Ewaterways Terms and Conditions

RESERVATIONS

Thank you for choosing eWaterways ("The Company") operated by Online Distribution Corporation (USA and Canada) and eWaterways Ltd. in the United Kingdom. To make reservations, book on-line, or visit your Travel Professional or contact us directly at:

To make reservations, book on-line, or visit your Travel Professional or contact us directly at:

eWaterways US
119 West 57th Street,
Suite 1405, NY 10019, USA
Phone: +1-877-359-7458
Email: sales@ewaterways.com

eWaterways UK
27 Victoria Square
London SW1W 0RB
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 0808 168 1458
Email: salesuk@ewaterways.com

eWaterways Australia
Shop 22, 17 Eramosa Road West,
Somerville,
Victoria 3912
Australia
Phone: 1-300-503 669

The transportation of passengers and baggage is governed by these Terms & Conditions sent at the time of booking and the Terms & Conditions of Passage Contract contained in your travel documents. Your purchase of the passenger cruise ticket and acceptance of passage on a vessel constitute acceptance of these Terms & Conditions and the Terms & Conditions of Passage Contract. Such terms affect your legal rights and we recommend you read all terms carefully (in the event of conflict between the provisions in this document and the Terms & Conditions of Passage Contract, the latter shall prevail).

Terms of Business

All bookings are made subject to the following terms and it is your responsibility to ensure that you have read, understood and agree to the following:

eWaterways specialize in Cruises to destinations all over the world. None of the bookings we make for our customers, whether they are for one element (Cruise or hotel) or more than one element (Cruise and hotel), are package Voyages as that term is defined by the Package Travel Regulations. The flexibility that eWaterways offer is that you are under no obligation to book more than 1 Voyage element and each element can be booked wholly independently of the others.

When making your booking we will arrange for you to enter into contracts with the Principals (tour operator/airline/cruise company/flight provider/hotel provider/ hotel) named on your receipt. For No frills and Scheduled flight bookings we act only as your agent in making your booking. For all other bookings we act only as an agent for the Principal.

eWaterways General Terms

The General Terms below are in addition to the Terms and Conditions provided by the Principals.

References to "you" and "your" in these Booking Conditions mean all persons named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date). "We" "us" and "our" mean eWaterways Ltd or On-line Distribution Corporation, both trading as eWaterways.

As agent we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the Principal or for the services provided by the Principal. The Principals' Terms & Conditions will apply to your booking. The Principals Terms and Conditions are displayed in the booking process prior to concluding a booking. If there is a discrepancy between eWaterways Limited General Terms, and the Principals' Terms, the latter shall prevail. We advise you to read these conditions carefully as they do contain important information about your booking. In the event of a difficulty with your booking, eWaterways will do all we can to assist you in resolving the matter; ultimately however the contract is between yourself and the Principals.

Cruises and cruise/land tours are sold on a space available basis. eWaterways will make every effort to provide accommodations in the cabin of your choice and/or the main hotel properties we use. If these are not available at the time you book with us, we will confirm you in alternate accommodation. You will know at time of documentation (approximately four (4) weeks prior to departure - or when available) what cabin and/or hotel property you are confirmed in.

Departure times, Prices and data

Departure times shown are provisional and may be subject to change, as per the Principal's booking conditions. For all flight bookings please reconfirm your flight times 48 hours prior to departure as per the Principals/airline's instructions. This applies to outward and homeward journeys, as changes to flight times may be made during your time away. The same goes for Cruise and Rail departures. We cannot be held responsible for you missing your transportation if you have not followed these instructions. Travel documents are generally issued by the Principal between ten days and two weeks prior to travel, however some reserve the right to issue documents on departure. You must contact us one week prior to departure if your travel documents have not been received, or if you do not have a reference number for a ticket on departure booking. We will not be responsible for the loss of any items sent by post unless such loss is due to our negligence.

The travel information advertised comes from all the major Principals and airlines. The data is scanned by a third party and regularly updated. Please be aware that some suppliers do not maintain real time availability in the reservations system to which we connect. As agents for those Principals we are constrained by the information they provide. Availability and pricing is at the operator's discretion and is subject to availability. Prices can fluctuate particularly due to changes in exchange rates, and/or fuel surcharges.

Please note that in certain cases, providers may not provide full details of Departure times and dates on our website. Where this is the case, our website will display an incomplete set of data. Customers should note that the return transportation may depart in the early hours of the morning of the day following the date displayed. Transportation is usually set up to allow for the full numbered nights booked to be spent on the cruise and if inbound transportation arrives late evening or early in the hours of the morning the return transportation will depart the early hours of the morning at the end of your voyage.

