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By placing a deposit or other payment with The American Road Trip Company you are agreeing to the following booking conditions. Please feel free to e-mail a question concerning these conditions to info@theamericanroadtripcompany.co.uk

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contract

By placing a deposit with The American Road Trip Company, you are accepting the following booking conditions as the basis of a contract between The American Road Trip Company Limited and you and all other persons named on the quotation form. Furthermore, you are accepting that the details within the quotation supplied are correct.

The person paying the deposit will be deemed as the “Party Leader” for all persons included in the booking, however all travellers will be jointly bound to the booking conditions.

Some elements of the holiday may also be subject to certain “supplier booking conditions” to which all parties must also comply.

These booking terms and conditions shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales shall have non-exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate any dispute which arises thereto. Additionally your accommodation booking may also be subject to local laws, customs and sensitivities, which may change from time to time. We are not liable for any bookings which do not comply with such local laws, customs and sensitivities.

Everyone at “The American Road Trip Company Limited” is committed to ensuring that all travellers have a fantastic holiday, organised with the highest standards of professional behaviour.

your financial protection

Flight Inclusive Packages

All packages including a flight element from the UK are ATOL protected, as we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 10572 In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you get home at no additional expense. For those yet to travel, you will receive a full refund on any monies spent.

Non Flight Packages

The American Road Trip Company 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 and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018” all passengers booking with The American Road Trip Company 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 The American Road Trip Company Ltd.  This insurance will been arranged through Travel & General Insurance.

In the unlikely event of Insolvency, you must informTravel & General Insurance immediately on +44 (0)  1702 811 397. 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.

insurance

We don’t offer travel insurance at this time, however we strongly recommend that you secure adequate cover for all the elements contained within your package and for any separate excursions / activities that are to be undertaken on your trip. Some of these excursions / activities may require specialist cover such as skiing or white water rafting. It is the travellers responsibility to ensure this cover is in place and we recommend that cover is secured soon after you’ve booked your trip.

price

Once you have requested a quote, we will endeavour to produce it as quickly as is possible, usually within 48 hours. As our trips are tailor-made, in order to fully meet your party’s needs, the price quoted has a validity time limit of up to 7 days. Should this time elapse, then we would be happy to refresh your quotation.

The balance payment for any holiday is required 60 days prior to travel by bank transfer, cheque or monthly direct debits. Should the balance not be paid by the 60 day deadline, we reserve the right to cancel your holiday and apply cancellation charges as listed below.

If you’re booking within is 60 days of travel, then full payment is due within 48 hours of placing the deposit.

Once the required deposit is received within the quotation period, the price quoted is secured. However, surcharges are permitted to allow for increases in costs, taxes or fees for certain services, and exchange rates. We will cover the cost of any increases within 2% of the price of your travel arrangements. However, any increase above 2% will be passed onto the consumer. Should these price increases total 10% or more, you will have the option of accepting another holiday of equivalent standard (subject to availability), or canceling and receiving a full refund, minus any earlier amendment fees. Changes to the agreed price are extremely rare to say the least, and where possible will be absorbed by the Company.

We reserve the right to correct any pricing mistakes on our website or in any correspondence. We will do this as soon as we become aware of said mistake.

Unused bookings or services can not be refunded or rearranged.

our packages

Our packages are made up of 2 or more of the following 3 elements only – Flight, Accommodation and Car Hire. Any activity elements that are booked at a later date, will be sold on an “Agent” basis only and are separate from the main package and thus priced individually.

flights

It is the responsibility of the party leader to supply correct booking information. i.e. Passenger names as per their passport.

Seating or any other requests will be passed onto the flight supplier, but can not be guaranteed. Some airlines may require us to pay for the flight first, before you can choose seats, this is usually done around a month before your outbound flight departs. You can also opt to check in online within 24 hours of departure inorder to secure desired seating arrangements but without the need to pay.

The flight element of your trip is subject to the carrier’s booking conditions and the laws governing international and domestic flights. If a major delay occurs due to but not limited to weather conditions or air traffic control issues, then the carrier concerned may provide refreshments etc. in line with its own policies. The American Road Trip Company does not accept any liability for delays, loss of luggage, changes in airline or aircraft type.

accommodation

Upon check in, accommodation suppliers normally require a security deposit, usually in the form of a major credit card.

Some accommodation providers charge a resort fee that is payable locally. This can range from a few dollars to around $50 per day/per room. These resort fees won’t always be included in the cost of your package.

As we do not own, operate or control any of the hotels contained within our trips we can not guarantee availability when we come to book your trip. If any formerly specified hotel is not available, we will find another hotel of equal or better standard for you at no extra cost.

Any room preferences we are aware of will be passed on to the Hotel but are not guaranteed. We don’t accept bookings that are wholly conditional upon these requests being met. That said we will endeavor to ensure requests are respected whenever possible.

car hire

“One way” drop off fees are sometimes charged, particularly when the car is returned within another state. These fees are always paid locally, and won’t usually be included in the price of your package. We will endeavor to highlight these charges prior to you leaving for your holiday, usually within your original quote. Local charges can be subject to change from the supplier.

A full and valid UK drivers licence(s) is required to be present throughout the time of your vehicle rental. We do not accept any responsibility or liability in the event that you or your party are denied a vehicle due to lack of documentation or if you are denied a vehicle due to driving penalties, endorsements or bans. Any costs incurred in this eventuality will be incurred by the customer(s).

A minimum age of 21 is required, and anyone under 25 will usually incur additional costs that will often be paid locally and not included in your quote or package.

Unless otherwise stated, all our quotes are based on a single driver. Additional drivers can be added in these cases when collecting the vehicle subject to additional charges payable locally. Multiple driver quotes are possible, but will need to be requested by the customer.

Please check your rental agreement and receipt before leaving the rental desk to ensure all local charges are understood and have been agreed to.

A valid credit card is required in the driver’s name when collecting the vehicle. This is essential to guarantee supply of the vehicle by the rental company.

before driving

A thorough check of the rental vehicle is required to ensure no unwarranted charges are made upon returning the vehicle at the end of your road trip. Any defects in the rental vehicle should be highlighted to the rental company prior to using the vehicle.

The driver(s) should familiarise themselves with all aspects of the vehicle prior to driving it for the first time. Knowledge of what to do in the unlikely event of a breakdown or flat tire should also be understood. By making this booking it is agreed that you as a named driver are willing and able to change a flat tire if required.

Upon returning the car, please make sure you have all your belongings and that no unwarranted additional fees are charged. The American Road Trip Company can not be deemed liable for any fees charged locally or after the car is returned, these charges will be the responsibility of the traveling party.

excursions

Should we sell an activity or excursion then ALL are sold separate from your main package, and are priced as individual elements that we sell as “agents” for the supplier. And as such we carry no liability for complications, accidents or damage to any party during any excursion or activity. Please ensure you have the necessary travel insurance to cover you and your traveling party during your holiday that includes cover for excursions, this should include Health Insurance in the event of an accident. Should you fail to produce the required documentation or voucher supplied to the excursion supplier, this may result in the refusal of the supplier to provide the service. We can not be held liable for any loss of service in this situation.

alterations made by you

Alterations need to be requested in writing by the party leader. Any requests received more than 10 weeks prior to departure will be subject to a £30 fee per change, along with any additional costs that we incur due to the requested change. Any alteration requests received within 60 days of departure may be deemed to be a cancellation and incur charges of up to 100% of the cost of your holiday. Examples include change of dates, alterations of names and location changes.

cancellation by you

Should you or someone within your party wish to cancel, we would require notice in writing from the person who paid the deposit. The charges will be fixed as shown below, as per the day we receive written notification.

60 days or more prior to departure – Loss of the entire deposit.
0-59 days prior to departure – Loss of 30% of package cost, plus any non-refundable fees applied by our suppliers including any flight costs.

Special airfares are sometimes used to help reduce the cost of your holiday, these fares are often non-refundable and non- exchangeable and these fees will be over and above any cancellation fees listed above. Likewise, should you request early “ticketing” of your flight “booking” then these fares are non-refundable and non-exchangeable and thus these costs will be over and above any cancellation fees listed above.

Excursions and activities that we sell separately as an agent, will be subject to the supplier’s cancellation fees, timetable and booking conditions. Furthermore, a £20 fee per change will also be charged by us.

Failure to pay the balance of the holiday on time may lead to a cancellation of the booking.

alterations made by the american road trip company

We pride ourselves on giving you the holiday you requested, however on occasion it may be necessary to make minor alterations. We reserve the right to amongst other things but not limited to – change the airline, use an alternative but comparable hotel, change the flight time if within 12 hours of the original flight or any other minor change.

