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(Terms & Conditions) VIATUR TRAVEL SYSTEM, INC. CST#2069792-10 -- Sept 2023

1. PRICE (USD) is per person, in a double room, subject to availability and changes. Single rooms require an individual supplement and the cost depends on the tour you choose. Triple rooms receive a 10% discount but the room has a folding bed.

2. RESERVATION & PAYMENTS. The Reservation Form + legible copy of your passport and $500 USD per person deposit are required to make your tour reservation (land portion). The airline ticket is separate and must be paid in full, when you make the reservation. You can pay with check, cash or  Zelle with no extra fee. Credit card, debit card or PayPal will generate a convenience administrative fee of 2.5% of the amount to be charged. The first $500 deposit is free of charge, regardless of how it is paid.

3. GROUP PAYMENTS: They have different payment rules. $500 pp is required to make the reservation; 90 days before departure it is required to have minimum $1,500 on the reservation for your trip.  If you are booking within 90 days $1,500 is required to reserve. The final balance 60 days before departure or if you are booking within 60 days you will have to pay the full amount when reserving. In some rare cases, depending on the airline, advance payments may be required to avoid any increases on airfare or taxes.

4. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS will be delivered 1 to 2 weeks before the departure date. Upon receiving your documentation, verify that EVERYTHING is correct and if something is incorrect with your documents, you must notify us within 48 hours maximum, or it will be your responsibility. It is recommended that you verify any flight changes 24 hours beforehand and check-in on the airline’s website.  If you want to choose a certain seat, you will be charged by the airline and also you might have to pay for your check-in bags and/or carry-on bags.  The before mention fees are determined by the airline and vary depending on the flight route.

5. DEADLINES for booking and final payment are extremely important and required to avoid an increase in the cost of airfare and/or taxes. If payments are not made on time, you may have to pay increased airfare, as increased by the airline. Failure to make final payment on the stipulated date will result in a $50.00 surcharge.

6. WHAT IS INCLUDED: All of our tours have a detailed list on the itinerary of what is included in the price. Please look at your specific tour itinerary for details.

7. PASSPORT must be valid 6 months after the return date, with a minimum of 3 blank pages for immigrations visa stamps, for each country to visit.

8. IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS, passport, visas, proof of Vaccination (when applicable), are completely the responsibility of the passenger. If something is missing and you are not allowed to board, you will lose your money and there is nothing we can do to fix it or get back any refund.

9. TOURIST VISAS: we do not process visas.  We only assist with information and guidance for you to do it online or go to consulate in person. If you require extra assistance from us for the preparation, there will be a minimum charge of $50+ pp depending on the time it takes to help you, with the process. There are Visa companies that are dedicated to these services and charge more than $300.00 per person.

10. CANCELLATION & OTHER FEES/CHARGES. There are substantial penalties that vary depending on how far before the departure date; we receive the cancellation in writing. For more details on CANCELLATION penalties, please refer to the "Reservation Contract" that you signed when you made the booking, accepting the terms. Minimum penalty is $250 pp. IMPORTANT: Penalties are NOT negotiable under any circumstance (including illness), which is why the purchase of Travel Insurance is highly recommended (don't risk it). CHANGES to the tour (land portion) must be made more than 30 days before departure and a minimum penalty of $250 pp will be applied depending on the tour, destination and what the operator indicates (does not apply to air tickets). Any change request to the tour (land portion) within 14 days of departure will have a minimum penalty of $1000+ pp or whatever the operator indicates, it could even be a 100% penalty (does not apply to air tickets). Cancellations for groups have their own penalty rules when canceling/changing.

FEES : Airlines, Hotels and Tour Operators have their own charges and are ADDITIONAL to Viatur service fees:

$35.00 NSF check.

$50.00 Late Final Payment (past the deadline).

$50.00 minimum for assistance with visa forms, cost is per person and per country. We are not in the business of processing visas, but we can assist as a business gesture. We are not responsible for any errors with the consulate.  Companies that specialize in the process of visas charge minimum $300 pp/country.

