GENERAL & SPECIAL TERMS OF PARTICIPATION (www.rickystravel.eu)
THIS IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT. BY ACCESSING THIS WEBSITE OR USING ANY SERVICE PROVIDED HERE, YOU ACCEPT AND AGREE TO COMMITTE TO ALL OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AGGREMENT. PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE ACCEPTING THESE TERMS.
TERMS & CONDITIONS:
Holidays programs featured on our website, social media, brochures and other promotional material have been organized and are operated by RICKYS TRAVEL, hereby referred to as “the Company” and/or “the Tour Operator”. To ensure maximum client satisfaction, we want you to enjoy your holiday to the full and return both satisfied and relaxed, and above all, convinced that you have been given good value for money. The Terms & Conditions have been laid out to ensure that the deal between the Tour Operator and the client is clear and fair to both parties. These conditions cover virtually every aspect of your holiday from the moment you book to the moment you arrive back home. As we want everyone to know where they stand with us, the Terms & Conditions clearly spell out our obligations to you and your commitments to us when you book a holiday with us. All services offered are also subject to the terms and conditions of other suppliers and subcontractors such as airlines, cruise companies, hotels, and other service providers.
By accessing our website or purchasing or using any of our services it is understood that you have read and accepted these Terms & Conditions. For all services other than packaged tours and organized tours, we have no control and we act only as intermediaries for suppliers such as airlines, hotels, cruise companies and other service providers, who are entirely responsible for the services provided.
1.1 YOUR TRIP
Your contract is with RICKYS TRAVEL.
1.2 YOUR RESERVATION
Once you have completed and signed the booking form and paid your deposit and have been issued a receipt by your travel agent, the booking is taken as confirmed and it is understood that you have read and accepted these Terms & Conditions, and we will reserve your holiday. Your booking is also taken to be confirmed in respect of all persons travelling in your party. Your booking will remain valid for as long as all due payments are made on time. Otherwise we will assume that you want to cancel your holiday and cancellation charges will apply as per paragraph 2.6 below.
1.3 OUR PRICE POLICY
Prices in our brochures and website are valid at the time of publication and quite often are based on the lowest applicable airfares. It is possible that at the time of booking, the actual price of your chosen holiday may have increased from that shown in the brochures or our website which we reserve the right to do. Once you have made your booking and paid a deposit, then the cost of your holiday cannot be increased, except in the case of currency fluctuations and/or increase of VAT and other taxes or levies and/or aircraft fuel increases imposed by airlines.
1.4 OUR ASSURANCE ON STANDARDS AND ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITY
Our brochure descriptions are based on the information obtained from hoteliers, cruise companies, and other service producers themselves. We take great effort to ensure that the information provided is correct but since this information is not controlled entirely by us there is a strong likelihood that there may be differences between the description and the actual service provided. Please remember that brochures are produced months in advance and there may be occasions when an advertised facility or entertainment is not available during your particular holiday, especially if it is out of high season. Bad weather, essential maintenance or cleaning, lack of support or demand may all effect the actual availability of particular activities or facilities; so can for instance such things as local licensing laws, religious or local holidays, or local authority or governmental restrictions. Similarly, touring itineraries may have to be changed sometimes at short notice, due to weather, road or traffic conditions, mechanical breakdowns, police activity and other factors.
