Essence of New Zealand

If you do not find what you want in the General Information & Conditions below, or in the relevant online brochure, please contact us for further information

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General Information & Conditions

The following terms and conditions (‘Booking Conditions’) form the basis of your contract with Australian Pacific Touring (U.K) Limited (‘APT’, & ‘Travelmarvel by APT’ & ‘Kimberley Wilderness Adventures’, ‘we’ or ‘our’) of First Floor, Chalfont Court, 5 Hill Avenue, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 5BD, which is registered in England under company number 01662539. Please read them carefully as they set out your and our respective rights and obligations. By asking us to confirm your booking, we are entitled to assume that you have had the opportunity to read and have read these booking conditions, that you agree to them and that you agree to them applying to your holiday arrangements that you book with us and which we agree to make, provide or perform (as applicable) as part of our contract with you. References in these booking conditions to your ‘holiday package’ are references to the tour or cruise package you have booked with APT. References to “excursions” are references to short trips or tours included or available as part of your holiday package.

For specific details about the required deposits, special deals, passport/visa requirements, and cancellation policies applicable to the destination you are travelling to - please read the full General Information and Conditions found at the back of the applicable online brochure.

Before You Book

Prices – Deposits – Discounts – Payments

Prices listed in this brochure are valid at the time of publication but are subject to change. They may be varied by advertising or special offers, or changed after the publication date for any reason, including without limitation, to cover changes in government taxes and charges, exchange rate variations, fuel surcharges, airline charges, a force majeure event or other material increases by suppliers. The most up to date pricing may be found on our website - www.aptouring.co.uk. Prices will be confirmed at time of booking and honoured for up to seven days. Once the security deposit is paid the price will be guaranteed.

Up to £500 security deposit per person, per holiday package is required within seven days of booking confirmation. Deposit requirements may vary when booking a special offer. Final payment of the balance of your holiday package price is due 100 days prior to departure unless stated in the terms of a special offer. APT reserves the right to cancel any ticket or booking or, refuse to honour any price or carry any passenger where any payment has not been received by APT within the specified time. All fares and charges are in British pounds. Payment in full is required at time of booking for reservations made less than 100 days before departure. If APT is unable to confirm your reservation, all monies will be refunded.

We reserve the right to cancel the booking if you do not wish to accept the correct price applicable to your holiday package. In such circumstances you will be given the choice of amending your booking to an alternative holiday. Changes in transportation costs, including the cost of fuel dues, taxes or fees chargeable for services such as landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports and exchange rates mean that the price of your travel arrangements may change after you have booked. However, there will be no price change within 30 days of your departure. We will absorb and you will not be charged for any increase equivalent to 2% of the price of your travel arrangements, which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment charges. You will be charged for the amount over and above that, plus an administration charge of £1 per person together with an amount to cover agents’ commission. If this means that you have to pay an increase of more than 8% of the price of your travel arrangements, you will have the option of accepting a change to another holiday if we are able to offer one (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value), or cancelling and receiving a full refund of all monies paid, except for any amendment charges. Should you decide to cancel you must do so within 14 days from the date on your final invoice. 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 the price of your holiday go down due to the changes mentioned above, by more than 2% of your holiday cost, then any refund due will be paid to you. However, 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.

Travelling with Minors - Children under 4 years of age are not permitted on tours and cruises. Children aged 4 to 7 years of age are not recommended. All children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult and share their accommodation with an adult. We reserve the right to limit the number of children between the ages of 4 and 18 on board any particular vessel.

Included in Holiday Package Price -  Please refer to the General Information and Conditions pages within the brochure relevant to your selected destination/tour.

Transfers at Your Destination - Where stated, transfers are included on the first and last day of the holiday package at designated times. No refund will be given for unused transfers. Transfers cannot be re-routed to other pick-up points or destinations. Passengers who miss the pre-booked transfers must make their own way to/from the ship/hotel at their own expense.

Home-to-Airport Transfers - Home-to-airport transfers are included in the price of all APT Luxury Europe & Asia river cruises featured in APT's brochures, when booking within a radius of 75 driven miles from the UK departure airport or Eurostar station confirmed for your package. No cash alternative will be given. For journeys over 75 miles there will be an additional charge per car per mile. This service is only available for UK mainland.