$75.00 is our service fee to try to make any changes with the airline. Additionally, there will be an airline penalty + fare change, they only allow 1 change.  Normally, airline tickets are non-refundable and don’t allow changes.  In the event we obtain an authorized change from airline, it will only apply to changing date of travel.  They do not allow passenger name or route changes, under any circumstance.

$50.00 fee for not purchasing airfare with Viatur for your tour. Fee is also to coordinate your hotel transfers, based on your flights. You are responsible for giving us the correct flight information in writing, 2 weeks before departure.  Any last minute airline itinerary changes to your flights are not our responsibility.  Transfer personnel will wait only 45min from flight arrival time.

$150.00 Customization of a personalized itinerary for an Independent trip (based on length of 10-15 days). Organizing a custom tour takes a lot of time and research. We will work on your itinerary until it meets your needs, but we cannot disclose exact name and details of hotels etc. until a deposit is made.  The $150 customization charge will be credited to your invoice.

$250.00 (fee applies to land portion only) for any change to departure date, tour/itinerary, and/or passenger name within 30 days prior to departure. Changes within 14 days, will have a minimum penalty of $1000 or whatever is stipulated by the tour operator. The above rule does not apply to booking cancellations, group bookings or airline tickets, which have their own rules.   A credit could be offered for travel at a later date, depending of tour operator and it will for sure incur a penalty/service fee.  Only 1 change is allowed and there are NO refunds.

$250.00 minimum fee in the organization of a Destination Wedding.  Fee will be charged upfront and will be credited upon reservation with deposit.  We can also offer a Wedding Gift Registry.

11. CONVENIECE/ADMINISTRATIVE FEE of 2.5% the amount charged will be added to your invoice (applies only to credit card, PayPal or debit card).  The initial $500 to reserve does not have a charge.  We recommend using Zelle, check or cash to avoid fees.

12. ORGANIZATION OF A TRIP  Please honor the 2 hours maximum of consultation in person to organize a trip. If you need that much time, please make an appointment.  Whatever information is pending will be followed-up and completed by email or phone.

13. TRAVEL INSURANCE is very important at the time of making your reservation. Most Travel Insurance companies require you to purchase the insurance within 24 hours of making your initial deposit or purchase.  Confirm if your policy will cover Pre-Existing Conditions which are important if you have (ex: diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, knee problems etc). The travel insurance will definatelly give you peace of mind and protection against severe cancellation penalties. Additionally, depending on the insurance policy purchased, it can provide coverage for medical expenses, theft, or loss of suitcases due to the airline, etc. It is your responsibility to read and understand in detail what the Travel Insurance policy covers!  We are not responsible for any policy clauses, changes, or Insurance company's decisions regarding claims for possible refunds from Insurance Company. In all cases, the passenger must make the claim with insurance company themselves and provide documentation they require.  The insurance policy must be purchased with your own credit card, since it is a purchase outside of Viatur! Important: insurance policies do not cover "everything" and there are situations such as inclement weather, pandemics, riots, strikes, machinery failures, terrorism, wars (declared or not), flight or tour delays or cancellations that may not be covered. Normally, Airlines and Tour operators do not give refunds, only credit for future travel.  A Travel Insurance might be able to help in getting a refund depending on your coverage. Please read the Insurance Policy.   THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSURANCE, SELECT YOUR POLICY DEPENDING ON YOUR NEEDS:   (A) "Travel Insurance" covers reimbursement for your trip in the event of illness or accident of yours or a close family member, before or during the trip (the passenger must claim the reimbursement directly with the insurance company) . This same insurance also covers you in case of theft, loss, repatriation, etc. It is a very complete insurance but it does not necessarily cover everything and it is the Insurance Company that determines the applicable coverage, read your policy inclusions carefully. (B) "Cancellation Insurance" (available only on certain tours) this insurance allows you to cancel your trip up to 14 days before the departure date and you will be refunded the cost of the tour in the form of Credit less $500 administration fee. The credit must be used within 1 year or your credit will be lost (insurance does not cover airfare or other services). (C) "Medical Insurance" is highly recommended particularly for seniors traveling alone, because medical insurance will assist them at their destination. The tour guide or tour representative cannot assist a person with medical problems, because he/she is responsible for the entire group. The offer of these insurances is not available on all tours; please consult your travel agent for guidance It is required to purchase Health Insurance for the protection of elderly passengers (80+), unless you are traveling with a companion. For your own good, without purchasing medical insurance, we are sorry but you cannot travel alone. Viatur is not affiliated with the Insurance Company (it is just a suggestion on our part). In all cases, the insurance company will give you instructions on which doctor/hospital to go to or what to do in relation to the problem you are having, but will ask you to cover the expenses initially and they will reimburse you for what they determine is within the coverage of the purchased policy.  VERY IMPORTANT: keep all documents and receipts for expenses you made, otherwise the insurance company may reject your claim. In case of theft, you will need to file a police report. Please note that they do not refund lost or stolen cash or highly expensive jewelry etc.

