Bookings are made with Sailing Holidays Ltd (hereinafter called "the Company") and must be made on the Company booking form duly signed and accompanied by a deposit of 100 per person (minimum of 400) plus the holiday insurance or evidence of separate cover. Only when the booking form and payment have been received by the Company does a contract exist whereupon a balance invoice/booking confirmation will be forwarded to you.

Travel

The Company reserves the right to use alternative flight and transfer arrangements should circumstances force a change from any advertised existing flight timings. The Company will do everything in its power to advise you as quickly as possible and such a change will not automatically entitle you to cancel a booking. Aircraft, hotels, restaurants, transport to and from UK airport or agents who supply the service are at all times acting only as agents to the persons or the company supplying the service. The Company will not accept any liability for injury, damage, loss, delays, inconvenience or extra expenses incurred by the client nor for any other claims due to the actions of any person or company providing such services.

Alterations

In the event of any part of the arranged holiday being withdrawn or cancelled due to any industrial action, civil disturbance, legal action, transportation delay, epidemic, earthquake, riot, war, exceptionally bad weather, or any other circumstances which are completely beyond our control we reserve the right to withdraw or cancel the holiday or part thereof. If the holiday is cancelled within four weeks of the departure date due to any of these aforementioned circumstances then we will offer the alternative of either a comparable holiday if the same is available at the time or a full refund less reasonable expenses incurred by the Company in relation to the booking (see insurance cover regarding delays and cancellations). Once your holiday has started the Company will not be liable for any loss, delay, inconvenience or extra expenses caused to the client for any reason beyond its control.

If the Company is forced to cancel a specific cruise for any reason then the Company undertakes to do its best to provide a mutually acceptable alternative holiday or a full refund. Any alternative holiday offered must be accepted within seven days of the offer being made otherwise the refund will be forwarded automatically. The cancellation of a holiday should not take place less than 21 days prior to departure. Should a yacht not be available on time the Company will provide reasonable accommodation ashore excluding meals until the yacht is either repaired or becomes available. If the yacht is likely to remain out of service an alternative similar vessel (if available) will be provided.

We reserve the right to make a charge of £40 for the administration involved in altering a booking after the holiday arrangements have been made.

Refunds

No refunds are allowed in respect of unused portions of air charter tickets or unused services of any kind. No Company representatives or agents are authorised to promise refunds.

Price

If unforeseen major changes occur for example in airport and other taxes, VAT, exchange rates (our prices are calculated based on a value of 1.25 Euro to £1) or fuel costs then we regrettably have to reserve the right to pass these extra costs on to the client without notice. No extra surcharge will be levied on any holidays less than 30 days prior to departure.

Payment for your holiday

A deposit of £100 per person plus holiday insurance should accompany the completed and signed booking form. The balance of the payment for the holiday must be received ten weeks prior to departure and the signatory on the booking form guarantees payment on behalf of all those people featured on the form. If the balance is not received by the due date the Company reserves the right to cancel the holiday, retain the deposit and to levy cancellation charges according to the prescribed scale set out below. Bookings made within the ten week period must be paid in full at the time of booking. A facility charge of 2% will be automatically added to final payments (only) made by credit card. All payments should be made by single cheque or credit card. Multiple payments for individual bookings may incur a £40 administration fee at the discretion of our London office. The individual who signs the booking form is responsible for all payments. We only accept one signatory per boat booking except on Share a Yacht.

Alcohol

We reserve the right to put people ashore if their alcohol abuse disturbs other clientele or is deemed by our crew to be likely to damage our yachts. If an accident occurs in Greece whilst you are under the influence normal drink drive rules apply and all insurance will be negated.

Cancellations

Must be made in writing, by the signatory who booked the holiday, (i.e. the lead name) together with the return of any travel documents. Cancellations must be received by the Company prior to the departure date to be valid. Our cancellation charges are based on the standard ABTA average structure. The date that written cancellation is received at our office will be the date used to determine cancellation charges which are levied on the following scale:

Up to 42 days before departure - Loss of deposit

41 to 29 days before departure - 30% of the holiday cost or loss of deposit whichever is the greater

28 days to 15 days - 50% of the holiday cost

14 days to day of departure - 100% of the holiday cost

The comprehensive insurance policy that we offer covers the client for the full amount of cancellation charges (including deposit) for most reasonable situations. The signatory assumes responsibility for all members of his or her party and the company cannot refund individuals within the party.

Sailing Experience

Bookings are accepted based on the details provided by the client with regard to previous sailing experience. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss suffered by the client as a result of insurers failing to indemnify due to incorrect details on the booking form. This situation has never arisen to our knowledge but if a client was so incompetent as to endanger other people, having stated on the form that he/she was competent, then we reserve the right to provide a member of our staff as skipper, the cost of whom will be borne by the client at that time.

Complaints

In the event that you feel you have cause for complaint during one of our holidays please report the matter to our local representative without delay. Any complaint should be given in writing to the Company not more than 14 days following the end of the holiday. Any dispute arising out of this complaint which cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of both parties shall be referred to arbitration. The Company believes that the information in the brochure and other company literature is an accurate reflection of our holidays based on the personal experience.

The Airport

You MUST check-in at least 2 hours before departure.

Should you arrive less than 2 hours prior to departure you may be refused admission to the aircraft and therefore you will be entirely responsible for your own travel arrangements to the holiday destination. Neither the Company nor the airline will accept any responsibility for your failure to allow plenty of time to get to the airport.

Liability

We believe that our comprehensive maintenance programme has minimised the possibility of breakage in anything other than extreme conditions or negligence on the part of the crew of that vessel. Should you break or lose minor items we ask you to replace those items locally or, failing that, inform a member of the lead crew who will assist you.

Should the lead crew consider an individual's behaviour is disturbing the enjoyment of other people on the holiday then the Company reserves the right to "put that individual ashore" whereupon the Company's responsibility will end with regard to that individual.

Yacht Insurance

All our yachts are comprehensively insured including public liability cover. We also carry tour operators’ liability insurance. We must be notified of any possibility / potential claim within 14 days of your return so that we in turn notify our insurers without delay.

Yacht Security Waiver

£40 per boat up to and including 31ft, £60 per boat from 32ft to 35ft, £80 per boat for 36ft to 39ft. £120 for yachts 40ft and over. The ‘Share a Yacht’ waiver is £20 per person. This ‘one off’ payment is to cover the yacht and its equipment against loss or damage and for third party liability which is also covered up to £2,000,000. We live in hope that this insurance is never called upon, but it is a separate payment to cover you, our client. We reserve the right to hold a refundable security deposit for those wishing to take our boats independently or on a bareboat basis.

100% Financial Protection of your holiday payment

We are fully bonded with the Civil Aviation Authority’s ‘Air Travel Organisers’ License’ (ATOL Number 2580) for all flight inclusive holiday packages. Other holiday payments are bonded through the Association of Independent Tour Operators Trust (AITO 1038). For the purpose of sailing in Greece the Company acts as agent for Ionian Marine Holidays Ltd, Corfu.

When the client takes out their own holiday insurance policy the Company will not be held liable for cover it may not provide. The client must ensure that any policy purchased has at least equivalent cover to our own (see details). It must cover our type of holiday and their own personal circumstances.

Holiday Protection

We are fully bonded with the Civil Aviation Authority's "Air Travel Organisers' License" (ATOL Number 2580) for all flight inclusive holiday packages. Other holiday payments are bonded through the Association of Independent Tour Operators Trust (AITOT 1038).

For the purpose of sailing in Greece the Company acts as agent for Ionian Marine Holidays Ltd, Corfu.