Not Included in Our Cruise and/or Tour Price - Airfares and airport taxes (unless stated), laundry unless specified (limited laundry is included in some suite categories on river cruises), passport and visa fees, food not on the regular table d’hôte menu, drinks may or may not be included as indicated in your itinerary, excess baggage, fuel surcharges and optional excursions and gratuities not specified in your itinerary. A Tour Director will not accompany guests on international flights, pre/post stays or stopover packages.

Choosing your Holiday - To maximise your enjoyment of your APT holiday and to ensure that it lives up to your expectations it is important that you choose the right holiday package for you. Our qualified staff are available to discuss your options.

Tailor Made Journeys - Tailor Made Journeys are bespoke itineraries designed by you, with the help of a specialist APT journey planner. These journeys are available across APT’s Africa, South America and Vietnam & Cambodia product ranges. read the full Terms and Conditions regarding APT’s Tailor Made Journeys.

Gratuities - Have been included for all services as indicated in the itinerary on all APT river cruises and cannot be redeemed for a cash refund. On APT tours gratuities vary dependent on destination and will be confirmed at the time of booking. Tipping is not included on Kimberley Wilderness Adventures.

Hotels - In more remote places, hotel standards may not be as high as in major centres. APT endeavours to utilise the most suitable accommodation available in each destination to ensure passengers enjoy high levels of cleanliness, comfort and service. If a change is necessary for any reason, APT will endeavour to ensure that alternative accommodation is of an equivalent standard to that shown. Hotel rooms are generally not available for check-in before 3pm and require check-out by 10am. Please refer to the New Zealand & Australia brochure for more detailed information on Kimberley Wilderness and Outback Wilderness camp style accommodation.

Twin or Double Rooms - Accommodation in all hotels, regardless of the rating, is in standard rooms based on twins or doubles unless otherwise stated.

Solo Travellers - A limited number of single rooms/suites/cabins may be available by request at time of booking your cruise/holiday package. Single room/suites/cabins are not available on certain cruises. Single rooms/suites/cabins are usually smaller than standard twin or double rooms and often only have one single bed. 

Cruising – Cabin/Suite/Stateroom Selection - APT will make every effort to assign specific cabins, cabin numbers or locations on the ships where ever possible if requested. However, APT reserves the right to make changes to this assignment within the category booked, without prior notice.

Passengers Needing Special Assistance - APT welcomes passengers with disabilities or special needs however, please note the following:
1. Any disability or medical condition requiring special attention must be reported to APT at the time of booking including all important information relating to your health, mobility and fitness which may affect your partial or total participation in the cruise or tour. This information is also crucial to allow APT to ensure the tour you have chosen is suitable and meets your needs. Any changes to health, mobility and fitness must also be reported to APT as soon as possible and prior to departure. Where possible APT will make reasonable adjustments to the tour to accommodate your special needs however, it cannot do so if the adjustment required would be unreasonable in all of the circumstances, including if such adjustments would affect your safety and/ or the safety and/or enjoyment of other passengers.

2. If you require special assistance or care (such as assistance with dressing or assistance with walking), you must travel with a companion capable of providing the required assistance or care. Please be aware that APT does not provide personal assistance. APT is unable to assist any passenger with walking, dining, boarding or disembarking any transportation vehicles (including river and ocean cruise ships and trains). To safely participate in embarkation and disembarkation you must be able to do so without the need for special assistance. You must also be able to do so without unreasonably impacting other passengers’ safety and/or enjoyment.

3. While APT will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the special needs of disabled passengers, it is not responsible for any denial of services by any third party entities it has travel arrangements with, such as carriers, hotels, trains, restaurants or other independent suppliers, or for any additional associated expenses charges by those parties.

4. Please note coaches and minibuses are not equipped with wheelchair ramps. Many ships require the use of stairs to go between decks. Further, side by side docking may require passengers to climb and descend stairs to cross over vessels to disembark and embark at times. APT ships occasionally sail through remote areas that do not have convenient docking facilities. In such circumstances it will be necessary for passengers to negotiate temporary gangplanks and uneven surfaces. If the crew decide that it is not safe for a passenger to negotiate such operations they may require passengers to stay on board. Cabin doors and restrooms may not be wide enough to allow access by standard wheelchairs. Wheelchairs and walkers cannot be carried on coaches, due to space limitations. For safety reasons, passengers in wheelchairs cannot be carried on ramps in port where the river ship is at anchor.  

