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Terms & Conditions
PASSPORTS, VISAS
You must ensure you have a valid 10 year passport and if necessary a visa.
We can only advise the visa requirements for Irish passport holders. For
non-Irish passport holders, requirements should be checked with the relevant
embassy. As many countries require expiry dates on passports to be a considerable
length of time after the return date from holiday, it is imperative that
your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your return date. It
is your responsibility to ensure that exactly the same name (including
initials) appears on your flight ticket as in your passport. If there
is any difference, you may be refused entry onto your flight.
IMPORTANT NOTE
It is your responsibility to ensure that you hold the correct valid travel
documents for the country or countries to be visited and have obtained
the necessary vaccinations where applicable, as we cannot be held liable
for any illness, delays or costs resulting from your failure to meet these
requirements.
PLEASE NOTE
Twohigs have no influence whatsoever in relation to any countries´ refusal
to issue a visa for whatever reason. If your visa application is refused
you will receive a full refund of monies paid less your non-refundable
deposit. A visa refusal can occur anytime up to your departure date.
VACCINATIONS
All clients are responsible for ensuring that they have the correct vaccinations,
where applicable, for the countries being visited. We advise you to check
with your doctor as to what vaccinations may be required or recommended.
Alternatively, visit the Travel-Vax web site on: www.travelvax.net
HOLIDAY SEASONS
Most of the destinations we feature in this brochure are available all
year round. Some have quieter ‘off peak’ periods when you can take advantage
of uncrowded beaches and more personal attention from hotel staff at excellent
prices. At this time, it may be necessary for hotels to scale down their
facilities, such as restaurants, to match demand. Similarly, during peak
periods, hotels experience full occupancy, which may result in a livelier
atmosphere and slower service in busier facilities.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Virtually all countries have public holidays, religious or otherwise.
The festivities may temporarily disrupt your holiday and some religious
holidays such as Ramadan, which affects many Muslim countries, will result
in a reduction or cessation of facilities and entertainment. Others are
somewhat chaotic but great fun to be part of. We suggest that you take
this into consideration when selecting your departure date. The dates
known to us at the time of going to press for 2007 are: Ramadan: 13th
/ 14th Sep - 13th / 14th Oct (approx)
Chinese New Year: 18 Feb.
King´s Birthday (Thailand): 05 Dec.
Bali Silence Day: 19 Mar.
Sinhala & Tamil New Year (Sri Lanka): 13 Apr - 14 Apr.
The appropriate Tourist Offices are happy to supply more detailed information
or you may wish to refer to the internet.
LOCAL ASSISTANCE
In many of our resorts we include the services of an appointed local agent
so you have someone to turn to for advice. The agent can provide you with
any local information you may need, help you book excursions and generally
ensure that your holiday runs smoothly. Details can be found in your welcome
pack, which you will receive on arrival, should you want to contact the
agent during your holiday.
FLIGHT SEAT REQUESTS / IN - FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
We strongly recommend (particularly if you are flying economy class),
that you check in early if you have particular seat requests. Twohigs
has no control over the allocation of seats by the airline and even if
prebooked with the airline, no guarantee can be made that they will still
be available on the day of departure. The provision of particular seats
does not constitute a term of your contract with us. Please note airlines
operate both older and more modern aircraft within their fleet. We regret
we cannot guarantee the type of aircraft you will travel on as this may
be subject to change and general availability. In addition, with cannot
be held responsible for any in-flight entertainment systems that may be
faulty. Any on-board movies may also be shown in the language of the specific
international airline.
DIRECT FLIGHTS
A flight that is described as direct is not necessarily non-stop, but
one where there is no need to change aircraft during the journey. However,
stops may well be made en-route for re-fuelling or to let passengers on
or off. Details of any stops will be given on your itinerary. However,
should you require this information at an earlier stage please check with
your Travel Agent and/or our sales staff at the time of booking.
NON-SMOKING FLIGHTS
Most airlines have introduced a total smoking ban on all flights. Please
ask at the time of booking if this information is important to you.
FLYING TIMES
The flying times on each destination introduction page are approximate
and based on outbound flights. They may vary depending on flight schedules,
type of aircraft, weather conditions etc, and are indications of the hours
spent actually flying (excluding time on the ground during stops en route
or when changing aircraft).
CODE-SHARE FLIGHTS
Many airlines operate flights known as ‘code-share’. In these situations,
a flight will operate under different flight numbers but the actual aircraft
used will only belong to one of the airlines involved. We cannot guarantee
that a specific flight is necessarily operated by that specific airline.
