The following information is offered to assist you in making your decisions with regard to your proposed trip to the Islands of the Pacific Ocean, but if you have any questions or queries at all, please call us, as we like nothing better than talking about the islands and the people of the Pacific ocean.

 

FOR BOOKING CONDITIONS CLICK HERE

 

Contents - Click to go straight to each relevant section.

 

South Pacific Holidays - What to expect

Safety and Security

Travelling Times

Currency

Meals and Dining Plans

Tipping

Website Descriptions

Health Requirements

 

Airline Information

 

Flight Departure Times

Pre-seating and Special Requests

Airline Information

Baggage Allowance

 

GDPR - General Data Protection Regulations Information

 

FOR THE LATEST WORLD WIDE TRAVEL INFORMATION RELATING TO HEALTH, SECURITY AND EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS, CLICK HERE TO SEE THE UK FOREIGN OFFICE'S LATEST ADVICE

 

We offer discounts and special offers to NHS staff.  Click here to visit NHS site :

 

South Pacific Holidays - What To Expect

One of the attractions of an overseas holiday is to see something of the culture and way of life that is different. You should not, therefore, expect things to be the same as at home - invariably this is not so. In other countries - some of which have only become accustomed to an influx of foreign tourists in recent years - the locals tend to be more relaxed in their approach to life, and this usually means taking their time over things. Also, because of rapid development in some resorts, the development of the infrastructure (roads, power supplies, water supplies etc.) has not always kept pace with the demands of tourism. Of course, in the larger and more deveoloped islands and resorts, Hawaii, parts of Fiji or French Polynesia for instance, you will often find many of the facilities you are used to at home, but elsewhere things may be a good deal simpler. You may experience small problems with plumbing or drainage or minor inconveniences like a broken door handle, or a missing light bulb and standards of furnishings or electrical fittings may be more basic. It is also worth remembering that on a holiday where the absence of rain rates high on your list of priorities, water shortages can sometimes be unavoidable.  Even in the largest hotel, if everyone decides to shower or bath at the same time, hot water may run short. Don't get annoyed if these things occur. If it is something that can be rectified, just report it to the person in charge of your accommodation and it will be fixed - eventually! If you have real difficulty, report it to our representative or agent. They will be glad to do what they can to assist.

 

Another factor of life overseas that can concern British visitors is the number and variety of insects. They are prolific in some countries or islands, depending on the location, vegetation etc, and little can be done about them, except regular control measures to keep them out of accommodation. Insect repellent is essential!

 

Finally, a word about noise and building works. In this website we have tried to indicate for most resorts whether we consider them to be bustling and lively, or calm and peaceful. Of course, which you prefer will depend upon the sort of holiday you are looking for. You may consider that being in the centre of town, near to all the shops, bars, nightlife and other entertainments is your ideal location. Alternatively, you may consider such things horrific and want a tranquil retreat.  In either case, we will try to ensure what you want is what we book for you.

 

On the same subject, it is unfortunately a fact of life that with the increase in worldwide tourism, rapid development takes place.  This even applies in the older established holiday resorts in Fiji and Hawaii. It can be difficult to find anywhere where building works of some kind may not be going on, over which we have no control  But if, after you have booked, we find out about any building works going on at or near to your accommodation, and which we think will affect the enjoyment of your stay, we will notify you. If we think that any such work will seriously affect your holiday we will notify you and give you the opportunity to transfer to an alternative property, or cancel without any penalty.

 

Safety and Security

 

None of the Pacific island nations and Kingdoms have any major security threats at present, and normal travel advice regarding personal safety and security for your belongings would apply; be discreet with cash, valuables and technology, use safes or safety deposit boxes where available, and be aware of your surroundings and your possessions.  Check the UK Foreign Office website for the latest advice relating to health, security and extreme weather events - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

 

Travelling Times

One thing to consider about a trip to the Pacific region is the distance and the time it takes to get there. Of the popular destinations, Fiji is exactly the opposite side of the World from the UK.  The 180-degree line of longitude,  the "International Dateline" goes through the Pacific, roughly between Samoa in today, and Tonga in tomorrow.  So for example, when you travel to Fiji going west via Los Angeles, you will lose a day as you cross the dateline and arrive in tomorrow, (but will regain a day on your return journey.)  The elapsed traveling time from when you check-in in the UK until you reach your resort in Fiji will be an average of 27 hours. If you are traveling to French Polynesia, The Cook Islands or Samoa, which all sit this side of the Dateline, you do not lose a day when travelling west.  The elapsed journey time to Samoa and the Cook Islands will be a little less than Fiji at 26 hours, to Tahiti, the entry point to French Polynesia, is approximately 24 hours and Hawaii, not so far to go, the journey time there is approximately 20 hours.