Health and Fitness - A good level of health and fitness is required to participate on APT’s holiday packages. In some destinations and particularly in the Kimberley, there are extensive sightseeing excursions by foot and which includes climbing of stairs, walking over uneven surfaces and in some cases climbing over rocks and walking through shallow streams. Mobility is needed boarding or alighting coaches, river cruise ships and trains. We recommend a visit to the doctor before travelling and consult with them regarding any vaccinations which may be required. It is your responsibility to advise APT of any pre-existing medical conditions or health and mobility related concerns that may affect the normal conduct of a holiday package and the enjoyment of other passengers.

Visa and Passports - All passengers must have a valid passport with at least six months validity from your return date. Passengers must consult with the appropriate consulates to ensure any applicable visas for countries visited have been obtained prior to departure. Passengers are solely responsible for meeting necessary passport and visa entry requirements and paying all associated costs. APT is not responsible for delays or missed portions of the holiday package resulting from incorrect travel documents or visas. APT cannot obtain group visas on your behalf. 

Excursions - The timing of the excursions on all holiday packages may differ slightly for each package. Times are a guide only and are subject to change without notice. It is impossible for large coaches to be used for some city sightseeing excursions and many towns and cities will be visited by way of walking tours – some with cobblestone streets or similar depending on destination. For river cruising, clients must be able to climb ramps to embark or disembark river cruise ships. Depending on river levels, these may have a number of steep steps. 

Freedom of Choice & Signature Experience Excursions - Valid only on Luxury cruises and tours (excluding Voyages and Kimberley Wilderness Adventures). Minimum and maximum group numbers apply on some Freedom of Choice or Signature Experience excursions. If your first choice is unavailable you may be asked to choose an alternative.

Travelmarvel Select Experience Tours - Valid on Premium / Essential holidays only. Experiences are subject to availability and cannot be pre-booked unless specified. These experiences must be booked and paid for whilst on tour. 

Butler Service in Europe - Butler service is available on Luxury river cruises sailing aboard Concerto vessels only. Silver Butler Service is available to guests in Category T+ and P suites. Gold Butler Service is available to guests in Category P+, Owner’s, Royal and Owner’s + suites. Room Service of continental breakfasts and dinners is available in Category B+, A, A+ and Owner’s Suites on Aria vessels and Category B+, T, T+, P, P+, Owner’s, Royal and Owner’s+ suites. Butler service is not available on Voyages itineraries.

Butler Service in Vietnam & Cambodia - During a Mekong River Cruise the following services are available to guests as listed below. Silver Butler Service is available to guests in Sadec Twin Balcony Suites. Services include: the laundering and pressing of two garments per day; shoe shining; and booking of appointments; one spa treatment per person per cruise and a daily fruit platter. Gold Butler Service is available to guests in Owner’s suites. Services include: laundering and light pressing of four garments per day; daily fruit platter and pre-dinner canapes; shoe shining; tea & coffee service; booking of appointments; packing and unpacking service; one bottle of champagne and one spa treatment per person per cruise.

Public Holidays/Festivals - Virtually all countries have public holidays, religious or otherwise. These festivities may temporarily disrupt your holiday and some religious holidays may result in a reduction of facilities and entertainment.

Visiting Temples & Pagodas - When entering temples and pagodas in Myanmar and India, shoes and socks may need to be removed. You may be required to cover shoulders and knees in some temples, pagodas and mosques throughout Asia.

Other Special Offers - Special Deals and Special Offers other than those advertised in the brochure may be promoted by APT after the brochure is released. These new special deals/offers do not apply to existing bookings unless otherwise stated.

