A-Z of Essential reading - Thomson 2wentys May 2012 - October 2012 (December Edition) (page 89)

Wash your hands after going to the toilet Shower before you get into the pool Scuba Diving We recommend you check with your doctor before you go, and have a full medical examination in resort if you're planning scuba training. You may need to pay extra for this. It's also dangerous to fly within 24 hours of scuba diving. This is because pressure changes might cause `the bends' or even in severe cases, paralysis. Of course, you also need to make sure you have adequate insurance cover. Sea Views If you book a room with a sea view, it may be partly blocked by trees or smaller buildings, or across a road, but you'll still be able to see the sea. If we describe a room as a Limited Sea View, this will generally mean that your view of the sea will be to the side rather than directly in front of you. There may also be more obstructions like trees between your room and the sea than with a Sea View room. Seats With Extra Space These are either close to emergency exit doors or behind a dividing wall. Emergency exit seats are only available to passengers who are able-bodied and a suitable size. This is because we can't provide extension seatbelts on emergency exit rows. Our cabin crew or check-in staff must believe you have the strength and mobility to open this exit door in the case of emergency. Also, it's a Civil Aviation Authority rule that only those 14 and over can use these seats. Select Your Seat If you pay extra to reserve seats together, you'll get to choose your seat numbers for free on most Thomson Airways flights up to three days before your flight. Once you've chosen your seat, you won't be able to change it. That said, in some circumstances, we may have to change your seat. This would only be for operational, safety or security reasons. If we do have to change your seat, we'll try to keep it as close to what you booked as possible. Seats together may be across an aisle or behind each other. A similar position means the same type of seat - window, aisle etc - as your original selected seats. A refund will only be offered if we can't seat your group together and in a similar position to your original request. In such cases, we ask that you keep a copy of your confirmation documents and boarding cards. If you choose the Select Your Seat option but then don't go on to select your seat numbers, we'll still try and seat your group together. If you're not flying with Thomson Airways, we'll do our best to keep your party together but we can't guarantee it. Our Select Your Seat Service is provided using the Civil Aviation Authority guidelines, so we have to comply with certain requirements before we can allocate seats near the exit. Single Rooms Single rooms and twin-bedded rooms for sole occupancy are available in most hotels, but demand always exceeds availability. Single rooms are generally smaller, may not have the best locations or the same amenities. If you're booking a double room just for yourself, you'll usually be asked to pay a supplement. This also applies to self-catering accommodation, where, for example, three people choose a property for four. Our prices reflect the costs of the rooms contracted to us. Smoking All our flights are non-smoking. On our ships and in our hotels, there are designated areas. Check the individual descriptions for details. Spa In many cases, you'll have to pay extra for spas when you get there. Just so you know, in Spain and the Canary Islands, by law only over-16s can use the facilities. Special Assistance If you use a wheelchair or can't walk more than 500 metres without help, you'll need to book airport assistance with our Customer Welfare Team. You need to do this at least 14 days before you leave. You'll find their contact details at the end of this guide. If you don't book ahead, you're likely to face long delays at the airport as those who've booked will always take priority. If you've got any medical or dietary needs, the team will be happy to help. If you aren't mobile enough to use our coach transfers, we can arrange a taxi transfer if you let us know in advance, but you'll need to pay for this service. We can also tell you which properties have things like ramps and specially adapted rooms. Special Offers Our offers are only available on the holidays and dates we advertise and are subject to availability. Special Requests We'll always do our best to help however we can, but we can't guarantee we'll be able to meet your needs every time. These special requests aren't covered by Our Agreement With You so from a legal point of view, they're not part of your holiday contract. Supplements On Your Flight We base the price of your holiday on departures with no additional flight costs. We show these departures as �0 supplement in our flight tables. If you decide to fly from a different airport, on certain days or at certain times, you may have to pay the supplement shown. Some holidays are only available on flights with extra charges. This is either because the accommodation is only available on certain flight days or because onward travel arrangements are only available at certain times. There's a charge for under-twos, to cover taxes and charges the airline has to pay. Just so you're aware, the UK government is considering increasing charges for the airline industry. This includes a charge towards the Air Travel Trust Fund. Unfortunately we can't predict what this increase might be. We also can't predict the tax increase that other governments might impose. As these haven't been decided, we can't include them in your holiday price. If there are changes to travel taxes and costs, unfortunately you may need to pay extra. At Your Accommodation We base our room prices on two adults sharing a standard room with the facilities we list, and our villa and apartment prices on the number of adults sharing the property. There may be a supplement for single rooms, double beds, extra beds and room upgrades. The price for these may vary through the season and by resort. If a single person has a double room, they'll usually need to pay a supplement. This also applies to self-catering accommodation, where, for example, three people book a property for four. The prices we charge reflect the costs of the rooms contracted to us from the hotel. Sustainability We're part of Sustainable Aviation, a UK initiative bringing together airlines, airport operators, aircraft and engine manufacturers and air traffic management providers, which seeks to minimise the impact of flying on the environment and society. Visit www.sustainableaviation.co.uk Swimming Pools It's unlikely the pool or beach at your accommodation will have a lifeguard. Pools may be closed in early or late season, so April, early May and October, or in particularly bad weather. Also, pools won't be heated unless we say otherwise in the property description. If your pool has a waterslide, there may be height or age restrictions. Transfers The transfer times we give you are a rough guide. They don't allow for delays to incoming flights or local traffic conditions. In terms