insurance

Accommodation & Meals
All accommodation used on our tours are of a high standard and have been personally checked by Freedom Touring. While comfort, cleanliness, friendliness and bike security are high on our list of criteria, we also try to use accommodation that boasts nearby amenities such as restaurants, banks, shops etc. All accommodation will include en-suite facilities. Many hotels have English speaking staff. It should be noted that some areas of eastern Europe are still developing and we sometimes have to accept a relatively lower standard of comfort than in other parts of Europe. We have quite deliberately only taken bed & breakfast in some accommodation in order to provide tour members with a choice in terms of where to enjoy evening meals; we can use the hotel restaurant or stroll into the local town or village, you are not tied to the hotels. All tour members will be provided with the Hotel names, addresses and contact numbers prior to commencement of their chosen tour. Meals are not included on ferry crossings.


Guides
A tour guide accompanies fully supported tours. When deciding on a tour, please consider the level of independence you feel comfortable with. Fully supported tours will have the guide stay with the group for the whole duration of the trip; independent tours have no guide and you are expected to be able to ride and travel without escort or support. Whether you are a first time rider abroad, or the more experienced adventurer, there are options that provide the level of care that you are comfortable with. On fully supported tours, the guide will be available at all times to provide advice or assistance during the tour. The guide also acts as liaison between tour members and the hoteliers and ferry operators on route.   He will always be contactable (signal permitting) by mobile during the tour in case those tour members travelling on their own or in a different group require assistance.

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Routes
The European road network has massively improved in recent years, making it possible to reach much further destinations in a shorter time. Distances will vary each day depending on whether we are on the mountain roads, riding across the plains, or even both, but there will always be time to detour if you wish, taking coffee stops etc. All riders are able to arrive in good time allowing time to freshening up in readiness for the evening’s festivities. We cannot be responsible for detours and diversions which take you off the intended route. Some routes may involve the use of the Motorail service – this is noted in the tour itinerary when applicable. On worldwide tours, the guide will brief you on all routes including where you can and cannot ride should you wish to detour or ride on your own.

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Personal, Accident and Breakdown Insurance
Freedom Touring requires that all tour members obtain adequate insurance cover before undertaking a tour. Tour members will be asked to provide evidence of cover prior to the commencement of the tour. Insurers no longer issue green cards for many of our European destinations but you are advised to inform them of your travel plans prior to leaving the UK. Please note that some eastern European destinations may still require a Green card to be issued (check with your insurer).
Insurance should cover costs incurred for the recovery, repair and/or repatriation of the bike, also hire costs for use of a vehicle during repairs. Please note, whatever type of cover you purchase, normally insurers use local services or motoring organisations in the country in question, though most provide a reasonable service, some may not be up to the standard enjoyed in the UK. If you require insurance click here for a quotation. In terms of personal insurance, you should be covered for medical expenses, personal repatriation costs, loss of cash and credit cards etc. Also cover for curtailment and loss of payments due to late cancellation of tour (also see ‘Cancellations’ below). Always bring a valid European medical card with you, as this entitles you to free emergency medical treatment in many of the European countries being toured.

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Support Vehicle
A support vehicle will accompany all scheduled, fully supported, European tours except for the Corsica and Sardinia trips as the motorail service that we use on these tours cannot accommodate our support vehicle. If you wish to book one of these holidays then you will be expected to carry your own luggage for the full duration of the tour. Tours outside Europe (worldwide tours) are guided and will have a support vehicle only where specified in the itinerary.

The support vehicle is in constant touch with the tour guide should assistance be required. This vehicle can carry two motorcycles and can also carry bulky luggage if necessary.  Always in the back of any rider’s mind is the possibility of breakdown, or even worse, coming off the machine. Although tour members are obliged to take out their own breakdown and recovery insurance (click here for a quotation), some of the more remote areas visited may not have the recovery response times enjoyed in the UK and the tour member may decide that it is preferable for the support vehicle to recover the bike (full supported tours only). This may mean transporting rider, passenger and bike either back to the hotel or onward to a dealership. This is included in the package price.

We provide the support vehicle in good faith, but cannot be held responsible should the vehicle become unavailable due to mechanical failure, vandalism, theft, impoundment, or any other unforseen event.

Luggage is carried free of charge at the discretion of Freedom Touring Limited. Luggage is carried at the owners sole risk and Freedom Touring cannot be held responsible for loss or damage whilst carried in the support vehicle. Furthermore, Freedom Touring cannot be held responsible for loss or damage to contents caused due to searches by authorised bodies (Customs, Police etc.)

You are responsible for carrying essential items with you (passports, money, medication etc.). Freedom Touring cannot be held responsible for late arrival of luggage and personal items should the support vehicle divert to a breakdown incident or due to other circumstances as per above paragraph.

