Holiday Booking Terms and Conditions

1. Booking, Deposits and Final Payments
   To make a booking, you must send in (by fax) a completed and signed 5 Star China Holidays booking form with a deposit of 30% of total tour fee. If we are unable to confirm your booking, we will refund your deposit immediately. The confirmation will confirm the details of your holiday booking and show the outstanding balance, which must be paid no later than 10 weeks before your departure. Bookings made within 10 weeks of departure require full payment. Cheque (U.K. customers only) should be made payable to ‘5 Star China Holidays Ltd.’
2. Passports, Visas and Vaccinations
   It is the responsibility of the client to be in possession of a valid passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months after return date. A Chinese visa is also required for the duration of the tour, and inoculations and preventative medicines as may be required. Information about these matters or related items is given in good faith but without responsibility on the part of the Company.
3. Travel Insurance
   It is the responsibility of the client to arrange adequate travel insurance before coming on a tour.
4. Itinerary Changes
   Local conditions may necessitate changes in sightseeing, routing and hotels. While every effort will be made to provide the services as offered, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The Company will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by ‘force measure’; e.g. unusual, unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances which are beyond our control, even though all due care has been exercised. Example of such circumstances include war, riot, industrial dispute, political unrest, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, disease or other unforeseen circumstances.
5. If you change your booking
   If, after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you wish to change your travel arrangements in any way, we will endeavour to make these changes but it may not always be possible. Any request for changes must be made in writing from the person who made the original booking. You will be asked to pay an administrative charge of £20(per person) plus any further costs incurred in making this alteration e.g. cancellation charge applicable to the original arrangements and additional costs of the new arrangements. You should be aware that these costs are likely to increase closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should therefore contact us as soon as possible.
   NB: Certain travel arrangements cannot be changed after a reservation is made and any alteration will incur a 100% cancellation charge.
6. Cancellation by you
   You, or any member of your party, may cancel your travel arrangements at any time. The person who signed the booking form must make notice of the cancellation in writing. In the event you cancel your booking, you will be charged the following percentage of your total cost, as the cancellation fee:
   
   More than 60 days before start date – 30% of the total cost
   59-28days before start date – 50% of the total cost
   27-15 days before start date – 80% of the total cost
   Less than 15days – 100% of the total cost
   
7. Cancellation and Alteration by us
   All tours are planned many months in advance and we reserve our right to make any changes to the tour at any time. Minor changes such as airline/aircraft type, alteration of your outward/return flights by less than 12 hours, change of accommodation (including hotel and cruise) to another of the same standard, change of your sequence/daily itineraries are considered normal and minor to these tours. The Company will only cancel your tour if: a) It is forced to do so by unusual or unforeseeable circumstances, b) It is forced to do so as a result of flight cancellations and you receive full refund of any monies paid to the Company.
8. Company responsibilities
   The Company accepts no responsibility for any damages or loss arising from a failure to carry out the contract as a result of: a) actions by the Client or b) unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of the Company or c) any event which the Company, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall. Where the Company is found to be liable for any damages, howsoever arising, these damages shall be limited to the price paid for the tour. The Company also does not accept responsibility for any injuries, loss or damage for any activities that do not form part of the arrangements provided by us.
9. Complaints
   If you have a complaint about your tour you should bring it to the attention of the tour leader, local guide or the supplier of the service (e.g. the hotelier) immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If you fail to follow this simple procedure we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint and this may affect your rights under this contract. If your complaint is not resolved locally you should contact us within 14 days of your return, giving your booking reference number and all relevant information. We promise to deal with any complaint fairly and promptly within the terms of these conditions.
   The contract, including all matters arising from it, is subject to English law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts