Spice UK Booking Conditions (excluding Grand Canyon Rafting Experience)

1. Introduction - Spice UK Limited (“Spice”) will endeavour to provide Spice Members with the holiday featured in the Spice Holiday Information. Spice Members should be aware that many holidays offered to Spice Members are of an alternative non-conventional nature to remote, and in some cases, under-developed parts of the world which lack sophistication and the facilities found in Western European Countries. There is, therefore, a risk that holidays offered to Spice Members will, due to the destination’s location, be subject to variations and alterations resulting from local difficulties beyond Spice’s control.

2. Booking and Payment - When booking you are entering into a legally binding contract and accept the terms and conditions laid out in this document.

2.1 By post or fax: The Spice Booking Form must be completed, signed and returned to Spice’s office at 13 Thorpe Street, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 9PR accompanied by the deposit detailed in the Newsletter.

2.2 By telephone: The Spice Booking Form will be complete on your behalf by a member of the Spice booking staff and the required deposit payment will be taken by whichever means you supply.

Please note your booking deposit may be increased if it is necessary to secure specific facilities such as some accommodation, some airline tickets, etc with full payment. Once confirmed the booking deposit, additional charges and insurance premiums will not be refunded in the event of cancellation by you. If the Spice Booking Form is returned less than 10 weeks prior to the departure date Spice requires payment to be made in full.

2.3 Spice will hold your deposit towards the full cost of the holiday. A Balance Request Form will usually be issued at least 10 days before the balance due date in accordance with the tour operators terms and conditions. The balance must be received by the balance due date. If payment is received later than 10 days beyond the balance due date a £20 administration surcharge will be added to the booking. If you do not pay the full cost within the time specified then Spice reserves the right to treat that as a cancellation. In such cases you will forfeit the deposit paid and be liable to pay any cancellation charges as detailed in section 5.2.

2.4 Your booking is accepted on the understanding that you realise the hazards involved in this kind of holiday, including injury, disease loss or damage to property, inconvenience and discomfort. The whole philosophy of travel with Spice is one which allows alternatives and a substantial degree of on-trip flexibility. It is a fundamental condition of joining any Spice UK holiday that you accept this flexibility, and acknowledge that delays and alterations and their results, such as inconvenience, discomfort or disappointment, are possible: we will always endeavour to provide suitable alternative arrangements.

3. Rooming – Spice offers a room share facility where if requested we will find a same sex room share partner. Spice operates a policy of non discrimination with this facility on the grounds of race, gender, sexuality, gender identity, disability, age or creed. Beyond allocating a room mate, Spice has no further responsibility to you in respect of this.

4. Confirmation of Booking - All payments received by Spice at its office for deposits, interim payments and balances will be confirmed in writing to you by email if possible otherwise by post. A final Joining Pack including tickets, luggage labels, rooming lists and any other additional information will be issued to you approximately 10 days before your departure.

5. Cancellation

5.1 By Spice UK: Spice reserves the right to cancel a holiday owing to a lack of bookings by Spice Members at any time up to two months before the departure date. If Spice cancels in such circumstances Spice will, if possible, offer an alternative holiday or refund all monies paid by you but Spice will be under no further liability.

5.2 By You: If you fail to pay the full cost of the holiday or if you cancel you will be liable to forfeit the deposit and to pay all cancellation charges as detailed here.

Cancellation charges (before holiday departure)

More than 70 days loss of deposit
Between 43 and 70 days 50% of the cost of the holiday
Between 29 and 42 days 60% of the cost of the holiday
Between 15 and 28 days 80% of the cost of the holiday
14 days or less before departure (or failure to join the holiday) 100% of the holiday cost.

These dates refer to our receiving written confirmation of your cancellation. We strongly recommend that you take out insurance against recoverable cancellation costs.

Upon cancellation, Spice is at liberty to replace your booking in order to minimise any loss suffered by Spice UK.

We strongly recommend that you make no travel arrangement to your point of departure , make any connecting travel that is non-refundable or non-changeable or incurs penalties or incurs any costs in respect of  visas or vaccinations until such time as your travel itinerary has been confirmed. If you make such arrangements which you are then unable to  use due to a change in your itinerary we shall not be liable to you for the costs of those arrangements.

6. Variation

6.1 Spice will endeavour so far as it is reasonably practical to ensure that significant variations are not made to the main elements of the holiday booked. Apart from acts or omissions of those persons providing transport in connection with the holiday for which Spice cannot be responsible, it is sometimes necessary for Spice to make significant changes to the holiday. If Spice does, Spice will notify you as soon as possible and if such alteration is not acceptable we shall offer you an alternative holiday or refund in full all monies paid by you, but Spice shall be under no other liability.

6.2 You may up to six weeks prior to the date of departure, give notice to Spice that you wish to transfer your booking to another Spice Member of the same sex (which is necessary for accommodation purposes) who satisfies all the conditions applicable to the holiday. At the time of giving notice to Spice that you wish to transfer your holiday you must also enclose a written notice from the Spice Member to whom you are transferring the holiday accepting the transfer of the holiday. You will continue to be liable to pay the full cost of the holiday if the Spice Member to whom you wish to transfer the holiday fails to pay the full cost of the holiday and, in addition, you will also be liable to pay to Spice any charge levied for the transfer of the holiday. Either you or the Spice Member to whom you wish to transfer the holiday must pay the full costs of the holiday plus any transfer fees levied by Spice’s reasonable transfer fee (to cover administration costs) before the transfer is effected. Any notice given under this condition shall be deemed to be received by Spice upon delivery of a notice to Spice’s office.

In some instances it will not be possible for airline tickets to be transferred; in this instance an additional amount will be payable by the Spice member to whom you are transferring for the cost of a substitute airline ticket. You will remain liable for that cost if the Spice Member to whom you wish to transfer the holiday fails to pay the full cost of the ticket.

6.3 On occasions airlines can make alterations to aircraft type, timing and airports. Spice will advise you of such alterations as soon as possible in the case of airport changes but will only advise you of any time adjustments should they be greater than one hour earlier or later. Spice cannot accept any liability due to such alterations.

7. Surcharges - Spice reserves the right to vary the prices as a result of surcharges that may be levied by its suppliers. If the surcharges to be levied are in excess of 10% of the total cost of your booking you will be entitled to transfer to another available holiday (and pay any additional amounts or receive a refund if of lower value); or to cancel your booking with a full refund.

8. Health and Insurance - Insurance cover of at least equal status to the Spice insurance policy in terms of risks insured and the monetary amounts up to which such risks are insured is compulsory for all holidays offered by Spice. Subject to condition 13.4 Spice is not responsible for any medical expenses incurred by you or for any loss damage or costs incurred by you as a result of injury or sickness. Please check with your Doctor well before departure for advice on vaccinations and inoculations.

9. Visas and Passports - You should check with the appropriate Embassy, Consulate or British Foreign Office for the exact requirements for your chosen tour and date of travel. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct passport and visas to gain access to any country/region included in the travel arrangements which you purchase from us. If you fail to do so, we have no liability to you for any cost, loss or damage which you suffer, nor will we refund you the cost of any unused portion of your travel arrangements. In some cases, countries will refuse entry to clients who have criminal records. Should you be concerned about this, please check with the embassy or consulate of the countries to which you are travelling. The lead name is entirely responsible for ensuring that all members of the group have the correct and valid documentation for travel. We cannot accept responsibility for any failure to comply resulting in any costs or fines being incurred and we advise you to check with your passport office or the consulate in question if you have any queries. Clients travelling overland to certain destinations may need to also pass through controls of other countries en-route so this should be allowed for with any passport/visa applications. When travelling to the US you must have the correct passport to travel on the Visa Waiver Programme or have obtained the correct visa, valid for your stay. Each person wishing to visit the US must have either; i) an e-passport (if your passport is issued after 26 October 2006), or a machine readable passport (containing a digital photograph if your passport is issued after 26 October 2005) and a Visa Waiver Form or ii) a valid passport and a valid visa which must be obtained before travel from the US authorities. The US authorities have introduced a requirement for passengers travelling under the Visa Waiver Programme to register for Electronic Travel Authority. For additional specifics about the VWP please consult the VWP information on the U.S. Embassy London website www.usembassy.org.uk. We recommend that you carry your ESTA approval with you when you travel and recommend you register at least 72 hours before departure. Please Note: when you register for ESTA you must have a valid passport at the time of registration. If you have applied for a post dated passport (for example to reflect a change in name) this passport will not be valid until the effective date noted in the passport.