In the event that the rider cannot ride his machine back to the UK either through illness, injury or the machine itself is not ride-able, then the tour member may request Freedom Touring to repatriate the machine to his UK address rather than initiate his own recovery service. This service is NOT included in the cost of the tour package.  This would, if accepted by Freedom Touring, attract an additional charge for which we would issue a receipt for the rider’s subsequent insurance claim. Our primary concern is to look after you, your passenger and your bike, and we will do everything we can to assist you.

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Ferries and Departure Ports
During our 2008 season, the main tour party will use several different ports when departing the UK. This is specified within each tour itinerary and tour prices are based on these ferry crossings being used. If however, you wish to take a different ferry crossing than that specified, and join the group at the first hotel, then we will adjust the cost accordingly. e.g. if you live in the south and wish to take a Calais departure instead of, say, Hull (or vice-versa), then note this on your booking form. However, it is best to speak to us before you decide.

Any tour members wishing to cross earlier or return later than the main party, or wishing to take an alternative ferry crossing than the one identified in the itinerary, then do not hesitate to discuss your requirements with us. This may of course mean either meeting the main touring party later, or leaving the main party earlier (or both). There will also be an adjustment in cost to reflect any changes requested.

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Costs
Prices shown are per person in (£) sterling and are based on twin occupancy of rooms. Solo riders requiring single accommodation are priced separately (see price table).
All packages will include:

A deposit of £95 per bike is payable to reserve a tour place and should be paid at the time of booking. Provisional bookings will be accepted and the reservation held for 7 days, after which, the booking will be cancelled unless the full deposit is received.

Worldwide tours will require a deposit of 25% of the tour price (plus the full cost of flights if arranged by us). All worldwide tour packages include bike hire/rental - other items included in worldwide packages will vary but are specified within each tour itinerary.

For bespoke or independent tour requests, if accepted by Freedom Touring, there is a non refundable deposit of £150 per bike. This is due to the additional work involved in tailoring this kind of trip to specific requirements.

All prices are fixed unless there is a change of 5% or more in the value of the pound in relation to the Euro between 1st November 2007 and 1st April 2008.

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Flights

Flights are not included in the worldwide tour prices although we are able to arrange these for you through our own travel agency – Freedom Travel Agent – who are members of, and act as agents for, the Holiday Direct Travel Group ATOL 6858. Flights booked through us must be paid in full at time of booking and are non-refundable (see ‘Cancellations’)

Financial Protection
In providing consumer protection, and in accordance with The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992, all payments made to Freedom Touring Limited are held in trust and cannot be released until tour members have returned from their holiday. This provides for your complete financial protection.


Payments
A deposit of £95 per bike (£150 per bike for bespoke tours, 25% for worldwide tours) is payable at the time of booking and should be made by cheque payable to ‘Freedom Touring Ltd’ and accompanying a completed booking form.
All final payments for holidays MUST be received by cheque 60 days prior to departure at the latest or the booking will be considered cancelled. This due date will be noted on your invoice.

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Cancellations
All cancellations must be received IN WRITING at our office.  In this event the following terms will apply (except bespoke tours):

Alternatively, if you unable to proceed, you may transfer your booking to another person provided 30 days notice is given IN WRITING to our office. In this event, both the transferor and the transferee shall be jointly and severally liable for payment of the package (or for payment of the balance) to Freedom Touring Ltd.

Note: There is no refund for flights arranged as part of our worldwide tours. This should be covered by your travel insurance.

Bespoke tours which have been tailored to the specific requirements of a customer will have the following terms applied:

Freedom Touring Limited cannot be held responsible in the event of war, strikes, civil unrest, blockades or the failure of suppliers such as hoteliers and ferry operators or other agents employed. Freedom Touring Ltd will make every effort to provide suitable alternative arrangements in such circumstances. Your insurance policy should cover you for any curtailment of your holiday.
If Freedom Touring Ltd cancels any tour then a full refund will be payable to customers provided that all tickets, maps, route sheets are returned.

Freedom Touring Ltd reserve the right to alter routes and accommodation at short notice.  In this event, tour members will be notified as soon as possible, and in any case will either be offered accommodation of similar or better standard or a reasonable adjustment in cost.

Passports and Visas

A valid passport is required for all tours and holidays. A valid passport is a passport with a minimum of 6 months duration prior to expiry as at the date of your return. If you are booking one of the US tours, then you will require the new biometric passport if you need to replace it prior to the departure date. Non-biometric passports are acceptable provided they are in very good condition and have at least two clean pages for visa stamps issued by the US consulate. Visas for other counties outside Europe should be sought prior to departure from the respective embassy or consulate.

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