The FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) is the British government department that issues advice as to whether a country is considered unsafe to travel to. UK Airlines and Tour Operators will generally follow advice given by the FCDO regarding travelling to and from a country and we will endeavour to warn you of anything that is reported. The FCDO foreign travel advice website https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice also has information on a variety of subjects that are useful to anyone looking to travel abroad, including visa and health requirements per country.

We highly recommend that you take out appropriate travel insurance for your overseas holiday, please also see our Terms and Conditions. Should you require treatment while abroad or need to be flown back on medical grounds to the UK, you can contact your travel insurance provider on their emergency contact number for further advice.

If you travel overseas without appropriate medical cover, it is likely that the full cost of any medical treatment and your early return to the UK will need to be paid for by yourself, family or friends. Please note, if you show your UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) you are likely to receive free or reduced cost healthcare when visiting certain European countries. Please check this before you travel. Please see the ‘What are UK EHIC and UK GHIC cards?’ FAQ, below.

You are welcome to ask Lucusta Travel about the travel insurance policies we sell, which will cover the above, dependant on policy type and applicability.

Adequate travel insurance is a condition of your contract with either Lucusta Travel or the supplier in question, as applicable. (Please see our Terms and Conditions.) You must take out a policy of insurance in order to cover you and your fellow travellers against the cost of cancellation by you; the cost of assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness; loss of baggage and money; and other expenses. The cost of travel insurance is based on the type of cover requested, the age of the insured, the destination of travel, length of stay and any pre-existing medical conditions.

Lucusta Travel can access competitive travel insurance, if required. We always ask about your travel insurance but please feel free to ask for a quote during the purchase process. No matter who issues your travel insurance policy, please check it carefully to ensure that all the details are correct and that all relevant information has been provided by you (e.g. pre-existing medical conditions). It’s also important to check your level of cancellation cover if you are booking a high value trip, as these may need to be increased, and that the insurance covers you for all activities you plan to undertake e.g. winter sports or cruise. Failure to disclose relevant information will affect your insurance. If you fail to travel with adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay.

The UK GHIC has replaced the existing European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). If you have an existing EHIC you can continue to use it until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you will need to apply for a UK GHIC to replace it.

You can apply for a new card up to 9 months before your current card expires.

A UK GHIC is free and lasts for up to 5 years. Apply for your new card through the NHS website https://overseas-healthcare.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/get-healthcare-cover-travelling-abroad/start

The UK GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. We advise you to have private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip.

Since the UK left the European Union in 2020, UK passport holders are now seen as ‘third-country nationals’ by EU and Schengen countries. This means the entry rules have changed. And many UK holidaymakers are still being caught out by them.

Passports issued after 2018 are valid for exactly 10 years. But if your passport was issued before September 2018, it might be valid for up to 10 years and nine months. This is because, before 2018, the passport office would add up to nine extra months from your old passport to your new one.

This means some people have passports that have not officially expired and are still valid for travel worldwide. The exception is travel in Europe, where passports must be less than 10 years old.

To travel to Europe and Schengen countries, your passport must be:

·      Issued less than 10 years before your departure date

·      Valid for at least three months after your planned return date

And remember, you can now only stay in Schengen countries for up to 90 days within a six-month period. Before Brexit, you could stay as long as you wanted.

You can find more information about travelling to the EU and Schengen countries on the GOV.UK website https://www.gov.uk/travel-to-eu-schengen-area

Yes, children require their own passport to travel abroad. Children's passports are generally valid for 5 years. Application forms are available from Post Office branches that offer the Passport Check & Send service, or you can request a form online and it will be sent to you in the post. More information can be found by visiting the following government website link https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/passports

Customers are responsible for obtaining any visas required for their holiday as the applications often require direct application from the traveller. However we know this can sometimes be a complex and confusing process and we will advise and assist you in the application process, if required, and the compilation and submission of the relevant information. If you're unsure whether a visa is required for your trip, information can be found by visiting the relevant embassy website or the FCDO website https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

If any special assistance is required, you should notify us before booking so we can tailor your travel appropriately. We can then ensure that your destination and carriers are able to meet your individual needs. This information will then be passed on to the relevant suppliers in advance of travel. This is especially necessary with airlines as different airports and airlines have very different capabilities in meeting certain needs. If you require special assistance but have not notified us, please contact the telephone number or email address provided on your Lucusta Travel Booking Confirmation.

The cost of booking extra luggage varies from airline to airline. Booking extra luggage allowance before travelling can save you money, compared to paying at the airport.

Transfers to your accommodation may be included with your holiday. In some cases, the Tour Operator you are travelling with will include transfers at no extra charge. Alternatively, you may be given the option by us to add them during the booking process before confirming your holiday. Further information on this may be given in the accommodation description for your chosen holiday.

It may be possible to add transfers on to your booking at a later date, please contact us and we can advise. We also offer private and special assistance transfers depending on location and availability and which may incur additional cost.

No we don’t charge any consultation fees for using our services. We work in partnership with selected suppliers who we know and trust and our payment comes direct from the supplier, a bit like when you buy with an insurance broker.

Pretty much anywhere! We work with a wide range of suppliers who can cover everything from a stop and drop short haul beach break, long haul luxury or adventure holidays, every type of cruise you can imagine, road trips down classic places like Route 66 or across New Zealand, wildlife and safari adventures, rail holidays, escorted tours all around the world, packages for many different sporting events and we can even organise UK breaks. We can literally organise everything from a weekend cottage in Cornwall to a Round the World Cruise and anything in between, fully protected.

Yes and no. We will price match certain well known brands such as Jet2, Tui, Easyjet Holidays, etc; although the match will be for the retail price on the day we are preparing your quote due to the industry using fluid pricing which means it may have increased since you last looked on their website.

We don’t guarantee that we will price match sites such as Love Holidays or On the Beach. But please do feel free to ask if you have a quote from one of these sites as we may be able to work our magic, we just can’t guarantee on these.