Terms and Conditions (Group Trips)

OUR TERMS (APPLICABLE FOR TRIPS FROM 01 OCTOBER 2020 TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2021)

This document sets out the standard terms that apply to you (the traveller) when you join New Zealand Awaits for a group trip in New Zealand.

ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS

When you book a group trip with us and pay your deposit, you are accepting these terms. You will be required to complete our booking form and sign the terms and conditions included on that booking form as a record of acceptance of these terms and conditions.

THE BOOKING CONTRACT

The contract is between New Zealand Awaits Ltd (referred to as New Zealand Awaits, or the “company”, “us” or “we”) and the travellers, being any person travelling or intending to travel on a trip supplied by New Zealand Awaits as either operator or agent. A contract exists when New Zealand Awaits or your travel agent receives a completed booking form and deposit from you. The contract including all matters that arise from it, as well as this agreement are subject to New Zealand law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts.

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

Participants in our group trips must be 18 years of age and in good health. We strive to provide a transformative travel experience for our guests, and trust that in joining one of our trips, you are seeking to positively add to the group travel experience. In addition, you are also agreeing to respect the local laws and customs in New Zealand. Our top priority is that all our travellers, including our our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender travellers feel safe, welcome, and comfortable to be who they are on our trips. Should any traveller’s actions be detrimental to the safety and enjoyment of others, they may be asked to leave the trip by the trip guide. In this event, no refund for unused services will be given.

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Please see each Group Trip description for guidelines on fitness levels for each trip. We recommend some physical conditioning beforehand to make the most of the outdoor activities on offer on our trips. You must agree to complete the medical portion of the reservation form honestly, disclosing all relevant medical information, and acknowledging you are fit to travel and not travelling contrary to any medical advice. By acknowledging your health and fitness to participate, you are indemnifying us from all actions, claims, and demands arising out of any lack of health or fitness. We reserve the right to deny you permission to travel on our trips or to remove you from a trip if we believe your health may put you or any other travellers at serious risk. We also reserve the right to deny you permission to participate in any aspect of a trip if the trip guide considers you a danger to yourself or others. You agree that we have no liability to you for any loss, damage, costs or other effects of health problems you may encounter on your trip.

HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION INCLUDING COVID-19.

For the health and safety of all travellers on our trips any traveller displaying any illness (such as fever, coughing or difficulty breathing) will not be accepted onboard the vehicle unless they can provide us with a negative Covid19 test result received within the past 72 hours. Should any traveller start to feel unwell on arrival or while on tour, they must immediately advise their trip guide, contact Healthline, then visit a medical practitioner/medical centre/hospital. To return to the trip the traveller must be deemed fit and well to participate fully on a group trip, obtaining and providing us with a written medical clearance – not just a negative Covid19 test. Any costs incurred will be at the traveller’s own expense.

INSURANCE

It is strongly recommended that you purchase travel insurance for the duration of your trip to protect you financially from unforeseen circumstances that may affect your travel plans.

SMOKING

Please be aware that smoking is not permitted in any premises licensed to sell alcohol in New Zealand (bars, restaurants, cafes, casinos, etc). You cannot smoke in your lodging rooms or in any of our vehicles.

SOLO TRAVELLERS

All our trip prices are based on twin share. If you are a solo traveller preferring your own room, single rooms may be available on request and by paying the single supplement.

BOOKING

Complete and return our booking form along with your non-refundable deposit of $200. This secures your reservation until 45 days prior to departure, when final payment is due. Bookings made within 60 days will require full payment at time of booking. If the full payment is not received by the required date, your place on the trip will be cancelled with forfeiture of full deposit. Certain products may have different payment requirements and these will be advised at time of booking.

PRICES AND PAYMENT

Prices are in New Zealand dollars (NZD) and include New Zealand Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 15%. Prices are subject to change in the event of GST fluctuations and/or supplier increases.

Payments can be made by either:

  • Credit Card: You will be invoiced and directed to make payment with a credit card. A 3% credit card fee will be charged.
  • Direct deposit into our bank account – Bank account information will be included on our invoice..
  • CANCELLATION POLICY

    Cancellation notice must be made in writing and emailed to debbie@newzealandawaits.com. Cancellation will be acknowledged by New Zealand Awaits in writing. Please call us if you have not received an acknowledgement from us within 48 hours of sending your cancellation notice. The cancellation fee is determined by the date the written cancellation notice is received by New Zealand Awaits. Cancellation fees will be levied relevant to the amount of notice prior to departure as follows:

    • More than 45 days: $200 per person cancellation fee
    • 31 - 44 days: $200 per person cancellation fee and the balance of your payment will be held in credit for 12 months and is fully transferrable to another trip or another person at no charge.
    • 15 – 30 days: 60% of total trip price will be charged. The balance (40%) of your payment will be held in credit for 12 months and is fully transferrable to another trip or another person at no charge.
    • 8 – 14 days: 80% of total trip price will be charged. The balance (20%) of your payment will be held in credit for 12 months and is fully transferrable to another trip or another person at no charge.
    • 0-7 days: 100% of the trip price will be charged (no refund).
    Please note that any applicable airline charges do not apply to the above refunds – see your airline for their specific cancellation/refund policies.

    CANCELLATION BY NEW ZEALAND AWAITS

    New Zealand Awaits reserves the right to cancel any trip at any time for any reason. Our trips require six fully paid travellers to proceed. If minimum numbers are not met, we will offer an alternative trip or a full refund. This refund will constitute full settlement. New Zealand Awaits is not responsible for other expenses such as non-refundable or non-transferable air tickets or other unrecoverable travel costs. We recommend travel insurance to cover such eventualities.

