Travel Information

General travel advice

The majority of travel destinations are no different to being at home.  Petty crime and theft are a part of life throughout the world and tourists can be viewed as an easy target. It makes sense to take simple precautions:

• - Avoid walking home alone at night
• - If you need directions, ask the reception staff or concierge
• - Use licensed taxis only
• - Make sure your room is secure when you go out – lock all doors and windows
• - Make use of safety deposit boxes if provided or deposit cash and valuables at the hotel reception
• - Don’t carry expensive personal items with you when you go out and keep jewellery to a minimum
• - Avoid carrying a lot of cash. Use credit cards where possible and if you have more than one, keep them in separate places.
• - Keep travellers’ cheque numbers separate from the cheques themselves
• - Take a photocopy of your passport on holiday with you and keep it separate from the original

If you wish to check current advice relating to any destination you intend to visit, you should visit the Foreign Office website at: https://travelaware.campaign.gov.uk or, if you have a travel advice question you can tweet @FCOtravel for a response Monday – Friday, 9am – 6pm.

In case of emergency

For queries prior to departure, you should call our Customers Services Department during office hours Mon - Fri 0900 - 1730 and Sat 0900 - 1700 on 08444 937 999. For emergencies in the UK outside office hours, on your day of departure only, you may call our Duty Manager on 07917 870278.

The Duty Manager can only deal with emergency queries relating to IMMEDIATE travel issues. For queries in resort, you should use the local emergency numbers detailed on your itinerary.

Assistance requirements

We are delighted to offer advice for clients with special needs or disabilities. In order that we can be certain to ensure that all aspects of your needs can be accommodated for your entire holiday itinerary, we do not recommend that you book online.

We would much rather discuss your needs with you, so that we can make appropriate recommendations.

Airlines have different regulations about the carriage of passengers with special needs and this can vary according to the type of aircraft being used and the airport itself. Similarly the level of specialist service may vary at different airports and with different airlines. In order to comply with ferry/airline regulations we ask for detailed information with regard to needs, assistance and facilities when your booking is made, so that we can pass this onto the airline. Some airlines place restrictions on the number of passengers with special needs they can carry.

Although some hotels in some destinations may have accessible rooms, others do not. Sometimes, they may still be suitable for some clients, as the hotel may be able to offer ground floor rooms and/or walk-in showers or may have larger lifts, but we think that it is important to review your needs carefully in these circumstances and check with the hotel management regarding suitability.

To assist us in ensuring that your holiday choice is suitable for you, we require that you provide us with full details of any special needs in writing at the time of booking. You can complete this form on our website. Click here to link to the form. You should ensure that you complete this fully and include all relevant information on it. This form can then be forwarded to the relevant suppliers, so that they are aware of your needs and can advise on the suitability of the hotel, rooms, destinations etc. It is really important that you complete this form.. It is better to do this at the time of making the booking, as it is always much more difficult to accommodate requirements if we are made aware of them after the booking has been confirmed or close to departure.

Health

For up to date advice, you should contact your GP or visit https://travelhealthpro.org.uk for detailed information on your specific destination(s).

Vaccinations:

For visits to the majority of countries in our programme, it is advisable to ensure that your vaccinations for Cholera, Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Polio are up to date. Your G.P. will be able to provide you with specific advice on the destinations in your itinerary, as, for example, malaria tablets may be recommended for some areas and there may be Yellow Fever vaccination certificate requirements if you are either visiting a Yellow Fever area or have recently done so on a previous trip.

For all destinations, you should also ensure that your tetanus protection is up to date.

It is sensible to travel with a sterile medical kit in case of any emergency.

Deep Vein Thrombosis:

Concerns have been expressed recently regarding a possible link between air travel and Deep Vein Thrombosis. Whilst any such claims are unproven, some people may be more at risk than others. Information relating to “at risk” groups can be obtained from the Department of Health website and if you fit into any of these categories, we recommend you consult your doctor. Airlines do take these risks very seriously and offer general advice about your well-being including exercise suggestions, limiting alcohol and drinking plenty of water.

Pregnancy

Please let us know if you are pregnant, as airlines, ferry companies and cruise lines place restrictions on travel, particularly in the last trimester of pregnancy. These do vary according from one company to another and even, dependent on destination, so check with us, so that we can give you current advice. We strongly recommend that you check with your GP for specific advice relating to destinations you intend to visit if you are pregnant or intending to become pregnant.

