drive alive holidays

Holiday Booking Conditions

Driving holidays in Europe for the independent motorist. Ferries, hotels, holiday homes, camping.

Booking Conditions for holidays booked before September 24th 2007. For holidays booked after that date please see new conditions.

BOOKING CONDITIONS

Validity of prices
The on-line prices are calculated as accurately as possible according to the information input by you, the client. However, because of the complex nature of the calculations and the many different combinations of hotel rooms and channel crossings, we cannot guarantee the on-line prices. Once we have received your booking request and have responded with a confirmed price for your holiday we can guarantee that this price is accurate and will be held for 48 hours from the time of our return email to you. When you have booked your holiday and paid your deposit you will not have to pay any more because the value of the pound has changed. However, you may be asked to pay more if the cross-channel operators impose a fuel surcharge or increase in port taxes. We will cover any increases up to 2% of your holiday price (not including insurance premiums or booking amendment charges). If any such additional price increases the cost of your holiday by more than 2% you can cancel your holiday and have a full refund except for insurance premiums or booking amendment charges. If you cancel because of this you must do so within 14 days of the date printed on the invoice we send you which advises you of the price increase. (Back to Top)

Validity of information
The information on this web-site is the sole responsibility of Drive Alive. It is not issued on behalf of either the cross-channel operating companies, or the hotel chains, or individual hoteliers, or suppliers of self-catering accommodation, and none of these accepts responsibility for it.(Back to Top)

The Contract
The contract is between you, the client, and us, Drive Alive. A contract exists once we receive your deposit or full payment. An emailed request for payment will be issued when we confirm that your requested holiday is available. If the holiday you originally requested is not available we will offer you alternatives. If you agree to these alternatives we will issue a request for payment. Your payment must be received by Drive-Alive within 48 hours (excluding weekends and statutory holidays), or we will assume you do not wish to book the holiday and any provisional reservations made will be cancelled. (Back to Top)

The Deposit or Full Payment
A deposit of 50 per person (to include children aged 12 and over) is payable if your departure date is more than 8 weeks away from the date of your first payment. The balance is payable eight weeks before the start of your holiday, and an email reminding you to do this will be sent nine weeks before the start of your holiday. If you do not pay the balance when due then we have the right to treat your holiday as if you had cancelled it and apply the cancellation charges set out in clause 7. If you take out the Drive Alive vehicle breakdown and/or personal travel insurance the premiums for this are payable in full when booking. If your holiday starts within eight weeks of booking then the full cost of the holiday is payable when booking. (Back to Top)

Vehicle Breakdown/Personal Travel Insurance
Unexpected events can lead to unavoidable cancellation of holidays which can involve you in substantial cancellation charges. Vehicle breakdown or accident can completely disrupt your holiday plans. Illness or personal loss abroad can be costly at best. We do not insist that you take out vehicle breakdown/personal travel cover with us, although we believe our premiums are competitive. If you do not take out insurance with us it is a condition of booking that you indemnify Drive-Alive Holidays Ltd against all costs, losses and liabilities that would have been covered by such insurance. (Back to Top)

Changes to your holiday by you.
If you want to change any of the details of your holiday after your booking has been accepted we will do our best to help you. However, the following charges will always apply:

  • For changes to your crossing arrangements we will charge you 10 per single journey change or 20 if both inward and outward legs are changed.
  • For changes to hotels we charge 20 per "stay" where a "stay" is one night or two or more consecutive nights in the same hotel.
  • There is no charge for adding room(s) to a previously booked holiday, but if a change in the make-up of the party leads to simply a change in the type of room previously booked, then the charge of 20 will apply. Such an addition is subject to availability.
  • Self-catering accommodation cannot be changed, but only cancelled and re-booked. Any such cancellations are subject to our cancellation charges, in respect of the original self-catering element of the holiday.
  • In addition, any charges incurred by us as a resultof any of the above changes will be passed on to you.
  • If you change your arrangements once your holiday has started then we accept no liability or responsibility whatsoever for the cost of hotel rooms or self-catering accommodation not taken or channel crossings not used. No refunds will be given in these circumstances.(Back to Top)

Cancellation of your holiday by you.
If you want to cancel your holiday the person who signed the booking form must write to us or send an email. We will cancel your holiday on the day we receive your communication. Cancellation charges as a percentage of the total holiday cost (excluding any insurance premiums, which are never refunded) are as follows:

