Terms & Conditions

1. Who We Are

Blue Turtle Escapes is a travel consultancy operated by Rachael Waller as a sole trader. Our registered address is Quither Mill, Milton Abbot, Tavistock, PL19 0PZ. You can contact us by email at rachael@blueturtleescapes.co.uk or by telephone on 01822 742105.

Blue Turtle Escapes operates as part of the JLT Group, trading name of Janine Loves Ltd (company number 12178075), registered at 20-22 Wenlock Road, London, N1 7GU. Our bookings are made under the JLT Group's ATOL licence (ATOL 12564) and PTS client money protection membership (PTS 6090), providing you with full financial protection from the moment you book.

References in these Terms & Conditions to "we", "us", or "our" mean Blue Turtle Escapes and Rachael Waller. References to "you" or "your" mean the person accessing or using this website, or the client engaging our services.

2. Use of This Website

By accessing and using blueturtleescapes.co.uk (the "Website"), you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, please do not use the Website.

You may use this Website for lawful purposes only. You must not use it in any way that causes, or is likely to cause, the Website or access to it to be interrupted, damaged, or impaired, or in any way that is unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful.

We reserve the right to update, modify, or withdraw the Website or any content on it at any time without notice. We will not be liable if, for any reason, the Website is unavailable at any time or for any period.

No payments are taken through this Website. All financial transactions relating to bookings are handled offline through secure and agreed payment methods communicated to you directly.

3. Our Services

Blue Turtle Escapes provides bespoke travel consultancy and planning services. We specialise in river cruises, ocean cruises, and tailor-made holidays. Our role is to act as your dedicated travel consultant, researching and arranging travel products and services on your behalf through our supplier partners.

The information published on this Website is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute a binding offer. All itineraries, pricing, and availability are subject to change and must be confirmed at the time of enquiry.

Where we arrange travel on your behalf, we act as agent for the relevant travel suppliers (including cruise lines, airlines, hotels, and tour operators). Your contract for the travel services themselves will be with those suppliers, governed by their own booking conditions. We will always make you aware of the relevant supplier terms before you commit to a booking.

4. The Booking Process

Our booking process works in four stages:

• Consultation: You contact us via the enquiry form, phone, or email to discuss your travel requirements. There is no obligation at this stage.
• Proposal: We prepare a personalised travel proposal based on your requirements. This proposal is indicative and subject to availability and final pricing confirmation from our suppliers.
• Confirmation: If you wish to proceed, we confirm availability and final pricing with suppliers. A booking is not confirmed until you have received written confirmation from us and the relevant supplier(s).
• Payment: All payments — including deposits and balance payments — are arranged and collected offline. Payment details will be provided to you directly. No payments are made through this Website.

A contract between you and the relevant travel supplier(s) comes into existence only when we have sent you a confirmed booking confirmation and any required deposit has been received by the supplier.

5. Deposits and Balance Payments

Most bookings require a deposit at the time of confirmation. The deposit amount will be specified in your booking proposal and is determined by the supplier's requirements. Deposits are typically non-refundable except where otherwise stated by the supplier or required by law.

The balance of your holiday cost will be due by a date specified at the time of booking — usually between 8 and 12 weeks before departure, depending on the supplier. Failure to pay the balance by the due date may result in the supplier cancelling your booking and retaining the deposit.

We will always confirm the exact deposit and balance payment terms in writing before you are asked to commit to a booking.

6. Amendments by You

If you wish to make any changes to a confirmed booking, you must notify us as soon as possible by email or telephone. We will endeavour to assist, but we cannot guarantee that amendments will be possible. Suppliers may charge amendment fees, and any cost increase resulting from a change will be passed on to you.

Where a requested amendment cannot be accommodated by the supplier, it may be treated as a cancellation and rebooking, in which case their cancellation charges (detailed in Section 7 below) will apply.

7. Cancellations by You

If you wish to cancel a confirmed booking, you must notify us in writing as soon as possible. The date of cancellation will be the date we receive written notification from you.

Cancellation charges will be imposed by the relevant supplier(s) in accordance with their own booking conditions. These charges typically increase the closer to departure the cancellation occurs and may amount to 100% of the total booking cost. We will always provide you with the supplier's full cancellation policy before you confirm your booking.

We strongly recommend that all clients take out comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking to protect against loss arising from unavoidable cancellations.

Any service fee charged by Blue Turtle Escapes for consultancy work already completed is non-refundable in the event of cancellation, except where we are at fault.

