Holiday frequently asked questions and essential information.
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For up to date travel advise please ensure you check the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice prior to your departure. Many countries have updated their local laws in particular with regards to arriving into their countries with prescriptions and medicines.
The US Department of Homeland Security have announced enhanced security procedures for all flights to the USA. Therefore, if you are flying to the USA, any phones larger than 16cm in length, 9.3cm in width and 1.5cm in depth, laptops, tablets, e-readers, power cables and chargers may be checked. A device may be confiscated or destroyed if it shows signs of internal or external damage, it appears to have been tampered with, it cannot be removed from a protective case, it doesn't have sufficient battery life or it triggers the explosives trace detection alarm. You should allow sufficient time to reach the boarding gates prior to the departure of your flight, to allow for these extra checks. Some airlines have updated their website to explain these screening procedures, which you can refer to. If you have concerns with any of your devices we would advise you to leave these items at home, or place them into your hold luggage.
Adequate and appropriate travel insurance is essential for your protection. Each member of your party must have either the holiday insurance policy we recommend which is arranged by Holiday Extras or another policy giving at least the equal cover. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is adequate and appropriate for the needs of you and your party but it should at a minimum cover the cost of cancellation of your travel arrangements by you, and assistance (including medical costs and repatriation) in the event of accident or illness overseas, as well as compensating you for permanent injury, death, delays or loss of baggage and personal possessions. We do not check insurance policies. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. For more information on the Holiday Extras policy please see our website https://www.cosmos.co.uk/travelling-with-us/travel-extras/
Most hotels do not allow check-in until 2pm. Our Sales team can assist you in booking your room from the previous day to ensure you have immediate access when you arrive.
As travel regulations are constantly changing, we as a tour operator are unable to guarantee that the information we provide concerning such requirements is up to date or always accurate. It is your obligation to ensure that you check the most up to date position well in advance of departure and comply with all necessary Visa, Passport or other travel regulations.We would advise you to check the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice or alternatively contact CIBT the visa specialists www.cibtvisas.co.uk/cosmos
Individual consulate embassy charges can vary for Visa’s, please research the latest charges to include within your holiday budget.
Yes, it is essential that first and last names on flight tickets or itineraries exactly match those on the passport otherwise passengers may not be permitted to travel and any applicable insurance will be ineffective. It is your responsibility to ensure that your passport is valid for your journey to all destinations that you will be visiting and that you are aware of the entry requirements. Some overseas countries have an immigration requirement for a passport to remain valid for a minimum period after the date of entry. Information on Passport requirements and details for relevant embassies can be found at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. Further information from the Identity and Passport Service can also be obtained as follows: Advice line: 0300 222 0000 8am-8pm daily (calls charged at your network provider's standard national rate). We recommend that you take a photocopy of your passport pages showing your photograph and passport number and keep these with you in a separate place from to the original to help in the unlikely event that your passport is lost while you are overseas.
Your baggage allowance depends on the terms and conditions of the applicable airline so please ensure that you check directly with them prior to your departure. Baggage in excess of the allowance dictated by the airline cannot be carried by airline or will be subject to an excess charge. Due to limited space on touring coaches and river cruise ships only one piece of baggage per person, with maximum dimensions 30"x21"x11" (76cm x 53cm x 28cm) is permitted plus reasonable hand luggage. Some holidays have more restrictive regulations than those listed for example those that include an internal flight with a smaller aircraft. Please check you are taking the correct amount of luggage before travel.
It is now a UK Government requirement for certain key passport & personal data to be provided for security reasons. You will be required to provide this information via a designated web portal. If you do not submit this data your booking may be subject to cancellation because the transport provider may be unable to allow you to travel. Please note that if you are travelling to/from/via the USA we are unable to issue your tickets or flight itinerary until the information has been provided. Therefore you must provide the data as soon as possible after the booking has been made and at least 4 months prior to departure. If you are booking within 4 months of departure you must submit the data immediately after booking via the relevant web portal. For destinations not involving the USA, the absolute final deadline for data to be submitted is 4 days prior to departure although again we would encourage you to submit the data as soon as your booking has been made. Inaccurate or incomplete data could delay your journey, either at check-in or with the immigration authorities. We cannot accept responsibility for incorrect or incomplete data provided, and if you are unable to travel for any reason relating to the provision (or omission) of API data, no refunds will be available. To provide your API data, go to "My Booking" at the top of our Web Page. You will need to enter your Booking Reference and the Lead passenger name, and this will take you to the secure link where the required API information may be entered.
As this information is constantly revised we recommend that you visit the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice site for all up to date travel information.
You will need to report this to the airline or baggage handler company as it happens. They will ask you to complete a report. Please be aware that airlines will not accept responsibility for any damage that is not reported to them whilst you are still at the airport. As a tour operator we have no control over lost baggage and any claims arising from that, your claim will need to be made through the airline directly
Any customers who fly or transit through Canada by air will be required to have an eTA (electronic travel authorisation) for entry into Canada. For the most up to date information please visit the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice