UniLife Experiences Terms & Conditions

 

UniLife Experiences LTD Booking Terms & Conditions

Applicable from February 2024

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UniLife Experiences LTD Booking Terms & Conditions

We are UniLife Experiences Ltd, Company Number 11559443, having its Registered Office address at The Ingenuity Centre Triumph Road, University Of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom, NG7 2TU and our Agreement With You sets out what you are legally entitled to expect from us when you buy an event ticket or a Package Holiday from us. The following booking conditions, together with the information set out on the relevant Tour information on the UniLife Experiences website will form the contract between you and us for your holiday with us. 

In this contract, a reference to “you” and “your” include the first named person on the booking and all persons on whose behalf a booking is made or any other person to whom a booking is added or transferred.

We are UNILIFE EXPERIENCES Ltd, who will be referred to as “we”, “us” and “our” (if referring to a Package Holiday).

 

  1. Booking your holiday or trip

1.1. To make a booking, the first named person (‘party leader’) must complete our booking form. By agreeing to the booking, the party leader confirms that he/she is so authorised.

1.2. By making a booking, the first named person on the booking agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that:

  1. he/she has read these Booking Terms & Conditions and has the authority to and does agree to be bound by them;
  2. he/she consents to our use of personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and is authorised on behalf of all persons named on the booking to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements)
  3. All participants are at least 18 years old at the time of travel. 

1.3. The contract between us comes into existence at the time of booking. You undertake to pay for the trip or holiday you have booked and we undertake to provide you with the trip or holiday we describe in the description. We reserve the right to return your deposit and decline to issue a booking confirmation at our absolute discretion.

1.4. If you make a booking on behalf of others as well as yourself, we shall take it that you have the authority of each of those other people to enter into the contract on the basis of these booking conditions and that you and they have agreed to be jointly and severally liable to us.

1.5. We will communicate with you by e-mail in relation to your booking. You must accordingly check your emails on a regular basis. We may also contact you by telephone and/or post if we cannot, for whatever reason, contact you by email. Certain documents may need to be sent by post. References in these booking conditions to “send” and “in writing” include communication by e-mail.

1.6. The balance of the cost of your arrangements (including any applicable surcharge) is due not less than 8 weeks (56 days, or such other date as specified on your travel offer/quote/booking confirmation) prior to scheduled departure. If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case the cancellation charges set out in the terms and conditions below will become payable. 

1.7. All Sponsorship agreements will be based on minimum numbers, please ensure you are aware of the minimum numbers that your agreement is based upon. We have the right to terminate any sponsorship agreement where minimum numbers are not reached.

 

2. Insurance

Personal travel insurance is not included in the basic ticket price. Adequate travel insurance must be purchased. You must be satisfied that your travel insurance provides you with sufficient cover for your personal requirements including medical conditions, cancellation charges and medical expenses. We cannot accept liability or responsibility if you incur any loss, damage or expense as a result of your failure to take out insurance. 

 

3. Pricing

3.1. We endeavour to ensure that all the information and prices both on our website are accurate, however occasionally changes and errors occur and we reserve the right to correct prices and other details in such circumstances. 

We reserve the right to amend the price of unsold holidays at any time and correct errors in the prices of confirmed holidays.

3.2. For groups, we reserve the right to amend the price stated on the booking confirmation for unsold holidays resulting from price fluctuations with our suppliers and costs of service and/or goods. We will inform you of any change in price in a timely manner as soon as we are aware. If you do not wish to proceed with the group booking at the amended price, the booking will be cancelled and the group deposit refunded.

3.3. Certain countries/cities impose additional taxes and charges, such as tourist or city tax. Unless otherwise stated, they are not included in your booking and are payable by individual group members to the trip leader at the start of the trip. If in doubt, please enquire with us prior to booking. 

 

4. Payment

4.1. You can pay online on our website by giving credit or debit card. Alternatively, payment may be made by electronic transfer. If you do not pay us before the last date for payment, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled.

4.2. We reserve the right to amend the price of unsold holidays at any time and correct errors for sold packages. We will only increase the price in the following circumstances: changes in transportation costs, including the cost of fuel, flights, 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.

We will absorb and you will not be charged for any increase equivalent to 2% of the price of your booking, which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment charges.

 

5. Cancelling Your Whole Group Booking

5.1. A minimum number of participants are required in order for a Tour to be viable and will be specified in the booking confirmation. Should a group not reach the required minimum number, the group deposit will be lost. UniLife reserves the right to cancel your holiday if minimum numbers are not met. In the event that the whole group booking is cancelled, participants will be refunded in full minus any booking fees incurred. 

5.2. UniLife reserves the right to merge groups if minimum numbers are not met to salvage the holiday that members have paid for. 

 

6. Cancelling or Transferring your Booking

6.1. We will try to accommodate any change you are compelled to make, but we cannot promise to do so.

6.2. Only the person who made a booking may cancel. 

6.3. Tickets for day trips cannot be cancelled, but may be sold to someone. Cancellation charges for weekend trips and international holidays as shown below.

6.4. In the event of cancellation, the participant deposit is non-refundable. 

6.5. We shall charge an additional sum related to the time remaining before the date of departure of weekend trips and international holidays, which are as follows:

  • More than 70 days: Deposit only.
  • 70 – 56 days: Deposit + 50% of remaining tour cost.
  • 56 – 29 days: Deposit + 75% of remaining tour cost.
  • Less than 28 days: Deposit + 100% of remaining tour cost.

6.6. This sum shall be deducted from any payment already made to UniLife Experiences thus far by the individual. 

6.7. If circumstances force you to leave the Tour early, you will have to bear any additional costs yourself. We will not offer any refund if your holiday is cut short by you. 

6.9. Depending on the reason for your cancellation, you may be able to reclaim the cancellation charges under the terms of your insurance policy. 

6.10. In any circumstances giving rise to cancellation, we will consider allowing you to transfer the money you have paid, to some other of our tours or this booking to some other person. That person must meet any conditions which may apply to the booking and you must ask for the transfer not less than 7 days prior to the Tour Start Date.

6.9. Free places or commission are guaranteed only after final payment has been received by UniLife Experience LTD.

 

7. Changes and Cancellations By Us

7.1. We reserve the right to change travel and tour arrangements. This is necessary because many of our tours involve variables which are outside our control. These include, weather, political issues, currency problems, flights and accommodation issues.

7.2. We shall update the trip page with any small changes before departure. If we think a necessary change is important, we will tell you about it as soon as we can via email. 

7.3. In the event we have to change the departure time, date or point of your tour, we operate by the following procedures;

7.3.1. Departure Time Changes (dates remain unaltered): If the departure time of your trip changes while the travel dates remain unchanged, we consider this change as non-significant. Notification of this change will be provided promptly via email, and the tour will proceed as scheduled. Refunds will be considered on a case-by-case basis at our discretion.

7.3.2. Departure Date Change: In the event of a departure date change, we will promptly inform you. You have 7 days to either accept the new date, choose an alternative holiday (with payment or refund/credit for any price difference), or cancel and receive a full refund.

7.3.3 Departure Point Change within 50 Miles: If the departure point of your trip is altered, we will promptly notify you. The trip will proceed without disruption if the new departure point is within 50 miles of the originally scheduled departure point, excluding London Airports (refer to 7.3.5).

7.3.4 Change Beyond 50 Miles: In the event of a departure point change exceeding 50 miles, we will notify you promptly. You have 7 days to either accept the change, opt for an alternative holiday (with payment or refund/credit for any price difference), or cancel and receive a full refund.

7.3.5 Exemption for London Airports: The aforementioned restrictions do not apply to London Airports, where we retain the right to modify your departure point. The distance between these points may exceed 50 miles. London Airports encompass: London Gatwick, London Luton, London Heathrow, London City, London Ashford, London Stansted, and London South End Airports.

If such problems occur between booking and your departure, we will attempt to make alternative arrangements so as to comply closely with the description of the tour in our itinerary, although we are under no obligation to do so. 

7.4. We are not liable to you in any circumstances for loss or damage or loss of your holiday when: unusual and unforeseeable circumstances arise which are beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care; or the change is not significant. We are not liable to pay you any additional travel or any other costs, expenses or losses which you incur as a result of any change or cancellation by us, such as changes to times of connecting flights or other travel arrangements.

