BOOKINGS

All reservations are subject to availability at the time of booking. Any verbal quote given is only an estimate of the price which will be effective only upon the issuing of a written advice on confirmation of the reservation. All bookings with French Travel Connection (“FTC”) are subject to the terms and conditions and limitations of liability imposed by airlines, hoteliers, coach operators, and other service providers including, but not limited to, rail, car hire and restaurant operators whose services we utilise, some of which limit or exclude liability in respect of death, personal injury, delay and loss or damage to baggage. Bookings with carriers or tour operators are also subject to the carrier’s terms and conditions as printed or referred to in their tickets and/or timetables and/or regulations. FTC and/or its agents reserve the right, without notice, to modify, cancel or withdraw any of the arrangements and in this event the full amounts paid will be returned to the customer, and upon rendering the same, all liability of FTC and/or its agents in respect thereof shall cease. FTC and/or its agents reserve the right to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of any group at any time. FTC reserves the right to adjust any price without notice whatsoever at any time up to the day full payment is received by FTC.

DEPOSITS, FINAL PAYMENT

A non-refundable deposit of $200 per booking must be paid at the time of booking. Bookings for which this deposit is not received are subject to cancellation without notice. If FTC is unable to confirm the requested arrangements the deposit will be fully refundable. Deposits vary for each tour operator, hotel, canal cruise operator or provider of any service contained in this brochure, and will be payable according to the General Terms and Conditions of each operator. *Please note that firm reservations cannot be made for Villas, Canal Boats and any pre-booked accommodation until the required deposit is received. The balance payment must be received not less than 45 days prior to departure. If the balance payment is not received by FTC by the due date, we reserve the right to treat the booking as cancelled and to apply the appropriate cancellation charges. Payments by credit card are subject to merchant fees.

AMENDMENT FEES

For each amendment requested after confirmation a fee of $30 will be charged in addition to any charges levied by hotels, ground/cruise operators or airlines. The fee will be $50 if vouchers have already been issued. An amendment constitutes a change to an existing booking and not a transfer to another tour or date, wherein cancellation fees may apply.

CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS

Should you or any member of your party wish to cancel, you must advise your Travel Agent and/or FTC in writing. Such written advice should be signed by the person who made the original booking. The cancellation is not effective until FTC receives the written advice. Cancellations are subject to a fee as follows:

– 45 days, or more, prior to departure: forfeit of deposit

– 15–44 days prior to departure: the greater of 25% of the total cost or deposit paid.

– 14 days, or less, prior to departure: 100% of total cost

Cancellations will also be subject to cancellation fees levied by each operator according to their respective Booking Terms and Conditions. *Please note that it is your responsibility to request from your Travel Agent or FTC the details of terms and conditions, and to ensure that you have understood their contents. The payment of your deposit constitutes an acceptance of those terms and conditions and your acknowledgement that you will be bound by their cancellation fee charges. Any unused Car Rental or tax free car leasing period is not refundable. No refund is made on any pre-booked accommodation, coach tours, villas, canal cruising or other travel not utilised. No refund is available for cancellation after the tour has commenced or in respect of any tours, accommodation, meals or any other services not utilised. No refund is available for transport and museum passes. Cancellation of confirmed services forming part of an existing booking will incur cancellation fees as listed.

INSURANCE

It is strongly recommended that, at the time of booking, you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy of your choice. We suggest that the policy should include, but not be limited to the following features: Loss of deposit through cancellation, personal baggage, loss of money, medical expenses, additional expenses to cover hotel accommodation and repatriation costs to Australia should the tour or holiday need to be extended or curtailed due to illness while overseas, or due to the need to return to Australia because of unexpected death or illness of a close relative. Please consult your Travel Agent on the insurance policy most suitable for your needs.

VISA, TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Passengers should familiarise themselves with any and all health or visa requirements that may be applicable in the areas they intend visiting. They shall be responsible for all exit, entry, health and other documents required by laws, regulations, orders, demands or requirements of the countries visited or transited. Each person shall carry a valid passport at all times. An Australian Re-Entry Permit must be obtained for those not holding Australian passports. Kindly note that passport and visa requirements are not our responsibility or that of your Travel Agent and we are not liable for any loss or expense due to a passenger‘s failure to comply with the above or any statutory requirement made in any country whatsoever.

LUGGAGE

Luggage, including personal articles, is at all times and in all circumstances at the risk of its owners except to the extent of any insurance purchased by the customer. It is also the passenger’s responsibility to enquire prior to departure about the restrictions placed by any carrier or tour operator on the amount, weight or volume of luggage allowed and to comply with those requirements. Failure to do so might incur additional charges or refusal to carry the excess luggage.

RESPONSIBILITY

FTC acts as Booking Agent only for the persons or companies offering or providing the means of travel, conveyance, transport, accommodation or other service and all receipts, tickets, vouchers, coupons or exchange orders are issued subject to the terms and conditions under which transportation and other services are provided. FTC does not accept any liability whatsoever for the acts, omissions or default, whether negligent or otherwise, of those Airlines, coach operators, shipping companies, hoteliers or other persons providing services in connection with your tour or travel pursuant to a contract between them and yourselves and over whom we have no direct and exclusive control. We do not accept liability in contract or in tort for any accident, injury, damage, loss, delay, irregularity, additional expenses or inconvenience caused directly or indirectly by any act or event which are beyond our control, or which are not preventable by reasonable diligence on our part including, but not limited to, war, civil disturbance, fire, floods, pandemic, unusually severe weather, acts of God, acts of Government or of any other authorities, accidents to or failure of machinery or equipment or industrial action (whether or not involving our employees and even though such action may be settled by acceding to demands of a labour group). Maps and photographs are only included for the purpose of general information and do not necessarily indicate actual itineraries or location of services provided. Photographs are purely for decorative purposes and do not show any service offered or any location visited on any of the tours contained in this brochure or advertised by any tour provider. Photographs of hotel rooms are only an example of a room available and do not necessarily represent the type of room or the room which will be made available.

EXTRA SERVICES

FTC, its agents and any tour operator or provider of services is not liable for any changes, fees or costs not included in the services offered, and any additional costs are the responsibility of the passenger.

ERRORS OR OMMISSIONS (E&OE)

We reserve the right to correct any errors in rates quoted or calculated for any service, notwithstanding that the invoice may have been paid in full. It is the responsibility of the Travel Agent to ensure all invoice details are correct and that the client acknowledges all cancellation conditions.