Travel Terms & Conditions of Bucketlistsikkim

1. Booking Procedure

• Contract Formation: Your contract is with Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. (the Company) and comes into force upon confirmation of your chosen tour by the Company and receipt of your booking form along with the booking amount deposit.
• Required Information: Travelers must accurately and fully complete all details required as per the booking form.
• Quotations & Availability: All quotations provided are subject to the availability of hotel rooms/cruise cabins, services, and flights at the time of processing the reservation. Prices might change without prior notice at the time of reservation.
• Service Delivery: All services are subject to the full realization of payment before departure. If payment is made by cheque, the package/tour component/vouchers will only be delivered after the cheque clears.

2. Terms of Payments

• Deposit: Upon finalization of the tour, a booking amount deposit of at least 50% of the tour cost per person must be paid to Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd..
• Full Payment Deadline: For all confirmed bookings with Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd., the full tour cost amount is payable on or before 10 working days of the tour start date.
• Payment Methods: Payments to Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. can be made by Credit card or electronic money transfer. STIC Holidays accepts payment by visiting their office or depositing funds into specified bank accounts (HDFC Bank for INR, USD, EURO, GBP), requiring a receipt sent via email.
• Credit Card Surcharge: A 3% surcharge will be added to your invoice cost if payment is made by credit card to Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd..
• Currency & Price Amendments: Prices quoted by STIC Holidays are in US Dollars or equivalent foreign currency. The Company reserves the right to amend these prices due to currency fluctuations, changes in exchange rates, Holiday/Special Event/Peak Season surcharges, fuel costs, and government levies/duties, and to surcharge accordingly. All such increases must be paid in full. Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. will try to absorb a 2% surcharge for sudden hikes in fuel prices, airfare, and taxes; any amount exceeding 2% will be surcharged.
• Cheque Payment Timeline: For STIC Holidays, if payment is by cheque, it should be made at least 01 week before the delivery of documents.
• Outbound Packages: The cost of outbound package tours is payable in convertible foreign exchange, subject to RBI/GOI regulations.

3. Cancellation Policies

• Notification for Cancellation: If you or any member of your group wishes to cancel a tour with Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd., you must notify the Company in writing. The date the cancellation notice is received in writing by the Company shall be treated as the actual date of cancellation. The person who signed the booking form must also sign/endorse the cancellation notice.
• Cancellation Charges (Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd.):

    ◦ Date change: Allowed any time, 0% charge.

    ◦ Cancellation 07 days before departure: Full refund.

    ◦ Cancellation less than 7 days before departure: 10% of the Tour Cost.

    ◦ Cancellation less than 48 hours before departure: 25% of the Tour Cost.

    ◦ Note: These charges incur administrative costs and hotel retention charges.

• Cancellation Charges (STIC Holidays):

    ◦ Booking cancelled between 30 to 15 days prior to travel date: 50% Cancellation will apply.

    ◦ Booking cancelled between 15 to 07 days prior to travel date: 75% Cancellation will apply.

    ◦ Booking cancelled within 07 days prior to travel date: 100% Cancellation will apply.

• Specific Exceptions & Additional Charges:

    ◦ Supplier Policies: Cancellation policies may differ depending on the effective cancellation policy applicable by various suppliers. The final cancellation policy will be communicated at the time of making the final booking.

    ◦ Train and Flight Tickets: Cancellation policies for Train and Flight tickets are as per the airline and railways policy and the standard tour cancellation policy may not apply.

    ◦ Non-Refundable Tickets/Periods: During certain special periods or for any particular property, there can be 100% cancellation irrespective of the time of cancellation. Non-refundable air tickets will incur full cancellation.

    ◦ Airline/Carrier/Hotel/Transporter Fees: Cancellation and/or amendment of airline tickets/tour packages are subject to fees/charges/levies payable to the relevant airline/carrier/hotel/transporter/services supplier according to their cancellation/refund policy. Customers must acquaint themselves with these policies before booking.