10. Complaint - If you have a complaint concerning your holiday arrangements you must report it to your Spice Event Co-ordinator at the soonest practical opportunity. If at the end of the holiday, you feel your complaint has not been dealt with properly you should write directly to Spice UK within 10 days of your scheduled date of return. Failure to complain on the spot may result in a reduction or extinction of any compensation which you may be otherwise entitled to.

11. Emergency Contact - In the event of an emergency whilst on a Spice holiday you should, in the first instance, contact the Spice Event Co-ordinator otherwise please contact Spice’s office between 10am-6pm on Telephone: 0161 873 8788 (24 hour answering service) and Fax: 0161 848 9465. Outside of office hours please contact the Spice UK Duty Officer on mobile: 07958 294132.

13. Liability

13.1 Spice shall not be liable to compensate you for loss of enjoyment of your holiday arrangements if the failure in the enjoyment of your holiday arrangements was your fault, or could not have been foreseen or avoided by Spice, or if the failure in the holiday arrangements was occasioned by the actions of someone unconnected with the holiday arrangements.

13.2 Where you or your guests suffer death or personal injury as a result of an activity forming part of the holiday arrangements, Spice shall be liable to compensate you or your guests if the death or personal injury suffered by you or your guests is as result of Spice’s or a Spice Event Co-ordinator’s negligence. Spice shall not be liable to compensate you or your guests for death or personal injury resulting from the negligent act or omission of any other person, contractors and suppliers.

13.3 Where you or your guests suffer death or personal injury caused through the use of the facilities or services provided by one of its contractors and suppliers, Spice shall not be liable to compensate.

13.4 Except in circumstance of personal injury or death, where Spice UK is found to be liable for damages in respect of its failure to carry out the contract, the maximum amount of such damages, compensation and loss of enjoyment will normally be limited to twice the basic holiday price shown on the booking receipt confirmation. Where the damages relate to the provision of transport by air, sea or rail, or hotel accommodation, any compensation payable will be further limited by the EU Charter of Passenger Rights for air travel, the Warsaw Convention as amended by the Athens Convention 1974 (sea), the Berne Convention 1961 (rail), and the Paris Convention 1962 (hotel accommodation), or any such statue or regulation as may from time to time amend or supersede any of the above. Any independent arrangements that you make that are not part of the holiday are entirely at your own risk. You must comply with the conditions of carriage applied by land, sea and air carriers. The provisions of the Warsaw convention (as amended) concerning the carriage of passengers and their luggage by air, and the airlines’ condition as of carriage, may apply to you and your party during your flight, and during boarding and disembarkation. These provisions and conditions may limit or exclude for death or personal injury, or loss of or damage to luggage, and may make special provision for valuables.

15. Holiday Participation - By booking a Spice holiday you agree to accept the authority and decision of the Spice Event Co-ordinator accompanying your party and any other tour leaders and agents appointed by Spice or a Tour Operator whilst on holiday with Spice. If in the opinion of any such person the health or conduct of any Spice Member before or after departure, appears likely to endanger the safety of himself or other Spice Members then the Spice Member so endangering the party may be excluded for all or any part of the tour.

16. Bonding - Any flights forming part of the holiday arrangements are subject to the conditions of the carrying airline, which in most cases limit the airlines liability to the passenger in accordance with International Law and Conventions. Spice UK Ltd is a bonded holiday operator licensed by the CAA (ATOL 9046). 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 advance booking. Please note that ATOL bonding only applies to bookings made within the UK that include international flights from the UK. For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk.

17. Law - This contract, including all matters arising from it, is subject to English Law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.