Booking and Paying for Your Holiday

Your 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. You will also be provided with an ATOL certificate (see clause ’Consumer Protection – ATOL’ for more information). 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 your booking is made through a travel agent we will address all communications to that travel agent, who will act as agent for you in regard to all communications from us to you. When you buy a flight based holiday, all monies you pay to the travel agent are held by the agent on behalf and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust at all times. This is subject to the agent’s obligation to pay it to us for so long as we do not fail. If we fail, any money held at that time by the agent, or subsequently accepted from you by the agent, is and continues to be held on behalf of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust without any obligation to pay that money to us. When you buy a holiday not including a flight, all monies you pay to the travel agent are held by them on our behalf at all times.

Airfares - Air travel is arranged with independent airlines. APT will arrange air travel as advertised in connection with your holiday package or otherwise arranged with APT. All airfares are subject to flight and booking class availability. Once sold out surcharges may apply. Airports available may vary depending on the holiday booked and will be advised at the time of booking. Airfares will be booked and ticketed upon receipt of your deposit to avoid price or tax increases. Airport taxes vary for each departure point and routing of airline. Airline schedules are subject to change without notice. Once air tickets are issued, airline amendment and/or cancellation fees apply and, in some cases, are non-refundable. Name changes and voluntary date and schedule changes will incur fees. APT is not liable for delays or disruptions of air travel. Once tickets are issued APT will have no other liability and will not be responsible for refunding the cost of any services booked in conjunction with the flights. Please note that flights may be indirect and some airlines charge for luggage separately. While we endeavor to accommodate your airline seating requests, these are never guaranteed and are subject to change at the airline's discretion.

Out of Date Range Flights - If airlines have not published their schedule at the time of booking, APT will estimate the cost of airfares connected with your holiday package. When the airline releases flight inventory and airfares, APT will confirm seats and pricing to you by sending you an updated invoice. Once flights have been confirmed by you or your travel agent and payment has been received APT will issue your ticket/s. 

No-Fly Rail Option in Europe - Rail bookings will not be confirmed at time of booking and may only be confirmed 90 days prior to travel or when the rail sector is open for sale. A surcharge may apply to rail options and this shall not be confirmed until rail reservations have been secured. When travelling by rail, passengers are responsible for their own luggage.

Travel Insurance - Travel Insurance is not included in your holiday package. You are required to purchase comprehensive travel insurance that includes (without limitation) coverage for the cost of your holiday package, medical expenses, loss of luggage, personal liability, delay, cancellation curtailment, missed departures, airfare charges that may occur due to cancellation, impossibility of performance or other frustrations, disruptions, loss of deposit, strikes and legal expenses. Please note that special insurance may be required if you intend to participate in sports or activities that have been arranged independently of us. Before departure we will require a proof of your insurance policy. For Kimberley Wilderness Adventures, you are required to take out a policy at the time of booking for all tours and ensure it covers for remote evacuations, which may be at a high cost.

Travel Information and Documents - After booking you will receive an invoice with important information relevant to your holiday package. We strongly recommend you check the details carefully and read the included information. Approximately 21 days before departure you will receive your ticket together with your final itinerary. Please ensure that you check your flight timings carefully on your tickets, particularly early morning departures. Documentation may be emailed to you at the discretion of APT in the case of late bookings, charges, late payment or special offers where stated in the terms & conditions.

Special Requests - Where a special request (e.g. diet, room location, twin or double bedded room, a particular facility at a hotel, flight seat requests and/or particular meals) is an important factor in your choice of holiday, you must advise us when your booking is made. APT will pass your request onto the supplier but cannot guarantee that it will be accommodated. APT will also pass on any dietary requests to the airline but we strongly recommend that you check directly with the airline once your tickets have been issued. The provision of any special request does not constitute a term of your contract with us. Confirmation that a special request has been noted or passed on to the supplier or the inclusion of the special request on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation is not confirmation that the request will be met. Unless and until specifically confirmed, all special requests are subject to availability.

Special Offers - For full details relating to any Special Offer, please visit our Special Deals page. Special offer terms & conditions may differ and full details will be advised at the time of booking.

5% onboard credit not applicable to Egypt, Jordan and Israel itineraries.

If You Want to Change or Cancel Your Holiday

Changes or Additions to your Holiday - If you want to change any part of your holiday arrangements after the invoice has been issued, we will do our best to make the change, but it may not be possible. Any request for changes must be made in writing by the person who made the original booking, or his or her travel agent. If it is possible to make the change, it will be subject to an administration charge of £50 and payment of any further costs incurred as a result of the change. You should be aware that these costs could increase closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible.

