General Information and Conditions 

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General Information & Conditions - Luxury Private Rail Journeys

APT’s fair trading contract with you.

It is our intention to set out clearly and simply the responsibilities which we at Australian Pacific Touring (UK) Ltd. (hereforth referred to as APT (UK) Ltd.) have to you and which you, in turn, have to us when a contract is made between us. A contract will exist as soon as we issue a confirmation invoice in response to your booking and subsequent deposit paid. On our part we have obligations to provide you with the tour you have booked on the terms clearly stated below and within this brochure. Your contract is entered into with APT (UK) Ltd.

Prices – Deposits – Discounts – Payments

The tour price will be confirmed to you at the time of booking. If, however, it is different to what you had expected then you do not have to proceed with the booking. Twin Share prices are per person unless otherwise stated. APT (UK) Ltd. reserves the right to adjust the published price should this become necessary due to adverse exchange rate variations, increase in transportation costs or newly introduced government taxes. Even in this case we will absorb an amount equivalent to 2% of the holiday price which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment fees. Only amounts in excess of this 2% will be surcharged but where a surcharge is payable there will be an administration charge of £1 together with an amount to cover agents’ commission. If this means paying more than 10% of the holiday price, you will be entitled to cancel your holiday and receive a full refund of all monies paid to us. Should you decide to cancel because of this, you must exercise your right to do so within 14 days from the issue date printed on the confirmation. No surcharges will be levied less than 30 days before departure. Prices for holidays in this brochure are based on exchange rates published in the Financial Times World Currency Guide in December 2012.

A £2000 deposit per person, per cruise/tour is required within seven days of booking confirmation for all bookings in Silver and Gold Class packages, £3500 per person deposit is required in Imperial Suite packages, and an additional £500 per person deposit is required for bookings on the Naadam Festival package. On some holidays we may charge a slightly higher deposit to cover any costs we have to pay immediately to secure your booking with our suppliers. This will be mentioned at the time of booking. Final payment is due 90 days prior to departure unless stated in the terms of a special offer. APT (UK) Ltd. reserves the right to cancel any ticket or booking or to refuse to carry any passenger where payment has not been received by APT (UK) Ltd. within the specified time. All fares are in British Pounds. Prices are per person twin share (unless specified). Credit card surcharges apply.

Cancellation Policy

For all holidays within this brochure, the following applies:

All cancellations must be received in writing by APT (UK) Ltd. and are not effective until this notification has been received. If tour or cruise has commenced, 100% of full tour price is charged. There is no refund for unused services or if portions of the cruise and/or land arrangements are missed. Cancellation fees also apply to additional accommodation reserved prior to and after the tour. These cancellation fees are in addition to any fees that may be levied by your travel agent.

Late bookings

Payment in full is required at time of booking for reservations made less than 90 days before departure from the UK. If reservation cannot be confirmed, all monies will be refunded.

Free Chauffer Driven Return Transfers promotion

Passengers booking from the Luxury Private Rail Journeys brochure are eligible for Free chauffer driven return transfers from their home to the airport up to 100miles. Additional miles may be purchased for longer journeys, please contact your APT consultant for more details. No credit is offered for unused transfers. Offers may be withdrawn at any time and cannot be combined with any other offers.

Publication Validity

The itineraries and fares shown on this website are effective from May to October 2012. Itineraries and fares after April 2013 may be different from those indicated, please check at the time of your enquiry or booking to ensure you are aware of any changes.

Included in Your Tour Price

All flights as stated on the itinerary, all accommodation as per the itinerary; both on board the train and in hotels; all meals starting with dinner on the first day (on some tours this may differ slightly, so please refer to the specific itinerary); a generous allowance of wine, beer, soft drinks and tea and coffee with all lunches and dinners both on and off the train (except where stated otherwise); all arrival and departure transfers; guided off-train sightseeing excursions; the services of experienced tour leaders; complimentary tea, coffee and mineral water 24 hours a day, all gratuities; and a doctor travelling with the group. Meals and sightseeing are included as indicated in itineraries.

Not Included in Your Tour Price

Passport and Visa Fees, excess baggage charges; insurance. Optional tours, meals and drinks (other than those specified in the itinerary), Personal expenses such as drinks in the bar car or laundry, telephone calls, hairdressing, spa treatments (where available), fuel surcharges, airport and government taxes.

Inclusive Flights

Tour price is inclusive of flight from select UK airports to APT (UK) Ltd. As indicated in the itineraries. The flight numbers and times on your confirmation are for the purpose of guidance only and are subject to change. Flights are in economy class and are subject to availability of airline and booking class and conditions apply. Once class sold out, supplements apply. Flights must be booked by APT (UK) Ltd. A flight credit is applicable to bookings making their own air arrangements. Flights may be ticketed from deposit received and any changes may incur an amendment fee. Supplements may apply to variations of airline routings. Airport taxes vary for each departure point and routing of airline. Airline schedules are subject to change without notice.

Single/Triple Accommodation

A limited number of single rooms are available by request at time of booking. Single supplement must be paid with final payment.