Unless otherwise stated, all accommodation in hotels is in standard rooms. The rooms will be ready for check in at 15:00 (irrespective of the time of arrival at the property) and check out will be between 10:00 and 12:00 irrespective of the time of departure from the property. Where possible, early check in and/or late check out will be with additional cost. In most countries, local taxes will be applicable, payable at the property by the traveler. Local taxes vary with the destination, the country and the hotel category. Hotel rooms and ship cabins are always small, sometimes very small. The Tour Operators only work with hotels & vessels having single or twin/double bedded rooms. A room/cabin for 2 passengers may either consist of two separate beds or a matrimonial bed (which can also mean two beds pushed together irrespective of gender). Triple or quadruple bedded rooms are usually not available. A third or a fourth person wanting to share a twin/double bedded room, will most probably be given either a small extra folding ‘camp’ bed, a bunk bed, or a sofa bed, which will make accommodation quite uncomfortable. In America three or four persons wanting to share a room will always be given just two matrimonial beds (separate beds for each person are not available). When two persons book a room for two, the Tour Operator reserves the right to either provide two separate beds or a large matrimonial bed. Despite paying an extra charge, a single room will not be larger or in a better location in the hotel. Unless clearly stated in the program, most of the hotels provided are not air-conditioned and no fans will be provided, not even during extreme heat waves or they will provide cooling and heating facilities at an extra charge. Breakfast is only provided when specified and when provided is always continental unless specified. In case of half board, the meals are provided either at lunch or dinner according to the program. Lunches and dinners are always served on three courses. No choice of food will be provided; neither changes can be accepted (e.g. having meat instead of fish). Portions served are always small/moderate in size. When buffet meals are provided a choice is available. Drinks, including water, during meals are always to be paid extra. There is no refund for meals not consumed at a hotel or cruise ship. Special meal requests are subject to availability and may be with an extra charge. Use of minibar, WIFI, telephone and TV in rooms may also be chargeable to the client. We will not be held responsible for construction work that may be annoying to residents during their stay at a hotel. Swimming pools may not or may only be heated in colder weather and the general standard of hygiene, public utilities, drainage, plumbing and services in general may not be the same standard you shall have come to expect.
Unless clearly specified in the program, all entrance fees to museums and shows, boat trips, metro or cable car are always at extra cost. Schedules and arrival/departure times are subject to change due to weather conditions, road traffic, mechanical problems, police instructions, and other factors. Coaches are not air conditioned and do not have lavatory facilities unless stated in the program. Client/s cannot cancel their planned group tour or cruise because one or more excursions could not be operated due to either lack of bookings or for some other technical reason which is beyond the Tour Operator’s control.
Prices are clearly marked in the ‘price box’, at the end of each program. In most cases, prices are indicative and based on the lowest published rates for the specific period. Only items listed under ‘Price includes’ are included in the package price. The final price will be confirmed at the time of booking. Prices for children are applicable for children under 12 years of age that are sharing with 2 adults. For cruise packages all prices are in euro per person sharing a cabin and include the cruise and where applicable the flights, transfers and hotels as described in the program. Prices do not include shore excursions, personal expenses, drinks, laundry, spa treatments, meals in specialty restaurants, tips, meals at hotels and other services not included in the program. There may be additional charges in restaurants and other services on board depending on the cruise company and the cruise ship. Costing for packages has been based on the applicable airfares, cruise fares and fuel surcharge, airport and port taxes, the currency rate, the VAT and other local taxes, applicable at the time of publication. Any change in these factors may lead to an increase in prices.
Each group tour is escorted by either a Greek or an English speaking tour leader who will be responsible for the implementation of the program according to the brochure. The tour leader is under no circumstance responsible to carry out work (unless for emergency), over and above the official program and is not obliged to accompany members of the group around shops, flea markets or theme parks.
If any portion of your holiday is lost due to natural disasters, bad weather, industrial action, war, government restrictions or any matter of force majeure, neither the Company nor its subcontractors can be held liable to pay compensation for damages incurred. Cruise companies reserve the right to change the itinerary due to bad weather, industrial action technical problems and other unforeseen factors, in which case neither the cruise company nor the Tour Operator are liable to pay any form of compensation for the missed ports or the change of program.
As a responsible Company we feel it only right to point out these possibilities, however unlikely. If you have a particular problem, please inform the hotel reception desk and/or our representative in writing at the time so that, if possible, it can be dealt with there and then. Having said all that, we want to give the following assurance about our liability to you:- We have taken all reasonable steps to ensure that proper arrangements have been made for all the holidays which are advertised in our brochures and website. You will appreciate, however, that we have no direct control over the provision of services to you by suppliers.
