We try to ensure that the information contained on our website and in our promotional material is accurate and up to date. However, resort and supplier information can change and errors can regrettably occur. We reserve the right to amend and/or give notice to any changes at the time of booking and recommend that you undertake a level of independent research or speak to one of our trained sales advisors should you wish to clarify any information.
Representative Services
Please note we do not have representative services available in all the destinations we feature and therefore you will not necessarily be met on arrival. Please ensure that you refer to your itinerary which will provide the appropriate contact details should you need assistance whilst on your tour.
Terms & Conditions
The Terms & Conditions (“booking conditions”) below apply to all package tour bookings made with ReedFairs, a trading brand of Bulgarian Dream ravel Ltd. We are registered in Bulgaria under company number 175344393. Our registered office address is: 3 Saborna Str. 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Please read the booking conditions carefully, as they form the basis of your package tour contract with ReedFairs and set out our respective rights and obligations. By asking us to confirm your booking, we are entitled to assume that you have had the opportunity to read and have read these terms and conditions and agree to them.
Except where otherwise stated, these booking conditions only apply to tour arrangements which you book with us in the Bulgaria 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 “tour”, “booking”, “contract”, “package”, “tour” or “arrangements” mean such tour arrangements unless otherwise stated.
In these booking conditions, “you” and “your” means all persons named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date) or any of them, as the context requires and “lead name” means the person who makes the booking. “We”, “us” and “our” means ReedFairs.
Before you book
1.1 Choosing Your Tour
We hope your ReedFairs tour will live up to expectation, so it is very important that you choose the right arrangements for you. Our staff are always happy to advise and give you their professional opinion; however, it is essential that you also conduct your own independent research to ensure you are happy with the arrangements being made.
1.2 Confirming Your Tour
The combination of travel services offered to you is a package within the meaning of the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018. Therefore, you will benefit from all EU rights applying to packages. ReedFairs will be fully responsible for the proper performance of the package as a whole where we act as Principal provider. Additionally, as required by law, ReedFairs has protection in place to refund your payments and, where transport is included in the package, to ensure your repatriation in the event that we become insolvent.
When you decide to confirm your tour with us, please ensure that you cancel any other flights which may have been held for the same dates/airlines, by other Tour Operators/Travel Agents. Failure to do so may result in the airline subsequently cancelling the flights we have booked, with additional costs being incurred to re-book for which you would be liable to pay.
1.3 Hotel Grades
Choosing the right hotel can be a dilemma, especially when travelling to long haul destinations. Whilst most hotels have official star ratings locally, in some cases these cannot always be relied on. We have categorized all hotels throughout our brochures and online to give a general guide. Standards can however vary between hotels of the same class, in different countries, and even in the same country. For example, city hotels which often cater for business as well as leisure travelers may have generally higher standards than a beach resort where the atmosphere will tend to be more relaxed. It is important to carefully read the individual hotel descriptions.
1.4 Single Rooms
If a single person occupies a double room, they will usually be asked to pay extra (a single supplement). Hotels generally price their rooms as doubles or family rooms and they do not reduce the rates if they are occupied by a single person. The costs to the hotel of providing the room remain the same, regardless of how many people occupy it. This also applies to self-catering units where, for example, three people may choose to occupy accommodation priced for four. Where available, hotel design may mean that single rooms are smaller and sometimes less well-appointed than other categories. While there is normally a supplement for these rooms, the overall cost will usually be less than when a single person occupies a double room. On safari, excursions and touring tours, single rooms cannot always be guaranteed. Supplements paid will be refunded if a single room previously confirmed is not available. Please check to see if any special offers or single saver rates are available at your preferred hotel.
1.5 Twin or Double Rooms
Accommodation in all hotels, regardless of the rating, will be in standard rooms (sometimes named superior/deluxe) based on twins or doubles unless otherwise stated.
1.6 Triple/Quad Rooms
A third or fourth person sharing a room either shares existing beds or has an extra bed (which may be of camp-bed style) placed in a double/twin room. As conditions may be cramped, you may wish to consider booking two rooms.
1.7 Minimum Stays
Minimum stays are required at certain hotels for certain periods. Where applicable these will be advised at time of booking.
1.8 Booking a Room For Early Arrival Or Late Departure
Generally, hotel rooms will be available between approximately noon and 3pm, and are to be vacated between 10am and noon, irrespective of your arrival or departure times, unless we have stated otherwise. Should you wish your room to be available prior to the hotel’s standard check-in time on your day of arrival, or be available after standard check-out time on your day of departure, it is possible to reserve the room at the time of booking at a cost no greater than the extra night price quoted on the brochure page for each respective date.
1.9 Tours – General health requirements
Many of our tours may not be suitable if you have a disability or have reduced mobility. Therefore, in the interest of safety and comfort for all groups, as a whole, you must be fit and able enough to participate or alternatively you must have an able-bodied carer to assist you throughout the tour. Please note that some of the featured touring itineraries may involve early starts and long days, with substantial travel between featured sites and destinations. As vehicle and road standards may not be comparable to that of the UK, please keep this in mind when considering any personal health concerns, as well as your general comfort.
1.10 Extras
At certain hotels we may offer a complimentary lunch, dinner, or hotel bar credit. At other hotels we may offer up to a 20% discount on food and/or beverage extras usually payable at the end of your stay. This offer is not available if you pay by credit card, nor is a cash alternative available.
