Tour Terms & Conditions

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Eligible Participants

Unless otherwise stated in the tour-specific terms and conditions, all Bible Passages tours require the following to protect the program's security and purpose.

• You must be a member of a church of Christ, or a close friend or relative of a church member. References may be required.
• You must be at least twelve years of age.
• Participants under eighteen must be accompanied by a parent, adult family member, or legal guardian, unless the tour directors give special permission. A minor traveling without both parents or legal guardians must carry a notarized letter of consent from each parent or guardian who is not traveling and must present it to airline or government officials if asked.
• You must have a passport that is valid for at least six months after the tour's scheduled return date. (For example, if the tour returns on January 1, your passport must not expire before July 1.)
• You must obtain any visa or electronic travel authorization required by the countries on the tour. For example, Israel requires the ETA-IL authorization before travel (see Travel Documents and Entry Requirements).
• You must agree to these General Terms and Conditions and to the tour-specific terms and conditions in the registration documents.
• You must agree to follow the principles of conduct taught in the New Testament and the conduct requirements in these terms.
• You must meet the requirements in the Health, Mobility, and Accessibility section.

Deposits and Reservations

To reserve your place on a tour, complete and sign the Bible Passages registration form online or by mail and pay a $300 non-refundable deposit per person. The deposit is applied toward your total tour price. Bible Passages accepts reservations on a first-come, first-served basis. Your reservation is not confirmed until your deposit is received.

Pricing

Bible Passages sometimes plans tours before final airline and hotel prices are available, so the tour price may change slightly. Current pricing appears in each tour’s brochure and tour-specific terms and conditions. Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a room with two twin beds. Married couples may request a full or queen bed, but it is not guaranteed. Twin beds can often be pushed together. Single rooms are available for an additional single-occupancy fee, listed in the tour-specific terms. Refer to the brochure to see what the price includes, as some tours include airfare and others do not. When airfare is included, you may request a land-only price. Although it is unlikely, if the tour price increases by more than 10% after you register, you may cancel within 14 days of being notified and receive a full refund, including your deposit.

Payments

You may pay by check or with a credit card. You must pay 50% of the tour price 145 days before departure, and the remaining balance 60 days before departure. Bible Passages will send an invoice with exact amounts and due dates. Credit card payments are subject to a processing fee. If we do not receive payment by its due date, Bible Passages may cancel the reservation, and the Cancellation/Refund Policy will apply.

Cancellation/Refund Policy

Bible Passages may cancel a tour if safe or practical travel is not possible (for example, because of armed conflict or border closures) or if registration falls below the minimum. If Bible Passages cancels a tour, we will refund all payments made to Bible Passages, including deposits, to currently registered participants. Bible Passages is not responsible for costs you paid to others, such as airfare you booked yourself, visas, or insurance.

If you cancel your reservation (even if the tour is later canceled), the following policy applies. Bible Passages must receive all cancellations in writing. Cancellation fees are based on the date Bible Passages receives your written cancellation:

• 120 days or more before departure: the tour deposit is forfeited; all other payments are refunded.
• 119–70 days before departure: cancellation fee of 50% of the total tour price.
• 69–45 days before departure: cancellation fee of 70% of the total tour price.
• 44 days or fewer before departure: cancellation fee of 100% of the total tour price.

The cancellation fee includes the deposit and is deducted from payments already made. Any remaining balance will be refunded. If your payments are less than the cancellation fee, no further payment is due.

Substitutions: With Bible Passages' approval, you may transfer your reservation to another eligible person or to another tour. Any airline name-change fees are the participant's responsibility.

Exceptions: Once airline tickets have been issued, their cost is non-refundable no matter when you cancel. Bible Passages will retain the cancellation fee or the cost of your issued airline tickets, whichever is greater.

Timeframe: Refunds will be issued within 60 days of Bible Passages receiving your written cancellation.

Rationale: Bible Passages keeps tour costs as low as possible and does not hold reserve funds to cover supplier commitments when a participant cancels. For this reason, Bible Passages strongly recommends trip cancellation insurance.

Space Is Limited

Each tour has a minimum and maximum number of participants. This helps provide a good travel experience and keep costs affordable. Unless the tour-specific terms state otherwise, tours are limited to 25–50 participants. If registration falls below the minimum, Bible Passages may cancel the tour and will refund all deposits and payments in full to registered participants. A participant who cancels before Bible Passages cancels the tour remains subject to the Cancellation/Refund Policy, including any cancellation fees.

Hotels and Accommodations

Accommodations are in three- to five-star hotels, rated by each country's standards. Rooms are shared by two people and have private bathrooms. Single rooms are available for the single-occupancy fee. If you request a roommate, Bible Passages will try to match you with a participant of the same gender.