Every care is taken to ensure our online systems are up to date and correct. Please be aware however that as we use third party data, there may be occasions where the prices we show are incorrect or inaccurate. Please accept our apologies for any accidental misrepresentations on this website or other affiliated sites.

Insurance

eWaterways strongly recommends that all guests purchase a comprehensive Trip Cancellation/Interruption Protection that includes Medical Expense and Emergency Evacuation coverage for the full purchase price of the cruise as well as air and/or land program costs. It is a condition of booking with most Principals that adequate insurance cover is arranged in order to cover you and your party against the cost of cancellation by you; the cost of assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness; loss of baggage and money; and other expenses. Some Principals may prevent you from travelling, if proof of insurance cannot be provided. We can introduce you to suppliers of suitable cover if required. We accept no liability arising from your failure to obtain adequate cover. If you have booked your insurance through a supplier introduced by us, you will receive a confirmation policy document prior to travel.

FORM OF PAYMENT

We accept Credit Cards, (Amex, Visa and Master Card). Wire Transfers/ Bankers Drafts/ Travelers Cheques or Money Orders, are also accepted forms of payment. Bank checks are acceptable if received more than 90 days prior to the departure date. All credit card payments are subject to a 2% payment card fee. Please add USD 25 / AUD 25 / GBP 15 for wire transfers. Reservations made within 30 days of the departure date are subject to a USD 50.- / AUD 50.- / GBP 30.- late registration fee. Returned checks will incur a USD 50 / AUD 50.- / GBP 30 service fee. In case of computer or human billing error, we reserve the right to re-invoice participants with corrected billing.

CREDIT CARD POLICY

By authorizing and making payment by credit card for cruise vacations/holidays hereunder the Passenger expressly agrees to waive His/her rights under any relevant cardholder agreement or applicable law to subsequently cancel or suspend any such credit card transaction. The Passenger further expressly authorizes the Company to present this documentation to the bank or credit card issuer as evidence of acceptance by said Passenger that such credit card transaction is final and not Subject to refund, reduction, cancellation or revocation, except as specifically provided in these Terms and Conditions. The Company reserves the right to charge final payment to the credit card in the event that the cardholder fails to make any payment on the due date.

DEPOSIT (For all individual departures):

30% of cruise/tour rate for all cabins, all destinations or as per supplier policy.

This deposit/payment must be received within three (3) working days after your date of booking. Reservations will not be considered firm until such deposit is received. If you choose to purchase Travel protection, the premium payment must be paid at the same time as your initial deposit.

FINAL PAYMENT:

Final payment for all itineraries must be received at eWaterways in advance, ninety (90) days prior to departure, or in full at the time of reservation if less than the ninety (90) days advance payment period.

If final payment is not received on time, your reservation may be released and rebooking will then be subject to final availability.

DEPOSIT (for charter bookings of an entire vessel):
(Subject to individual supplier requirements)

From 15% of the charter fee is payable at the time of booking. This must be submitted along with the charter booking form duly signed.
The difference between the initial deposit and 30% of the total rate is payable as a further deposit 180 Days prior to departure.
The balance of the charter rate is payable 120 days prior to departure.

To qualify for the charter group rate, one person must act as designated tour leader and be responsible for the charter contract and make all payments to the Company, as per the Terms and Conditions, on behalf of all passengers in the charter group.

LATE RESERVATIONS & CHANGES:

We welcome late bookings (made ninety (90) days or less before departure), however full payment is required for late bookings at the time of reservation, by wire transfer, credit card or cashier's check.

A handling fee of USD 50,- or AUD 50.- or GBP 30,- per person will be charged for changes to your travel arrangements, including name changes made within thirty (30) days prior to departure or after the issuance of travel documents, whichever comes first.

Spelling corrections to clients' names after travel documents have been issued are subject to the carriers' revision fees. However, additional charges will not apply when adding additional tour components before the issuance of travel documents. Guests may transfer to higher priced accommodations which may be available during boarding or after sailing without penalty by paying the difference in the published full cruise prices in full at the time the change is made.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Cancellation must be made in writing to the Company and are effective only upon receipt by eWaterways. All issued documents must be returned together with the cancellation. Please allow 4 weeks from receipt by the Company of the cancellation notice and unused Travel documents/cruise ticket(s) for reciept of any refunds due.

