Booking Conditions

Please read the booking conditions and general information contained herein carefully. The following conditions together with any information set out in our literature will form part of your contract with Diplomatic Travel Ltd.

Please be aware that these terms include limitations on the liability of Diplomatic Travel Ltd and its obligations relating to any Travel Arrangements and certain exclusions of Diplomatic Travel Ltd?s responsibility.
Complete the booking form and send it with your deposit or full payment (whichever is applicable) to Diplomatic Travel Ltd. In all cases a booking form must be signed and returned with a non-refundable deposit (or full payment) together with the insurance premium which will be notified by us at the time of booking and will be shown on your invoice (see travel insurance below).
A booking will be considered firm when the deposit or full payment has been received by and accepted by Diplomatic Travel Ltd and a confirmation invoice issued, showing the balance due. If for any reason we are not able to accept your booking your deposit will be returned in full.

On Group bookings we reserve the right to exclude from group activities, or in serious cases, send home anyone who places any member of the group in danger because of his/her actions or who causes problems or severe discord amongst the group.

Special requests should be indicated on the booking form at the time of booking or made in writing. We will try to meet all special requests, but cannot guarantee their availability, nor will we be liable if any special request is not fulfilled.
Where rooming companions are requested (same gender) on Diplomatic Travel Ltd group tours, although we will do our best to find a suitable companion with a similar background and interests, it will be at your request and we therefore cannot be held responsible for any clashes of personality etc.
The person who signs the booking form does so on behalf of all persons named on the booking form and all are subject to these conditions.
Payment is accepted by Cash, cheque or Credit Card. For bookings made within 28 days of departure full payment will be accepted by Credit Card, Cash or a guaranteed Cheque only.
The final balance is due 12 weeks prior to departure or as shown on your invoice. If not paid by the said date your booking may be subject to cancellation by us and liable to full cancellation charges as shown on your invoice.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS PRICE

Prices quoted in our literature are based on airfares, tariffs, costs and taxes current at the time we went to print, often many months before the travel season. Whilst Diplomatic Travel Ltd makes strenuous efforts to adhere to the prices quoted in our literature or advertising, we reserve the right to notify you of any increase in the literature or advertised price before accepting your booking.
After a confirmation invoice has been issued, the price of your travel arrangements is subject to surcharges on or in relation to the following items; increase in transportation costs (including fuel and airfares) Governmental action, exchange rate variations, increases in scheduled airfares, overlying charges and fees chargeable for services (including land taxes and embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports). Only amounts in excess of 2% will be surcharged. However where a surcharge is payable, there will be an administration charge.
Surcharges will be notified by a supplementary invoice sent to you.
If a surcharge increases the total Travel Arrangements price shown on your original confirmation invoice by more than 12%, you may cancel your booking within 7 days of the date of issue of the supplementary invoice and obtain a full refund of all payments made to Diplomatic Travel Ltd, except for Travel Insurance and any amendment charges previously incurred.
You may choose to pay for your Travel Arrangements in full at the time of booking, in which case the price will be fixed at the cost quoted by Diplomatic Travel Ltd at that time. To take advantage of this benefit you should return the confirmation invoice to Diplomatic Travel Ltd with full payment to reach us within 7 days of the date shown on the confirmation.

Should the value of the £ strengthen, we will not be able to reduce Travel Arrangements prices as all Travel Arrangements will have been pre-booked by us at the prevailing rate at that time.

LIABILITY

Diplomatic Travel Ltd operates all reasonable checks to ensure that everybody involved in making your Travel Arrangements maintain the appropriate standards.

DIPLOMATIC TRAVEL LTD OBLIGATIONS

Diplomatic Travel Ltd accepts liability for the proper performance of its obligations under its agreement with you for the provision of your Travel Arrangements. If you have a justified complaint about any of the services forming any part of the Travel Arrangements that we have confirmed or any excursion organised by us, we will pay you reasonable compensation in accordance with these Booking Conditions.

If you or any member of your party suffers damage by Diplomatic Travel Ltd?s failure to perform, or Diplomatic Travel Ltd?s improper performance of, its agreement with you for the provision of your Travel Arrangements Diplomatic Travel Ltd accepts liability except in the following circumstances:-
1. If the failure or improper performance is your fault or the fault of any member of your party.
2. If the failure is the fault of someone else not connected with the provision of the services which make up the Travel Arrangements which Diplomatic Travel Ltd has confirmed to you.
3. In the event of any unusual and unforeseeable circumstance beyond Diplomatic Travel Ltd?s control the consequence of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised.
4. If any event occurs which Diplomatic Travel Ltd or the supplier of any service which forms part of the Travel Arrangements, even with all due care could not foresee or forestall.
5. If the failure or improper performance is part of an activity, tour or journey not booked by Diplomatic Travel Ltd as part of our contract prior to departure.

Diplomatic Travel Ltd shall offer when possible (and without prejudice) prompt general assistance to any client who through mishap suffers difficulty, illness, personal injury or death during their Travel Arrangements with us, and arising out of an activity which does not form part of the Travel Arrangements that Diplomatic Travel Ltd has confirmed

Diplomatic Travel Ltd liability will not exceed any limitation applicable under any international convention governing or relating to the provision of the service complained of, even if that convention has not been ratified by or applied in the United Kingdom or any limitation under Diplomatic Travel Ltd?s professional indemnity and liability insurances.

Luggage, valuables and all other personal effects are at all times and in all circumstances at your risk unless and to the extent that loss or damage is proved to have been caused by Diplomatic Travel Ltd?s negligence. Nothing in these conditions excludes or limits Diplomatic Travel Ltd?s liability for its duty to exercise diligence in making arrangements for your Travel Arrangements or its liability save as set out above.

If Diplomatic Travel Ltd makes any payment of compensation or financial assistance to you or any other individual named on the booking form in respect of any loss, damage, injury, illness or death caused by any other person then Diplomatic Travel Ltd will be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of such person. This means that Diplomatic Travel Ltd will be entitled to claim in place of you or that individual person against the person responsible (up to the amount paid by us) and that you and each individual agrees to assign the relevant part of their rights to us to enable us to do so.

Representatives and Agents are not entitled without Diplomatic Travel Ltd?s express authority to alter itineraries, cancel arrangements or tickets, make or promise refunds on our behalf or obtain loans or services or incur telecommunications expenses on your behalf.

Diplomatic Travel Ltd is a Travel organiser only - Diplomatic Travel Ltd does not control or operate any airline, shipping company, coach company, transport or any other facility or service mentioned in our literature and Diplomatic Travel Ltd therefore contracts on your behalf with the supplier of such facilities and services. When you use such facilities or services (e.g. when you are carried by a particular airline) the standard terms and conditions of such supplier will apply to you. Such conditions, some of which will limit or exclude liability in certain circumstances, and which may be subject to international conventions between countries, may be inspected or, on request, will be available from Diplomatic Travel Ltd.

Amendments and Cancellation

CANCELLATION OR ALTERATION BY YOU

1. If you wish to cancel or amend your booking Diplomatic Travel Ltd will make every effort to assist you. Requests for amendment or cancellation must be in writing, and signed by the signatory of the booking form. Amendments received and made 60 days before departure will incur an amendment charge of £40 per booking, plus any communication charge or other expenses incurred by Diplomatic Travel Ltd. In some circumstances amendment/cancellation fees may differ. In this event those shown on the booking form will take precedent.
2. If you cancel your booking, the following general scale of cancellation charges will be payable based on the number of days prior to departure written notice of cancellation is received at our office.
Prior to 84 days forfeiture of deposit
83 - 60 days prior 40% of total Travel price
60 - 30 days prior 75% of total Travel price
29 - 7 days prior 90% of total Travel price
Less than 7 days 100% of total Travel price
(In certain circumstances cancellation charges may differ. If this is the case the charges will be clearly shown on your confirmation invoice and these will take precedence over the charges shown here).
3. Diplomatic Travel Ltd are unable to make any allowances for accommodation, meals or other services not utilised by you during your Travel Arrangements. Furthermore, no refund can be made for travel tickets lost, destroyed or mislaid.
4. If you are unable to take your Travel Arrangements because of illness, redundancy, unavoidable commitments at work, jury service, death or illness of a close member of the family, it may be possible to transfer your Travel Arrangements to a person acceptable to Diplomatic Travel Ltd. You must request the transfer in writing at least 30 days in advance and prior to ticket issue. Your request for a transfer must be accompanied by documentary proof of the reason for the transfer, complete details of the person replacing you and written confirmation that your replacement agrees to be bound by the terms and conditions listed. The administration fee will be £80 per person plus any charges levied by the suppliers. It is important to note that airlines sometimes charge a 100% cancellation fee in addition to the cost of a new ticket.

