Our Booking Conditions

1    Bookings

All bookings are made subject to the following terms and conditions which form the basis of your contract with Dr Thomson's Tours and the person making the booking (by email or letter) agrees to be bound by them for him/her self and on behalf of all members of his/her party.

2.    Confirmation

The person making the booking, ('the client') shall pay to Dr Thomson's Tours ('the Company') a deposit at the time of booking.  The booking is not confirmed until the client receives written confirmation.  The deposit is non-returnable in the event of cancellation by the client, the only exception being cancellation within 7 days of receipt of and dissatisfaction with these Booking Conditions.

3    Responsibility / Liabilities

(a)  The Company is responsible for the proper performance of all guiding and organising services.

(b) There may be occasions where a booking may have to be cancelled or altered to a material extent and the Company reserves the right to cancel, curtail or refuse any booking or to alter the cost or other arrangements due to circumstances or events beyond their control.  In such circumstances the client will be advised of the alteration in arrangements and, prior to the commencement of the booking, shall be entitled to withdraw from the booking and receive a refund of all monies paid.  The Company shall then have no further liability.  Alternatively, with the client's agreement, the Company may rearrange the booking on an alternative basis.  If the company has to make a material alteration to, or has to cancel a booking within 8 weeks of the commencement of the booking for reasons other than due to circumstances or events beyond their control, the client will in addition to the foregoing be given a nominal ex gratia payment as compensation, which payment shall be higher in the event that the material alteration or cancellation occurs within 14 days of the commencement of the booking. 

(c)  The client shall indemnify the Company against all losses and/or damage whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from any act, default or omission of the client.  The Company reserves the right to remove a client from a tour if their behaviour is antisocial and causing problems for others.

(d)  Subject to the other provisions of this paragraph the Company will pay to the client the equivalent of such damages as they would be entitled to receive under English law in an English Court for any personal injury to the client, including illness or death, caused by the negligence as understood in English law, of the employees or agents of the Company, providing that they were acting within the scope of or in the course of their employment when the accident happened.  The Company will make payment provided the injured client (1) notifies the Company of any claim for personal injury within 28 days of his/her return from the booking; (2) assigns to the Company any rights against the supplier or any other person or party the client may have relating to the claim, and (3) agrees to cooperate fully with the Company should the Company or its Insurers wish to enforce those rights which have been assigned to the Company or to which the Company are subrogated.

4.    Payment

The deposit paid will be deducted from the invoice and the balance is normally due 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the booking.  Payment in full is required at the time of booking for bookings made less than 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the booking.  If we do not receive full payment on time, we have the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you; in this event you will forfeit your deposit. It is not possible for refunds to be made if the client arrives late or leaves early for any reason.  

5    Cancellation / changes if some but not all clients cancel / refunds

(i)  If the client wishes to cancel the booking this must be done in writing.  If the client cancels after confirmation has been sent out but before the due date of the final balance the deposit will be forfeit [see Section 2 above] If cancellation is received within 8 weeks of the commencement of the booking the additional following scale of charges apply: 28-56 days prior to the commencement of the booking 33%, 15-27 days 66%, 1-14 days 80%, on or after the day of commencement of the booking 100% of the total cost of the booking.  

(ii)  If one or some members of a party who have booked a tour together cancels, then the Company will need to recalculate the amount due from the remaining clients as the funds due will no longer meet the fixed costs of delivering the tour.

(iii)  Should it become necessary for the Company to cancel a booking, for whatever reason [save for that outlined in 5 (ii) above], we undertake to offer the client a comparable alternative or where this is not  available or acceptable, a prompt refund of all monies paid by the client.  The amount of such refund shall not exceed the amount paid to the Company.

6    Provision of transport & accommodation

Transport is provided by the client.  Accommodation may be booked by the Company on behalf of the client, but payment is due to the hotel direct, on the spot; the contract for accommodation is between the client and the hotel.

7    Price Guarantee

Information and prices on the Company's website are correct at the time of updating and the Company cannot be held responsible for any changes which occur outside our control.  We shall do what we can to maintain prices but reserve the right to vary them due to fluctuations in the exchange rates, increases in fuel prices, increases in VAT, government action and increases levied by the companies providing transportation or accommodation.  In any event we will absorb increases up to 5% of the total cost and we will only pass on extra costs if the surcharge exceeds 5%.  If the increase in price exceeds 10% the client will be entitled to cancel with full refund of all monies paid excluding insurance premiums and alteration charges.  Should you decide to cancel for this reason you must do so within 14 days of the date printed on the invoice.  

9    Proper Law and Jurisdiction

This Agreement shall be governed by the Law of England and Wales in every particular, including formation and interpretation, and shall be deemed to have been made in England.

October 2021