ATOL

Colchester Travel Ltd acts as retail agents for ATOL holders in the normal course of business. Terms and conditions of the ATOL holders apply and are available to see before making a booking.

Colchester Travel Ltd is also a member of ATOL (6558). Where a holiday is booked using our own ATOL this will be notified to you before making a confirmed booking.

External Links

Colchester Travel is not responsible for the content of external sites linked to from our website. ABTA protection does not extend to non member sites.

Payment Options

Colchester Travel is happy to accept most major credit cards. We do not charge for debit cards (Switch/Maestro/Solo/Visa Delta), however we do levy a 2.35% charge on credit cards (with the exception of Amex for which a 3.5% charge is payable). This charge is made to cover the associated costs charged by the card issuers and acquiring banks, and includes the government 17.5% VAT levy on the charge.

Booking terms and conditions

Accuracy  The facilities provided on this site are maintained and updated by Colchester Travel Ltd, our Tour Operator partners and other service providers. All holidays, flights and discounts displayed are subject to availability and certain terms and conditions.

Colchester Travel Ltd cannot be held responsible for any incorrect information featured. However, we take every reasonable measure to ensure that all details are correct at the time of entry.

Holiday “star” ratings  There is no standard method of rating hotel and apartment accommodation across the world. Many counties have differing official and unofficial ways of assessing properties and some do not rate holiday accommodation at all. UK tour operators offer a variety of rating systems including Stars, Shields, Suns, Flames, Diamonds, “T”s and “A”s. For the sake of simplicity we show all these different symbols as Ticks. Please note that the number of Ticks represents the Tour Operator rating, based on their view of the accommodation, and is not necessarily the same as any other official or unofficial rating.

Holiday and accommodation descriptions shown on this site are provided electronically by the Tour Operators and are their view of the holiday details at the time that the brochure was published. Any alteration to the holiday details will be given at the time of booking from electronic updates supplied by the Tour Operator.

Insurance  It is a condition of booking with every tour operator that you have adequate insurance cover. Such insurance will ensure that you are properly covered against unexpected cancellation charges, medical costs that might be incurred while you're away, loss of money, or belongings, or personal liability claims. Please note that the cover offered by most credit card companies is rarely adequate for package holiday or holiday flight bookings.

If you require insurance cover, Colchester Travel will be pleased to arrange it at the time of booking, though you are free to make your own arrangements.  We offer an excellent low-cost scheme which comes with a price guarantee.

Date of Cover  Clients are covered from the date that the insurance is paid (normally at time of booking).

Insurance Warranty

1. At the time of effecting the insurance purchased through Colchester Travel you must confirm:
(a) That you are not aware of any reason why the holiday should be cancelled or curtailed;
(b) That no person to be covered by the insurance policy is receiving or awaiting treatment as a hospital in-patient;
(c) That no person is travelling against the advice of their doctor or for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment or where a terminal prognosis has been given;
(d) That if you or any other member of your party has received treatment as a hospital in-patient during the six months prior to booking you/they have obtained medical opinion as to the advisability of taking the holiday;
2. You will advise the company if any of the above arise after taking this insurance.

Correct Spelling of Names, Titles  All names, titles and initials of those travelling should be correctly given at the time of booking. Changes cannot be made at a later date without extra charges being incurred. Please note too, that correct ages are required for insurance cover within the following bands: (Under 3) (3-18), (Over 65).

Costings  All costings are subject to final confirmation as on the Tour Operator invoice. Errors and omissions are excepted. Children's discounts are all subject to the correct age of the child being given as at the last date of the holiday.

Passports  All clients must be in possession of a full 10-year passport. You MUST inform Colchester Travel if you are travelling on a British Subject's Passport.

Visas  The following applies to EC passport holders.  Visas are required to be purchased in advance for certain countries, including Egypt and India.  Other countries, including Israel and Turkey require tourist single entry visas to be purchased on arrival.  If you are not travelling on an EC passport, other rules may apply.  Please check with Colchester Travel for advice or contact the embassy of the country you are travelling to.

Medical Advice  Please ensure that you ask a doctor for any medical advice applicable to the countries you will visit. Check what vaccinations you need with your GP at least six weeks before you travel.  Make sure that any medication you need to take regularly is legal in the country you are travelling to. Pack any prescription medication in your hand luggage and take the prescription with you.  If you are travelling within the EU, get a Form E111 from the Post Office so that you can get reduced or free emergency care.   

Operators' Booking Conditions/Fair Trading Terms  The booking conditions contained in the Tour Operator's brochure form part of the Terms and conditions of any booking. You should, therefore, read the booking conditions in the relevant Tour Operator's brochure. The conditions in the brochure also apply to late or last minute bookings.

Flight Timings  All flight timings are provisional and could be subject to change. You will be informed of any major change.