In the case of a major change, you will have a choice between i) accepting the changes ii) a full refund of any paid monies or iii) a credit against another holiday supplied by the us. You’ll need to inform us in writing of your preference within 14 days of receiving notice of the material change. Material changes include a change of departure airport which is considered inconvenient for the customer(s) or a change of travel times (more than 12 hours from the original departure).

exceptions to compensation offer

The American Road Trip Company will not pay compensation in cases where alterations or cancellations are due to circumstances outside of our control. These include, but are not limited to – strikes, technical problems with transport, riots, bad weather, war, terrorist activity, fire , flood, airport closure, disease and natural disasters.

our liability to you

The American Road Trip Company considers itself liable to the consumer for any damage caused to them by the failure to perform the contract or the improper performance of the contract unless the failure or improper performance is due neither to any fault of the tour operator nor to another supplier of the package services, because, for example, it was the fault of the consumer or a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for, or was due to unusual or unforeseeable circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised.

force majeure

The American Road Trip Company does not accept any liability for loss, damage or charges caused by events out of our control. These Force Majeure events include but are not limited to strikes, technical problems with transport, riots, bad weather, war, terrorist activity, fire , flood, airport closure, disease and natural disasters.

complaints

We will always do our utmost to ensure all holiday arrangements are satisfactory and to a good standard, should you have a problem with any element of your trip you should notify the local supplier immediately, so they can correct the situation. Usually, all issues will be rectified quickly by the local supplier. If you neglect to inform the local supplier, then all claims will be void. You may also wish to contact The American Road Trip Company at our Customer Service e-mail address or by phone, we will endeavor to assist in solving any issues that have arisen. If you remain dissatisfied, the party leader must write to us within 28 days of their return to the UK. Please include your booking reference and full details of the complaint – including photos, statements and people contacted from the local supplier.

Every effort has been made to ensure the information on our website and in our correspondence is correct and valid. However, should errors or changes require correction then we reserve the right to do so without penalty.

health

You must advise us of any medical problems, disability and special needs prior to booking so we can advise you on the suitability of certain trips and pass on any relevant information to our suppliers. Should a medical condition occur after booking, you must inform us and your insurance company as soon as possible.

The beauty of travel to North America is that for visitors traveling from the UK there are no special mandatory requirements for entry to the US. However anyone who has recently visited a cholera or yellow fever infected area may be required to have appropriate vaccinations. Please consult own doctor prior to travel if you have any doubt.

passport validity

Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay, no additional period of validity on your passport beyond this. Additionally, from 1 April 2016, all travellers wishing to enter the US under the VWP will need to hold a passport with an integrated chip (an ePassport). British passports issued since October 2006 are ePassports and carry an internationally recognised symbol on the front cover.

visa waiver programme (vwp)

The VWP allows most British Citizen passport holders to visit the US for up to 90 days. The types of journey allowed under the VWP include tourism, certain types of business visit and transit to another country.

You won’t qualify for entry to the USA under the VWP, and will need to apply for a visa from the nearest US Embassy or Consulate, if:

• you have a British passport that describes your nationality as something other than ‘British Citizen’
• your passport has been extended by 12 months under exceptional measures put in place in mid 2014;
• your passport doesn’t include certain security features
• you’ve been arrested for certain crimes, even if it didn’t result in a criminal conviction
• you’re a dual national of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria or Cuba.
• you’ve travelled to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen or Cuba on or after March 1, 2011.

Certain exemptions apply on a case-by-case basis to those who have travelled to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Syria or Cuba. For more information about these exemptions, see the website of the US Embassy.

Please note that in all cases it is the traveller’s responsibility to ensure they are able to enter the USA and Canada. Should you not gain access or be allowed to leave for any reason, then The American Road Trip Company can not be hold liable for any inconvenience or financial loss and no refunds will be agreed.

esta

Those travelling under the Visa Waiver Program and who are arriving by air or sea should provide details online at least 72 hours before travel. As a best practice, we recommend that you apply for your ESTAs as early as possible, in order to avoid any complications prior to travel. This is known as an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation or ESTA. For more information, and to apply online, visit the official ESTA website. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

atol

All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate

Your Financial Protection
When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.

We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).

If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be reassigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.