We want you to get the most out of your travel. For your own guidance, please carefully read and be sure that you fully understand the BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS as stated below. Receipt of your payment represents your acknowledgement and acceptance of these terms and conditions. Absolute Asia Travel will be happy to clarify any questions you may have.
1. Your booking with Absolute Asia Travel
Your contract is with the Absolute Asia Travel Co JSC (hereafter also referred to as ‘we’ and ‘us’). 'Absolute Asia Travel' means Absolute Asia Travel Joint Stock Company, a company registered in Hanoi Vietnam. .
1.1. Ground Arrangements:
Absolute Asia Travel have made it clear on this website and your itinerary paperwork that delays and changes to methods of transport are common throughout the regions we operate in and that they can run below operational standards that would be regarded as normal in much of the developed world. We cannot accept any claim for indirect or consequential loss arising from the failure of transport suppliers to conform either to timetables supplied by us or to their own timetables. We cannot accept any claim for shock, loss, distress, whether mental or financial, arising from deviations from operational standards by 3rd party transport suppliers whose services form part of our itineraries (whether original or amended). Please note that the times of road and rail departures are estimates only.
Various standards of preparation and certain levels of fitness are required for many of our more adventurous itineraries - it is each individual participant’s responsibility to assess their own suitability and to prepare themselves to a suitable level for any of our itineraries. We are unable to refund any money in respect of services from which you withdraw after arrival. With reasonable notice, alternative versions of most of our activities can be organized for our customers and we will endeavor to assist in all reasonable instances.
If you are in any doubt about whether you should travel on any of our itineraries, you should consult your medical adviser.
1.2 Flights:
Routings / Timings / Reconfirmation
Unless otherwise stated, the routing on your air ticket cannot be changed once booked. Please note that the times of air departures are estimates only. These times may be affected by operational difficulties such as weather conditions. Flight times may be subject to change and the latest available times will appear on your final itinerary. Please note that direct flights can have a scheduled stop en route and all flights (indirect and direct) can be operated by another carrier (code-share). Most airlines reserve the right to alter their schedule, destination airport and/or type of aircraft. Such changes will not entitle you to compensation nor to cancel or change your travel arrangements without paying additional charges. Please also note carriers have conditions of carriage which will apply to you and which limit or exclude liability. Absolute Asia Travel will not make alternative travel arrangements if there is a delay at the outbound or inbound points of departure. Most airlines however do make provisions in certain circumstances. You must reconfirm all flight reservations directly with the relevant airline at least 72 hours prior to departure (your guide will be able to assist you with this while you are on tour with us). This allows the airline to inform you of any schedule changes to your itinerary. You may also be asked to provide contact details that they can use in the event of further delays or cancellation. You must check in for all international flights at least two hours prior to departure or follow up to date advice.
1.3 Airfare taxes
These are payable on departure from (and sometimes on arrival at) most airports. Taxes that have been paid in advance will be marked on your invoice. We do not collect all airfare taxes, some of which are to be paid locally. Arrival and departure taxes are government-imposed taxes and can change without notice. Absolute Asia Travel has no control over this aspect of your travel arrangements. Additional costs, such as fuel surcharges, can be levied by a supplier at any point up to a ticket/voucher being issued.
2. Pricing and Payment
A booking will be accepted once a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit is received. All bookings are accepted on a request only basis and are based on the itinerary and booking details sent to by your consultant - it is your responsibility to check these details carefully and advise us of any errors immediately. In certain circumstances there can be a charge for amending any errors (i.e. an incorrectly spelt name on an issued airline ticket).
Receipt of a completed booking form does not imply availability of any holiday. Whilst your deposit secures your reservation with Absolute Asia Travel, it does not guarantee the availability of any hotels or land/water tour services. Your holiday cost can change due to external influences, out of our control, such as hotel availability, exchange rates, fuel surcharges and airlines changing or cancelling services.
Final costs are only guaranteed once all services have been confirmed and in the case of flights, all airline tickets have been issued.
2.1 Payment schedule
2.1.1 Deposit to confirm a booking:
Once you have agreed the itinerary and the price, and received your instruction to proceed, we will ask you to settle a minimum 20% deposit of your tour price. Upon receipt of your deposit, we will make firm bookings and confirm them to you. In some cases, the deposit percentage will be altered and stated in the invoice for your approval. The changes to the percentage amount are flexible and based on departure date and cancellation policies of third party service providers.