Allocated on Arrival, Square Deals, Sun Deals, Late Deals etc.  This means that the standard of accommodation and board basis are guaranteed, but the accommodation is allocated on arrival by the holiday company. These holidays are ideal for people who want to book late and who are flexible, but not appropriate if you want to be in a specific location  (e.g. near the beach/resort centre/piste) or require your accommodation to have certain features. (e.g. swimming pool, no steps).  When this type of late holiday is booked, you should be familiar the Operator's extra conditions, which normally include a baggage allowance of 15kg per person.

Credit and Debit Card Payments  We do not charge a booking fee. A charge of only 2% is made for Credit Card payments (AMEX 2.5%). Debit Cards (Delta/Switch) are accepted free of charge.

Cancellations  Cancellation incurs charges applied by the tour operator on a sliding scale of up to 100%.  Cancellation must be made in writing by the lead passenger and sent to Colchester Travel Ltd at 39 Crouch Street, Colchester, CO3 3EN, by fax to 01206 508899. When a holiday is cancelled after full payment has been made, any discount taken must be repaid and claimed back from your insurance company.

Other Service Charges  Colchester Travel Ltd will make the following charges in addition to any tour operator charges.
Amendment: From £25 per amendment.
Cancellation: From £40 per person cancelled, except when the operator's cancellation charge is 100%, when no charge will be made.

Delivery of Tickets  We would normally expect to receive your tickets 7-10 days before departure. Your tickets are then forwarded to you without delay. For bookings made within two weeks of departure most operators arrange for you to collect your tickets at the airport, for which a separate charge is payable.

Resolving Complaints If you have a problem during your holiday please contact your tour operators representative immediately. Every effort will be made to resolve your complaint at the time, however where this is not possible you should make your complaint in writing within 28 days of your return, quoting your booking reference number and all other relevant information and documentation.  

Our phone lines on 0870 950 9977 are open 09:00 - 17:30 Monday to Friday,  09:00 to 17:00 Saturday, UK time. Ticket sales are handled by Colchester Travel Limited (ABTA No. G285X) acting as retail agents for ATOL holders. All holidays listed on this web site are subject to availability at the time of booking. Should the holiday you have requested not be available our travel consultant will endeavour to offer you an alternative.

Know Before You Go Checklist
To help your holiday run smoothly, consult this checklist before you go...

Have you researched your destination?

• Check the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice online at www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo, or contact the FCO on 020 7008 0232/02.
• Find out about local laws and customs especially relating to drugs and alcohol.
• Check relevant guidebook and FCO country facts sheets and take a phrase book that you can use in emergencies.

Have you taken out adequate travel insurance?

• It should include medical and repatriation cover for the whole time you are away.
• It should cover you for all the activities you will be doing.
• Ensure you have disclosed any existing medical conditions.
• Take your policy number and emergency number with you.

Have you got enough money for the trip?

• Take traveller's cheques and a valid credit card and make sure you have a source of back-up cash.
• Have a return ticket, or enough money to buy one.

Is your passport still valid?

• Make sure it is valid for at least 6 months.
• Write details of your next of kin in the back.
• Take a copy with you and leave a copy at home.
• Take another form of ID with you.

Do you need a Visa?

• Check with the relevant Embassy in London.
• Try Ross Consular

Do you need any vaccinations?

• Check with your doctor at least 6 weeks before you travel and visit www.doh.gov.uk/travel advice.

Have you checked your medication?

• If you take prescription drugs, take the prescription in case you need a replacement.
• Pack your medication in your hand luggage.
• Check if your medication is legal in the country you are visiting by calling the relevant Embassy in London.

Have you told your friends and family where you are going and when?

• Tell your friends and family where you are going.
• Contact family and friends if trouble flares up.

Have you made copies of all your documents?

• Make copies of your passport, insurance policy plus 24-hour emergency number and ticket details.
• Leave copies with family and friends.

Have you filled out an E111 form?

• If travelling within the EU, Iceland or Norway, get an E111 from the Post Office for access to free or reduced cost basic emergency medical treatment in some hospitals.
• REMEMBER, you still need adequate travel insurance

DATA PROTECTION POLICY

Your booking:
In order to process your booking and to ensure that your travel arrangements run smoothly and meet your requirements we need to use the information you provide such as name, address, any special needs/dietary requirements etc.

We take full responsibility for ensuring that proper security measures are in place to protect your information. We must pass the information on to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements such as your tour operator, airlines, hotels, transport companies etc. The information may also be provided to security or credit checking companies, public authorities such as customs/immigration if required by them, or as required by law.

Additionally, where your holiday is outside the European Economic Area (EEA), controls on data protection in your destination may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We will not however, pass any information onto any person not responsible for part of your travel arrangements. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary/religious requirements. (If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we cannot provide your booking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons.)

