1. Introduction
At Modern Plaza, we understand that plans can change. This Refund Policy outlines the terms and conditions for refunds related to our tours, travel packages, and services. Our goal is to provide fair and transparent refund procedures while maintaining the viability of our operations.
This policy should be read in conjunction with our Terms & Conditions, which provide additional details about bookings, cancellations, and our services.
2. Definitions
In this Refund Policy:
- Booking: A confirmed reservation for any tour, travel package, or service offered by Modern Plaza.
- Deposit: The initial payment required to secure a booking.
- Cancellation Fee: A charge applied when a booking is canceled, calculated as a percentage of the total booking cost.
- Force Majeure: Unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to war, political unrest, natural disasters, pandemics, and severe weather conditions.
3. Standard Cancellation and Refund Schedule
Our standard cancellation and refund schedule is as follows:
3.1 Standard Tours and Travel Packages
- Cancellation 61 days or more before departure: Full refund minus the deposit amount.
- Cancellation 60-30 days before departure: 50% refund of the total booking cost.
- Cancellation 29-15 days before departure: 25% refund of the total booking cost.
- Cancellation 14 days or less before departure: No refund.
3.2 Custom and Private Tours
- Cancellation 91 days or more before departure: Full refund minus the deposit amount.
- Cancellation 90-61 days before departure: 50% refund of the total booking cost.
- Cancellation 60-30 days before departure: 25% refund of the total booking cost.
- Cancellation 29 days or less before departure: No refund.
3.3 Special Event Tours and Peak Season Bookings
Tours that coincide with special events or peak seasons may have different cancellation and refund terms, which will be clearly specified at the time of booking.
4. Deposits
4.1 Deposit Amounts: Deposits are typically 20-30% of the total tour cost, though this may vary for certain tours or special promotions.
4.2 Deposit Refundability: Deposits are generally non-refundable as they secure your place on a tour and cover initial administrative costs. However, in the following circumstances, deposits may be refundable or transferable:
- If we cancel the tour due to insufficient participants (see Section 6)
- In certain force majeure situations (see Section 7)
- If transferred to another tour as per our transfer policy (see Section 5)
5. Booking Transfers
5.1 Transfer to Another Person: If you are unable to travel, you may transfer your booking to another person who satisfies all the conditions applicable to the booking, subject to the following:
- You must notify us at least 30 days before departure
- Both you and the transferee are jointly and severally liable for payment of any balance due
- An administration fee of £75 per person will apply
- Any additional costs imposed by our suppliers will be passed on to you
5.2 Transfer to Another Tour: You may transfer your booking to another tour offered by us, subject to the following conditions:
- The request must be made at least 60 days before the original departure date
- The new tour must depart within 12 months of the original departure date
- An administration fee of £100 per person will apply
- If the new tour is more expensive, you must pay the difference
- If the new tour is less expensive, we will issue a credit for the difference, applicable to future tours
- This option may be used only once per booking
6. Cancellation by Modern Plaza
6.1 Insufficient Participants: We reserve the right to cancel a tour if the minimum number of participants is not reached. In such cases:
- We will notify you at least 30 days before the scheduled departure
- You will receive a full refund of all payments made, including deposits
- Alternatively, you may transfer to another available tour or receive a credit for future use
6.2 Other Reasons: If we cancel your tour for reasons other than insufficient participants or force majeure (e.g., operational issues), you will receive:
- A full refund of all payments made, including deposits
- Compensation as follows, unless the cancellation is due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances:
- £30 per person if we notify you more than 60 days before departure
- £60 per person if we notify you 60-29 days before departure
- £90 per person if we notify you 28-15 days before departure
- £120 per person if we notify you 14 days or less before departure
7. Force Majeure and Extraordinary Circumstances
7.1 Definition: Force majeure events include, but are not limited to, war, threat of war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, pandemics, and similar events beyond our control.
7.2 Our Policy: In the event of force majeure:
- If we cancel the tour, we will offer you a choice of:
- A full refund of all payments made
- A credit of all payments made, to be used for a future tour within 24 months (this option may include additional incentives)
- Rebooking on an alternative date with no change fees
- If you cancel the tour due to force majeure events, we will evaluate each situation on a case-by-case basis and may offer more flexible terms than our standard cancellation policy
7.3 COVID-19 Specific Policy: For bookings affected by COVID-19 related issues:
- If your destination has a government travel advisory against non-essential travel, or if there are entry restrictions that would prevent you from entering the destination, you may cancel with:
- A full refund minus a £50 per person administration fee, or
- A 100% credit toward a future tour to be used within 24 months
- If you test positive for COVID-19 prior to departure, you must provide documentation from a healthcare provider and may choose:
- A 75% refund of the total tour cost, or
- A 100% credit toward a future tour to be used within 24 months
8. Travel Insurance
8.1 Requirement: We strongly recommend that all clients purchase comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking. This insurance should cover trip cancellation, medical emergencies, evacuation, and other travel-related risks.
8.2 Cancellation Coverage: Most travel insurance policies provide coverage for cancellations due to:
- Illness or injury of you or a traveling companion
- Death of you, a traveling companion, or a family member
- Natural disasters affecting your home or destination
- Certain work-related events
We recommend selecting a "Cancel For Any Reason" (CFAR) upgrade if available, which provides partial reimbursement even for cancellations not otherwise covered.
9. Refund Process
9.1 Refund Method: Refunds will be issued using the same payment method used for the original transaction, unless otherwise agreed.
9.2 Refund Timing: We process refunds within the following timeframes:
- For credit card payments: 10-14 business days
- For bank transfers: 10-20 business days
- For other payment methods: up to 30 business days
9.3 Refund Requests: To request a refund, please:
- Contact our customer service team at [email protected]
- Include your booking reference number, name, and reason for cancellation
- Provide any required documentation (e.g., medical certificate)
10. Unused Services
10.1 No Refunds for Unused Services: No refunds will be provided for any unused services or components of a tour package once travel has commenced. This includes accommodations, meals, transportation, and activities that are not utilized for any reason.
10.2 Early Departure: If you choose to leave a tour before its scheduled conclusion, no refund will be provided for the unused portion.
10.3 Exceptions: In exceptional circumstances, such as a medical emergency requiring evacuation, we may consider partial refunds for unused services. Such cases will be evaluated individually and may require documentation.
11. Visa Refusals
If your visa application is denied and you are unable to participate in the tour:
- You must notify us in writing immediately upon visa refusal
- You must provide a copy of the visa refusal letter
- If notification is received 30 days or more before departure, we will refund all payments minus a £100 per person administration fee
- If notification is received less than 30 days before departure, our standard cancellation policy applies
12. Special Considerations
12.1 Health Issues: If you need to cancel due to serious illness or injury:
- You must provide a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner
- We may offer more favorable terms than our standard cancellation policy, at our discretion
- This consideration does not apply to pre-existing conditions unless there has been an unexpected worsening
12.2 Bereavement: In the event of death of an immediate family member (parent, child, sibling, spouse), we may offer more favorable terms than our standard cancellation policy, subject to documentation.
13. Amendments to This Policy
We reserve the right to modify this Refund Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on our website with an updated "Last Updated" date. The policy in effect at the time of your booking will apply to your reservation.
14. Contact Information
If you have any questions about our Refund Policy, please contact us:
- By email: [email protected]
- By phone: +44 5555 639166
- By mail: Modern Plaza, 4 Joe Mountains, East Matthewmouth, BN13 3DN, United Kingdom