 

Currency

The majority hotels that we use will accept the major international credit cards, such as Visa, Mastercard, and to a lesser degree American Express and Diners, UNLESS it is specifically noted that they don't. Small properties and some accommodation and businesses on small, outer islands may not take cards or have banks, so take enough local currency with you. Some properties and businesses may accept Sterling, Euro and US dollar traveler's cheques. There are Bureau De Change Banks open to cover all international arrival flights within  the airport terminals, regardless of the time of day. So you will be able to obtain local currency on arrival to cover the spending you do not want to charge to your room account.  If you want to pre purchase any currency in the UK prior to your departure, you will find that most UK Banks will be able to provide you with American, Australian, New Zealand and Fiji dollars. But some of the other currencies will be harder to purchase and even harder to resell, so we would recommend that you buy these ones locally, Following are the currencies used by the countries.

Hawaii - US dollar; Fiji - Fiji dollar; Samoa - Samoan Tala; Cook Island - Cook Islands or New Zealand dollar; Tonga - Tongan dollar;  French Polynesia (Tahiti and her Islands, Wallis & Futuna and New Caledonia) - French Pacific franc or Euro; Vanuatu - Vanuatu dollar; Niue - New Zealand dollar; Kiribati - Australian dollar; Tuvalu - Australian dollar; Micronesia, Palau, Yap and the Marshall islands - US dollar.

 

Meals and Dining Plans

Food overseas can sometimes be a little different to what you're used to. You may encounter unusual dishes, but try it - you might like it. Menus are designed around which foods are available, and on some of the smaller, outer islands, this may be limited by what they can grow, raise or fish for.  Larger islands, especially those with international airports, more varied food can be more easily be imported, giving wider options. Food is a very subjective matter and often hotel menus are designed to please the greatest number of people. However, most large resorts do have restaurants and snack bars where Western or American-style dishes can be ordered if you prefer, especially on islands that have large numbers of American, New Zealand or Australian visitors.

 

Very few hotels in the Pacific offer an All-Inclusive meal program to their guests as part of the room cost.  Those that do are mostly to be found in Fiji and they are all in the luxury top end of the market, or are on an island with no other, or very few other options.  Many hotels will include breakfast and some properties that are including Breakfast and Dinner as an early booking incentive, or as a special offer to honeymooners.

Almost all the resorts throughout the Pacific offer pre-purchasable meal options or dining plans, and these options offer an approximate saving of 5% over the menu price.   However, we would recommend that you do not pre-purchase meals, but pay as you go.  On a number of the islands, you will have a choice of other places to eat, so we feel it is wrong to limit yourself to just one choice of dining experience.  Also your body clock will be out of sync with your location, and the weather and your activities (or lack of them) will change your dietary requirements.  You only have to miss one meal that you have prepaid and you will be out of pocket - there are no refunds for uneaten meals!

At times, some hotels will offer special inclusive meal offers with the room accommodation.  When such offers apply, we will make you aware of them. When budgeting for your meal costs we suggest that you allow £75-£85 per person per day for stays in French Polynesia and £35-£50 for all other destinations, these estimates are based on the fact that you will not eat three full meals every day due to traveling, excursions or time differences affecting your body clock, etc. Alcoholic drink prices are approximately 80% of the price you would pay in the UK and most good hotels will have a good range of wines to suit all palates and budgets.

 

Tipping

Tipping is not the norm within the South Pacific.  They regard providing guests with warm friendly service as a cultural must, which adds to the experience of the visitor and builds on their hopes that you will return. However, in Hawaii and the island nations which the Americans have influenced, tipping and service charges are more widely accepted, with 10-20% being the usual level. When you are comparing costs especially between Hawaii and French Polynesia you should bear this in mind, for this can result in the overall costs of meals being very similar, where as the general belief is that French Polynesia is a lot more expensive.

 

Our Website Descriptions

The descriptions of resorts, hotels, and apartments etc. on this site have been complied as a result of personal inspection by our staff, or information from the individual Hotels directly.  We have taken all reasonable care to ensure accuracy. In using the word "hotel" we do not distinguish between other local classifications, such as "hostel", "Resort", "Aparthotel", "Estalagem", "Pension", "Taverna" etc. We describe all such accommodation as hotels or resorts. For self-catering accommodation, usually the description will give you a good idea what to expect.

 

Apartments:  Villas and apartments are usually provided with towels, bed linen, crockery, cutlery, cooking utensils, lighting, heating and hot water unless stated otherwise. Please remember however that while your basic requirements will be provided for, not everything you are used to at home will be provided. For instance, large bath and beach towels are not usually provided and we suggest that you take these with you. Cooking facilities are as described for the individual accommodation.

 

Kitchenette: Refers to a small kitchen alcove or area.  It won't be a full kitchen, but could have a sink, small fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, and possibly a microwave and/or a small hot ring or hob.

 

Flight Departure Times and Airline Information

Airline schedules on flights across the Pacific Ocean are designed to suit the requirements of the departure and arrival times in the USA on one side and New Zealand & Australia on the other, as a result of this the islands in the " middle" can end up with some very unsociable departure and arrival times. Where appropriate, our quotes will include the cost of early hotel check-in and/or late hotel check-out to save you having to wait around for the official check-in time which is usually between 1.00pm and 3.00pm.  In the case of night flights, your room may be booked for the previous night to ensure that you have immediate access when you arrive. If you choose not to book this extra night, there may be a delay checking in until your room is ready.  Occasionally, hotels may let you check-in early if your room is vacant and cleaned, but they may make a charge for this.  You will be required to vacate your room by 12 noon (or the Hotels' standard check-out time), as usual, on the last day of your holiday. Alternatively, your room may be booked until the evening of your departure, as a late check-out, for which there is usually a fee. However, where possible in some hotels, a room may be made available for freshening up and storing luggage after you have vacated your room.

When returning to the UK from Tahiti with Air Tahiti Nui or Air New Zealand, your flight will leave late at night so if you are staying on an outer island, we will generally bring you back to Tahiti on the last flight the evening before so that you can spend as much time as possible around the pool or on the beach of the island resort that you are visiting.  The flights will normally get you back to Tahiti at around 6.30pm.  If you would like to have dinner in town, we suggest that you leave your bags at the Left Luggage office at Papeete Airport and take a cab downtown for dinner, and return to the airport at around midnight for check-in. We can supply you with a list of the many good restaurants that are to be found in Papeete with your documents.

 

Pre-Seating and Special Request

For most airlines that do not charge for seats, we can pre-reserve seats to ensure that you are sitting together, once your flight booking is confirmed, and will do so as a matter of course.  Many airlines now charge for general seat reservations and we will confirm with you if you wish us to do this and apply the charge to your booking.  Please note, seats are never guaranteed until you are actually checked in, and can be changed by the airline at any time, for any reason, even if you have paid for them.  Also, Exit Row, Bulkhead Row and extra legroom seats can usually only be allocated by the airline staff at check-in, and usually for a fee, although we are happy to pass requests to the relevant airline for you.  Some legroom or special seats can now be pre-booked in advance for a charge, such as the Air New Zealand Skycouch seats.  We can also order special meals and make any other special requests for you with both airlines and hotels, just let us know what you need.

 

For details of the aircraft seating layout for most of the major airlines that we can book, a most comprehensive independent website is SeatGuru.com, (part of the Tripadvisor Group) where you can select your particular airline and aircraft to see cabin layouts.  Or for further information on each individual airlines' services and cabin facilities, please click on your selected airline: Air New Zealand; United Airlines; American Airlines; Delta; Virgin Atlantic; British Airways; Singapore Airlines; Cathay Pacific; Thai Airways; Qantas; Air Tahiti Nui; Air Tahiti; Fiji Airways; Hawaiian Airlines; Air Canada; Alaska Airlines; Korean Air; Air France; LANChile; Air Calin; Solomon Air; Virgin Australia; Air Niugini; Emirates; Etihad; Virgin Australia; Air Rarotonga;

 

Baggage Allowance

The standard baggage allowance on your international flights can vary slightly dependent on which airline you travel with, but for the majority of carriers, including the main trans-atlantic airlines, your allowance is now ONE piece per person of checked baggage weighing no more than 23 kilos per piece plus one small piece of cabin baggage. If you are traveling Premium Economy or Business Class, there is usually an increase on this allowance to 2 or 3 pieces. Most airlines will charge a fee for extra and overweight bags and this will vary depending on the airline.  Please check the airlines' websites or contact us directly to check for your particular flights.  

On domestic flights between islands, the official allowance will be reduced to 20 kilos per person.  However, most domestic airlines will often honor your international flight baggage allowance, and no excess baggage charge will be made.  If you are unlucky and do get charged, it would be a small cost of approximately £10-£15.  Collectively our team has taken over five hundred domestic inter-island flights and has only been charged for excess baggage once!