14. AIRLINE TICKETS are NOT refundable, under any circumstances. You cannot change the passenger name or route. In some unusual cases, the airline allows you to change the departure date, but paying a penalty approximately of $300 p.p. + the rate difference. Viatur will charge $75 to process the change.

15. AIRLINES  We are at the mercy of Airlines and they sometimes make unforeseen changes to departure times or even cancel the flight a few days before departure, affecting the itinerary/tour you are taking. We will assist you in trying to resolve the problem, as much as possible, within our control.  However, it takes time, calls and patience.  We don't own the airlines, but we will do our best to get a result that works. If due to the problem, there are losses of tour days, we are not responsible for lost services, since it was a change generated by the airline and not our company. Travel Insurance can cover losses due to trip delay or trip cancellation (verify you policy), but it is the insurance that ultimately determines any refunds, after receiving your claim.

16. CHARGE FOR BAGGAGE AND SEATS Check-in baggage fees are approximately $50-$100 per suitcase of 50 lbs, some even charge for carry-ons. They also charge for choosing the seat of your choice. We cannot control, eliminate, or reduce those costs. If you have a credit card from the airline that you are going to travel, possibly they might not charge you for checked bags. Please note, some airlines (mostly in other countries) only allow 40kg suitcases; please check your flight details on the airline's website. Viatur is not responsible for any incorrect information regarding baggage or seat assignment issues.

17. SEAT ASSIGNMENTS are controlled by the airline and they charge for choosing your seat. It is advisable to select your seats online and pay for them at check-in time or before, if you are particular of where you sit. The last option is to arrive early at the airport and find out which seats are available for free. At the airline counter they do their best at trying to sit you with your family or travel companions.

18. AIRPORT TRANSFERS. In the event that your arrival flight is delayed or you do not clear customs/immigration within 1 hour of your arrival time, the airport to hotel transfer may not be provided and the cost of the taxi to your hotel will be your responsibility! The transfer driver is authorized to wait only one hour from the plane's arrival time. As soon as the plane lands, proceed to immigration and customs. Regarding transfer out at end of tour and in a worst case scenario, if the transfer-out driver does not show up within the time arranged, after a 15 min delay, take a taxi and keep the receipt to request a refund.  No receipt, no refund. Don't miss your flight!

19. HOTELS CHECK-IN at hotels worldwide is between 2:00pm-4:00pm and you may have to wait to receive your room. It is best to leave your bags with the Concierge and go out for a meal or a walk.

20.TOUR BUS has a maximum load capacity for luggage, so only ONE (1) SUITCASE (max. 50 lbs) per person is allowed, a carry-on bag that must fit under the seat of the bus. There is no space above, as if it were an airplane. The suitcases are transported at the expense and risk of the passenger, loss or damage that may occur for any reason during the trip is not the responsibility of Viatur. Travelers must be present when bus personnel is handling luggage to ensure it is on board the bus, before leaving each city. Take note that some airlines (domestic within certain countries) have a 40lbs restriction, check with the airline you are traveling to. These policies are very variable and cannot be controlled by us, and are also the policy of each airline. Please verify yourself before traveling.

21. TIPS ARE NOT NCLUDED to the Guide and Driver, which are mandatory. Consider they are at your disposal basically 24/7 and make up their minimum wage, with your generosity! Guide $4 per person, for each day of the tour + Driver $3 per person, for each day of the tour. Ex: 15 days of tour x $4 = $60 per person for the Guide. For the Driver 15 days of tour X $3 = $45 per person. Tips to Local Guides are not mandatory. Example, if every day you got off the bus, and gave $4 to guide and $3 to chauffer is equal to $105.00 per passenger (not couple) at end of tour.  They end up with $60 guide and $45 chauffer for their services on the 15-day tour.  We highly recommend you set aside money for their gratuity, so that at end of tour you don’t feel you’ve spent all your money and they are the ones affected.

22. OPTIONAL TOURS definitely improve your trip.  The tour already includes the major points of interest in the panoramic city visits (as indicated in the itinerary), but there are so many other beautiful sites to see, which will be offered by the tour guide as “optional tours” in the various countries to visit a specific place or the surroundings of a certain city more extensively. These are as the name says, "optional" and although, they definitely add to the pleasure of your trip, they are totally optional and at an additional cost. If a person decided to take almost all the optionals on a 15-day tour, they would spend approx. $700+.  Viatur has no affiliation with the optionals offered by the (freelance) tour guide during your trip and therefore is not responsible for their quality, price, or duration. They are optional and the tour guides offer them to passengers based on his experience and are entirely your decision whether to take them or not.

23. DISCOUNTS:  Applies to certain trips to Europe. The discount must be requested at the time of booking, not later. Discounts are NOT cumulative under any circumstances. Discounts do not apply to Christmas or New Year's Eve departures and only on certain tours on the land portion of Classic Line trips to Europe. Discounts do not apply to airline tickets, P+, individual supplement or tours that are already discounted, cruises, ferries, or train tickets. The family plan is limited to two families per tour date departure and requires confirmation from the operator. We recommend making reservations for the "Family Plan" discount at least 4 to 6 months in advance, especially for departures in the summer. See available discounts below:

FAMILY PLAN:  (FAMILIES of 6 or more MEMBERS) 5% discount for each passenger in families of at least 6 passengers (certain restrictions apply).

CHILDREN 5 to 12 YEARS OLD: 25% discount when staying with two adults in the same room.

24. PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL ALONE usually request a roommate (always of the same sex) to save on the expensive individual supplement, which is quite high. However, there are certain points that must be taken into consideration. Viatur is not responsible for the good or bad outcome of your decision to share the room to save money. Bottom line, we do not know if the person snores or what hygiene habits they have or if they do not meet your standards. Additionally, and most important! If close to departure (60 days or less) your travel companion decides to cancel their trip or travel with another person and is no longer available to share a room YOU will be responsible to pay the individual supplement, to be able to make the trip.  For you, to cancel at this point, for lack of a person to share room would cause you a stiff penalty. If you cancel within 60 days before the trip departure, the penalties are very severe and in that case it is cheaper to pay the individual supplement and enjoy the room to yourself. These cases are rare, but it can happen.

25. VIATUR is like that of an Insurance Agent, we sell various options of companies that offer the requested services at the best price and quality, with the goal that you are satisfied and recommend us! Any mishap during the tour is not due to our failure as an agency, since we are NOT the Tour Operator. However, we will do everything in our power to remedy the issue when you send us (in writing) a detailed account of the problem or setback you experienced.

26. NOTES/CHANGES: The order of the tour or hotel may have to be changed, without prior notice. Some services could be replaced by others and/or completely eliminated, but always trying to maintain or improve the quality that has characterized us since 1995. There are many factors that can influence and be the reason for changes (problems on the road, strikes, protests, accidents, closures, fires, and other possible unforeseen events). The operator reserves the right to use smaller vehicles when the number of participants is less than 16 passengers, and in those cases the driver can act as driver and guide. The prices of the tours were calculated based on current rates and currency exchange rates (Euros to Dollars).  In the event of significant exchange rate variations there may be unforeseen and unavoidable change on services or cost.