Passengers Needing Special Assistance

APT (UK) Ltd. welcomes passengers with disabilities or special needs provided they are accompanied by travel companions capable of providing all assistance required. Any disability of medical condition requiring special attention must be reported to APT (UK) Ltd. at the time of booking. APT (UK) Ltd. will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the special needs of the disabled tour participants., but is not responsible for any denial of service by carriers, hotels, restaurants, or other independent suppliers, nor any additional expenses incurred.

We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to a passenger for walking, dining, getting on and off trains, coaches or other transportation vehicles or other personal needs.

A moderate degree of physical fitness is needed to participate in our tours, which are rated as moderate to rigorous touring due to the daily walking involved and the overall shortcomings of the tourism infrastructure. You may encounter unpaved sidewalks, uneven surfaces and problems getting on and off trains (perhaps due to low platforms, steep steps and gaps between the platform and the train). On the trains used for the tour, restaurant, bar and shower cars may be some distance from your sleeping car and although we use reasonable endeavours to arrange porterage you may have to carry your luggage for short distances. Flexibility, a sense of humour, the ability to walk at least a mile a day and keep up with your fellow passengers will be essential components to the enjoyment of your tour.

Airport Transfers

Airport transfers are included on the first and last day of the tour at designated times. No refund will be given for unused transfers. Transfers cannot be re-routed to other pick-up points or destinations. Passengers who miss the pre-booked transfers must make their own way to/from the hotel at own expense. Transfers must be booked and details advised to APT (UK) Ltd. See itinerary pages for any variations to the above.

Luggage Limits

Airline free baggage allowance can depend on vary according to the airline, and will be advised at the time of booking with APT. Airline excess baggage charges are not covered by APT and the individual clients responsibility. Each passenger is entitled to take one piece of luggage that does not exceed weight limit 50 kg on the trains, and should not be exceeded without prior approval. Extra bags: An extra charge will be imposed to cover porterage handling of any additional luggage.

If You Decide to Change Your Booking

Should you wish to change your tour arrangements in any way after we have accepted your booking, we shall endeavour to meet your wishes, but a handling fee of £50 per person will be charged to cover administration costs, in addition to any applicable fees charged by the airlines. If you wish to change/amend your booking within 90 days of tour departure date, normal cancellation charges as detailed above in our cancellations clause will apply. Please note selected flight inclusive air tickets are ticketed from deposit received. Certain airfares cannot be changed after a reservation has been made and any alteration request will incur a 100% cancellation charge of that element of your travel arrangements. Any changes may incur an additional amendment fee.

Amendments or Cancellation by APT (UK) Ltd

It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes to your tour, but it must be remembered that we plan the arrangements many months in advance, and sometimes, changes to the particulars detailed in this brochure may be needed and we reserve the right to make them whenever it is necessary after publication. Most of these changes are minor. If a change becomes necessary, we will inform you or your travel agent as soon as is reasonably possible. Unless the change significantly alters the holiday, compensation will not be payable. As is normally the case with group tours, a minimum number of bookings is required in order for a tour to be financially viable and to have a pleasant group atmosphere. In the event that adequate numbers cannot be achieved, it may be necessary for APT (UK) Ltd. to cancel a scheduled departure and to offer the nearest possible alternative (or, of course, a full refund of the money paid). Generally, such tours detailed in this brochure will operate provided that we have achieved the minimum number of fully paid adult bookings. The date on which the decision is made about whether a tour will operate is usually made 60 days before the scheduled departure date. We recommend that you take out insurance with cancellation cover, and do not make arrangements incidental to the tour more than 60 days prior to scheduled tour departure date.

Itineraries

Itineraries are subject to alteration without notice and intended as a guide only. Alterations may occur due to road or weather conditions, strikes or other reasons beyond our control. Any additional expense incurred by the passenger is not APT (UK) Ltd’s responsibility. APT (UK) Ltd. can give no guarantee as to exact arrival and departure times for carriers and operators used by APT (UK) Ltd. in the tour and APT (UK) Ltd. will not be liable for failure to make connections with any other services or attractions beyond its control. If accommodation listed becomes unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute hotels with alternative accommodation of a similar standard.

Freedom of Choice Touring

During selected Luxury Private Rail Journeys, Freedom of Choice Touring activities are booked by your Tour Director while on tour. They are subject to availability, seasonal and operational factors and public holidays or festivals and the like.

