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Booking terms & disclaimer

These booking conditions apply to all bookings made with us from the 1st July 2018

Except where otherwise specified, we, Gentianes Solutions Ltd, a company registered in England with company no: 06916506 and registered office address of Much Better Adventure, WHA, Nucleus House, 2 Lower Mortlake Rd, Richmond TW9 2JA, United Kingdom trading as “Much Better Adventures” (“we” “us” and “our”), act only as an agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. For all bookings, your contract will be with the supplier of the arrangements in question.

We act as an agent on behalf of various local tour operators and destination management companies who organise and supply adventure holidays in the countries in which they’re based. References to “Supplier/Principals” in these Booking Conditions, means these third party suppliers organising and providing your adventure holiday.

References to “Travel Arrangements” in these Booking Conditions means the adventure holidays organised and provided by the Supplier/Principals, which will generally consist of accommodation, in-country transport, activities and excursions and other travel arrangements as specified on your booking confirmation.

References to “you” and “your” means all persons named on the booking. By making a booking, the first named person on the booking agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that they: - have read these Booking Conditions and have the authority to and does agree to be bound by them; - consent to our use of personal data in accordance with our privacy policy and are authorised on behalf of all persons named on the booking to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable, special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements); - are over 18 years of age and where placing an order for services with age restrictions declares that he/she and all members of the party are of the appropriate age to purchase those services; - accept financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking.

Please Note: We act only as an agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. However, where the Supplier/Principal is established outside the European Economic Area (EEA), customers resident within the UK or EEA are entitled to some additional protections under the Package Travel & Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018. Please see section B of these Booking Conditions for further information.

As a result of the above, our obligations to you may vary depending upon which Travel Arrangements you book with us, and we have tried to set them out below as clearly as possible: - Section A contains the conditions that will apply to all bookings; - Section B sets out the extra terms and conditions which apply to customers resident within the UK or EEA making a booking with a Supplier/Principal established outside the EEA.

SECTION A – APPLICABLE TO ALL BOOKINGS

1. YOUR CONTRACT

When making your booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the applicable Supplier/Principal of the Travel Arrangements (we commonly refer to them as ‘hosts’), as specified on your confirmation invoice. Your booking with us is subject to these Booking Conditions and the specific terms and conditions of the relevant Supplier/Principal(s) you contract with and you we advise you to read both carefully prior to booking. The Supplier/Principal’s terms and conditions may limit and/or exclude the Supplier/Principal's liability to you. Please ask us for copies of these if you do not have them.

Your booking is confirmed and a contract between you and the Supplier/Principal will exist when we send you confirmation on their behalf. Except where explicitly stated otherwise in these Booking Conditions, as an agent we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the Supplier/Principal or for the Travel Arrangements provided by the Supplier/Principal.

2. BOOKING

When you make a booking on our website, you will have the opportunity to review all the details of the booking before making payment. Once you have reviewed these details and made payment, we will proceed to confirm the booking. In some instances, we will need to check availability with the Supplier/Principal before confirming the booking.

Please check that all names, dates and timings are correct on receipt of all documents and advise us of any errors immediately. Please ensure that the names given are the same as in the relevant passport. As we act only as a booking agent, we have no responsibility for any errors in any documentation except where an error is made by us.

The booking information that you provide to us will be passed on only to the relevant Supplier/Principal or other persons necessary for the provision of your Travel Arrangements. The information may be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This applies to any special category (sensitive) information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary and religious requirements. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. If you are travelling to the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection will receive this information for the purposes of preventing and combating terrorism and other transnational serious crimes. If you travel outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in the UK. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to provide your booking. Please click here for full details of our privacy policy.

3. PAYMENT

In order to book your chosen Travel Arrangements, you must pay a non-refundable deposit at the time of booking (or full payment if booking within a specified number of days before departure).

If you have paid a deposit, you must pay the full balance by the balance due date notified to you. If full payment is not received by the balance due date, we will inform the Supplier/Principal(s) who will cancel your booking and charge the applicable cancellation fees (as set out in the Supplier/Principal’s terms and conditions).

Except where otherwise advised or stated in the terms and conditions of the Supplier/Principal concerned, all monies you pay to us for Travel Arrangements will be held by us on behalf of the Supplier/Principal concerned until we make payment to the Supplier/Principal in accordance with our agreement with the Supplier/Principal.