The baggage allowance for transfers by helicopter, light aircraft or seaplane is usually 15 kilos per person.  In some cases, you may be the only passengers on the flight so able to take extra baggage.  Should the flight be full and not all of your bags can get on the flight, we will arrange for them to be sent on by boat.  This would result in an delay in receiving your bags of approximately six hours. This has only happened to clients of Transpacific Holidays once or twice in the last 17 years.

Many of the Fijian outer island resorts such as Yasawa, Vatulele and Turtle Island operate their own daily transfer flights and are stricter with baggage allowance on those flights. In those cases we do recommend that you limit your baggage by consolidating what you need into one bag per person weighing no more than 15 kilos per bag, your remaining baggage can be stored at the Left Luggage office at Nadi Airport, which is open twenty four hours a day.  Alternatively, if you are staying in the same town hotel before and after your visit to the outer islands, you can leave your bags with the hotel bell desk, to be collected upon your return. We recommend that you securely lock your bags wherever you choose to leave them.

 

Health Requirements

We recommend that you check with your GP, your local Pharmacy, NHS Direct or Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor about any special health requirements for the countries that you intend to visit, as requirements can change.  However, at this time there are no compulsory inoculations required for any of the popular islands. Anti-malaria treatment is recommended if visiting Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands, which can be arranged through your GP or you can buy direct from Lloyds Pharmacy Online Travel Clinic. If you are going to the Solomon Islands or Papua New Guinea you should check with your GP or Pharmacy about the current requirements. We do highly recommend that you take an insect repellent if you are traveling to any of the islands other than Hawaii.  You are in the tropics and will be exposed to mosquitoes.  A small number of cases of Dengue Fever and Zika Virus from mosquito bites, have been recorded in several Pacific islands in the last 5 years, so a good insect repellent is essential to take with you.

 

 

 

We hope this information has assisted you with your deliberations but we are at your disposal should you have any questions or queries, or need any advice for your trip.

 

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Booking Conditions

Contents - click to go straight to each relevant section

 

Who we are and Your Financial Protection

Holiday Price

Booking Procedure and Payment

Your Holiday Agreement

Terms and Conditions of Carriage

What's included in Your Holiday Price

What's Not Included

Tickets and Holiday Documents

Passports and Visas

Holiday Insurance

Changes and Amendments

Compensation

Cancellation Terms

Our Liability

Complaints

Practical and Financial Assistance

 

 

We are committed to dealing honestly and fairly with our clients.  Firstly, to give you accurate information on this website and over the phone, so that you can select the holiday which suits your requirements; and secondly, once you have booked, to do our upmost to make sure that the holiday you have selected is the holiday you get.

 

Who We Are and Your Financial Protection

 

Transpacific Holidays is a trading name of TRAVELPACK MARKETING AND LEISURE SERVICES LTD, who are members of The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and as such, adhere to ABTA's Code of Conduct for Tour Operators, which lays down standards for our dealings with you. They give this guarantee to you: if in any respect any of the terms of our agreement with you, we fall short of the requirements of ABTA's Code of Conduct for Tour Operators, we will apply the Code of Conduct and will accept ABTA's ruling on the matter.

 

If you book an all inclusive (flights/transfers/accommodation) Pacific islands holiday with us,  your agreement will be with TRAVELPACK MARKETING AND LEISURE SERVICES LTD, trading as Transpacific Holidays. We hold ABTA registration no. N1031 and Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) No 2866. This licence is issued by the Civil Aviation Authority and means that your holiday is financially secure.  For accommodation only bookings, we act as the agent of the hotel/resort and the payment is not covered by our ATOL protection.

 

For more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate

 

"We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable)."

 

For your benefit as well as ours, we need to set out the basic terms of your agreement with us so that you will know what our obligations are to you and equally what your obligations are to us. These terms are set out below and we would ask you to read them carefully.

 

Holiday Price

The price of your holiday is the price quoted at the time you make your reservation. Our prices are based on specially negotiated fares, which must be booked in a specific booking class.  If at the time of booking, there is a lack of availability in the specified class, on any or all of your flights, we will book the next lowest available class code and advise you of any supplement that may be incurred. To protect that price against possible air fare increases or currency surcharges, you should make full payment to us as soon as possible. This will, once full payment has been received, guarantee you against any cost increases for your holiday.

 

If Transpacific Holidays should be required to levy surcharges due to, but not limited to, increased flight or accommodation costs, and at the time we have not received your full payment, then Transpacific Holidays will absorb any surcharges up to 2% of the value of your holiday  Any excess surcharges will be levied up to a maximum of 5% of the holiday value. (Any increases in Government imposed taxes/charges are not covered by this guarantee). All prices other than scheduled service airfares are based on the rates of exchange as published in the Financial Times.