1.11 Public Tours / Local Festivals / Events
Most countries have public tours. The festivities may be part of your plans or may temporarily disrupt your tour. Some celebrations may result in a reduction of facilities, entertainment and the availability of alcohol. Regional/local festivals and events may also take place throughout the year. They can be somewhat chaotic but are generally great fun to be a part of. You should research your desired destination if you have concerns about what impact these may have on your tour. Local tourism offices can often be found online should you wish to check for information prior to booking.
1.12 Meals
- Meals, if included, are based on table d’hôte menus or a meal voucher system, unless specified otherwise in your travel documentation. Tours which include main meals generally commence with dinner on the day of arrival at your hotel and terminate with breakfast (on half board) or lunch (on full board) on the day of departure. All Inclusive packages generally finish at check-out time on your day of departure between 10am and noon. After this time, payment for any additional meals must be made direct to the hotel. No refunds on meals not taken can be given.
- Special diets of any kind (including vegetarian) can seldom be catered for adequately within the constraints of a table d’hôte menu and cannot be guaranteed. Anyone with special requirements should consider which meal plan is most suitable for their needs.
- Where breakfast is included this will more commonly be a continental breakfast, although full breakfasts are provided at certain hotels. Please ask at the time of booking if this is important to you.
- Supplements for optional meal plans offer you the opportunity of being able to budget for extra costs before you go. In some cases, you may find the cost of the meal cheaper locally, however we regret that it will not be possible to refund the difference either during or after your tour.
- Pre booked meals may be subject to dining in the main restaurant only and on occasion it may be necessary to be seated with other hotel guests. If you have paid a half board supplement it may be possible in some hotels to ask for a credit from the table d’hôte dinner to be used against a meal in an à la carte restaurant. Please note that the value of the voucher will generally be considerably less than the half board supplement included in your tour price.
- You may need to wear a wristband or carry some ID to get the benefits of your package. For a full description of what’s included, check the hotel description. Hotels often place restrictions on restaurants and meal arrangements. Times for inclusive drinks, meals and snacks vary. All Inclusive does not necessarily mean that unlimited food and beverages are available 24-hours a day and it is uncommon for minibars to be included in such packages. An All-Inclusive package may not include bottled water, imported drinks, à la carte meals, or some specialty dishes. Some restaurants expect you to reserve a table and will be subject to availability. Not all bars and restaurants operate on an All-Inclusive basis. Also, there may be cash bars once participating All Inclusive bars close.
1.13 Flight Seat Requests, Airlines & Aircraft
Please ensure that you check in early if you have particular seat preferences. ReedFairs has no control over the allocation of seats by the airline and even if a request has been made with them to pre-book seats for you, no guarantee can be made that they will still be available on departure. Airlines may change the seat allocated to you for operational or safety reasons, for persons with reduced mobility or where otherwise deemed necessary, at their discretion. The provision of particular seats does not constitute a term of your contract with ReedFairs. Please note airlines operate both older and more modern aircraft within their fleet. We regret we cannot guarantee the type of aircraft you will travel on as this may be subject to change and general availability. Although some airlines offer the facility to book seats online, this is not always possible when booking a tour through us, as the tours we offer are based on special Tour Operator fares.
In accordance with EU directive (EC) no. 2111/2005, we are required to bring to your attention the existence of a ‘Community List’ which contains details of air carriers that are subject to an operating ban within the EU Community. The Community list is available for inspection at http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_en.htm.
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. We do this by listing carriers to be used or likely to be used on your tour confirmation invoice. Any changes to the actual airline after you have received your tickets will be notified to you as soon as possible and in all cases at check-in or at the boarding gate. Where we are only able to inform you of the likely carrier(s) at the time of booking, we shall inform 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 an operating ban as above as a result of which we/ the carrier are unable to offer you a suitable alternative the provisions of ‘If we change or cancel your tour’ will apply.
1.14 Direct Flights
The flight routings used in connection with our tours may be used on special fares which do not necessarily take the most direct route. Some itineraries require a change of aircraft en route. A flight that is described as direct is one where there is no need to change aircraft during the journey. However stops may be made en route for re-fuelling or to let passengers on and/ or off. Details of any stops will be given on your itinerary wherever possible. However, should you require this information at an earlier stage, please check with your Travel Agent and/or our Sales staff at the time of booking, or our Help Desk once the booking has been invoiced.
1.15 Code Share Flights
It is a common practice for scheduled airlines to use a code share system, which may include you flying with a partner airline. Where this situation arises, it is not classed as a major change.
1.16 Scheduled and ‘No Frills’ Carriers
We provide a choice of scheduled and ‘no frills’ carriers to take advantage of the flexibility and pricing available. You should note that ‘no frills’ flights do not include in-flight meals. The deposit at the time of booking is €175 per person or 10% of the tour cost, whichever is the greater, or any higher deposit which applies to your tour of the total tour cost, plus the cost of the airfare. It may occasionally be necessary to charge a higher deposit where special conditions apply to the airfares, the details of which will be advised to you at the time of booking. Any changes to destination / routing will be subject to availability and will incur the loss of the original deposit collected. Date and name changes are permitted, subject to availability and the relevant charges imposed as per the individual airline’s own policies (details available on request). Any changes made may also result in additional charges due to an increase in airfare or charges imposed.
1.17 Charter Flights
We provide these to destinations where there are usually no direct scheduled flights, and/or insufficient capacity on these services to meet demand. A charter flight is usually the cheapest and quickest way of reaching the particular destination. However, it should be noted that leg room is slightly less than in economy on some scheduled flights.
