Field Trips Terms and Conditions

Your contract is with GeoTenerife Limited, a limited company (trading as GeoTenerife), registered in England and Wales under company registration number: 8356919 having our registered office at Wood Cottage, Ashtead Woods Road, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 2EN, UK.

1. Your fieldtrip contract

When you make a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions. A contract will exist as soon as we issue our confirmation invoice. This contract is made on the terms of these booking conditions, which are governed by English Law, and the jurisdiction of the English Courts. If you had not seen these terms and conditions when you made your booking and you are not happy to proceed with the booking now that you have seen them please return all documentation to us, within 7 days of receiving these booking conditions. Your booking will be cancelled and your monies will be returned in full, provided you have not commenced your travel. This clause does not apply if your booking was made within 10 weeks of travel, or in the case of Non-Cancellable fieldtrips as set out in section 6 below.

2. Your Fieldtrip Price

i) The price of your Fieldtrip includes accommodation and transfers as confirmed together with specified local transport, visits, guiding and lectures.
ii) We reserve the right to alter the prices of any of the fieldtrips shown in our website. You will be advised of the current price of the fieldtrip that you wish to book before your contract is confirmed.
iii) When you make your booking you must pay a deposit of 15% of the total cost. A further 50% of the total cost is due 6 months before you travel and the balance, 35%, 12 weeks before your departure date. If the deposits and/or balance are not paid in time, we shall cancel your travel arrangements. If the balance is not paid in time we shall retain your deposit.
iv) Changes in transportation costs, including the cost of fuel, dues, taxes or fees chargeable for services, and exchange rates mean that the price of your travel arrangements may change after you have booked. However there will be no change within 30 days of your departure. GeoTenerife will absorb and you will not be charged for any increase equivalent to 10% of the price of your travel arrangements, which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment charges. In the highly unlikely event that our costs rise by more than 10%, you will be charged for the amount over and above that, plus an administration charge of £1.00 per person, if you wish to proceed with the original fieldtrip. Alternatively, in this case you will have the option of accepting a change to another fieldtrip if we are able to offer one (if this is of equivalent or higher quality you will not have to pay more but if it is of lower quality you will be refunded the difference in price), or cancelling and receiving a full refund of all monies paid, except for any amendment charges. We will consider an appropriate refund of insurance premiums paid if you can show that you are unable to transfer or reuse your policy. Should you decide to cancel for this reason, you must do so within 14 days from the date printed on your final invoice. Please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.

3. Flights

Flights are your responsibility to organise, book and pay for. GeoTenerife will only assume responsibility for the provision of your accommodation, your fieldtrip and your transfers to and from your resort from the airport as confirmed on your invoice.. GeoTenerife cannot be held responsible for difficulties arising from delayed or cancelled inbound or outbound flights, although of course we will endeavour to assist you to reorganise your accommodation, field trip and transfers as best we can to ensure a successful fieldtrip. If your inbound flight is cancelled or delayed we will endeavour to rearrange your accommodation, fieldtrips and transfers as best possible but this may incur an extra cost for you if it means, for example, that we need to re-hire a transfer for you if your flight is severely delayed and the coach contracted cannot wait. We cannot be responsible to refund you for any services which you do not use as a consequence of any flight problems.

4. If You Change Your Booking

If, after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you wish to change your travel arrangements in any way, for example your chosen departure date or accommodation, we will do our utmost to make these changes but it may not always be possible. Any request for changes to be made must be in writing from the person who made the booking. You will be asked to pay an administration charge of £25 per person (up to a maximum of £250 in total) and any further cost we incur in making this alteration. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Note: Certain travel arrangements may not be changeable after a reservation has been made and any alteration request could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.

5. If You Cancel Your Fieldtrip Arrangements

You, or any member of your party, may cancel your travel arrangements at any time. Written notification from the person who made the booking or your travel agent must be received at our offices. Since we incur costs in cancelling your travel arrangements, you will have to pay cancellation charges as follows:

6. If We Change or Cancel Your Fieldtrip

As we plan your fieldtrip arrangements many months in advance we may occasionally have to make changes or cancel your booking and we reserve the right to do so at any time.

