These Terms and Conditions rule the relationship between you (the guest) and us, Great Explorations Inc. hereinafter referred to as Great Explorations. By booking a trip, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. They outline among other topics our reservation, payment, cancellation policies and certain limitations of liability. These terms affect your rights to sue, governing law, forum, and jurisdiction; please be sure to carefully read these terms and make sure you understand your rights and obligations and our rights and obligations.
BOOKINGS
Guests must submit a completed online registration form via our website. By submitting a registration form you indicate that you have read and agreed with our Terms and Conditions. To complete your booking, you must sign an Acknowledgement of Risk, Release & Indemnity Form, prior to your date of travel with us (at least 90 days out). This form will be sent to you in your trip confirmation email.
DEPOSITS & BALANCE PAYMENTS
A deposit of USD $750 per person (if booking a Canadian trip, deposit is CAD $750 pp) must be paid upon receipt of the first invoice.
For all trips, the balance payment is due 90 days prior to the trip departure, upon receipt of the second invoice. If booking your trip within 90 days of departure, full payment is required. If final payment is not received when due, Great Explorations reserves the right to regard the reservation as cancelled and your full deposit will be forfeited.
CANCELLATIONS & TRIP CREDITS
Great Explorations does not offer any refunds for changes or cancellations.
We strongly recommend that you purchase third party trip package cancellation insurance. This is the only way for you to receive a cash refund after the deposit payment is made. We also highly recommend airfare cancellation insurance, which you would purchase at the time you buy your airline ticket.
For all bookings made on and after August 1, 2022, our cancellation policy is such that there are no refunds for any reason after 90 days prior to the trip departure date. The only way to obtain a refund for funds paid is to purchase third-party trip insurance.
Up until 90 days from the trip departure date, should you reschedule or cancel your trip, there is a USD $250 fee and USD $500 remains as a trip credit for you to use within 12 months of the original trip departure date. If booking a trip in Canada, it is a CAD $250 fee and CAD $500 credit.
For insurance options and coverage, please visit www.covertrip.com.
For all bookings made prior to August 1, 2022, our cancellation policy is such that up until 30 days prior to the trip departure, clients are entitled to reschedule or change their trip one time for free. For the subsequent trip booked, our cancellation policy will be such that payments are non-refundable at 90 days.
*Please note: for Bike & Yacht trips in Croatia, deposits and balances paid are fully non-refundable (in case of a cancellation, no trip credits will be offered).
Reschedule: Great Explorations reserves the right to keep the full amount you paid as a trip credit for you to use on the same trip. Credits for rescheduled trips expire 2 years after the date of issue. Your rescheduled trip must be rebooked 6 months in advance of the new starting date.
Change: Great Explorations reserves the right to keep the full amount you paid as a trip credit for you to use on any trip / destination. Credits for changed trips expire 1 year after the date of issue.
All cancellations made within 30 days of the trip departure date cannot be rescheduled or changed and 100% of the trip cost will be forfeited.
All changes (rescheduling/changing/cancelling) must be made in writing. All credits will be issued on the date we receive your written notice.
In summary, for bookings made prior to August 1, 2022, in case you need to reschedule or change your trip:
- 90 Days+: 100% deposit paid kept as a trip credit
- 90D-31D: 100% full amount paid kept as a trip credit
- 30D-Departure: 100% full amount paid is forfeited
Please note credits provided for rescheduled or changed trips can be transferred one time to a friend or relative should you not be able to use your credit before its expiry date.
CANCELLATION BY GREAT EXPLORATIONS
We reserve the right to cancel any trip at any time for any reason determined in our sole discretion, or if the quality of the trip or the safety of travelers is judged by Great Explorations to be compromised. In such a case, Great Explorations will endeavor to refund payments received by Great Explorations. We ask that our valued clients recognize that there are expenses, including unrecoverable third-party deposits, that Great Explorations cannot recoup as the planned date of a trip approaches and as a result, a 100% refund is not always possible. However, we are making every effort to recover, for the benefit of our travelers, as many of those expenses as we are able.
Great Explorations retains the sole discretion to run any trip notwithstanding the occurrence of any event or the existence of any condition in or near any place of travel included on a trip itinerary or in proximity to such a place or affecting travel, including air travel, in general. If Great Explorations determines in good faith to run a trip, then no refund under this paragraph shall be payable with respect to that trip and any traveler cancelling a reservation shall be bound by the cancellation policies identified in the preceding paragraphs.
Great Explorations will not be responsible for any additional charges such as non-refundable airline tickets.
CYCLING EVENTS
Please note: the above Terms & Conditions do not apply for our Cycling Events (i.e. Sunshine Coast Mountain Bike Trail Challenge). Tickets to any cycling event organized by Great Explorations are non refundable. To review the full conditions related to a specific Cycling Event, please check the Event page directly on our website.
RESPONSIBILITY
The responsibility of Great Explorations is strictly limited. As a trip operator Great Explorations and its associates act only as agents for the guest and can accept no responsibility or liability for the service purchased or reserved from any company, accommodation, restaurant, taxi, rental company, and any other supplier (collectively called Suppliers) involved in the organization of the trips. The Suppliers providing services for Great Explorations’ active trips are independent contractors and are not agents or employees of Great Explorations.
Great Explorations is not responsible for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any Supplier or of any third party. By utilizing the travel services of the Suppliers, you agree that you will look to such Suppliers for any accident, injury, property damage, or personal loss to you or to those traveling with you, and that neither Great Explorations nor any representative of Great Explorations shall be liable.