4. ACCURACY

We endeavour to ensure that all the information and prices both on our website and in any advertising material that we publish are accurate, however, occasionally changes and errors occur and we reserve the right to correct prices and other details in such circumstances. You must check the current price and all other details relating to the Travel Arrangements that you wish to book before you make your booking.

5. PRICES

We reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time. We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices. Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur. You must check the price of your chosen Travel Arrangements at the time of booking.

6. INSURANCE

For international travel: you are required to take out appropriate travel insurance as a condition of booking with the Supplier/Principal and will not be allowed to join a trip without it. Your insurance must include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation and the specific activities in your itinerary. We also highly recommend taking out a policy which also includes personal liability, cancellation and cover in the event you are unable to join your trip due to illness or injury, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects.

For domestic travel: if travelling within your home country or region, please confirm before departure that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We would still strongly recommend you take out travel insurance which covers you for cancellation cover, in the event that you are unable to join your trip due to illness or injury. 

For all trips:  If for any reason you travel without adequate insurance cover, or are unable to travel, neither we nor the Supplier/Principal will be liable for any losses arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

7. SPECIAL REQUESTS

Any special requests must be advised to us at the time of booking via the Critical Information section of the Passenger Information on your booking, however we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled. The fact that a special request has been noted on your booking or any other documentation or that it has been passed on to the Supplier/Principal is not confirmation that the request will be met.

8. FITNESS TO TRAVEL AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS

We are not a specialist disabled holiday company but we will do our utmost to cater for any special requirements you may have. If you or any member of your party has any medical problem or disability which may affect your trip, please provide us with full details before we confirm your booking so that we can try to advise you as to the suitability of your chosen Travel Arrangements. We may require you to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that you are fit to participate in your chosen tour.

Acting reasonably, if the Supplier/Principal is unable to properly accommodate the needs of the person(s) concerned, we will not confirm your booking on the Supplier/Principal’s behalf or, if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, we will inform the Supplier/Principal who may cancel it and impose applicable cancellation charges, when we become aware of these details.

9. CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS BY YOU

Any cancellations must be made via our online cancellation system. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your booking prior to travel. Whilst we will try to assist, we cannot guarantee that the Supplier/Principal will meet such requests. Amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Supplier/Principal of your Arrangements. The Supplier/Principal will charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the Travel Arrangements and will increase closer to the date of departure).

If a trip is cancelled by you for any reason and the booking terms for your trip allow - the deposit paid (as indicated at the time of booking) will be automatically converted into account credit valid for 2 years, and can be put against booking any other trip.

Your decision to accept credit is final and cash refunds cannot be requested at a later date.

10. CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS BY THE SUPPLIER/PRINCIPAL

We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Supplier/Principal needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Travel Arrangements or to cancel them. We will also liaise between you and the Supplier/Principal in relation to any alternative travel arrangements offered by the Supplier/Principal but we will have no further liability to you.

If a trip is cancelled by your supplier/principle for any reason you are entitled to either a full refund, to move your booking to an alternative date or to convert your payment into credit. Your decision to convert your booking to account credit is final once submitted and refunds cannot be requested at a later date.

If you move your booking to a new date, your original booking terms will apply. This decision is final and refunds cannot be requested at a later date.

11. COMPLAINTS

As the contract for your Travel Arrangements is between you and the Supplier/Principal, any queries or concerns about your Travel Arrangements should be addressed to them in the first instance. If you have a problem with your Travel Arrangements whilst using them, this must be reported to the Supplier/Principal immediately. If you fail to follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Supplier/Principal to investigate and rectify your complaint. The amount of compensation you may be entitled to may therefore be reduced or extinguished as a result.

If you wish to complain when you return home, please put your complaint in writing and send it to happiness@muchbetteradventures.com within 28 days of your return to the UK.

We will endeavour to assist in our capacity as an agent by liaising with the Supplier/Principal on your behalf, and following our principle of our Happiness Guarantee.

12. ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Alternative dispute resolution is a process where an independent body considers the facts of a dispute and seeks to resolve it, without you having to go to court. If you are not happy with how we have handled any complaint, you may want to use alternative dispute resolution. If so, for customers resident in the EEA, disputes may be submitted for online resolution to the European Commission Online Dispute Resolution platform.

13. OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR BOOKING

Your contract is with the Supplier/Principal and its booking conditions apply. As Agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Travel Arrangements. Our responsibilities are limited to making the booking in accordance with your instructions. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Travel Arrangements that we pass on to you in good faith. However, in the event that we are found liable to you on any basis whatsoever, our maximum liability to you is limited to twice the cost of your booking (or the appropriate proportion of this if not everyone on the booking is affected).

We do not exclude or limit any liability for death or personal injury that arises as a result of our negligence or that of any of our employees whilst acting in the course of their employment. *Additional terms apply for customers resident in the UK or EEA. Please see Section B for further information.

14. EVENTS BEYOND OUR CONTROL

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Booking Conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by “Events Beyond Our Control”. For the purposes of these Booking Conditions, Events Beyond Our Control means any event beyond our or our supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare and acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, labour strikes, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster, unavoidable technical problems with transport and all similar events outside our or the supplier/principal’s (s) control.

15. VISA, PASSPORT AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

It is your responsibility to check and fulfil the passport, visa, health and immigration requirements applicable to your itinerary. We can only provide general information about this. You must check requirements for your own specific circumstances with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates and your own doctor as applicable. Requirements do change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure.

Most countries now require passports to be valid for at least 6 months after your return date. If your passport is in its final year, you should check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting.

We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel, or incur any other loss because you have not complied with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities. You agree to reimburse us in relation to any fines or other losses which we incur as a result of your failure to comply with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities.

16. LAW AND JURISDICTION

These Booking Conditions are governed by English law and we both agree that the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute, claim or other matter which may arise between us (unless you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, in which case you can bring proceedings in your local court under Scottish or Northern Irish law, as applicable).

17. RATINGS AND STANDARDS

All ratings are as provided by the relevant Supplier/Principal. These are intended to give a guide to the services and facilities you should expect from your accommodation. Furthermore, some Supplier/Principals may provide information on the difficulty, fitness and skill requirements for your chosen Travel Arrangements. This information is intended as a guide only and you must satisfy yourself that you are capable of participating in your chosen Travel Arrangements. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of any ratings given.

18. DOCUMENTATION & INFORMATION

All descriptions and content on our website or otherwise issued by us is done so on behalf of the Supplier/Principal in question are intended to present a general idea of the services provided by the Supplier/Principal. Not all details of the relevant services can be included on our website. All services shown are subject to availability. If you require any further details, in respect of any Travel Arrangements or any other services please contact us.

19. FOREIGN OFFICE ADVICE

You are responsible for making yourself aware of official advice (such as the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office) in regard to the safety of the countries and areas in which you will be travelling and to make your decisions accordingly. Advice from the Foreign Office to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute Events Beyond Our Control (see clause 14).

20. YOUR BEHAVIOUR

You are expected to conduct yourself in an orderly and acceptable manner and not to disrupt the enjoyment of others. If in the Supplier/Principal’s opinion or in the opinion of any other person in authority, your behaviour or that of any member of your party is causing or is likely to cause distress, danger or annoyance to any other customers or any third party, or damage to property, or to cause a delay or diversion to transportation, the Supplier/Principal reserves the right to terminate your booking immediately with no further liability to you. You and/or your party may also be required to pay for loss and/or damage caused by your actions and you and each member of your party will be jointly and individually liable for any damage or losses caused. Full payment for any such damage or losses must be paid directly to the Supplier/Principal prior to departure. If you fail to make payment, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us because of your actions together with all costs we incur in pursuing any claim against you.

We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.

21. REFERRAL SCHEME AND DISCOUNT CODE POLICY

Our customer referral scheme was discontinued on 27th November 2020 and all referral codes are no longer valid. It was replaced by the Much Better Club - see Section 22 for terms of use.

We will be honouring all discount codes earnt from referrals until December 31st, 2021, or the date of the expiry on the credit, whichever comes first. All remaining unused discount codes will be removed on 31st December 2021. You can see any existing referral credit in your account and when you checkout.