 

The flight arrangements are based on scheduled airlines, and are subject to airline imposed fare increases which can be applied for many reasons, other than fuel or currency price variations, so to protect the cost of your holiday we strongly recommend that you pay in full at the time of booking, or as soon as possible.

 

At the present time, future flights mentioned on our quotes, may have been planned but not licensed. We therefore accept bookings on those flights subject to the grant of licences by the appropriate Civil Aviation Authorities to whom application has been made.  Flight schedules may change at any time. The flight timings shown on this website are for guidance only and are subject to confirmation and alteration. You are advised that you must adhere to the timings advised to you in the final documentation provided to you before departure. Flight times on this website and on all documentation are local times and you should bear this in mind when looking at journey times.

 

IATA regulations require us to provide an airline with a contact number or email for all passengers, in case of schedule changes after you have departed the UK.  You can refuse this request and we will record this in your flight reservation, and enter our own contact details on your behalf.

 

Booking Procedure & Payment

Our booking procedure is very simple.  Once you are happy with the details on your quote, just call or e-mail us to give us the go ahead and we will then get everything booked for you.  Once done, we will send you a Booking Confirmation Invoice and we request that you check the details carefully.  This will set out exactly what we have booked for you, and what we agree to provide.  If there is anything missing or incorrect, contact us or your Travel agent immediately. When you are happy that everything is in order, we require our standard deposit of 10% of the total holiday cost, with a minimum of £350.00 per person.  On occasions, we may require an additional deposit payment for certain accommodation and cruises, or to cover flight costs that have an immediate payment & ticketing requirement, to guarantee a fare or price.  Our Reservations Staff will give you full details. Deposits can be paid by cheque, debit or credit card or by bank transfer. Your balance payment will be due 10 weeks prior to departure.

 

You will be required to complete and sign the ABTA booking form if booking through a travel agent, and pay our standard deposit of 10% of the total holiday cost, with a minimum of £350.00 per person and a maximum of £1000 per person, On occasions, we may require an additional deposit for certain resorts or cruises, or to cover flight costs that have an immediate payment & ticketing requirement to guarantee a specific fare. Our Reservations staff will give you full details. Your balance payment will be due 10 weeks prior to departure.  If you are booking less than 10 weeks before your departure date, you will be required to pay the full cost of your holiday immediately.

 

Deposits and final balances can be paid by cheque, debit or credit card or by bank transfer, with no charge.

 

All deposits would be non-refundable in the case of cancellation, though depending on the circumstances, you may be able to claim some costs back from your travel insurance.

 

If you have only paid a deposit when booking, you agree to pay the balance of the price of your holiday 10 weeks before your departure date. It is very important that you make all payments on time because if either the deposit or the balance is not paid when due, we reserve the right to cancel your holiday (see "cancellation" below) and you may then become liable to pay cancellation charges.

 

 

Your Holiday Agreement

The agreement between us will come into effect when we confirm your holiday by our invoice/booking confirmation and you have paid the required non-refundable deposit as detailed. At this point we are both committed. You should check what has been confirmed carefully, since what is set out in the confirmation invoice is what we agree to supply.  Any changes after confirmation would incur change fees for any new arrangements booked. An administration fee of £50 per change may also be levied at our discretion.

 

Terms And Conditions Of Carriage

 

If any part of your holiday includes international carriage by air or sea, this part of your holiday will be subject the terms and conditions of that airline or shipping company. This is because carriage by these means is subject to international agreements between countries.  We can provide you with a copy of these conditions on request and as part of your agreement with us you agree to be bound by them.

 

What's Included In Your Holiday Price (if requested)

 

The basic cost of your holiday includes:
1. Flight from U.K. airport to resort airport and return, if requested.

2. Domestic or inter-island flight connections, if requested

3. Transfers from the airport to the Resort or Hotel, if requested.
4. Accommodation, including any taxes, and meal arrangements specified in our confirmation.
5. The services of our local representatives and agents for advice and assistance.

 

What's Not Included

 

1. Holiday insurance (which you must have - see Travel Insurance below).
2 Any charge made by hotels or resorts for the use of facilities and equipment (e.g. sunbeds, sports facilities etc.) other than outdoor swimming pools.
3. Daily Resort Fees charged by Hotels in Hawaii or the USA, for the provision of services, facilities and equipment provided in Resort, that are not stated as being included in the price quoted

4. The provision of cots, pushchairs or other equipment.
5. Any excursions unless specified on the Booking Confirmation as being included in the price of the holiday.
6. Any additional food, drinks or other items you may purchase at your accommodation.
7. Any tips or gratuities and any other item of a personal nature not specified in the website description.

