Terms and Conditions for scuba diving excursions
1. YOUR CONTRACT
These are the conditions between you and BlueItaly. When you book a holiday through us, a contract is made when we confirm your booking. The person making the booking accepts these conditions on behalf of the party and is responsible for the payment of the whole holiday. They are also responsible for keeping everyone in the party informed of the booking details. You must be at least 18 years old to make a booking with us. Your Travel Agent or ourselves, will supply you with an invoice soon after you have made your booking. You should check this carefully to confirm that it matches what you have booked.
2. FINANCIAL PROTECTION
We do not supply financial protection so all insurance policies must be taken out by yourselves. We book for you with the dive centres and hotels, and each one has their own separate policy.
3. PRICES
When you make your booking, you must pay in full for all travel arrangements. On occasions a non-refundable deposit may be accepted for travel arrangements booked prior to 10 weeks before the departure date (which also constitutes your balance due date). Deposit amounts vary according to the conditions of the suppliers we use, if a deposit can be taken, you will be advised of the amount at the time of booking. Once you have made your booking and paid a deposit, we guarantee not to increase your holiday price as a result of changes in currency exchange rates. However, prices may be increased or decreased to reflect changes in transport costs from land to islands, taxes (including a change to VAT), or fees chargeable for services. Even then, in the event of a price increase, BlueItaly will absorb the first 2% (excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges), of the holiday price before passing on any surcharge to you. If this increases the price of your holiday by more than 10% you may accept an offer of an alternative holiday from us if we are able to offer one or cancel and claim a full refund (excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges). If you cancel for this reason, you must notify us within 14 days of the date printed on the new invoice. We will not increase the price of your holiday, for any reason within 30 days of your departure date. If in the future, the Government or other regulatory body introduces a charge or levy for the holidays we sell, BlueItaly reserves the right to pass on that charge or levy to you.
4. IF YOU CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
You or a member of your party may change or cancel their travel arrangements at any time provided that the change or cancellation is made by the lead passenger and is communicated to ourselves in writing. Changes can be made to your booking after the reservation has been made, subject to availability where applicable. For any changes made we charge a €50 administration fee plus any additional costs levied on to ourselves by our suppliers. If the change you request reduces or increases the number of passengers travelling on your booking, we reserve the right to re-calculate the total holiday price based on the revised number of persons sharing the accommodation. This recalculation may increase or decrease your total holiday price.
To cancel your holiday, you must notify us immediately in writing. The cancellation fee, up to a charge of 100%, will be assessed at the time of cancellation and the lead passenger advised accordingly. If a deposit has been paid to confirm your holiday, the following table of cancellation charges will apply;
Period before arrival date when change takes place.
Charge:
More than 56 days - Loss of deposit
56 – 43 days 20% or deposit (whichever is greater)
42 – 28 days 50%
28 – 7 days 80%
6 – 0 days 100%
5. IF WE CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Occasionally we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to undertake such changes or cancel a booking at any time. Most changes are minor, for example, a change to a hotel facility, a boat trip to the islands time change of less than 12 hours or a change to your accommodation to one of the same official category. In the case of a minor change, we will advise you or your travel agent at the earliest possible date but we do not pay compensation. If we have to make a major change, for example, a significant alteration to a change of accommodation to a lower official category, you will have the following options;
1. YOUR CONTRACT
These are the conditions between you and BlueItaly. When you book a holiday through us, a contract is made when we confirm your booking. The person making the booking accepts these conditions on behalf of the party and is responsible for the payment of the whole holiday. They are also responsible for keeping everyone in the party informed of the booking details. You must be at least 18 years old to make a booking with us. Your Travel Agent or ourselves, will supply you with an invoice soon after you have made your booking. You should check this carefully to confirm that it matches what you have booked.
2. FINANCIAL PROTECTION
We do not supply financial protection so all insurance policies must be taken out by yourselves. We book for you with the dive centres and hotels, and each one has their own separate policy.
3. PRICES
When you make your booking, you must pay in full for all travel arrangements. On occasions a non-refundable deposit may be accepted for travel arrangements booked prior to 10 weeks before the departure date (which also constitutes your balance due date). Deposit amounts vary according to the conditions of the suppliers we use, if a deposit can be taken, you will be advised of the amount at the time of booking. Once you have made your booking and paid a deposit, we guarantee not to increase your holiday price as a result of changes in currency exchange rates. However, prices may be increased or decreased to reflect changes in transport costs from land to islands, taxes (including a change to VAT), or fees chargeable for services. Even then, in the event of a price increase, BlueItaly will absorb the first 2% (excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges), of the holiday price before passing on any surcharge to you. If this increases the price of your holiday by more than 10% you may accept an offer of an alternative holiday from us if we are able to offer one or cancel and claim a full refund (excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges). If you cancel for this reason, you must notify us within 14 days of the date printed on the new invoice. We will not increase the price of your holiday, for any reason within 30 days of your departure date. If in the future, the Government or other regulatory body introduces a charge or levy for the holidays we sell, BlueItaly reserves the right to pass on that charge or levy to you.
