Booking Conditions

These Booking Conditions apply to every booking made with Groovy Holidays and should be read alongside our Terms & Conditions, Refund Policy and ATOL Protection notice. By paying a deposit or the full balance for a booking, you confirm on behalf of every named traveller that you accept these conditions.

1. Your contract

A binding contract comes into existence once we issue a booking confirmation and you have paid the required deposit or balance, whichever applies. The lead passenger named on the booking accepts these conditions on behalf of every person on the booking, including minors, and is responsible for ensuring the balance is paid on time and that all information supplied is accurate.

2. Deposits and balance payments

• A non-refundable deposit is payable at the time of booking to secure the price and availability.
• The outstanding balance is due on the date shown on your confirmation invoice, normally 10–12 weeks before departure (shorter for bookings made closer to travel).
• If the balance is not received in full by the due date, we (or the relevant supplier) may treat the booking as cancelled by you, in which case the cancellation charges in clause 3 apply and the deposit is forfeited.
• Card payments are processed at the time you authorise them; by authorising a deposit or balance payment you are confirming the booking details shown to you are correct.

3. If you cancel

Because we and our suppliers commit to costs on your behalf from the moment of booking, cancellation by you incurs charges on a sliding scale based on how close to departure the cancellation is made. As a guide:

• More than 70 days before departure: loss of deposit.
• 43–70 days before departure: 60% of the total holiday cost.
• 29–42 days before departure: 80% of the total holiday cost.
• 0–28 days before departure, or non-arrival: 100% of the total holiday cost.

Some suppliers (in particular low-cost airlines, non-refundable hotel rates and certain cruise lines) impose their own, often stricter, cancellation terms which are shown at the time of booking and take precedence where they are higher than the scale above. Cancellation charges are calculated as a percentage of the total cost, not just the deposit, because suppliers charge us on the same basis. Raising a chargeback in place of a cancellation, instead of notifying us that you wish to cancel, does not avoid these charges and will be contested in line with our Terms & Conditions.

4. If we or a supplier make a change

Occasionally a supplier will change a flight time, hotel or itinerary detail. We will notify you as soon as we are made aware. For a "major change" (a significant change to departure/return time, resort area, or a downgrade in accommodation standard), you will normally be offered the choice of accepting the change, taking an offered alternative, or cancelling with a full refund of monies paid for the affected element. Minor changes do not entitle you to cancel or receive compensation.

5. Amendments and name changes

Requests to change dates, names or accommodation after confirmation are subject to supplier availability and an administration fee of £35 per booking, in addition to any price difference or fee charged by the supplier. Some fare types and hotel rates do not permit changes at all; this will be indicated at the time of booking.

6. Passports, visas and health

It is your responsibility to ensure every traveller holds a valid passport (with the validity required by your destination, typically at least six months beyond your return date), any necessary visas, and to check current FCDO travel advice and health/vaccination requirements. We are not liable for a traveller being refused boarding or entry due to inadequate travel documents.

7. Travel insurance

We strongly recommend, and for some package bookings require, that you take out adequate travel insurance from the time of booking to cover cancellation, medical expenses, repatriation, personal belongings and travel delay. Insurance is not automatically included unless stated on your confirmation.

8. Special requests and accessibility

We will pass on special requests (dietary, accessibility, room location, celebrations) to the relevant supplier, but these cannot be guaranteed unless expressly confirmed in writing on your booking confirmation.

9. Force majeure

Neither we nor our suppliers are liable for failure to perform obligations caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disaster, war, terrorism, civil unrest, pandemic or government travel restriction, industrial action, or airspace closure. Where a force majeure event affects your holiday, we will assist in line with the relevant supplier's policy, but a full cash refund cannot always be guaranteed and vouchers, rebooking or a partial refund may be offered instead, consistent with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 where applicable.

10. Complaints while travelling

If a problem arises during your trip, you must report it to the supplier (hotel, airline, resort representative) at the time, so that it can be put right there and then, and notify our support team as soon as reasonably possible. Complaints raised for the first time after your return, where they could reasonably have been reported during the trip, are harder to investigate and may affect the outcome of any claim.

11. Evidence retained on your booking

For every booking we retain the accepted quote, itinerary, these Booking Conditions, payment authorisation records, and any correspondence relating to cancellations, amendments or complaints. This record is used to administer your booking and, where necessary, to respond to a payment dispute as described in our Terms & Conditions.

12. Governing law

These Booking Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales, consistent with our Terms & Conditions.