 

Tickets and Holiday Documents

If you make all payments on time (please see above) we will make sure that you are sent your tickets and other documents in good time before your departure date, usually 14 days before departure. If there is not sufficient time to do this, we will make special arrangements for you to be able to collect them from the airport before departure.

 

Your travel documents and tickets will be forwarded to you approximately 14 days prior to departure.  Should you need them any earlier just let us know.

 

Passports & Visas

 

Each passenger MUST have their own British 10 year or relevant nationality passport.

 

Foreign nationals should contact their relevant embassies to arrange passports and to check visa requirements for the nations visited on your trip, though we can offer advice on request.

 

British citizens can obtain a passport from: The London Passport Office, 70 Petty France, London SW1H 9HD, or through your local Post Office, who offer a checking service to ensure your forms are correctly completed before sending them to the Passport Office for you.  British Citizens holding a full and valid machine readable UK passport (the new EU style with the machine readable strip at the bottom of the photograph page), do not currently need a Visa to enter the United States, New Zealand or any of the islands of the South Pacific that we feature.  The majority of visitors to Australia will need a Visitors Visa for tourist travel. If a Visa is required to enter Australia, we can issue this for you at no charge. Please speak to our Reservations Staff for details.

 

Even though a Visa for travel to or through the USA may not be required, each passenger MUST complete an online travel authorisation (ESTA) at least 72 hours before you travel, though we strongly recommend you do this as soon as, or even before, you confirm your booking.  If the ESTA is not completed or not authorised, you will denied boarding by the airline.  Your ESTA application is valid for travel in the next 2 years, but does not automatically guarantee entry to the US.  Upon arrival, you will be inspected by a US Customs and Border Protection officer, who may still deny entry to the US.

 

The ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) website requires information such as passenger names, date of birth and sex, passport details, flight information, address you are staying at whilst in the US, plus a number of Yes/No questions.  The online questionaire is very easy to complete, BUT read the questions carefully before answering, as if your ESTA is not authorised, you may have to apply for a full Visa, which can take months.  At the end of the process, you are assigned a reference number.  You MUST make a note of this reference number, as without it you may not be allowed to travel.  We recommend you print each page of the ESTA form as you go through, including the last page with your reference number, and keep this with a photocopy of your passport, in case of queries.  It can take upto 2 days for an ESTA to be authorised and the status may be shown as pending for a short while.

 

Please note, there is a fee of $14 (£11) per ESTA application per person.  Please make sure you use the official US Customs & Border Protection site, as there are many online websites offering this ESTA service for a much higher cost

 

New Zealand has also implemented an ETA online visa system (2019), which all foreign nationals MUST completed online or via their app, a minimum 72 hours before travel.  The app can be downloaded to your mobile from the Google Play or Apple App Store.  The online form can be found HERE

 

PLEASE NOTE - WE DO NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR CANCELLATIONS IF YOU FAIL TO APPLY FOR THE CORRECT VISA OT ESTA/NZETA, OR YOU DO NOT APPLY IN TIME AND THE ESTA/NZETA IS NOT AUTHORISED AND A STANDARD VISA IS NOT ISSUED IN TIME FOR YOU TO TRAVEL.

Non-UK passport holders need a Visa to enter the United States, even if only transiting to connect with an onward flight.  Clients with a non-British Citizen passport (British Subject or other foreign national), should also call us well in advance of travel to check for any Visa requirements for other countries you may consider visiting. Many countries require 6 months validity left on your passport after your trip, so make sure you have enough time, or apply for a new passport in good time.  Remember, if you get a new passport, you MUST apply for a new ESTA for US travel.  Esta's are linked to the passport you will be travelling on.

 

Also, all children including babies must have their own machine-readable passport to enter the United States.   For more information, give us a call.

Please also note that the name shown on your airline ticket must correspond exactly with the name shown on your passport. When you confirm a booking with Transpacific Holidays you will be asked to give your name as shown on your passport, we will reconfirm the details on your Confirmation Invoice.  Many airlines no longer allow name changes in flight reservations for security reasons, so a wrong name or spelling can lead to problems.  Similarly for ladies going on Honeymoon, if you plan to change the name on your passport before you get married (which can in many cases be done up to three months before your wedding date) you must ask us to book your flights in the name in which you intend to travel.