1.5 IF WE CHANGE YOUR HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS BEFORE DEPARTURE DATE
We plan our holidays to give you the maximum enjoyment. Although it is unlikely, we may occasionally have to change your holiday arrangements and we reserve the right to do so any time. For instance, flight times may change, a hotel may close down or be overbooked, we may have to amend an itinerary, or sales of that holiday may not reach a level, which would be economical for us to operate. If we have to make any changes, we will inform you or your Travel Agent as soon as is reasonably possible before departure.
Where the change is material and will significantly affect your holiday, such as change in the itinerary, in the number of overnights, or dates, then you have three options:
Special provisions for accommodation included in packaged tours/organized excursions
In case the booked hotel is not available at the time of arrival we will try our best to find alternative accommodation in a similar hotel of the same category in the same town. If this is not possible and we are forced to find a hotel of a lower standard, we will refund the difference between the new hotel and the one originally booked.
1.6 IF WE CHANGE YOUR HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS AFTER YOUR HOLIDAY HAS COMMENCED
Very occasionally it may be necessary, due to unforeseen circumstances, to change a hotel or some other part of your holiday arrangement after your holiday has commenced, in which event we will do our best to maintain the overall standard of the holiday arrangements. But we assume no responsibility if, following your departure, a flight is cancelled, the aircraft type changes or there is a delay due to technical reasons, war or the threat of war, terrorism, social unrest, natural disasters, industrial action, the outbreak of pandemics, embargo and other unforeseen events outside our control.
1.7 IF WE CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS
We may occasionally have to cancel your holiday arrangements. For instance, sales of that holiday may not reach a level which would be economical for us to operate (minimum number of persons required to operate a tour is 25). We reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your holiday and, in this event, we will return to you all the money you have paid us or will offer you an alternative holiday to purchase of comparable standard if available. In the unlikely event we have to cancel your trip, (unless for reasons beyond our control, i.e. industrial action, natural disasters, terrorist activities, breakdown of aircraft or ship etc.), we will refund you within 14 days all money paid for the cost of your holiday or you may purchase another holiday package of the same value.
1.8 OUR CONTRACTUAL RESPONSIBILITY
We are responsible to provide the services included in your booked holiday. In case any service is not provided in line with your booked arrangements and these Terms & Conditions, please notify us immediately. We will take all necessary action to rectify unless this is impossible or involves disproportional cost. Wherever possible we will replace a service unless it is not economically feasible.
Our contract is governed by the Packaged Travel Law 189(I)/2017 and we have adequate insurance to cover all our clients in case of insolvency.
We offer packaged holidays and related travel services. For related services to be considered associated they must be purchased within 24 hours from the purchase of the first service. Otherwise the services are not considered associated and do not fall under the provisions of the above-mentioned law.
1.9 YOUR FLIGHT
Details of your flights and airlines we anticipate using are shown in the program but we reserve the right to substitute airlines and/or aircraft if necessary. Flight timings are subject to confirmation and alteration. Our reservation system will show the latest timings as advised to us. Please check your flight tickets as soon as you receive them as they will show the final timing for your flights. Some flights may have intermediate stops and change of aircraft and/or airline. As many factors affect the operation of flights we cannot always notify you in advance. Flights are subject to the granting of permits and licenses by authorities both in Cyprus and overseas. In the event of your flight arrangements being changed or cancelled as outlined in this section and sections 1.5, 1.6 and 1.7, we accept no liability for extra costs or consequential loss arising, directly or indirectly, from any independent contract arrangements between the client and a third party. All flights are non-smoking. In case of delays or cancellations it is the airline’s responsibility to offer re-routings, meals and compensation in line with International Conventions.
Chartered Flights: Some of our packages are offered with chartered flights. In these cases, additional terms apply including full cancellation fees.
Cruise packages: We assume no responsibility if due to a flight delay the traveler cannot embark on the ship. In these cases, we will assist with finding alternative transportation or arrange the embarkation at the next port of call at the expense of the traveler.
1.10 DELAYS AND CHANGES IN CRUISE ITINERARIES
We cannot guarantee that a cruise ship will call at all ports of call as advertised. Cruise companies and the Captain have the exclusive right to skip a port, call at a different port or add a port, change the itinerary and replace the ship at their absolute discretion. This is likely to happen due to weather conditions, emergency situations, technical problems or the requirement to attend to a ship in distress. Likewise, arrival and departure times may change. Such changes are made for passenger safety and both the cruise company and our company bear no responsibility to pay compensation or cover additional costs incurred by the travelers.
