Booking Regulations

1. Booking Process: To make a reservation, please follow the procedures outlined on this website. You are required to submit the appropriate application form. A contract is established between the company and the client once a prior confirmation of availability is made and you confirm the booking within the designated timeframe. Following this, we will issue an invoice for payment. Please note that electronic booking confirmations made through the website without prior confirmation are not considered official. Upon receiving your invoice, please review the details carefully. If there is any inaccurate or incomplete information on the invoice or other documents, contact us immediately.

2. Quoted Rates and Expenses: Estimated travel costs include expenses for planning, arrangements, and execution (such as group equipment, supplies, accommodation, administrative fees, and staff costs). However, the following items remain the responsibility of the client: vaccination costs, travel insurance, transportation to and from the start/end points of the trip (including international flights), passport and visa fees, personal equipment, personal expenses during the trip, and any other costs explicitly mentioned in the itinerary or invoice.

The company reserves the right to change quoted rates or correct errors prior to the final confirmation of travel. Once a booking is confirmed, the price will not change except for error corrections or adjustments due to fluctuations in transportation costs, taxes, fees, or exchange rates used in the calculation. No additional surcharges will be applied within 30 days of departure.

Payments in Cuba: Due to U.S. sanctions, there are no functional online payment methods available within Cuba. Therefore, payment must be made in cash upon arrival. This method ensures smoother logistics and reduces the financial burden on our clients.

3. Travel Insurance: It is essential that you have adequate and sufficient travel insurance covering medical expenses for your trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance you purchase is suitable and sufficient for your specific needs. COCOTIMBA TRAVELS assumes no responsibility for theft or accidents occurring during the tour.

For more details regarding travel insurance in countries like Cuba, please refer to our blog.

4. Health Status: Except for matters disclosed in the medical questionnaire, by making a reservation, you confirm that you are in good health, possess the physical capability to fulfill all aspects of the trip, and that—given the difficulty and objectives of the journey—you are unlikely to fall ill or sustain an injury.

If you cannot provide this confirmation for any reason, or if you have a medical condition or disability that may affect your travel, please contact us to discuss the suitability of the trip before submitting your application. If information provided in the application or medical questionnaire is found to be significantly inaccurate or incomplete, we reserve the right to cancel the booking or terminate your participation in the trip, depending on when the facts are discovered. In such cases, cancellation fees will apply, and the company will not be held responsible for any resulting costs or expenses.

5. Special Requests: Please inform us of any special requests prior to booking. We and our suppliers will make every effort to accommodate these requests whenever possible. Unless specifically confirmed, all special requests are subject to availability. For your own protection, please ensure that particularly important requests are confirmed in writing whenever feasible.

Cancellation Policy

6. Cancellation by the Client: A cancellation of a reservation must be notified to the company by the designated representative via message or email as early as possible. A cancellation notice becomes effective only upon written receipt by the company.

Our cancellation policy is designed to be fair to our clients while protecting the operations of our partnered suppliers. The policy applicable to your booking depends on the type of service reserved:

a) Strict Cancellation Policy (Non-Refundable): This applies to high-demand services or events that require immediate and final confirmation with suppliers.

Regulation: All sales are final. No cancellations, changes, or refunds are permitted once the booking is confirmed.

b) Standard Cancellation Policy: This applies to most of our tours and services. We offer a tiered refund system based on the proximity to the service date:

b.1) Full Refund: If cancellation is requested 48 hours or more before the service start time.

b.2) 50% Refund: If cancellation is requested between 24 and 48 hours before the service start time.

b.3) No Refund: If canceled less than 24 hours before the service start time.

c) Variable Cancellation Policy: This applies to services where cancellation terms are set by third-party suppliers.

Regulation: The cancellation policy for these services is determined by the provider. Exact conditions will be provided and confirmed at the time of booking.

Specific cancellation terms are detailed in the information for each individual product.

7. Transfer of Booking: If you are unable to travel, you may transfer your place to someone else (introduced by you) by contacting us before departure. You must pay all costs and fees incurred by the company and/or our suppliers as a result of this change. Any outstanding balance must also be paid in full.

8. Changes to Confirmed Bookings: Changes to confirmed travel may be considered based on practicality and availability; however, costs associated with the change may occur. The company does not charge a change fee; we only pass on additional costs incurred or charged by our suppliers. Changes to travel dates are generally treated as a cancellation of the original booking and a re-booking, in which case cancellation fees will apply. Prices may be recalculated if the change alters the basis upon which the original travel rate was calculated.

9. Itineraries: Itineraries are intended as a guide only. While we endeavor to follow them, last-minute changes may be necessary due to adverse weather, road conditions, "Force Majeure" (see Section 10), circumstances beyond our control, or operational conditions imposed by owners or operators of accommodations, facilities, or transportation. However, we will ensure your itinerary remains as consistent as reasonably possible, unless impossible due to circumstances outside our control.

Any additional expenses incurred due to weather conditions—such as accommodation, transport, or meal costs—shall be the responsibility of the client or determined by mutual agreement.

Note on Cuba: All tour vehicles are operated by state enterprises. Consequently, all vehicle arrangements are under the control of the Cuban government. In rare cases, tour itineraries or timings may change at the last minute. In such events, our staff will contact you as soon as the information is known; however, please be aware of this possibility in advance.

