Terms & Conditions

Please note: Instead of operating bicycle tours ourselves, BikeTours.com represents local bicycle tour operators around the world. Review the tour operator's information and terms below, then submit your booking request through BikeTours.com. The primary benefits of booking your tour through BikeTours.com include:

• Lower cost: You pay local tour company prices—less than what big American companies charge
• Variety: Choose from more than 200 tours offered by local operators in 35 countries.
• Advice: Our informed advisors help you choose the trip that's right for you.
• Great exchange rates: Pay low rates thanks to the millions of dollars in foreign currency we buy each year. Or pay in euros!
• Convenience: We handle the full booking and payment process.
• Support: We’re your advocates from initial planning through final pedal stroke.

Contact us with any questions about booking and paying for your tour through BikeTours.com. We look forward to serving you!

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Cycle West Cork Terms and Conditions

Cycling Holidays: Guided Tours & Self-Led Tours

Customer cancellations
You, or any member of your party, may cancel your holiday at any time. Written notification from the person who made the booking or your travel agent on your behalf must be received at our offices. As we incur costs in cancelling your booking, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges up to the maximum.

• A cancellation made more than 4 weeks from the start date of the holiday is a loss of 15% of the cost of the holiday.
• A cancellation made less than 4 weeks from the start date of the holiday is 50% of the cost of the holiday.
• A cancellation made less than a week from the holiday start date is 75% of the cost of the holiday.

Note: If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges.

1. Holiday contract
When you make a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions. A contract will exist as soon as we issue our confirmation invoice. The contract is made on the terms of these booking conditions, which you have chosen to accept during completion of the booking form and in paying your deposit.

Items included in your holiday:

• Drivers will have the use of hotel parking for the duration of their holiday.
• Accommodation for the duration, in hotels and on the meal basis stated or offered, including local taxes. Where a hotel is unavailable a replacement accommodation of a high standard will be offered.
• Daily luggage transfers provided to your next hotel.
• Reasonable use of support vehicle when needed and any spare parts or necessary repairs to the bikes.
• All necessary bicycles and safety equipment will be provided.
• Daily planned routes and information provided.

Items not included in your holiday:

• Travel insurance: It is strongly recommended that you take out some form of insurance to cover our tours.
• It is recommended that you take out insurance to cover any loss to your possessions, including without limitation sports equipment and bicycles.
• The tour operator does not cover any additional expenses incurred such as unforeseen travel or medical expenses which are not anticipated in the itinerary.
• The tour operator does not cover the costs of visa where required.
• The tour operator does not include flights or any other form of transport to the starting point of your holiday.

2. Your holiday price

• The tour operator reserve the right to change the prices of any of the holidays shown on the website or within any printed literature. You will be advised of the current price of the holiday that you wish to book before your contract is confirmed.
• When you make a booking you must pay a deposit of 15% of your overall holiday costs. This deposit is non refundable. The balance must be paid at least 6 weeks before your holiday start date. Bookings made less than 6 weeks notice must pay the full amount at the time of booking. If the balance is not paid we will cancel your holiday arrangements and retain the deposit.
• Single supplement applies to any single adult.
• If children are travelling there is a maximum of two children per adult.

3. Your health requirements
In accepting these terms and conditions you agree that you have no reason to consider yourself, or any member of your party, physically unfit for cycling touring. Should you be in any doubt whatsoever, consult a doctor and follow their advice before participating. It is recommended that if you are not a regular cyclist you should perform some preparatory exercises to get the most out of you’re cycling holiday.

4. Your cycling capabilities
In accepting these terms and conditions you agree that all cycling members of your party are competent cyclists and have an awareness of the dangers and rules of the road.

5. Safety
All parties must agree that there are risks associated with on-road cycling beyond the tour operator’s control. All participants must use the provided helmet and high-visibility jacket at all times during cycling. A “bring your own bike” policy is operated at the the tour operator’s discretion and if the bikes are deemed unsuitable or found to be not roadworthy, will not be accepted. In such cases the customer will be obliged to find an alternative or accept a bicycle at the set price for hire. Cycling is only undertaken during the hours of daylight and customers who choose to cycle after dark do so at their own risk. In accepting these terms and conditions customers agree not to use dirt tracks or cycle on beaches or footpaths. This could lead to damage of equipment or to a third party. While the tour operator will always do the utmost to ensure that company bikes are completely safe before customer use, it is the customer’s responsibility to inspect the bike before use and inform the tour operator of any problems or faults that are present or develop during the hire period.

6. Routes
Customers agree to use the routes pre-selected by the tour operator. These will be clearly indicated in your route plan and may include different options according to difficulty levels. In agreeing to these terms and conditions the customer acknowledges that deviating from the pre-selected routes voids the tour operator’s insurance cover for the customer and they will be personally liable for any injury or damages to themselves or a third party incurred while off the pre-selected route. Cycling is strictly prohibited on footpaths or beaches or in contravention of the rules of the road.

