Terms and Conditions

Important Notice

Travel Documentation: Travelers are responsible for completing all paperwork to allow for entry into the country of travel and for returning to the US.

Travel Insurance: BTA highly recommends travel insurance to protect your financial investment and for other benefits, including medical coverage, trip interruption, and medical evacuation.

Booking Confirmation, Payment Terms & Cancellation Policies

Full-Service Travel Itineraries

• Pricing and availability are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed until a deposit has been made
• Boutique Travel Advisors will start immediately to book any reservation inquired within 24 hours (work hours / local time)
• In the event that the service is not available anymore or is subject to price changes, BTA will communicate the supplement to the client
• Custom itineraries may require a 30% non-refundable deposit and balance is typically due 60-90 days prior to departure
• Payment methods: Bank wire or credit card
• Cancellation of a confirmed itinerary is subject to a 30% penalty and additional terms as specified by suppliers

Special Services

Boat services, helicopter tours/transfers, special vehicles, and special locations may have different cancellation policies. Generally, these services are not refundable but depend on the season, kind of service, and destination.

Passport & Visas

Passport holders are responsible for obtaining the required documentation applicable for entry. Passports must be valid for at least six (6) months after completion of your journey and should have sufficient blank pages for visas and immigration stamps.

BTA cannot be held responsible should you be denied entry to a country due to non-compliance with these requirements. Should you require specific information ahead of travel, please consult the travel advice produced by the government of your home jurisdiction and that of the government that issued your passport and/or visa.

Planning Fees

BTA is a service-based travel advisory firm. Our planning and management fees are collected before beginning the design process. Planning and management fees are non-refundable and vary depending on the complexity of the trip.

Fees may increase if the scope of services changes, as mutually agreed upon between parties.

Itinerary

Accommodation and arranged sightseeing are subject to change at any time due to unforeseen circumstances beyond BTA's control. Every effort will be made to operate tours and activities as planned, but alterations may occur after the final itinerary has been issued.

BTA reserves the right to withdraw a tour or any part of it, to make alterations to the itinerary or tour inclusions as deemed necessary or desirable, and to pass on to tour members any expenditures or losses caused by delays or events beyond its control. In case of any appreciable variation in the tour price due to these circumstances, BTA reserves the right to adjust the tour costs.

Taxes and Gratuities

• Certain airline fees (such as baggage costs) and hotel taxes imposed by city and state governments are typically not included in the quotation unless specified
• Gratuities for guides, drivers, porters, and hotel and cruise staff are generally not included and are at the traveler's discretion
• Additional city taxes may be imposed in specific destinations and must be paid on the spot

Exclusions

The cost of obtaining vaccinations, passports, visas, excess baggage charges, food and beverages (except where specified), laundry services, telephone calls, and personal expenditures, unless expressly included in writing, are not included.

Additional Service Fees

Certain services are subject to additional fees and will be charged to your card on file upon providing such service:

Changes and Cancellations

• Changes to the itinerary made post-final payment are subject to $100-$150 fee per occurrence
• BTA reserves the right to charge a service fee of up to 10% of the booking costs if the trip is canceled by you after the first deposit
• BTA encourages you to submit cancellation fees as part of your claim if you have trip insurance and deem your cancellation to be for a covered reason
• Other supplier cancellation terms & conditions may apply and are the traveler's sole responsibility
• Cancellation terms & conditions passed by suppliers are specific to each booking. Your travel may not be refundable and/or subject to cancellation or rebooking fees
• While we cannot guarantee reimbursement, change and cancellation fees should be submitted with any trip insurance claim made due to cancellation for a covered reason

After-Hours Assistance and Services

• BTA advisors are available Monday-Friday during standard business hours and on an appointment basis
• Travel itineraries booked with destination management companies and wholesalers may include complimentary after-hours customer support, in-destination emergency contacts, and concierge service lines
• After-hours support with a BTA advisor during travel is subject to $100/hour, billed in 1-hour increments. The fee will be charged at the time of service

Special Requests

Specific requests, including connecting rooms, bedding configurations, room assignments, and meal preferences, should be advised at the time of booking. While we make an effort to secure special requests, they cannot be guaranteed.