Per Person Cancellation Charges:
Note: Travel protection can be underwritten by Chartis/Travelguard and premiums are not refundable.

Anytime 180+ days prior to departure 20% of fare*
179-120 days prior to departure...........full deposit (30%)
119-61 days prior to departure...........50% of fare
60-31 days prior to departure...........75% of fare
30-0 days prior to departure...........100% of fare

*A future cruise credit certificate for 50% of the amount lost will be given, to be applied to future eWaterways bookings.

Where the principal advertises cancellation penalties which are different to those listed above, eWaterways reserves the right to impose the principal's cancellation penalties.

A change in your departure date is considered to be a cancellation of your reservation and is subject to applicable cancellation fees.

CANCELLATION OF CHARTER BOOKINGS

Charter deposits are non refundable
More than 180 days prior to departure deposits may be applied toward individual bookings on the same vessel subject to a $400 surcharge per passenger, provided the cruise ship will operate the Itinerary on a per person basis.
180 - 121 days prior to departure the greater of the initial deposit or 25% of the charter rate will be retained
Less than 120 days prior to departure no refund will be given.

No-frills (low cost) flight bookings are non-refundable and cancellation will result in the loss of all monies paid.

If additional monies are due to us at the time of cancellation we reserve the right to collect the remainder of the monies due when you confirm your cancellation from the card used to pay the initial deposit. If this card fails and we hold other cards against your order we will also attempt to debit the outstanding amounts from these cards. If we cannot debit the cost to cancel your order the booking may remain active and you will be liable for the full remaining balance.

Please note any incorrect information on any documentation received from us must be brought to the attention of the Administration Department of eWaterways. If you book a Cruise or hotel online then corrections of any mistakes made in entering passenger titles, initials or surnames may be chargeable immediately if the booking has been confirmed by the Principal. Charges could apply to correct any mistake, even if it is simply one letter, an initial or a title. For flight bookings where you have not provided the correct information at the time of booking you will be required to pay amendment charges if an amendment is possible. Following completion of any booking the Principal's terms and conditions apply with regards to any further changes in your arrangements.

Online bookings

By clicking to book and entering your personal and payment details on our website, you are making us an offer to purchase the product on your behalf. At this point we immediately re-contact the Principal. Many Principals will still require a short period of time to confirm that your chosen Cruise / hotel is still available. Although the email confirmation sent to you is NOT contractual acceptance of the Principal's ability to provide this product, it is an acknowledgement that we have received your offer, and should the product be available as detailed on our website then you have entered into a legally binding agreement to purchase this product subject to the Principal's Terms and Conditions.

Once we have received confirmation from the Principal, we will contact you via email to let you know that your order has been booked. The contract is formed when the Principal issues its confirmation invoice and their booking reference number. Please note that once your booking has been confirmed to us, you can only cancel the booking in accordance with the relevant Principal's terms and conditions which may involve cancellation charges. Equally you may also be subject to our cancellation charges to cover our administration costs.

You should also note that each service you book with us is a separate booking. If you make bookings for both Cruise and Accommodation and Flights and we are unable to confirm one of the bookings, the other booking might still stand, and therefore the Principal's booking conditions will apply. If larger groups want to be sure of sufficient availability for any Cruise / Hotels they should contact our call centre. If two parts of the same group book online on two separate bookings and availability expires between the two bookings we regret therefore that we are unable to cancel the first booking without applying cancellation charges as levied by the Principal.

You should receive a booking summary within 48 hours of your booking request being made. In most cases bookings will be confirmed by email only. We cannot be held responsible where an email does not arrive with you. Unless you have received an email notifying you that your order has been cancelled you must not assume this to be the case. If you wish to check on the status of your order after a 48 hour period has passed, please try to log into the Manage my Booking section of our website. If you cannot log in and your booking shows as pending please call our Customer Service Team.

REFUNDS:

No refunds will be given in the event of interruption or cancellation of the cruise by the passenger after the start of travel, nor for unused portions of any package or cruise, nor for any unused sightseeing tours or meals. No refunds will be made on unused tours, transfers or accommodations when voluntarily cancelled or omitted by the passenger, or for missed package features due to airline or other third-party transportation providers' delays or for other acts beyond our control. Claims and adjustments for services not operated as intended by us must be applied for in writing within thirty (30) days of the end of your cruise, and will be refunded direct to you or, through the original booking agency if applicable. No refunds are issued for cancellations received from you after the departure date of the tour. If you cancel your tour, cancellation fees and penalties will be deducted from your refund. Cancellation fees apply to each person.

BEST PRICE GUARANTEE

In the event that we discount a departure for which you are booked, we will upon request provide an eWaterways travel certificate representing the value of the difference between your fare and the lower promotional fare. eWaterways travel certificates can be applied to any future eWaterways cruise, booked within one year of issue.

CRUISE PROGRAMME CHANGES

The company will endeavour to operate cruises as advertised, but reserve the right at any time to cancel cruises and/or other arrangements if necessary.

ALTERATIONS BY THE COMPANY

From time to time, a booked vessel may become inoperative or unavailable (for example due to mechanical failure, fire or water damage, flooding, etc.) The Company reserves the right to alter itineraries, accommodation or any other arrangement at any time, but will try not to do so within 14 days before the departure date except for reasons of force majeure or other reasons beyond the control of the company. eWaterways and its suppliers reserve the right to cancel a sailing prior to departure and will use its best endeavours to transfer passengers to another vessel in a similar category and on a similar itinerary. Should no suitable alternative be available, eWaterways sole obligation to clients who have booked a cruise only, is to refund all money paid to it by the client who shall have no further claim on eWaterways or its agents. If you have booked a full package with us, a compensation payment of a maximum of GBP40,- or USD 60,- or AUD 60,- per person will be made as full and final settlement. If, once departed, navigation must be suspended, passengers will continue to be accommodated on the boat and if possible regular excursions will be made. In this case, no refund will be made for partial cruises. The captain's judgment on any action or inaction is considered final.

RATES

Some programs require a minimum number of participants. Should that cruise fall below the minimum passengers required, it may sometimes be possible to still operate the itinerary but at a supplement. It is entirely the choice of the passenger whether they accept this or choose a full refund.. Prices on our websites are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice due to changes in market factors including but not limited to foreign currency and supplier cost fluctuations. Once full payment has been received there will be no further changes due to currency fluctuations.

AIR TRANSPORTATION

Air transportation, if included by the supplier, is normally in economy class on IATA-approved carriers. Ticketing must be completed no later than 30 days prior to departure, though in some instances, discount fares require immediate ticketing and are non-refundable. Fares are based on levels in effect at the time a reservation is made or in the case of tours, at the time of printing; prices and schedules are subject to change without notice. Once ticketed, all changes to air reservations are subject to airline regulations and fees. Passengers are responsible for reconfirming their flights should the airline require so. Airport taxes and fees are not included and are subject to change without notice. If Air transportation is NOT included by the supplier and you require us to make an airline booking for you with airlines we do so as your agent. We will search the relevant airline database, and then, if you choose to buy, will purchase the flight seats on your behalf directly from the airline, using the card details you have provided. This confirms your contract with the airline. In processing your payment you will see two separate transactions on your card statement one will be for the cost of your flights with the airline and the remainder will be your payment to EWaterways Limited including our booking fees. As with all other principals we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the carriers or for the services provided by them. Their terms and conditions will apply to your booking and you should familiarise yourself with these terms. Please note that all no frills (Low Cost) flight bookings are non-refundable.

When booking with certain charter airlines and low cost (no frills flight) carriers it is not unusual to find that they will make a separate charge to check in hold baggage. Where this charge is levied by the airline we will offer you the opportunity to add this optional extra to your booking. No tickets will be issued for low cost flights and you will simply need your confirmation number, which will be emailed to you with your booking confirmation, along with your passport, to access and print out the boarding card for the flight.

Online check in

Please note that some airlines require you to check in online. Where applicable your paperwork includes instructions regarding the online check in procedure. Failure to check in online may result in check in fees at the airport which you will be liable to pay for.

Scheduled Flights

Please note that in certain cases these flights may be indirect and fly via other airports. The flight display will show the take off time from the departure airport and the landing time into the destination airport correctly. The full details of any flight stopovers will be made clear to you by our sales agents at your time of booking. Please note many scheduled flights are non amendable and refundable once booked.