Cancellation Policy - For all holiday packages with the exception of South America the following APT cancellation fees apply:

Days of Notice:            Fee Per Person
100 days or more       Loss of deposit
99-61 days                  50% of holiday package price
60 days or less         100% of holiday package price

For holiday packages to South America the following APT cancellation fees apply:

Days of Notice:            Fee Per Person
120 days or more       Loss of deposit
119-61 days                  50% of holiday package price
60 days or less         100% of holiday package price

Please see New Zealand and Australia brochure for cancellation fees for Wilderness Lodge and Resort Extensions.

All cancellations must be received in writing by APT and are not effective until this notification has been received. If your holiday has commenced, 100% of the full holiday package price is charged. There is no refund for unused services or if portions of the holiday package are missed.

Additional cancellation fees may also be charged in respect of accommodation reserved outside the holiday package dates. These cancellation fees are in addition to any fees that may be levied by APT and your travel agent (if any). You acknowledge that the amounts estimated under the Cancellation Policy are reasonable and represent a genuine pre-estimate of APT’s loss and otherwise reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate interests of APT. If you request changes after APT has issued your documents, APT may charge you an administration and processing fee of £50 per person in addition to any applicable cancellation fees.

Cancellation of Airfares - Scheduled airlines normally regard name changes and changes to departure dates as a cancellation and rebooking, which may attract a cancellation fee. Applicable cancellation fees may amount to 100% of the airfare.

If We Want to Change or Cancel Your Holiday

Website and Brochure Accuracy - APT has endeavoured to ensure that the information given on this website and in our brochures about accommodation, itineraries etc., is correct to the best of its knowledge at the time of going to publish/print. However, advertised descriptions and facilities and prices may change. We recommend that you confirm the details of your chosen holiday package at the time of booking. Additionally, flight times, hotels, carriers and routes on the website and in the brochure are given for guidance only as there may be changes. Final details will be shown on your travel documentation. Holiday package or excursion itineraries may change or be different from those described as a result of, by way of example and not limited to, local conditions, weather conditions and or annual events. APT can give no guarantee as to exact arrival and departure times for carriers and operators used on the cruise/tour. APT will endeavour to notify you of any significant changes prior to your departure.

Flight Changes - The flight shown in our brochure, on our website and detailed on your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. Flight timings are set by airlines and affected by events outside our control. Scheduled flight timings, and days of operation are also subject to change. APT will advise you of any significant changes as soon as it is informed by the airline. Minor timing changes will be shown on your flight tickets. Any change in the identity of the airline, flight timings or aircraft type (if advised) will not entitle you to cancel or change to other arrangements without paying any applicable cancellation fees except where specified in these booking conditions. APT is not liable for any additional costs incurred due to airline schedule changes.

Changes due to Weather - Sometimes due to elements beyond APT’s control, it may be necessary to make alterations to your itinerary. A number of Freedom of Choice sightseeing inclusions are weather dependant.

If We Need to Change or Cancel Your Holiday Before Your Departure - APT endeavours to provide you with all the services confirmed to you at the time of your booking. However, we plan arrangements a long time in advance of your departure date using independent suppliers such as airline, hotels etc., over whom we have no direct control. On occasions changes do have to be made, and APT reserves the right to cancel or amend holiday packages/excursions accordingly. If we make a major change to your holiday, we will inform you or your travel agent as soon as reasonable 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 (if your choose an alternative which is more expensive you must pay the difference but we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value), or cancelling your holiday and receiving a full refund of all monies paid for arrangements made by APT.

Force Majeure - Force Majeure means the occurrence of an event that is beyond APT’s reasonable control and which could not have been reasonably prevented by APT, which includes, but is not limited to: (a) war, armed conflict, criminal damage, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity or the threat of any such acts; (b) natural disaster (including but not limited to flooding, fire, earthquake, landslide), adverse weather conditions, high or low water levels; (c) nuclear or other industrial accident causing environmental pollution or contamination; or (d) change in law, meaning, enactment, amendment (including repeal) in the law or the law in any jurisdiction or territory relevant to the booking contract, which includes changes in statute, regulation, determination, by-law, declaration, licence and the common law as applicable from time to time, including changes or amendments in regulations or access to services, sites or countries caused by declared epidemic or pandemic events.