DEEP-VEIN THROMBOSIS
Many people are now worried about suffering from deep-vein thrombosis
on flights. The risk of this is very low, but to reduce the risk further,
exercise your feet and legs at your seat or walk around when possible.
If you are worried about this, please ask your doctor for medical advice.
SPECIAL REQUESTS
Special requests i.e. diet (in-flight or accommodation meals), room location,
a particular facility at a hotel, a particular view/room type etc. are
not guaranteed and do not form part of your contract with us. In view
of the large number of requests made we are unable to advise you before
departure if they can be met, however, we will do our best to pass them
on.
DISABLED CLIENTS
We are happy to give advice to disabled clients and to assist in choosing
a holiday that will meet their requirements. However, because of the nature
of destinations, many lack even the simplest facilities such as ramps
for wheelchairs, lifts etc. Therefore, in order to assist, we must at
the time of booking be provided with full details in writing regarding
any disability and any special requirements as a result of this. It is
also essential to provide a medical certificate from your doctor confirming
the exact nature of the disability and confirmation of fitness to travel.
This is a standard requirement of all airlines and overseas service providers.
EXCURSIONS / MEAL PACKAGES
It is not always the case that excursions or meal packages which are offered
in the brochure are cheaper than buying the same arrangements locally.
It is often the case that these packages are offered for the convenience
of being both booked and paid for in Ireland. The cost of any unused tours
within excursion packages will not be refunded. Extreme caution should
be exercised when booking any local and ad hoc excursions within the area
that you are staying in. Safety standards can often be neglected by the
supplier and consequently Twohigs cannot be held responsible for any mishaps
that may occur.
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY WHILST ABROAD
Watersports, water activities, as well as some ‘outdoor’ activities have
an element of risk attached to them. We ask all of our clients to be aware
that it is your personal responsibility when engaging in such activities
to ensure your own safety and the safety of your belongings. Such activities
can be inherently dangerous and we ask that you be vigilant at all times.
Consequently Twohigs accept no responsibility for any injuries, losses
or damages incurred whilst partaking in any such activities.
GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming is now a phrase and phenomenon that we have become accustomed
to hearing and reading about. The effect of this is that weather patterns
globally are changing and consequently we are unable to give any guarantees
relative to rainfall, hours of sunshine, temperatures or indeed weather
forecasting in any way. On the relevant page, we have reproduced weather
charts for each destination that are based on historical data and we cannot
guarantee the accuracy of the information contained therein.
A NOTE OF CAUTION
Twohigs cannot guarantee the safety of clients in situations of civil
disturbance, war or political unrest of any nature. Unless the Department
of Foreign Affairs has specifically advised against travel to a particular
country it is the responsibility of individuals both in their decision
to travel and to protect their valuables. Twohigs will keep abreast of
local conditions through its overseas representatives, the media and the
Department of Foreign Affairs and are pleased to give advice at any time.
In the event of the Department of Foreign Affairs advising against travel
to a particular country, we reserve the right to cancel a tour or holiday
even at short notice and without compensation. In such circumstances an
alternative tour or holiday, if available, will be offered or a full refund
of all monies paid will be made. We strongly recommend that clients do
not venture off the planned route of any tour or holiday. We suggest that
particular care is taken in Third World countries, where street theft
occasionally involving violence can occur, that expensive jewellery and
personal valuables are locked in hotel safety deposit boxes or if not
available, locked in one´s suitcase. Better still, leave jewellery or
other expensive items at home. It is also important that one does not
dress in such a way as to offend local religious codes of conduct or customs
particularly in Muslim countries.
HOTELS, ROOMS, EARLY CHECK-IN AND LATE CHECK-OUT
In general, you can check in to your room between noon and 3pm and you
have to check out by 11am on your day of departure, irrespective of your
arrival or departure times. Early morning arrivals and late departures
are unavoidable in many destinations, which means that you may have a
considerable wait before your room is available. You may also have a considerable
wait between your check-out time and the time you depart for the airport.
For early morning arrivals and late departures we highly recommend you
book your room for an extra night either at the beginning or the end of
your stay or both to ensure your room will be available. Simply add the
extra night prices as appropriate from the price grids and ensure that
you advise our staff of your requirements when booking. It is not always
possible to guarantee the provision of a double bed for couples. However,
every effort will be made to accommodate your requirements. The room layout
and number of beds in each room also varies from hotel to hotel and cannot
usually be guaranteed until check-in.