 

If you are in any doubt about your Passport/Visa requirements, please ask us. We cannot accept responsibility for disruption to your travel arrangements if you do not have the correct travel documents.

 

Holiday Insurance

 

It is imperative that you are covered by holiday insurance from the date when we confirm your holiday booking. We do not recommend any particular insurance cover, as we feel there are many companies offering good value travel insurance, and most clients already have a policy or a company they are happy to use.  Transpacific Holidays, your travel agent or many popular insurance companies can offer a fully comprehensive Travel Insurance. You are not obliged in any way to purchase our Insurance, however we are required as part of our ABTA membership code of conduct, to ensure that you have adequate insurance to protect your travel arrangements and in the unlikely event that you require medical assistance while abroad, to cover any medical or repatriation costs, which could be expensive. Should you elect to book with us, we will need to have confirmation that you have suitable Travel Insurance cover in place.

 

Changes and Amendments

We will willingly accept any changes to your holiday booking (subject to the availability of your requirements) provided that you do not wish to change the number of persons in your party, and that you request the change more than six weeks before your departure date. For any such change, there will be an administration charge of £50 per change, at our discretion, plus any additional holiday costs appropriate to the new arrangements.  A revised invoice/confirmation will be sent to you after the change has been agreed.

Should you wish to change the number of persons in your party, we will accept the change if it possible to do so.  In which case, the charges as shown above will apply. (Please note that if you reduce the number of persons in your party, an under-occupancy supplement may become payable - see the price panel applicable to your accommodation). However, as these changes will depend on the availability of flights and accommodation we must reserve the right to refuse them.

 

Because this website is compiled many months in advance of the holidays offered and the details in it are based on information available at that time, you may find when you book that minor changes may have been made to the published details - possibly flight times/schedules or accommodation details. We will give you full details of the holiday you have booked in our invoice/confirmation. Our staff can tell you prior to booking if any such changes have been made. Once we have confirmed your booking we will inform you of any material changes to your holiday as soon as they become known to us. If we notify you of any such change (except changes to flight time of less than 24 hours, a change of airline, a change of routing or aircraft type) we will offer you the following alternatives:-
(i) To accept the change and continue with your revised holiday.
(ii) To select another holiday (subject to availability and adjustment of the price accordingly).
(iii) To cancel your holiday and receive a full refund of all monies paid, less any cancellation fees or non-refundable elements applicable to your itinerary.

 

Scale Of Compensation:

 

MORE THAN 10 WEEKS PRIOR: NIL

10-5 WEEKS PRIOR: £20

4-3 WEEKS PRIOR: £40

1 WEEKS OR LESS: £100

 

NOTE: We will not be under any obligation to pay any compensation where any charge to or cancellation of your holiday is caused by "Force Majeure" circumstances (ie: circumstances outside our control, including but not limited to: war or threat of war; riots; civil strife; industrial dispute; previously unknown building works to your chosen hotel/apartment; airline grounding or re-scheduling; terrorist activity; natural or nuclear disasters, such as volcanic activity; fire, plague or adverse weather conditions). In these circumstances you may choose alternatives (i), (ii) or (iii) above only.

 

Cancellation Terms

 

If you wish to cancel your holiday after your booking is confirmed, you must tell us in writing. Your letter (which we recommend should be sent by recorded delivery post) should be sent to our office, but please note that cancellation will only be made on the date we receive your letter.

 

IN ADDITION, IF YOU DO NOT MAKE ANY PAYMENT AS AND WHEN IT IS DUE (SEE "PAYMENT" ABOVE) WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY AT ANY TIME AFTER THE DUE DATE FOR PAYMENT HAS PASSED, AND APPLY OUR CANCELLATION TERMS.

 

If either you or we cancel your holiday under these circumstances, you agree to pay us a cancellation charge to cover costs we will have already incurred and the risk that we might not be able to resell your holiday. This cancellation charge will be based on the cost of your holiday and will increase the nearer to your departure date that cancellation is made due to the increased risk involved. Cancellation charges will be on the following scale (plus any accommodation or flight cancellation costs  that we have already paid to the supplier to ensure the price of your holiday):-

 

For cancellations received/made 70 days or more before your date of departure -  The loss of deposit will apply, plus the cost of any accommodation or flights which had to be paid to secure the cost of the the travel arrangements.

 

For a cancellation made between 69-31 days before your departure -  a fee of 40% of the total holiday cost will apply

 

For cancellations taken 30 days or less before your departure -  100% of the total holiday cost will apply

 

Once the holiday has commenced any refunds that may be due for any changes that may be requested by the client will only be due/paid if confirmed by Transpacific Holidays prior to the changes being made, any refunds on changes made by clients without prior agreement with Transpacific Holidays WILL NOT BE MADE/COVERED

 

Special cancellation terms apply to cruise costs which will be advised at the time of quotation.