7.5. We reserve the right to cancel any Tour, for which there are not enough bookings, not less than four weeks prior to departure. In the event of our cancellation, your deposit (and any other payment you may have made to us) will be refunded in full, or, if you prefer, transferred to an alternative trip or holiday.

You agree that all these provisions are reasonable.

 

8. Force Majeure:

Except where otherwise expressly specified in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our contract with you is prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any damage, loss or expense of any nature as a result of “force majeure”. In these booking conditions, “force majeure” means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include, whether actual or threatened, war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events outside our control.

Please note that changes or cancellations to an event at the request of, for example, police or other local authorities, this will be considered a Force Majeure event and we will have no liability to you for compensation. This means that our total liability to you will be for a refund of the ticket price paid by you for the event only, and we will not be responsible for any compensation, or to refund any accommodation, travel or other costs incurred by you, except where these were also booked through us.

 

9. Financial Protection

Unilife Experiences Limited 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 Unilife Experiences Limited 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 Unilife Experiences Limited.  

 

10. ABTA

UniLife Experiences Ltd is a Member of ABTA with membership number ABTA Y6763. 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.

For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the arbitration scheme available to you if you have a complaint, contact ABTA, 30 Park Street, London SE1 9EQ. Tel: 020 3117 0500 or www.abta.com

 other costs incurred by you, except where these were also booked through us.

11.  ATOL

All flights that UniLife Experiences LTD provides, either separately or as part of a flight-inclusive package are ATOL protected through UniLife Experiences (ATOL Number 12149).

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 re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme. 

 

12. Passport and Visa Requirements

Please note carefully if travelling abroad with us:

12.1. To be absolutely safe we encourage you to make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after the date of return of your tour;

12.2. Remember to apply for any necessary visa in good time;

12.3. We take no responsibility for costs associated with visa applications;

12.4. In the event you are denied a visa or you are unable to obtain one before the trip date, we are not liable to you for the trip ticket and your cancellation will fall under our normal cancellation terms.

  1. Health Requirements

13.1. The majority of our trips are suitable for all persons, however, it is your responsibility to advise us, prior to booking, of any conditions, disabilities or mobility issues that may affect your trip. Where possible, we will inquire with our suppliers about the suitability of the trip for you. However, we can give no guarantees that our trips will be accessible to all. It is recommended that you make your own independent enquiries/provisions if you still wish to attend the trip.

13.2. Check with your GP what vaccinations and medication you may require and allow time to obtain them. Details are also available from the National Travel Health Network and Centre www.nathnac.org.

13.3. If you are a national of an EC country and are taking a European tour, you should take your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) available from main Post Offices or online. It is your responsibility to ensure that you obtain all necessary inoculations, take all necessary medication and follow all medical advice in relation to your holiday. Remember to bring certificates and confirmation with you in your hand luggage.

13.4. If you need professional medical care whilst on a tour, we will try to obtain it and inform your travel insurers as quickly as practically possible. Please ensure that you provide us with your next of kin details so that we can make arrangements for them to be contacted in an emergency.

13.5. You agree to repay us all costs we incur in providing this assistance, including payment for any transport and telephone calls must be reimbursed to the company. We will give you a receipt on your return, for you to pass to your travel insurers.

  1. Tour Information

All trip information will be made available on your relevant trip page, or emailed to you at the address you provided to us. This information may include:

  • Location of Meeting Point
  • Flight and accommodation information
  • Itineraries
  • Climate and clothing recommendations
  • Any important details relevant to your trip including

Please note, it is your own responsibility to add the @Unilifeuk.com domain to your email safe senders list. We accept no responsibility for cost or inconvenience incurred as a result of you entering the incorrect contact information or our emails getting blocked or directed to your email spam or junk folders.  

 

  1. Accommodation

On all our overnight trips, we will arrange accommodation as close as reasonably possible to the sites we visit. Accommodation will typically be in good quality hotels as stated in the trip description, but may occasionally be in self-catered apartments or bed and breakfast accommodation. En-suite facilities are not guaranteed. In the event of a change of accommodation, all decisions are discussed and agreed upon with the lead booker.