    COVID19 CANCELLATION POLICY

    We understand that Covid19 has created uncertainty for all of us. We’ve negotiated with our suppliers to create special terms for cancellations directly related to Covid19.

    If the New Zealand Government imposes travel restrictions prior to commencing travel that would impact:

    • our ability to deliver your group trip, travellers will receive a full credit, less any applicable airline cancellation fees. Credit will be held by New Zealand Awaits for 12 months and is fully transferrable to another trip or another person at no charge.
    • your ability to join one of our group trips (eg a regional alert level change that impacts only you), we will seek credits on any unused portions of the trip from all suppliers. Credit will be held by New Zealand Awaits for 12 months and is fully transferrable to another trip or another person at no charge.

    If the New Zealand Government imposes travel restrictions while on tour, we will seek credits on any unused portions of the trip from all suppliers. Any credits will first be applied to any additional costs that New Zealand Awaits may incur on your behalf. Eg. If alternate accommodation or transportation is required to repatriate travellers to their home city or nearest airport. Any remaining funds will be credited to travellers or to booking agents to enable them to pass on to their travellers.

    If you, the traveller, test positive for Covid19 prior to commencing travel, or you are a close contact of a positive case and cannot travel, then with appropriate documentation (a positive Covid19 test or other government documentation), we will seek credits on your behalf.

    If you, the traveller, tests positive for Covid19 while on tour then with appropriate documentation (a positive Covid19 test), we will seek credits on any unused portion of the trip from our suppliers. Any credits will first be applied to any additional costs that New Zealand Awaits may incur on your behalf. Eg. If alternate accommodation or transportation is required to repatriate travellers to their home city or nearest airport. Any remaining funds will be credited to travellers or to booking agents to enable them to pass on to their travellers.

    FORCE MAJEURE

    If New Zealand Awaits is prevented (directly or indirectly) from performing any of its obligations under this agreement by circumstances amounting to ‘force majeure’, New Zealand Awaits will be under no liability whatsoever to you and will not pay any compensation to you. In these terms, ‘force majeure’ means any event that has an impact on your group trip which we or the other operator (where relevant) could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, pilferage, epidemics, pandemics, forced quarantine, medical or customs regulations, riot, fire, storm, flood, explosion, compliance with any law or government restraint order, rule regulation, strikes, lock outs, breakdowns, interruption of transport, or any other cause whatsoever outside New Zealand Awaits reasonable control. We reserve the right to cancel, amend or reschedule your group trip during or following any force majeure and if we do so you agree that we will have no liability to you for any direct or indirect consequences of the cancellation, amendment or rescheduling.

    UNUSED SERVICES

    New Zealand Awaits will not pay any discounts or refunds for missed or unused services (activities, accommodation, meals or any other unused service) which were missed or unused by the Client due to no fault of New Zealand Awaits or its suppliers. This includes any termination of the traveller’s participation in the tour due to the traveller's own fault, negligence or breach of these terms.

    ITINERARY CHANGES

    If an itinerary needs to be changed due to unforeseen circumstances, New Zealand Awaits will make every effort to keep the route as close as possible to the original and to use similar high quality accommodation and/or activities. These changes are at the discretion of New Zealand Awaits and the Trip Leader/Guide and any costs incurred as a result will be the responsibility of the traveller. If for any reason the tour has to be cut short, New Zealand Awaits will refund the portion of the tour that was missed. The value of the refund will be calculated on the per diem cost of the tour multiplied by the number of days missed.

    ACCOMMODATION

    All accommodation included in our itineraries is based on sharing a twin room with private facilities unless otherwise indicated. Single rooms may be available upon request and by paying the single supplement. At times, in our efforts to offer unique lodging typical to the area, we stay in apartment style lodging with two or three bedrooms. In these cases there will be one bathroom for each bedroom, but the bathroom may not be an ensuite. All accommodation in our itineraries are based on "Run of House" rooms, unless specifically mentioned otherwise. Accommodation management makes all room assignments, New Zealand Awaits has no control over which room may be allocated.

    PASSPORTS AND VISAS

    It is the responsibility of you, the traveller, to ensure your passport is valid for 6 months beyond your New Zealand departure date. In addition to a valid passport, evidence of onward travel arrangements (eg. a departing air ticket), and sufficient funds for the duration of your travel in New Zealand is required. U.S. or Canadian travellers – if you plan to visit for three months or less you will be granted a Visitor’s Visa upon arrival. British citizens may be granted a Visitor’s Visa for up to six months on arrival. Other nationals, please refer to the New Zealand Immigration website for up-to-date requirements regarding visa requirements: www.immigration.govt.nz. All MUST complete an electronic travel authority online prior to travel. New Zealand Awaits cannot be held responsible for individual passport or visa problems.

    AIRFARES

    International airfares are not included in our tour prices. Only domestic airfares specifically listed in tour itineraries are included. We are happy to organise any additional domestic flights for you. Full payment for additional domestic flights is required at the time of booking and airline terms and conditions apply.

    AIRPORT TRANSFERS

    Airport transfers are not included unless explicitly stated in itineraries. If needed, we can arrange transfers at an additional cost.

    EXCLUSIONS

    The following items are not included in your tour price: international airfare, travel insurance, visa fees, airport transfers outside the trip itinerary, airport taxes, excess baggage charges, telephone, fax, and email charges, laundry costs, drinks, meals and optional activities not specified in the itinerary, alcohol, and souvenirs and personal purchases.