Frequently Asked questions

FAQ's

Travel Advice
FAQ's

Your dream holiday should be all about relaxing and doing the things that you want to do. The information below is provided to help you keep your holiday planning as stress-free as possible, and don’t forget that expert travel advice is only a phone call away. 

The unpredictable impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic mean that decisions about changes or amendments to your holiday may occur at any time, and could be no more than a few days before you are due to depart.

We pay constant attention to the guidance from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO), ABTA, Public Health England and local health authorities in our destinations. We will respond to any advice issued by the FCDO against non-essential travel to your destination, and will contact you as soon as it is clear we won’t be able to provide your holiday at the originally planned time. 

We’ll do our very best to make sure your holiday is everything you expect it to be. Due to the constantly evolving nature of the Coronavirus crisis, we might need to change or withdraw some advertised accommodation facilities and resort services so we can keep everyone safe. Wherever we can, we’ll let you know about this in advance, but sometimes it might be at very short notice.

Our holidays will be subject to the local Covid-19 regulations in that destination and those of our airlines or transport providers, and we recommend that you are familiar with these before you travel. Information can be found on the relevant country pages of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) website, so please ensure that you read these. 

For the most up to date information on everything we are doing to make your holiday as safe as possible, please visit our “Travel Information” page. https://rainbowluxtravel.com/covid-travel-information/

We are closely following the advice of the UK Government and FCDO regarding international travel and working within the recommendations and regulations of our destination countries to minimise the risk of Coronavirus.  Whilst it would be impossible to eradicate all risk, the best way to stay safe is to maintain good hygiene, regularly wash your hands with soap and water and keep a social distance from others. Where it is not possible to keep over 1m distance from others, you should wear a face covering. For the latest advice from the World Health Organisation click here

Our holidays will be subject to the local Covid-19 regulations of the destination country, and those of our airlines or transport providers, at the time of travel. Due to the constantly evolving nature of the Coronavirus pandemic, these regulations may change up to the time of departure and may be different to the regulations we are experiencing in the UK. At the foot of this page you’ll find links to the FCDO Travel Advice page for each of our destination countries, where you can find more information.

For the most up to date information on everything we are doing to make your holiday as safe as possible, please visit our “Travel Information” page. https://rainbowluxtravel.com/covid-travel-information/

VISA requirements can change at any time, and for this reason we recommend you check before travel.  We work with a specialist travel visa agency, The Travel Visa Company are one of the UKs leading travel visa agencies.  The Travel Visa Company can arrange your PCR test with Fit to Fly Certificate along with your UK and outbound Passenger Locator Forms

British citizens require visas for some countries including China, Libya, South Korea, Vietnam, Australia, India, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea.

We advise that you ensure all applications are in process a minimum of 4 weeks prior to departure 

All passengers are required to have sufficient travel insurance to cover the duration and value of your trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that your travel insurance is valid at the time of booking. 

Wherever you’re travelling, getting the right travel insurance at time of booking is one of the most important things to do. If you would like Rainbow Lux Travel to help with a competitive quotation for travel insurance, please visit our Travel Insurance page here 

Depending on the region of the world you are visiting, vaccinations and/or some medication may be required for your trip. We would advise that you contact your local GP in good time before departure to discuss any necessary treatment. Alternatively, you may wish to use the Department of Health’s website www.dh.gov.uk.

If you require prescribed medication for a health condition, you should talk to your GP or Practice Nurse about travelling before your holiday, as they will be able tell you if you need to make any special arrangements. You should also always carry your medication in a correctly labelled container as issued by your pharmacist. Try to carry your medication in your hand luggage (airline regulations permitting), with a copy of your prescription. Try and also pack a spare supply of medication in your suitcase or hold luggage where possible, in case you lose your hand luggage. Some airlines require a letter from your GP giving details of your medication, as well as the name of the health condition that you require the medication for.

Yes, you need a passport to travel and will be prevented boarding if you do not have one.

Most countries will require you to have a valid passport for 6 months after your return date. This does vary from country to country, and we recommend that you check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website for advice for the specific country you are travelling to.

For non-UK passport holders, you will need to contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are travelling to. These contacts can also be found on the FCO website. Your documents will be checked at the UK departure point for your trip, and if not deemed acceptable, you will be denied travel. So please make sure you check your documentation. If you need to organise a new passport, please allow plenty of processing time before your departure, although you can pay an additional fee to expedite UK passport delivery. More information can be obtained here Apply for a UK Passport.

As a guide, 20kg in economy class, 30kg in business class and 40 kg in first class are the allowances from the UK. For Low Cost Airlines, the allowance is generally 15kg. Airlines may impose a charge at check in for excess baggage and this is charged at the airlines own rates. Baggage allowances vary by destination and airline and may not always be the same for all parts of your journey.

Recommendations for aircraft hand luggage indicate a maximum length of 22″ (56cm) a width of 18″ (45cm) and a depth of 10″ (25cm) but the total measurement (length plus width plus depth) should not exceed 45″ (115cm). These dimensions include wheels, handles, side pockets etc. Weight restrictions also nearly apply.

If you need to make any amendments to your booking, please contact us to make any changes. Please remember if you wish to amend your booking you may be subject to charges as detailed in our terms and conditions.

I need to cancel my holiday, how can I do this?

In the unlikely and unfortunate event you need to cancel your holiday, all cancellations must be made, in writing. Please e-mail us. We will then contact you to advise you of any cancellation charges and seek your consent prior to cancelling. A cancellation invoice can be issued upon request should you require one for insurance purposes. Please see our Essential Information for further details.

All final payments are due 14 weeks prior to departure. You will find the exact date and how to pay in your confirmation document.

You will usually receive your tickets around 2 weeks before departure by email, unless you have specifically requested that you would like these sent via the postal service, direct to your home address

Travel Advice

When you’re going on holiday, ensuring you are fully informed on all documentation requirements and health matters and making sure you have all bases covered in your trip organisation can smooth your journey and make for a much more enjoyable trip.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office Travel Advice Unit may have issued information about your holiday destination. You are advised to check the FCO website for the latest advice. You might also like to read through their range of special-interest pages for different types of travellers who may need different types of advice.

Travel Insurance – Wherever you’re travelling, getting the right travel insurance at time of booking is one of the most important things to do. If you would like Rainbow Lux Travel to help with a competitive quotation for travel insurance, please visit our Travel Insurance page here 

Your Visa requirements – We work with a specialist travel visa agency, The Travel Visa Company are one of the UKs leading travel visa agencies.  The Travel Visa Company can arrange your PCR test with Fit to Fly Certificate along with your UK and outbound Passenger Locator Forms – Canada Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) – Canada operate Advance Visa Waiver programmes for which you must have a ‘chipped’ passport to qualify and are required to complete registration before departure. 

Health – Please refer to the Department of Health for up to date advice on immunisations required and advised for travel abroad.

Medical Treatment – For the time being, reciprocal agreements remain in place in some EU countries enabling citizens of member countries to receive some free medical treatment on production of UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). You can apply online for the GHIC using the link above. We highly recommend taking out further medical cover as part of your travel insurance and not relying exclusively on these arrangements since they may not be very comprehensive plus do not cover any insurance matters outside of health. It may be that it is a condition of your travel insurance that you have an GHIC card covering you for initial treatment.

Know Before You Go – The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s ‘Know Before You Go’ (KBYG) is an ongoing campaign to ensure travellers get adequate travel insurance, have the necessary passport and visa documentation, leave emergency contact information with someone and tell them where you are going, have enough money and have access to emergency funds, visit GPs before travelling as appropriate, familiarise themselves with the destination’s local laws and customs and check the FCO’s country travel advice. For details, see the FCO website.

Please note, requirements can change and it is your responsibility to check with the relevant body and ensure you have the necessary and correct documentation and advice.

Passports & VisasIt is your responsibility to be in possession of a valid passport and any visa that may be necessary. If you hold a Commonwealth or non-British passport, please check visa regulations with the embassy or consulate of the country you will be visiting. You should allow ample time when making visa applications and check for any changes in visa/passport requirements that a country may make at any time. At the time of publishing this information on the website, you do not need a visa for any destination, provided you have a British passport and usually an onward/return ticket.

Other pages of interest: 

Peace of MindBook with Confidence / Travel with Confidence

Travel Info and Brexit – Covid & Travel Information 

Further information is available in our Frequently Asked Questions 

Please note, external site links will open in a new window.

Useful Links

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

Travel Health Advice
www.travelhealthpro.org.uk

UK Passport Service (The United Kingdom Passport Service)  

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office Travel Advice unit offers advice on destinations.

The Department of Health offers advice on immunisations and health requirements abroad.

Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s ‘Know Before You Go’ (KBYG)

The Canada Electronic Travel Authorisation

Please note, external site links will open in a new window.

A note on the phrase ‘gay friendly’.

Throughout this website we’ll primarily use the term ‘gay friendly’ as it’s the more widely recognized phrase.