The following Terms of Use apply to any MBA Discount Code or Voucher Code, or Voucher:

  1. All discount codes, voucher codes or vouchers will expire after 12 months, unless stated otherwise. To confirm the date of expiry: email hello@muchbetteradventures.com
  2. All discount codes, voucher codes or vouchers can only be applied to new bookings. They cannot be used towards balance payments for existing bookings.
  3. All discount codes, voucher codes or vouchers - including those generated by referral codes - do not apply for any private group bookings. If you want to book as a private group - please contact us at hello@muchbetteradventures.com to discuss - we have alternative discounts available to private groups depending on group size.
  4. All discount codes, voucher codes or vouchers have zero cash value equivalent, and cannot be exchanged or replaced if lost.
  5. Discount codes, voucher codes or vouchers may not be transferred between customers.
  6. A discount code can only be used once: if a trip is cancelled either by the supplier / principle or by you, it will not be reinstated.
  7. MBA reserve the right to cancel discount codes, vouchers codes or vouchers at any time.
  8. % Discounts including as investor discounts, partner offers, trailblazer offers, or any other promotions cannot be used in conjunction with one another at any time. Only one discount can be applied per booking - the highest discount will automatically be applied at the checkout. 

22. CREDIT AND GIFT CARDS

The terms of use for Credit or Gift Cards on the Much Better Adventures site is as follows:

  1. Credit or Gift Cards have zero cash value equivalent and cannot be exchanged for cash at any time.
  2. All credit has an expiry date of 2 years from when they were created. 3. Gift cards are valid for 5 years from the date of sale.
  3. You can see how much credit you have, and when it expires, at any time in your account area on the website.
  4. Credit can be used for both deposit and balance payments but you will be required to use credit first before making any additional cash payments.

23. THE MUCH BETTER CLUB

The terms of use for the Much Better Adventures Club membership are as follows:

  1. To qualify for the Much Better Club you need to have made 2 or more bookings with a combined value of over £1,500.
  2. A ‘booking’ is made every time you purchase a trip on the site - regardless of the number of people the booking is for.
  3. Only the ‘registered user’ who booked the trip is eligible to qualify for Club membership - regardless of the number of people any booking was made for.
  4. You will be notified of your membership to the Club via email within 30 days when you’ve qualified and your discount can be applied to any future bookings (not to qualifying bookings).
  5. Your membership will automatically renew every 2 years, subject to you purchasing at least £1,000 (or equivalent in $US or €) of adventures during this period. The two year period starts on the date the qualifying purchase was made. Your Club membership will automatically expire after 2 years if the qualifying spend of £1000 over 2 years has not been met.
  6. Credit and gift card value held on your account does not count towards this £1,000.
  7. In order to qualify your bookings must be confirmed (i.e. already departed or scheduled to depart). If a booking is cancelled for any reason, this won’t count towards your qualifying bookings. If you no longer meet the qualifying criteria due to a cancelled booking, your Club membership will be withdrawn and any discounts applied to other bookings will also be void.
  8. Once in the Much Better Club, you are entitled to a 5% discount on any future booking across all trips on our site. It cannot be applied retrospectively to bookings already made.
  9. The 5% discount can be applied to the total value of the booking on both our social and eligible private departures. However the Club member must make the booking and be participating on the trip.
  10. The 5% discount can be used alongside any gift cards or credit you might have in your account. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts, such as partner offers, early-bird offers, trailblazer discounts or promotions.
  11. Where you qualify for more than one promotion (e.g. as part of our Club, Investor Rewards, and / or NHS Lifetime Discount) only one discount can be applied per booking and the highest % discount will automatically be applied.
  12. Discounts such as partner offers, early-bird offers, or promotions cannot be used in conjunction with one another at any time.
  13. We reserve the right to withdraw membership of the Much Better Club, and associated discounts, to anyone found not using it as intended, or to withdraw the scheme in full at any time.

24. PHOTOGRAPHY & MARKETING PERMISSIONS

It is often the case that photographs or video is shared with us post-trip, or we send a professional photographer along. By agreeing to our booking terms, you also grant us permission to use your likeness in our marketing and promotional activities.

SECTION B: APPLICABLE TO CUSTOMERS RESIDENT IN THE UK OR EEA

*Where you are resident in the UK or EEA and you have booked Travel Arrangements with a Supplier/Principal established outside the EEA, we still act as agent on behalf of the non-EEA Supplier/Principal however you are entitled to additional legal rights as outlined in this Section B by virtue of Regulation 27 of the Package Travel & Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations (PTRs). This does not prejudice or otherwise affect our agency status.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please note that this section B does not apply to: any customers resident in countries outside the UK or European Economic Area; and/or any booking where the Supplier/Principal is established within the EEA (regardless of where the customer is resident).

25. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO UK AND EEA CUSTOMERS

(1) Where you have booked Travel Arrangements with a Supplier/Principal established outside the EEA, although we still act as agent for the Supplier/Principals of your chosen Travel Arrangements and your contract will be with the Supplier/Principals, we will accept responsibility for the Travel Arrangements making up your Package Holiday as an “organiser” under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 as set out below. As such, we are responsible for the proper provision of all the Travel Arrangements set out on your confirmation invoice.

(2) Subject to these Booking Conditions, if the Supplier/Principals negligently perform or arrange those Travel Arrangements and we don’t remedy or resolve your complaint within a reasonable period of time, and this has affected the enjoyment of the Travel Arrangements you may be entitled to an appropriate price reduction or compensation or both. You must inform us without undue delay of any failure by the Supplier/Principal to perform or the improper performance of the Travel Arrangements. The level of such compensation will be calculated taking into consideration all relevant factors such as but not limited to: following the complaints procedure as described in these Booking Conditions and the extent to which ours or our employees’ or the Supplier/Principal’s negligence affected the overall enjoyment of the Travel Arrangements. Please note that it is your responsibility to show that we or the Supplier/Principals have been negligent if you wish to make a claim against us.

(3) We will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from: (a) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected; or (b) the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services forming part of your Package Holiday and which were unavoidable and extraordinary; or (c) Events Beyond Our Control (as defined in clause 14).

(4) We limit the amount of compensation we may have to pay you if we are found liable under this clause: (a) loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions and money: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is an amount equivalent to the excess on your insurance policy which applies to this type of loss per person in total because you are required to have adequate insurance in place to cover any losses of this kind. (b) Claims not falling under (a) above and which don’t involve injury, illness or death: The maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is up to two times the price paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you or your party has not received any benefit at all from your booking. (c) Claims in respect of international travel by air, sea and rail, or any stay in a hotel: i) The extent of our liability will in all cases be limited as if we were carriers under the appropriate Conventions, which include The Warsaw/Montreal Convention (international travel by air); The Athens Convention (with respect to sea travel); The Berne/Cotif Convention (with respect to rail travel) and The Paris Convention (with respect to hotel arrangements). You can ask for copies of these Conventions. Please contact us. In addition, you agree that the operating carrier or transport company's own 'Conditions of Carriage' will apply to you on that journey. When arranging transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within these international conventions and those 'Conditions of Carriage'. You acknowledge that all of the terms and conditions contained in those 'Conditions of Carriage' form part of these Booking Conditions, as well as the contract with the transport company and that those 'Conditions of Carriage' shall be deemed to be included by reference into your booking contract. ii) In any circumstances in which a carrier is liable to you by virtue of EC 261/2004 (denied boarding and flight disruption), any liability we may have to you arising out of your booking, arising out of the same facts, is limited to the remedies provided under the Regulation as if (for this purpose only) we were a carrier. iii) When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the transport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.

(5) It is a condition of our acceptance of liability under this clause that you notify any claim to ourselves and our Supplier/Principal(s) strictly in accordance with the complaints procedure set out in these Booking Conditions.

(6) Where any payment is made, the person(s) receiving it (and their parent or guardian if under 18 years) must also assign to ourselves or our insurers any rights they may have to pursue any third party and must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require.

(7) Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss or expense or other sum(s) of any description: (a) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur; or (b) relate to any business.

(8) We will not accept responsibility for services or facilities which were not included on your booking confirmation or where they are not advertised on our website. For example any excursion you book whilst away, or any service or facility which your hotel or any other Supplier/Principal agrees to provide for you.

(9) Where it is impossible for you to return to your departure point as per the agreed return date of your Travel Arrangements, due to “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances”, we shall provide you with any necessary accommodation (where possible, of a comparable standard) for a period not exceeding three nights per person. Please note that the 3-night cap does not apply to persons with reduced mobility, pregnant women or unaccompanied minors, nor to persons needing specific medical assistance, provided we have been notified of these particular needs at least 48 hours before the start of your Travel Arrangements. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” mean warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely back to your departure point.