Termination of Booking Contract or Change of Travel Arrangements Due to Force Majeure - If APT, in its reasonable opinion, considers that any Force Majeure event prevents APT (whether directly or through its employees, contractors, subcontractors and agents) from lawfully or safely providing any products or services the subject of the booking contract with you, APT may immediately by written notice: (a) terminate the booking contract (in whole or in part); or (b) change your travel arrangements as reasonably practicable to ensure your safety and invoice you for any additional costs. 

Limitation of Liability in the Event of Force Majeure - In the event of a force majeure event making it impossible or unsafe for APT to deliver all or part of the Holiday Package, APT will refund the customer for the unperformed part of the Holiday Package less any reasonable losses incurred before cancellation. Losses may amount to a substantial proportion of the booking price. APT will use reasonable endeavours to minimise losses incurred by customers. 
Customers must take out travel insurance to protect themselves against loss in the circumstances.  

On Holiday

Noise & Vibration - APT takes reasonable steps to minimise noise and vibrations on its river cruise ships. You acknowledge and accept that some noise and vibration may be experienced on vessels and that APT is not be liable to you for any such noise or vibration.

Docking Position - During port stops, river ships may dock side-by-side, obstructing views and requiring you to pass through or over other ships to embark or disembark.

Sun Deck - During passage through locks or under low bridges or in the case of adverse weather, it may be necessary to close the main sun deck for passenger use.  In the interest of safety, sun deck closures are rigidly enforced. While circumstances will vary and are beyond control, closures of the main sun deck may amount to 4-6 days on average per 15 day cruise.   On Luxury River Ships and Contemporary Class River Ships, the lower sun deck may also close for short periods of time

Local Purchases - APT is not responsible for any items you may purchase locally i.e. jewellery/furniture etc. You acknowledge that you are solely responsible for any import duty or freight costs.

Tour Directors - In Asia, a dedicated Tour Director will only be available on land tours with 10 or more passengers.

Personal Belongings and Lost Items - For security reasons, valuables should be kept to a minimum and packed in your hand luggage along with your medicines, camera, film, electrical or battery-operated appliances. It is your responsibility to look after your property at all times and you must ensure you are adequately covered by comprehensive travel insurance in the event of any loss. 

Disruption to Cruising and Itinerary Arrangements - Itineraries are intended as a guide only and are subject to alteration without notice. Alternations may be necessary for various reasons including, without limitation, road, river or weather conditions, strikes or other reasons beyond APT’s control. If conditions render any routes unsafe for navigation, APT reserves the right to provide alternative services including, but not limited to, accommodation on the docked ship or substitute land arrangements. Under normal river conditions, itineraries will operate as far as possible as detailed on this website. However, sometimes for reasons beyond our control, it may be necessary to make alterations to your itinerary. For example, without limitation, if there is a water level problem on a river or canal, it may be necessary to operate part of the itinerary by coach, alternative sightseeing may be included, and stay overnight in a hotel instead of cruise ship. APT will not be liable for any direct or indirect costs that you incur as a result of any event or other factor beyond our control which necessitates a change in your itinerary. Additionally, you are not entitled to any refund for any alterations to your itinerary that are caused or contributed to by any flood or water level events or such other events which are beyond our control. Where disembarkation is necessary, services such as Wi-Fi and all-day beverages cannot be provided. Complimentary beverages are guaranteed during evening meals, where dinner is included on itinerary. In addition, if there is a water level problem it may be necessary to operate part of the itinerary by coach. A revised cruising itinerary and sightseeing may be required. APT cannot guarantee exact arrival and departure times for carriers and operators used by APT and APT will not be liable for failure to make connections with any other services or attractions beyond its control. 

For more detailed information, please refer to the General Information & Conditions within the brochure which contains your specific itinerary.