1.18 Special Requests
Where a special request e.g. diet, room location, twin or double bedded room, a particular facility at a hotel, flight seat requests and/or particular meals etc. is an important factor in your choice of tour, you must advise us before your booking is made. We are happy to pass your request on to the hotel, airline or other supplier but cannot guarantee that it will be accommodated. Where we pass on dietary requests to airlines, we recommend that you check directly with the airline once your tickets have been issued. The provision of any special request does not constitute a term of your contract with us. 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, all special requests are subject to availability. For your own protection, you should obtain confirmation in writing that a special request will be complied (where it is possible to give this) where it is important to you.
1.19 If You Have A Disability Or Medical Condition Which May Affect Your Tour
If you have any medical condition or disability which may affect your tour or any special requirements as a result of any medical condition or disability (including any which affect the booking process), 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. In any event, you must give us full details in writing at the time of booking and whenever any significant change in the condition or disability occurs. You must also promptly advise us if any medical condition or disability which may affect your tour develops after your booking has been confirmed. Failure to do so may limit your rights under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.
ReedFairs complies fully with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air and is delighted to offer assistance to disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility provided that we are given full information about your specific requirements at the time of booking. Whilst we are happy to make a special request for you with the airline/s concerned, please be aware that we cannot guarantee the provision of high-loaders for embarking/dis-embarking the aircraft.
1.20 Local Purchases
We cannot accept responsibility for any items you may purchase locally e.g.: jewellery/furniture etc. and the quality and value of such cannot be guaranteed. We recommend that you check whether or not any extra charges will be payable for import duty or freight as we are unable to assist with any costs you may incur in this respect.
1.21 Group Transfers
Our tours include group transfers from airports/hotels and vice versa unless otherwise stated on the appropriate pages or your documentation. A group transfer is generally a shared transfer and the type of vehicle used will normally be dependent upon the size of the group, with stops being made en route to drop off/pick up other clients. The duration of your transfer will be dependent upon the individual arrangements required. In many destinations, we also offer the choice of upgrading to your own private transfer at the appropriate cost. Where we are unable to provide group transfers as an option, private transfers will be quoted within your tour arrangements. Please note some transfer arrangements may require reconfirmation locally. Be sure to check your travel documentation prior to departure.
1.22 Our Staff
We pride ourselves on the quality and friendly professionalism of our staff. In our search to continually try and improve our level of service, we are committed to on-going training, part of which involves the recording of phone calls and the retention of other media communications, in line with our Privacy Policy, which can be found at www.travel.ibookbed.com/privacy-policy.
1.23 Late Bookings & Special Offers
Please note that many of the hotels and tours included in our late bookings and/or special offers are also featured in our other main brochures/website. Any offers/facilities detailed therein are not applicable to late bookings or special offers unless otherwise stated.
1.24 Services outside of your contract with ReedFairs
If you have made any independent arrangements to complement the tour services being provided by ReedFairs, we will not be liable to you for these elements of your trip and your contract will be directly with the third-party suppliers. Where we agree to provide flights or transfer services to or from any such third party product or destination, our doing so offers no endorsement of the product or destination and our liability will remain limited only to ensuring that the contracted elements of your tour package with ReedFairs are provided as promised.
Booking & paying for your tour
2.1 Your Commitment To Us
When you or your Travel Agent wish to confirm a tour booking you must pay a deposit of either €175 per person or 10% of the tour cost, whichever is the greater, or any higher deposit which applies to your tour. The deposit will only be refundable as set out in these booking conditions. Please note some airlines have certain ticketing deadlines and some hotels have certain booking and cancellation conditions and these may affect any cancellation charges – please refer to 3.3 – Cancelling your tour. When you make a booking, the lead name confirms that you understand and have accepted these booking conditions and our Important Tour Information which forms our booking conditions. We reserve the right in our absolute discretion to refuse to accept any booking without necessarily specifying a reason. Many airlines now require the full name of all passengers travelling. We will therefore ask you at the time of booking to provide us with your first forename (as shown in your passport) as well as your title and surname. When booking your tour, if you wish to make a modification to a tour we will try to assist. Should you wish to change to an alternative featured hotel, this will be charged at the difference in published price, as long as ReedFairs holds the space required. Additional services will be quoted for upon request. Should you wish to extend your tour by making your own private arrangements, this can usually be done subject to an administrative charge of €10 per person per night. Prices for accommodation only bookings can be quoted on request. We accept various methods of payment.
PRICE INCLUDES
The services of ReedFairs resident representatives (tour leaders on escorted tours) or ReedFairs appointed regional agents, with English speaking staff in most of the areas featured in this brochure;
Economy class airfares on scheduled (or charter flights) on IATA carriers and other airlines as per itinerary (Air fares are based on group travel and changes of reservations are not permitted without the confirmation of ReedFairs);
Luggage allowance, as specified;
Accommodation and sightseeing, as specified within the itinerary;
Meals as shown under hotel and tour text;
Government taxes and compulsory service charges;
Transfers to/from airport/hotels unless otherwise stated.
NOT INCLUDED
Visa fees, overseas airport taxes, overseas porterage, any government taxes or compulsory charges to be payable locally (these will be communicated within your documentation, where such fees are known to us);
Optional excursions or activities booked during your tour.
