This Refund, Cancellation and Deposit Policy (the "Policy") explains how deposits, payments, cancellations, and refunds work for services provided by Tyler Mason("GLJ," "we," "us," or "our"). This Policy is part of, and is incorporated into, your Master Services Agreement with GLJ (the "Agreement"). Capitalized terms not defined here have the meanings given in the Agreement. If anything in this Policy conflicts with the Agreement about cancellations or refunds, this Policy controls.
Please read this Policy carefully before you pay your deposit. Because we begin reserving your trip and committing to outside suppliers early, and because genealogy research is performed work that cannot be "un-done," our refund terms are necessarily limited. We strongly recommend travel insurance (see Section 8).
1. Your Deposit Is Non-Refundable
1.1 When you book, you pay a deposit of 25% of the total fees (or, for a research-only engagement, a 50% research retainer) to reserve your engagement and your spot on the trip. This deposit is non-refundable. It covers the cost of holding your departure, beginning your research file, and the commitments we make to suppliers and to fill a limited number of seats (up to 16 per trip).
1.2 The non-refundable deposit applies even if you cancel shortly after booking, except where a longer cancellation right is required by applicable law.
2. Payment Schedule
2.1 After the deposit, the balance is due in milestones as set out in your Agreement or Order Form, with the final balance due no later than 90 days before departure.
2.2 If you do not pay a milestone or the final balance on time, and do not fix it within ten (10) days after we notify you, we may treat your booking as cancelled by you under Section 3, and the cancellation tiers below will apply based on the date we treat the booking as cancelled.
3. Cancellation by You — Sliding Scale
3.1 How to figure your refund. If you cancel, the amount we can refund depends on how many days before the trip departure date you cancel, AND on amounts that are already non-refundable (your deposit, any supplier costs already committed, and research/production work already performed). We first determine your refund percentage from the tiers below, then subtract any non-refundable deposit, supplier costs, and completed-work amounts that the tier does not already cover (see Sections 5 and 6).
3.2 Cancellation tiers (by days before departure):
- (a) 120 or more days before departure: refund of 100% of amounts paid, less the non-refundable deposit and less any non-refundable supplier and completed-work costs.
- (b) 91 to 120 days before departure: refund of 75% of amounts paid, less the non-refundable deposit and less any non-refundable supplier and completed-work costs.
- (c) 61 to 90 days before departure: refund of 50% of amounts paid, less the non-refundable deposit and less any non-refundable supplier and completed-work costs.
- (d) Fewer than 61 days before departure, no-show, or departure after the trip has begun: no refund.
4. Cancellation by GLJ
4.1 If GLJ cancels the trip for a reason other than a Force Majeure Event (Section 7) or your breach, we will offer you, at our option, (a) a comparable rescheduled trip, or (b) a refund of the amounts you paid for the trip portion, less any supplier costs we cannot recover.
4.2 If we remove a participant for a health/safety reason or for conduct that violates the Agreement, the cancellation tiers in Section 3 apply as of the removal date, and no additional refund is owed for the unused portion of the trip.
5. Supplier Costs Already Booked Are Not Refundable to You
5.1 GLJ arranges flights, hotels, guides, ground transportation, and activities through independent outside suppliers. Once we book or pre-pay those on your behalf, they are subject to each supplier's own cancellation and refund rules — and many are non-refundable or carry penalties.
5.2 We cannot refund to you any amount that a supplier will not refund to us. If a supplier charges a penalty or keeps a deposit, that cost is passed through to you and deducted from any refund. Where a supplier issues a future-travel credit instead of a refund, we will pass that credit through to you to the extent we reasonably can, in place of cash.
6. Research and Production Work Already Done Is Not Refundable
6.1 Genealogy research, the Client Website, and the Research Film are performed work. Once the work is done, it cannot be returned. The fees for research and production work already performed at the time you cancel are non-refundable, whether or not the trip happens, and whether or not the research reached any particular conclusion. (Genealogy results are never guaranteed — see the Genealogy-Findings Disclaimer and the Agreement.)
6.2 If you cancel before a given research or production milestone has been performed, the portion not yet performed may be refundable under the applicable tier, less the non-refundable deposit and any supplier costs.
7. Force Majeure (Events Outside Anyone's Control)
7.1 If a Force Majeure Event (as defined in the Agreement — for example, a natural disaster, pandemic, public-health emergency, war, terrorism, government travel restriction, border or airport closure, or supplier failure) prevents or materially disrupts the trip, GLJ will first try to postpone, reschedule, or substitute trip components of comparable standard.
7.2 If the trip cannot reasonably be rescheduled, we will refund amounts you paid for the affected trip portion MINUS any supplier costs that are non-refundable to us and MINUS research/production work already performed. We are not able to refund money that suppliers keep. This is a primary reason we urge you to buy travel insurance with cancellation/interruption coverage.
8. We Strongly Recommend Travel Insurance
8.1 Because deposits, supplier costs, and completed research work are largely non-refundable, GLJ strongly recommends that every participant buy comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you book. Look for coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, emergency medical care, emergency evacuation, missed connections, and baggage.
8.2 A "cancel for any reason" policy may cover situations this Policy does not. Travel insurance is your responsibility and is not included in our fees. GLJ does not sell insurance and does not guarantee any policy will cover a given loss — read the policy's terms.
9. How to Request a Cancellation
9.1 To cancel, send a written request to hello@genesislegacyjourneys.com. Your cancellation takes effect on the date we receive your written request, and that date determines your tier under Section 3. Please include your name, trip dates, and booking reference.
9.2 We will confirm your cancellation and the refund calculation (if any) in writing. Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method within thirty (30) days, using the PayPal or bank transfer we have on file.
10. Chargebacks
10.1 If you dispute a charge or initiate a chargeback for amounts properly owed under the Agreement and this Policy, you remain responsible for those amounts. Filing a chargeback instead of following the cancellation process in Section 9 is a breach of the Agreement.
10.2 We keep records of your Agreement, this Policy, deliverables provided, and supplier commitments, and we will provide them to the payment processor to respond to an improper chargeback. Nothing here limits any refund you are genuinely owed under this Policy or required by law.
11. General
11.1 This Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Texas and the venue terms in the Agreement.
11.2 Nothing in this Policy waives any right you have that cannot be waived under applicable consumer-protection law. If any part of this Policy is unenforceable, the rest stays in effect.
11.3 GLJ may update this Policy for future bookings; the version in effect when you booked governs your booking.
Acknowledgment
By signing the Agreement and paying your deposit, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Refund, Cancellation and Deposit Policy, including that your deposit is non-refundable, that supplier costs and completed research/production work are non-refundable, and that travel insurance is strongly recommended.