Changes

If we make a major change to your fieldtrip, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure. You will have the choice of either accepting the change of arrangements, accepting an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value), or cancelling your fieldtrip and receiving a full refund of all monies paid. In some cases we will also pay compensation (see below). These options don’t apply for minor changes. Examples of minor changes include a change of accommodation to another of the same or higher standard. Last-minute changes can sometimes occur during your fieldtrip due to traffic, delays, or agreed sites or experts not being available at the last minute. These do not come under the heading of major changes. All reasonable efforts will be made to secure visits to specific sites or installations or access to particular experts as agreed at the time of booking, and as detailed on your Estimate. However, should the specified expert or site or installation not be available for reasons out of our control on the day (eg through local strikes, illness), we will endeavour to move the visit or expert appointment to another day during your fieldtrip or try to make what we deem to be suitable alternative arrangements at a similar site or equivalent expert for you. Our extensive network of contacts means that we can provide suitable alternatives in most cases. However, in the unlikely event that this is not possible, that we cannot offer a suitable alternative of any kind, GeoTenerife may refund any cost paid by you for the provision of that service (eg. the cost of hiring an expert for a day, or the cost of any fees, permits or tickets unused), at our discretion and as a goodwill gesture. However, GeoTenerife will not accept liability for changes in your agreed schedule due to issues out of our control.

Cancellation

We will not cancel your travel arrangements less than 12 weeks before your departure date, except for reasons of force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance. If your fieldtrip is cancelled you can either have a refund of all monies paid or accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us, if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). In some cases we will pay compensation.

Compensation

If we cancel or make a major change we will pay compensation as detailed below except where the major change or cancellation arises due to reasons of force majeure. The compensation that we offer does not exclude you from claiming more if you are entitled to do so.

Force Majeure

We will not pay you compensation if we have to cancel or change your
travel arrangements in any way because of unusual or unforeseeable
circumstances beyond our control. These can include, for example,
war, riot, industrial dispute, terrorist activity and its consequences,
natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, epidemics
and pandemics, unavoidable technical problems with transport.

7. If You Have A Complaint

If you have a problem during your fieldtrip, please inform the relevant supplier (e.g. your hotelier) and our GeoTenerife representative immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please follow this up within 28 days of your return home by writing to our registered office giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. It is strongly recommended that you communicate any complaint to the supplier of the services as well as to our representative without delay and complete an Incident Report Form whilst in resort, which will be supplied by your GeoTenerife representative. If you fail to follow this simple procedure we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint whilst you were in resort and this may affect your rights under this contract.

8. Our Liability to You

If the contract we have with you is not performed or is improperly performed by us or our suppliers we will pay you appropriate compensation.
However we will not be liable where any failure in the performance of the contract is due to: you; or a third party unconnected with the provision of the travel arrangements and where the failure is unforeseeable or unavoidable; or unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised; or an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall. Our liability, except in cases involving death, injury or illness, shall be limited to a maximum of two times the cost of your travel arrangements.
Our liability will also be limited in accordance with and/or in an identical manner to
(i) The contractual terms of the companies that provide the transportation for your travel arrangements. These terms are incorporated into this contract; and
(ii) Any relevant international convention, for example the Berne Convention in respect of travel by rail and the Paris Convention in respect of the provision of accommodation, which limit the amount of compensations that you can claim for death, injury, delay to passengers. We are to be regarded as having all benefit of any limitation of compensation contained in these or any conventions.
GeoTenerife is not liable for any delay, cancellation or mishap involving your flight to or from the island, as that is your responsibility to book for and seek insurance against, where relevant.
You can ask for copies of the transport companies’ contractual terms, or the international conventions, from our offices at Wood Cottage, Ashtead Woods Road, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 2EN.
NB this clause does not apply to any separate contracts that you may enter into for excursions or activities whilst on the fieldtrip.

9. Prompt assistance in resort

If the fieldtrip contract we have with you is not performed or is improperly performed as a result of failures attributable to a third party unconnected with the provision of the services, or as a result of failures due to unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised, or an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall, and you suffer an injury or other material loss, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is reasonable in the circumstances.

10. Flights, Passport, Visa and Immigration Requirements

Your specific flights, passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any flight, passport, visa or immigration requirements.

11. Excursions

Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on fieldtrip are not part of your fieldtrip provided by us. For any excursion or other tour that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator.