Please note:

15.1. Our standard accommodation will be in multi-bed rooms, private to the group. Single rooms may be available at an extra cost, upon request via email.

15.2. We reserve the right to change accommodation to that stated on our website itineraries – (see below “changes of itinerary”).

15.3. We make reasonable efforts to accommodate any requests made when completing your rooming preferences. However, this may not always be in our capacity and we reserve the right to room you as necessary. We are not liable for any other cost incurred by you in relation to adjusting your rooming and/or accommodation.

15.4. Any specific rooming request relating to a disability or health concern must be made within 28 days of your ticket purchase via email in order to give us sufficient time to accommodate your request.

15.5. Accommodation in some countries may be of a lower standard than comparable accommodation in the UK.

15.6. You will be allocated a room number upon arrival at the accommodation. Please note that we cannot guarantee that rooms for a group will be adjacent to one another or otherwise in close proximity.

  1. Changes of Itinerary

16.1. Despite careful planning, it is possible that a site may become inaccessible due to matters outside our control, for example through natural disaster or political turmoil.

16.2. We may therefore decide to make changes to the itinerary to accommodate either of the above possibilities. We will tell you of any such change as soon as we decide to make it. If that happens, you may transfer to an alternative holiday. If your chosen alternative is of a lower price we will refund the difference. If it is of a higher price, you must pay the difference

 

  1. Baggage restrictions

We have to work within the restrictions laid down by any carrier we use. Policies vary from one carrier to another and from time to time. For flight-inclusive trips, it is your responsibility to check your allowance once we inform you of the flight provider. Please note, unless explicitly stated by us, we DO NOT include extra baggage in our quotes or trip prices. We are not liable for any cost incurred by you booking baggage at the airport, or costs relating to the transport and/or postage of luggage. 

If you have an unusual requirement, perhaps for medical reasons, do contact us and we will try to help you immediately.

 

  1. Complaints

We make every effort to ensure that your holiday arrangements run smoothly but if you do have a problem during your holiday, please inform the relevant supplier (e.g. your hotelier) immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please contact us at contact@unilifeuk.com 

 

  1. Limitations on our liability

We want you to enjoy a perfect holiday with us. We shall do our best to make your holiday special for you. Nonetheless, we must make clear the limitations in law. We are not liable to you for:

19.1. any event which happens before you board our transport at the Meeting Point or after you leave our transport at departure;

19.2. any problem arising from your failure to reach the Meeting Point on time, for whatever reason; (though we would do our best to help you in any way we reasonably could)

19.3. any aspect of goods or services you buy or accept other than those arranged by us;

19.4. medical problems or physical difficulties, even if you have told us about them in advance;

19.5. medical emergencies;

19.6. your own carelessness or negligence in any aspect of your behaviour whilst with us;

19.7. changes we reasonably make to an itinerary or to accommodation or any other aspect of the management of a Tour;

19.8. problems or issues which we could have resolved whilst on a Tour but which you raise only after your return;

19.9. injury, illness, death, loss (including loss of enjoyment or possessions), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever which results from either:

19.9.1 the act or omission of you or anyone in your party;

19.9.2 the act or omission of a third party not connected with the provision of your holiday;

19.10. services we have not provided. The services and features included in your Tour are those specified in our web site. If you choose to buy other goods or services during your holiday, those are not part of the package we provide, even if arranged at your request through our Tour leader. Accordingly we are not liable to you for any happening in connection with that service or those goods.

 

  1. Flight and other transport delays: limit of our liability

20.1. There is no guarantee that flights, trains, ferries or coaches will depart at the time specified. If they do not, we are not liable to you for any delay or cancellation or for any failure to take what you think are the best actions to have taken in particular circumstances.

20.2. In the case of air travel, the airline is responsible for providing assistance under the Denied Boarding Regulations. We will try to keep you informed throughout the period of any delay.

20.3. Our policy if a delay occurs, is to continue with our plans until the flight (or other form of transport, if relevant) is cancelled with no suitable alternative flight being offered by the airline. However, if we considered it impossible to find a reasonable alternative form of transport, we would cancel the holiday and refund you all holiday payments.

