General Terms & Conditions
for Friendly Planet Travel Programs with Costa Cruises
To achieve our goal of providing you with the very best services at the lowest possible prices, we ask that you read our "fine print" carefully and note the policies as outlined below.
Air Transportation
Our tours include flights from designated USA gateways in economy class, by scheduled carriers. Business class upgrades are available on some of our tours at a supplement in price. See individual tours for availability and cost. Flight schedules are subject to change without notice. Friendly Planet Travel Inc. cannot be held responsible for damage caused by delays or changes.
Fares and fees are subject to change until final payment is received by Friendly Planet and tickets are issued. Once issued, airline tickets are no longer subject to increase, but they are fully non-refundable.
ADD ON FLIGHTS from select USA cities may be offered on some tours. In such instances, Friendly Planet Travel Inc. cannot guarantee choice of routing or carrier.
AIRPORT TAXES are in addition to tour prices and are noted in the price schedule for each tour and are subject to change without notice. If some taxes cannot be prepaid, passengers will be notified to pay them directly to local authorities.
BAGGAGE: One suitcase per passenger is allowed for checked luggage. In some instances, the weight limit is only 44 pounds. Carry on luggage is limited to one piece per person, which must fit in overhead bin or under seat. Specific baggage limitations for your specific tour will be sent with confirmation materials. Friendly Planet Travel, Inc. cannot be responsible for any lost or damaged luggage.
FREQUENT FLYER MILES: Friendly Planet Travel, Inc. is not involved in or responsible for crediting miles. Please consult directly with your frequent flyer program for rules.
Passports & Visas
PASSPORTS are required for all US citizens traveling abroad and must be valid for at least 6 months after your date of return. Many countries will not allow you to enter their borders if you do not have at least 6 months of remaining validity on your present passport. If you already have a valid passport, please send Friendly Planet Travel two clear photocopies of the signature and photograph pages of your passport with your reservation. If you do not already have a passport, you should make arrangements to get one without delay and send the photocopies of the appropriate pages as soon as your passport arrives. Be sure to sign your new passport before you make your photocopies for us. Friendly Planet must receive your passport copy 60 days prior to departure in order to assure that your name appears on your ticket exactly as it appears on your passport. Airlines may apply penalties if it is necessary to make corrections to your name either in the air record or on your ticket.
VISAS are required for some of our tours, and it is the responsibility of each passenger to secure the proper travel documents for each tour. In some cases, group visas are possible to obtain and Friendly Planet Travel, Inc. will make arrangements to secure such visas for you. If group visas are not possible, we will provide our passengers with information on obtaining individual visas required for our tours. Visa fees are not included in the tour price and are noted in the price schedule for each tour.
You are advised to contact the Consulate or Embassy of the countries that you are visiting well in advance of your trip to ascertain their requirements.
Hotel Accommodations & Meals
ACCOMMODATIONS are in carefully selected Deluxe and Superior First Class and First Class hotels, cruise ships and lodges, in twin-bedded rooms with private facilities. Single rooms are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. You will receive a detailed list of all the accommodations on your tour, including addresses and telephone and fax numbers, with your travel documents.
Other than breakfast, which is included on all tours, meals are as specifically indicated in the features and itinerary for each tour. Beverages are not included.
Sometimes, due to various causes beyond our control, it is necessary to change the accommodations on your tour. We will do our best to see that any substitutes meet or exceed the quality and location of the listed accommodations. Please understand, however, that in many instances, we are relying on the opinions of local operators. Friendly Planet is not liable for the quality or location of any accommodations.
Transportation & Touring
TRANSFERS & TOURING are provided by modern, air-conditioned touring coaches. All entrance fees to places visited in the itinerary are included except those mentioned as optional. Arrangements for the itineraries, domestic transportation and flights are solely at the discretion of the local land operators and are subject to change without notice. If any changes are made, Friendly Planet has no liability.
Transfers for are provided on a group basis only. For land-only passengers or for passengers deviating in any way from the group program, transfers are not provided. On some tours, individual, private transfers can be arranged at a supplement in price for some of our tours. Taxis and other forms of transportation are also available and may cost less than private transfers. If you wish to arrange private transfers on those tours for which this service is available, please request them at the time of reservation.
Reservations & Deposits
RESERVATIONS can be made online by completing the reservation form on our website. If you reserve your tour online, please call us with your credit card information so that we can charge your tour deposit and travel insurance if you elect to purchase it. You can also make your reservation and pay your deposit by fax (215-572-9803), by telephone (1-800-555-5765) or by postal mail (Friendly Planet Travel, Inc. P.O. Box 505, Jenkintown, PA 19046). We accept VISA, Master Card, Discover and American Express. If you prefer to make your reservation by postal mail and pay your deposit by check, we strongly recommend overnight delivery, as your reservation cannot be confirmed without receipt of your tour deposit. A deposit of $500 per person is required to reserve your place. DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE ON ALL FRIENDLY PLANET TOURS.
Final Payments
FINAL PAYMENTS are due 105 days prior to departure. Payments may be paid by
check or major credit card.
CHANGES to your original reservation will result in a $150 change fee per person, per change. We regret that we cannot accept changes within 105 days of departure.
UNUSED SERVICES cannot be refunded once the trip has begun. No refund can be made for absence by passengers from any part of the tour.
PERSONAL TIPS are not included in the tour price. We will provide each passenger with suggested tipping information for all of our tours. These suggestions will be part of the final tour documents.
DOCUMENTS for all tours will be sent at approximately 12 days prior to departure, via FedEx. If you reside within the USA (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) the delivery cost is already included in your tour price. If your documents need to be delivered to an address in Alaska or Hawaii, or any address outside the USA, a document delivery fee of $40 per shipment will be added to your invoice.
