Poseidon Expeditions TOCs

Terms and Conditions i/b 50 Years of Victory 1 POSEIDONEXPEDITIONS.COM
EXPEDITION CRUISE
ABOARD I/B 50 YEARS OF VICTORY
By purchasing this product, you accept the present Terms and Conditions. In case you do not
accept any of the Terms and Conditions of Poseidon Arctic Voyages Ltd. d.b.a. Poseidon
Expeditions (Operator hereafter) you will not be able to take part
in the expedition cruise.
Rates and Accommodation. Cruise rates are quoted per person and based on passengers
sharing a cabin. Cabin share is available only in Standard Twin cabin.
Single accommodation in Standard Twin cabin: 1.7x the shared rate; Single accommodation
in Mini Suite, Junior Suite, Grand Suite, Victory Suite and Arktika Suite: 2x the shared rate.
Those who booked shared accommodations aboard the ship will also share accommodations
at the pre-cruise hotel, if applicable.
Reservations and Payment. A deposit of 20% of the appropriate cabin rate is required to
confirm the reservation; the final payment (80%) is due 90 days prior to the departure. All
payments are to be made in the agreed currency indicated on the invoice. The deposit can be
made by credit card or via bank transfer. The final payment is to be made via bank transfer.
North America office also accepts credit cards and checks for deposit
and final payment.
Payment Delay. The date of payment is considered to be the date of crediting the funds to
the account of Operator. In case of payment delay Operator has the right to apply payment
delay fee which equals to 0.1% from the due amount for each day of delay.
Booking Cancellation/Refunds. All requests for cancellation must be made in writing.
Reservations cancelled more than 120 days prior to departure will be fully refunded less an
administrative fee of 5% of the offered rate. Reservations cancelled between 119 days and 91
days prior to departure will be fully refunded less the deposit of 20% of the offered rate.
In case a reservation is cancelled 90 days and less prior to departure, all payments are
forfeited (cancellation fee is 100%). For these and other reasons mentioned below,
passengers are strongly encouraged to obtain trip cancellation insurance.
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The services included in the cruise rate are based on group participation, and no refunds
will be made for any part of the program in which passengers choose not to participate,
including any helicopter flight time. It should be understood that refunds will not be made to
passengers who do not complete the tour for any reason whatsoever.
Voyage Cancellation. Operator reserves the right to cancel any departure due to insufficient
reservations up to eight weeks before the date of departure (passengers may be offered
alternative cruise dates). Operator also reserves the right to cancel any departure up until
the date of that departure due to force majeure or other circumstances beyond the control
of Operator that prevents the operation of the tour (this also includes governmental and
administrative decisions).
In the very unlikely event that a voyage is cancelled prior to departure Operator will provide
a full refund of all funds paid to Operator. Should a voyage cancel while in progress,
Operator will provide a pro-rated refund of the funds paid to Operator.
Operator or its agents are not responsible for any costs or penalties relating to air transport
or other services that are cancelled. Operator is not liable for failure to provide the services
or accommodations offered to the extent that such services or accommodations cannot be
provided due to force majeure or other circumstances beyond its control.
Transferred reservations/name changes. Bookings transferred from one departure
(more than 90 days prior to departure) to another, for the same passenger can be made at
no charge, based on availability. The transfer of the booking to another departure can only
be made once. After the transfer is completed, the general cancellation terms are not
applicable to the new departure date and the transferred deposit is non-refundable.
By direct permission, and on a limited basis, name changes on a reservation can be made at
a fee of USD 300 per person, but not less than 90 days before the departure.
Children. Children must be at least 12 years of age to participate in an expedition cruise.
However, Operator may accept children ages 8-11 on a case by case basis after additional
consideration by the Operator.
On-board language. All voyages are conducted in English and German. For groups
of passengers speaking other languages, Operator recruits multi-lingual staff members,
who assist the passengers during briefings and lectures. Staff varies from voyage
to voyage; please check when booking.
On-board authority. All passengers are subject to instructions or regulations given by the
Captain or the Expedition Leader.
On-board payments. All payments are in US dollars. Passengers may run a tab which must
be paid prior to disembarkation. Payments can be made in cash or via credit card.d.
Photography/Video. Operator reserves the right to use photographs and/or videos taken
during the operation of the voyage for promotional purposes for the Operator and/or its
sales agents. Passengers may not charge for their appearance in any photographs or video.
Terms and Conditions i/b 50 Years of Victory 3 POSEIDONEXPEDITIONS.COM
Itinerary. The itineraries published on the Operator’s website and in any other sources serve
as examples only. Real itineraries of any expedition cruise (including all scheduled landings
and excursions) in polar regions are heavily dependent on weather and ice conditions.
Occasionally, conditions and/or safety concerns require itinerary changes. The Captain and
the Expedition Leader will accordingly make every effort to find the best alternative to the
original itinerary while keeping passengers informed and updated. It is understood that
such decisions will be made in the interests of all passengers aboard and with regard to the
safety of the vessel. Itinerary changes are not subject to passenger approval/consent and in
the event of such a change no refunds or price adjustments are possible. Nothing in this
Itinerary is meant to signify the use of any specific design or model of helicopter.
Operator expressly reserves the right to change the itinerary, the date or place of departure
due to weather conditions, availability of anchorages, political conditions and other factors
beyond Operator’s control without consulting the participants. Placement of a booking with
Operator amounts to an acknowledgement that itinerary changes are possible.
Smoking. Smoking in cabins or public areas of the ship is strictly prohibited by safety
regulations. There will be a designated smoking place aboard the ship.
Alcohol. Alcohol beverages are available for sale in the on-board bar. Operator reserves the
right to refuse alcohol to anyone deemed to be intoxicated.
Eligibility. There are no specific physical requirements for travel in polar regions. However,
the purchased expedition cruise is a cruise to the remote region of the world on a ship
which, at times, may be in rough seas. Please also note that there is no specialized medical
assistance available in these regions. Passengers with certain medical/health issues may not
be appropriate for this type of expedition and are advised to exercise appropriate caution.
Our medical information form lists a number of these conditions.
Pre-departure forms. Prior to boarding, specific passenger information is required by
Operator for passenger safety and for international reporting regulations. Required
information must be completed in the forms provided by Operator and submitted at least
60 days prior to departure. Final documents cannot be issued for passengers whose
information has not been received.
Personal information. Please be advised that in order to embark the nuclear-powered
icebreaker “50 Years of Victory”, the passenger is issued a special permit by the Operator.
This permit requires that individual passport details be submitted to the Operator by the
passenger.When boarding the vessel, the passenger must present the same passport as
previously provided to the Operator. Otherwise, the passenger will not be able to
participate in the cruise. In this case, the cost of the cruise will not be refunded. Any
changes in passport details (in particular, when a new passport was issued) must be
submitted to the Operator no later than 45 working days prior to the cruise departure
date.
Terms and Conditions i/b 50 Years of Victory 4 POSEIDONEXPEDITIONS.COM
Important Notice: Please be advised that prospective passengers must carefully consider
whether their health condition is adequate for participation in the expedition cruise taking
place in remote and hard-to-reach regions, where emergency evacuation is not always
available. Passengers must complete the provided medical information form and provide
the Operator with permission from their physician in case of serious or chronic medical
conditions.
If the passenger decides to participate in the cruise in spite of a medical condition and/or
the concerns of their physician and their condition deteriorates while aboard, requiring
emergency evacuation that the passenger’s insurance company does not recognize as
appropriate and/or legitimate, all evacuation expenses will be borne by the passenger.
Please note that regardless of general eligibility there may be instances where
environmental conditions require a level of fitness/mobility. In these cases, individual
participation in the landing(s) in question may be restricted by the Captain, Expedition
Leader, or ship’s doctor.
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance. All passengers are covered by a medical
insurance policy to the value of 100.000 EUR per person and the policy includes emergency
evacuation and repatriation from remote regions. This is only for passengers under 90 years
old. Passengers over 90 years old are to purchase their own insurance policy with coverage
not less than 100,000 EUR. Such policy is to cover risks of repatriation/evacuation from
extremely remote territories, and is to be sufficient for travelling in the High Arctic. Any risks,
not covered by the insurance policy provided, are to be covered by passengers at his/her
disposal and at his/her own expense. Insurance is in effect only on board the Ship and
outside the port of Murmansk.
Responsibility. The payment of a deposit or full payment for a reservation on this tour shall
constitute consent to all the provisions contained herein.
Operator or its agents are not responsible for any costs or penalties relating to air transport
or other services that are cancelled. Operator is not liable for failure to provide the services
or accommodations offered to the extent that such services or accommodations cannot be
provided due to force majeure or other circumstances beyond its control.
Operator has a pregnancy policy that women are welcome with explicit doctor’s permission
and having signed a specific waiver. Pregnancy policies of carriers (ship owners, airlines, bus
companies, hotels, etc.) may also apply. Please note that medical information will, of
necessity, be available to designated Operator’s staff.
Passenger Medical Information. We require all passengers to submit basic medical information
prior to departure. Upon receipt of that basic medical information, specific physical conditions
may necessitate additional documentation from a passenger’s physician certifying fitness to
travel on a polar expeditions voyage. If additional medical confirmation is requested, boarding
will not be allowed absent receipt of that confirmation.
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The participant waives any claim against Operator for any such loss, damage, injury, or
death. In the event of Itinerary change due to any unforeseen circumstances or due to force
majeure Operator is not to be held liable for any costs incurred by passengers in this case
and no refunds or price adjustments are possible.
By registering for our voyage, the participant certifies that he/she does not have any
mental, physical, or other condition or disability that would create a hazard for him/herself
or other participants. Operator and its designated tour operator reserve the right in their
sole discretion to accept, decline to accept, or remove any participant from a voyage.
Operator reserves the right, without penalty, to make changes in the published itinerary
whenever, in their judgment, conditions warrant, or if they deem it necessary for the
comfort, convenience, or safety of participants.
If a passenger misses any scheduled sailing of the vessel from any port or place, including
any stopover, Operator shall not be liable for any costs, expenses or damages incurred by
the passenger as a result of his/her action and no refund of fare shall be granted.
Baggage. Baggage and personal effects are at all times the sole responsibility of the
participant.
Limitations. Passengers are not permitted to bring or have on board any pets or animals,
firearms, flammable or hazardous items, controlled or prohibited substances or drugs,
contraband or items prohibited by any country or port to be visited.
Acceptance of the Terms & Conditions. Acceptance of the initial services to be provided
on the trip shall constitute an acceptance by the trip member of these terms and conditions.
On advancement of deposit to Operator, the depositor therefore agrees to be bound
by the above-recited Terms & Conditions.
Operator and its designated service providers shall not be held liable for (a) any damage to,
or loss of, property or injury to, or death of, persons occasioned directly or indirectly by an
act or omission of any other provider, including but not limited to any defect in any aircraft,
watercraft, or vehicle operated or provided by such other provider; and (b) any loss or
damage due to delay, cancellation, or disruption in any manner caused by the laws,
regulations, acts or failures to act, demands, orders, or interpositions of any government or
any subdivision or agent thereof, or by acts of God, strikes, fire, flood, war, rebellion,
terrorism, insurrection, sickness, quarantine, epidemics, theft, or any other cause(s) beyond
their control.
Operator is a qualified tour operator that organizes and administers its polar voyages.
Operator will provide services in conjunction with local operators and air and sea operators.
The designated operator(s), in turn, acts only as an agent for any transportation carrier,
hotel, ground operator, or other suppliers of services connected with these tours (“other
providers”), and the other providers are solely responsible and liable for providing their
respective services. The passenger tickets in use by the carriers shall constitute the sole
contract between the carriers and the passenger; the carriers are not responsible for any
act, omission, or event during the time participants are not aboard their conveyances.