FAQs

We are an independent travel consultancy providing a personalised and trustworthy service to save you time when booking your holidays.  We pride ourselves on providing expert travel and destination advice and we shop around for the best prices for your holiday. 

We do not charge a fee for our service; we are paid on completion of your holiday booking by the tour operators we work with.  Please don’t take advantage of our service and the ideas we present to you by comparing us to internet pricing.  It’s like comparing apples and oranges, they are not the same thing.  We are not always the cheapest on the market, but our service is second to none and our clients value this.  If you value service, good advice and a straightforward consultation to help you book your next holiday, Spirit Away Travel can certainly help.

Not only do we offer a full-service holiday package designed to fit with your requirements, but you can also count on us for these additional services:

• Peace of mind – we only ever book through ABTA bonded tour operators.
• An ATOL certificate protecting your holiday and your money.
• Our payment terms are flexible allowing you to pay a deposit on booking and then the full balance payment normally 8-10 weeks before travel.
• With some airlines we can hold seats without any cost to you until the time of ticketing, so no upfront payments required.
• We can make arrangements for excursions, organise your visit to the theatre or opera and can book restaurants too.
• We provide an on-going service and support all the way through your holiday should you have any issues whilst you’re away.

Some countries require you to have a visa for travel as well as a full British passport.  It is your responsibility to check if a visa is required and to apply for one if necessary.  Please visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for information on entry requirements.

If you’re planning to travel outside the UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some diseases found in other parts of the world. You can find out which vaccinations are necessary or recommended for the areas you’ll be visiting on these two websites:

http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations.aspx

https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries

Contact your GP or practice nurse to find out whether your existing UK jabs are up-to-date and if any further vaccinations are required.  Alternatively, you can visit a local private travel vaccination clinic for your UK boosters and other travel vaccinations.  You should get advice at least eight weeks before you’re due to travel, as some vaccinations need to be given well in advance.

For more information on travel health visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/travel-vaccinations/

The main benefit of travel insurance is in having emergency medical cover on holiday.  What happens if you have a bad fall on the ski slopes and need a helicopter to a good hospital?  How would you cope if a loved one fell ill, and you needed to pay a large hospital bill or other medical costs?  With those costs covered, you’ll quickly realise the value of having a holiday insurance policy.

It’s still worth having travel insurance even if you have an EHIC card (European Health Insurance card).  With an EHIC (formerly E111) you get the same level of state-provided medical care as someone who lives in the country you’re visiting. It’s valid in all European Economic Area countries and Switzerland.  An EHIC won’t cover the costs of repatriation after a medical emergency. 

While it’s worth getting an EHIC, it’s not enough on its own. You should still get travel insurance that includes medical and repatriation cover.