We want you to have flexibility when planning your Rustic Pathways program – that’s why we’re offering an enhanced travel guarantee option. You can feel secure planning your travel knowing that our travel guarantee is protecting you.
The following terms apply to our spring break and summer programs as seen here. If you are traveling with your school, please refer to your group’s private custom webpage for cancellation details.
Program Cancellation by You
Rustic Pathways’ Cancellation Policy takes into account the costs that we incur before a program’s Start Date, many of which are incurred months in advance and are not refundable, recoverable or cancellable by us. Cancellations and withdrawals are subject to the Rustic Pathways’ Cancellation Policy as set forth below. Once your enrollment application has been received and accepted, cancellation or withdrawal by you results in a penalty, as follows.
Date Written Notice Received | Cancellation/Withdrawal Fee Per Traveler | |
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Summer Program | Within 24 hours after submitting your enrollment | Full refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways (if any). |
Before midnight (ET) on March 31 | Full refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways less non-refundable enrollment fee | |
April 1 at 12:00 a.m. to midnight (ET) on April 30 | Full refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways, less: (1) non-refundable enrollment fee; and (2) 50% of the applicable Total Program Cost |
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After 12:00 a.m. (ET) on May 1 | No refund of any amounts paid will be issued. | |
Spring Break Programs | Within 24 hours after submitting your enrollment | Full refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways (if any) |
Before midnight (ET) on November 30 | Full refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways less non-refundable enrollment fee | |
December 1 at 12:00 a.m. (ET) to midnight (ET) December 31 | Full refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways, less: (1) non-refundable enrollment fee; and (2) 50% of the applicable Total Program Cost |
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After 12:00 a.m. (ET) on January 1 | No refund of any amounts paid will be issued. |
- ”Total Program Cost” means: (1) the base price for your selected program which includes the cost of Internal Travel (“Program Price”), (2) airfare for chaperoned group flights, if applicable, and (3) airfare taxes and fuel surcharges, and other third-party fees, costs, permits and licenses, which will be added to your Total Program Cost once they are known.
- “Start Date” means: (1) if the participant is traveling on a chaperoned group flight, the originally scheduled day and time of check in for the chaperoned group flight at the designated Gateway Airport, and (2) if the participant is traveling via Self-Managed Airfare to the destination country, the Program’s specified day and time of arrival in the destination country.
- Cancellation or withdrawal must be given by the participant’s parents/guardians in writing (which may be sent via email to cancel@rusticpathways.com or via trackable mail/courier to our main office address, Attn: Cancellations). You may also do this using the “Cancel Now” button on our website. Your request to cancel will be effective on the date and time received by us, based on United States Eastern Time (“Cancellation Date”). We do not accept cancellations or withdrawals over the telephone for any reason or under any circumstances. We will promptly acknowledge receipt of your written cancellation, the applicable Cancellation Date, and itemize any refund amount due you, if applicable. Refunds (if any) will be issued to your original form of payment. If that form of payment is no longer valid for any reason, we will issue a check to the participant’s parents/guardians within 4 to 6 weeks after the Cancellation Date.
The option of purchasing additional insurance, including conditional coverage for cancellation, medical expenses, and trip disruption is available upon enrollment.
Cancellation by Rustic Pathways
Cancellation or Modification Without Cause Rustic Pathways reserves the right to cancel, alter, reschedule or amend the Program at any time for any reason Rustic Pathways determines, in its discretion, is necessary or appropriate. Rustic Pathways will make a final decision to offer or cancel a Program a reasonable period prior to the Start Date for a given Program. If a Program is canceled by Rustic Pathways prior to the Start Date under this paragraph, the following Cancellation Policy will apply. A participant may choose between a credit in the full amount paid to Rustic Pathways (less the non-refundable enrollment fee) valid towards any other program offered by Rustic Pathways or a refund of the Total Program Cost paid as of the date of cancellation, less the non-refundable enrollment fee. If a trip is canceled by Rustic Pathways after the Start Date under this paragraph, a pro rata credit or refund (as described above) will be given, depending on the missed portions of the Program. The amount of such pro rata credit or refund will be reasonably determined by Rustic Pathways in its sole discretion, depending on the timing, circumstances and unrecoverable costs previously committed. In either case, (i) all refunds will be issued back in the form of payment used (e.g., if payment was made by voucher, the refund will be in the form of a newly issued voucher); (ii) all credits will be issued in the form of a voucher good for travel on a future Rustic Pathways’ program; and (iii) Rustic Pathways is not responsible for any expenses paid by any participant to third parties such as airlines and hotels for travel prior to or after the Start Date. In the event that a Program is canceled by Rustic Pathways and a credit is given and the participant chooses a less expensive alternate program, the participant will not receive a refund of the difference in cost. If a more expensive program is selected, the participant must pay the difference.
Cancellation or Modification Resulting from External Events Outside of Rustic Pathway’s Reasonable Control. While Rustic Pathways makes every effort to plan for foreseeable contingencies, it is not responsible or liable if it cancels, modifies or postpones a program as a result of events that are beyond its reasonable control. These include “force majeure” events such as (but without limitation) an Act of God, weather, natural disasters, fires, floods, declared or undeclared war, terrorism, actual or potential pandemics or epidemics (including COVID), other public health issues or emergencies, acts of a government organization, sanctions, quarantines, strikes, labor disputes, disruptions to transportation, or other events beyond Rustic Pathways’ reasonable control that make it actually or potentially impossible or illegal for Rustic Pathways to conduct the program as originally contracted. In these situations, Rustic Pathways incurs substantial non-recoverable costs and expenses of its own in planning and pre-paying amounts for a program. As a result, if a program cannot depart as originally scheduled or is interrupted for any reason as described in this paragraph, participants will only be entitled to receive a full credit (if prior to the Start Date) or a partial credit (if after the Start Date). Cancellation, modification or postponement by Rustic Pathways for reasons as described in this paragraph will not be a violation of its obligations to any participant and will not be deemed a “failure” to provide travel services.
Regardless of the reason for cancellation, modification or postponement, Rustic Pathways is not responsible for any other costs or expenses incurred by a participant or their parents/guardians in preparing for a Program that is cancelled, modified or postponed.
Please call us at 440.975.9691 should you have any questions.