Multiple Airlines and Triangular flights

If you require us to book a multiple airline or Triangular flight on your behalf we will be making two separate flight bookings with two separate flight suppliers or at times the same flight supplier. One booking will be for the outbound leg of your flights and another for the inbound leg of your flights. These legs may operate from different inbound and outbound airports. This means you will see two flight vouchers displayed on your paperwork, two flight references and at times two separate flight suppliers booking conditions. This does not affect your travel arrangements in any way and you simply use the correct voucher to check in for each leg of your journey. In the rare event that a change is made by one of your flight suppliers to the outbound or inbound leg of your flight and you cannot find a suitable alternative so choose to cancel your booking, then you will be liable to pay any cancellation fees arising from the cancellation of any other services and flight legs associated with your booking.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

Hotel accommodation, if included, is per person, based on twin-bedded rooms; in some countries double beds are possible. eWaterways reserves the right to substitute similar category hotels without prior notice. No reductions are available for triple rooms. Single room occupancy is subject to a single supplement. All hotels featured on our website/advertising are booked through the Principal named on your paperwork. Although we cannot check every one of these hotels every season, the ratings featured in our advertising / on our website are the Principal's own ratings and are based on the official tourist board ratings. It is important that you are happy with your choice of hotel at the time of booking. All hotels do represent excellent value for money within their ratings and any that receive an unreasonable proportion of complaints from our customers are dropped from our website/advertising.

If you have a complaint while you are staying at your accommodation you must inform the accommodation management immediately, in order to give them the chance to resolve the problem. Failure to do so may affect your rights under the contract with the Principal. You may lose any right to compensation, If the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should then contact the supplier's representative in the resort If having followed these two steps your problem remains unresolved you should then contact your closest eWaterways office.

Unless otherwise requested at the time of booking, standard internationally accepted practice dictates that your accommodation will be booked from the day that you stipulate for as many nights as required. Please note that for Long-haul international flights the date of arrival at your destination could be at a later date to that of your departure. The dates and times of your accommodation booking will be included on your accommodation voucher (please check this carefully). After registration, on arrival at your accommodation, you will be allocated a room. Normal check in at a destination is after 2 PM, unless an early check-in has been requested. Normal check out of your room, is between 10 AM and 12 noon on the day of departure. If we were not to book the hotel until the day that you land (for flights landing in the early hours of the morning), you would not be able to access your room for several hours after your arrival in the hotel. Your flight details are included in the booking details we pass to hotels so that hotel staff should be aware of your flight timings. Most hotels provide a late checkout facility if this should be necessary. This will usually incur a small charge payable on the spot (it is impossible for us to prepay this charge) and should be requested at the start of your stay so as to avoid disappointment.

We are happy to pass on any special requests you may have to the hotel or Principal concerned with your booking. Please note that while the hotel will make every effort to fulfill your requests they cannot be guaranteed. Special requests do not form part of your contract with them. If you have any specific requirements when booking your vacation because you or any member of your party is disabled or less mobile, then you must ensure you have chosen and researched your voyage carefully. It is advisable for you to call our dedicated sales team prior to making an on line booking so you can inform us of your mobility issues and we can advise on the most suitable accommodation for you party.

Transfers

Unless you have reserved a transfer separately, most Cruise or hotel booking does not include a transfer. Please ensure that the hotel you have selected is accessible from the airport you have chosen to fly to. At times the hotel suppliers or airlines involved in your booking may offer a free or complimentary resort transfer. eWaterways will pass on this offer to you however it forms no part of our contract with you and the provision, delivery and service standards of the transfers are the responsibility of the hotel provider and the 3rd party involved in their delivery. In the event of a difficulty with your transfers, we will do all we can to assist you in resolving the matter; ultimately however the contract will be between yourself and the Principals.

DOCUMENTATION:

Documents include a detailed itinerary, air tickets (if applicable), vouchers for certain prepaid services, and baggage tags. These can be downloaded or will be mailed approximately four (4) weeks prior to departure. Please note that late final payments may delay your receipt of documents. The charge for replacing lost or destroyed documents is USD 50.- or AUD 50.- or GBP 30,- per set.

PASSENGERS TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

A valid passport is required for travel, valid at least 6 months after return date. All international voyages will require that each passenger, including children, bring a passport. In addition, eWaterways.com must receive identification/passport particulars (such as ID number, full legal name and date of birth) at least forty-five (45) days prior to departure. ID information not received at least forty-five (45) days prior will result in a USD 30,- or AUD 30,- or GBP 20,- per booking rush- handling fee. You are responsible for securing proper documentation, including any necessary visas, for the countries visited on your cruise or land tour. Boarding may be denied or fines may be levied against those guests without proper documentation. Payment of any fines levied is the responsibility of the individual guest. There will be no refunds for unused cruise or tour portions if boarding is denied or early disembarkation is necessary due to the lack of proper documentation. Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard and other government agencies require eWaterways.com to collect and pass on certain personal and other details related to you, including but not limited to government-issued identification and passport details. If you fail to supply the details requested fully and accurately, boarding may be denied or you may be required to immediately disembark. Government-issued photo identification must be presented at the time of boarding.