27. WHY THERE ARE PENALTIES:  Cancellation charges are mainly from airlines, wholesale operators, hotels, etc. PLUS our agencies (minimum charge indicated above) are to cover time invested time from staff in the process of your trip, throughout weeks and sometimes months of organization. There are many of us involved who work on each client's reservation, before you decide to travel, since we have prepared quotes, itineraries, etc. At the time of making your reservation deposit, the entire organization of your trip is put in place, starting with your Travel Agent, wholesale tour operators, airlines, hotels, guides, etc... In addition, we also have administrative and banking expenses and required deposits to wholesalers and/or airlines. You trust your deposit to us, and we forward payment immediately to the appropriate vendors to guarantee your trip coordinated just as you requested, so everything has to be confirmed immediately, even if the trip is several months away.

28. FINALLY: Our job as Travel Agents is to coordinate, investigate, organize, and manage the logistics of a tour. We are Advisors who, based on our 30+ year experience, can recommend, inform, guide, provide options, assist you in obtaining the dream trip at the best price and deliver your clear and complete Travel Documents (1 week before departure). The moment you make your deposit, everything is put in place to guarantee space and price, as mutually agreed. We as Travel Agents invest a lot of time researching, based on our knowledge providing quotes, consulting and coordinating with operators, airlines, hotels, etc. sent to you). Consider that our goal is that everything always flows perfectly with your reservation, to avoid additional time and work, which is NOT compensated by anyone. Unfortunately, airlines, operators, consulates, etc. suddenly cause unforeseen events that cause us conflicts and extra work. These problems caused by third parties are beyond our control and commitment as a Travel Agent, but in any case we provide the additional service necessary to try to resolve the situation, within our possibilities. This last point is the main reason why working with a Travel Agent has a lot of value. We always strive to provide a personal and professional service, even if it is outside our area of ​​responsibility.

PLEASE READ ALL THE CLAUSES OF THE GENERAL CONDITIONS IN DETAIL

The clauses of our General Conditions may change without prior notice or may have errors/omissions

that might need to be corrected. We will always apply our most recent and accurate policies, at the moment.

(Lay-Away Plan:

The Lay-Away plan is available without any maintenance fee.  You can select any tour with a departure date (10-13 months in advance).  In some cases the airfare cost cannot be determined until 11 months in advance therefore, you can purchase the airfare 4-6 months before travel and then continue with the plan's payments.  You can start your Lay-Away plan with an initial $500 deposit per person and then continue to make monthly payments as it is financially comfortable for you.  The final balance must be paid in full 60 days before departure.  All other Terms & Conditions apply the same as any other travel package.

(Meals and sight-seeing:

As indicated in the itineraries: Meals do not include beverages except coffee or tea with breakfast. Not included in the Tour price: Passport and visa fees, laundry, water, mini-bar usage, tips to maids, waiters, chauffeurs and tour guides or any service not specifically mentioned.  All details of what is included is outlined in the day to day itinerary.  If questions, please ask your travel consultant.

(Spanish Speaking and English-Speaking tour guides:

Our multi-country Europe tours are operated by our Parent company in Spanish, however, we can offer English tours with other tour operators.  Our Spain & Portugal tours will operate in both Spanish and English, unless otherwise stated. In the unusual event that a group is less than 20 passengers, the tour operator reserves the right to operate the tour in a minibus or private cars with a driver-escort, or by rail transportation.  Viatur, as a full service Travel Agency, can offer you any Pleasure Travel Package Worldwide in English or Spanish.  We do not sell airfare only, unless you also want, hotel accommodations for Independent travel.  We arrange Independent, Groups, Private or Cruising travel.

© Copyright 1995 - 2023 VIATUR TRAVEL INC.
Todos los derechos reservados. All Rights Reserved. CST# 2069792
Viatur Travel System Inc. - 3407 West Beverly Blvd, Montebello, CA 90640
USA Toll Free 1-888-284-2887  |  Mexico Linea Gratuita 001-877-256-4008