Terms & Conditions

Please read the following carefully. Making payment towards your travel arrangements indicates acceptance of these terms and conditions.

General Booking Conditions

These general terms and conditions together with the relevant terms and conditions of the Third Party Suppliers apply to any travel products/services you purchased through us.

a) You acknowledge and agree that you have read and understood these general terms and conditions; and any terms and conditions imposed by Third Party Suppliers, for whom we act as Agent;

b) Once you pay for your booking (whether in full or in part) you enter into a legally binding contract to acquire the relevant travel or travel related products and/or services with the Third Party Suppliers.

c) If you are not at least eighteen years of age then your legal guardian must give consent to this contract on your behalf.

d) If you make a booking on behalf of someone, you warrant that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of that person to be bound by The VIP Traveller general terms and conditions and the relevant Third Party Suppliers’ terms and conditions.

e) You warrant that the information provided to The VIP Traveller travel about yourself, and those travelling with you, is true, accurate, current, and complete.

We have taken all reasonable care to make sure that all the services that make up the arrangements made by The VIP Traveller are provided by efficient and reputable businesses. These businesses should follow the local and national laws and regulations of the country where they are provided.

However, please be aware that overseas safety standards may be lower than in Australia. You acknowledge and agree, however that, The VIP Traveller has no liability for any act, omission or default, whether negligent or otherwise, of any Third Party Supplier. In circumstances where liability of The VIP Traveller cannot be excluded, such liability is limited to the value of the purchased travel arrangements.

We have used the information provided to us to compile the website. We endeavour to ensure that this information is correct, but clients should not rely, and are not invited to rely, on the accuracy or validity of any information as the basis for action, refraining from action or disbursement and The VIP Traveller expressly disclaims any liability for any loss or damage incurred by clients arising our of such acts, omission or disbursement.

The VIP Traveller reserves the right to decline to provide services to any individual.

Agency

The VIP Traveller acts as a travel agent only. We sell various travel-related products on behalf of numerous transport, accommodation and other wholesale service providers (Third Party Suppliers). The sole obligation of The VIP Traveller is to make travel bookings on your behalf with travel service providers. We have no responsibility for these services, nor do we make or give any warranty or representation regarding their standard. All bookings are made subject to the terms and conditions and limitation of liability imposed by these service providers. Your legal recourse is against the specific provider, not The VIP Traveller. If, for any reason, any travel service provider is unable to provide the services for which you have contracted, your remedy lies against the provider not The VIP Traveller.

We reserve the right to cancel or modify itineraries or bookings where circumstances require.

Legal Contract

When you make a booking with us, legal obligations arise and your right to refund of monies charged to your credit card or paid in any other way agreed by us, are limited by our terms and policies and by the conditions of the particular supplier. You must not make any booking through our website or via our office unless you understand and agree to all our terms and policies. Once payment is received for a booking, either in part of whole, it is deemed that you have read and understood the terms and conditions for the booking. If you have any queries please contact us before making any booking for any service.

You must read the rules and check the conditions applicable to every component of your arrangements and ensure that you accept those rules and conditions before you make a booking. If the rules and conditions are not displayed you should contact our office. Once you confirm a booking and make payment you are bound by the rules and conditions applicable to the relevant supplier. If not booking via the website, you must read the conditions provided by the advisor and ask for clarification if you are not sure of the exact requirements.

The terms displayed on this website apply generally to all sales by The VIP Traveller. Some products also have special conditions applying to them. Airlines, hotels, wholesalers and other suppliers have various other terms and conditions relating to the purchase of these goods and services. Some of those terms will be displayed in the rules applicable to a particular product, but not all. For example, suppliers often limit or exclude liability in respect of death, personal injury, delay and loss or damage to baggage, however we do not have those conditions to display. It is your responsibility to check those terms and conditions before making a booking through us.

We do not accept any liability of whatever nature, whether in contract, tort or otherwise, for the acts, omissions or default, whether negligent or otherwise, of third party providers over whom we have no direct control. Under circumstances where liability cannot be excluded, such liability is limited to the value of the purchased travel arrangements. We do not accept any liability in contract, tort or otherwise for any injury, damage, loss (including consequential loss), delay, additional expense or inconvenience caused directly or indirectly, by force majeure or any other event which is beyond our control which is not preventable by reasonable diligence on our part.

We are not liable for any claims against non-fulfillment or unsatisfactory fulfillment of products and services purchased on your behalf from third party providers and distributors, such as, but not limited to, airlines, hotels, tour operators, car hire companies, insurance companies, and other entities. At times, airlines and other travel services providers may overbook passengers on their flights or re-schedule flight times and The VIP Traveller is not responsible for any such incidents.

Compensation will not apply if a significant change is made for reasons beyond our control. These include: war, threat of war, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural and nuclear disasters, fire, epidemics, health risks, changes due to rescheduling or cancellation of flights by an airline or alteration of the airline or aircraft type; closed or congested airports or ports, hurricanes and other actual or potential severe weather conditions, act of government or public authorities or other circumstances amounting to force majeure and/or Acts of God.

The VIP Traveller cannot accept liability or responsibility for any airline or supplier bankruptcy or insolvency and the failure to provide any services which may follow.

You agree that multiple over-lapping bookings for the same traveller/s are not allowed and may result in damage and loss to the Operator, which you will bear in full.

You agree that in so far as any contractual relationship is created between you and The VIP Traveller then that contract is subject to the laws of New South Wales.

Online Bookings & Fulfilment/Confirmation

You understand that all products and services purchased require fulfillment and documentation, such as issuance of air tickets, payments to suppliers and generation of travel vouchers. Fulfillment is performed during normal office hours. As such, any travel requests and bookings made require a minimum processing time of varying periods, subject to the specific terms and conditions applicable to the type of product or service purchased.

Arrangements are not confirmed until documents have been issued. Both The VIP Traveller and our suppliers reserve the right to decline any booking or purchase for any reason and shall not be held liable for any resulting claims for loss, damages or compensation. In such an event, The VIP Traveller shall refund to you all unutilised monies collected from you for that purchase.

The VIP Traveller trading hours are 9am – 5.30 PM Monday to Friday. If you cannot get through to The VIP Traveller please seek other travel options.

Providing incorrect or incomplete information including invalid credit card details may result in cancellation of your tickets and services. In cases where credit cards provided by the client are declined, the client will be liable to pay the complete amount plus other charges associated with it. If the payment is not done, The VIP Traveller has the right to send details and information to its nominated debt collection agency. All expenses will be paid by the client. Incorrect information deliberately provided accounts to be a fraudulent transaction such transaction may be reported to law enforcement agencies.

Payment and Credit Cards

Online payments can be made by Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Other arrangements including cash, Debit Cards or Electronic Funds Transfer can be made for in store bookings. Credit card surcharges may be applied where The VIP Traveller acts as the merchant.

Before we proceed to issue your airline ticket or process any travel booking on your behalf, various checks are taking place to validate the integrity of credit card information and in certain circumstances the credit card holder will be required to submit verification documentation to substantiate identity. This process is in place to reduce the potential risk of fraud. In circumstances where we cannot contact the card holder and the ticket issuance period lapses thereby making the booking invalid, we will have no choice but to cancel the booked arrangements. Under these circumstances we accept no responsibility for any re-booking costs. Under such circumstances any booking arrangements will be cancelled.

The Credit Card name must match the name of one of the passengers travelling. Please note that an airline may ask for the credit card used for booking during check-in.

We hold the right to ask you for further information regarding your credit card. This may include a photocopy of your passport or drivers licence and the credit card that you are paying with. We hold the right to reject bookings if we believe that they are not genuine bookings or are fraudulent. We hold the right to refuse your booking and your payment.

The VIP Traveller reserves the right to pass on your credit card details, and any other essential booking details, to a third party supplier who may charge your card directly for all or part of your booking payment.

In the event that payment has been made to The VIP Traveller by credit card, you agree that you will not seek to charge back your payment.

We reserve the right at our absolute discretion to decline or accept bookings made from outside Australia. Any automatic booking confirmations for such bookings are conditional contingent on our view of any financial risks, potential ticket dispatch delays, or other international regulations that may apply.

Pricing

All prices provided for the product and service are subject to change and availability by their respective providers, and such prices are not final until full payment for the product and service concerned is made and documents have been issued. A booking fee may be payable on some bookings. Some airport taxes are not pre-payable or pre-paid; you must pay these when required. Some airlines or travel service providers have introduced fuel surcharges which may not be reflected in the prices shown and will be an additional charge. Some suppliers may also apply an additional fuel surcharge after the time of booking, should the price of fuel increase.

For travel services such as air tickets, hotels, cars, packages or cruises-availability, prices, fare conditions and class of travel can change at any time without notice. Routing restrictions and other special conditions may apply.

For some international flights and Low Cost Carrier bookings flight pricing has been converted to AUD using the exchange rate at the time the booking is made. Variations to your final price may occur due to currency fluctuations. Please note, where any pricing has been converted from a foreign currency, payments are processed in the original currency and your credit card company may charge a conversion fee.

Please note that bookings for infants do NOT include a seat unless a child price has been paid for.

Bookings made on Low Cost Carriers in some instances do not include a check-in baggage allowance. Check-in baggage allowances included in the fare purchased will be listed on your booking confirmation from the airline. Please contact the airline directly prior to your scheduled departure if you require to add or increase your check-in baggage limit. Baggage fees may be charged directly by the airline for adding or increasing check-in baggage allowances, please note higher charges may be imposed at the airport for any additional requirements that are not pre-arranged. Check-in baggage fees are non-refundable once purchased.

On occasions, operators will give notice that they intend to withdraw a particular special deal prior to the original date. It is not unusual that this notice is only a very short period of time and can be many months prior to departure. When this happens, we will endeavour to inform all affected clients and advise that the supplier has requested full payment in order to secure the special pricing. If you are not able to pay the balance of you booking by the new date, you will be re-invoiced for the new price.

Please note that even after full payment, the conditions of the contract between you and the Third Party Suppliers may permit them to increase the cost of your arrangements. We will pass on any such increase to you.

Any price on our website are subject to availability and conditions. While every care has been taken, the prices are not guaranteed and are subject to change without notice. Any price for a cruise will normally be a per person price, based on two people sharing, unless otherwise stated. Some cruise prices will include gratuities and other onboard inclusions, however these inclusions vary for each cruise line so please ensure you are aware of what you cruise price includes at the time of booking and ask us for clarification if required.

Illustrations

Photographs and illustrations and other promotional material are for promotion purposes only. They do not represent any benefit that will be included in any arrangements made by you.

Customer Profile

You have the option to complete a customer profile when booking with The VIP Traveller. Please note that the Customer Profile does not guarantee that the matters selected in your profile will be available to you. We will endeavour to accommodate your requests but cannot guarantee availability. If you have any queries or if any matter specified is important to you, please contact us. Please also be aware that your profile current at the time of a booking will be used for booking details. This means that you must check that your profile is up to date before making a booking. If amendments are needed at any time, you must make the amendments before making a booking.

Documentation

Check your Itinerary when it is received and check the accuracy of all dates and timings. Ensure that the spelling of the name(s) of travellers match your passport. Any errors on your documents will be your responsibility if not advised to your advisor on the same day that documents are first issued to you.

All times and details included in the itinerary are subject to change without notice. Airlines reschedule flights and make other changes that are beyond our control.

Your travel documents are valuable and should be safeguarded as if they were cash. It is not always possible to replace travel documents in the case of loss, theft, damage etc

Subject to your booked service providers, you may receive an additional confirmation email and Tax Invoice from the airline or hotel. These emails provide additional information regarding your reservation and should be reviewed prior to departure.

Travel documents include (without limitation) airline tickets, hotel vouchers, tour vouchers or any other document (whether in electronic form or otherwise) used to confirm an arrangement with a service provider. All times and details included in your documents are subject to change without notice.

Travel documents may be subject to certain conditions and/or restrictions including (without limitation) being non-refundable, non-date-changeable and subject to cancellation and/or amendment fees.

All travel documents are non transferable. The name in which we book your travel, must be the same as on your passport. Your booking will be made under this name and changes to name details are not allowed by many airlines and other service providers. Whilst we will do our best to make such a change if necessary, please bear in mind that most airlines and other service providers treat a name change as a cancellation, to which standard conditions and charges would apply. If you enter the incorrect name and the airline will accept the change, the The VIP Traveller fee for correcting your error will be AUD150 plus any applicable airline fee.

Recommended check-in time

You should check-in at least 120 minutes before the scheduled departure time for international flights and cruises. Failure to do so may result in you being unable to check-in and may result in you forfeiting the entire fare paid.

Schedule Changes

If you have booked a flight and we are alerted to a significant schedule change by your airline before you leave Australia, we will contact you by email to advise you of this. Please ensure that you have given your contact email address to The VIP Traveller and that you regularly check for messages before you leave. You must notify us should your email address change. The VIP Traveller has no control over, and cannot accept responsibility for, the imposition of schedule changes or cancellation of your flights by the airline and accepts no liability for costs that may arise as a result of such changes.

After you have left Australia, it is your responsibility to check with the airline that any onward flights you have confirmed are operating as booked. Please note that for some airlines it is mandatory to confirm with them your intention to fly.

Cruise lines and tour operators reserve the right to alter their planned itineraries at any time. The VIP Traveller has no control over, and cannot accept responsibility for, the imposition of such changes and accepts no liability for costs that may arise as a result.

Deposits

Deposits are non-refundable. Payment of a deposit enables The VIP Traveller to hold a reservation for you but does not guarantee the fare and/or price. The fare and/or price can only be guaranteed once we receive full payment and tickets and/or other travel documents have been issued. Any Booking/Service Fees that have been charged are also non-refundable.

We will advise you of the date that full payment is required. Additional deposits for certain travel arrangements may also be required by Third Party Suppliers. Failure to make payment in full by the due date may result in the forfeiture of any deposit paid.

Please note that direct deposits may take up to 3 business days to process, therefore you will need to allow sufficient time for payment to be cleared before the actual due date. If paying by cheque, you agree not to stop payment of the cheque even when you cancel a booking. You agree that The VIP Traveller may apply the proceeds of the cheque to satisfy any liability you may have to us and the Third Party Suppliers.

Cancellation/Refunds

Your contract with your Third Party Suppliers may allow suppliers to cancel or amend bookings. We will ensure that you are promptly notified of any significant changes, but accept no liability for any changes or costs incurred which may result.

If we make an error in your booking, which gives rise to a need to significantly change your booking, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure. You will have the choice of either accepting the change of arrangements, accepting an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us, (we will refund any price difference if the alternative has a lower value), or cancelling your booked arrangements and receiving a full refund

Despite anything to the contrary in these general terms or conditions, changes beyond our control to the extent permitted by law, we will not be liable to compensate you in any way, if a significant change is made to your booking for reasons beyond our control.

Cancelled bookings will incur charges. Deposits are non-refundable. We need to receive from you, written notification of cancellation and your original ticket /voucher before any refund can be considered. Even if you decide to cancel arrangements before the balance due date, any deposits paid are non-refundable.

Please note that the terms and conditions for cancellation of bookings and purchases will vary for each product and service. These charges can be up to 100% of the cost of booking, regardless of whether travel has commenced. Please check with your advisor if the fare, hotel or other itinerary item is refundable, as not all arrangements can be refunded. Fees will apply to all refunds. Our administration fee is $135.00 per air ticket plus any airline cancellation fees. A cancellation fee of $500 per tour/cruise and $50 per hotel also apply in addition to any supplier charges. Refunds take approximately 12 weeks to process, which is a delay caused by the airlines and other suppliers. Where we incur any liability for a cancellation fee for any booking cancelled by you, you agree to indemnify us for the amount of that fee or charge.

The preceding refund timeline is a guide for your reference only and shall not be binding upon The VIP Traveller.

When a refund is available there is a limit to the time in which it may be claimed. If you are not planning to travel, it is your responsibility to cancel the flight directly with the airline or notify The VIP Traveller, failure to do so may result in your entire booking being cancelled and you may not be eligible for a refund.

Refunds will only be paid to you once we have received the funds back from the supplier(s). Generally flight tickets cannot be refunded if they are partially used. This is beyond the control of The VIP Traveller.

If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your travel insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim your cancellation charges through your insurer. It is recommended that you take out travel insurance at the time of booking.

Changes & Reissue Fees

Fees will also apply where a booking is changed or tickets are reissued. Please check with your advisor whether the fare is changeable, as not all fares can be changed. Fees will apply to all changeable fares. Our administration fee is $55.00 per ticket, per change plus any airline or third party charges. Where we incur any liability for a charge or reissue for any booking, you agree to indemnify us for the amount of that fee or charge. Changes to land arrangements will also incur a $55 change fee, plus any additional charges imposed by the supplier.

Note that if you are using an airline ticket credit towards the purchase of a new ticket, then the airline requires the new ticket to be of equal or higher value. You cannot use a ticket credit in part and the new ticket cannot be less than the value of the old ticket. The airline may also restrict your ability to use the ticket credit for a variety of other criteria such as routing, date restrictions and cabin type. You agree to be bound by the airline fare rules that apply to your ticket, which are available on each airline's website and change from time to time. The VIP Traveller has no control over the airline fare conditions and are required by the airlines to apple all airline rules to your ticket(s).

Flights must be taken in the sequence they appear on your ticket or electronic ticket confirmation. If you plan not to take a flight as booked, please contact the airline as far in advance as possible to discuss your options. If you do not check in on time for a confirmed reservation, the airline may register you as a ‘no-show’, which could result in extra charges and/or your whole flight itinerary being cancelled and/or render your ticket void.

Taxes

Certain taxes are mandatory in various countries. There may also be an additional local tax charged at some airports. All taxes are subject to change without notice.

Frequent Flyer and Other Memberships

Please advise your travel advisor your frequent flyer details. Your advisor will pass these details on to the relevant supplier, but we cannot guarantee that the supplier will credit any points for your booking. Please retain all boarding passes to allow verification of your travel if required.

Passports and Visas

It is your responsibility to fulfil the passport, visa and other immigration requirements for all transiting and stopover destinations applicable to your itinerary. All travellers must have a valid passport for international travel and your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond your return date into Australia. Any fines, penalty payments or expenditure incurred as a result of such documents not meeting the requirements of those authorities will be your sole responsibility.

You should confirm these with the relevant High Commissions, embassies and/or consulates. We do not accept any responsibility in the case of you being unable to travel due to not complying with any such requirements. Visa requirements vary by both country you are travelling to and the current citizenship you hold. So please ensure you check well in advance of your travel dates to allow sufficient processing time as required by the embassy. Either airline staff or immigration authorities may not allow you to pass through customs and board your flight without the appropriate visa and some countries will not allow you to enter without proof of a return or onward electronic or paper ticket. Airline check in staff at your point of origin may deny boarding you. If you proceed to book a one way ticket please ensure you have checked with the Consulate of the country you are travelling to in order to ensure that you comply with their laws and regulations. We do not accept any responsibility in the case you being unable to travel due to not complying with such requirements.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is a vital part of your travel arrangements. The Australian Government strongly recommend that you have taken out adequate insurance for the duration of your journey. Travel insurance is a mandatory element of some travel arrangements. We can arrange travel insurance for you and can provide you with a quote and answer any queries you may have regarding the insurance we offer. It is recommended that you take out travel insurance at the time of booking.

We are an authorised representative of QBE Limited, Suresave and Covermore. Financial product advice in this document has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of that, you should consider the appropriateness of it having regard to your objectives, financial situation or needs. You should obtain a product disclosure statement relating to the product and consider the statements before considering whether to acquire the product.

Health

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of any health requirements for your travel destinations and to ensure that you carry all necessary vaccination documentation. Vaccinations are strongly recommended for certain destinations. Please contact your local doctor who will advise you of these requirements. Vaccinations may be required for some or all of the places you are intending to visit. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have arranged all necessary vaccinations for your itinerary.

Virtuoso Voyages

Virtuoso Voyage amenities and inclusions are provided at the discretion of the cruise line and are outside the control of The VIP Traveller. The cruise line may determine that they are not able to be combined with certain fares and offers, or may withdraw or change them at any time. Restrictions apply and they must be booked a minimum of 90 days prior to sailing. Inside this time they cannot be guaranteed, and changes to existing selections cannot be made. Not all amenities are available on all sailings, and some may be capacity controlled.

Government Travel Advice & Vaccinations

Australian residents should refer to the travel advice posted by the Department of Foreign Affairs at or for all the countries you intend to visit. All overseas travellers should register their travel plans with DFAT prior to departing Australia.

Privacy

You have read our Privacy Policy, the terms of which are available on our website or from your advisor, and agree that the terms of such policy are reasonable. You consent to the use and processing of your Registration Data and other personally identifiable user information by the Operator and/or its third party providers and distributors in accordance with the terms of and for the purposes set forth in the Operator’s Privacy Policy. You acknowledge and agree that the technical processing of this site and the transmission of transaction messages relating to the products and services on this site may involve (a) transmissions of your Registration Data and other data collected and maintained by the Operator with regard to you, over various networks and to various countries; and (b) changes to conform and adapt your Registration Data and other data collected and maintained by the Operator with regard to you to technical requirements of connecting networks or devices. Neither the Operator The VIP Traveller will be held responsible for events arising from third parties gaining unauthorised access to such data.

Contact us at:

915 Macarthur Street, Ballarat VIC 3350

Terms & Conditions