SMOKING POLICY:

In accordance with legislation, a strict non smoking policy applies in the accommodation area of all vessels. Smoking if allowed, will only be in designated areas outside while onboard the ship.

POLICIES REGARDING CHILDREN

Policies regarding children on cruise ships varies from supplier to supplier. Many Cruise ships discourage children traveling, but in general terms any child under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 21. If the adult accompanying this child is not a parent, a notarized "Parental Consent Guardianship Form" must be signed by parent or legal guardian and received by the supplier prior to sailing. Several vessels are unable to accommodate children under one year of age and reserve the right to restrict the number of those under three years of age. Babysitting services cannot be arranged in advance nor be guaranteed. Parents must be diligent to guard their children while onboard. The ships are not equipped to provide pre-natal, post-natal or pediatric services.

CHILD REDUCTIONS

Some cruise ships offer a discount when Children share a cabin with two paying adults. Port taxes are not discounted.

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL:

All arrangements confirmed on your itinerary and invoice is made for you on an individual, non-escorted basis. Ship personnel will greet you upon arrival unless otherwise noted in your documents. A transfer, to your hotel or the pier for departure and baggage handling, will be provided if included in your trip itinerary, please check your confirmation document for details. The ships personnel will provide further assistance throughout your cruise, including coordination of any included or optional shore excursions. They may arrange for the transportation of passengers to and from the vessel or for excursions, accommodations or any other additional activities away from the vessel, only as a convenience to you and shall not be liable or responsible in any respect for any property damage or personal injury or death arising in connection with such arrangements or otherwise.

LATE ARRIVALS:

Travelers who book their air arrangements through our affiliated agencies will be scheduled to connect with cruise and cruise/land tour departures. In the event of flight delays, we will make every reasonable effort to connect you to your ongoing itinerary. Additional costs incurred are at your expense. These can be mitigated if you purchase an Chartis or Travelguard Cruise insurance, including trip delay expenses, and common carrier delay.

ARRIVALS ON YOUR OWN:

If you are booking your own air transportation or otherwise arriving on your own, it is your responsibility to arrive at your departing vessel by the time stated in your itinerary. We are happy to, at your cost, arrange a transfer on day of cruise/land tour departure if you request this at the time of booking and advise us of your air itinerary. In case of delay, the ships personnel will endeavour to connect you with your ongoing itinerary, at your expense.

CRUISE PROVISIONS

The prices shown in USD or AUD or GBP are the Net Cruise rates per Person exclusive of:

Taxes, port charges, fees, and on-board optional services
Service charges to all personnel onboard the vessels
Airfare from your home city and return
Passport and visa fees
Fuel surcharges
Air departure taxes
Please see the surcharge provisions discussed below

Please see the individual itineraries for inclusions.

Surcharges

We draw your attention to the clauses of the principals' booking conditions relating to surcharging. These can be found and viewed by clicking the link in the booking conditions section of our terms of business. As your booking agent we may be required to collect surcharges on behalf of the principal providers involved in your booking. These are additional amounts that a principal may charge after you have booked, because costs have increased in the areas of transportation, including the cost of fuel; duties, taxes and fees; or exchange rates. Surcharges can vary and the amount will be advised to you in writing. Where the principal involved is a member of ABTA they will follow the ABTA code of conduct in regards to levying surcharges. Whilst principals do try to avoid surcharging, surcharges can occur and a failure to pay any surcharged amount requested from you may result in the cancellation of your booking or a refusal to allow you to travel. Due to the costly nature of administering such surcharges we reserve the right to levy a GBP 35.-, or EUR 40.- , or USD 50.- , or AUD 50.- per person administration charge in addition to any charges we are being asked to collect by the principal providers.

BAGGAGE:

Handling of baggage is included based on your vacation itinerary. Some airlines may charge extra for baggage above a certain weight; check with the airline(s) you are flying. We accept no responsibility for loss or damage to baggage or any other belongings while in the custody of airline, rail, coach or hotel, and our responsibility for baggage while in our custody is limited. Travel protection is strongly recommended.

EXTRA COST PROVISION:

If, as a result of inclement weather or other conditions beyond our control that may prevent or delay your vacation departure or arrival, you must book additional hotel or transportation arrangements, the additional costs are solely your responsibility. Travel protection is strongly recommended.

