Whenever possible, yes. Depending on numbers and room availability, groups are normally allocated a wing or floor of a hotel so all students are together in the same area. Staff rooms are strategically located next to access points such as stairs.
Room distribution is provided in the week before arrival and is subject to change.
We could, but we currently don't. We have a bonded
Travel Office that could book flights for you, but we would need to add
commission to cover our costs. Most of our groups, (who are regular rebookers
and come from as far as Australia), find the process of booking their own
flights a very straightforward one - although we appreciate it adds to their
workload. Most UK groups use the budget airlines, book the flights themselves
selecting the most convenient flight and saving a lot of money in the process.
Some use a local Travel Agent (which charges commission, of course), and some
identify the flight, and get the students to book themselves seats online at
home within a strict time slot (usually a week). This latter approach seems to
achieve the lowest total cost outcome for group travel purposes.
Paying by credit card offers some protection against airline failure, and will cover the value of the tickets if it is over £100; extra costs such as replacement flights or hotels are not covered.
Check your travel insurance to make sure it covers against airlines going bankrupt. If not, International Passenger Protection, a company that offers financial failure insurances to the travel industry, offers consumers cover - from £5 for 30-day protection - via its website, protectmyholiday.com. The insurance covers the cost of the defunct flight if an airline goes into administration before the policyholder's holiday starts, or the cost of replacement flights with another airline if it goes bust after departure.
If you book your own flights, paying by credit card offers some protection against airline failure, and will cover the value of the tickets if it is over £100; extra costs such as replacement flights or hotels are not covered.
Check your travel insurance to make sure it covers against airlines going bankrupt. If not, International Passenger Protection, a company that offers financial failure insurances to the travel industry, offers consumers cover - from £5 for 30-day protection - via its website, protectmyholiday.com. The insurance covers the cost of the defunct flight if an airline goes into administration before the policyholder's holiday starts, or the cost of replacement flights with another airline if it goes bust after departure.
We offer the field studies, transport, accommodation, civil indemnity insurance, financial bonding, etc. as a 'package'. The rates we negotiate with our providers (including the hotel and coach company) are confidential and cannot be broken down as individual items.
The short answer is yes. We meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel by coach. Prices are inclusive except for the cost of flights and travel insurance.
Led by Barcelona Field Studies Centre staff with specialist
knowledge and fieldwork expertise who, after prior negotiation of course
content, take full responsibility for teaching the course. Your active
involvement is strongly encouraged, whether in
contributing to the teaching, supervising and assisting the students or in
allocating students and staff to the most appropriate small working group. One
or more evening tutorials are also included, dependent on the length of your
course and your preferences. The evening follow-up session is normally between
18.00 and 20.00. There is a break for dinner between 20.00 and 21.00. The
briefing for the following day's work is normally undertaken after dinner. Maps,
worksheets and course materials are provided as appropriate.
Centre-Assisted Courses:
Tuition is shared between Barcelona Field Studies Centre
teaching staff and you each day. The programme is normally designed and led by
you with a Barcelona Field Studies Centre member of staff assisting during the
work in the field. There are no included evening tutorials. All the facilities
of the Centre are available to the group for the duration of the stay. This
includes fieldwork equipment and Health and Safety advice. Groups choosing this
option should ideally have familiarity with the field study sites. Inspection
visits are provided free.
Centre-Taught Light Courses:
As for the Centre-Taught courses, but with a less intensive
evening follow-up. The evening follow-up session lasts an hour, normally between
19.00 and 20.00 followed by a break for dinner. The briefing for the following
day can be included within the pre-dinner session, or undertaken immediately
afterwards at 21.00.
All options include the provision and use of fieldwork
equipment and health and safety advice.
The short answer is 'no'. Any day requiring equipment would need staffing by us. 'Free days' are an available option, but no staffing, equipment or transport are provided.
This is very rare, but has happened and students have been
booked on alternative flights, arriving in Barcelona earlier or later the same
day. All flights are met by us at the airport.
In the event of you being unable to travel on your departure day, we can arrange accommodation and provide administrative assistance. For unexpected prolonged flight disruptions, e.g. the Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption in April and May 2010, we can arrange coach transport home.
An open credit card voucher (on a school or personal credit card) is often prepared on arrival as insurance against any deliberate or non-accidental damage that may occur during a group's stay. This is returned on departure and we have never experienced such a voucher needing to be charged.
Free wi-fi access is provided. Staff and students should bring their own laptops, which should
be kept safely locked in their rooms when not in use.
A laptop projector may be provided free of charge for Centre-Assisted groups on the following conditions:
1. Any breakage/damage/loss will be made good. The replacement value is approximately €600.
2. It is kept securely locked away when not in use.
3. It is returned by 20.00 on the final working evening.
4. It is booked well in advance.
5. It is accepted that availability cannot always be guaranteed.
We carry 3 million euro public
indemnity insurance which is very high for Spain. We have never had a claim
on the insurance, nor are any claims pending (September 2010).
We also have 60,000 euros bonding protection provided through
the Catalan Government, plus additional indemnity insurance that is provided as
a common package for all Catalan Travel Agencies. In addition, the hotel and
coach company have their own indemnity insurance.
Groups should carry and check-in their own luggage on first arrival at the hotel. Bags can safely be left on the coach during a city tour or deposited at left luggage facilities at Barcelona Sants station.
Generally breakfast times are 08.00-10.00 and 20.00-22.00 for the evening meal. The Hotel Victoria provides greatest flexibility if you wish to bring forward the time of your evening meal. There is no restaurant lunch provided, and no refund for missed meals.
The short answer is yes. We meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel by coach. Prices are inclusive except for the cost of flights and travel insurance.
Yes, up to one week before arrival. There is a refund calculation formula. For individual student withdrawals made up to one week before arrival, the total cost for the group would be recalculated using our web site calculator and the difference between the old and new totals refunded. This ensures that our fixed transport and staff costs remain covered and enables the group leader to decide his/her own student refund policy.
For individual withdrawals made less than 7 days before arrival, 100% of the total individual rate invoiced will be charged. There is no refund. An individual cancellation invoice for insurance claim purposes can be provided upon request.
No Show of individuals will be charged 100% of the total individual rate invoiced. There is no refund. An individual cancellation invoice for insurance claim purposes can be provided upon request.
Groups unable to travel to us due to the Eyjafjallajokull volcano disruption in April and May 2010 were able to rebook their dates with us for later in the year at no extra cost. However, there cannot be any cast-iron guarantee of refund for failure to travel and groups should arrange travel insurance against such an eventuality.
BFSC Travel Office CIF: B-64932098 is fully bonded with the
General Directorate of Tourism of the Generalitat of Catalonia, with the licence
GC-001 747 held in the Registry of Tourism of Catalonia.
The short answer is 'yes'. Drinking water supply is guaranteed throughout Spain. There are stringent control systems that guarantee water quality. On the other hand, your body needs time to get used to a country's water and many tourists report that what they drink from Spanish taps doesn't always agree with them for the first couple of days. Even if the tap water is drinkable, that doesn't mean it's necessarily nice and consumption of bottled water is widespread.
The short answer is 'no'. Any field study day requiring transport would need staffing by us. 'Free days' are an available option, but no staffing, equipment or transport are provided by us and groups would need to pay for their own public transport, if required.
Travel insurance is not included in our prices, and this can normally be provided at low cost by your school or college insurers. Emergency medical repatriation cover is essential.
