness except as provided by air or sea carriers, our liability in all cases shall be limited in the manner provided by international conventions.

Opera-goers will appreciate that performances and casts can be changed without notice. This is a rare occurrence, but nevertheless disappointing. Every effort is made to obtain and pass on to you up to date information regarding performances and casting. This information is based upon details supplied to us by theatres and venues and we cannot guarantee its accuracy or that there will not be changes to the programme. The non-appearance of an artist, cancellation of event or other changes are entirely outside our control or even the control of those organising the event. We are therefore unable to accept any responsibility by way of refund, compensation or otherwise for changes in the programme, even if this involves the non-appearance of an artist or failure to stage an event or performance which may have been your main reason for booking your holiday. We will always do our best to find a suitable alternative but again this is outside our control. If, however, we obtain a refund from the event organiser, this will be passed on to you.

Verona and other outside events

In the event of adverse weather conditions a full refund of the face value of the performance ticket will be made only if the performance fails to start. If abandonment occurs after the start the conditions of the ticket purchased prevent any refund.

Please note that the order of events on itineraries is subject to alteration due to local circumstances, unscheduled closures etc. However, every effort will be made to include all elements of the programme during the tour dates or a suitable alternative which will be notified to you.

We accept responsibility for death, injury or illness caused by the negligent acts and/or omissions of our employees or agents together with our suppliers and sub-contractors, servants and/or agents of the same whilst acting within the scope of, or in the course of their employment (other than air and sea carriers performing any domestic, internal or international carriage of whatsoever kind). We will accordingly pay to our clients such damages as might have been claimed in respect of death, illness or injury caused by negligence, as accepted under English Law, of our employees, agents or suppliers contracted or sub-contracted by us to provide any part of the arrangement for your holiday.

If any client suffers death, illness or injury whilst overseas arising out of activity which does not form part of the foreign inclusive holiday arrangements or excursion arranged through us, we shall, at our discretion offer advice, guidance and assistance to help in resolving any claim you may have against a third party, provided we are advised of the incident within 90 days of the occurrence. Where legal action is contemplated our authority must be obtained prior to commencement of proceedings and be subject to your undertaking to assign any costs recovered or any benefits received under an appropriate insurance policy to ourselves. Our costs in respect of the above on behalf of you and your party shall not exceed £5,000.00 in total.

When you travel with the carrier, the conditions of carriage of that carrier apply, some of which may limit or exclude liability. This brochure is the responsibility of the tour operator, it is not issued on behalf of and does not commit the airlines mentioned therein or any airline whose services are used in the course of the tour. Please note that in accordance with Air Navigation Orders, a child must be under two years of age on the date of their return flight.

Our surcharge policy

The prices for tours in this brochure are based on prevailing tariffs and exchange rates on 14 February 1999. We reserve the right to surcharge on the following: government actions, increases in local taxes, unfavourable exchange rates, airport charges, fuel increases and increases in scheduled air fares.

We will absorb the first 2% of any such surcharge (excluding travel insurance premium). If the surcharge amounts to more than 10% of the holiday price, you will be entitled to cancel your holiday with a full refund except travel insurance premium and any amendment charges. Any such cancellation must be notified, in writing, within 10 days of the surcharge invoice date.

This contract is governed by English Law and both parties shall submit the jurisdiction of English courts at all times.