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Educational Cultural Exchanges International Ltd. (ECE)

BOOKING TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The following terms and conditions are the basis of the contract between you (the ‘organiser’) and ECE, so please read them carefully. 

Final payment and travel documentation

Minimum Passenger Numbers

• A group consists of a minimum of 10 full paying passengers. If a group falls below 10 paying passengers or a cancellation causes the group to fall below a particular pricing category (e.g. 20 to 15 passengers), prices and space are subject to change or cancellation. Free places do not count towards the number of paying passengers.

If ECE has to make changes

• ECE will do its utmost to provide all arrangements as confirmed but reserves the right to alter or cancel any activities, accommodation or other arrangements without notice subject to operational, weather or other considerations.
• If ECE makes a major change to your travel arrangements within 8 weeks of commencement of travel arrangements, a suitable alternative of similar or higher standard will be made available where possible. Should this not be possible then compensation will be paid as detailed below unless the change is due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to war, riot, civil commotion, act of God, industrial dispute, Government action, epidemic, disease, adverse weather or natural disaster.
  
  56–29 days – 5% of total inclusive price per paying passenger
  28–15 days – 10% of total inclusive price per paying passenger
  14 days or less – 15% of total inclusive price per paying passenger

• We do not usually accept additions or alterations to travel arrangements within 7 days of the commencement of travel arrangements.

Surcharges

• Prices are subject to surcharge due to unforeseen increases in fuel costs, Government action e.g. increases in VAT or any other Government imposed increases or adverse currency exchange rate variations.
• ECE will absorb an amount equivalent to 2% of the travel arrangements excluding insurance premiums and any amendment charges. Only amounts in excess of this 2% will be surcharged.
• If applicable, surcharges will be advised 8 weeks prior to the commencement of travel arrangements.
• If ECE charges more than 10% of the travel arrangements, you may cancel these arrangements with a full refund of all money paid excluding any amendment charges. Any such cancellation must be made within 14 days from the issue date of the surcharge advice.
• Prices have been fixed according to an exchange rate of 1.389 Euros to £1 as published in the Fortis Global Markets Daily Morning Commentary 6 December 2007. 

Cancelling your booking or travel arrangements

• If you have to cancel travel arrangements your deposit will be forfeited to cover costs incurred by ECE.
• If ECE receives a written cancellation notice within 56 days of commencement of travel arrangements, higher cancellation charges will apply as follows:
  
  56 to 29 days prior – 30% of total inclusive price per paying passenger
  28 to 15 days prior – 45% of total inclusive price per paying passenger
  14 to 0 days prior – 100% of total inclusive price per paying passenger

 

 

 

The cancellation date is calculated on the day of receipt of written notification of cancellation.

Complaints Procedures

• If there is a problem with any aspect of your travel arrangements, please mention this to the Tour Leader/Country Manager immediately. In the event of an unresolved complaint, please contact the ECE head office in Chislehurst, Kent. If your complaint is still not resolved, you have 28 days from the end of your travel arrangements to write to us to explain your grievance.
• If you are still unhappy, your complaint may be referred to independent arbitration for judgement.

ECE Responsibility

• ECE accepts responsibility for those elements of the travel arrangements which are under our direct control and for the acts and/or omissions of our employees, agents, subcontractors and suppliers. Save as set out below, no liability is accepted for personal illness, injury or death.
• ECE accepts responsibility for any personal illness, injury or death resulting from the negligent (as the word is understood in the English Law) acts or omissions of any servant or agent, or any supplier, working on our behalf in the provision of services or facilities and whilst acting within the scope of their employment.
• ECE does not, however, accept liability for any air or sea carriers whose individual conditions of carriage apply and are subject to international agreements.
• ECE cannot be held responsible for delays or changes in any travel arrangements or other services which are caused by circumstances amounting to force majeure, such as, but not limited to war, riot, civil commotion, act of God, Government action, epidemic, disease, natural disaster, industrial dispute or adverse weather conditions.
• ECE shall not be liable in respect of any loss of profits, damage to goodwill or any type of special, indirect or consequential loss even if such loss was reasonably foreseeable or we have been advised of the possibility of you incurring the same.
• Subject to the above and excluding liability for death or personal injury, ECE liability shall be limited to £15,000 (pounds sterling) in respect to any one claim.

Your responsibility

• It is the responsibility of the organiser to advise ECE of a person’s special dietary requirements, illness, and disabilities, social or behavioural problems which might affect the person or other guests during the travel arrangements.
• ECE may request written confirmation from a GP/teacher confirming the suitability of the travel arrangements for the person if deemed necessary.
• ECE reserves the right to exclude any person before or after travel arrangements commence if important personal details have not been fully declared and/or his/her behaviour is incompatible with the general enjoyment and wellbeing of others.  Any costs would be entirely the responsibility of the organiser.
• Inappropriate behaviour may include:
  • Under age buying or consumption of alcohol
  • Suspected involvement with illegal drugs
  • Smoking outside of designated areas and smoking by under 16s
  • Entering accommodation used by the opposite sex
  • Theft or illegal activities
  • Threatening behaviour, bullying, offensive or insulting language to other guests, ECE staff or any other person
  • Anti-social behaviour affecting the overall enjoyment of travel arrangements for other guests

Personal property

• Personal property, including baggage, is each person’s own responsibility at all times, unless any loss or damage is due to negligence or failure by ECE to carry out its responsibility.
• Any personal information requested at the time of booking and on subsequent communications is held on computer and required to allow our employees, agents, sub-contractors and suppliers to provide the contracted travel arrangements. By providing us with the information required for booking you are deemed to accept the above and to have gained consent from all members of your party to disclose their details to us.

Photography

• ECE regularly takes photographs and videos for promotional and training purposes. If you do not want your group participants to appear in these you must write to ECE Customer Service at the head office in Chislehurst, Kent, England. 

Insurance

• ECE strongly recommends that all persons travelling obtain appropriate insurance coverage.

All details here are published in good faith as of December 2007. These Terms and Conditions apply to direct bookings made by group travel organisers and not travel trade and corporate bookings for which separate Terms and Conditions are available on request.

“The Package Travel, Package Tour Regulations 1992”

In accordance with “The Package Travel, Package Tour Regulations 1992” all passengers booking with Educational Cultural Exchanges (International) Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in y our booking confirmation form. The policy will also include repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Educational Cultural Exchanges (International) Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by Towergate Chapman Stevens through IGI Insurance Company Ltd.

 

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