Exclusion of Liability

Important Information Exclusion of Liability

1. Whilst The Company will take all reasonable steps to provide an enjoyable tour, it accepts no liability for any loss of enjoyment experienced by passengers due to circumstances beyond its control. The Company limits its liability to the amount of the tour price paid by you, or provision of replacement product, and provides no warranties in addition to those set out under the Trade Practices Act 1974, and nothing herein restricts any passenger from exercising their rights and remedies pursuant to law.
2. The optional tour excursions are not operated by or at the direction or on behalf of The Company or its employees or agents or any other persons or companies associated with The Company. By taking bookings for these tours, The Company acts as each optional tour operator’s agent.
3. These tours include the services of operators other than The Company e.g. hoteliers, airlines and optional tour excursions, which are not under the direct control of The Company, and whilst The Company takes all reasonable care in selecting these operators, it cannot accept responsibility for those operators’ conduct or the conduct of their representative employees or agents or for any ramifications of that conduct.
4. On tours including activities such as trekking, swimming and snorkelling, passengers accept that degrees of risk are involved.
5. If you, or any member of your party have a medical condition or disability which may affect your holiday, we ask that you please tell us before you confirm your holiday booking so we are able to advise as to the suitability of your chosen arrangements. In any event, you must provide us with full details in writing at the time of booking. If we reasonably feel we are unable to properly accommodate particular needs of the person concerned, we reserve the right to decline the booking or ask for the person to be accompanied by a person who is able to provide full assistance to them throughout their tour. No passenger will be permitted to embark or continue on the tour while their mental or physical condition is, in the opinion of any representative of the company, such as to render them incapable of caring for themselves, or whereby they become objectionable to other passengers, or they become a hazard to themselves or other passengers. The company will not be responsible for expenses resulting in such persons being precluded from completing the tour for any reason.

Force Majeure

Compensation will not be payable if we are forced to cancel or change your travel arrangements in any way for reasons of war, threat of war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions or other circumstances amounting to force majeure. World weather is becoming more erratic and unpredictable and we cannot be held responsible for disruption to your holiday due to bad or unusual weather conditions.

Health, Visa and Passports

All passengers must have a valid passport with at least six months validity from the return date. Passengers must consult with the appropriate consulates to ensure any applicable visas for countries visited have been obtained prior to departure. Meeting necessary passport and visa entry requirements and cost is the sole responsibility of the passenger. APT (UK) Ltd. is not responsible for delays or missed portions of tour relating to incorrect travel documents.

Please check with your GP prior to travel as you are responsible for all necessary vaccinations and deemed fit to travel prior to departure. In some foreign countries the standard of hygiene and safety may differ from those in the UK. For your own protection you should take particular care with hygiene and to what you eat and drink whilst abroad.

The Foreign and Commonwealth office (FCO) provide up-to-date travel information to help British travellers make informed decisions about travelling abroad. Please visit their website for more details: www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo

Insurance

Passengers are recommended to ensure that they arrange comprehensive travel insurance cover.

Travel Documents

Please ensure you carefully read your confirmation invoice, tickets and all other documents we send to you as soon as you receive them, and contact us or your travel agent, if any information appears to be incorrect. We regret that we cannot accept any liability if we are not notified of any inaccuracy in any document within 14 days of us sending to you or your agent. While we will do our best to rectify any changes made outside this time, it is your responsibility for any additional costs which may be involved, except in the case of an error made by APT (UK) Ltd. and where there is reason for you not contacting us within the specified time. Each passenger is responsible for ensuring that all necessary travel documents (e.g. passports, visas, vaccination certificates etc.) are valid and effective. We strongly recommend that you verify current information with us or your Travel Agent.

If You Have a Complaint

If a problem occurs during your tour then, in your own best interests, you should tell a representative so that steps can be taken to resolve the matter on the spot, there and then. If you remain dissatisfied, any complaint must be made in writing to us within 28 days. Maximum compensation will only be considered where everything has gone wrong and you have not received any benefit at all from your holiday. Any disputes arising out of, or in connection with this contract which cannot be amicably settled may be referred to arbitration, under a special scheme arranged by ABTA. Full details will be provided upon request or can be obtained on the ABTA website (www.abta.com). The scheme does not apply for amounts greater than £5,000 per person. Neither does it apply to claims which are in respect of physical injury or illness or their consequences.

Data Protection

Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect the personal booking information held by us. However, in order to make your booking and ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly, we need to use the information you provide and pass on to the operator or other relevant suppliers. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law.

We will only pass your information on to persons responsible for your travel arrangements. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities or dietary/religious requirements. (If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to provide your booking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons.)

APT (UK) Ltd. and sister companies may wish to contact you by post, e-mail and /or telephone with news, information and offers on its holidays we may have available and for market research purposes. Where the data might be passed on for marketing purposes, you have the right to opt out of future marketing. You also have a right of access to data held which can be contained by writing to APT (UK) Ltd.

Consumer Protection – ATOL

The Air Holidays in this brochure are ATOL protected. The company holds an Air Organisers Licence granted by the civil aviation authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 6781. In the unlikely event of insolvency the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad. For information please visit www.atol.org.uk

Consumer Protection – ABTA

APT (UK) Ltd. is also a member of ABTA with membership number V9080. ABTA and ABTA members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. APT (UK) Ltd. has provided a bond to ABTA for the protection of monies paid to us in respect of package holidays that do not include flights. This protection follows the guidelines of the latest European legislation and complies fully with all legal requirements within the UK. For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the arbitration scheme available to you if you have a complaint, please contact ABTA, 30 Park Street, London SE1 9EQ, Tel. 020 3117 0500 or www.abta.com

Photography

Photographs or videos may be taken which may be used for promotional purposes. Booking this tour indicates your acceptance and release for this material to be used for promotional or resale purposes. If you submit photographs to be included on the group’s DVD of images we reserve the right to published them in future promotional material.

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