Travelling with medicines

Some prescribed and over the counter medicines which are available in the UK are considered to be controlled substances in some countries and there may be penalties for taking them into those destinations. We advise you to check with the relevant embassy for any restrictions. You can also refer to the UK Foreign Office website, which offers further information at: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice It is worth considering only travelling with enough medication for your visit and also carrying your prescription in case of queries.

Hotel grading

In many hotels you have a choice of room types, so if you are looking for a sea view or just want to treat yourself to a suite, the choice is yours. There isn’t an official, universal hotel grading system in use across all the destinations we feature. However, to help you to choose accommodations which suit your requirements, we have graded the hotels ourselves using star ratings. These are not official star ratings and are for your guidance only:-

TWO STAR - Basic hotel with limited services and facilities.

THREE STAR - Comfortable, unpretentious, excellent value and ideal for the more budget conscious.

FOUR STAR - Usually a higher standard of modern hotel or an exceptionally well maintained older property. An above average hotel with some outstanding features.

Where PLUS appears with the star gradings it indicates it is above average and just short of the next highest category.

FIVE STAR - A deluxe hotel offering exemplary standards of accommodation, service and a wide range of facilities.

FIVE STAR LUXURY - For those who require the ultimate in luxury, attentive service and spectacular amenities.

Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly

In the British Isles, the majority of accommodation carries an official grading awarded by an independent authority.

We offer accommodation of all types from the simplest at the lower end of the scale to the more comfortable with a more extensive range of services and facilities at the higher end. Please read the descriptions in our brochure (and ask our staff for more information if you need it) to enable you to choose the one which is right for you.

The majority of hotel accommodation in the British Isles carries an official grading, which is awarded by an independent authority. Most awards are made under the Visit Britain scheme, although some properties may have opted to be graded by the AA. However, the grading criteria are very similar, so the grades are comparable. Properties are inspected annually and must comply with local regulations as well as meeting set grading criteria.

Accommodation is broadly divided into three categories:

Hotel - usually offering a wider range of facilities and services.

Guest accommodation - typically smaller guest houses – often family run - possibly only offering bed and breakfast, where quality is more important than facilities and services.

Self-catering - perfect for families or friends travelling together seeking more space and flexibility.

Accommodation, within each category, is awarded a star grade, but be aware that even where the number of stars is the same the actual standards will differ as the grading criteria vary according to the accommodation type, so it is important to be aware of the accommodation category. In Jersey only, some properties are awarded “RED” stars, which indicate a superior accommodation within the grade and category. The designator “Metro” is assigned to hotels which do not provide formal dining every night of the week, although they may still offer snacks or bar meals. Where official grades are known, we include these in our descriptions.

Minors

Some countries have special requirements relating to entry for children under 18 years, which may involve you obtaining particular documentation. For example, you may be required to obtain an affidavit from a notary if a child is not being accompanied by both parents. You should check this information with the relevant consulate or embassy.

Parents travelling with children into or out of South Africa may be asked to show the child’s unabridged full birth certificate, and where only one parent is accompanying, parental or legal consent for the child to travel (eg an affidavit from the other parent, a court order or – if applicable – a death certificate). You should travel with these documents in case you’re asked to provide them. There are other requirements for children travelling unaccompanied or with adults who are not their parents. For more information, contact the South African High Commission www.southafricahouseuk.com or the South African Department of Home Affairs www.dha.gov.za

Visa information

If a visa is required you will be advised at the time of booking.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION - CHANNEL ISLANDS, ISLE OF MAN, ISLES OF SCILLY, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS

Whilst passports are not required for entry to the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, increased security is such that all airlines require that you produce valid photo identification at check in. The following forms of ID are acceptable:

• - Valid Passport
• - Valid Photographic driving licence
• - Citizen Card

Similarly, Condor Ferries, who operate services to the Channel Islands, also require that you present photo identification on check in.

Condor accept the following forms of ID:

• - Valid Passport
• - Valid Photographic driving licence
• - Citizen Card
• - NUS Student Card
• - NUS College Card
• - Disabled ID
• - Council issued bus pass
• - Electoral Identity Card
• - Valid Police Warrant
• - Valid Government Issued ID
• - NHS Smart Card
• - EU National Identity Card

In all cases, if you are unable to provide the necessary ID, you will be refused travel.

100% Financial Protection

When you are planning a holiday, you not only want to know that your tour operator has the necessary experience to guide you through complex itinerary planning, but you also want to know that your holiday is financially safe. The money you pay for your holiday is safe under the protection provided by our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) - ATOL number 2713 and the bond we hold with the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) - Membership number: V0762. Put simply, if something happens to us, you get your money back.