FAQ’s

Questions or Concerns?

Do you have any questions about booking a Big Blue Adventure, or any concerns relating to Covid-19? Please check our Booking Terms & Conditions and our Frequently Asked Questions below. If your question is not listed or if we haven’t fully answered your questions, please just get in touch with Dan or Heleen via email or add it to your quote form, we’re happy to help!

What group sizes do you take?

Big Blue specialises in adventure travel for all sorts of group sizes, from 10 people up to 200+. We do of course have safety measures and instructor ratios to keep in mind with our activities and are limited on participants per session, but if you have a very large group we can split into smaller groups and spread over a variety of adventures, to keep everyone busy and having fun at the same time. Do contact us to discuss your needs and we will go the extra mile to make sure your group event is epic!

What kind of groups do you accept?

Any! Whether you’re a corporate group looking for a team offsite in Portugal, a stag or hen do after an active weekend, a sports club looking to play some competitive games and combine that with adventure, a guardianship wanting to organise a kids-camp in Wales, on a press trip touring around the country wanting to include some activities and exploring, or if you’re planning a large family gathering, we can cater for all types of groups!

Can we still join BBA if not everyone is adventurous or super fit?

Of course! We encourage everyone to try something new and push some boundaries on our outdoor activities. Most of the activities are beginner-friendly and suitable for people with a generic fitness level and confidence. For our watersports activities you will need to be able to swim 25m unaided and it’s recommended that you feel confident in the water. However, we are not expecting you to participate in the Olympics, so if you’re a little unsure about something, just send us a message and we will happily discuss the options with you.

Please also note that due to health and safety (& available equipment), many activities have a maximum weight limit which varies depending on activity, so we strongly advise you to check with us before you book any activities if your weight exceeds 120kg, as this will avoid later disappointment in not being able to participate in a booked activity.

Before participating in any of our activities we will need you to fill out our online medical consent form. This way we can make sure that you are ok to participate in the activities, and don’t have any medical conditions that may limit that. If you have a medical condition but aren’t sure if you can participate, just let us know and we will check this for you.

Remember, all our trips are tailor-made to suit your group!

How much will my package or the activity cost?

Everything Big Blue offers is 100% tailor-made for you! So, we can create an adventure to suit specific budgets and what you would like to include for the perfect active getaway. The more activities and package elements you include, the more that package will cost. It also depends on your final numbers of people attending in the group, generally larger groups have a cheaper per person rate over smaller groups, as there are more people to split the core package costs between. Best thing to do is to request a no obligation quote – it costs you nothing to start the ball rolling and say hello, we can send a great package your way from there.

How do we pay and secure our booking?

Once you’ve made contact, received your tailor-made quote and wish to secure your trip, you simply just need to let us know. From there we will send you an invoice to obtain a non-refundable deposit, which is usually 30% but that can vary depending on the complexity of the package and the time of booking. The deposit secures everything and blocks the dates off. There is then nothing to pay until your final balance deadline which is usually 6 – 8 weeks for a multi-night package, or 3 weeks for a day-trip sale without accommodation.

Multi-night packages payments are made via bank transfer into our secure PTS Trust Account that complies with UK Package Travel Regulations for that added peace of mind. We can on request also take credit or debit card payments over the phone.

If you’ve booked a day trip or the activity only, then you can make a bank transfer directly into our business bank account, or if preferred you can also make an online payment through Stripe.

As the group leader you’re responsible for collecting everyone’s funds and to make the transfer in one go, we cannot accept individual payments. Please see our T&C for more info.

We are here to make your life as easy as we can, any issues or questions you may have in regard to your payments do just give us a call on +44 (0)7956166937.

Are meals & drinks included?

That depends on the package that you book, your budget and personal preference.

On most multi-night packages we will include some sort of meal & drinks, whether that’s just breakfast or also lunch and BBQ night with drinks reception for example. Meal packages will vary depending on the destination and the type of accommodation you’re staying at. However it’s totally up to you whether you prefer a self-catering trip or an all-inclusive one.

On day trips we like to stop off at a local pub, restaurant or café for a well deserved lunch after the activity. We can include this as part of your trip costs or you can opt to pay for your meal yourselves.

If you have vegans, vegetarians, gluten-free or any other dietary requirements that’s absolutely fine. We work hard to team up with the right hospitality teams & venues who can cater for the variety we find in lots of groups. Like all package elements it is bespoke, and we will meet your style, budget and needs.

Are transfers & flights included?

On multi-night breaks and day trips we’ll usually include a local transfer from your accommodation to the activity location. Whether that’s in a small mini-bus or large coach, we can adapt to your group size. Often we’ll also include transfers to nearby places for some more local exploring or for dinner and a night out, as well as airport transfers.

If needed we can also include a transfer from your business location, school, club or house to your Big Blue destination, just mention it on your quote form.

We do not cover flights.

What is the minimum age for your activities?

It depends on the activity and destination you’re interested in, but generally we say age 10+ or sometimes it’s depending on height. A lot of our activities are easy to adjust to younger adventurers, so pop us a message if there are some young ones in your group and we’ll see what is possible!

Are my funds protected with Big Blue Adventures?

If you book a multi-night adventure (more than 1 package element and longer than 24 hours) then you’re protected by the UK Package Travel Regulations. Part of this is that we are signed up with PTS (Protected Trust Services). This means that your funds are paid into a protected travel trust account which offers insurance, and in the unlikely event that Big Blue Adventures or one of our providers has to file for insolvency, your funds are still protected through PTS. For more info on package travel as well as day trips and activities, please read our Terms & Conditions.

When booking with Big Blue Adventures, you also agree to have travel insurance in place. Please check that your insurance covers Covid-19/Pandemic related matters.

For more info on package travel as well as our day trips and activities, please read our Terms & Conditions.

Do you operate all year round?

We do! Although with a smaller selection of activities in the winter months due to weather conditions and lower temperatures. Opt for mountain-biking, rock-climbing or quad-biking session in Wales, or visit somewhere more tropical such as Madeira – another great all year round destination. These are just a few of the options available in the autumn and winter months.

We monitor the weather closely with our activity partners and making a decision can sometimes come down to the wire, though we aim to cancel/change plans no later than 24 hours ahead of your adventure. In spring and summer season the outdoor activities are a lot more reliable.

What about my carbon footprint?

This is an increasing concern of our guests, as well as for Big Blue Adventures as a business. The impact we have on our beautiful planet is very important to us, which is also why we have signed up to Mossy Earth. This is a great project where the dedicated team focusses on rewilding and reforestation across Europe. Every month, Mossy Earth plants a number of trees for each of our team members. We’re also supporting larger Mossy Earth projects that make an even bigger impact, such as our current sea kelp restoration project in Portugal.

Wherever possible, Big Blue collaborates with local independent activity suppliers, accommodation, restaurants/cafés, etc. to make sure our trips give back to the local economy, making our adventures more sustainable.

We’ve also recently signed up to the Surfers Against Sewage ‘Ocean Network’, over the last 30 years Surfers Against Sewage has grown into one of the UK’s most successful marine conservation and campaigning charities.

Are my funds protected with Big Blue Adventures?

If you book a multi-night adventure (more than 1 package element and longer than 24 hours) then you’re protected by the UK Package Travel Regulations. Part of the regulations is that we are signed up with PTS (Protected Trust Services). This means that your funds are paid into a protected travel trust account which offers insurance, and in the unlikely event that Big Blue Adventures or one of our providers has to file for insolvency, your funds are still protected through PTS.

When booking with Big Blue Adventures you also agree to have travel insurance in place. Please check that your insurance covers Covid-19/Pandemic related matters.

For more info on package travel as well as our day trips and activities, please read our Terms & Conditions.

What are my options if my trip has to be cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic?

Please make sure you read and understand our Bookings Terms & Conditions, before making a booking with BBA.
When booking with Big Blue Adventures you agree to have travel insurance in place. Please check that your insurance covers Covid-19/Pandemic related matters.

If BBA has to cancel your booking or if you need to cancel your trip, due to official government guidelines relating to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, then there are a few steps we will take.
– First of all we will look to see if it’s possible to amend the booking. Sometimes a small change to the package can mean the booking can go ahead, such as changing the location of the activity, booking alternative accommodation or even a different destination (sometimes this will change the rate of the package).
– If it’s not possible to amend the booking or if you’re not happy with proposed changes, then the next step would be to postpone free of charge. You can choose a later date, depending on availability, or if you’re not sure when you want to go just yet, we are more than happy to leave your booking open until you can confirm a new date.
– If the first two steps are not an option then we will look to cancel the booking. As all of our trips are tailor-made, there is not one set of terms relating to refunds, so please just get in touch and we will discuss your options.

We have been able to postpone 90% of all bookings when needed, just a very small percentage has had to cancel completely. If the booking was cancelled due to official government guidelines then guests have received a full refund. If there is a different Covid-19 related cancellation, then we will discuss this case by case.

What health & safety measures do you have in place?

The safety of our guests, staff and providers is extremely important to us. We have put some measures in place to make sure our trips can be delivered in a fun and safe way, which comply with government guidelines. For our UK based trips we have received the ‘Good To Go’ stamp, which is handed out by industry officials and shows that we have put the right measurements in place. We have also made sure that all of our suppliers in Portugal have received a similar industry stamp from local authorities, which is the ‘Clean & Safe’ stamp, so you can feel safe to come along on one of our trips.

As the government guidelines around Europe are ever changing, we will make sure we are up to date on the latest advice and will inform you on what is required from you and what we will do to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Luckily a big chunk of our trips is spent in the outdoors, a low risk area for the spread of Covid-19. By booking any of our Big Blue Adventures you are acknowledging an acceptance of risk.

If you have any worries about booking a Big Blue Adventure due to health & safety related to the ongoing pandemic, please feel free to send us an email, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have.

Why Adventure With Us…

Quality Group Activities
We work as one big team with our activity providers, making sure that together we offer a high quality experience for groups. Each activity has been tried & tested, and personally chosen by us.
Handpicked Destinations

Our Big Blue destinations offer great group accommodation options, good travel links, quality facilities and world-class adventures. We spend a lot of time at our locations and know what works well for groups.

Group Specialists

Hosted group adventure travel, with numbers between 6-100+ people. BBA offers an award winning service; we’ll always go the extra mile to ensure our packages are perfect for your group.

PTS logo

Protected Trust Services

We value quality service & trust. BBA complies with UK Package Travel Regulations by using Protected Trust Services. Giving you full peace of mind, your travel funds are safe with us!

Colm D.
Colm D.
Booked a Lisbon Tuk Tuk tour with Big Blue for about 20 people as a work event at the end of... January. Really great experience from start to finish - from Heleen's responsiveness and flexibility as our numbers changed (including finding an extra tuk tuk 3 hours before our tour was due to start!) to Nuno guiding us expertly around the city and then back to the wine bar for some beautiful fado music. Really enjoyable afternoon from start to finish. Thank you!read more
Max W.
Max W.
I had the great pleasure of organizing this year's team event with Big Blue Adventures in... Madeira. From day 1, the first contact, everything went smoothly and the communication was always great. Individual wishes were taken into account and even spontaneous changes were accommodated without any complications. The week in Madeira was unique for our company and nobody could have imagined such a unique time beforehand. Our workshops ran flawlessly and every day was an adventure.The team from Big Blue Adventures is just as unique and they were a pleasure to work with. I would recommend working with BBA to any company. Thanks a lot and hope to see you again soon 🙂read more
Lizzie L
Lizzie L
Big Blue Adventures were the perfect partner for our first ever company offsite. Excellent... communication and flexibility around our plans and last minute changes! Would not hesitate to recommend the company - thank you to the whole team involved (Daniel, Heleen, Hannah, Nuno, Alex & Jake)read more
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