Any sundry costs incurred by you in preparation for your tour, including but not limited to insurance, vaccinations, screening and medical certifications.
2.2 Our Commitment To You
We will arrange to provide you with the various services which form part of the tour you book with us. Before your booking is confirmed and a contract comes into existence, we reserve the right to increase or decrease, and correct errors in advertised prices and to change any of the information. Changes will be made known to you at the time of booking. The prices we advertise are based on specially negotiated airfares to be booked in a specific airline booking class. At the time of booking, if there is a lack of availability in the specified class on any particular flight, we will endeavour to secure seats for you in an alternative economy class and you will be told the amount of the applicable flight supplement / higher deposit before you book.
A booking is not accepted until we issue an invoice. The date shown on the invoice, which will be sent to you or your Travel Agent, is the date of booking. It is important to check the details on the invoice when you get it. If any details appear to be incorrect or incomplete, please contact us or your Travel Agent immediately 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 5 days of our sending it out (24 hours for tickets). We will do our best to rectify any mistake notified to us outside these time limits but you must meet any costs involved in doing so. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be given a reference number. Your booking reference is also used as your unique password. It is important that you do not give your reference number to anyone or it will allow access to view, amend or cancel your booking via our website.
Unless otherwise stated, your booking does not include visa fees, overseas airport taxes, overseas porterage or local taxes, levies or other compulsory charges that require payment by you, directly. Where possible, we will advise you of any local charges that may be due.
2.3 Out Of Date Range Flights
Our brochures are prepared well in advance and scheduled airlines will generally not have loaded their seats to sell until approximately 10 months before the departure. Should this apply, we will inform you at the time of booking and calculate the price in anticipation that seats will be available in the specific airline booking class to which our specially negotiated airfares apply.
2.4 Peak Season Supplements
During peak periods such as Christmas and Easter when demand outstrips the supply of airline seats and accommodation, you may find that supplements are added to the cost of your tour. The supplements may be for certain tour departures and/or accommodation on specific dates. They do not necessarily indicate that additional services such as Gala dinners will be provided. The cost of these supplements will be quoted to you at the time of booking.
2.5 ’From Prices’
ReedFairs offers you the flexibility to create your own tour from the range of accommodation and services available. Because of the wide choice, it is not possible to list every price on every date. A ‘from’ price is indicative of the lowest price available for the hotel or itinerary featured but this may vary depending on a number of factors such as your date of travel and choice of accommodation. To help you in choosing a tour which is tailor made by us to your requirements, please call our Sales team, or visit your travel agent or our website for further information about services and prices. We will be happy to provide you with an up to date quote.
2.6 Paying For Your Tour
After your booking is taken and a deposit received, a confirmation invoice will be sent to you detailing the total cost due. Full payment must be received not less than 61 days before departure. If we or your travel agent have not received full payment at least 61 before departure, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you and forfeit your deposit by way of cancellation charges. If we do not cancel straight away because you have promised to make payment, you must pay the cancellation charges shown in 3.3 depending on the date we reasonably treat your booking as cancelled. If you make a tour booking within 61 days of your departure date then you must pay the full cost of the tour at the booking stage. All money paid by you to one of our authorised travel agents for your tour will be held by the agent on our behalf until paid to us.
2.7 Pricing Errors
Whilst we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the pricing information provided, regrettably errors may occasionally occur. When we become aware of any such error, we will endeavour to notify you at the time of booking (if we are then aware of the mistake), within 7 days of the time of booking or as soon as reasonably possible. If a booking is already in place, you will have the choice to continue with the chosen itinerary at the corrected price or amend to a different tour. We reserve the right to cancel the booking if you do not wish to accept the price that applies to your tour or any quoted alternatives.
2.8 Overlapping Price Panels
Tours which do not fall completely within the date bands specified in the price box may be subject to a reduction or increase. The exact cost of your tour will be confirmed to you at the time of booking.
2.9 Insurance
Due to evolving global events, it is more important than ever to ensure that you have insurance cover in place from the time that your booking is confirmed and that it is adequate and suitable for your particular needs. If you fail to take out appropriate insurance and subsequently have to cancel your booking, you will be charged in accordance with our standard terms and conditions – see 3.3 – Cancelling your tour and may be unable to recover any losses you incur. Furthermore, if you require medical/any other form of assistance whilst on tour you may not be covered and you may in turn incur significant costs. Please read your policy details carefully, ensure that you are familiar with the scale of your cover and take the relevant documentation with you on your tour.
2.10 Travel Information & Documents
After booking you will receive a confirmation invoice with important information relevant to your tour. You must check the details carefully and read all of the information provided. Please also ensure that you check your flight timings carefully each time you receive new documentation from us, as the scheduling (using the 24-hour clock) may have changed since the last time we contacted you.
Approximately 10-14 days prior to departure you will receive your e-ticket together with your final itinerary. In the case of late bookings, changes or payments, this information may be emailed to you to ensure receipt. Please once again ensure that you check all information, including your flight times, very carefully to ensure you are prepared for your trip.
