Terms & Conditions

Please read through the following booking conditions carefully.

The booking conditions as below apply to all bookings with First Wave Adventures. In the booking conditions,

the Company, we, and us refers to First Wave Adventures Ltd. and you refers to the individual making the booking (Lead Guest)

YOUR CONTRACT

(1a) Our acceptance of your initial payment forms a contract between First Wave Adventures Ltd. and the Lead Guest making the booking. A contract only exists after payment has been received by us and we have confirmed your booking by way of an email confirmation.

(1b) At the time of booking, you will be required to provide your personal details and confirm that you have accepted the booking conditions on behalf of the group. You will also be responsible for any balance payment of the booking. We will send all correspondence to you and will consider you responsible for keeping all group members informed. We cannot discuss the booking or enter into communication with any other member of the booking, parent, or 3rd party. In the event that the booking is being made on behalf of someone else, and the person making the booking is not actually taking part in the trip, that person is still deemed the Lead Guest and the same booking conditions apply. When booking on behalf of other people or on behalf of a group, it is the responsibility of the Lead Guest to ensure all interested parties are aware of all the booking conditions e.g. parents.

(1c) All booking notification and payment-related correspondence from us is sent via email. It is your responsibility to ensure all such emails are read and adhered to in accordance with these booking conditions. Unless informed otherwise, it will be deemed by us that all emails have been received and understood. We cannot accept failure to adhere to our booking conditions due to incorrect contact details or inactive email account.

(1d) Bookings made through agents or 3rd party websites may be subject to their own terms and conditions and payment policy. Our contract will be held with the agent and all communication will be made through them.

(1e) You are deemed to accept the booking conditions contained herewith. No other conditions will apply to this contract unless confirmed by us to you in writing.

BOOKING

(2a) To reserve your spaces you are required to make a non-refundable deposit payment of £50 per student place. Whilst you may transfer the deposit to a replacement student, the deposit remains non-refundable i.e. changes to the group size may result in monies being retained by the Company. Deposits are based strictly on student places and are not transferable to staff or driver places.

(2b) After the deposit payment has been paid to reserve your places, the balance is payable 8 weeks prior to arrival. You will be sent a balance reminder email 10 weeks prior to arrival.

(2c) All bookings made within 8 weeks of the start of your stay will require the full balance to be paid at the time of booking.

(2d) All payments must be made by BACS. Our bank details are noted on all invoices. We are unable to accept credit card payments.

(2e) On receipt of your deposit payment we will send you a balance invoice with full details of your booking. If any details are incorrect you must advise us immediately. If you do not receive a balance invoice within 72 hours of booking, please notify us immediately. We cannot accept responsibility for any errors concerning your booking after a period of 72 hours after booking.

(2f) We reserve the right to periodically review our rates. Our pricing model may determine a fluctuation in advertised rates in accordance with demand/availability. VAT does not apply to prices quoted.

(2g) All rates are based on shared accommodation on full room occupancy. All rooms are private, shared only with your group. Staff rooms are allocated based on two sharing. We can offer single supplements for guests over the age of 18 at an additional cost (subject to availability).

(2h) Whilst we endeavour to accommodate all special requests, we cannot issue any such guarantees.

(2i) Should you need a room for persons with special requirements, please contact us at your earliest opportunity. Some partner hotels will not offer a passenger lift/unable to offer disabled/accessible rooms.

(2j) All bookings are made in good faith. In the unlikely event that your booked accommodation is made unavailable, we will endeavour to find alternative accommodation nearby at a price and a standard similar to that initially allocated. In the event that your new accommodation is only available at an increased price, we reserve the right to pass on the charge accordingly. In this instance, you will be offered the option to pay the additional charge or to be refunded by us in full. Should a refund be preferred, all monies will be refunded with immediate effect. We regret that we are unable to cover any additional costs for accommodation cancellations beyond our control.

(2k) The Staff Stay Free offer is based on a confirmed activity package booking with a ratio of 1 staff member per 10 paying student places. Should the confirmed group ratio be less than 1:10 (at the balance payment stage), free places will be removed from the booking accordingly. Accommodation and meal bookings are not subject to the free place offer.

(2l) We cannot take any responsibility for claims with respect of 3rd party activity providers. Certain activity providers may insist you sign an insurance indemnity and waiver form; therefore you participate at your own risk. You may be asked to complete activity disclaimers prior to arrival. It is the Lead Guests responsibility to relay all relevant medical/behavioural information to the activity provider staff at the start of each activity.

