Terms and Conditions (V1.19)  21/11/2023

Covert Football Trips is offering you a unique experience and we look forward to acting as your agent for your trip. Below is information regarding what to expect from us, our legal obligations and information we feel you should know.

The term ‘you’ relates to the named person booking the package.

Who We Are

Covert Football Trips are a Booking Agent combining multiple services and products as one complete package.

Match Choice, Match Tickets and Seating

When you make a booking with Covert Football Trips it is our responsibility to arrange the match tickets. Tickets are purchased from matches which have had their date and time confirmed however the late cancellation or postponement of these matches are beyond our control and we cannot accept responsibility for this. Therefore, we cannot compensate or refund in anyway should this occur unless we ourselves receive a refund from the supplier which would be passed on to you.  A match, which is cancelled or postponed, may often be the main reason for you making the booking however we would continue to supply the travel services and accommodation which we have agreed to provide to you.

All tickets are seated in pairs next to each other, or behind each other within a few spaces, and we will attempt to secure the whole party together or as close as possible when you are a larger group. Larger groups may have pairs or sections away from each other. Whilst we ask for your preference of seating or standing tickets, if standing has been requested, this is not guaranteed due to limited tickets of this type in many grounds.  If you request Standing Tickets, these may be in the Away End of the ground.

The match we choose will be based on the package you have chosen. If there are league matches on the weekend selected we will prioritise these over any other match. If you have selected a weekend which is predominantly cup matches then a league game may not be available.  We will take into account any requests made when making your booking.

Lost Tickets

We will always guarantee the delivery of your match ticket either as a paper ticket, on email or on collection from your hotel. Covert Football Trips accept no responsibility for lost or stolen tickets.

Re-Sale of Tickets

Tickets provided as part of your Covert Football Trips package should not be re-sold. The re-sale of tickets may be prohibited and/or illegal.

Accommodation

All accommodation will be booked close to the City Centre. The term Central hotel means that the hotel will be booked as close to the City Centre as possible, however sometimes this can be 5-10 kilometres away and will sometimes be sensible to have accommodation closer to a transport hub or stadium based on transport times and kick-off times.

All accommodation is based on 2 people sharing. When an even number of people book then all rooms will be Double/Twin unless there is limited availability on hotel rooms. When there are odd numbers of people on your booking there may be triple rooms included. Bookings for one person travelling alone will be subject to a £50 supplement per night regardless of package.  All accommodation will have private bathrooms.

The accommodation selected is based on the reviews and information provided. Should facilities be affected due to maintenance or other reasons we will advise of this where possible in advance. We cannot be held responsible for any noise disturbances caused by other guests and any such issues should be reported to the accommodation.

The Sporting Package. 

The destination for this Sporting Package trip could be Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Slovakia or Switzerland. In all countries the match would be Top Tier* however Germany and Italy could be Second Tier matches.  This tour always departs on a Friday and returns on a Sunday however there is an option to add an extra night and return on the Monday. The time of departure will always be on the dates selected however could arrive in the early hours of the following day.  Please see section below regarding Match Ticket Restrictions due to Covid-19 measures.

*If you select a date marked (INT*) this means it is a weekend of International Fixtures and top level domestic football may not take place.  These weekends revert to lower league matches.

The Sparta Package

The Sparta Package allows us to choose the day you depart and the day you return based on the three day period you selected. This means you will either depart on the Friday and return on the Sunday, or, depart Saturday returning Monday for a two night experience. The time of departure will always be on the dates selected however could arrive in the early hours of the following day.  The Sparta package guarantees* a match in Bundesliga, La Liga or Serie A.  Please see section below regarding Match Ticket Restrictions due to Covid-19 measures.

*If you select a date marked (INT*) this means it is a weekend of International Fixtures and top level domestic football may not take place.  These weekends revert to lower league matches.

The Fortuna Package

The Fortuna Package always departs on a Friday and returns on a Monday. The time of the flights could be at any time of the day both outbound and return. The time of departure will always be on the dates selected however could arrive in the early hours of the following day.  The Fortuna package guarantees* a match in Bundesliga, La Liga or Serie A.  Please see section below regarding Match Ticket Restrictions due to Covid-19 measures.

*If you select a date marked (INT*) this means it is a weekend of International Fixtures and top level domestic football may not take place.  These weekends revert to lower league matches.

TOR! Package

TOR! is a specific package for Germany which includes tickets to two matches.  One match is guaranteed* to be Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2 whilst the other may be any of the top five tiers of German football.

If your package includes tickets to matches in two different towns/cities, train travel is included between the two cities.  Free transport is often included on local train services by showing your match ticket but is not guaranteed on all.

This tour may depart on a Friday or Saturday and may return on the Sunday or Monday with a minimum two nights stay.  Due to flights the trip may be for three nights even if you do not pay for the additional third night.  The time of departure will always be on the dates selected however could arrive in the early hours of the following day.

*If you select a date marked (INT*) this means it is a weekend of International Fixtures and top level domestic football may not take place.  These weekends revert to lower league matches.

UK London Mystery Weekend

This is a UK based trip for one-night in London on a specific weekend and therefore you may not choose any date other than those shown.

This package includes a match ticket to one of Barnet, Brentford, Charlton, Crystal Palace, Dagenham and Redbridge, Leyton Orient, Fulham, Millwall, QPR, Sutton United, AFC Wimbledon or Westham.

One night accommodation is included on the Saturday of your chosen weekend.  Should the matches be rearranged more than 72 hours in advance then we will contact you to confirm the date change and an offer to switch or cancel.  If there is a match cancellation or postponement in the 72 hours before the match, the trip will go ahead and we will either refund you the match ticket price or find an alternative match in the London area.

Quarantine

As our trips and events operate across Europe we are not able to offer protection for bookings where quarantine is enforced either on arrival in your destination or on arrival back home following your trip if the travel and/or event is going ahead as planned.

We can however look at each booking on a case by case basis and may be able to change your booking to an alternative event with no amendment fees (subject to price and availability of the new arrangement).  This will depend entirely on whether or not we are able to recoup the cost of your trip/event at the point in time in which you contact us.

If you find yourself subject to quarantine either at home or at your destination, and this will affect a booking you already have with us, please contact us.

Match Ticket Restrictions

When we book your trip, if stadium capacities within all reasonable destinations fall below a critical threshold due to circumstances beyond our control, such as Coronavirus outbreaks, which would prevent us being able to obtain tickets then we may need to offer alternative level match tickets instead.  Restrictions could be due to lower capacities, only allowing in season-ticket holders, only allowing residents of the country to attend, or a mixture of these factors. These will be based on lockdown rules due to coronavirus (or other situations) which are beyond our control and only exercised in extreme circumstances.

Where travel is permitted but attendance to a match is not allowed due to coronavirus restrictions then the trip would go ahead and we would refund you the cost of the match ticket.

Flights

Please check your details before booking.  A large amount of airline tickets now are non-changeable and non-refundable.  If you need to change a passenger for the trip it will in most cases require a separate flight booking.

With all airlines, the bags you are able to take as hand luggage will vary. Our packages include at-least the basic allowance, sometimes more.  However you may wish to pay for additional hand luggage or hold luggage after your booking. The allowance included will be confirmed in your booking itinerary however it is your responsibility to check any changes before your flight as airlines regularly change their rules.

Please remember that you can only carry liquids up to 100ml in size in your hand luggage.  It is your responsibility to check any changes to these rule with the airline before travelling.

We will advise you whether we are checking you in for your flights.  This may be your responsibility depending on the airline we book with.  It is your responsibility to ensure you take the correct boarding pass in the correct format.

Changes to Travel

Sometimes we may need to change the details of your package. This could be based on the airline moving their flights. If these are minimal changes, we will simply advise you of these changes.

For example, if we are advised by a hotel that there is a problem, we will do our best to relocate you to a hotel with the same facilities as per your original booking. These changes will be at no additional cost to you.

Should more significant changes occur, we will contact you to offer alternative arrangements. This could include paying more for a hotel or downgrading to a different hotel

Should you wish to make any changes yourself before travel, we will always do our best to accommodate this. Where we are able to help, we may charge you an administration fee, and pass on the extra costs incurred. There is no guarantee and any requests should be supplied in writing to [email protected]

Cancellation by You

Should you wish to cancel your trip due to reasons beyond your control, your Travel Insurance may cover you. If your trip or part of your trip was cancelled or delayed you may be covered by the ATOL supplied with your package.