CANCELLATION OR ALTERATION BY DIPLOMATIC TRAVEL LTD

1. Diplomatic Travel Ltd has made every effort to ensure that the information, description and prices quoted in its literature are accurate at the time of printing. Diplomatic Travel Ltd reserves the right to advise you of any change, including any price changes, before accepting your booking.
2. After a confirmation invoice has been issued, Diplomatic Travel Ltd makes every effort to operate the Travel Arrangements as printed in the literature. On some rare occasions Diplomatic Travel Ltd may have to modify a Travel Arrangement prior to your departure. If the modification is significant i.e. change of flight time by more than 15 hours, a change of international airport (except between airports serving the same city e.g. Heathrow and Gatwick) a change of destination or a change to lower standard of accommodation, Diplomatic Travel Ltd will advise you as soon as practicably possible. You may or may not accept the modification.
3. However, if you cancel and receive a full refund following a significant modification made for any reason other than Force Majeure, you will receive the following compensation, depending on the length of time before the date of departure that you are informed of the change.
More than 42 £10 per person
21 - 41 £20 per person
8 - 20 £25 per person
0 - 7 days £30 per person
4. Force Majeure means unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond Diplomatic Travel Ltd?s control, the consequences of which neither Diplomatic Travel Ltd nor its suppliers could avoid, including but not limited to war, threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity (actual or threatened), industrial dispute, hostilities, political unrest, Government action or airport regulations, natural or other disaster, nuclear incident, weather conditions, technical problems with transportation, closure of airports, fire, flood, drought, temporary technical breakdown in an hotel or apartment.
5. If there is a minor modification before your departure (any change not included in the definition of a significant modification as set out above) Diplomatic Travel Ltd will notify you, although it is not obliged to do so, nor is it obliged to pay any compensation.
6. If you fail to pay the balance of the Travel Arrangements price at least 12 weeks 84 days) before departure or as shown on your invoice, we will treat your booking as cancelled and levy the cancellation charges set out in Clause 2 above.
7. If Diplomatic Travel Ltd has to cancel your Travel Arrangements in any other circumstances before your departure Diplomatic Travel Ltd will do its best to offer you Travel Arrangements of a comparable standard or will give you a full refund. Diplomatic Travel Ltd pay compensation as set out in Clause 3a.

Travel Insurance

Under current EC regulations we are obliged to ensure that you are adequately covered with travel insurance at the time of travel. We offer a general insurance policy including medical cover which is good value. You do not have to take this however we would need details of the cover you hold. Please note that insurance cover only becomes effective once the proposal form together with relevant premium is received by Diplomatic Travel Ltd. When taking out cover we strongly recommend that you read all the small print since some conditions and activities may be excluded. For example you may not be covered if travelling against medical advice and certain conditions will not be covered if they were an existing medical condition known at the time insurance was taken out. These can often be covered at an additional cost. If in any doubt please ask. You should also be aware for certain activities such as Safaris you would only be covered under a travel insurance policy provided it was booked prior to departure and as part of the package by a UK Tour Operator.

Safari Wildlife Habitat Indemnities

As part of your travel arrangements you may have elected to visit such areas as, National Parks, Zoos, Private Game Reserves or Wildlife Habitats. In these areas there may be wild animals or potentially dangerous situations. You should be aware that in the majority of these areas you may well be asked to sign an indemnity indemnifying the principals and their agents against such occurrences as injury or death in the event of any accidents.
Whilst every reasonable care will be taken by the safari lodge or activity owners to avoid any mishaps, accidents can happen. In most instances if these indemnity forms are not signed on arrival the safari lodge or activity operator may not allow you to take part in such activities or game drives, bush walks, riding or rafting etc. If you would be unhappy to sign such an indemnity then please carefully consider your choice of holiday. Your signature on Diplomatic Travel Ltd's booking form accepts your responsibility on behalf of yourself and all others on the booking form to comply with these conditions.

Airport Delays

Diplomatic Travel Ltd use the scheduled services of the World?s major international airlines. These are rarely subject to lengthy delays. In the unlikely event that this does happen, responsibility for arrangement for meals, overnight accommodation etc., will rest with the airline.

Travel Documents

Whilst offering all possible advice and assistance all passport, visa and health certificate requirements are your responsibility and Diplomatic Travel Ltd accept no responsibility for any delay or expense incurred through any irregularity in your documents. You are advised to consult Diplomatic Travel Ltd for exact details if uncertain.

If you have a problem

If you are unhappy with any of the arrangements made by Diplomatic Travel Ltd on your behalf while you are on your travels, you should inform Diplomatic Travel Ltd , the Hotel or our representative or other supplier whose services are involved, so that the we will have an opportunity to correct the matter during your stay. If you fail to do so, any rights you may have will be reduced. If any problem cannot be resolved locally and you wish to complain, full details must be sent to Diplomatic Travel Ltd in writing within 21 days of your return from your Travel?s. Disputes arising out of, or in connection with this contract which cannot be settled amicably, may be referred to arbitration. This contract and any matters arising from it are governed by the laws of England and Wales and are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Your Financial Protection

The air holidays and flights in the itinerary are ATOL Protected, since we hold an Air Travel Organiser?s Licence (ATOL) granted by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Our ATOL number is 5469. When you buy an ATOL protected air package holiday or flight from us, you will receive a Confirmation Invoice confirming your arrangements and your protection under ATOL No. 5469. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking.
For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk.