2016 - APT Africa

74 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 your 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 – see below). A $1,500 security deposit per person, per tour is required for all tours. The deposit is required within 7 days 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 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 AUD. 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 twelve years of age are not recommended on tours to Africa. Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult and share their accommodation with an adult. Game lodges cannot guarantee triple bedding. When arriving, transiting and/or departing from South Africa, children under the age of 18 years will be required to produce a birth certificate indicating their biological parents. Included in Our Land Tour Price All coach, rail and cruise travel, accommodation, sightseeing, internal airfares, park fees, gratuities, port charges, admissions, luggage service (one bag), local guides, services of a Tour Director, and meals (as specified and indicated in each individual itinerary). Not Included in Our Land Tour Price Airfares between Australia and Africa, optional tours, meals other than those specified in the itinerary, drinks, laundry, passport and visa fees, excess baggage and vaccinations. Gratuities are not included on the Pre- tour Rovos Rail Extension (Pretoria to Cape Town) or the Africa extensions on pages 68-72. Changes to flight schedules may require you to book additional accommodation and services at your own expense. Flights Within Africa Economy flights within Africa and airport taxes are included in the price. This is based on passengers booking an international ticket to Africa with South African Airways with APT. A surcharge may apply if H class for internal flights is not available. If you are flying with Qantas, or another international airline, a surcharge will apply to internal flights. This will be based on the best fare available at the time of booking. All internal flights must be booked by APT. Airport Transfers Airport transfers in Africa are included on the first and last day of your tour package. No refund will be given for unused transfers. Transfers cannot be re-routed to other pick-up points or destinations. Passengers who miss the pre-booked transfers must make their own way to/from the game lodge/hotel/ship at own expense. Transfers must be booked and details advised to APT at least 60 days prior to travel, otherwise transfers cannot be guaranteed. Choosing Your Holiday The holidays contained within this brochure are departures between January 2016 and March 2017. 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 more information online at www.aptouring.com.au and our qualified staff are available to discuss your options. Hotels In more remote places, hotel standards may not be quite as high as in major city 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 those shown. Hotel rooms are generally not available for check-in before 3 pm and require check-out by 10 am. Twin or Double Rooms Accommodation in all hotels and camps, regardless of the rating, is in standard rooms (sometimes named superior/deluxe) based on twins or doubles unless otherwise stated. Pre & Post Extended Touring All extensions are based on availability at time of booking. Passengers will be assisted by local guides or the Train Manager on Rovos Rail as the APT Tour Director will not accompany the group. Gratuities are not included on extended touring packages. Passengers Needing Special Assistance APT requires passengers with disabilities or special needs to be accompanied by a companion capable of providing all necessary assistance and support. Any disability or medical condition requiring special attention or special equipment must be reported to APT at the time of booking to ensure your needs can be met and that the tour you have chosen is suitable for you. 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 4WD vehicles are not equipped with wheelchair ramps. Wheelchairs and walkers cannot be carried on coaches or 4WD vehicles due to space limitations. For safety reasons, passengers in wheelchairs cannot be carried on ramps, or up stairs or 4WD vehicles. APT is unable to provide individual assistance to any passenger for walking, dining, boarding or alighting coaches or other transportation vehicles or other personal needs. Visa & Passports All passengers must have a valid passport that is valid for at least six months after the holiday package return date. Passengers must have two blank pages available in their passports for your entry permit into South Africa. Passengers must consult with the appropriate consulates to ensure that they have any applicable visas for countries included in the holiday package prior to departure. Passengers are solely responsible for meeting necessary passport and visa entry requirements and paying all associated costs. APT is not responsible for delays or missed portions of the holiday package resulting from incorrect travel documents or visas. Health & Fitness Travel is in 4WD vehicles in game parks and all throughout East Africa. Anyone with back conditions or limited mobility should seek advice from their doctor about joining this tour. Dust may also irritate contact lenses, therefore we suggest bringing glasses. In many of the cities and game lodges, walking is required on uneven ground and gravel paths, and good mobility is needed getting on/off 4WD vehicles, coaches, river ships and trains. We strongly recommend a visit to the doctor and dentist before travelling to overseas destinations. It is your responsibility to advise APT of any pre-existing medical conditions that may affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of others while on tour. Yellow Fever vaccination is required. Freedom of Choice™ Sightseeing Inclusions Minimum and maximum group numbers apply on Freedom of Choice™ excursions. If your first choice of Freedom of Choice™ sightseeing inclusion is unavailable you may be asked to choose an alternative. The Meerkat Safari option in Oudtshoorn has a maximum limit of 16 people per tour. Public Holidays & Festivals Virtually all countries have public holidays, religious or otherwise. The festivities may temporarily disrupt your holiday and some religious holidays may result in a reduction of facilities and entertainment. Late Bookings & 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 AND 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 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 Range 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 the final payment date and your 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, including but not limited to air travel, rail travel and hotels. 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 and land content and airfare charges that may occur due to cancellation, disruption, loss of deposit or strikes. Travel Information & Documents After booking you will receive an invoice with all 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. APT 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. Superdeals 2016 Conditions apply. Strictly limited offer on set departures. Subject to availability at time of booking. Cannot be combined with any other offer unless specified and maybe withdrawn at any time. Credit Card Surcharges If you pay APT by credit card, credit card surcharges of between 1% and 3% will be added your tour price.

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