VIEWS
‘Seaview’ means the sea can be seen from your room, balcony, or patio,
but the view may be partial or at an angle. ‘Seafacing’ means a room that
faces the sea, but because of trees, buildings or floor location, you
may not actually get a view of the sea.
EXTRA NIGHTS
We decide the price you pay for extra nights by the date you occupy the
accommodation and not by the date you leave Ireland!
GALA DINNERS (CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR)
In many destinations, Gala Dinners for festive occasions such as Christmas
and New Years Eve are compulsory. The cost of these are not included in
the price of your holiday as the individual hotels do not decide on these
functions until nearer the time. As soon as we are advised by the hotels
in relation to these gala dinners, we will invoice you which will be in
addition to your original invoice.
BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY & BOOKING FORM
Please note that all holidays and hotels in this brochure are on a request
basis and should be booked as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
If the holiday or hotel you requested is not available we will do our
utmost to offer an alternative holiday or hotel of similar standard and
price. If your requested accommodation is unavailable and we are unable
to provide an alternative, we will refund your deposit less an administration
fee of €100 per person named on the booking form. You may book directly
by either calling into our offices at 31 Dawson Street, Dublin 2, or by
telephoning us on 01-648 0800. You may also book your holiday through
your local ITAA travel agent. With either of the above options a deposit
of €150 per person together with your insurance premium payment and a
signed booking form will be required. If bookings are made within 8 weeks
of departure, payment in full must be made at that time. When you sign
the booking form you are confirming that you have read, understand and
accept all our booking agreement and are also accepting Section 8 of these
conditions which relates to arbitration.
PEAK DEPARTURE SUPPLEMENTS
Supplements apply for taking holidays at certain times of the year due
to increased prices. These are clearly shown in the appropriate price
grids in the brochure. This supplement is not intended to cover additional
facilities (gala dinners are charged extra). In addition to these there
is a flight supplement payable for certain dates eg. within the December/January/Easter
period and high season. These supplements are imposed because supply is
completely outstripped by demand during these periods.
PAYING FOR YOUR HOLIDAY
After your booking is made and subsequently confirmed, an invoice will
be sent to you or your travel agent detailing the total amount due. Full
payment will be required 8 weeks prior to your departure. If payment has
not been received by this time we reserve the right to cancel your booking
and cancellation charges will apply. See Section 10 of our Booking Agreement.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Twohigs consider that adequate travel insurance is vital. We strongly
advise that at the time of booking, a Twohig Travel recommended worldwide
comprehensive insurance policy with full cancellation cover is purchased.
WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
It is your responsibility to thoroughly check your travel documents to
ensure that: ⋅ All flight numbers and timings correspond with your itinerary.
⋅ All vouchers for hotels, transfers, tours, car-hire etc. correspond
to what you booked.
⋅ Your passport is valid and any visas, where required,
are in order (see paragraph ‘Passports, Visas’).
⋅ No responsibility can
be accepted for any errors or omissions not brought to our attention immediately
and any disputes arising from such failure cannot be entertained.
WHAT YOUR HOLIDAY COST INCLUDES
⋅ Return economy class flights throughout your itinerary as confirmed
on your confirmation/final invoice.
⋅ Return transfers between your overseas
airport and your hotel on a seat in coach basis, unless otherwise stated
on the appropriate pages. On multi-centred holidays, surface transportation/transfers
and/or internal flights are also provided.
⋅ Accommodation as detailed
on the appropriate pages and meal plans as shown in the price grids confirmed
on your confirmation/final invoice.
NOT INCLUDED IN YOUR HOLIDAY COST
⋅ Cost of passports, visa fees and vaccinations/inoculations.
⋅ Holiday
insurance, which is essential.
⋅ Overseas airport departure taxes unless
otherwise specified.
⋅ Irish Passenger Service Charge.
⋅ Room service,
telephone charges, porterage, laundry, tips and all items of a personal
nature together with any other items not mentioned in this brochure.
⋅
Hotel facilities, e.g. sport and leisure equipment, many of which are
not included, so read hotel descriptions and if in doubt ask at your hotel
reception desk.
⋅ Optional excursions and local excursions.
⋅ Cots and
food for infants, usually payable direct to the hotel.
⋅ Flight and hotel
supplements for meals and/or upgraded accommodation.
⋅ All tours featured
in this brochure are designed for the independent traveller and do not
therefore include the services of a dedicated Twohig Travel local representative.
