Privacy Policy & Data Protection
Schengen Holidays & Dream Routes — Compliance with US Privacy Laws, CCPA/CPRA, GDPR & Meta Policies
Important Notice
Please read these Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy carefully before using our website or booking any service with Schengen Holidays. By proceeding, you agree to be legally bound by the terms below and consent to the collection and processing of your personal data in compliance with applicable international and US data protection laws (including the CCPA/CPRA and global data privacy standards). If you do not agree, please do not proceed and consider alternative providers. For questions or clarifications, contact us at info@schengenholidays.co.uk.
1. Agreement & Contract
- A booking refers to your request for services listed on our website.
- Once full or agreed payment is received, you will receive a confirmation email or electronic message, which forms a legally binding agreement.
- Schengen Holidays operates primarily as a third-party agent/intermediary.
- Contracts for flights, hotels, visas, and other services are between you and the third-party service provider.
- We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance covering cancellations, medical emergencies, personal data protection, and travel disruptions.
- All bookings are processed in accordance with international consumer protection standard practices and applicable US and international laws.
2. Role as a Third Party
- Schengen Holidays acts solely as an agent, not the end service provider.
- Airlines, hotels, visa centers, car rentals, and tour operators are responsible for their own services and operational policies.
- We are not liable for acts, errors, omissions, delays, cancellation policies, or failures of third-party suppliers.
- Visa decisions are made exclusively by diplomatic missions, embassies, and consulates. We have no influence over application outcomes or embassy turnaround times.
- Third-party providers process customer information under their respective global privacy and data handling frameworks.
3. Flights – Key Terms & Airport Guidance
- Airline terms & conditions of carriage apply to all transit and air travel bookings.
- Many fares (e.g., economy restricted, promotional tickets) are non-refundable and non-changeable under international carrier rules.
- Check-in, passport validity, entry requirements, and reconfirmation obligations are your sole responsibility.
- Schengen Holidays is not responsible for airline schedule changes/cancellations, seat allocations, baggage fees, meal requests, missed connections, border transit delays, or re-routed flights.
• International flights: Arrive at the terminal at least 120 minutes before departure (180 minutes recommended for long-haul routes).
• Domestic flights: Arrive at the terminal at least 90 minutes before departure.
4. Travel Consumer Financial Protection
- Certain flight-only and package bookings arranged through Schengen Holidays are protected under applicable aviation authority and travel consumer protection regulations.
- If protected, you will receive an official Certificate upon payment confirmation detailing your financial protection.
- If no Certificate is issued, the booking is governed by standard provider terms.
- In cases of third-party supplier insolvency, protection and financial coverage are provided strictly under the terms of the applicable protection scheme.
- Cross-border bookings outside the scope of local schemes are governed by standard international merchant and travel intermediary regulations.
5. Ticket Delivery & Information Security
- You are responsible for providing accurate, complete personal, passport, and contact details during booking.
- Physical tickets and travel vouchers are dispatched to verified US and international residential addresses; electronic documents are delivered securely to your verified email address or messaging service.
- Failure to report non-delivery within the stated timeframe (48 hours prior to travel) may result in re-issuance or administrative fees.
- We are not responsible for delivery delays caused by postal services, courier failure, or international network disruptions.
- Customer delivery details are securely handled and encrypted in compliance with data privacy standards.
6. Payments, Pricing & International Billing
- Full or agreed payment is required at the time of reservation.
- Accepted payment methods are those listed on our official website only (no cash, cheques, or unapproved transfer services).
- Airline prices, airport taxes, embassy charges, and exchange rates may increase or decrease without notice until tickets or vouchers are fully issued.
- Unauthorized card chargebacks or fraudulent billing disputes may incur administrative recovery fees and legal action.
- Separate transaction descriptors or line items may appear on your bank/credit statement depending on third-party merchant routing.
- Payment Schedules: Full payment at reservation; Deposit + balance at checkout; Full payment at checkout. Failure to comply with payment schedules may result in immediate non-refundable cancellation.
7. Cancellations & Modifications
- All modifications and cancellations are strictly governed by underlying supplier policies (airlines, hotels, visa handling agencies, etc.).
- Most promotional and discounted flight bookings are non-refundable once issued.
- Modification requests submitted within 7 days of scheduled travel or appointments may incur a 20% administrative fee charged by Schengen Holidays in addition to third-party supplier penalties.
- Changes are subject to real-time availability and cannot be guaranteed.
- Cancellation notifications must be submitted in writing to info@schengenholidays.co.uk to protect against unauthorized record changes.
8. Refund Policy (Visa, Immigration & Travel Services)
We aim to provide transparent and fair refund practices in accordance with our service commitments and international consumer rights guidelines.
• A refund may be requested only if Schengen Holidays fails to deliver the agreed visa assistance, immigration processing, or travel-related service.
• Refund requests must be submitted in writing to info@schengenholidays.co.uk within 21 days from the original date of payment or transaction with full supporting proof.
• Non-recoverable amounts already paid on your behalf to airlines, hotels, tour operators, embassies, or visa centers will be deducted from any refundable balance.
• Statutory fees charged by embassies, consulates, or third-party visa centers are strictly non-refundable, regardless of visa approval or refusal.
• Visa refusals resulting from incomplete, inaccurate, fraudulent, or misleading documentation provided by the applicant are strictly ineligible for refunds.
Refunds will not be issued if: a visa application has already been submitted to diplomatic authorities; travel services/accommodations have already been initiated; services are delayed/refused due to government decisions, embassy workloads, or border authority actions; or the customer voluntarily withdraws.
Approved refunds are typically processed within 7 business days exclusively via the original payment method / credit card.
9. Passports, Visas & Global Health Compliance
- Customers are solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining valid passports, entry/exit visas, transit approvals, and health/vaccination documents.
- Documentation must meet all destination and transit country legal and immigration requirements (including international 6-month passport validity rules).
- Visa refusals, boarding denials, or border rejections due to incorrect, expired, or incomplete customer documents are non-refundable.
- Customer identity verification data submitted for visa checks is handled strictly according to international confidentiality standards.
10. Customer Conduct & Anti-Fraud Standard
- Illegal, fraudulent, abusive, threatening, or disruptive behavior toward our staff, agents, or service partners will not be tolerated.
- We reserve the right to immediately cancel active bookings, terminate customer communications, involve legal authorities, and pursue remedies under US and international law.
- Submitting fraudulent identity cards, fake financial documentation, or stolen payment details will result in immediate service termination, cancellation without refund, and reporting to law enforcement authorities.
11. Website Use, Security & Content Accuracy
- Website content, software interfaces, and travel information are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis.
- Prices, diplomatic rules, embassy schedules, and seat availability may change without prior notice.
- Users must verify critical travel, health, and visa requirements independently with official government sources before travel.
- Unauthorized automated scraping, security breaching, or misuse of website systems is strictly prohibited under computer misuse legislation.
12. Privacy, WhatsApp Business Messaging & Global Data Protection
We process all personal information in full compliance with US Privacy Laws, CCPA/CPRA, European GDPR standards, and Meta / WhatsApp Business API policies.
Schengen Holidays acts as the Data Controller (info@schengenholidays.co.uk) for personal information collected through our website, mobile portals, booking forms, and messaging channels.
Personal identification details (full name, residential address, email address, date of birth, passport data), transaction logs, travel itineraries, IP addresses, and phone numbers (including WhatsApp contact details). Processed for contract performance, legal border compliance, legitimate business security, and explicit opt-in consent.
When you contact us or opt in via WhatsApp, we process your phone number, display name, message content, and support history solely to send booking confirmations, visa status alerts, schedule updates, and customer support via Meta / WhatsApp Business API platforms.
You can opt out of marketing or non-essential WhatsApp messages at any time by replying "STOP" to any WhatsApp message or by emailing info@schengenholidays.co.uk. Under applicable US privacy statutes and GDPR standards, you hold explicit rights to access, rectify, request erasure, or restrict processing of your personal data.
13. Intellectual Property, Legal & Copyright
- All content, original text, software scripts, logos, trade names, graphics, and branding are the exclusive property of Schengen Holidays.
- Unauthorized copying, duplication, scraping, or commercial publication is strictly prohibited under US and international copyright laws.
- Trademarks belonging to third-party suppliers (airlines, global booking systems, Meta/WhatsApp) remain the property of their respective owners.
13-A. United States State Privacy Rights (CCPA / CPRA & State Notice)
This Section applies solely to consumers residing in the United States, including under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA), Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), and Texas (TDPSA):
- No Sale or Sharing: Dream Routes DOES NOT SELL personal information and DOES NOT SHARE personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. Personal data is shared solely with travel suppliers (airlines, hotels, consulates) to execute your requested bookings.
- Right to Know & Access: US consumers have the right to request disclosure of categories and specific pieces of personal information collected over the preceding 12 months.
- Right to Delete: You hold the right to request deletion of personal information, subject to statutory exceptions for active bookings, fraud prevention, and legal border compliance.
- Right to Correct: You have the right to request rectification of inaccurate personal records.
- Non-Discrimination: We will not deny services, charge different prices, or provide a lesser quality of service for exercising statutory privacy rights.
- Submitting a US Request: Email info@schengenholidays.co.uk with the subject "US Privacy Request". We verify your identity prior to fulfilling requests.
14. Contact, Dispute Resolution & Jurisdiction
Contact Email: info@schengenholidays.co.uk | Phone: +44 7426 796244
We aim to resolve customer concerns fairly, transparently, and promptly, encouraging direct written communication for all queries. These terms and conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts of England and Wales or applicable international consumer arbitration panels.