8. Cancellations or Changes by Us

We reserve the right to cancel or significantly alter a proposed travel arrangement in exceptional circumstances, such as where a supplier withdraws the product or where circumstances beyond our reasonable control arise. In such cases, we will notify you as promptly as possible and endeavour to offer a suitable alternative.

Where a booking has already been confirmed with a supplier and they cancel or significantly alter your holiday, their booking conditions will govern the remedies available to you, which may include a full refund or an alternative arrangement. We will assist you in pursuing any such remedy with the supplier.

9. ATOL and PTS Protection

We are committed to the full protection of your money. All bookings made through Blue Turtle Escapes benefit from both ATOL protection and PTS (Protected Trust Services) client money protection, through our membership of the JLT Group.

ATOL Protection (ATOL 12564)
Many of the flight-inclusive holidays we arrange are ATOL protected under ATOL licence number 12564, held by the JLT Group. ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licence) protection is administered by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and means that if a travel business fails, your money is protected and you will not be stranded abroad.

When you purchase an ATOL-protected holiday through us, you will receive an ATOL Certificate confirming the protection that applies to your booking. Please retain this certificate as it contains important information about what is and is not protected. For further information about ATOL protection, please visit www.caa.co.uk.

Not all travel products and services are ATOL protected. Protection applies only where specifically stated on your booking confirmation and ATOL Certificate.

PTS Client Money Protection (PTS 6090)
All monies you pay are protected through PTS (Protected Trust Services), membership number 6090. PTS is a government-approved client money protection scheme. Your payments are held in a ringfenced trust account — completely separate from our own business funds — and can only be released to pay for your specific travel arrangements. This means your money is safe even in the unlikely event that a supplier or travel business fails.

For more information about PTS, please visit www.protectedtrustservices.co.uk.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Blue Turtle Escapes accepts no liability for:

• Any loss or damage arising from the acts or omissions of third-party travel suppliers, including cruise lines, airlines, hotels, and tour operators.
• Any loss or damage arising from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, political unrest, pandemics, or government travel restrictions.
• Any indirect, special, or consequential losses, including loss of enjoyment, loss of profit, or loss of anticipated savings.
• The accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information provided on this Website, which is offered for general guidance only.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under English law.

Where we act as agent for a travel supplier, our liability is limited to losses caused directly by our own negligence or breach of duty, and does not extend to the performance of the travel services themselves.

11. Travel Insurance

We strongly advise all clients to arrange comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking. Your insurance should cover, as a minimum, cancellation and curtailment, medical expenses, emergency repatriation, personal liability, and baggage loss or theft.

We do not sell travel insurance. It is your responsibility to ensure that any policy you obtain provides adequate cover for your specific trip, including any pre-existing medical conditions and the activities you intend to undertake.

12. Passports, Visas, and Health Requirements

It is your responsibility to ensure that you hold a valid passport and any required visas or travel authorisations for the destinations you are visiting. You are also responsible for complying with any health requirements, including vaccinations or medical certificates, required for entry to your destination country.

We will provide general guidance on entry requirements where possible, but the definitive and up-to-date requirements should always be verified with the relevant embassy, consulate, or official government source. We accept no liability for any loss arising from your failure to obtain the necessary travel documentation.

13. Intellectual Property

All content on this Website, including but not limited to text, photographs, graphics, logos, and design elements, is the property of Blue Turtle Escapes or its licensors and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.

You may view and print material from the Website for your own personal, non-commercial use only. You must not reproduce, distribute, modify, transmit, or publish any content from this Website without our prior written consent.

The Blue Turtle Escapes name and logo are trading names and may not be used without our prior written permission.

14. Links to Third-Party Websites

This Website may contain links to external websites operated by third parties. These links are provided for your convenience and information only. We have no control over the content or availability of those websites and do not endorse or accept responsibility for them.

Accessing third-party websites through links on this Website is entirely at your own risk. We recommend that you read the terms and conditions and privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

15. Complaints

If you have a complaint about any aspect of our service, please contact us as soon as possible so that we have the opportunity to put things right. You can reach us by email at rachael@blueturtleescapes.co.uk or by telephone on 01822 742105.

We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to provide a full response within 14 working days. If a complaint relates to the travel services provided by a supplier, we will assist you in pursuing the matter with them, but the supplier's own complaints procedure will ultimately apply.

16. Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them (including non-contractual disputes or claims) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms & Conditions.

17. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to amend these Terms & Conditions at any time. Any changes will be published on this page with an updated date. Your continued use of this Website following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms & Conditions.

If you have any questions about these Terms & Conditions, please contact us at rachael@blueturtleescapes.co.uk.