LIMITS OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMPANY:

Unless expressly stated otherwise on any ticket or other documentation issued by the company to the passenger, the company including its employees, representatives agents and/ or assigns acts only as an agent to provide transportation, accommodation and other related services to the Passenger by purchasing such services from the vessel operators and other service providers contracted to the company.

The Travel Document(s) issued to the passenger by any Operator or Service Provider, if any, constitute(s) the sole contract between the passenger and said Operator or Service Provider, and the company assumes no responsibility or liability in any circumstances for acts or omissions connected therewith. The passenger fully understands and agrees that The Company is not liable or responsible for any of the following:

A. any personal injury, death, property damage or loss occasioned by theft, vandalism, fire, water, weather conditions, explosion, or any cause whatsoever, whether foreseeable or unforeseeable, or for any loss of whatever kind or nature arising out of or in connection with the acts or omissions, whether foreseeable or unforeseeable or any loss of any kind or nature arising out of or in connection with the acts or omissions whether negligent or intended of any third party, regardless of the relationship, if any, between such third party and the Passenger, or the Company; and
B. any event that is beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to Acts of God, strikes, lockouts, work stoppages, riots, floods, government acts, terrorism, criminal activity, Passenger illness or vessel damage; and
C. any additional expenses incurred by the Passenger as a result of any delay or failure of and/or by any Operator or contractor of any services connected with the specific booking; and
D. any loss sustained by the Passenger as a result of any cancellation, delay, advancement or postponement of any tour by any Operator or any service provider such as steamship company, airline, railroad, vehicle rental company, hotel or similar or their agent.

All the cruises outlined herein will be carried out under the business management of the various cruise companies. As a wholesaler, we act as agent for various principals and are in no way to be considered the principal or operator of the services for which we act as agent. We reserve the right to cancel or alter any itinerary as current conditions require. Tour operators and/or travel agencies booking these cruises, including us, will not be responsible for any expense due to delays, weather conditions, or cancellation of transportation in these cruises, or any increase in taxes, transportation or hotel rates effective after program publication.

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

The Company on behalf of itself and the Operators reserves the right to:

A. accept a maximum of two cabins for single occupation for any single cruise;
B. cancel any itinerary in whole or in part;
C. make such alteration to any itinerary as it reasonably deems necessary or desirable;
D. refuse to accept or retain as a member of a tour any person at any time. In no circumstances will the Passenger be allowed to embark unless the full cruise fare due has been paid.

In the event of alteration or cancellation, the Company may, but is not obligated to, substitute or provide another vessel of similar standard. Otherwise, the Company shall refund any fare paid.

eWaterways itineraries, routes and vessel alterations and substitutions: Situations may arise which, in our sole discretion, make it necessary for us to cancel, advance or postpone a scheduled departure, change itineraries, or make substitutions involving hotels, restaurants, ports of call, other travel components, vessels or other modes of transportation. Situations which may cause these changes include but are not limited to casualty, weather, acts of God, labor problems, the need to render assistance to others, governmental or insurer directives, guest or employee injury or illness, schedule delays or changes by third parties, repair and maintenance requirements, fuel or other shortages, or damage to the ship, other means of transportation, roads, tracks, bridges, docks equipment or machinery. Consequently, we cannot guarantee the itinerary of the cruise, cruise/tour or any land trip (including time of sailing from or arrival at any port or that all ports will, in fact, be called at or that all places on your cruise/tour will be visited.) All routes are subject to change without notice. Some waterways may be subject to occasional closures due to drought, storms, floods, canal or lock repairs or other unforeseen circumstances that result in conditions unsafe for navigation. In the unlikely event of such occurrences, the following conditions shall apply:

A. if navigation must be suspended, Passengers will continue to be accommodated on the stationary vessel and the regular excursions will continue to be made, with cruising to be continued as soon as possible. By way of compensation for any absence of cruising, additional excursions will be provided by the vessel's crew,
B. the Company reserve the right to reverse a cruise route, cruise another waterway or transfer Passengers to another vessel of similar standard,
C. in any decision related to navigation, the judgment of the vessel's Captain on any action or inaction is considered final.