EXCHANGE RATES
The rates of exchange used in costing this brochure relative to the Euro
are as follows:
⋅ US Dollar 1.28
⋅ Thai Baht 46.5
⋅ Singapore Dollar 1.99
⋅ Australian Dollar 1.65
⋅ Hong Kong Dollar 10
⋅ South African Rand 9.2
AMENDMENTS TO YOUR HOLIDAY
Any alterations or amendments you wish to make after your booking has
been confirmed will be subject to a €55.00 fee per person per change providing
such amendments/alterations are requested no later than 4 weeks prior
to departure. Within 4 weeks, higher fees will apply.
CANCELLING YOUR HOLIDAY
If you or any person named on the booking form decide to cancel the holiday,
we must be notified in writing immediately. The cancellation will take
effect from the day the written confirmation is received by us (see Section
10 of our booking agreement). We strongly recommend that you take out
comprehensive insurance which may cover you in the event of cancellation
charges being applied.
WEBSITE ACCURACY
All information on this website is, to the best of our knowledge, correct
at the time of publication. However, we reserve the right to make changes
after this date. There could be occasions when facilities may be withdrawn
or reduced by hoteliers or proprietors of other services. A pool may be
closed for cleaning and/or renovation, if there are several restaurants/bars/food
outlets in a hotel, one or more may be closed at any given time. Tour,
excursion, safari or cruise itineraries may change as a result of local
conditions. Such changes are beyond our control but when we are advised
of any changes we will try to advise you before your departure, if there
is time.
MAPS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
The maps shown in this brochure are for general information only and may
not accurately show the exact location of places marked on the maps, they
are purely a guideline. Photographs show places in the regions, which
you may not actually see on your holiday or tour. We use pictures to create
a feeling of the area. Rooms shown in the photographs are not necessarily
the hotel´s standard rooms.
BUILDING WORK AND LOCAL CUSTOMS
Many of the countries featured in this brochure are in the process of
developing their local economies and tourist industry - often at an unbelievable
rate. This means that in some cities/resorts/hotels there can be continual
building work in progress. There will be noise from building equipment
and work may be visible from your room. We cannot predict when building
work is likely to happen, although when we do know, we will try to inform
you before your departure. Please note that building work could affect
more than one hotel on your itinerary. Noise can also be generated by
birds and other wildlife, as well as calls to prayer and other local customs
such as religious festivals which may also result in the withdrawal of
some services, alcohol and entertainment may not be available. There is
bound to be some traffic noise if your hotel is located close to a road,
especially in major cities and the sound of aircraft is inevitable if
your hotel is a short distance from an airport.
SWIMMING IN THE SEA
In some resorts you may find the sea is unsuitable for swimming because
it can be too rough, polluted or contain other dangers. Please contact
the tourist boards of the places you are visiting for more information.
FLIGHT DELAYS
Regrettably, flight delays do occur from time to time due to technical
problems, air traffic control restrictions, strikes or other reasons.
In the case of serious delays, it is the responsibility of the scheduled
airline (not the tour operator) to provide refreshments and/or overnight
accommodation that may be necessary. When such delays result in holiday
time being lost, no refunds are made by hotels for unused accommodation,
as the rooms have to be held pending your late arrival and cannot be re-let.
Similarly, Twohigs do not offer refunds or make recompense for lost holiday
time or any expenses incurred due to non-operation or flight delays. Only
rarely do some airlines offer compensation in such circumstances as their
conditions of carriage preclude this. You are therefore urged to purchase
the Twohigs comprehensive holiday insurance policy which provides some
compensation for lost holiday time (or additional expenses incurred) due
to flight delays in certain circumstances.
CIRCUMSTANCES OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL
We do not pay compensation or accept any liability if our performance
is prevented or affected by an event beyond our control which we or our
suppliers could not expect or avoid even with all due care. Examples are:
⋅ War or threat of war
⋅ Riots
⋅ Terrorists activity
⋅ Industrial disputes
⋅ Natural or nuclear disasters
⋅ Fire
⋅ Bad weather conditions
⋅ Technical
problems to transport
⋅ Airports or ports being closed or full
⋅ Cancellation
or changes of schedules by scheduled service airlines or any similar event
⋅ Fuel surcharges
ACCOMMODATION IN THE TROPICS
In many hotels, especially beach resorts, insects in the rooms i.e. cockroaches,
ants etc. are almost inevitable. It should by no means be taken as a sign
of dirtiness, simply a fact of life in these destinations. Furthermore,
in most resort destinations you may also experience “musty smells” or
dampness in hotel bedrooms which is unavoidable because of their locations
and air-conditioning systems. This should not be interpreted as substandard
but merely a local phenomenon.