1.11 EMBARKATION ON CRUISE SHIPS
Travelers must embark at least 2 hours before the time of sailing at the port of embarkation and 1 hour before the departure time at the ports of call. Any expenses associated with a missed embarkation, including visa fees, meals, accommodation, transportation, repatriation are to the expenses of the traveler.
1.12 OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS
All optional excursions are extra and unless otherwise specified they only include transportation by coach. Entrances are payable extra and no local guides are provided. An optional excursion will only be operated if the minimum number of paying participants reaches 25 adults; if not the Tour Operator will have the right not to operate the said excursion and will be under no obligation to compensate the Client/s for not operating the said optional excursion. We assume no responsibility for any optional excursions not organised by us even if they are escorted by our tour leader.
1.13 CONDITIONS OF CARRIAGE
Transport of any kind is subject to the conditions of carriage of the company providing that trip. These conditions are likely to embody the provisions of the law of the country of the company concerned or are likely to be subject to international conventions with government(s), any of which may limit or exclude the liability of the carrier (airline, coach, ship, etc.)
2.1 BOOKING FORM AND DEPOSITS
Your completed booking form showing all clients’ names as specified in your passport, must be accompanied by the appropriate deposit equal to 30% of your booked holiday value or as otherwise advised during your booking. The person signing the booking form confirms that he/she has the authority of all other persons mentioned on that form to make the booking on their behalf and that he/she has already accepted the Terms & Conditions. If you are booking a late-offer holiday any information and conditions issued in conjunction with that offer are also part of your contract. Travel insurance is not included with your booking unless stated and we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance for your trip.
2.2 BALANCE OF PAYMENTS
The balance is due for payment at least 30 days before departure for land trips (holiday packages and organized excursions) and 60 days for cruise trips (can be earlier for certain trips, please ask at time of booking), or immediately if the booking is made within the above-mentioned timeframes. For non-packaged services full settlement will be required in line with the terms of the supplier of the service. If you book through a Travel Agent, you should ensure that you pay the Agent in sufficient time to allow payments to reach our Company by the due date. If for any reason the balance is not received by us by the due date, we reserve the right to cancel your booking and levy a cancellation charge as if there has been a cancellation in accordance with paragraph 2.6. If your chosen travel agent fails to pay in full (less the applicable commission) we will be under no legal obligation to supply you with your holiday.
2.3 IF YOU CHANGE YOUR BOOKING
Your booking can be changed upon request and subject to availability (rebooking). This can be done until 30 days for land trips and 90 days for cruise trips before the date of travel. The Company charges the sum of €50 rebooking fee per person. Should you wish to make a rebooking after the above-mentioned timeframes, then booking changes can only be made, if at all possible, by cancelling the travel contract under the conditions stated in 2.6 and rebooking. Any form of alteration made to the date of travel, destination or place of start, accommodation, the cabin or mode of transport is considered a change. In all cases, the change is also subject to the approval of the supplier and/or subcontractor and additional charges may apply.
2.4 ASSIGNMENT
Up to the date of travel i.e. taking into consideration a reasonable amount of time for organizational matters, you may demand that a third party takes over all rights and liabilities of your travel contract. We reserve the right to decline the third party should he/she not meet the travel requirements or should there be legal restrictions or an official directive against his/her participation. The assignment is subject to the approval of the service providers who may impose additional charges. Should a third party enter the contract then he/she and you are liable as co-debtors for the travel fare and the additional costs caused by the third party entering. An administrative fee of €50 per person will apply.
2.5 NAME CHANGES
At time of booking all passengers names need to be submitted to the Company. Names need to be congruent with the valid passenger passports. We reserve the right to pass on a service charge of €50 per person for name changes after the option is confirmed. Cancellation and rebooking fees payable to suppliers are due immediately.