(10) If the Supplier/Principal becomes unable to provide a significant proportion of the Travel Arrangements that you have booked after you have departed, we will, if possible, make alternative travel arrangements for you at no extra charge and where those alternative travel arrangements are of a lower standard, provide you with an appropriate price reduction.

26. FINANCIAL PROTECTION

For all bookings made before 1st January 2023

Much Better Adventures is a company committed to customer satisfaction and consumer financial protection. In accordance with the current 'The Package
Travel, Package Tours Regulations' all passengers booking with Much Better Adventures are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation. The policy will also include repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Much Better Adventures.

For bookings made before 1st February 2023, your financial protection is provided through insurance arranged by AVS (Atlas Voyage Secure), a trading name of All Seasons Underwriting Agencies Limited (ASUA) of Alpi House, Suite 2, East Wing, 2nd Floor, Miles Gray Road, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3HJ. All Seasons Underwriting Agencies Limited (Company number 03252689) are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority reference no: 308488 and arranges this Policy on behalf of Syndicate 033 at Lloyd’s managed by Hiscox Syndicates Limited, 1 Great St Helen’s, London EC3A 6HX.

In the unlikely event of Insolvency of Much Better Adventures please follow the procedures below:  

Please contact:
Claims Department, AVS (Atlas Voyage Secure)
All Seasons Underwriting Agencies Limited (ASUA)
Alpi House, Suite 2, East Wing, 2nd Floor, Miles Gray Road, Basildon, Essex, SS14 3HJ.
Email: avs@asuagroup.co.uk
Telephone: (+44) 0203 327 0555  

The claims department will supply instructions to follow and the documents required to submit your claim.  

Please ensure you retain your booking confirmation form as evidence of cover and value.  

NB: If payment for your holiday was made by credit or debit card you must contact the Claims team on the contact above in the first instance for instructions.  

Policy exclusions: This policy will not cover any monies paid back to you by your Travel Insurance or any losses which are recoverable under another insurance or bond (with the exception of Credit and Debit card). This policy will also not cover any loss sustained by Passenger(s) booked on a flight-inclusive package sold and commencing within the United Kingdom.

Policy Period covers bookings made within the dates specified regardless of date of travel. 

DATA PROTECTION  
AVS (ASUA) and the Insurer gather and process personal data in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and any relevant data protection legislation.  

Personal data may be used by AVS (ASUA), the Insurer or third parties for underwriting and claims purposes and in order to administer the policy. AVS (ASUA) and the Insurer will ensure that personal data is kept secure, is used only for the purpose for which it was supplied and is retained only for as long as necessary.   

AVS (ASUA) is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as a data controller and is listed on the Register of Data Controllers. AVS (ASUA) full Privacy Notice is available at https://asua.co.uk/privacy/

For all bookings made from 1st January 2023 onwards

The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Gentianes Solutions Limited, and in the event of their insolvency, protection is provided for:

  • Non-flight packages from 01 January 2023

ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if transportation was included in your package.  Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Gentianes Solutions Limited

In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call our 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.

You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here:  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/contents/made 

You can find out more about ABTOT here: https://www.abtot.com/ 
ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if transportation was included in your package.  Please note that bookings made outside the UK are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Gentianes Solutions Limited

In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call our 24/7 helpline on 01702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.

You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here:  https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/contents/made 

You can find out more about ABTOT here: https://www.abtot.com/ 

27. PROMPT ASSISTANCE

If you have booked Travel Arrangements with a Supplier/Principal established outside the EEA and whilst you are on holiday, you find yourself in difficulty for any reason we will offer you such prompt assistance as is appropriate in the circumstances. In particular, we will provide you with appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance, and with distance communications and finding alternative Travel Arrangements. Where you require assistance that is not owing to any failure by us, our employees or sub-contractors, we will not be liable for the costs of any alternative Travel Arrangements or other such assistance you require. Any Supplier/Principal, airline or other transport supplier may however pay for or provide refreshments and/or appropriate accommodation and you should make a claim directly to them. Subject to the other terms of these Booking Conditions, we will not be liable for any costs, fees or charges you incur in the above circumstances, if you fail to obtain our prior authorisation before making your own Travel Arrangements. Furthermore, we reserve the right to charge you a fee for our assistance in the event that the difficulty is caused intentionally by you or a member of your party, or otherwise through your or your party’s negligence.

Updated: 31 January 2023