  • Your letter is received more than 42 days before departure = deposit
  • Your letter is received between 42 and 29 days before departure = 30% or deposit if greater
  • Your letter is received between 28 and 15 days before departure = 50% or deposit if greater
  • Your letter is received between 14 and 7 days before departure = 80% or deposit if greater
  • Your letter is received less than 7 days before departure = 100%
  • Premiums for vehicle breakdown and/or personal travel insurance are not refundable.(Back to Top)

Cancellation or change of your holiday by us.
In the unlikely event that we are forced to cancel or change your holiday the following conditions apply: Minor changes, for example, a hotel facility being changed, a change of hotel to another of similar standard in the same resort, alteration to cross-channel times or routes by less than 12 hours; we will notify you as soon as possible but no compensation is payable. Major changes, for example, a change of resort, a change of accommodation to accommodation of a lower standard; we will offer you the following options, if available: we will offer you the following options, if available: a substitute package of equivalent or superior quality; a cheaper holiday where we refund the difference, or a full refund of all monies paid. We will also pay compensation for major changes unless the change or cancellation is caused by circumstances we could not reasonably foresee or avoid, for example; war, threat of war, civil strife, industrial action, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, bad weather or technical difficulties with transport. In these circumstances we are not liable and we will not pay any resulting expenses or additional costs. Compensation for major changes depends on the number of days before your departure date that we tell you about the change as follows:

  • More than 42 days before departure = 10 per person aged 12 or over
  • Between 42 and 29 days before departure = 15 per person aged 12 or over
  • Between 28 and 15 days before departure = 20 per person aged 12 or over
  • Between 14 and 7 days before departure = 25 per person aged 12 or over
  • Less than 7 days before departure = 30 per person aged 12 or over
  • No compensation will be paid if you have not paid the full amount for your booking eight weeks before your scheduled departure date.
  • Additionally, you may wish to claim for loss of enjoyment, and nothing in the foregoing affects your statutory right to do so.(Back to Top)

Cross-channel Operators Conditions
Your contract with Drive Alive is subject to the terms and conditions of carriage of the various cross-channel operators. Copies of these terms and conditions are available on request. Please note that whilst the cross-channel operators are only responsible for their services within the terms of their tickets, we, as a Package Tour Organiser, are generally responsible for all aspects of your holiday. Please therefore address all correspondence to us as we act as Agent for the cross-channel operators and all suppliers of services within the holiday package. (Back to Top)

Drive Alive's Responsibility for You and Your Holiday.
We are responsible for ensuring that the accommodation, travel arrangements and services are as described on this web-site, and we accept liability for any loss you may suffer if these are not as described and not of a reasonable standard within the context of the holiday and its price, and we will compensate you subject to the provisions of Clause 8 and Clause 11. In the case of damage other than death, illness or personal injury, compensation shall be limited to a reasonable amount having regard to such factors as, among others, the holiday cost and the extent to which it can be shown that your holiday enjoyment has been affected: we will not be responsible for your disappointment as a result of your unrealistic expectations where the holiday has been as described. We accept liability if you suffer death or personal injury as a result of the holiday arrangements not being as described and not of a reasonable standard. These acceptances of liability do not apply if there has been no fault on our part nor on the part of our suppliers, and the loss, death or personal injury suffered is attributable to your own acts or omissions, or to the acts or omissions of a third party not involved in providing the services which make up your holiday. Nor does the acceptance of liability apply if your death, injury or illness is caused by an event whose consequences could not have been avoided or anticipated even exercising all due care, or to an event which, even exercising all due care, could not have been foreseen or forestalled. They are also conditional upon you assigning to us any rights you might have against any other persons whose acts or omissions give rise to our liability. In all cases liability and compensation are restricted in accordance with the provisions of all applicable international conventions which concern transport and accommodation. (Back to Top)

Complaints
If you have a complaint about the accommodation or services we have arranged, you must tell the provider of the accommodation or service immediately. If they do not put things right and your enjoyment of your holiday is affected you must let us know as soon as possible. You can contact us by phone using the phone number supplied when your holiday is booked, or fax on +44 (0)114 2922971, or by email at info@drive-alive.co.uk (Back to Top)

The Law
Your contract with Drive Alive is based on these Booking Conditions, which are governed by English law and English courts. Your statutory rights are not affected by anything in these booking conditions.(Back to Top)

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