RECREATIONAL / SPORTS FACILITIES
Complimentary recreational/sports facilities are available in many hotels.
Most hotels do however charge for these facilities. Please refer to the
hotel descriptions for details. However, it must be stressed that watersport
activities in general are by their very nature dangerous and in most cases
do not come under the supervision of the hotel as they are privately operated.
We therefore strongly advise that you exercise extreme caution if you
choose to engage in these activities and our advice would be, to refrain
from using them at all as they are extremely dangerous and life threatening.
Remember that your travel insurance does not cover you.
BEHAVIOUR
Most people go on holiday for rest and relaxation. Therefore, if in our
reasonable opinion or in the opinion of any airline pilot, hotel manager,
tour leader or other person in authority, your behaviour is causing danger,
damage to property or persistently affecting the enjoyment of others,
we reserve the right to terminate your holiday. Should this happen, no
refund or compensation will be paid.
PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINTS
We are not naive enough to believe that problems and complaints do not
occur. Arriving tired after a long flight, with perhaps a tropical shower
taking place, a resort or hotel room might not look or sound as it did
in the brochure. Normally, a good nights sleep and warm sunshine during
the day cures the problem. If it does not, please take up the matter immediately
with the hotel management or our local agents. If this does not solve
the problem you can reverse charge a call to us here in Dublin on 00 353
1 648 0800 and ask for customer services who will be only too pleased
to help. We like to look after our clients and give ‘on the spot’ assistance
rather than to receive written complaints after the holiday when we are
not in a position to solve them. In the unlikely event of a problem remaining
unresolved, you should make a complaint in writing to Twohig Travel within
28 days of your return (see sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 of our booking agreement).
We shall not accept any liability for claims that we receive outside 28
days, or which have NOT been reported to both local ground handlers or
suppliers. It is important though, to bear in mind that your expectations
must be reasonable and in line with what has been stated in our brochure.
We do not accept liability for any disappointment which you may feel as
a result of unrealistic expectations or perceptions.
CONSERVATION
It is becoming ever more important to conserve the world´s natural resources,
its landscapes, flora and fauna. Someone coined the phrase ‘Take only
photographs, leave only footprints’ and a number of countries now use
this to promote conservation. It would be hard to improve on this statement.
HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY ABROAD
The safety standards and regulations which apply overseas are those of
the country you visit. Often they do not reach the same levels as in Ireland.
Because of this, general standards of safety, hygiene, fire precaution
and so on, can be lower than those which we expect in Ireland. The authorities
in the country concerned may not have enough power or resources to monitor
and enforce standards. So we must advise you to be careful when you are
in unfamiliar buildings or surroundings. Please get to know your escape
route in case of a fire. Do not let non-swimmers or children jump into
a swimming pool without checking the depth and how to get out. Upset stomachs
can happen in many areas, often caused by the change in climate and ice
in drinks - not local hygiene or food preparation standards. Any change
in diet may cause an upset stomach and the local water may not help. You
should be sensible especially with raw food, drinking water and ice in
drinks. You can reduce the risk of bites from insects by using repellents
and covering up whenever possible, especially at night. Crimes against
people and property are a fact of life throughout the world and you have
the same responsibility for your safety as you do at home. In some places
the local police may not be very co-operative or interested when you report
theft or need insurance confirmation so take great care of your property.
Remember, personal responsibility cannot be overstated, so exercise care
at all times.
TRANSFERS TO AND FROM YOUR HOTEL
When you arrive at your destination you will be met at the airport by
our local ground handling representatives and transferred to and from
your hotel. All transfers are based on a ‘Seat In Coach’ arrangement unless
otherwise stated on the relevant price grid. If you would prefer a private
car transfer, please call us on 01 648 0800 for details & supplements.
SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES
We highly recommend that you utilise your safety deposit box when staying
in any of the hotels featured in this brochure. In certain hotels the
safety deposit box is located in your bedroom, however if this is not
the case you may use the facility at the reception desk.
RECONFIRMATION OF FLIGHTS
It is your responsibility to reconfirm all onward or return flights at
least 72 hours prior to departure.
TROPICAL TRAUMAS
Public utilities such as water and electricity are taken for granted in
Ireland, but in some of the destinations featured in this brochure these
supplies do not always keep pace with the demands of tourist developments
and consequently you may experience power cuts and/or problems with plumbing
or drainage. In the tropics, severe storms and hurricanes occur at any
time and you should be prepared for the consequences of inclement weather
conditions.