* Please notes:
- Full payment are required for all flights, train tickets, visa approval letters, airport fast track service and hotel reservations in order to issue pre-paid vouchers for your services.
- We reserves the right to increase the 20% minimum deposit case by case and increase as needed, especially bookings of luxury cruises and hotels.
2.1.2 Final payment
Full payment of the balance must be settled by you no later than 30 days before departure for your tour. It is your responsibility to ensure that all payment deadlines are met. Absolute Asia Travel might not send out any reminders.
Full payment deadlines are set to protect your booking as airlines and cruise operators are within their rights to raise prices and in some instances cancel bookings.
If the balance due date is not met, your travel arrangements may be cancelled and you may forfeit your deposit. It is therefore to your advantage to finalize payment as soon as possible.
(please note: these payment terms are liable to change - your sales person/travel consultant will advise you at the time of booking).
2.2 How to pay
Absolute Asia Travel accept payments by bank transfer and Western Union. We also accept payment by credit cards both online and offline. For online secured payment, major cards including Visa, Master Card, American Express, and JCB Card are accepted. Please note that payment by credit cards will incur 3% administrative fee.
We do not under any circumstances accept payments made by a third party. Full payment instruction will be sent to you by our sales staff when you confirm to go ahead.
2.3 Your contract
Bookings are only valid for the dates and routings specified by us and as listed on your booking confirmation.
A contract will exist as soon as payment confirmation is issued by the contract principal, either Absolute Asia Travel or by a supplier. Any flight contract is between you and the airline – Absolute Asia Travel is acting as an agent on behalf of these airlines.
When making a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions and the booking conditions of any supplier (contract principal) where we are acting as agent.
Whilst Absolute Asia Travel has no intention of making alterations or cancelling any travel arrangements made for clients, we reserve the right to substitute alternative transport or accommodation to ensure the completion of any itinerary or in the interest of all our guests’ safety and wellbeing. In the unlikely event that there are changes made to your travel arrangements both before or during you journey, Absolute Asia Travel will attempt to inform you by all possible means as soon as possible. Please note that we are not obliged to do this, nor are we obliged to provide compensation if travel arrangements are changed. If your booking is cancelled we will do our utmost to ensure you receive a full and prompt refund.
Absolute Asia Travel reserves the right to decline any booking.
3. Changing or cancelling your booking
3.1 Changing your booking
If you wish to alter your booking arrangements, after payment confirmation has been issued we will endeavor to assist in making these changes to your booking. Absolute Asia Travel may charge a minimum US$30 amendment fee. You should note that it is not always possible to make certain requested amendments. In addition to any charge levied by Absolute Asia Travel, the customer will be liable for any additional costs incurred by us or levied by a supplier. Please note that airlines do not allow passenger name changes. To change a passenger name on a booking may require full cancellation of the original booking and the repurchasing of another ticket.
3.2 Cancelling your booking
Requests to cancel a booking must be made in writing by the client or emailed directly from the client’s own email account. Please note that full cancellation conditions as specified on your booking will apply and we cannot guarantee a refund. Absolute Asia Travel reserves the right to apply additional administration fees to any refunds due. Most airlines set their own cancellation conditions (shown on your booking invoice) and will neither refund partially used tickets or tickets cancelled within 48 hours of departure. Refunds will take approx 8 weeks to process.
3.3 Cancellation Charges:
The following policies shall apply to all tour & cruise cancellations if you cancel your trip at a later stage:
• 60-30 days 20% of total tour cost
• 29-15 days 50% of total tour cost
• 14 days or less 100% of total tour cost
• No show/no written notice 100% of full fare
The above penalties apply when the entire booking is cancelled and apply to all services including tour, cruise and land arrangements. Cancellation of luxury cruise trips might vary and will be advised case by case.
* Please note:
- Numerous hotels in Vietnam and South-East Asia insist on upfront deposits at the time of booking to secure rooms. These deposits are non-negotiable and are non-refundable if a booking is cancelled.
- Please note that in many cases domestic and international flights used within your itinerary often have to be issued well in advance of your departure. These are 100% non refundable and will be in additional to the above losses.
- Some hotels do not operate under these conditions and have more restrictive cancellation conditions especially during high season. Absolute Asia Travel has to pass these charges on to the client where relevant.
- Special conditions: Depending on airlines and suppliers cancellation policies, the above conditions may be modified.