Prices & Arrangements

• The price for your custom itinerary includes planning, handling, and operational charges and is quoted based on current exchange rates and tariffs
• Entrance fees for scheduled sightseeing tours are included in this price when specified
• This price is subject to revision in line with significant changes in foreign currency, tariff rates, taxes, etc.
• Quotes and proposals are subject to change & availability until confirmed

Descriptions and Imagery

Photographs, videos, imagery, and descriptions used by BTA are intended to present an example of the types of sights, experiences, and scenery you may encounter in your travel destination. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, it is foreseeable that some destinations will change in appearance.

BTA cannot guarantee sightings of animals in the wild or marine life in its natural habitat. We are also not responsible for inclement or undesirable weather.

Confirmation of Services

• A non-refundable itinerary design fee is required to begin the planning process
• Typically, a non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking to secure custom travel components
• The deposit amount will be specified at the time of booking and varies depending on the supplier's Terms and Conditions
• The client understands that BTA's Terms and Conditions may vary from those of cruise lines, land operators, airlines, hotels, and other travel companies involved in your trip. All applicable Terms and Conditions shall be enforced

Payment Method

Payments may be made by the following methods:

• Credit card
• Bank transfer

Travelers are liable for all bank and related transaction charges. Some suppliers may charge additional credit card processing fees. These fees are strictly the responsibility of the traveler.

Credit Card Merchant

Flight Preparation

BTA recommends that you check your flight for any changes at least 48 hours before departure and check in before arrival at the airport when possible. We recommend that you arrive at the airport 3 hours before traveling internationally and at least 2 hours before flying domestically.

BTA is not liable for any travel interruption or disruption.

Risks of Travel and Travel Release

BTA assumes no responsibility for and shall not be liable for the acts or omissions on the part of any other party not under our control or any acts of God, unsafe conditions, terrorism, health hazards including pandemics, illness, weather hazards, or the suitability for a disabled person of any portion of any trip. We have no special knowledge of dangers during travel or at destinations.

Additional Resources

• Travel Safety: Visit the State Department travel website at www.travel.state.gov, click on "Find International Travel Information," then "Country Information"
• Health Information: Visit the Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov/travel, then click on "Destinations"

COVID-19 and Pandemics: It is your personal decision to travel, and you are doing so with full knowledge of current travel recommendations and travel restrictions regarding the risks of COVID-19 or any other pandemic.

Force Majeure

Force majeure means unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond BTA's control or the control of our suppliers, the consequence of which neither BTA nor its suppliers could avoid even with all due care, including, but not limited to, war, threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity (actual or threatened), industrial dispute, unavoidable technical problems with transport, machinery or equipment, power failure, changes imposed by rescheduling or cancellation of flights by an airline, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, flood, drought, adverse weather conditions, epidemics or outbreaks of illness, and level of water in rivers.

In the event of a cancellation or material alteration to the trip as a result of the circumstances described in this clause, BTA may, in their sole and absolute discretion:

• Offer the traveler(s) alternative travel arrangements or products of comparable standard as may be appropriate in the circumstances; or
• If BTA does not offer alternative travel arrangements or products, BTA will make every effort to obtain a prompt proportional refund of monies paid by the traveler to the suppliers

Assumption of Risk and Release

Claims Deadline and Exclusive Jurisdiction

You agree to present any claims against us within 30 days after your travels end and to file suit within one year of the incident, and you acknowledge that this expressly limits the applicable statute of limitations to one year.

Any unresolved disputes arising out of or in connection with our services shall be finally settled under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce by one or more arbitrators appointed in accordance with the said Rules.