RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENTS
A deposit of $1,000 per person or 10% of your total holiday cost (whichever is greater) is required to secure your reservation and must be received within 7 days of booking. For World 2009/10 and Europe 2010 sailings, the balance is due from your travel agent no later than 84 days prior to sailing. Payment must be sent together with passport details and dining room requests.
Passengers who do not make final payments at the appropriate times may be subject to cancellation without notice. In most cases, we are able to provide you with travel documents, including your Passage Contract, approximately 21 days prior to sailing. Travel documents are issued only after final payment has been received by the company.
BOOKINGS
Bookings in Australia can be made through your preferred Travel Agent.
PASSPORTS AND VISAS
All Australian citizens and residents will require a full passport valid for the countries visited and which must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date.
It is the responsibility of each passenger and their travel agent to check with the various embassies consulates involved for their particular cruise, ensuring that they have the necessary documentation/ visas to enter all countries visited. Passengers joining our organised tours in Libya and Russia do not at the present time require individual visas. However, if regulations should change in any country and individual visas are required, it will be the responsibility of each passenger to obtain and purchase their own. Currently passengers who wish to go ashore independently at any time in Russia or Libya will require a visa purchased and issued before arrival in the country. For cruises visiting Libya, passengers with an Israeli stamp already in their passports who wish to go ashore must obtain either a replacement or a second passport.
Where visa charges are payable locally these must be paid by the passenger. Advice will be given with your final details when this is necessary. To avoid queues at the airport, if our local agents are able to obtain these on your behalf in advance, they will do so and the cost will be added to your final invoice or on-board account.
Any passenger arriving at the departure port/airport without a passport will be refused permission to board the ship/aircraft. Failure in this respect is not covered by the insurance and no refund can be claimed.
HEALTH, VACCINATIONS AND MEDICAL INFORMATION
As health regulations are everchanging, we suggest you consult your local doctor for any concerns you may have. Please check the requirements of the countries that you will be visiting at least 12 weeks before your intended departure. If you do not normally enjoy good health, you should consult your doctor regarding the advisability of taking a cruise and being away from the usual medical and hospital facilities. The company must be advised of any pre-existing condition at the time of booking and of any condition arising subsequently prior to departure.
CHILDREN
Aboard the mv Discovery there are no recreational facilities for children and reservations for those under the age of eleven are not advised.
SPECIAL DIETS
We can usually make provision for special diets provided that sufficient notice is given. A good vegetarian choice is available on board ship. Vegetarian meals are also available on flights. Please indicate any requests at time of booking. We will make every effort to satisfy your request, although this cannot be guaranteed.
SHORE EXCURSIONS
At the time of going to print the exact content and cost of the shore excursion programme have not been finalised. Details will be sent to you before departure.
HOTELS, EXCURSIONS AND LAND TOURS
The land packages contained in this brochure can only be purchased in conjunction with Discovery Cruises. The company reserves the right to assign your hotel based on pre-reserved space. As we use a selection of hotels, it is not always possible to confirm your specific hotels at 30 days prior to departure, however, you will be advised as soon as practical prior to departure. Certain land packages and excursions will not operate without a minimum participation, and others may have a maximum capacity. If, for any reason, a hotel, sightseeing or entertainment feature is cancelled or otherwise unavailable, the company reserves the right to cancel, make substitutions or omissions and is under no obligation except that in the event of cancellation you will receive a full refund of any payments received for that service.
Transfers are only available on the arrival/ departure day shown in the itineraries in this brochure. Passengers who arrive or depart earlier or later than the standard package arrival or departure dates must transfer at their own expense, as must passengers arriving or departing from Buenos Aires domestic airport - Aeroparque. Flight details must be advised no later than 30 days prior to the cruise departure date. Failure to do so may result in an administrative fee being levied.
BAGGAGE POLICY
A reasonable amount of clothing and personal effects may be taken on board the ship without charge. For your own comfort and convenience, we recommend no more than two suitcases per passenger. Porterage is included at the pier on embarkation and disembarkation. Please ensure your luggage is labelled with your name and cabin number, as your bags will be taken directly to your cabin. Hand or unlocked baggage, travel documents, breakables, medicines, and valuables should be carried personally. The company strongly recommends baggage insurance. The liability of the company for lost or damaged baggage commences only when the baggage arrives alongside the vessel and is strictly limited as provided in the Passage Contract.