Usually your tour operator or other principal will pass this information onto their suppliers once we have provided it to them. The tour operator or other principal’s use of your information is subject to their policy, both in respect of your booking and any future marketing, and is their responsibility. Please ask either us or them for a copy of this if you would like to see it.

Your data controller is: Colchester Travel Ltd

You are entitled to a copy of your information held by us. If you would like to see this please ask us. We may make a small charge for providing this to you.

Marketing:

We will hold your information, where collected by us, and may use it to inform you of offers in the future. We do not sell or share your details with third parties. If you do not wish to receive such approaches in the future, please contact us on the numbers above.

Colchester Travel Privacy Statement

We understand that making purchases online involves a great deal of trust on your part; we take this trust very seriously, and make it our highest priority to ensure the security and confidentiality of the personally identifiable information you provide us. (Personally identifiable information includes information that can be linked to a specific individual, such as name, address, phone number, or e-mail address.)

As a visitor to our websites, you have the right to understand our information privacy practices prior to providing Colchester Travel with any of your personally identifiable information.

What information we collect

Colchester Travel only collects personally identifiable information that you voluntarily provide to us.

How we use your information

Colchester Travel uses your personally identifiable information only for the purpose of responding to and fulfilling your requests for Colchester Travel travel products and services.

Who we share your information with

Colchester Travel will only share your personally identifiable information with our authorised travel service providers, and only as necessary in order to complete a transaction that you specifically request. Colchester Travel does not sell or rent your personally identifiable information to anyone.

How you can decide what marketing communications you'll receive

Colchester Travel provides you with the opportunity to specifically choose the promotional marketing communications you wish to receive from Colchester Travel. If you choose not to receive any of the promotional e-mail services that Colchester Travel provides, then Colchester Travel will only send you correspondence that relates to a specific travel purchase you have made on with Colchester Travel.

Colchester Travel Privacy Statement

This Colchester Travel Privacy Statement discloses the information privacy practices for Colchester Travel websites. These are intended for use by residents of the UK that are over 18 years of age.

Information collected about you

Colchester Travel collects personally identifiable information about you that you specifically and voluntarily provide. This includes information that can identify you as a specific individual, such as your name, phone number, or e-mail address. You are not required to provide personally identifiable information on order to use our websites. Personally identifiable information is needed in order to process and fulfill travel requests.

• Colchester Travel collects personally identifiable information when you:
• Complete a travel enquiry
• Purchase travel
• Participate in a survey, contest, or sweepstakes
• Contact Colchester Travel

Colchester Travel collects the full name and contact number for a traveller when a travel reservation is made. We may also collect information about each traveller's preferences, including meal requests, seat selection, frequent flyer/hotel/car hire programmes and membership numbers, and ticketing options in order to provide a superior service.

When someone other than yourself is accompanying you on travel purchased through Colchester Travel, we may collect personally identifiable information and travel preferences about that individual. You should obtain the consent of other individuals prior to providing Colchester Travel with their full names, contact numbers, and travel preferences, as they will be unable to directly access our systems to view or change any information you provide on their behalf.

Travel purchase information

Colchester Travel collects the billing address of the credit card that is used to purchase travel. We will also collect credit card information, including card number, card type, cardholder name, expiry date and security digits, in order to bill you for travel purchased through Colchester Travel. Transactions are currently not performed online.

Other information we collect

Some information is collected automatically every time you visit Colchester Travel. Colchester Travel collects information about your computer and assigns you a "cookie" (a small, unique identifier text file) when you visit Colchester Travel. You do not provide this information—it is collected automatically as a means of supporting your visit to our site. This cookie does not contain any personal identifiable information.

Cookies and other Web technologies

As visitor to Colchester Travel’s websites you will be assigned a permanent cookie file on your computer's hard drive. You can always choose to not receive a cookie file by enabling your Web browser to refuse cookies or prompt you before accepting a cookie. Be advised that, by refusing to accept a cookie, you will not be able to access some travel services and planning tools offered by Colchester Travel.

Computer information

Colchester Travel collects certain technical information from your computer each time you request a page during a visit to Colchester Travel. This information is collected from your computer's Web browser and may include your IP address, operating system, Web browser software (i.e., Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer), screen resolution, and referrer Web site. Wireless users: Please check with your wireless company if you are using your cellular phone to access the Internet to understand whether personal identifiable information may be used to identify you.

Use of your information

Information collected on Colchester Travel may be used to:

• Plan and purchase travel
• Notify you of travel changes through the Travel Alerts service
• Send e-mail notifications for special promotions and Fare Tracker service
• Respond to your questions or suggestions
• Improve the quality of your visit to our site
• Travel planning and purchase
• Send you information and travel documentation relating to the travel arrangements, by mail, email, fax, telephone and any other form of communication.