If after booking you need to amend or cancel any elements of the package, we will try our best to assist however we cannot guarantee this.

Should one or members of your party cancel you may be able to add a different passenger however there may be costs involved in doing so. Should replacement passengers not be found any supplements that become payable such as single occupancy would be payable by you.

Deposits

When booking a package or match we may offer a deposit scheme which will be visible when you pay.

The balance of the full package is due within the time frames notified to you at the time of booking. If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case we shall retain your deposit.

Events Beyond Our Control

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Booking Conditions, we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by “Events Beyond Our Control”. For the purposes of these Booking Conditions, Events Beyond Our Control means any event beyond our or our supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare and acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, labour strikes, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster, unavoidable technical problems with transport and all similar events outside our or the supplier(s) concerned’s control.

Brexit Implications: please note that certain travel arrangements may be affected as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. This could include an unavailability of certain flight routes, access to certain ports and airports etc. Please rest assured that this is something we will continue to monitor and will advise our customers as soon as possible if we become aware of any confirmed bookings that will be affected. However, since this is something which is completely unprecedented and outside our control, we would treat any such changes as Events Beyond Our Control, and whilst we will endeavour to provide suitable alternative arrangements or refunds where possible, we will not be liable to pay you any compensation.

Obtaining a Refund

As your money is held in a Trust Account, a member of PTS will need to speak to you confirming bank details before any refund can be issued to your bank account.

Disabilities and Medical Problems

We are not a specialist disabled travel company, but we will do our utmost to cater for any special requirements you may have. If you or any member of your party has any medical problem or disability which may affect your booking, please provide us with full details before you make your booking so that we can try to advise you as to the suitability of your chosen arrangements. We may require you to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that you are fit to participate. Acting reasonably, if we are unable to properly accommodate the needs of the person(s) concerned, we will not confirm your booking or if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, we will cancel it and impose applicable cancellation charges when we become aware of these details.

Information supplied

As the person making this booking through Covert Football Trips, you are named as the Lead Passenger. You must be a minimum of 18 years of age and responsible for paying the full price of the booking as shown. You are responsible for providing correct information for the booking, including correct passport information and responsible to confirm that all members of the party travelling are made aware of the terms and conditions of the booking and also any additional information we may provide after the initial booking.

You may be asked to supply additional information regarding your party as access to some stadiums will require this information.  We may therefore ask you for full passenger names, date of births and passport numbers which may be passed to a 3rd party in order to secure match tickets.  This information will be required within 48 hours of requesting it in order to secure some tickets.

Passports and Travel Documents

It is your responsibility to ensure that all those travelling have a valid passport. Please note that if any of your party do not currently hold a valid passport that it can take time to obtain or renew one and at-least four weeks is recommended.

For some matches you may be required to identify yourself with a passport and a match ticket before being allowed inside the stadium.

You may be required to complete Passenger Locator forms for entry into the country you are visiting and for when returning to the UK.  We will provide this information correctly when we reveal your destination however it is your responsibility to stay up-to-date with changes which may occur before and during your trip.

ETIAS

In 2024 the European Union will introduce ETIAS which is a new travel document required to enter some EU countries when travelling from the UK.  As of 21st November 2023 this has not yet been introduced.  It is expected that it will take around 96 hours to obtain an ETIAS after application and will be valid for three years.  Please check before travel if this is required.

COVID vaccinations

You may be required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and to provide proof of your vaccination to enter the country you are visiting, to check-in to your accommodation, to enter the stadia and to enter other venues on your trip.  You may be required to provide negative Covid-19 tests prior to returning to the UK and to pay for PCR tests on return.  This is your responsibility.

Travel advice and information regarding health requirements can be located at http://fco.gov.uk

EHIC

When visiting a country in the EU we recommend you carrying a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This should be taken alongside your travel insurance (not instead of) and is available free of charge when applying through this website www.dh.gov.uk/travellers

Payment

Payment must be made in full at the time of booking.  We accept payment by Visa Debit, Visa and Mastercard.