Tour Amenities and Inclusions

Each tour includes a brochure listing what is and is not included in the price. Typical tours include (but are not guaranteed) the following:

• Three- to Five-star hotels
• All-you-can-eat breakfast and dinner buffets
• Luxury coach transportation
• All entry fees to museums, special sites, holy sites, areas of interest (except on free days and activities not related to group events)
• Tips for guides, drivers, and hotel porters
• Airport taxes, service charges, government taxes, and fuel surcharges (when airfare is included)
• One suitcase per person at airports and hotels
• Maps and trip handouts
• Instructional lessons, Bible applications and connections, and explanations at each site

Exclusions

Unless otherwise stated, the tour price does NOT include:

• Credit card processing fees
• Airfare or transportation to and from the group's departure city
• Passport, visa, and electronic travel authorization fees (such as Israel’s ETA-IL)
• Telephone calls, laundry, room service, and other personal expenses
• Excess baggage fees
• Lunches and any other meals not listed as included in the brochure
• Optional excursions and activities on free days
• Travel medical, trip cancellation, or baggage insurance
• Any health testing, vaccinations, or documentation required for entry

Participants from outside the United States

Travelers whose origination point is outside the United States may participate. We review applications on a case-by-case basis. Additional fees may apply. Contact Bible Passages for applicable details and costs. Participants traveling on a non-U.S. passport are responsible for meeting the entry requirements of every country on the tour.

Air Transportation

When airfare is included, travel is on regularly scheduled airlines at a negotiated group rate. Airfare, airline fuel surcharges, and government taxes and fees may change without notice until tickets are paid in full and issued. Any increase is the participant’s responsibility. Once issued, tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Name corrections to match your passport are subject to airline rules, and re-ticketing fees may apply.

When you book your own flights, you are responsible for arriving at the tour’s starting point by the time stated in the tour-specific terms. Bible Passages is not responsible for missed connections, flight delays, cancellations, or schedule changes, or for any resulting costs or missed portions of the tour, although we will make reasonable efforts to provide the best possible experience if a disruption occurs.

Taxes and Fees

Government taxes, hotel taxes and service charges, airport taxes, security fees, and fuel surcharges known at the time of pricing are included in the tour price. When airfare is not included, air taxes and fees are not included either. Governments and suppliers set these charges, and they may change without notice. Participants are responsible for any increase. Tips included in the tour price are listed under Tour Amenities and Inclusions. Tips for optional services and personal expenses are not included.

Entrance Fees

Unless otherwise stated, entrance fees are included for all destinations enumerated in the day-to-day tour itinerary. Fees to sites visited on free days are NOT included.

Health, Mobility, and Accessibility

Tours involve long days, extensive walking on uneven ground, stairs, hills, heat, and archaeological sites that may not be accessible. Some sites, such as Masada and Hezekiah’s Tunnel, are especially demanding. By registering, each participant confirms that he or she is physically, mentally, and emotionally able to take part in the full tour, or will travel with a companion who can provide any assistance needed. Participants must tell Bible Passages at registration about any medical condition, mobility limitation, dietary need, or mobility aid that may affect their participation. Bible Passages will try to make reasonable accommodations but cannot guarantee them. Bible Passages may decline or remove any participant who, in its judgment, cannot safely take part or needs care beyond what the tour can provide.

Alcohol

Purchasing or drinking alcoholic beverages is prohibited at all times during the tour, including free time. Violations may result in removal from the tour under the Conduct section.

Conduct

Bible Passages may refuse, reject, or remove any participant whose conduct it judges to be disruptive, unsafe, or incompatible with the group's well-being. A participant removed from the tour will not receive a refund. That participant is responsible for all costs of returning home or making other arrangements.

Clothing

Participants are encouraged to dress comfortably but modestly. Bible Passages reserves the right to ask any participant to change their dress to accommodate a spirit of modesty. Some religious sites have strict clothing requirements that will not allow shorts of any kind. Participants agree to comply with Bible Passages’ requirements and understand that if they are not dressed appropriately, they may not be able to enter every site. Some tours will have additional modesty requirements listed in the tour-specific terms and conditions. As a safety precaution, Bible Passages also asks that participants refrain from visible images associated with their nationality (such as an American Flag T-Shirt) on their clothes, handbags, or hats.

Travel Insurance

Insurance is not included in the tour price. All participants must carry travel medical insurance that covers emergency medical care and medical evacuation outside the United States. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance is not required but is strongly recommended, as it can reimburse costs that Bible Passages cannot refund.

Luggage Restrictions and Packing

Each tour may have specific luggage requirements enumerated in the tour-specific terms and conditions. Each passenger agrees to read and adhere to these requirements. Unless otherwise specified, each tour participant may bring one checked bag, one carry-on, and one personal item. Any additional baggage costs incurred at any point in the trip are the tour participant's responsibility and must be paid directly to the airline at check-in. Baggage insurance is recommended. Bible Passages is not responsible for lost or damaged baggage or other belongings.

Responsibilities, Changes, and Limitation of Liability

Bible Passages organizes and leads its tours. To provide them, Bible Passages contracts with independent suppliers. These include airlines, hotels, motor coach companies, local ground operators (such as Blue and White Israel Tours, Gideon Tours, and Aristotle Travel), guides, restaurants, and site operators. These suppliers are independent businesses. They are not Bible Passages employees, agents, or partners. They operate under their own terms and conditions and the laws of the countries where they provide services. Each supplier is solely responsible for the services it provides. Bible Passages will use reasonable care in selecting suppliers. However, Bible Passages does not control their day-to-day operations and is not liable for their acts, errors, omissions, or failures to perform.

Supplier Terms

Supplier-provided services are subject to each supplier's own terms. This includes each airline's conditions of carriage. A carrier is not responsible for any act, omission, or event that occurs while a participant is not on board its aircraft, vehicle, or vessel. Unless the word "guaranteed" appears in writing on your invoice, itinerary, or travel documents, Bible Passages does not guarantee any supplier's rates, schedules, connections, or bookings.

Changes to the Itinerary

Tour programs are planned months in advance. Circumstances may require changes to the itinerary, the sequence of sites, hotels, or other arrangements. Examples include safety or security concerns, weather, site closures, government actions, holidays, or changes by suppliers. Bible Passages reserves the right to make these changes. When possible, Bible Passages will substitute arrangements of comparable quality. Such changes do not entitle participants to a refund. Events beyond Bible Passages' control may result in additional costs, such as extra hotel nights or meals caused by a flight cancellation. Participants are responsible for these costs. Bible Passages strongly recommends travel insurance to cover them.

Events Beyond Our Control

Bible Passages is not responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, delay, or added expense caused by events beyond its reasonable control. These include:

• “Acts of God,” weather, and natural disasters
• Epidemics and disease
• War, terrorism, and civil or political unrest
• Strikes and labor disputes
• Government actions, restrictions, and border closures
• Mechanical failure, and theft or pilferage
• The acts or omissions of suppliers or other third parties

Illness, Injury, and Missed Services

A participant may miss portions of the tour, or need to return home early, because of illness, injury, personal emergency, or removal from the tour under the Conduct section. In those cases, Bible Passages is not responsible for any resulting costs. Bible Passages will not refund unused services. Bible Passages is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage or personal belongings (see Luggage Restrictions and Packing).

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Bible Passages and its officers, owners, employees, volunteers, and tour leaders are not liable for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, or expense arising from the tour. The only exception is to the extent it is caused by Bible Passages' gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Assumption of Risk

International travel involves expected and unexpected risks. On these tours, those risks include extended walking on uneven terrain, stairs, and archaeological sites; heat; unfamiliar food and water; and changing security conditions in the region. By registering and traveling, each participant knowingly and voluntarily accepts these risks. Participants are encouraged to take these steps before departure:

• Review travel advisories at travel.state.gov
• Enroll in the U.S. State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
• Review health guidance at the CDC's Travelers' Health website (cdc.gov/travel)

Participants must also carry the travel medical insurance required under the Travel Insurance section.

Right to Accept or Refuse Participants

Bible Passages reserves the right to accept or refuse any person as a tour participant.

Entire Agreement

These General Terms and Conditions, the tour-specific terms and conditions, the registration form, and the tour brochure together make up the entire agreement between Bible Passages and the participant. If the General Terms and the tour-specific terms conflict, the tour-specific terms control.

Travel Documents and Entry Requirements

Each participant is responsible for obtaining a valid passport and any visa, electronic travel authorization, or health documents required by the countries on the tour. This includes Israel’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA-IL), and Europe’s ETIAS once it takes effect. A participant denied boarding or entry because of missing or invalid documents will not receive a refund.

Photography and Media

Bible Passages may photograph and record video during tours and may use these images for ministry, educational, and promotional purposes, including on its website and social media. If a participant does not wish to be featured, they should tell Bible Passages in writing before departure.

Privacy

Bible Passages collects participant information only to organize and operate its tours. It shares that information only with suppliers and officials as needed for travel and does not sell it.

Changes to These Terms

Bible Passages may update these terms. The version in effect on the date of your registration applies to your tour.

Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas.

Severability

If any part of these terms is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.

Contact Information

Bible Passages | 287 Beulah Lane, Dripping Springs, TX 78620 | Info@biblepassages.net | www.biblepassages.net