10. Force Majeure: In these terms, "Force Majeure" means any event that the company or the service provider could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events include—whether actual or threatened—war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination, adverse weather, fire, and all similar events outside our control.

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these terms, the company cannot accept liability or pay any compensation if the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under the contract is prevented or affected as a result of "Force Majeure," or if you suffer any damage, loss, or expense of any nature.

11. Changes and Cancellations by Us: As stated above, we may need to make changes to advertisements or confirmed details and correct errors. We also reserve the right to cancel confirmed bookings. Some trips may require a minimum number of participants to operate. If the minimum number of participants required for a specific trip is not reached, we reserve the right to cancel that trip. We will notify you of any cancellation for this reason at least 28 days before departure.

Most changes are minor. However, in rare cases, we may need to make a "Significant Change." A "Significant Change" refers to a modification that can reasonably be expected to have a major impact on your travel plans before departure. If we must make a significant change or cancel your booking, we will contact you as soon as possible. If time permits before departure, we will offer you the following options:

a) Accept the modified arrangements: Continue the trip with the proposed changes.

b) Purchase a comparable alternative: Purchase an alternative trip of a similar standard from us, subject to availability.

c) Accept a proposed alternative or refund: We will propose at least one alternative trip of a standard equal to or higher than the original trip at no additional cost. If the alternative trip is cheaper than the original, we will refund the difference. If you cannot accept our proposed alternative, you may choose any other trip currently offered by us, provided you pay the applicable price (resulting in an additional payment if more expensive, or a refund if cheaper).

Our Liability to You

12. Scope of Liability and Duty of Care: We promise that the travel arrangements we agree to create, perform, or provide as part of our contract with you will be handled with reasonable skill and care. This means that, subject to these Travel Conditions, we accept responsibility if you suffer death or personal injury, or if the contracted travel arrangements are not provided as promised or are found to be deficient, as a result of a failure by us, our employees, agents, or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care.

Please note that it is the client’s responsibility to prove that reasonable skill and care were not used when making a claim. Furthermore, we are only responsible for the acts or omissions of our employees, agents, and suppliers if they were acting within the scope of their employment (for employees) or performing work requested by us (for agents and suppliers) at that time.

We will not be liable for any injury, illness, death, loss (including loss of possessions or enjoyment), damage, cost, expense, or any other sum or claim resulting from:

a) The acts and/or omissions of the client.

b) The acts and/or omissions of a third party unconnected with the provision of the trip, which were unforeseeable or unavoidable.

c) "Force Majeure" events as defined in Section 10 above.

We are not responsible for services that do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, additional services provided or arranged for you by other suppliers that we have not agreed to provide as part of our contract. Many of the travel arrangements are provided by local or state-owned enterprises. These are independent legal entities and have no legal affiliation with us other than as suppliers; they operate entirely independently and have their own terms and conditions.

Our promises regarding services we agree to provide will be used as the basis for deciding whether those services were performed properly. If the service in question complied with the local laws and regulations applicable at that time, the service will be deemed to have been performed properly.

We accept no liability for any damage, loss, or expense that we could not have foreseen at the time of booking based on the information you provided, or for anything not resulting from a breach of contract or other fault by us or our employees.

Delays, Actions, Damages, Complaints

13. Delays: In the event of a delay at your point of departure or return, we are unfortunately not in a position to offer assistance. Airlines may be required to provide compensation, refunds, or accommodations; however, we have no liability for such payments. It is your responsibility to arrive at the starting point of your chosen tour. All costs associated with this are your sole responsibility, even if we assist with additional arrangements (e.g., if you miss a pre-booked transfer due to a flight delay).

14. Supplier Conditions: Suppliers, including carriers, provide services in accordance with their own terms and conditions. These terms may limit or exclude the supplier's liability to you for death, personal injury, delay, or loss of/damage to possessions.

15. Decisions, Conduct, and Damage: During the trip, all decisions will be made by COCOTIMBA TRAVELS staff or staff employed by us. You must act in accordance with all reasonable instructions given. Our staff may remove you from the trip at any time if they reasonably determine that your continued presence is harming—or likely to harm—the order, safety, or smooth operation of the trip, or the health and safety of other participants.

If your behavior causes danger, distress, or annoyance to our staff or third parties, we reserve the right to terminate your trip without prior notice. In such cases, no refunds will be given, and we will not pay any expenses resulting from your removal. You agree to take responsibility for any damage or loss you cause. Full payment for such damage (or a reasonable estimate) must be paid directly to the supplier or the company as soon as possible.

16. Passport and Visa Requirements: It is your responsibility to ensure you possess all required travel and health documents before departure. We accept no responsibility if you are refused entry because you do not possess the correct documentation. You are liable to reimburse us for any fines or financial penalties imposed on us due to your lack of proper documentation.

17. Health Requirements: Mandatory health requirements are listed on the relevant trip pages. It is your responsibility to ensure you are aware of and follow all recommended health precautions by the time of departure.

18. Complaints: If you have a complaint, you must immediately notify the trip guide, our local representative, and the supplier of the service. Verbal notification must be followed by a written report to our guide/representative as soon as possible. If the issue is not resolved, you must contact us during the trip using the contact details provided. We cannot begin a resolution until we are made aware of the problem.

If you remain dissatisfied, you must notify us in writing within 7 days of the end of your trip, providing your booking number and full details. We cannot accept liability for claims (excluding death, personal injury, or illness) if you fail to follow this notification procedure.