 

Our Liability

 

We accept full responsibility for the quality of your holiday components as confirmed to you and if you have a justified complaint (whether it's our fault or not) and have followed the procedure in "complaints" below we will pay you reasonable compensation. In the rare event of any negligence on the part of our staff, agents, suppliers or their employees result in the illness, injury or death of you or any member of your party we accept full liability. The latter only excepts airlines or carriers by sea (in the case of cruises) who are subject to international conventions which govern liability (see "Conditions of Carriage" below).

 

The above liability applies to properties and services that we have recommended, and not to properties and services that clients have requested we book/reserve on their behalf, based on their own research on the internet, we will book these services so that the clients receives the protection of our ATOL cover and the services of our overseas offices, but we will not accept any liability for the state of the accommodation or any short comings in the service provided by any supplier not recommended and approved by Transpacific Holidays,  "caveat emptor

 

Complaints

 

If you have a complaint whilst on holiday about any service or accommodation you must tell our local representative or agent immediately. He/she will try to solve the problem on the spot and in the majority of cases will be able to do so. If not, you should call our UK office, or our Chief Executive of Transpacific Holidays as detailed in your Travels Documents. If, after your return home you are still not satisfied you must write to our Customer Relations Department at our Head Office (Greenmeads House, Dayseys Hill, Outwood, Surrey RH1 5QY) and ensure that your letter is received within 28 days from your return date. Please quote your holiday booking reference number and enclose a full report of the reason for your complaint. We impose this time limit for complaints for your benefit as well as ours: it enables us to investigate complaints while memories are still fresh, so that apart from dealing with your own complaint we can also take corrective action to avoid other clients being inconvenienced. We also think that if you have a complaint you will want to tell us immediately. For these reasons, we will not be under any obligation to accept any complaint or claim which is made outside the above period, or which has not previously been reported to our representative during your holiday.

 

If you have followed the procedure outlined in "Complaints" above, we undertake to deal with any complaint you may have promptly and fairly. However, it may be that in exceptional circumstances we will be unable to reach agreement and in this event your claim may, if you so wish, be referred to arbitration under a special scheme which has been devised by ABTA but is administered quite independently by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. This scheme (details of which will be supplied on request) provides for a simple and inexpensive method of resolving disputes by arbitration on the documents alone, with restricted liability on the clients for costs. The scheme is not available, however, for claims greater than £1500 per person and £7500 per booking form. Neither is it available for claims which are solely or mainly in respect of physical injury or illness or the effects of such injury or illness. The rules of the scheme require that the application for arbitration must be made within 9 months of the date of your return from holiday, but in special circumstances it may still be offered outside this period.

 

Practical And Financial Assistance

 

If you or any member of your party should suffer some mishap while on holiday resulting in injury, illness or death, this should obviously be reported to your hotel management and our representative immediately. We are well aware of how stressful and expensive these fortunately rare occurrences can be, and we therefore make this promise: in such circumstances, our representative and other staff will give all available practical assistance (such as directing you to local doctors, hospitals etc., finding alternative accommodation and flights, notifying relatives in the U.K.) and in addition we will provide financial assistance (to be repaid upon your return to the U.K) up to a maximum of £2000 per party to cover any immediate expense which you are unable to meet from your own resources.  This is in addition to, and not instead of, any benefits to which you might become entitled under any holiday insurance you have taken out.

 

GDPR General Data Protection Regulation Compliance

 

New general Data Protection Regulations come into force from 25th May 2018 regarding personal data.  From this date, we will be fully compliant with the new regulations.

 

In brief, this will mean that you may request your data is deleted, request a copy of data held and have full consent over how your data is used.

 

The only data we will hold on our clients will be what is required to make and confirm flight, hotel and services reservations, as follows;

• Full name (s) of all passengers
• Client Address - direct clients only
• Email and/or contact phone number
• Passport details and date of birth (for airline flight reservations only)
• Payment details (offline record only - we do not hold any payment details on any online systems)

This information is never given or sold to third parties not directly connected to your booking, and is solely and exclusively used for the purpose of making the holiday reservations you have requested.  We do not keep mailing lists, so you will never receive unwanted mail from us.

 

Data is kept for 7 years to comply with accounting regulations, upon which all paper copies are securely destroyed.  System information is securely archived or deleted.

 

If you have any questions regarding your personal data held by us, please contact us directly.

 

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