All bookings are made with Leatherback Travel Pty Ltd Trading as Salemi Ceramics (ABN 24631228898) (us/we).
By booking a course with us, you are deemed to have agreed to these booking conditions (which constitutes the entire agreement between you and us) and your booking will be accepted by us on this basis. The services to be provided are those referred to in your booking confirmation receipt.
Comprehensive travel insurance is not mandatory for this course. However, we are not liable for any events that would normally be covered by a comprehensive travel insurance policy; including medical treatment as the result of an accident.
Our prices are subject to variable and seasonal pricing, both of which are standard practice within the travel industry. This means our prices may vary at any time in accordance with demand, market conditions, and availability. There is a chance that different students on the same course have been charged different prices. Your best option if you like the price you see is to book at that time. Any reduced pricing or discounts that may become available after you have paid your deposit will not apply. If you wish to cancel your booking to take advantage of a cheaper price, full cancellation conditions apply.
The most up-to-date pricing is available on our website. Prices are based on currency exchange rates at the time of publication; note that prices may vary depending on which currency the booking is made in.
We reserve the right to impose surcharges before departure due to unfavourable changes in exchange rates, increases in airfares or other transportation costs, increases in local operator costs, taxes, or if government action should require us to do so.
In order for us to confirm your course arrangements, you must provide all requested details with the balance of the retreat price. Necessary details vary by retreat; they include, but are not limited to, full name as per passport, date of birth, nationality, emergency contact and any pre-existing medical conditions you have that may affect your ability to complete your course arrangements.
For the majority of our courses, the minimum age is 15 at the time of travel. All students under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian, or in lieu of a legal guardian an escort over the age of 18, appointed by their legal guardian. The legal guardian or their designee will be responsible for the day-to-day care of the student under the age of 18. If a legal guardian elects to designate an escort in their lieu, they will be required to complete and sign a relevant document to delegate their authority.
For the majority of our courses, we have no upper age limit, though we remind you that our offerings can be physically demanding and students must ensure that they are suitably fit to allow full participation. We are able to provide details on mandatory health requirements; however, we are not medical experts. It is your responsibility to ensure that you obtain proper and detailed medical advice at least two months prior to travel for the latest health requirements and recommendations for your destination.
Our courses are run by the Salemi Ceramics studio team. The decision of the Studio manager is final on all matters likely to affect the safety or well-being of any student or staff member participating in the course. If you fail to comply with a decision made by the Studio manager or interfere with the well-being or mobility of the group, the Studio manager may direct you to leave the course immediately with no right of refund. We may also elect not to carry you on any future course booked. You must at all times comply with the laws, customs, foreign exchange, and drug regulations of Italy.
Contact us by email or book directly through our website.
Each course deposit amount to be paid in order to hold a spot.
Payment of the deposit means you have read and accepted the terms and conditions.
Cooling Off Period: Providing your course has a departure date of 61+ days, you can cancel your course and receive a refund on your deposit, if the cancellation is made within 2 weeks (14 days) of payment of your deposit.
A cancellation made when the course is due to commence in 60 days or less is not eligible for the cooling off period. To be eligible for cooling off, the cancellation must happen 61+ days in advance of the course.
Transferable Deposits: You can cancel your course at any time before the course starts and transfer the minimum deposit amount to any booking.
Final payment is due 60 days prior to the course commencement date.
Making a booking 60 days or less before course departure will require full payment in order to hold your spot and is not eligible for cooling off conditions.
On full payment, you will receive your pre-departure information.
Cancellation of your booking often does not allow time for the re-sale of your space on the course.
However, with our new Lifetime Deposit Guarantee, you will never lose your deposit. No matter when you cancel – so long as the course date hasn’t arrived, you keep your deposit as a credit to be applied to future dates.
61+ days in advance: Upon cancellation, you will receive 40% of your course payment as a credit; we will refund all other monies paid. The cancellation must occur before the start date of the course.
31-60 days in advance: Upon cancellation, you will receive 40% of your course payment as a credit. We will refund 50% of other monies paid.
1-30 days in advance: Upon cancellation, you will receive 40% of your course payment as a credit. The cancellation must occur before the start date of the course.
Most cancellations happen due to unfortunate circumstances, such as sickness or bereavement, but we cannot adjust our policy for these circumstances. We have in the past tried to accommodate for these events, but the cost of covering these cancellations was financially unsustainable and caused the majority of courses to run at a loss. Sourcing replacement students is difficult and campaigns to fill last minute spots rarely succeed. For this reason: If you wish to be covered for cancellations, this must be organised with an external insurance provider.
Any refund, be it part or whole, will be based on the payment originally received in our bank account or via WeTravel— that amount is the gross amount on which any refund will be based. If the student leaves the course voluntarily after its commencement, there will be no refund.
Credits are transferable to any other course or guest, but they are not refundable.
Salemi Ceramics reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any course.
95 days or more in advance: for cancellations due to not filling a course because of a lack of participants, we will cancel no later than 95 days in advance of the start date and refund the amount you paid, in its entirety. If you choose to transfer to a different date of the same course instead of accepting the refund, we’ll honour the original price, even if the price of the new date is different due to a price increase.