12. Brochure/Content Accuracy

Our website is prepared many months in advance and though every effort is made to ensure accuracy, it is to be expected that some of the prices or details contained on our website may have changed since the content was prepared and written. We will notify you of any changes that we are made aware of, however we do restrict the advice to what we consider is a significant part of your fieldtrip arrangements with us. In order to assist us with our policy, we would request you inform us of any specific facilities that are significant to you at time of booking your fieldtrip. It is to be expected local events, either in resort or at your hotel, may not take place. Facilities and excursions may not be available at the time of your fieldtrip owing to adverse weather conditions, lack of demand, local strikes or industrial action, unforeseeable events, maintenance issues, or if it is the start or the end of the season. Hotels could make local charges for certain facilities not included in your fieldtrip arrangements. Hotels could decide to change their meal service arrangements (e.g. waiter service to buffetstyle). These types of changes are by way of illustration only, and there could be other changes made in resort.

13. Noise

If we are forewarned of any building works at or close to your hotel that may affect the enjoyment of your stay there, we will do our best to advise you about it before your departure. Professors are also advised that it is their responsibility to ensure students behave in a responsible manner while in resort to avoid discomfort or nuisance to other guests.

14. Special Requests

If you have any special requests you must advise us at the time of booking and confirm them in writing. While we will make an effort to pass any reasonable requests on to the appropriate service provider, no guarantees can be made that any request will be met, and GeoTenerife cannot be held liable for specific dietary requirements, etc.

15. Insurance

It is your responsibility and a condition of this contract that you are adequately insured for the fieldtrip and any event, excursion or activity that you intend to participate in during your fieldtrip. We recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance. We cannot accept any responsibility for any failure on your part to take out adequate travel insurance cover for your fieldtrip.
It is a condition of this contract that you ensure that all students and staff on your fieldtrip obtain a European Health Card valid for your period of travel, or valid private health insurance if not a member of the EU.

16. Behaviour

We reserve the right to terminate without notice and liability the fieldtrip arrangements of any person whose behaviour is such that it is likely, in our opinion or that of any accommodation owner or guide to cause anguish, hazard, harm, or annoyance to other customers, employees, property or to any third party. If any person or persons are prevented from travelling because in the opinion of any person in authority they seem unfit to travel or liable to cause discomfort or disturbance to other customers, our responsibility for the person or persons fieldtrip will then come to an end. In all cases full cancellation charges apply and we will be under no responsibility whatsoever for any cost incurred.
It is the full responsibility of students and accompanying professors on the trip to ensure appropriate behaviour at all times while on the fieldtrip. This is especially important when visiting industrial sites or protected areas where it is incumbent on the group to behave responsibly and adhere to any instructions given by GeoTenerife or related experts. It is also incumbent on students and professors to take reasonable care and precaution at all times throughout the fieldtrip to ensure their own safety and that of their peers. GeoTenerife will not accept liability for any problems or consequences arising from any member of the group behaving inappropriately at any time, including but not solely due to an excessive consumption of alcohol.
The Canaries are a popular holiday destination, but students and professors must bear in mind that Spanish local standards may differ from those in the UK. Professors and students must adhere to accepted behavioural and moral standards throughout the fieldtrip to avoid causing distress, discomfort or upset to others throughout.
Moreover, GeoTenerife will not accept any liability for delays incurred during your fieldtrip by students or professors not adhering to the agreed schedule. Although at all times GeoTenerife will endeavour to reschedule events as best possible for you, students and professors must, at all times, endeavour to cooperate with the agreed timings to ensure a successful fieldtrip for all concerned.
Some sites or installations have their own, common-sense, safety and behavioural requirements and students and professors hereby agree to adhere to them at all times to ensure their own safety and that of their peers. A copy of these can be requested from GeoTenerife at Wood Cottage, Ashtead Woods Road, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 2EN.

17 Privacy Policy

To facilitate the process of your booking and to make sure that your travel arrangements run smoothly and are in accordance with your requirements, we have to use the information you give such as your name, address, any special requirements etc. We accept liability for ensuring that suitable safeguards are in place to protect your information. We have to pass the information on to the appropriate suppliers of your travel arrangements such as hotels, and transfer companies etc. The information may also be given to security or credit checking companies, public authorities such as customs/immigration as required by them, or as required by law. We will not forward any information you provide onto any person not responsible for part of your travel arrangements with us. If we cannot provide this information to the appropriate suppliers, we cannot process your booking. Therefore, when making this booking, you give us the authority to pass this information on to the appropriate persons.

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