If you want to change or cancel your tour
3.1 Changes or Additions To Your Tour
If you want to change any part of your tour arrangements after the invoice has been issued, we will do our best to assist but it may not be possible. Any request for changes must be made in writing by the person who made the original booking or their travel agent. If it is possible to make the change, it will be subject to an administration charge of €50 per booking and payment of any further costs incurred by us as a result of the change. You should be aware that any such costs are likely to increase, the closer to the departure date the changes are made. If we agree that you may change your booking to a tour of lower value and then you cancel that tour, we reserve the right to levy cancellation charges on the value of the original booking. Scheduled airlines normally regard name changes as a cancellation and rebooking, so any alteration may incur a 100% cancellation charge in respect of the air fare. Please note that save for the transfer of a booking (see below) or the addition of any offers made by ReedFairs which were not requested at the time of booking, it will not be possible to make changes within 30 days of your scheduled departure date.
3.2 Transferring Bookings
You can transfer your booking to another person, who satisfies all the conditions that apply to this booking, by giving us notice in writing at least 7 days before departure. Both you and the new traveler are jointly liable for paying all costs we incur in making the transfer. Additionally, an administration charge will be made of €50 per person for requests made more than 61 days before departure, and €100 per person within 61 before departure. For flight inclusive bookings, you must pay the charges levied by the airline concerned. As most airlines do not permit name changes after tickets have been issued for any reason, these charges are likely to be the full cost of the flight. If you request to change all names on a booking, this will be considered as a cancellation and new booking and full cancellation charges will apply.
3.3 Cancelling Your Tour
If you or anyone on your tour booking decides to cancel the tour, the lead name or their travel agent must notify us of the decision in writing as soon as possible. Any notification by telephone must also be confirmed in writing or by e-mail. Cancellation will take effect from the day written confirmation is received by us.
A cancellation invoice will be sent within 7 days. If you do not receive this, please contact us immediately in order to prevent an increase in charges.
Since we incur costs in cancelling your travel arrangements, the following scale of charges will be payable. Insurance premiums and amendment charges are not refundable in the event of cancellation. References to the deposit include all sums paid or payable at the time of booking.
Period prior to departure, notice of cancellation is received by us or your travel agent
Cancellation charge per person cancelling
Prior to 61 days: loss of deposit
60 – 42 days: 50% of total tour cost
41 – 33 days: 60% of total tour cost
32 – 15 days: 90% of total tour cost
14 days or less: 100% of total tour cost
NB: In some instances, airline ticketing deadlines may result in higher cancellation charges being applied to your booking. Similarly, hotels may charge a higher cancellation fee and you may therefore be charged a higher amount than detailed above.
If you have taken advantage of an airline offer and paid a higher deposit, the cancellation charge payable by you will be the higher of this deposit or the appropriate cancellation charge detailed above.
You may cancel your booking without paying cancellation charges if the performance of your package, or the carriage of passengers to your destination, is significantly affected by unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. In such circumstances, we will arrange for your booking to be terminated and for you to receive a full refund.
It is important to enquire for full details of cancellation terms at the time of booking and cancellation. You must ensure that you have appropriate travel insurance in place for your needs. We would strongly recommend that this includes, but is not limited to, cover against loss of deposit and cancellation fees.
3.4 Changing your tour due to Covid-19
We will have no liability for any refunds, compensation, costs, expenses or other losses of any kind incurred by you (including, where applicable, the cost of medical treatment), in the following circumstances:
- If you, or anyone in your booking party, test positive for Covid-19 and have to quarantine for a period of time, or are notified or otherwise become aware that you have, or suspect you may have, come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 (or where they otherwise suspect they may have Covid-19) and have to self-isolate for a period of time.
If this happens within 14 days of your departure date, you must contact us as you may no longer be able to travel. We will offer you the following options where possible and subject to availability:
Postponing your tour to a later date. We will notify you of any impact on the price the postponement may have (please note that you may have to pay full cancellation charges on some elements of your tour, such as the flight, as well any increase in cost imposed by other suppliers);
If not everyone on the booking is affected, you will have the right to transfer your place on the tour to another person nominated by you, subject always to the requirements of clause 3.2
Cancelling your tour, in which case our standard cancellation charges will apply as at the date of cancellation by you. You may be able to claim these costs back from your travel insurance provider.
If this happens whilst you are on your tour, please notify us without delay and we will provide such reasonable assistance as we can in the circumstances. However, we will not be responsible for covering the cost of any curtailment of your tour, missed transport arrangements, additional accommodation required, or other associated costs incurred by you. You must ensure you have travel insurance which covers these costs.
- You fail any tests, checks or other measures imposed by a supplier, airline, port or airport, border control authority or other government body or local authority or fail to submit for testing or assessment when requested to do so, and as such you are denied entry to board the flight, entry to the destination, access to the services or you are otherwise unable to proceed with the tour, or that portion of the tour.
You are responsible for complying with any official guidance from governments or local authorities. You also acknowledge that the suppliers providing your tour, including airlines, hotels and excursion providers, will need to comply with national and/or local guidance and requirements relating to Covid-19, and have implemented certain measures as a result. This will likely include specific requirements regarding personal protective equipment, such as use of face-masks by staff (and you may be required to wear a face-mask as well), social distancing, maximum number restrictions on the use of certain facilities, designated alternative entrance and exit routes, mandatory hand sanitization, limited entertainment options and limited food/drink availability. We do not expect these measures to have a significant impact on your enjoyment of the tour and all measures will be taken with the purpose of securing your safety and those around you.