We are a trusted PTS Operator and are fully package travel regulation compliant.   Your payment is held with independent trustee’s in trust.  Independent trustee’s allocate your money to pay for your specific booking.  Our PTS Member number is 5432.  PTS are FCA registered and you can contact them directly to check our our membership with them for peace of mind.  Just visit Consumer Protection For Travel Businesses | Protected Trust Services

Confirmation

Once you have booked and paid for your package, you will receive confirmation of your booking via email. It is your responsibility to check this immediately and if there are any errors to contact us via [email protected] within 24 hours. If after this time any extra costs are associated with these errors then they must be paid before the amendment is made at your cost.

Your Mystery Destination and Trip will usually be provide approximately three weeks before travel.

Travel Insurance

Covert Football Trips strongly recommend travel insurance. We have partnered with Holiday Extras who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. (Registration Number 828848) and which is permitted to arrange general insurance contracts.

We now also offer Coronavirus cover.  Please click here to obtain your quote.

Special Requests

For any special requests, such as additional hotel rooms or flight services, please include these in the Special Requests section when you complete your booking and we will contact you to advise what we can offer and any costs associated with that. Again, we charge no admin fees for these services and just pass on the relevant fee’s. Verbal requests cannot be taken as any guarantee.

Airport Information

You will depart and arrive back at the same airport in the UK, unless we have discussed an alternative with you during the booking process which has been confirmed in writing.  Your booking could be from any airport from the group selected.  When selecting a package which contains more than one match, the airport you arrive in may differ from the airport you depart from to make easier travel arrangements for you when having a multi-match experience.

Many destinations have direct flights available however based on your chosen airport some routes may include a stop-over (unlikely).  Any stop-overs are quick changes as we don’t want people having wasted time in airports.

It is your responsibility to reveal your destination airport with enough time to organise travel to the airport.  Transfers are not included in the package.

ATOL Protection

Your Mystery Football Trip through Covert Football Trips is ATOL protected.  A certificate will be provided to you after full payment and once all elements of your trip have been booked.  Our ATOL Number is 11688.

Due to us providing a mystery destination and us needing to create your football weekend, the flight information may not be available immediately and therefore your ATOL Certificate will be provided when it is known and when the booking has been confirmed with the airline.

Please note that it is a legal requirement for us to provide you with this document so if you wish the destination to remain a mystery you should choose not to open the document until you are ready to be aware of your destination, or wait to receive the certificate as part of your reveal package when all match tickets have been booked.

Your Responsibilities

Any actions by you or your party which we and/or any of the suppliers deem as inappropriate, disruptive or putting others into danger could lead to being asked to leave the accommodation you have booked, the match you are attending or being removed from a flight.

You are responsible for any damage caused by anyone in your party to the accommodation you are staying in or the stadium you are visiting.

It is your responsibility to read the information on the tickets as to your conduct. Admission to the venue is controlled by the stadium officials and/or the police. When Covert Football Trips issue a match ticket, it is purely for the ticket itself and does not guarantee admission which may be refused based on your behaviour or actions. For example you may be refused entry or removed from a stadium if you are suspected or proven to be intoxicated, or if you fail to produce a Covid-19 test result of vaccination certificate.

We do not take any liability for any injuries sustained during the event or trip, you may of course see regulations from the match organiser should this be necessary.

Covert Football Trips cannot help in any disputes and cannot make any refunds in these situations

It is your responsibility to check entry requirements for the destination you are going to.

Jurisdiction

This agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to deal with any disputes arising between you and us or our suppliers.

Personal Information

When you make a booking with Covert Football Trips we may pass your personal information to the suppliers of parts of the package. This may include airline, hotel and ticket provider.

We will communicate with you via the email address you supplied when booking with us. We will require to send you information right up to the point of travel so please check your email and spam regularly for important information we may supply. We will also contact you following your trip for feedback.

If you wish to opt out of marketing emails please unsubscribe from the link contained in those emails.

Registered Address

Covert Football Trips
The Enterprise Centre
University of East Anglia
Norwich Research Park
Norwich
NR4 7TJ