PALLADIAN ODYSSEY
Terms and conditions for 2020
Our Goal
It is our goal to provide each of our guests with a complete holiday experience that motivates them to explore their creativity in the form of travel sketches.
To this end we have endeavoured
- to provide interesting, instructional and motivational sketching tutorials and demonstrations each day in locations that excite and inspire.
- to provide an equal standard of accommodation to all guests, noting however that rooms may vary in size and amenity depending on availability.
- to offer a consistent standard of regional cuisine noting that options for gluten free and vegetarian diets may be limited.
- to provide comfortable travel between locations in our dedicated coach.
How to book
To book your tour choose the option of type of tour and date on the booking form and follow the prompts. You will be deemed to have booked the tour when we receive the required deposit as per the booking form. Note that if you wish to have single occupancy accommodation you must add that option at the time of booking.
Twin share and single occupancy supplement
Twin share is only available to those who have agreed prior to booking to share their room with a travel companion known to them. Palladian Odyssey will not allow twin share of travellers who have booked separately and are unknown to each other. If you have not pre-arranged to share with another guest or companion you are required to pay the single supplement and will be allocated a room for single occupancy.
The Agreement
By filling out the booking form and paying your deposit you agree to the terms and conditions as follows.
Payments
Payments can only be made through the online booking form in Euro. Any transfer or exchange fees that may be charged by the payer’s bank will be met by the payer.
Deposit
A deposit of of the amount stated on the booking form is required in order to book the tour. No other exchange in writing or otherwise will constitute a booking without the on line payment.
Balance of payment
Balance of payment for 2020 tours is required by 15 March 2020. Non payment of balance by this date will be deemed a cancellation and cancellation terms will apply (see below). Reminders will be sent to assist in on time final payment.
Cancellation
By us for 2020 tours: we reserve the right to cancel any tour in 2020 if the number of registered participants to make the tour viable is not met before 15 March 2020. In this case we will provide a full refund of fees paid to Palladian Odyssey. No associated costs such as flights, pre-paid hotel accommodation outside of tour dates etc will be reimbursable by us. We may also cancel the tour at any time due to unforeseeable circumstances of force majeure or acts of God in the region such as extreme climatic conditions, war, acts of terrorism, civil unrest, prolonged strikes etc. In this case we will refund only that amount that is available to us after direct costs. You are required to take out personal travel insurance to protect you in the unlikely event of a tour cancellation – see Travel Insurance below.
By you for 2020 tours: Charges as follows:
before 31 December 2019 EURO60 administration fee withheld from deposit refund.
From 1 January to 15 March 25% of total
From 16 March to 30 April 75% of total
After 30 April 100% of total
The cancellation date will be the date we receive your written advice of cancellation.
Travel Insurance
All participants must have travel insurance and may be required to show their paid up insurance plan prior to joining the tour. Cover must include full medical and repatriation costs. We advise that the insurance cover should also include cancellation costs as our cancellation policy will be strictly enforced.
Passport, ID, Travel Documents
All participants must have valid travel documentation with any applicable visas and will be required to provide these at each accommodation check-in.
Liability
We will not take responsibility for loss of property or damage to property. Ensure your travel insurance includes adequate cover for property.
Changes in itinerary or proposed activities.
We reserve the right to change venues or activities as may be required due to unforeseen circumstances such as fire damage to a venue, unexpected closure of a venue etc. We will make every effort to ensure the experience is not compromised by making immediate alternative arrangements in accordance with contingency plans already in place.
Travel to and from start point and end point of tour.
The tour will start and end as per the itinerary in the cities of Florence or Vicenza, depending on the tour, at the nominated gathering point – refer “Itinerary”
Travel to and from the cities of Florence or Vicenza to join the tours, or after the tours is not included in the tour price. You must arrive at least 1 hour before the tour bus departs on day 1 in order to register with the tour manager. We will not delay the departure of the coach due to anyone’s failure to arrive on time. Train travel in Italy is generally reliable but delays can occur so plan to arrive in plenty of time. You may wish to arrive the day before in which case we can recommend accommodation. Refer to “Getting there” for options on how to get to Florence and Vicenza.
Travel during the tour.
All travel during the tour is included on our dedicated coach. Luggage space is limited to one suitcase per person + hand luggage for sketching equipment. Departures will be on time as stated in the itinerary. Whist we will make every attempt to ensure all guests are present and accounted for before departure, any guest who is not present and cannot be located at the time of departure will be required to make their own way to the next destination at their own expense.
What to bring
Weather in May in norther Italy can be unpredictable but generally in the late spring the days are mild and sunny with occasional evening showers. We will be outdoors a lot of the time so a sun hat and an umbrella are a good idea with a jacket or coat for the milder evenings. We’ll do a bit of walking and there’s no shortage of cobblestone streets so comfortable shoes are important.
As for your sketching kit, Liz has a comprehensive guide which we will email to all the participants well before the date. But the principle is that whatever you’re comfortable with as your preferred medium; pen, pencil, watercolour, crayon, sketch pad or book – that is what you should bring. If however you want to explore new possibilities then Liz’s comprehensive list and her web site will provide excellent guides. Finally a folding stool or mat is a good idea – those cobbles get pretty hard when you’re sitting on them for an hour or more.