Financial protection depends on what you book, and we tell you which applies before you pay. Your quotation states whether what we are quoting is a package, a linked travel arrangement or a single service, and your invoice repeats it. Whether flights are ATOL protected depends on whether we hold an ATOL licence at the time — the statement on your documents says so either way, in plain words. If you are unsure, ask your consultant before paying.

Usually yes, but airlines, hotels and tour operators each set their own change rules. Some fares are fully flexible, many are not. We will always tell you the supplier's penalty and our administration fee in writing before making any change.

Cancellation charges depend on the supplier's terms and how close to departure you are. We will calculate the exact figure, show you the supplier penalty and our fee separately, and issue a credit note for anything refundable.

For package holidays and tours a deposit usually secures the booking, with the balance due before departure — the exact dates are on your invoice. Flight-only bookings normally require payment in full at the time of ticketing, because airlines charge us immediately.

E-tickets are issued once payment clears, typically within a few hours during office hours. Hotel vouchers, transfer confirmations and your full travel pack are sent closer to departure.

We strongly recommend it, and for some tours it is a condition of booking. Make sure any policy covers medical costs, cancellation and the specific activities you plan to do.

Tell us about dietary requirements, accessibility needs, adjoining rooms, seat preferences or anything else at the time of booking. We pass requests to suppliers, though they cannot always be guaranteed.

It varies by country and time of year, from a few working days to several weeks. We will give you the current published processing time when you apply, and track the application on your behalf.

Embassy and visa centre fees are set by the government concerned and are not refundable, whatever the outcome. Our service fee is partly refundable in line with our terms. We will always tell you the refusal reason where the embassy provides one.