- If the cancellation is not for the entire booking (e.g. just one party member) those cancelling may be liable for any single occupancy costs applied to the other members of the original booking.
- Any refund does not include visas, visa processing fees and travel insurance which shall be 100% forfeit in all cases.
Clients must have suitable travel insurance cover in order to provide cover for these charges in the event of cancellation or delay. Absolute Asia Travel cannot be held responsible for any expenses arising from an unscheduled departure from any itinerary.
No refund will be made for unused travel services or any portion thereof, nor is the price or value of unused travel services exchangeable for alternative arrangements. All air tickets are non-refundable, valid only for the flight and/or dates purchased and cannot be exchanged or transferred.
4. Additional travel essentials
4.1 Travel Insurance
We strongly recommends all tour participants purchase Trip Cancellation, Medical, Baggage and supplier default insurance to protect their travel plans.
4.2 Health
Please check the health and medical requirements for the destinations you are visiting with your medical adviser and arrange any vaccinations and medical certificates prior to your departure. Some countries have legal and/or medical requirements for visitors.
Clients are advised that throughout Asia there is no free health service, and that local vehicle insurance is of limited value.
4.3 Visa and Passport
The responsibility for obtaining and carrying correct visas, passports and other travel documents remains with the client. Passports should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your intended departure from Asia and hold sufficient pages for any visas, entry and exit stamps.
Visa and health requirements frequently change and it is advisable to recheck all requirements, close to your departure. It is your responsibility to ensure that you satisfy all applicable requirements in respect of passport, visa and health matters. Absolute Asia Travel cannot be held liable if you fail to ensure this.
5. Liability
Absolute Asia Travel accepts all bookings, and arrangements made, subject to the conditions imposed by our operators. All tickets and vouchers are issued by Absolute Asia Travel in its capacity as an agent upon the express conditions that we are not liable to any customers for loss, damage, delay, injury, cancellation or additional expense suffered by the customer whatsoever, or any cause beyond our control shall be occasioned to us or any of its officials and representatives.
Absolute Asia Travel may cancel, suspend, alter or withdraw a booking at any time prior to when final payment of the holiday is due, in which case Absolute Asia Travel will be limited Clients agree to comply with the laws and regulations of all the countries visited on any trip, and comply with all reasonable instructions of the guide relating to the safety and organization of the trip.
Clients are advised that local duties and levies are frequently introduced, amended or increased without warning, and whilst we do our best to inform clients of what local costs are likely to be incurred, we cannot guarantee that further costs may be imposed or increased subsequent to our recent information. Such costs remain the client’s responsibility.
We cannot be responsible for the safety and well being of clients or their belongings. Whilst we shall provide all reasonable help and assistance it is imperative that you take out adequate travel insurance. To travel on any of our holidays clients must obtain personal travel insurance of a similar or superior standard to that offered by Absolute Asia Travel.
6. Your financial protection
Absolute Asia Travel is a fully licensed international tour company, licensed by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) as an International Tour Operator. Our International Tour Operator License number is 01-2002/2017/TCDL – GPLHQT. The terms of our license require us to place a substantial cash bond in a secure account. The account has two signatories - Absolute Asia Travel and VNAT.
The money in the account is solely for compensating clients - VNAT will not allow us to withdraw money for any other purpose. If compensation has to be paid to a client, we are obliged to top up the bond to its original level immediately.
7. Force Majeure
At any time Absolute Asia Travel may cancel, suspend, alter or withdraw a booking in the event or 'Force Majeure', in which case the client will be refunded monies received by the Absolute Asia Travel, less any deductions for expenses incurred.
Absolute Asia Travel cannot accept responsibility or pay any compensation for any loss, delay, cancellation or alteration of travel arrangements caused by circumstances that amount to 'Force Majeure'. This may include war or threat of war, outbreak or threat of disease, denial of border entry for any undocumented reasons, industrial disputes, fire, extreme and adverse weather conditions, natural disaster, riots/civil strife, terrorist activity, decisions relating to foreign nationals made by the elected or de facto leaders of such areas; and such other circumstances beyond Absolute Asia Travel’s reasonable control. In such circumstances Absolute Asia Travel will do all possible to provide alternative necessary travel arrangements to ensure the safe passage for our clients. Any costs incurred are in addition to the original cost of the existing holiday and it may be required for them to be paid in advance.