    ◦ Service Fees (STIC Holidays): A service fee of Rs 200/- per person for domestic and Rs 500/- per person for international bookings is charged by STIC Holidays over and above the airline cancellation/rebooking fees.

    ◦ Refund Process: For STIC Holidays, it is mandatory to contact the company for refunds; airlines will not directly refund tickets booked through the company. All refunds will be payable in INR only.

    ◦ Unused Services: No refund will be made for any partly unused services (accommodation, missed meals, transportation, cruise portion, sightseeing) if not availed by the customer.

    ◦ Medical Reasons: Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. will not entertain any refund claim for the pending duration of an Overseas Trip which could not be continued due to medical reasons.

    ◦ Visa Refusal: If a visa is not granted by authorities, the applicable cancellation fee/service charge will be charged, and the visa fee is non-refundable. The company’s cancellation and refund policy will apply to the amount paid for the complete tour package. OD Travels is not liable for loss due to visa rejection.

4. Sudden Natural Calamities (Force Majeure)

• Non-Liability: Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd., OD Travels, and STIC Holidays are generally not liable for events considered “Force Majeure” or beyond their control.
• Examples of Force Majeure/Uncontrollable Events:

    ◦ Natural disasters, acts of God (e.g., fire, explosion, flood, earthquake).

    ◦ Industrial disputes, reason of threat or war (declared or undeclared), sabotage, embargo, acts of terrorism, riot, civil strife, other civil commotion.

    ◦ Lockdown, epidemics or quarantine restrictions.

    ◦ Technical problems to transport, failure in transportation, problems at airlines, rails, buses, hotels or transporters end.

    ◦ Extreme weather conditions, fog, closure of airports and sea ports.

    ◦ Acts of any government or any court or administrative agency thereof.

    ◦ Unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond control, or events which could not be foreseen or foretold by you or your supplier even with due care.

• Impact on Services: Route changes could be necessitated due to natural calamities. The company will not be liable for refund, compensation, or claims for shortening of tour, cancellation, postponement, or re-routing of any particular scheduled transport service due to reasons including fog or bad weather.
• Accrued Obligations: A Force Majeure event will not relieve you or OD Travels of obligations accrued prior to its occurrence.

5. Death, Personal Injury, Sickness, Accident

• Company Non-Liability:

    ◦ Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. shall in no circumstances whatsoever be liable to the client or any person travelling with him or her for any death, personal injury, sickness, accidents, loss, delay, discomfort, increased expenses, consequential loss and / or damage or theft howsoever caused.

    ◦ STIC Holidays similarly states that the company shall in no circumstances be liable for any death, personal injury, sickness, accident, loss, delays, increased expenses or consequential damages by any misadventure or otherwise caused.

    ◦ Neither company is liable for any act, omission, or default of any independent contractor, hotelier, carrier, or other service provider, or their employees/agents engaged in providing services.

    ◦ STIC Holidays further states that it only selects and coordinates travel components and shall not be liable for any injury, death, loss, deficiency in service, or damage caused by any act or omission of the management or employees or any independent contractor of any airlines, shipping company etc..

    ◦ Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. states it shall not be responsible and liable for any theft, damages, bodily injury and loss of life, whatsoever, during the Overseas Trip.

• Health & Physical Fitness: Travelers acknowledge that overseas trips may involve considerable physical exertion and must be physically fit to undertake required activities without medical issues.

    ◦ STIC Holidays warns that tours involve considerable walking and physical activity, long hours of traveling, and adventure sports suitable only for medically/physically fit persons. It specifically forewarns heart patients, pregnant women, senior citizens, and those with certain medical conditions (respiratory disorder, arthritis, blood pressure, diabetes) not to undertake tours due to lack of medical help and physical demands (e.g., stairs, no luggage assistance).

    ◦ If a tourist undertakes a tour at their own volition and risk despite these warnings, STIC Travels will not be responsible for any medical complication that may arise.

• Medical Certificate: Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. reserves the right to request a medical certificate providing for physical fitness for the Overseas Trip, which may include immunization or vaccination requirements.
• Travel Insurance (Mandatory/Recommended):

    ◦ Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. states it is mandatory to purchase overseas medical insurance policy and other appropriate travel insurance policies, at your own cost, to cover risks for life and property during the Overseas Trip. The tour quote does not include insurance premium.

    ◦ STIC Holidays recommends all customers to take travel insurance and notes that the cost of the ticket does not include any insurance premium; the tourist will have to pay for such premium at their own cost.

6. Cutoff Time of Booking

• While a specific “cutoff time of booking” is not explicitly stated as a single consolidated point, it can be inferred from other terms:

    ◦ Payment Deadline: Full tour cost with Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. is payable 10 working days prior to the tour start date. This implies bookings need to be finalized sufficiently in advance to meet this payment deadline.

    ◦ Cheque Payments (STIC Holidays): If paying by cheque, payment should be made at least 01 week before the delivery of documents. This sets a minimum lead time for booking confirmation dependent on payment method.

    ◦ Cancellation Policies: The tiered cancellation charges based on days before departure (e.g., 30-15 days, 15-7 days, within 7 days) also imply that bookings are expected to be made with a reasonable lead time.

    ◦ Hotel/Flight Availability: All quotations are subject to availability at the time of reservation, indicating that waiting until the last minute might result in unavailability or price changes.

7. Itinerary Changes & General Amendments

• Company’s Right to Amend:

    ◦ Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. reserves the right to change all or any parts of the itinerary for the safety and well-being of its guests/passengers in case of events and circumstances beyond control.

    ◦ STIC Holidays has the right at any time and for any reason to amend, alter, or withdraw any tour, holiday, excursion, or facility advertised, or to substitute a hotel of similar class if deemed advisable or necessary. In such cases, the Company shall not be liable for any damages, additional expenses, or consequential loss.

• Tourist’s Rights upon Amendment (STIC Holidays): If the Company amends or alters a tour after it has been booked, the Tourist has the right to (a) continue with the tour as amended or altered, or (b) accept any alternative tour or holiday the Company may offer. In neither case shall the Company be liable for damages, additional expenses, or consequential loss.
• Post-Commencement Tours: Once a tour commences with Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd., it will strictly follow the finalized itinerary, except for the aforementioned safety/well-being changes.

Important Notes:

• Liability Limitation: Maximum liability of Caper Travel Company Pvt. Ltd. under any case shall be the total cost of the package charged by the company or total amount paid by the customer, whichever is less. STIC Holidays’ liability shall not exceed the total amount paid or agreed to be paid for the tour.
• Passports & Visas: It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure their passport is valid (at least 6 months from return date) and eligible for international travel, and to obtain necessary visas. Companies are not liable for losses due to visa rejection, passport issues (e.g., invalid, handwritten, mutilated, name mismatch), or visa refusal.
• Hotel Check-in/Check-out: Standard check-in/check-out times in most hotels are typically 14:00-16:00 Hrs and 10:00-13:00 Hrs (IST). Early check-in or late check-out costs are not included and are subject to hotel policy and availability.
• Luggage Allowance: Domestic carriers in India generally allow up to 15 Kg check-in and 7 Kg hand luggage, but allowances are subject to change by airlines. Excess baggage charges are paid by the guest directly to the airline. Companies are not responsible for excess baggage charges or for loss or late delivery of baggage.
• Transfers: For “Seat in Coach” (SIC) based transfers/sightseeing, transportation is on a sharing basis. Customers are responsible for reaching designated pick-up points on time. No refund will be given for missed coaches due to late arrival; customers will need to make their own private arrangements at their own cost.
• Complaints: Any complaint must be brought to the notice of the company in writing within seven (07) days from the end of the tour. No claim made thereafter shall be entertained. For Caper Travel, report issues to the Company’s Travel Manager at the time to resolve immediately.