Privacy Policy

Effective date: November 1 2024

Dandelion Travel Agency ("Dandelion Travel," "we," "us") respects your privacy. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, and how we protect it, in line with British Columbia's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL).

Information we collect

We collect only the information we need to plan and book your travel, such as:

  • Your name, email address, phone number and mailing address

  • Travel details, including dates, destinations, number of travellers and preferences

  • Information required by airlines, cruise lines, hotels and tour operators, such as full legal names as shown on passports, dates of birth, passport details, loyalty program numbers, dietary needs and accessibility needs

  • Payment information, when needed to complete a booking

  • Messages you send us through our website, email, phone or social media

We do not knowingly collect information from children except as provided by a parent or guardian for a family booking.

How we use your information

We use your information to:

  • Respond to your inquiries and plan your trip

  • Make, change and manage bookings with travel suppliers on your behalf

  • Issue receipts and keep records required by law and by Consumer Protection BC

  • Send you travel updates and important notices about your booking

  • Send you our newsletter or travel offers, only if you have agreed to receive them

Who we share it with

We share your information only as needed to provide the services you ask for, including with:

  • Travel suppliers such as airlines, cruise lines, hotels, villas, tour operators and transfer companies

  • Payment processors, to complete transactions

  • Service providers that help us run our business, such as our website host (Squarespace), email provider and scheduling tools

  • Government or regulatory authorities, when required by law

We never sell your personal information.

Storage outside Canada

Some of our service providers and travel suppliers store or process information outside Canada, including in the United States and in the countries you are travelling to. Information held outside Canada may be subject to the laws of that country.

Consent

By sending us your information, you consent to its collection and use for the purposes above. When you give us information about other travellers in your group, you confirm that they have agreed to share it with us. You may withdraw your consent at any time, but this may limit our ability to book or manage your travel.

Emails and newsletters

We send marketing emails only to people who have opted in. Every email includes a way to unsubscribe, and we will remove you promptly.

Website, cookies and links

Our website is hosted by Squarespace, which uses cookies and similar tools to run the site and measure visits. You can manage cookies in your browser settings. Our site may link to other websites, including supplier and affiliate links. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites, and we may earn a commission on some affiliate purchases.

How we protect your information

We use reasonable safeguards, including password protected accounts and secure systems, and we limit access to people who need it to serve you. We keep your information only as long as needed for your travel, for our business and tax records, and as required by law, then delete or destroy it securely.

Your rights

You can ask to see the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct it, or ask how it has been used or shared. Send your request to our privacy officer below, and we will respond within 30 business days.

Contact our privacy officer

Shandy Rae, Privacy Officer, Dandelion Travel shandy@dandeliontravel.ca PO Box 1286, Garibaldi Highlands, BC V0N 1T0

If we cannot resolve your concern, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be posted on this page with its effective date.

Terms and Conditions

Effective date: November 1 2024

These terms apply to all travel planning and booking services provided by Dandelion Travel Agency ("Dandelion Travel," "we," "us"), owned by Shandy Rae Scarfo and based in Squamish, British Columbia. By paying a planning fee, making a deposit or asking us to book travel, you agree to these terms on behalf of yourself and everyone travelling with you.

Licensing

Dandelion Travel is licensed by Consumer Protection BC, Licence #87856. As a client of a BC licensed travel agency, you may be eligible to claim from the BC Travel Assurance Fund if you paid for travel services that you did not receive. For details, visit Consumer Protection BC.

Our role

We act as an agent for the airlines, cruise lines, hotels, tour operators and other suppliers who provide your travel services. Each supplier has its own terms and conditions, including payment, cancellation and refund rules, and those terms form part of your booking. We will share or link to the key supplier terms before you pay.

Planning services and fees

  • Self Service: a researched day by day itinerary with vetted recommendations that you book yourself. Fee: $75-$250.

  • Full Service: your complete trip planned and booked by us. Planning fee: $150 - $300, credited toward your booking when you book through us.

  • Cruises: consultations, planning and booking at no planning fee, unless otherwise quoted.

Planning fees are due before work begins and are non-refundable once planning has started, because they pay for time and research. Your itinerary includes [number] rounds of revisions. Further changes may be quoted separately.

Quotes, deposits and payments

Prices are not guaranteed until a booking is confirmed and a deposit is paid. Rates, availability, taxes and fees can change without notice. Deposit and final payment amounts and due dates are set by each supplier and will be shown on your quote and invoice. If a payment is missed, the supplier may cancel your booking and keep your deposit. We will provide a receipt for every payment, as required by BC law.

Credit card fees

Payments made to Dandelion Travel by credit card, including planning fees and change fees, carry a surcharge of 2.4% of the amount charged. The surcharge will be shown before you pay and listed separately on your receipt. No surcharge applies to debit cards, prepaid cards, e-transfer or other non-credit payment methods. Payments you make directly to a travel supplier, such as a cruise line or airline, follow that supplier's own payment terms.

Changes and cancellations

Changes and cancellations are subject to the supplier's rules, which may include fees or loss of the full amount paid. We may also charge a change fee of [amount] per change after your booking is confirmed. All change or cancellation requests must be made in writing by email.

Travel insurance

We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance, including trip cancellation, interruption and emergency medical coverage, purchased when you pay your first deposit. If you choose not to buy insurance, we may ask you to confirm that decision in writing.

Passports, visas and health requirements

You are responsible for having a valid passport, any required visas or travel authorizations, and meeting the health and entry requirements for every country on your trip. Many countries require a passport valid for at least six months after your return. Names on your booking must match your passport exactly. Check the Government of Canada's travel advice and advisories before you go.

Your responsibilities

Please review all documents as soon as you receive them and tell us about any errors right away. Arrive on time for flights, departures, transfers and tours. Missed services because of late arrival or incorrect documents are not refundable.

Limitation of liability

We take great care in planning your trip, but we do not own or operate the services you book and are not responsible for the acts, omissions or failures of suppliers. We are not liable for delays, cancellations, injury, loss, illness, theft or extra costs caused by suppliers, weather, natural disasters, strikes, health emergencies, government actions or other events outside our control. Our liability, if any, is limited to the fees you paid directly to Dandelion Travel for the services in question, to the extent permitted by law.

Support while you travel

You can reach us by email or phone while you are away, and we will help where we can. In an emergency, contact the supplier, your insurer or local emergency services first.

Website content and affiliate links

Information on our website and social media is for inspiration and general guidance and may change. Some links are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Privacy

We handle your personal information as described in our Privacy Policy.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada that apply there.

Contact

Dandelion Travel Agency PO Box 1286, Garibaldi Highlands, BC V0N 1T0 shandy@dandeliontravel.ca | 1-778-995-2334 Consumer Protection BC Licence #87856