If we want to change or cancel your tour
4.1 Website/Brochure Accuracy
We rigorously check the information about accommodation, resorts, itineraries etc., to ensure it is correct to the best of our knowledge before being published. Product descriptions and facilities may change before and after you book and it is worth noting that our brochures are prepared well in advance. Please check the up to date position at the time of booking. Please bear in mind that hoteliers, restaurateurs, night club owners etc., may wish to maintain or improve their facilities, or even take a break themselves. Flight times, carriers and routes are given for guidance only as there may be changes. Final details will be shown on your tickets. Tour, excursion, cruise or safari itineraries may change as a result of local conditions. Circumstances such as these, or weather conditions, time of year, events occurring in the destination or other situations beyond our control etc., may cause some of the amenities we have described to be unavailable or different from those advertised. When we are told of any significant or long term changes we will always endeavour to advise you prior to your departure.
4.2 Building & Development Work
Many hotels and resorts are continuing to develop, sometimes rapidly and intensively and often with little or no advance warning. Whilst we have no control over such work, as a responsible tour operator, it is important to us that you are aware of any significant building/refurbishment work that may be going on during your stay. General refurbishment at hotels is necessary to maintain standards but if we are informed of such work where this can reasonably be expected to have an effect on your tour, we will endeavour to notify you of it as soon as possible, however near to your departure this may be.
4.3 Flight Changes
Any flight timings and routings shown on our website, within our brochures and/or detailed within your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and may be subject to change. They are set by airlines and are determined by various factors including air traffic control restrictions, weather conditions, potential technical problems and the ability of passengers to check in on time. Any changes to such arrangements are outside of our control.
Airlines occasionally may change the type of aircraft used on a particular flight without advance warning. Scheduled and charter flight timings, and days of operation, are subject to change. We will advise you of any significant changes. Minor timing changes will be shown on the flight tickets, which you should check carefully when received. Any change in the identity of the airline, 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 conditions.
4.4 If We Change Or Cancel Your Tour Before Your Departure
We hope and expect to be able to provide you with all the services we have confirmed to you at the time of booking.
We plan arrangements a long time in advance of your tour using independent suppliers such as airlines, hotels etc., over whom we have no direct control. On occasions changes do have to be made, and we reserve the right to make these. Most of these changes are minor. However, occasionally, changes are significant.
Examples of a significant change include: a change of accommodation to that of a lower category and/or price for the whole or a major part of your time away, a change of flight time of more than 12 hours, a change of UK departure airport (except between London airports), or a significant change of resort area. We do our best to avoid cancelling tours but we must reserve the right to do so. However, we promise we will only cancel your confirmed booking after you have made full payment where we are forced to do so as a result of ‘force majeure’ as defined below (see 4.5) or lack of minimum numbers. Please note, some of our tours require a minimum number of participants to enable us to operate them. If the minimum number of bookings required for a particular tour has not been received, we are entitled to cancel it. We will notify you or your travel agent of cancellation for this reason no later than 61 days prior to departure.
If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible. If there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of the following options:-
(a) accepting the changed arrangements (with any refunds that may be due to you for changes to a lower category of service); or
(b) selecting an alternative tour from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked if available. If this tour is cheaper than the original, we will refund the price difference. You will be liable to us for any additional costs payable for the new arrangements; or
(c) cancelling the booking or accepting our cancellation of the booking, in which case you will receive a full refund of all monies you have paid to us, within 14 days.
If we have to make a significant change or cancel we will, where appropriate, pay you compensation as set out in the table below. Compensation entitlements will vary depending on the circumstances and when the significant change or cancellation is notified to you subject to the following exceptions: Compensation will not be payable and no liability beyond offering the above mentioned choices can be accepted where
(1) we are forced to make a change or cancel as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken or (2) we have to cancel because the minimum number of bookings necessary for us to operate your tour has not been reached (see above). No compensation will be payable and the above options will not be available if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirement of these booking conditions entitling us to cancel (such as paying on time) or where a change is a minor one. A change of flight time of less than 12 hours, airline (except where otherwise stated), type of aircraft (if advised) or destination airport will all be treated as minor changes.
Period before departure within which a significant change or cancellation is notified to you or your travel agent
Compensation
More than 60 days: NIL
60 – 42 days: €20
41 – 28 days: €30
27 – 15 days: €40
14 – 0 days: €50
4.5 Changes Due To Circumstances Beyond Our Control
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 “force majeure”. In these booking conditions, “force majeure” means any unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances beyond our control which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not have avoided, even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Such events may include but are not limited to, whether actual or threatened: war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity and its consequences, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, epidemics or pandemics or other outbreaks of illness, fire and other situations which are outside our control.
4.6 If We Change Your Tour Accommodation
We do not control the day to day management of your accommodation, and in exceptional cases it is possible that we may be advised that the reserved accommodation has been overbooked or your accommodation may have to be changed for other reasons. If this happens before your departure or on arrival in resort we will endeavour to provide accommodation of at least the same standard in the same resort area. If only accommodation of a lower standard is available we will refund the difference between the accommodation booked and that available, and where appropriate will pay up to €50 per person for any inconvenience.
4.7 If We Curtail Your Tour After Departure
Very rarely, we may be forced by “force majeure” (see 4.5) to change or terminate your tour after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any refunds from our suppliers), pay you any compensation or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result. Please ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place to cover any such eventuality.
4.8 Minimum Numbers
We will indicate whether a particular tour is subject to a minimum number of participants for its operation. We will advise you at least 61 days before departure if minimum numbers have not been reached and as a direct result your tour has to be cancelled.
