You must complete a booking form and either send this by post or online to us with a deposit of 25% of the basic cost of the holiday per person. In the case of bookings made less than two months before departure we require payment in full.
The person who signs the booking form accepts responsibility for the party, and in particular for payment of the deposit for everyone on the booking form.
You must be at least 18 years old to make a booking. Where a booking is made through a travel agent any money paid by you to the travel agent is held on our behalf.
A contract is made when we accept your booking and send you our written or e-mailed confirmation and invoice.
If we cannot accept the booking, any money paid will be promptly refunded.
Anyone booking must understand that any special medical condition, disability, need or dietary requirement must be made known when booking.
Planet Blue cannot be held responsible for any loss where the above have not been declared at the time of booking.
2. Payment
We hold your deposit towards the full cost of the holiday. The balance must be received by us no later than two months prior to departure. If you do not pay the full cost within the time specified we may treat the contract as cancelled and retain your deposit.
Payment can be made either by cheque made out to Planet Blue or online.
3. Surcharges
a. We reserve the right to notify you of any increase in the advertised price before accepting your booking.
b. After a confirmation and invoice has been issued the price of your holiday is subject to change on the following items: currency changes, yacht hire costs and any transport costs. In the case of such changes meaning an increase in the cost of your holiday, we will set out as clearly as possible the amount and reason for the extra charge. Small increases will be absorbed by Planet Blue.
4. Cancellation by you
We cannot refund your deposit if you cancel your trip. (If you have a genuine reason for cancellation then your insurance should cover you).If you cancel less than 2 months before your departure you will be required to pay the outstanding balance.
5. Cancellation by Us
We reserve the right to cancel your trip.
Where this occurs because of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control (such as force majeure, war, terrorist activity, strikes etc.) or because of lack of numbers, no compensation will be paid and we shall have no further liability to you. If this occurs we will offer you the choice of an alternative holiday (if available) or a refund of all monies paid.
A warning about lack of numbers will be sent 2 months before the trip and a final decision on lack of numbers will be taken 1 month prior to departure.
If we cancel your holiday in other circumstances which are not your fault we will offer you the choice of an alternative holiday, (if available), or a refund of all monies paid and in addition we will pay compensation per person as follows:
43-84 days before departure: £100
0-42 days before departure: £150
6. Own Arrangements
We cannot be held liable or responsible for any elements of your trip which are considered "own arrangements". We recommend that sufficient insurance is therefore obtained.
7. Variation by you
Alterations to your booking are at our discretion and must be requested in writing or e-mail by the person who signed the booking form. Additional fees may be charged, depending on the cost and work caused to us.
If you are unable to travel for a good and unavoidable reason we may transfer your booking to another person provided that a request for such a transfer is made at least 30 days before departure and accompanied by a properly completed booking form. Further, the transferee must fulfil any conditions which apply to the travel arrangements and either you or the transferee must pay all costs of the original booking and all costs of the transfer before the transfer is effected. The cost of the transfer will consist of both an administration charge of £25 and all costs which our suppliers impose.
8. Variation by us
Holidays to remote and in some cases underdeveloped parts of the world carry a risk that parts of the holiday will be subject to alterations beyond our control and at short notice. You accept that changes may occur. Where a major change is necessary we shall notify you as soon as possible and if the alteration is not acceptable to you we shall offer you an alternative holiday (if available) or where either the alteration or the alternative holiday (if available) is not acceptable to you for a good reason refund all monies. We reserve the right to use alternative airlines, local airports and local connecting transport and this will not constitute a major alteration.
9. Twin Shares
Twin share bookings are automatically reviewed 1 month prior to the departure. If a partner has not been found by then the single supplement will apply. Should a partner subsequently be found in reasonable time for arrangements to be made for departure a refund will be made of the appropriate supplement, prior to departure.
10. Health, visas and documents
You must ensure that all members of your party have a valid passport and visas, all inoculations and health certificates for all countries to be visited. Please consult you doctor well in advance of departure. Your passport must be valid for at least six months following your arrival at the foreign destination.
a. We will offer reasonable assistance and advice to you in how to obtain such items, but we cannot in any circumstances be responsible if any member of the party is not permitted to enter any country. You should therefore make necessary arrangements well in advance of your departure date.
For FCO advice contact www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo or ABTA Information Line tel 0901 201 5050 (calls are charged at 50p per minute).
11. Special Circumstances
Our trips are not designed for party members to undertake special projects or research whether in connection with study, employment or otherwise, We cannot accept any liability for any losses or damages arising out of such use or planned use nor for any loss or damage that has special financial consequences.
Please note: if you do intend to use one of our trips for such purposes you should obtain adequate insurance in respect of it and any special equipment you decide to bring on such tours.
12. Guides and wildlife
We reserve the right to substitute a named guide or other escort with an alternative qualified person. Although many of our itineraries are designed to enable clients to obtain excellent opportunities to see wildlife, it is not possible to guarantee sightings.
13. Holiday participation
It is a condition that you agree to accept the authority and decisions of our tour leader whilst on holiday with us. If in the opinion of such a person your health or conduct at any time, before or after departure, appears likely to endanger the safe, comfortable or happy progress of a holiday, you may be excluded from all or part of the trip, and any additional costs incurred by you as a result of such exclusion will be your responsibility.
In the case of ill health we may make such arrangements as we see fit and recover any costs from you.
14. Our responsibility
We accept liability for the proper performance of the holiday sold to you. We have taken reasonable care to ensure that our suppliers are reputable, safe and efficient businesses. We will monitor and control the performance of our suppliers and judge their performance against the standards and customs in the country where the services are provided. If our suppliers are able to exclude or limit liability by virtue of any international convention we will claim the benefit of that exclusion or limitation.
We cannot accept liability in the following circumstances:
a. if the failure or improper performance is your fault or the fault of any member of your party; b. if the failure is the fault of someone else connected with the provision of events, travel or itinerary which you or third parties unconnected with us have arranged; c. liability arising out of use of our services for special projects or research whether in connection with study, employment or otherwise; d. liability for any loss or damage that has special financial consequences; or e. any unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
Please note that in the event that any compensation is payable by us to you such compensation will not exceed twice the cost of your holiday.
Nothing in this agreement shall exclude or limit in any way our liability for fraud or for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents , contractors or suppliers.
15. Travel delays
Should delays due to weather conditions disrupt your itinerary additional costs may be incurred and these would be the responsibility of you, the client.
16. Insurance
It is a condition of booking with us that you obtain adequate travel insurance. The cost of medical and other treatment overseas can be high and we will not be able to assist in meeting those costs. You must provide evidence of adequate insurance no later than 12 weeks before departure.
17. Complaints
Claims against Planet Blue concerning liability or compensation shall fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of English law. Nothing in this agreement excludes or limits in any way our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or the negligence of our employees or agents acting in the course of their employment.
18. Data Protection
We will store and use the personal data supplied by you as part of your booking form only for the purposes of fulfilling the contract between us. We will never pass on your information to third parties, other than to fulfil the contract between us. We will also use the information to keep you informed of our services and any special offers available, provided you want us to.
