2016 - APT Small Ships

120 General Information & Conditions www.aptouring.com.au The following terms and conditions ('booking conditions') form the basis of your contract with Australian Pacific Touring Pty Ltd ('APT', 'we' or 'our'). Please read them carefully as they set out your and our respective rights and obligations. By asking us to confirm your booking, we are entitled to assume that you have had the opportunity to read and have read these booking conditions; that you agree to them; and that you agree to them applying to the holiday arrangements that you book with us and which we agree to make, provide or perform (as applicable) as part of our contract with you. References in these booking conditions to your 'holiday package' are references to the tour or cruise package you have booked with APT. References to 'excursions' are references to short trips or tours included or available as part of your holiday package. Governing law These booking conditions are governed by the law in force in Victoria, Australia. BEFORE YOU BOOK Prices – Deposits – Discounts – Payments Your booking price will be set out in this brochure unless it is varied by advertising or a special offer, or is changed after the publication date for any reason including, without limitation, to cover changes in government taxes and charges, exchange rate variations, fuel surcharges, airline charges, a force majeure event or other material increases by suppliers. Once you pay your deposit your holiday package price is guaranteed (except for any changes resulting from a Force Majeure event). An AUD $1,500 security deposit per person, per holiday package is required within seven days of receipt of booking confirmation. Deposit requirements may vary when booking a special offer. Final payment of the balance of your holiday package price is due 100 days prior to departure unless otherwise stated in the terms of a special offer. APT reserves the right to cancel any ticket or booking or to refuse to carry any passenger where payment has not been received by APT within the specified time. All fares and charges are in Australian currency. Payment in full is required at time of booking for reservations made less than 100 days before departure from Australia or New Zealand. If APT is unable to confirm your reservation, all monies will be refunded. Travelling with Minors Children under 12 years of age are not recommended on Small Ship Cruises. Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult and share their accommodation with an adult. Included in Holiday Package Price All coach/cruise travel, accommodation, airfares (as indicated in individual itineraries), gratuities, airport transfers on the first and last day of the tour as indicated by the itinerary, sightseeing, meals, admissions, port charges and the services of an Expedition Leader or Cruise Manager as stated in the itineraries. Complimentary beverages are only served during your cruise and do not include French champagne, premium spirits, or selected wines. Complimentary beverages are not available during your city stay excursions. On Antarctica and Voyages Collection cruises, complimentary beverages are served with lunch and dinner only. Arrival/Departure Transfers Arrival transfers are included on Day 1 of your Boutique or Expedition Collection holiday package or with pre-tour accommodation booked through APT. Return transfer is included on the last day of your holiday package or with post-tour accommodation booked through APT. Transfers for APT Voyages are only included on first and last day of your tour. All flight information must be provided to APT 60 days prior to your departure date, if this information is not received we are unable to guarantee the transfer/s. No refund will be given for any unused transfers. If you miss your pre-arranged transfer/s you are responsible for making your way to the destination. Not Included in Holiday Package Price Airfares, airport taxes, laundry, passport and visa fees, food not on the regular table d'hôte menu, drinks may or may not be included as indicated in your itinerary, excess baggage, fuel surcharges and optional excursions not specified in the itinerary. Extra overnight accommodation is not included at the start or end of tour or cruise if not specified in the itinerary. Choosing Your Holiday Holiday packages contained within this brochure are for departures between the 1st of January 2016 and the 31st of December 2016. To maximise your enjoyment of your APT holiday and to ensure that it lives up to your expectations it is important that you choose the right holiday package for you. Our brochures contain limited information, however, there is also information available online at www.aptouring.com.au and our qualified staff are available to discuss your options. Voyages Collection APT's Voyages Collection cruises are operated with our partner, Noble Caledonia. During these voyages, soft drink, wine and beer are included with lunch and dinner only, with WI-FI internet available but at additional cost. These voyages will be escorted by a Noble Caledonia Cruise Director or Expedition Leader. Gratuities Gratuities are included for all staff on all APT-operated holiday packages and cannot be redeemed for a cash refund. Gratuities are not included for any individual purchases. Hotels International hotel rooms are often smaller than those in Australia and New Zealand. In more remote places, hotel standards may not be quite as high as in major centres. APT endeavours to utilise the most suitable accommodation available in each destination to ensure that passengers enjoy high levels of cleanliness, comfort and service. The hotels listed in this brochure will be used on almost all holiday packages, however , if a change is necessary for any reason, APT will endeavour to ensure that alternative accommodation is of an equivalent standard to that shown. Hotel rooms are generally not available for check-in before 3.00 pm and require check- out by 10.00 am. Twin or Double Rooms Accommodation in all hotels, regardless of the rating, is in standard rooms based on twin beds or a double bed unless otherwise stated. Cruising – Cabin/Suite/Stateroom Selection APT will make every effort to assign specific cabins, cabin numbers or locations on the ship if requested. If this is not possible, APT reserves the right to make changes to cabin assignment, within the category booked, without prior notice. Wi-Fi Internet Wi-Fi internet is available aboard your ship, however, APT cannot guarantee the consistency of the service throughout the duration of your cruise. Solo Travellers A limited number of single rooms/suites/cabins are available by request at time of booking Small Ship cruises. Passengers Needing Special Assistance APT welcomes passengers with disabilities or special needs provided they are accompanied by a companion capable of providing all necessary assistance. However, any disability or medical condition requiring special attention must be reported to APT at the time of booking to ensure the tour you have chosen is suitable and meets your needs. APT will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the special needs of disabled passengers, but is not responsible for any denial of services by carriers, hotels, trains, restaurants or other independent suppliers, or for any additional associated expenses. Coaches and minibuses are not equipped with wheelchair ramps. Most river and ocean cruise ships have elevators, although some have stairs and no elevator. Cabin doors and restrooms may not be wide enough to allow access by standard wheelchairs. Wheelchairs and walkers cannot be carried on coaches, due to space limitations. For safety reasons, passengers in wheelchairs cannot be carried on ramps in ports where the river or ocean cruise ship is at anchor. APT is unable to provide individual assistance to any passenger for walking, dining, boarding or disembarking coaches or zodiacs/tenders or other transportation vehicles, or any other personal needs. Health and Fitness A good level of fitness and health is required to participate on APT's holiday packages. In some destinations there are extensive sightseeing excursions by foot which may include climbing of stairs. Mobility is needed to board and disembark coaches, river and ocean cruise ships and trains. We recommend a visit to the doctor and dentist before travelling. It is your responsibility to advise APT of any pre-existing medical conditions that may affect the normal conduct of a holiday package and the enjoyment of other passengers. A Health, Fitness & Mobility Checklist can be requested at the time of booking and is available on our website. Visa and Passports All passengers must have a valid passport with at least six months validity from the return date. Passengers must consult with the appropriate consulates to ensure any applicable visas for countries visited have been obtained prior to departure. Meeting necessary passport and visa entry requirements and cost is the sole responsibility of the passenger. APT is not responsible for delays or missed portions of cruise/tour relating to incorrect travel documents or visas. Shore Excursions The timing of the shore excursions on all Small Ships will differ slightly for each departure. They are intended as a guide only and are subject to change without notice. It is not possible for large coaches to be used for some city sightseeing. Many towns and cities will be visited by way of walking tours and accordingly , a reasonable level of fitness is required. For Small Ship cruising, clients must be able to climb ramps and step onto smaller boats for some ship embarkation/disembarkations. The nature of Small Ship Cruising is flexibility to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Itinerary variations will be decided by the Captain in consultation with the Expedition Leader or Cruise Manager in the best interests of passengers and operational requirements. Freedom of Choice TM Inclusions If offered, minimum and maximum group numbers apply on some Freedom of Choice Inclusions. If your first choice of Freedom of Choice inclusion is unavailable you may be asked to choose an alternative. Late Bookings and Special Offers Many of the hotels and holiday packages included in our late bookings promotions or special offers are also featured in APT's other main brochures and on its website. Late booking promotions and special offers do not apply to existing bookings unless otherwise stated. BOOKING & PAYING FOR YOUR HOLIDAY Airfares Air travel is arranged with independent airlines. APT will arrange air travel as advertised in connection with your holiday package or as otherwise arranged with APT. All airfares are subject to flight and booking class availability. Airfares will be booked and ticketed upon receipt of your deposit to avoid price or tax increases. Airport taxes vary for each departure point and routing of airline. Airline schedules are subject to change without notice. Once air tickets are issued, airline amendment and/or cancellation fees apply and, in some cases, are non-refundable. Name changes and voluntary date and schedule changes will incur fees. APT is not liable for delays or disruptions of air travel. Once tickets are issued APT will have no other liability and will not be responsible for refunding the cost of any services booked in conjunction with the flights. Out of Date R ange Flights If airlines have not published their schedule at the time this brochure was printed or at the time of booking, APT will estimate the cost of airfares connected with your holiday package. When the airline releases flight inventory and airfares, APT will confirm seats and pricing to you by sending you an updated invoice. Once flights have been confirmed by you and payment has been received, APT will issue your ticket/s. APT Deposit Cancellation Peace of Mind Applicable when an upfront fee of $75 per person is paid with your deposit. The holiday package can be cancelled prior to final payment date and deposit will be retained as an APT holding credit to be used for future bookings. If Deposit Cancellation Peace of Mind is claimed, monies held must be used on a future cruise or tour and cannot be redeemed against the original cruise or tour departure date. Deposit held in credit will exclude fees imposed by third parties in relation to – air and rail travel, hotels and cabins on Voyages cruises. When booking airfares through APT (including when taking advantage of a special offer that includes air travel), standard airline cancellation fees will apply. In some cases, airfares will be non-refundable. In the event of cancellation, these fees will be deducted from the deposit paid, and therefore the credit being held. APT Deposit Cancellation Peace of Mind applies to new bookings only and is only valid up until 100 days prior to travel. After five years, unused credit funds will incur the original cancellation conditions as per brochure. This does not replace Travel Insurance, which we strongly recommend at the time of booking. Travel Insurance Travel Insurance is not included in your holiday package. For your protection we strongly recommend that you purchase comprehensive travel insurance that includes (without limitation) coverage for: medical expenses; loss of luggage; cruise, land and airfare charges that may occur due to cancellation, disruption, loss of deposit or strikes. Travel Information and Documents After your booking is made you will receive an invoice with all the important information relevant to your holiday package. We strongly recommend you check the details carefully and read the included information. Please ensure that you check your flight timings carefully on your tickets, particularly early morning departures. Approximately 21 days before departure you will receive your e-ticket together with your final itinerary. However in the case of late bookings, charges or late payment, tickets may be emailed to you. Special Requests Where a special request (eg. diet, room location, twin or double bedded room, a particular facility at a hotel, flight seat requests and/or particular meals) is an important factor in your choice of holiday, you must advise us when your booking is made. APT will pass your request onto the hotel, airline or other supplier but cannot guarantee that it will be accommodated. When booking your flights with APT we will also pass on any dietary requests to the airline but we strongly recommend that you check directly with the airline once your tickets have been issued. The provision of any special request does not constitute a term of your contract with us. Confirmation that a special request has been noted or passed on to the supplier or the inclusion of the special request on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation is not confirmation that the request will be met. Unless and until specifically confirmed, all special requests are subject to availability. Credit Card Surcharges If you pay APT by credit card, credit card surcharges of between 1% and 3% will be added the price of the holiday package. IF YOU CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY Changes or Additions to Your Holiday If you want to change any part of your holiday arrangements after the invoice has been issued, we will do our best to make the change, but it may not be possible. Any request for changes must be made in writing by the person who made the original

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