7. Security
The tour operator will demonstrate how to lock the bike securely and this must be adhered to. Customers must use the provided locks when bicycles are not in use, where possible locking the bike to a secure fixture. The lock key is the responsibility of the customer and you will be liable for any theft or damage resulting from your failure to comply.

8. Customer changes to booking
If you wish to change your booking in any way after the invoice has been issued, for example your chosen start date or length of stay, we will try to accommodate these changes but it may not always be possible. You will be asked to pay an administration charge of €20 per person and any further costs we incur in making these alterations. These costs could increase the closer to the departure date that the changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Should the number of people on a booking change, the overall price will be recalculated on that basis and a new invoice issued.

9. Customer cancellations
You, or any member of your party, may cancel your holiday at any time. Written notification from the person who made the booking or your travel agent on your behalf must be received at our offices. As we incur costs in cancelling your booking, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges up to the maximum. A cancellation made more than 4 weeks from the start date of the holiday is a loss of 15% of the cost of the holiday. A cancellation made less than 4 weeks from the start date of the holiday is 50% of the cost of the holiday and a cancellation made less than a week from the holiday start date is 75% of the cost of the holiday.

Note: If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges.

10. Tour operator changes and cancellations
The tour operator will use its best endeavors to operate all tours as advertised. However, it reserves the right to change any of the facilities, services, prices or itineraries described in our printed materials/website. If a major change is necessary or deemed advisable, the company will advise the client as soon as reasonably possible, if there is no time before departure. A major change does not apply to a change of transport or named accommodation, but is usually considered a major change in itinerary or change in duration of a client’s holiday.

If advised of a major change before departure, the client will have the choice of accepting change (at additional cost if applicable), purchasing another available tour from the company, or cancelling the tour with a full refund.

Provided that the major change is not as a result of situations outside the tour operator’s control or consolidation, compensation will be paid as follows:

Notification period given compensation per person

• More than 30 days – Nil
• 14-30 days – €40
• Less than 14 days – €50

We regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our contractual obligations is prevented or affected by reasons of circumstance amounting to ‘force majeure’. In these conditions ‘force majeure’ means any event which we the supplier of services in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events include war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire or adverse weather conditions, epidemics or health risks and all similar events outside our control.

The tour operator reserves the right to cancel a tour in any circumstances but will not cancel a tour less than 4 weeks before departure except for ‘force majeure’, consolidation, or the client’s failure to pay the final balance. Unless the client fails to pay the final balance, the company, upon cancellation will return all the monies paid to it, or offer the client an alternative holiday of comparable standard if available (if less expensive than original we will refund the difference, if more expensive, the client will have to pay the difference). Compensation will not be payable (a) where the company is forced to cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care or (b) where an insufficient number of people book the clients chosen holiday and we notify we are cancelling for this reason not less than 30 days before departure. In all cases our liability is limited to offering the above choices and the compensation payments (where applicable) set out as above. No compensation is payable if we notify you of cancellation more than 8 weeks before departure. We cannot be held responsible for any costs or expenses you may have as a result of cancellation.

11. Complaints procedure
If you have a problem during your holiday, please inform the relevant supplier and the tour operator immediately who will try and resolve the issue immediately. If your complaint is not resolved locally please follow up in writing within 28 days to The tour operator, Market Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork. Ireland. Giving your booking reference and all other relevant information as may be applicable.

12. Tour operator’s liability to customers
If the contract the tour operator have with you is not performed or is improperly performed by them or their suppliers you will be paid appropriate compensation if this has affected the enjoyment of your cycle holiday.

However, the tour operator will not be liable where any failure in the performance of the contract is due to you, or a third party unconnected with the provisions of your holiday arrangements and where the failure is unforeseeable or unavoidable, or unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised, or an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could nor foresee or foretell. The tour operator, its owner, employees or agents will have no liability in respect of the death or personal injury of a customer in so far as the death or personal injury was not caused by the tour operator’s negligence or that of its employees or contractors, and it is the customer’s responsibility to obtain the necessary insurance.

For those who participate in sports, water sports or winter sports whilst on holiday that has been organised and arranged independently of the tour operator, it should be understood that such participation is at the customer’s own risk and it is the customer’s responsibility to obtain the relevant insurance. The tour operator is not qualified to express an opinion confirming whether or not the customer is fit to participate in sports and the customer will be responsible for ensuring that he/she has the level of fitness required in such activities. The customer will not participate in sports activities if he/she is suffering from any serious medical condition, is pregnant, or has recently undergone surgery unless he/she has a certificate confirming his/her fitness to participate in sports activities. The customer must not participate in sports activities if he/she is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

All tour descriptions are advised by us in good faith and every care is taken to ensure their accuracy. However, there may be occasions when we advertised a facility or entertainment and it is not available during your tour. Certain facilities e.g. swimming pools require maintenance and sometimes may be unavailable while works are been carried out, entertainment or amenities are changed, cancelled or curtailed. Should any of these examples occur, the tour operator will not be responsible for any loss or damages occurring as a result.

13. Prompt assistance during holiday
If the contract we have with you is improperly performed as result of failures attributable to a third party unconnected with the provision of the services, or as a result of failures due to unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised, or an event which we or our suppliers, even with all due care, could not foresee or forestall, and you suffer an injury or other material loss, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is appropriate in the circumstances.

14. Passport, visa and immigration requirements
Your specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any visa, passport or immigration requirements.

15. Excursions
Excursions or other tours that you may have chosen to book or pay for whilst you are on holiday are not part of your package holiday provided by us. For any excursion or other tour that you book, your contract will be with the contractor or tour operator and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator.

While we try very hard to deliver your tour itinerary as specified at the time of booking, sometimes circumstances beyond our control may prevent us from providing the exact tour itinerary that is advertised and in such circumstances we do not assume liability for any loss of the advertised elements of the itinerary.

Bike Hire Terms & Conditions
The signatory of the booking form is designated the hirer. A booking is made by the hirer (hereinafter referred to as you) by submitting your completed booking form to the tour operator along with your full payment. Upon acceptance by the tour operator of your completed booking form a binding contract is formed between the tour operator on the terms and conditions set out below. We reserve the right not to accept or fulfil a booking. All bookings are subject to availability. When a booking is made by one person on behalf of another person or other people (as the case may be), the person making the booking confirms to the tour operator that he or she is over 18 years of age and has the authority to make such booking on behalf of the other person(s) (as the case may be). The hire period commences on the day the cycle(s) and equipment are collected by or delivered to you and continues until the cycle(s) and equipment are returned to or collected by the tour operator. In this agreement ‘tour’ refers to any self‐guided journeys you or any members of your group make using the cycles hired from the tour operator under the terms and conditions of this booking form. As signatory of this booking form you accept responsibility for ensuring that any and all members of the group included in the hire covered by this booking form comply with the terms and conditions below:

1. Your responsibilities
1.1 You are responsible for ensuring that you are physically fit enough to undertake cycling any distance using the the tour operator cycle(s) you have booked. The tour operator does not accept any responsibility for your failure to complete your hire period or tour due to lack of fitness, illness or injury. The tour operator does not accept liability for death, personal injury, loss or damage to personal effects to any participant, nor can the tour operator accept any responsibility for delays or changes to your period of hire or tour due to weather, strikes, war, terrorism or other causes.
1.2 You accept that cycling on a public highway, cycle route, thoroughfare or track carries its own risks and you have made your booking on the basis that you undertake the hire and tour at your own risk. You understand and accept that the tour operator advises the wearing of cycle helmets at all times during your tour and provides a helmet with each cycle hired, the wearing of which helmet is at the discretion of the hirer and rider.
1.3 You will ride your cycle responsibly at all times. You will not hold the tour operator responsible for any loss, damage or injury including death to persons or property with regard to use of the cycle(s) and equipment hired. You accept responsibility to indemnify the tour operator against any claim, interest, demand or expense in respect of any such injury or damage.
1.4 You will ensure that you have suitable insurance cover at all times during your period of hire.
1.5 You are responsible for all cycles and equipment hired or loaned and it is your responsibility to keep the same safe from damage, loss or theft, use it in a proper manner and not subject it to any misuse or unfair wear and tear.
1.6 You will notify the tour operator immediately of any loss, damage or theft to the hired cycles or equipment however caused. You will be responsible for paying the tour operator the reasonable costs of reparation of any such loss, damage or theft.
1.7 You will not offer for sale, sell, dispose, mortgage, lend, pledge or otherwise part with possession of the hired cycle(s) or equipment.

2. Our liability to you

2.1 The tour operator accepts responsibility for death, personal injury and direct loss suffered by you, which you can demonstrate was caused by our negligence up to the limit set out by insurance company.
2.2 The tour operator will not be liable to you where any alleged loss or damage results from: (a) any of your own actions or omissions or those of any member of your party; (b) the action or omission of a third party not connected with the provision of your tour; or(c) an event or circumstances which we could not have predicted or avoided even after taking all reasonable care; (d) an action or omission on the part of any accommodation provider or cycle hirer; or e) where any loss or damage is considered to be indirect or consequential loss.
2.3 The tour operator shall have no liability to you if we are unable to fulfil a booking due to an event of Force Majeure.
2.4 Except where expressly permitted under the Data Protection Act 1998, we will only use your personal details in connection with your booking arrangements, unless you agree otherwise. We will keep your personal details secure in accordance with our obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998.

3. Insurance
Cycling is not a low-risk activity. The tour operator requires that you have a travel/medical insurance policy which will specifically cover you while cycling. It is entirely your responsibility to ensure you have the necessary cover before cycling.

All photos used by permission. ©Cycle West Cork