TOUR PRICE INCLUDES flights from designated USA gateways, hotel accommodations, meals as indicated, touring per itinerary including entrance fees, hotel taxes, and porterage.
TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE passports and visa fees, foreign airport taxes and fees, US departure taxes, excess baggage charges, baggage and personal insurance, gratuities, optional tours, beverages, items not specifically mentioned in the itinerary or tour inclusions section, or any items of a personal nature.
CANCELLATIONS of reservations must be made in writing and are subject to the following charges:
| Up to 105 days prior to departure |
|
$500 |
| 104 - 46 days prior to departure |
|
$1000 |
| 45 - 21 days prior to departure |
|
$2,300 |
| 20 days or less prior to departure |
|
No Refund |
Travel Insurance
INSURANCE coverage for your tour is strongly recommended. Following is a summary of our comprehensive travel insurance plan that we provide for our passengers for only $129 per person. Travel insurance must be purchased by 90 days prior to departure or with your final payment and is non-refundable. After we have received your final payment, our special travel insurance package will not be available. This coverage includes the following features:
TRIP CANCELLATION & INTERRUPTION: Up to total trip cost. Covers non-refundable trip payments up to the total air and land cost for cancellation prior to departure or trip interruption after departure, in the event of covered sickness, injury or death.
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSION WAIVER: The pre-existing conditions exclusion will be waived provided your premium is received by Friendly Planet within 7 days of the initial deposit/payment for your tour, and you are not disabled from travel at the time you pay your premium. We recommend purchasing travel insurance at the time of reservation so as to take full advantage of this excellent benefit.
MEDICAL EXPENSE & EMERGENCY EVACUATION: Up to $25,000. Covers costs of physician, hospital and emergency evacuation due to sickness or injury that occurs while you are on the trip.
BAGGAGE INSURANCE: Up to $1,000. Covers loss, damage or destruction.
BAGGAGE DELAY: $100. Covers purchases, clothing, etc., if baggage is delayed 24 hours or more.
TRIP DELAY: $100 per day. Covers purchases of clothing, etc., if baggage is delayed 24 hours or more.
24-HOUR HOTLINE ASSISTANCE: 24 hours hotline to provide help and legal assistance for medical and legal emergencies.
The above is only a brief description of the plan. Certain exclusions and limitations apply. Complete details will be sent with your invoice.
Our insurance partner, Trip Mate Insurance Agency, Inc., administers the above plan. For more details of coverage and frequently asked questions, visit the Trip Mate site or call Trip Mate at 1-800-888-7292.
Responsibility
The Tour Operator/Friendly Planet Travel Inc. arranges these tours, only as agent for the companies and services they represent. As a consequence, Friendly Planet Travel, Inc. accepts no responsibility for accidents, damage, baggage losses and/or delays due to weather, strikes, acts of God, acts of governments or authorities, wars, criminal acts committed by third parties, hostilities, civil disturbances, riots, defects of vehicles or breakdown in equipment, or to the fault or default of any company used for carrying out these tours. Nor shall Friendly Planet Travel Inc. be liable for any damage resulting directly or indirectly from delays, cancellation or changes in flights. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable, for the comfort or well being of the passengers, or for any reason whatsoever in the professional judgment of Friendly Planet Travel, Inc., to alter the itinerary or arrangements, such alternations may be made without penalty or liability against Friendly Planet.
Additional expenses shall be borne by the passengers. Friendly Planet Travel, Inc. reserves the right at its absolute discretion to withdraw services and make changes and alterations in the itinerary as may be necessary for the proper handling of the tour or to refuse or cancel any person at any time, without being under obligation to assign a reason therefore. In the event of exercise of this right, the Tour Operator shall be under no liability to that person whatsoever.
Regarding any and all services and accommodations furnished, Friendly Planet expressly disclaims all responsibility or liability over any matter whatsoever for loss, damage, injury or expense to property or person due to any cause whatsoever for loss, damage, injury or expense to property or person, due to any cause whatsoever occurring during the tour or otherwise. Friendly Planet and/or their agents can accept no responsibility for losses and accidental expenses due to changes in schedules, sickness, weather, strikes, terrorism, war, quarantine or other causes. All such losses or expenses will be borne by the passengers.
In the absence of their own negligence, Friendly Planet shall not be responsible for any cancellations, delays, diversions or substitution of equipment, or any act or omission whatsoever by air carriers, hotels, transportation companies, or any other persons providing any of the services and accommodations to passengers, including any results thereof, such as changes in services or accommodations necessitated by same. Nor shall they be liable for any loss or damage to baggage or property, or for injury, illness, or death, or for any damages or claims whatsoever arising from loss, negligence or delay from the act, error or negligence of any person not its direct employee or under its exclusive control. Friendly Planet is not responsible for any criminal conduct by third parties.
The airlines, rail and steamship companies concerned are not to be held responsible for any act, omissions or events during the times that passengers are not aboard their aircraft or conveyances. The passage contract in use by the airlines concerned, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and the purchasers of this tour or passengers. Friendly Planet Travel Inc. reserves the right to cancel any tour, for any reason, prior to departure and cannot be held responsible for any damages resulting from said cancellation. In case of such tour cancellation by Friendly Planet, a full refund of the monies paid to Friendly Planet will be offered. Friendly Planet is liable to the customer for any funds received from the tour operators due to changes or cancellation of any part or all of the itinerary. This represents the entire agreement between the passenger and Friendly Planet. There is no additional liability. Any dispute arising from these tours shall be litigated only in the courts of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, which shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