(2m) For all bookings, we ask for the names of all group members, dietary requirements, and medical information at least 14 days prior to arrival.You will be emailed with all the relevant forms upon payment on your balance. Please be aware that we will unable to accommodate any dietary or medical requests without prior notification through completion of the issued standard forms. We are unable to accept dietary or medical requests through any other means. The Company reserves the right to make an administrative charge of £20 should the required forms not be received within the 14 day deadline.

(2n) Please be advised that you will be required to bring a cheque as a form of security bond against any damage to accommodation/activity provider property. We ask for a cheque made payable to First Wave Adventures for the set amount of £200.00 per group, irrespective of the size of group.The cheque will be requested at check-in and retained throughout your stay.

(2o) In the event of any damage sustained with your booked accommodation/activity centre, we will charge the applicable amount of loss sustained by the provider, including business interruption losses, against the security bond. In the event that the cost of damage exceeds the amount of £200.00, we will contact you to request immediate settlement of the costs incurred. Should further problems be encountered, the provider have the option to pursue the matter through the civil courts. The Lead Guests remains responsible for all rooms booked under his/her name. All damage charges are checked and authorised by us.

WHILST STAYING WITH US

(3a) Check-in time at your booked accommodation is 3pm-8pm. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that any rooms will be available before this time.

(3b) Check-out time is 10am. We kindly ask that you vacate your room by this time. A room inspection will be carried out by the accommodation management.

(3c) Only those named in the booking may stay as part of your group. In the interests of security, visitors are strictly prohibited from entering any of the guest rooms.

(3d) Whilst some partner accommodation providers may offer car parking, spaces are limited. Alternative parking will be available nearby in both residential areas and public car parks. We cannot guarantee parking spaces and do not accept the provision of parking facilities as a contractual part of any booking. Parking with our partner accommodation providers is free. All vehicles are left at the owners risk. We/our partners cannot accept any responsibility for any damage caused to a vehicle parked in their car park. All persons leaving a vehicle in a partner accommodation providers car park will need to register it at check-in. All unregistered vehicles found may be issued with a parking ticket. Any such service is carried out by a 3rd party and we/our partners will have no control over its operation.

(3e) Accommodation management reserve the right to enter any room at any time, whether the room is occupied or not.

(3f) You use all partner accommodation and activity provider facilities at your own risk. The Company cannot accept liability for the loss or damage in respect of your personal possessions or a vehicle. Please do consider this point before taking any valuable items with you. All items left in storage are done so exclusively at the risk of the owner.

(3g). All accommodation used by us is of a basic, affordable standard. Guest towels, hot drink making facilities, and toiletries may not be provided

by partner accommodation providers.You will be advised of what to bring prior to arrival.

(3h) We ask that any breakages are reported and paid for within 24 hours. Failure to do so will result in all charges being made against the security bond.

(3i) We reserve the right to impose a cleaning charge against the security bond for excess cleaning duties required in a guest room. A similar charge will apply against a guest whose actions have resulted in excess cleaning to a corridor/public area.

(3j)It is the Lead Guests responsibility to ensure that a) no group member under 18 consumes alcoholic beverages, b) no student smokes in any accommodation, in any smoke free places or behaves in any other way which may cause a fire hazard.

(3k) It is the Lead Guest’s responsibility to ensure that:

a) no group member under 18 consumes alcoholic beverages

b) no student smokes in any accommodation, in any smoke free places or behaves in any other way which may cause a fire hazard

c) all group members wear the seat belts provided for all journeys by coach/taxi

d) no guest breaks a UK or local law or disregards the RNLI water safety directives

e) enters the sea without appropriate supervision

These matters must be discussed with pupils prior to your trip. A Code of Conduct and expected behavioural standards will be addressed as part of your welcome meeting. All partner properties are non-smoking establishments.We reserve the right to impose a £75 charge against the security bond where there is evidence of smoking within a booked guest room (including out of room windows) or against an individual found to have been smoking within the accommodation.

(3l) For all bookings, you agree to act in loco parentis at all times. Staff members are required to accompany and manage students on all activities and excursions. We reserve the right to delay/postpone the commencement of an activity until a staff member is in attendance.

(3m) Coach/taxi travel may form part of your booking. By law, all British coaches transporting young people under 16 years of age are required to be fitted with lap belts. All coaches contracted by us will conform to this requirement. The Lead Guest and other accompanying staff members are responsible for ensuring that the lap belts are worn at all times during coach travel.

(3n) You will be issued with an itinerary prior to arrival, with full details confirmed as part of your welcome meeting. This will include all meal times and activity times. We ask you to be on time for all bookings. Our partners reserve the right to cancel a meal/activity should your group be late to attend. This includes evening meals on the day of arrival. We may be unable to offer meals with a late arrival/early departure.

(3o) The Company shall not be held liable in the event that accommodation, services, or any advertised activity is not available due to circumstances beyond its control. All partners operate as independent companies from First Wave Adventures Ltd. Whilst we will always try our very best resolve any issues, we cannot take any responsibility for complaints arising from these services.

IF YOU CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR BOOKING

(4a) Should you be forced to change the dates of your booking, we ask that you contact us at your very earliest convenience to discuss. We reserve the right to apply an administration fee of £20 for a change to your booking.

(4b) All notification of changes to your booking must come from the Lead Guest in writing from his/her registered email account. We must be notified of any change to contact details or change to group member names at your very earliest convenience.

(4c) In the event of cancellation by a paying group member more than 8 weeks prior to arrival (before the balance has been paid), the deposit may be transferred to a new student/staff member. However, if this is not possible, then the deposit will be retained by us. Your booking will be reconfigured and the final balance invoice will be adjusted accordingly and reissued (subject to 4d). For cancellations made less than 8 weeks prior to arrival once the balance has been paid, we will be unable to reconfigure the booked rooms. Guest names can again be changed, although we reserve the right to charge an administration fee of £20. The date of effective cancellation is calculated on the day of receipt of written advice. If any cancellation brings the number of pupils below the minimum number required to qualify for a particular price, then the individual trip price will be adjusted accordingly. We strongly recommend that the Lead Guest obtains payment from all party members prior to booking to cover such a cancellation. All monies paid are non-refundable in the event of a cancellation.

(4d) We permit changes to your group size up to and including 10% of the number of students booked under the original booking (prior to the 8 week prior to arrival deadline). We are unable to accept a student places variance of more than 10% from the original booking. The final price will be based on a minimum of the original student places less 10% of confirmed places.

(4e) Should you decide to leave before the booked departure date for any reason, no refund will be available for the remaining night(s).

(4f) We recommend taking out school group travel insurance to cover you in the event of booking cancellations.Please note that cancellation charges may be reclaimed, via insurance, provided that the cancellation occurs within the terms of the policy e.g. injury, illness, or parental redundancy, etc.

IS THERE ANY WAY MY BOOKING CAN BE TERMINATED?

(5a) We ask for the final balance invoice to be settled 8 weeks prior to your arrival. If the balance is not received in full by the agreed due date, the Company reserves the right to make an administrative charge of up to £10 per day. In the event that the payment becomes 14 days overdue, this will be a breach of the contract between us, entitling us to treat the booking as cancelled by you. You will receive an email from us to confirm the cancellation of the contract. All monies paid are non-refundable in the event of a cancellation.

(5b) Should you not be able to satisfy the security bond as agreed, unfortunately, we cannot allow you to stay and the booking will be terminated. No refund will be made available in this instance.

COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

(6a) We always aim to provide you with the best stay possible. However, in the unlikely event that a problem should arise we kindly ask that you inform us immediately. By following this procedure you will enable us to deal with the situation effectively and promptly.

(6b) We cannot be held responsible for the loss of enjoyment or additional expenses caused by circumstances amounting to force majeure such as industrial dispute, actual or threatened terrorist activity, act of God, governmental action, adverse weather or natural disaster. Guest safety will not be compromised with unsafe weather conditions. We will always aim to offer alternative activities in the instance.

(6c) We regret that we cannot accept liability for any complaints after your departure.

DATA PROTECTION & PHOTOGRAPHY

(7a) We will retain your personal information which you provide at the time of booking. This information will not be passed on to any 3rd parties, other than when required by law.

(7b) We occasionally take pictures/video for promotional purposes, including online and printed material. If any member of your group wishes NOT to appear in any such photography/video we must be notified in advance.You will be issued with a photography release form prior to arrival.

TRAVEL BONDING

(8a) First Wave Adventures Ltd is a company committed to customer satisfaction and consumer financial protection. We are therefore pleased to announce that, at no extra cost to you, and in accordance with ”The Package Travel, Package Tours Regulations” all passengers booking with First Wave Adventures Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your 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 First Wave Adventures Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by The Travel Vault in conjunction with Towergate Travel through Zurich Insurance PLC. ClaimsIn the unlikely event of Insolvency, you must Inform Towergate Travel immediately on +44 (0) 1932 334140 or by email at tcs@towergate.co.uk . Please ensure you retain the booking confirmation form as evidence of cover and value. Policy exclusions: This policy will not cover any monies paid for Travel Insurance .

Please note all bookings are subject to our booking conditions. Should an inaccuracy be displayed on our website, the terms as stated in the booking conditions will prevail.

LOST PROPERTY

(9a)Any lost property will be kept at First Wave Adventures for a period of 7 days. If the item is not claimed /collected within that time frame, then First Wave Adventures reserve the right to dispose of the item. Postage of lost property items must be paid for by the owner.