Without limitation, Great Explorations is not responsible for any injury, loss, or damage to person or property, death, delay, or inconvenience in connection with the provision of, or failure to provide, any goods or services occasioned by or resulting from – but not limited to – acts of God or force majeure, acts of war or civil unrest, insurrection or revolt, strikes or other labor activities, criminal or terrorist activities of any kind, overbooking or downgrading of accommodations, mechanical or other failure of means of transportation or for the failure of any transportation mechanism to arrive or depart on time, sanitation problems, lack of medical care, or for any other cause beyond the direct control of Great Explorations.
In the event that it becomes necessary or advisable to alter the itinerary or arrangements for the comfort and/or well-being of the participants, such alterations will be made without penalty to Great Explorations. The right is reserved to cancel a trip and to decline to accept any person as a member of a trip at any time.
Guests are responsible for: respecting the laws and customs of countries visited; using Great Explorations bicycles and equipment appropriately and according to Great Explorations guidelines; ensuring that all Great Explorations’ bicycles and equipment are returned in the same condition as initially provided excluding normal wear and tear.
If you are booking a cycling trip it is your responsibility to ensure that you can: safely operate a bicycle on the road with other users and respect traffic laws, brake safely and get to a complete stop in any circumstances, change gears properly to minimize fatigue and mechanic failures, use a bicycle hand pump and foot pump, inflate bicycles tires to the recommended pressure, repair a punctured inner tube, replace an inner tube, install/remove pedals (only if you plan to bring your own pedals) and install/remove a saddle (only if you plan to bring your own saddle).
CHILDREN
Guests of all ages are welcome on Great Explorations. In order to have the best experience possible, it is essential to choose a trip that is suitable to children and families. Guests are responsible for choosing a trip matching with their physical abilities. Contact one of our Travel Advisors for more information on our family friendly trips.
HEALTH & FITNESS
Guests are responsible for choosing a trip matching with their physical abilities, fitness level and health conditions. Information on the trips’ difficulties and physical requirements are available on the website and in the pre-trip material. Your health and safety during your trip is a priority for us. You should be in good health and have at least a basic level of fitness to participate in our active trips. Contact your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your health condition in participating in one of our trips.
Great Explorations recommends wearing a helmet at all times while cycling. Great Explorations does not recommend participating in physical activities such as cycling, hiking and canoeing while under the influences of alcohol or other substances including prescription drugs.
MEDICAL ISSUES
Great Explorations is not responsible for the costs of any medical treatment you may require during or after the trip due to your participation in the trip. Under no circumstances Great Explorations is responsible for the quality of medical care you may receive while on the trip. Great Explorations recommends purchasing appropriate travel protection which protects your travel, belongings and person from unforeseen circumstances and events that may arise before and during your trip.
Some trips may not be accessible to people with physical disabilities, please contact us directly for more information.
HEALTH INSURANCE
We require you to have full health insurance, including coverage for repatriation. Great Explorations might require you to provide us with proof of such insurance.
INFORMATION MATERIAL
Trip confirmations are sent by email upon receipt of deposit payment. The trip confirmation email includes your Trip Planner (detailed information about the trip, how to get there etc.). Approximately 30 days prior to the trip departure, you will receive your final information package including route instructions, maps and other information that you will need on your trip. Final information packages are couriered by ground for deliveries to Canada and continental USA unless guests select our ‘e-package’ option on the online registration form. The reason we send at this time is to ensure you have the latest updates available. This shipping cost is included in the trip price. For guests living outside Canada and continental USA, Great Explorations will send out a digital package by email one month before the start of your trip.
Guests understand that maps, route instructions, trip details and any other trip material provided by Great Explorations remain the entire property of Great Explorations unless indicated otherwise, and are for the unique use of the trip booked, and must not be published, sold, shared or reproduced for public use or any other purposes than the trip booked.
GPS EXCHANGE
The proprietary GPS data and route instructions for cycling routes provided shall only be used by Guests during the dates of their trip and will not be shared, published or sold to any other person. The Receiver understands that this information is proprietary and confidential and is provided for a one-time use.
GOODS & SERVICES TAX
Trips outside of Canada are exempt from the goods and services tax. All Canadian trips are subject to the current provincial goods and services tax applicable in the province the trip is taking place (see Trip Overview / Details for more information).
USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
All personal information supplied to Great Explorations will remain within our organization (REM Event Management Inc. DBA Great Explorations) and will not be shared with any external entity unless prior permission is given. Your personal information will not be sold, distributed or published in any manner whatsoever.
PHOTOGRAPHS & VIDEOS
Photos and videos of guests taken during the trips may be used for promotional purposes. Pictures and videos submitted by the guests become the property of Great Explorations, and may be used for publicity purposes and published on our website. Pictures and videos may be edited for publication.
PASSPORT
You will need a valid passport for trips outside of your country. You might need a visa for some destinations offered by Great Explorations; your Travel Advisor will provide more details if applicable. It is recommended to carry your passport with you at all times. For most countries passports must be valid 3 months beyond length of stay. Non-U.S. and Canadian citizens must contact the appropriate consular office or embassy for any requirements related to their trip. International travel rules, requirements and regulations are subject to changes, it is your responsibility to remain informed of such changes at all times.
PRICE & INFORMATION
Trip prices quoted on this website are land prices per person based on a double occupancy. Prices, accommodations, trip itineraries, benefits and incentives terms described on this website and any other Great Explorations promotional materials are subject to change. Great Explorations reserves the right to correct pricing at any time, or to increase the trip price in the event of cost increases due to changes in currency fluctuations, taxes, or cost of services provided by our suppliers.
APPLICABLE LAW
The Guest agrees that the present terms and conditions, all rights and liabilities referred to herein, shall be interpreted in accordance with and governed by the laws of British Columbia and any action arising there from shall be within the exclusive jurisdiction of British Columbia courts.