4. IF YOU CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
You or a member of your party may change or cancel their travel arrangements at any time provided that the change or cancellation is made by the lead passenger and is communicated to ourselves in writing. Changes can be made to your booking after the reservation has been made, subject to availability where applicable. For any changes made we charge a €50 administration fee plus any additional costs levied on to ourselves by our suppliers. If the change you request reduces or increases the number of passengers travelling on your booking, we reserve the right to re-calculate the total holiday price based on the revised number of persons sharing the accommodation. This recalculation may increase or decrease your total holiday price.
To cancel your holiday, you must notify us immediately in writing. The cancellation fee, up to a charge of 100%, will be assessed at the time of cancellation and the lead passenger advised accordingly. If a deposit has been paid to confirm your holiday, the following table of cancellation charges will apply;
Period before arrival date when change takes place.
Charge:
More than 56 days - Loss of deposit
56 – 43 days 20% or deposit (whichever is greater)
42 – 28 days 50%
28 – 7 days 80%
6 – 0 days 100%
5. IF WE CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
Occasionally we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to undertake such changes or cancel a booking at any time. Most changes are minor, for example, a change to a hotel facility, a boat trip to the islands time change of less than 12 hours or a change to your accommodation to one of the same official category. In the case of a minor change, we will advise you or your travel agent at the earliest possible date but we do not pay compensation. If we have to make a major change, for example, a significant alteration to a change of accommodation to a lower official category, you will have the following options;
- Accepting the change of the arrangements
- Book alternative travel arrangements with us. If it costs less than your original arrangements, we will refund the difference.
- Cancel with a full refund of all monies paid.
If we have to cancel your booking, you will have the second and third options mentioned above.
In the case of significant changes or cancellation, you will be entitled to compensation as detailed in the table below, with the exception of force majeure (see 7) and where we cancel due to you not paying the balance of your travel arrangements.
Period before arrival when change takes place.
Compensation per person:
More than 56 days - Nil
29 - 56 days €10
15 – 28 days €15
8 – 14 days €20
0 – 7 days €25
Important note: Should there be a cancellation or a technical delay to your outward flight, you must immediately notify ourselves of the situation. Failure to do so may result in cancellation fees levied by your accommodation provider. Should there be a cancellation or a technical delay to your return flight, your airline will either carry you at the earliest opportunity on another of their services subject to space or re-route you to an alternative destination on one of their services. Your hotel may, on occasion, utilise the services of a hotel of a similar or better standard and transfer you accordingly. BlueItaly cannot accept responsibility for such changes but will attempt to minimise any disruption to your original holiday booking.
6. DELAYS AND RE-SCHEDULING
We have no control in the event of transport delays or re-scheduling. We are unable to offer compensation for travel delays.
7. FORCE MAJEURE
This means unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control. These can include, but is not restricted to, for example, war, threat of war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, epidemics, health risks, flood, unavoidable airline technical delay, closure or congestion of airports, stations or ports, terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disaster, fire or adverse weather conditions.
8. COMPLAINTS
If you have a problem during your travel arrangements, please inform the relevant supplier (e.g. your hotelier), who will endeavour to put things right quickly. It is strongly recommended that you communicate any complaint to the supplier in question without delay and while in your destination. If you fail to follow this procedure we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint while you were in your destination. This may affect your rights under this contract. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please follow this up within 28 days of your return home in writing to [email protected] giving your booking reference number and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise and to the point, this will assist us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you.
9. WEB COSTINGS
We will notify customers with 24 hours if there are any applicable cost discrepancies relating to their booking. Should this unlikely event occur, customers may choose to pay the correct price or receive a refund of all monies paid.
10. OUR LIABILITY TO YOU
If the contract we have with you is not performed or is improperly performed by us or our suppliers we will pay you appropriate compensation if this has affected the enjoyment of your travel arrangements. However we will not be liable where any failure in the performance of the contract is due to: you; or a third party unconnected with the provision of the travel arrangements and where the failure is unforeseeable or unavoidable; or unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised; or an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall.
11. UNREASONABLE BEHAVIOUR
If someone in authority believes that you are unfit to travel or likely to disturb or harm others, they may prevent you from travelling. Similarly, if your behaviour at your overseas property is considered to be unacceptable by the hotelier or owner of the property, you may be asked to leave. In both circumstances, your contract with us will end immediately; there will be no refund for unused travel or accommodation and you will be entirely responsible for all expenses you may incur. We will also hold members of your party jointly and individually liable for any damage to the property, together with legal costs we incur in pursuing the claim. We cannot be responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests who have no connection with your travel arrangements or us.
12. THE 1998 DATA PROTECTION ACT
Information you provide will be held on the Group’s computers (and in other ways) for use by us and other group companies for the following purposes:
- Booking Information: Information about you and the travelling party may be passed to our suppliers and may include things such as religious beliefs, dietary requirements, your or your travelling party’s physical or mental health. This information may also be transferred abroad.
- Statistical Analysis/Market Research.
- Fraud Prevention/Debt Collection.
- Contacting you: We may contact you via e-mail, post or phone with details of the Group or selected suppliers’ products and services which may be of interest to you. We may also monitor and/or record your telephone conversations with the Group for security purposes and staff training.
By entering into a contract with BlueItaly, you agree to the use and disclosure of information by the Group as described.