You will then have the choice of booking an alternative tour with us, changing your departure date at the appropriate additional cost, or having a refund of monies paid. No compensation will be payable and we are unable to offer refunds of any associated costs i.e. visas etc.
4.9Tours
Whilst every effort is made to operate a tour as advertised, on occasion it may be necessary to make changes to the accommodation, content, routing or order of an itinerary. Unless the change significantly alters the tour, no refunds or compensation will be payable. In the event that a change is significant, see 4.4 – If we change or cancel your tour before departure.
On tour
5.1 Flight Delays
In the event of a flight being delayed, we will arrange for the following to be provided, whenever practical, and subject to the airport being able to cater for this:- over 4 hours, an appropriate meal, and for delays of at least 8 hours extending beyond midnight, overnight accommodation will be provided wherever possible. However, this will depend on such factors as the expected length of delay, local availability of accommodation, immigration rulings etc. Where long flight delays result in lost tour time, no refunds are given by hotels for unused accommodation, as rooms are held for delayed arrivals, not re-let.
5.2 Water/Electricity Supplies
In many of the less sophisticated destinations we feature, the water and electricity services struggle to keep up with the increased demands from tourism. Limited rainfall can put further pressure on their provision. Whilst hotels do everything possible to maintain full services,, power cuts and/or water restrictions may be experienced that are outside of their control. We cannot be held accountable for such occasions where outages or interruptions arise.
5.3 Personal Belongings and Lost Items
For security reasons, valuables should be kept to a minimum and packed in your hand luggage along with any medicines and some basic essentials such as a change of clothing and toiletries. It can be easy to lose items but it is your responsibility to look after your property at all times and you must ensure you are adequately covered by insurance to protect against any losses that you may wish to claim for. If you lose any personal items whilst on tour, please obtain a written report from a local representative and the police, where appropriate, as these may be required if you wish to make an insurance claim upon your return. Where an airline has lost your luggage, you should visit the relevant desk at the airport and complete a Property Irregularity Report. This form may also be required if you wish to make an insurance claim.
5.4 If You Have A Complaint While You Are On Tour
If you have cause for complaint whilst on tour, you must bring it to the attention of our local representative or agent and the hotel immediately and they will do their best to rectify the situation. If matters remain unresolved, your concerns must be brought to the attention of the ReedFairs coordinatior, without undue delay (see 5.8). It is unreasonable to take no action whilst on tour, but then to complain upon your return. If you do not raise concerns promptly, this may affect our ability to investigate and take remedial action and it may impact on the way your complaint is dealt with.
5.5 ReedFairs coordinatior
ReedFairs offers 24-hour assistance for emergency situations and to help resolve any general issues while you are on tour. The number provided on your itinerary is a messaging service and our Duty Officer will return your call. Many destinations have local representation and they should be contacted in the first instance, should you have a problem.
5.6 Our Commitment To You For Your Tour Arrangements
(a) We promise to ensure that the tour arrangements we have agreed to make, perform or provide as part of our contract with you are delivered 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 your contracted tour arrangements are not provided as promised or prove deficient as a result of the failure of ourselves, our employees, agents or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care in making, performing or providing, as applicable, your contracted tour arrangements. You must inform us without undue delay of any failure or improper performance of the travel services included in this package. Please note, it is your responsibility to show that reasonable care and skill 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).
(b) We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (for example loss of enjoyment), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever which results from any of the following: –
– the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party or
– the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party not connected with the provision of your tour and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable or
– unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, which means a situation beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. See ‘force majeure’ as defined in 4.5
(c) 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 three times the price the person affected paid for their tour (not including insurance premiums and amendment charges). We will only have to pay this maximum amount if everything has gone wrong and you have received no benefit from your tour. Where enjoyment of only some days has been affected, we will refund reasonable related expenses and pay a daily sum of compensation up to €50 per day per person affected.
(d) Further to (b) above, our liability will also be limited in accordance with and/or in an identical manner to:
- The contractual terms of the companies that provide the travel services which make up your package. These terms are incorporated into this booking; and
- Any relevant international convention, for example the Montreal Convention in respect of travel by air, the Athens Convention in respect of travel by sea, the Berne Convention in respect of travel by rail and the Paris Convention in respect of the provision of accommodation, which limit the amount of and conditions under which compensation can be claimed for death, injury, delay to passengers and loss, damage and delay to luggage. We are to be regarded as having all benefit of any limitation of the extent of or the conditions under which compensation is to be paid under these or any other applicable conventions.
In the event that any claim is made directly with us, our liability to pay compensation and/or the amount of compensation will be limited in accordance with these conventions, where applicable.
(c) Under EU law you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from your airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be publicised at EU airports and will also be available from the airlines. However, reimbursement in such cases will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your tour cost from us. If any payments to you are due from us, any payment made to you by the airline will be deducted from this amount.
(d) Please note, 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 and we have not agreed to arrange them as part of our contract and any excursion you purchase in resort. In addition, regardless of any wording used by us on our website, in any advertising material or elsewhere, we only promise to use reasonable care and skill as set out above and we do not have any greater or different liability to you.
(e) Our suppliers (such as airlines, 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 provider’s or other supplier’s liability to you. You can get copies of such conditions from our offices, or the offices of the relevant supplier.
(f) If we make any payment to you or any member of your party for death, personal injury or illness, you must agree to transfer to us or our insurers any rights you may have to take direct action against the person or organisation responsible for causing the death, personal injury or illness and you must co-operate fully with us in seeking recovery of any payment that we make.