Cancellations within 95 days will only happen due to circumstances out of our control, such as political instability, terrorism, pandemics, natural disasters, or other such circumstances. Refunds will be less any unrecoverable costs; in this case, the rest of your balance will be offered to you as a credit.
There are no refunds for any part of the course not used, including (but not limited to) meals, activities, or any other services.
REFUNDS AND COMPLAINTS
We have a complaints and refunds procedure, including a formula to calculate refund entitlements for any services that were poorly delivered or not delivered at all.
To make a complaint, contact the Booking Manager tied to your booking. We will contact you to conduct an investigation; any resolution offered will depend on the outcome of the investigation.
The formula for refunds is based on a reasonable break-down of our service, with allocations primarily for Accommodation, Food, Guiding Services, and Experiences. To receive a full breakdown of the formula, please contact us. If you do make a complaint, the full calculation of your refund entitlement will be provided to you.
You are responsible for arranging all of your travel insurance. We recommend that your insurance cover at least the following: cancellation, plus cover for personal liability, injury, medical emergencies and medical evacuation, repatriation in case of death, and other as recommended by your travel agent.
We will not be responsible for any uninsured costs arising as a result of your course being impacted by pandemics, illness or any other emergency. We maintain an active Covid policy that is updated continuously according to the global conditions, industry standards and best health advice; the priority in all cases is protecting the health of the group. Please contact us for an updated version of the policy if you would like to consult it before travelling.
Smoking is not allowed in the studio, in any booked transport, accommodations, restaurants, or within the vicinity of the course group.
We will do our best to accommodate specific dietary requirements, but cannot guarantee that we will successfully manage all dietary needs or be able to cater for specific allergies.
We outsource lunches to local restaurants and provide other meals through local catering services. These meals are made using fresh, regional ingredients. While we strive to accommodate dietary needs, we rely on external partners, and some restrictions may be harder to fulfil. Students are advised to bring their own personal medication.
Accommodation is not included. Participants need to arrange their own stay in Salemi.
Salemi Ceramics takes great care in packing and shipping students’ ceramic pieces; however, we do not take responsibility for any delays, damages, or losses that may occur during transit. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that someone is available to receive the package at the provided address. If the package is returned to Salemi due to the recipient's unavailability, we can arrange to resend it, but the student will be responsible for covering the additional shipping costs.
In Salemi, Sicily, the streets, especially in the Old Town, are quite narrow. Because of this, our team member responsible for student transportation is unable to take students directly to their accommodations. With this in mind, we kindly ask that you pack luggage you can comfortably carry yourself, as you may need to walk up and down cobblestone streets. Additionally, please note that the buildings with a few floors do not have elevators.
We do not accept responsibility for any lost or damaged bags — please be insured for this.
Where applicable, please ensure your passport or ID is valid for at least 6 months beyond the course end date. Additionally, check local travel guidelines and consult with your travel agent regarding visas, permits, inoculations, or certificates that may be required. It is your responsibility to ensure you have all the necessary documentation for the retreat and carry a valid passport or ID.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of the correct visas, permits and certificates for your retreat; please refer to the relevant government website for details. We are not responsible if you are refused entry to Italy because you lack the correct passport, visa or other travel documentation.
All meals, activities, transport as stated in each course’ description.
Visa fees, international flight costs, meals or activities not stated in the course description, airport taxes, personal items, snacks, drinks (except with meals), vaccinations, tips or gratuities, laundry, telephone, minibar, personal travel insurance, alcoholic beverages.
We hope not to have any of these, but should you feel that something did not meet your expectations, please write to us in case we can rectify the situation.
Joining our ceramics courses requires flexibility and understanding, as adjustments to the schedule may be necessary due to unforeseen circumstances. In the event of any changes to the schedule or accommodations, we will make every effort to provide the closest possible equivalent available.
Students are expected to respect the authority of the operator at all times.
We reserve the right to accept or reject any individual as a group member at any time. We also work in partnership with local operators, whose local expertise is invaluable to the execution of our courses. While we make every effort to work with reliable and reputable third-party operators, we cannot assume responsibility for any actions or omissions of third parties that result in personal injury, property damage, or other loss to our clients.
Although we ask clients to confirm their physical fitness and that they do not have undisclosed medical conditions, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to ensure they are medically fit for the experience they have booked.
While you acknowledge that you undertake our offerings at your own risk, we want to assure you that your safety is of utmost importance to us, and we will endeavour to ensure that appropriate safety measures are in place.
You grant us permission to use your name, photographs, videotapes, and recordings in connection with our retreats.
If any part of this agreement is deemed unenforceable, all other parts will remain in effect. By booking a course with us, you, the student, agree to abide by these terms.
These terms and conditions, and any contract to which they apply, are governed by Italian law and shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Sicily, Italy.
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The Salemi Project wants to make Salemi a recognised centre for contemporary ceramic art. Come and be part of it!
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