Complaints - If you have a problem during your holiday, please inform the relevant supplier (e.g. your hotelier) and our 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 Customer Services Department at First Floor, Chalfont Court, 5 Hill Avenue, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 5BD giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. 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 a report form whilst on holiday. If you fail to follow this 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. In the rare event of a dispute which cannot be settled amicably we can also offer you an arbitration scheme for the resolution of disputes arising out of this contract. The scheme is arranged by ABTA and administered independently. The upper limit on claims is £5,000 per person and £25,000 per booking form. This scheme does not apply to claims which are solely in respect of physical injury or illness or their consequences. It can however deal with claims which include an element of minor injury or illness subject to a limit of £1,500 on the amount the arbitrator can award per person in respect of this element. Your request for arbitration must be received by ABTA within eighteen months of the date of return from holiday. For injury and illness claims, you can request the ABTA Mediation Procedure and we have the option to agree to mediation. Please also see clause ’Consumer Protection – ABTA’.

On Return From Your Holiday

Data Protection Policy - APT is fully committed to compliance with all applicable data protection laws. We process information about you that you provide when making a reservation in accordance with our privacy policy. By providing this information you consent (on your behalf and on behalf of any person for whom you are booking) to such processing and you warrant that all information provided by you is accurate. Full details on our privacy policy may be found on our websites www.aptouring.co.uk/privacy or by request to us dataprotection@aptouring.co.uk.

General Information

Limitation of Liability - 1. APT agrees that the holiday arrangements it will make, perform or provide, as applicable, as part of the contract with you will be made, performed and provided, as applicable, with reasonable care and skill. 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. We will only be responsible for what employees do or do not do if they were acting within the course of their employment and we will only be responsible for what agents or suppliers do or do not do if they were at that time carrying out work that we had asked them to do. Please note that it is your responsibility to show that reasonable care and skill has not been used if you wish to make a claim against us.

2. Our suppliers (such as accommodation or transport providers) have their own booking conditions or conditions of carriage, and these conditions are binding between you and the supplier. Some of these conditions may limit or remove the relevant transport provider’s or other supplier’s liability to you. You can get copies of such conditions from our offices, (First Floor, Chalfont Court, 5 Hill Avenue, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP6 5BD or Telephone: 0800 012 6686) or the offices of the relevant supplier.

3. Our liability, except in cases involving death, injury or illness, shall be limited to a maximum of three times the cost of your travel arrangements. Our liability will also be limited in accordance with and/or in an identical manner to:

1. The contractual terms of the companies that provide the travel services that make up your package. These terms are incorporated into this booking; and
2. Any relevant international convention, for example the Montreal Convention in respect of travel by air, the Athens Convention in respect of travel by sea, 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 and conditions under which compensation can be claimed for death, injury, delay to passengers and loss, damage and delay to luggage. We are to be regarded as having all benefit of any limitation of the extent of or the conditions under which compensation is to be paid under these or any conventions. You can ask for copies of the travel service contractual terms, or the international conventions, from our offices (First Floor, Chalfont Court, 5 Hill Avenue, Amersham, Buckinghamshire HP6 5BD or Telephone: 0800 012 6686. Under EU law (Regulation 261/2004) you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from your airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details will be publicised at EU airports and available from airlines. However reimbursement in such cases will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your holiday cost from us. Your right to a refund and/or compensation from us is set out in these booking conditions. If any payments to you are due from us, any payment made to you by the airline or any other service provider will be deducted. If it is impossible to ensure your return as scheduled due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, we will bear the cost of necessary accommodation, if possible of equivalent category, for a maximum of three nights. The limit doesn’t apply to persons with reduced mobility and any person accompanying them, pregnant women and unaccompanied minors, or persons in need of specific medical assistance, provided that you notified us of these needs at least 48 hours before the start of your holiday.

 4. The optional excursions are not operated by or at the direction or on behalf of APT or its employees or agents or any other persons or companies associated with APT. By taking bookings for these cruises/ tours, APT acts as each optional tour operator’s agent.

 5. On holidays including activities such as but not limited to trekking, quad biking, electric bikes, horse riding and swimming, passengers accept that there is a material element of risk involved.