(h) Operational decisions may be taken by air carriers and airports resulting in delays, diversions, overbookings, downgrades or rescheduling. ReedFairs has no control over such decisions, and is therefore unable to accept responsibility for them. Where, as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances we are obliged to change or end your tour after departure, but before the end of your tour, we will not pay compensation or reimburse you for expenses incurred. You should have adequate travel insurance for your tour and claim via your insurance company for any loss or damage to luggage and/or personal possessions.
If it is impossible to ensure your return as scheduled due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, we will bear the cost of necessary accommodation, if possible of equivalent category, for a maximum of three nights. The limit doesn’t apply to persons with reduced mobility and any person accompanying them, pregnant women and unaccompanied minors, or persons in need of specific medical assistance, provided that you notified us of these needs at least 48 hours before the start of your tour.
(j) Whilst you are away on tour you may be offered the opportunity to buy optional excursions and activities. These are provided by independent local companies, which are neither owned nor controlled by ReedFairs, and for whom ReedFairs acts only as an agent (if we make a booking for you). If you decide to buy an excursion or activity, your contract will be made with the local company which provides it and it will not form part of your contracted tour arrangements with us. The contract will be subject to the excursion/activity provider’s terms and conditions, some of which may exclude or limit its liability to you, and will be governed by local law and jurisdiction. ReedFairs accepts no liability for any breach of contract or act or omission of any excursion/activity provider. Some excursions/activities may contain an element of risk or require a good level of physical fitness, and, if in doubt, you should make direct enquiries with the local provider, before deciding to buy and check that you are covered by your travel insurance policy.
On return from your tour
6.1 Surveys
Your feedback is very important to us. As a valued customer, we may periodically send you email surveys to complete, so we can track your satisfaction throughout the course of your booking journey. We would like to know about your experience with ReedFairs before, during and after you travel and whether there are any elements of our service that you feel we could look to improve along the way.
6.4 Law & Jurisdiction
We both agree that these Terms and Conditions and our Agreement shall be governed by Republic of Bulgaria law, to the extent that it is not overridden by applicable mandatory rules of local laws, such as consumer protection laws. Any dispute relating in any way to the Services mentioned above, shall be adjudicated by the competent courts in Sofia, Bulgaria, and the Participant’s consent to exclusive jurisdiction and venue in such courts.
General information
Health & Vaccinations
Health facilities, hygiene and disease risk vary worldwide. You should take health advice about your specific needs as early as possible and ensure that vaccinations or preventative measures such as malaria tablets are taken early enough (which may be a month or more prior to departure) to be fully effective by the date of travel.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are aware of all recommended and required vaccination and health precautions in good time before departure. Please ensure you allow sufficient time to successfully book in any appointments, screenings or tests that may be required. It is also your responsibility to find out about any entry restrictions, screening or quarantine requirements on arrival that might affect you. Be aware that there may be enhanced screening/monitoring at entry and exit ports. In some countries borders may close or you may be required to self-isolate for a set period, even if you do not have any symptoms of illness.
Due to evolving global events, it is more important than ever to ensure you check medical and health requirements regularly. Failure to take the appropriate action could result in denied boarding or entry as airlines and/or countries become stricter with respect of their entry requirements.
Passports & Visas
Please remember that every traveller (including all children from birth) will need a valid passport to travel. If your passport is endorsed in any way, requirements should be checked with the relevant embassy. Visa and entry information can change at very short notice and recent global events have led to unprecedented international border closures and other restrictions.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before departure. Any costs incurred in obtaining such documentation must be paid by you. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry all required documentation. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results in fines, surcharges or other financial penalty or expenses being imposed on or incurred by us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly.
USA ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
The US Government has strict entry regulations which must be adhered to. Please note if you or your dependants do not have the appropriate personal documentation the US Customs will not allow entry.
All passports must be valid, machine readable with a digital photograph or an e-passport with an electronic chip. You can check the validity of your passport on the useful link on the US Embassy website.
Health, Safety & Security Abroad
We take the safety and security of our clients extremely seriously. If the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises that people should not visit a particular destination and we reasonably believe this is going to affect your tour arrangements, we will act on this and we reserve the right to cancel your tour. However, we are sure you appreciate from press and television coverage that the political, economic and social conditions in many of the countries we feature in this brochure are not as stable as we are used to in the United Kingdom. Sadly, crimes against both people and their property are a fact of life the world over, and when in a foreign country it is very important to be extra vigilant and avoid drawing attention to yourself by wearing expensive jewellery, carrying expensive camera equipment etc. Travellers have the same responsibility for their health, personal safety and that of their possessions as they do at home. We sell tours to many parts of the world, some of which do not conform to health and safety standards. We request that all hotels comply with the local regulations applicable in their country for health and safety but we cannot guarantee that these meet standards and therefore urge that you undertake reasonable precautions to protect your family and yourself whilst on tour.
Flying times
The times given in this brochure are approximate and based on outbound flights. They may vary depending on flight schedules, type of aircraft, weather conditions etc., and are indications of the hours spent actually flying (excluding time on the ground during stops en route or when changing aircraft). Where no figures are shown, we do not offer direct or same day connecting flights.
Tour insurance
This is a vital part of any tour so please ensure you take out adequate travel insurance as soon as your booking has been confirmed. It is essential that you discuss both your itinerary and your specific needs with your policy provider to ensure you are suitably protected.