of the type of transfer you'll get, it depends on the holiday you choose so please check when you book. Just so you know, if your holiday includes a coach transfer, we may occasionally need to change this to a minibus or taxi. If it's a Premier holiday, the coach will drop you off first or second wherever possible. See Late Bookings for more details. Twin Rooms Some twin rooms can take a 3rd or fourth bed but they're usually camp or folding beds. Rooms that take extra beds or a cot aren't necessarily bigger than standard rooms so space may be limited. V Vaccinations Speak to your doctor at least two months before you're due to go away. Some treatments, for malaria for example, should begin well before you go. If you're booking within three weeks of your departure, speak to your doctor before you book. There's more information available in the Department of Health's free leaflet - Health Advice for Travellers. Call 0800 555 777 for a copy. Visas The best place for up-to-date information on visa and travel advice is the Foreign Office. Visit www.fco.gov.uk/travel or call 0845 850 2829. There may be specific entry requirements for under-18s, depending on your destination. For example, if a young person is travelling without both parents, there may be extra costs and they may need extra legal documents such as an affidavit, from a notary public. Always check with the consulate or embassy of the country you're travelling to before you book. If you haven't got a British passport, you'll need to check entry requirements with individual embassies or consulates. Here are some key things we need to tell you about... Turkey You'll need to buy a tourist visa when you arrive. You can expect to pay around �10 or 15 in cash for this. W Weather Please bear in mind that some hotel facilities - like outdoor bars and some sports may not be available in adverse weather. Weddings And Renewals Of Vows Please contact us for more details - the number you need is in the Getting In Touch section at the end of this guide. Also, see the First Choice Weddings & Renewal of Vows brochure. Welcome Packs Contents may vary, but may include coffee, tea, milk, sugar, fruit juice, bread, jam, and bottled water. The packs won't cater for you for the length of your stay but will mean you don't have to rush off to the shops the minute you arrive. Wheelchairs When you fly with us, we'll take your wheelchair. This is on top of your normal allowance. You can also use your battery-powered wheelchair but visit www.caa.co.uk and search for `Luggage' for more information. Wheelchairs need to be stored in an upright position when collapsed. Battery terminals need to be protected against short circuit and you should bring the operating instructions with you. You'll need to explain how to disconnect the batteries if the power can't be switched off. We also recommend you're fully insured for your wheelchair. If you need to take any other mobility items with you, make sure you call our Customer Welfare team before you travel so we can make arrangements where necessary. Y Your Opinion We ask every customer travelling with us to fill in a Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire on their flight home, and to rate various aspects of their holiday experience as Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor. All the questionnaires are analysed by an independent market research company. Then, we publish the results, where they are available, for each of the properties. The scores you see are results for the last season and are shown as the percentage of guests who rated their holiday overall - so accommodation, location and meals - as good or excellent. If a property has recently moved across to First Choice from our sister company, Thomson, we'll publish the last season's scores from Thomson so you can still see how the property's been rated by our customers. Some properties don't have a score for a number of reasons - it may be new for that season, we may have received less than 20 responses, or the hotel has changed - perhaps been refurbished, is under new management, or now caters for a different type of customer. Or perhaps the full season scores weren't available when we went to print. As for our Premier hotels, they have to achieve a score of at least 90%. If the accommodation is new, we'll make the judgment on whether it's suitable for this range. Getting In Touch Before You Go If you're yet to travel with us, here are some numbers you may need... Bookings, Amendments or General Enquiries � 0871 200 4455 Customer Welfare � 0844 871 1601 Groups � 0871 664 0137 Weddings and Renewal of Vows � 0871 664 0131 Honeymoons � 0871 200 4455 Thomson Airways � 0871 231 4787 You can also email PreTravelServices@firstchoice.co.uk or write to us at the address below. If you've already booked, please include your reference number in your letter or email. If you're getting in touch about a wedding or renewal of vows please address your letter to `Weddings or Renewal of Vows' instead of Pre�Travel Customer Services � at the same address. Pre-Travel Services TUI UK, Columbus House, Westwood Business Park, Westwood Way, Coventry CV4 8TT While You're Away T Taxes You may need to pay a tourist tax either at the airport or your hotel. They change regularly so check before you go. Toppings These extras are subject to availability and vary by accommodation. You'll need to book them at least seven days before departure and pay for them in full when you settle your invoice. Tour Operator Ratings We rate our holidays on our annual reviews and also the feedback we get from our end-of-holiday Customer Satisfaction Questionnaires. We rate hotels and apartments from `2' for no-frills, good value accommodation, to `5' for more comfort and a wider range of facilities. There may be some differences between accommodation that shares the same rating. That's where our `plus' rating comes in. Towels What we're talking about here is pool towels. You'll see from the individual property descriptions whether or not there's a pool towel service. You may find you'll need to pay a small charge. For help while you're away, please call our Holidayline Team on +442476 28 26 49, text 82345 or email 24�7@firstchoice.co.uk. They'll be there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls from abroad will be charged at international rates. Texts to 82345 cost 50p plus your network rate. When You Get Home If you need help once you're back in the UK, you can contact After Travel Customer Support by calling 0844 800 3100. Remember to give us your booking reference details. You can also write to After Travel Customer Support First Choice, Wigmore House, Wigmore Lane, Luton LU2 9TN Travel Agent Support If you're a travel agent and need our help... Agent Reservations and Administration � 0871 664 0136 Group Bookings � 0871 664 0137 Weddings � 0871 664 0131 Calls to 0871 numbers cost 10p per minute plus network extras. Call 0871 20 021 20 Click 2wentys.co.uk Come in to Your Local Travel Agent Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras. The cost of calls was correct at the time of publication in December 2011. 89