 6. In the event that you wish to make a claim or complaint against us, both the services that we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of the contract between you and us and the laws and regulations of the country in which the claim or complaint occurred will be taken into consideration in determining whether or not the services were properly provided. If the services provided comply with local laws and regulations, the services will be treated as having been properly provided, even if the services did not comply with the laws and regulations of the UK, unless the claim or complaint relates to the failure to provide a safety feature which may cause a reasonable holiday maker to refuse the particular arrangements.

7. If you, or any member of your party have a medical condition or disability which may affect your holiday, please tell us before you confirm your cruise/tour booking so we are able to advise as to the suitability of your chosen arrangements. In any event, you must provide us with full details in writing at the time of booking. If we reasonably feel we are unable to properly accommodate particular needs of the person concerned, we reserve the right to decline the booking or ask for the person to be accompanied by a person who is able to provide full assistance to them throughout their cruise/tour. If, in the opinion of any representative of APT, your mental or physical condition, or general behaviour is such as to affect your own health and safety, render you incapable to care for yourself, cause you to become a hazard to yourself or other passengers or result in you becoming objectionable to other passengers or staff, you will not be permitted to embark or continue on the whole or any part of the holiday package. Harassment of any kind toward crew, contracted suppliers or other guests may result in immediate removal form the tour or cruise. APT is not liable to you for any costs associated with such a decision and you will not be refunded for any part of the holiday package.

Responsible Service of Alcohol - Our staff are trained to serve alcohol in a responsible manner and are obliged by law to refuse service to any guest who is in the reasonable opinion of any employee, intoxicated or behaving in a dangerous, aggressive or offensive manner.

Medical Assistance - APT does not employ medical staff. If you require medical attention. Local medical services can be contacted immediately. You are responsible for the type or quality of the medical services you may require.

APT Club - Details including the full range of benefits and conditions may be viewed on our website. 

Smoking - For other passengers’ comfort there is no smoking on coaches or river cruise ships, except in designated areas where available.

Service Enquiries - If a problem occurs during your holiday you should, in your own interests, advise your tour/cruise director so that steps can be taken to resolve the matter. If you remain dissatisfied, any complaint must be made in writing to APT within 28 days.

Luggage Limits - Each passenger is entitled to take one piece of luggage that does not exceed the weight limit of 20kg (44 pounds). Dimensions for checked baggage are calculated by adding together the width, height and depth of the piece of baggage. In Asia an extra charge will be imposed to cover handling of any additional bags. Your Tour Director will advise the additional charge. On internal flights, a luggage limit of 20kg (44 pounds) applies. Airlines may impose excess baggage fees at time of check-in. For passengers travelling in Premium Economy, Business and First Class the luggage allowance will be advised at the time of booking. For Kimberley Wilderness Adventures, touring is in small 4WD vehicles with limited luggage capacity. Each passenger is requested to limit their luggage to one small/medium soft bag or suitcase weighing no more than 16kg (35 pounds). Cameras, makeup bags etc. should be carried separately. For Canada & Alaska tours, each passenger is entitled to take one piece of luggage that does not exceed the weight limit of 23kg (50 pounds).

Seat Rotation on Coach Tours - Passengers rotate seats in the coach daily so everyone enjoys front and window seating. In fairness to all passengers, no exceptions can be made.

Consumer Protection – ATOL - The flight-inclusive holidays featured on this website are ATOL protected. APT holds an Air Organisers Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 6781. 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 will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where we aren’t 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). For more information visit www.caa.co.uk/atol-protection.

Consumer Protection – ABTA - APT is also a member of ABTA with membership number V9080. ABTA and ABTA members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. APT has provided a bond to ABTA for the protection of monies paid to us in respect of package holidays that do not include flights. This protection follows the guidelines of the latest European legislation and complies fully with all legal requirements within the UK. For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the arbitration scheme available to you if you have a complaint, please contact ABTA, 30 Park Street, London SE1 9EQ. Telephone: 0203 117 0500 or visit: www.abta.com. 

Please note that there are specific General Information and Conditions that are determined by:

1. the country you are in when purchasing your APT holiday,
2. the destination/s that you will be travelling to

You can read these specific General Information and Conditions on the back pages of the relevant online brochure here.

If you did not find the details you require here, or in the relevant online brochure, please contact us for further information.