Travel Alerts notification

In the event your travel plans are disrupted because of mechanical, weather, or carrier business conditions, Colchester Travel may send you an e-mail notification to inform you of these conditions and help you make alternative travel arrangements.

E-mail notifications

If you chose to receive communications from Colchester Travel about special promotions when registering as an Colchester Travel member, we may use your e-mail address to send you communications about surveys, contests, sweepstakes, promotions, flight specials, Before You Go information, or other travel opportunities on Colchester Travel. We may use your e-mail address or telephone number to contact you about changes to your purchased travel itinerary.

Responses to your questions or suggestions

We will use your e-mail address or telephone number to respond when you submit a question or suggestion, or request assistance.

Improving the quality of your visit to our site

We collect information about your computer (not your name, address, e-mail address, or telephone number) through your permanent cookie file for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of site content and traffic. This data allows us to improve the quality of your visit by streamlining your ability to navigate the site and develop featured programmes and content that will be of interest to our members and site visitors.

Sharing your information

Colchester Travel does not sell or rent your personally identifiable information to anyone.

Service providers

We only provide information about travel either reserved or purchased on Colchester Travel to third parties that provide services or functions on behalf of Colchester Travel. Our service providers need information about your traveller profile, as well as your credit card information, to process and confirm your travel reservation. These service providers will disclose information about your traveller profile to hotel, airline, cruise, and/or car hire suppliers whose products you have purchased. Like any other travel agent, this information must be shared with our travel suppliers to confirm your reservation and travel preferences. Although Colchester Travel offers travel products from hotel, airline, cruise, and car hire suppliers that are reputable companies, we have not placed limitations on these suppliers from using or disclosing your information without your permission. Therefore, we encourage you to review the information privacy practices of any travel suppliers whose products you purchase on Colchester Travel. In addition, these travel suppliers may also contact you as necessary to obtain additional information about your confirmed reservation.

Colchester Travel may contract a reputable third-party to facilitate the distribution of survey, promotion, or sweepstakes programs. Upon completion of these projects, all information is returned to Colchester Travel.

Our obligations

Colchester Travel may be required by law to disclose information you have provided in obtaining our travel products or services in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Colchester Travel. or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Colchester Travel., the site or the users of, and (c) act under exigent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of Colchester Travel, the site or the public.

Under U.S. Law, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will receive some of your travel and reservation information, known as Passenger Name Record or PNR data, about passengers flying between the European Union and the U.S.A. The European Commission has determined that CBP provides an adequate level of protection so permitting transfers of PNR data to the U.S.A. For more information, visit: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/privacy/adequacy_en.htm

CBP has undertaken that it uses this PNR data for the purposes of preventing and combating terrorism and other transnational serious crimes. The PNR may include information provided during the booking process or held by airlines or travel agents. The information will be retained for at least three years and six months and may be shared with other authorities. For further information about these arrangements, including measures to safeguard your personally identifiable information, see: http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/CBP-DHS_PNRUndertakings5-25-04.pdf

Frequently asked questions are addressed by the independent European Working Party advisory body set up under Article 29 of Directive 95/46/EC. at http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/privacy/docs/wpdocs/2004/wp97_en.pdf

Other Web sites

There are several places throughout Colchester Travel that may link you to other Web sites that do not operate under Colchester Travel information privacy practices. When you click through to these Web sites, Colchester Travel information privacy practices no longer apply. We recommend that you examine the privacy statements for all third party Web sites to understand their procedures for collecting, using, and disclosing your information.

Control over and access to your information

Colchester Travel believes that members and site visitors should have control over the collection and use of their personally identifiable information. You may contact us to find out personally identifiable information that we hold. A charge may be made for accessing this information.

Communications from Colchester Travel

Members will receive communications from Colchester Travel when they:

• Fill in enquiry information forms
• Purchase travel
• Elect to receive special promotional marketing communications
• Win a contest or competition
• Contact Colchester Travel with questions/suggestions

Enquiry Forms

Information provided in enquiry forms is used to contact you by telephone or email.

Purchase travel

Each time you purchase travel through Colchester Travel, or change or cancel a confirmed travel reservation, you will receive confirmation of your travel itinerary via e-mail, mail or telephone. In the event that your travel plans are disrupted because of mechanical, weather, or carrier business conditions, Colchester Travel may contact you to inform you of these disruptions and help you make alternative travel arrangements.

Request customer support or submit questions/suggestions

When you request assistance we will respond to you via e-mail or telephone.

Changes to the Colchester Travel Privacy Statement

This Privacy Statement was produced and posted on Colchester Travel on 02 April 2007. Colchester Travel reserves the right to modify or amend this Privacy Statement at any time and for any reason.