2.6 IF YOU CANCEL YOUR BOOKING
You can cancel your contract at any time before the date of travel. As means of proof, cancellations should be made in writing. Your cancellation notice is effective upon receipt by the Company. Should you cancel your booking or not commence the holiday, the company reserves the right to levy charges for made travel provisions and expenses incurred. When calculating the charges, the company takes into account the services saved and the possible other use of the services. The Company may claim cancellation fees expressed as a percentage of the travel fare according to the amount of notice given between cancellation date and departure date, as listed below:
Land Trips: Packaged holidays and Organized Excursions (per person)
For packages based on charter flights or flights with low cost airlines, ski holidays, conventions, exhibitions and conferences, and special offers additional terms may apply which will be communicated at the time of booking. In these cases, 100% cancellation charge will apply irrespective of the time of cancellation.
Cruise Trips: Cruise Only and Cruise Packages (per person)
For cruises different cancellation terms/fees may apply depending on the cruise company and (in the case of cruise packages) the operating airlines and for special offers/promotions. You will be informed during your booking.
For people sharing a room, if one cancels, and 100% cancellation fees do not apply, then the other person will be asked to pay the difference to switch the room from double to single occupancy.
On scheduled service and charter flights, sea passages and coach transportation, the amount of cancellation charge shown above applies only in the event that any air tickets issued are returned to the Tour Operator, otherwise a 100% cancellation charge applies. If the reason for your cancellation falls within the terms of your insurance cover, you may be able to claim a refund of your cancellation charges from the insurance company. In case of actual or potential outbreaks of Bird Flu, SARS, Swine Flu, Covid-19 and other diseases, or natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, etc., or political turmoil, terrorist activities, act of war in a neighboring country, industrial action, etc., clients will not have a right to cancel their holiday without incurring full cancellation fees as specified in these Terms & Conditions unless an official state of emergency is declared for the area to which the Client is travelling, and the Cyprus Foreign Office issues instructions that disallow Cyprus residents to travel to a particular country or area of a country. In case that a trip (or part of a trip) has to be cancelled for the above reasons, the Tour Operator will try its very best to recuperate all the funds possible on behalf of its Clients, but the Clients cannot hold the Tour Operator responsible for parts of the funds or of the holiday lost as a consequence of the above acts. In these cases, it is likely that airline companies, hotels and other suppliers may offer a voucher instead of a refund which shall be accepted by the client.
In the event that you cancel your trip and the amount paid is not sufficient to cover the cancellation fees as stated above or as communicated to you at the time of booking, then you are responsible to pay the balance immediately.
2.7 YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
It is your responsibility to ensure that you and those for whom you are booking are in possession of valid passports which are valid for at least six months after your scheduled date of return and any appropriate visas. Be sure to check passport and visa requirements with your Travel Agent well in advance particularly if you are a non-Cyprus passport holder. Cyprus nationals need visas for travel to a number of countries and it is up to each traveler to take care of his/her own visa for countries having such requirements. Should a visa not be issued, or withdrawn after issuance, or should a country refuse entry to a client for any reason (including invalidity of passport), the Tour Operator and his suppliers/subcontractors cannot be held responsible for damages or for partial or full loss of the holiday and any financial consequences will have to be borne by the Client. You are responsible for any charges, fines etc. that may be levied by authorities in Cyprus or overseas for non-compliance of regulations in this area and any such amounts will be recharged to you.
Similarly, it is your responsibility to check with your doctor as to what vaccinations or inoculations are advisable for your chosen destination. Please check with your doctor if you are fit to travel for your specific trip/destination/duration. If you have any disability, please advise us. We will take all necessary care to accommodate any special request but we cannot be held responsible for failure to do so or any complications to your medical condition. Drinking tap water may cause medical problems. Please take care and take with you some precautionary medicine for your trip. Airline regulations state that women 28 weeks or more into pregnancy at the time of return travel must have a medical certificate of fitness to travel.
You must be responsible for a reasonable standard of behaviour by yourself and by those for whom you have booked. We reserve the right to decline to accept or retain any person as a client if their behaviour is, in our opinion, or in the opinion of the airline pilot, hotelier or accommodation owner or manager or other person in authority, likely to cause distress, danger, damage or annoyance to other customers, employees, other people or to property. You understand that we shall be under no liability to pay any refund or compensation to, or costs incurred by, any person whose behaviour is thus unacceptable.
In case of group travel and organized tours, it is very important that you arrive at the departure points on time and you follow the instructions of your tour leader and local guides. We reserve the right to continue the tour without you and you will be responsible to make private arrangements to join the group at your own expense.
You are also responsible for keeping your valuables safe during the entire trip. Even when safes are provided, hotels and other suppliers have no liability in case of loss.
2.8 IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT
We do our best to give you an enjoyable, trouble-free holiday, but occasionally even the best laid plans can go wrong. If you have a problem or complaint relating to the overseas part of your holiday you must advise in writing our tour leader, representative or agent in your resort at the earliest opportunity in order that it may be investigated and we have the opportunity to resolve the matter on the spot. In addition, you must notify us in writing within seven days (7) of the date of your return from your holiday. Because of the difficulties of investigating a complaint too long after the event, we will not accept liability in respect of claims received after the 7 day period, and/or which have not been reported in writing to our representative or the supplier in resort.
3.1 BAGGAGE
Baggage is not included unless stated in the program. Wherever baggage is included this is usually up to 20kgs per person. For allowable sizes and hand luggage to be taken on board, please inquire with the airline or with your Travel Agent at the time of booking. Please note that in case of lost baggage you shall follow the procedure of the carrying airline. If your baggage is lost or damaged the airline will compensate you but the compensation is usually much lower than expected. We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance for additional coverage.
3.2 TRAVEL INSURANCE
We highly recommend that you take out for yourself and those for whom you book our recommended holiday insurance or that you arrange a policy yourself giving comparable or better cover under all sections. Our travel insurance covers cancellation, loss of baggage, delayed and missed departure, medical expenses and repatriation, personal accident, loss of embarkation, rental vehicle insurance excess, and loss of passport as per the terms of the applicable insurance purchased. No coverage is provided for people older than 75. An application needs to be completed and accepted by the insurance company.
3.3 SPECIAL REQUESTS
We will try to accommodate any special requests, such as special meals, that you may have and you bring them to our attention but we cannot be held liable for the failure of our subcontractors and suppliers to provide them. Please note that some of these requests may be available at an extra charge.
3.4 PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Please note that many destinations, resorts or places may not have facilities for people with special needs. If you or a person travelling with you is a person with special needs please let us know at the time of booking to provide all necessary advise and assistance.
3.5 SPECIAL PROGRAMS
For some of our packages, such as campervan holidays in the United States of America, special terms apply and will be provided at the time of booking.
3.6 Programs Organized by Other Parties
Some of the packages offered on our website and brochures are provided in cooperation with other Organizers and Tour Operators. In these cases, we act as resellers and any liability for the services offered rests entirely with the specific Organizer/Tour Operator. You will be informed at the time of booking.
3.7 ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS & CONDITIONS
With purchase of any of our services, you confirm that you have accepted these Terms & Conditions for you and all other persons mentioned on the booking form.
3.8 ΑΠΟΔΟΧΗ ΟΡΩΝ ΣΥΜΜΕΤΟΧΗΣ
Συμμετοχή σε οποιοδήποτε πακέτο του προγράμματος προϋποθέτει την ταυτόχρονη και χωρίς επιφύλαξη αποδοχή των όρων συμμετοχής
If you have an issue with your online purchase that you cannot resolve with us, you may refer to the online dispute resolution facility of the European Commission at https://ec.europa.eu/.
All special offers are valid for a limited number of seats, subject to availability at the time of booking and cannot be combined with any other offer or discount unless stated in the offer. The “Free Flights” offer is valid only for economy class tickets and for a limited number of seats for each departure. The flights on a “Free Flights” offer are not refundable if not used or if you or we cancel your holiday. Unless otherwise stated, airport and port taxes are payable by the traveler and in the case of cancellation, 100% cancellation fees will apply irrespective of the time of the cancellation.