20.4. Remember that transport and other service providers have their own booking conditions or conditions of carriage or service. You will be bound by these as far as that service is concerned. Such conditions may limit or exclude liability on the part of the relevant provider and they are often also subject to international conventions.

 

  1. Your Behaviour

21.1. All our customers are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and acceptable manner and not to disrupt the enjoyment of others. We accept no liability for participant’s behaviour and reserve the right to refuse entry or remove from events anyone who is drunk, disorderly, aggressive, abusive or anti-social. In the event of refusal or removal, we will not refund ticket prices or cover any additional costs incurred by participants as a result.

21.2. Some of our events include opportunities for participants to consume alcohol at their own discretion. We urge all participants to drink responsibly and cannot accept any responsibility or liability if participants drink excessively, resulting in damages, ill health, injury or death.

21.3. All venues (including bars and clubs), attended during any of our events reserve the right to refuse entry or remove participants from venues for any reason including drunk, disorderly, aggressive, abusive or anti-social behaviour. We accept no liability in the event of refusal or removal and will not refund ticket prices in such an event.

21.4. As employees/representatives of us, we operate a zero tolerance policy of physical or verbal harassment or abuse towards Unilife trip leaders and/or trip staff. In any instances of this by you and/or members of your party verbally or physically abuse any UniLife staff and/or representatives, we reserve the right to terminate your booking with us immediately, or terminate involvement from activities, accommodation and transport.  

21.5. If at any time, it is our opinion (given by any of our staff or Tour leaders) that you are acting in a way which may cause accident, injury, discomfort or extreme displeasure to any other Tour member, we may exclude you from the programme for the remainder of the Tour and reserve the right to terminate your party’s booking with us immediately, or terminate the involvement of members of your party from activities. You will understand that this extreme action will not be taken lightly but may be necessary to protect the health, safety or enjoyment of other clients.

21.6. In the event of such termination mentioned in 20.1, 20.4, 20.5, our liability to you and/or your party will cease and you and/or your party will be required to leave your accommodation or other arrangements immediately. We will have no further obligations to you and/or your party. No refunds for lost accommodation or any other arrangements will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination. You and/or your party may also be required to pay for loss and/or damage caused by your actions and we will hold you and each member of your party jointly and individually liable for any damage or losses caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or losses must be paid to us or if requested by us directly to the hotel manager or other supplier prior to departure. If you fail to make payment, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of your actions together with all costs we incur in pursuing any claim against you. We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.

21.7. In regards to transport and travel, all times of meeting and departure from any location will be advertised by trip leaders and/or on the itinerary. It is the responsibility of participants to make sure they meet these times. If you and/or members of you party fail to stick to these times and are late, for whatever reason, to an extent that would result in missing any transport and/or being detrimental to the experience of other participants on the trip, we reserve the right to depart without you and/or terminate your (or members of) your party’s booking immediately. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination.

21.8. For international trips to locations outside of the UK, all participants require valid passport identification in order to travel. In the event that participants do not have the proper documentation, they will be unable to travel with us. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result. 

21.9. Most of our trips and holidays require reasonable physical fitness and appropriate footwear. 

 

  1. Our Responsibility

22.1. We will accept responsibility for the arrangements we agree to provide or arrange for you as an “organiser” under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, as set out below and as such, we are responsible for the proper provision of all travel services included in your package, as set out in your booking confirmation. Subject to these Terms & Conditions, if we or our suppliers negligently perform or arrange those services and we don’t remedy or resolve your complaint within a reasonable period of time, and this has affected the enjoyment of your package holiday you may be entitled to an appropriate price reduction or compensation or both. You must inform us via email without undue delay of any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services included in this package. The level of any such price reduction or compensation will be calculated taking into consideration all relevant factors, including but not limited to factors such as the extent to which ours or our employees’ or suppliers’ negligence affected the overall enjoyment of your holiday. Please note that it is your responsibility to show that we or our supplier(s) have been negligent if you wish to make a claim against us. 

22.2 We will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from: 

22.2.1 the acts and/or omissions of the person affected; or

22.2.2 the acts and/or omissions of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for and which were unavoidable and extraordinary; or 

22.2.3 Force Majeure