We are not responsible or liable for any resulting losses, expenses, or inconvenience. Your full cruise fare will be refunded, if the cruise is cancelled prior to initial embarkation, however we are not required to make refunds once travel commences regardless of the reason for guests being unable to complete their travel. Each passenger is responsible for arriving at the vessel at least one (1) hour before departure, with passage hire fully earned if the departure is missed unless caused by our sole negligence. Passage contracts are not transferable. We may cancel or withdraw any cruise or portion thereof with refund based on the actual cost of the unfinished portion of your cruise. eWaterways reserves the right to assess fare and charges in effect at the time of bookings, as well as fuel, federal or state taxes or fees and/or any other unexpected imposed surcharges we incur up to your cruise/land tour departure date. Any such additional charges will be in addition to your quoted cruise price and may be added to your final bill.

eWaterways, the cruise company or the Captain of the vessel may, at our/his/her sole discretion, refuse to transport, confine to a stateroom, or disembark any passenger for, among other things, illness, disease, injury, or mental problems posing a direct threat to the health or safety of self or others, vulgar or improper conduct, illegal substance possession or abuse, refusal to obey regulations, or for otherwise endangering other passengers or the crew. Passenger to bear all expenses. Each passenger - or if a minor, his/her parent or guardian - shall be liable to and reimburse us for all damages to the vessel and its furnishings, equipment, and property caused by any willful or negligent act or omission on the part of the passenger.

SPECIAL MEDICAL CONDITIONS

We cannot guarantee special facilities or assistance for disabled passengers and it is the passenger responsibility to arrange any such assistance they may require. eWaterways is not responsible for any medical conditions that occur prior, during or after the tour. eWaterways will do its best to coordinate meals for special diets when possible, but cannot be responsible for same.

HEALTH AND DISABILITY:

The Passenger warrant that

A. that he/she is in good general health; and those traveling with the Passenger are each physically fit to travel at the time of embarkation.
B. that he/she shall abide by the safety instructions as given out by the Captain and crew of the vessel;
C. that he/she shall not operate or seek to operate any vehicle owned or operated by a boat, hotel or other service provider except vehicles that are provided for the express use of the Passengers; and
D. that he/she shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its employees, agents, representatives and assigns against any and all liabilities, costs and expenses (including legal fees and costs of litigation)which may be incurred in connection with any claims, suits or any cause of action brought by him/her against any third party, or by any third party against him/her, his/her heirs, representatives or assigns regarding injury or loss to person or property sustained by him/her or such third party, directly or indirectly, arising out of events, acts or omissions, no matter how caused or created, that occur during the course of a cruise tour.

The Passenger must, at the time of booking, inform us in writing of any accommodation he/she will need as a result of a disability or preexisting medical condition.

Passengers are advised that personal services and devices, such as wheelchairs or oxygen equipment, will not be provided. Passengers in need of services of a personal nature, such as assistance in eating, toileting, or dressing, are responsible for arranging for such services and are encouraged to travel with a companion for such purposes. eWaterways is unable to offer such special assistance.

Accessibility may be limited onboard ships or at some ports of call, and on some shore excursions.

At the time of embarkation, the guest is responsible to have received all medical inoculations necessary for the trip and must have in his or her possession all documents necessary for the scheduled ports of call and disembarkation. Failure to have these documents may result in boarding being denied or early disembarkation.

ONBOARD SHIPS:

Certain physical conditions may limit accessibility to and within some areas of a ship. In some instances, staff members will be available to assist passengers so that accessibility is possible. Such conditions may be:

Raised doorway thresholds
No elevators
Steep stairways

EMBARKING and DISEMBARKING:

Due to tidal conditions and port facilities, the ease of embarking and disembarking varies greatly, and may include steep gangways and dock ramps.

For some destinations, inflatable excursion craft are the only way to get ashore. This will involve transferring into and out of the craft when alongside the ship and at the shore.

ASHORE:

Land tours may include many hours of touring in a variety of physical environments such as (but not limited to):

uneven terrain
rocky trails
museums and buildings without elevators, and stairways without handrails
high altitude

The Captain reserves the right to limit passenger participation in some activities due to safety considerations. You should contact eWaterways with any questions regarding accessibility onboard, at ports of call, or on transportation services to and from the ship. If you have any questions regarding whether travel is appropriate due to a disability or medical condition, you are strongly advised to contact your physician.

MEDICAL FACILITIES and MEDICAL & PERSONAL SERVICES:

An Important Reminder: The policy and practice of eWaterways and our suppliers is to assist our passengers where possible with any special needs or routine medical care that may be needed, either onboard ship or ashore. However, the ships are equipped to provide only very limited medical care and are stocked with limited medical supplies. We cannot offer care for conditions requiring specialized expertise or equipment. Passengers with such conditions, or in the event of an emergency situation, may be evacuated at their expense. Due to the limitations of medical facilities, passengers with serious medical conditions or women with pregnancy complications or in their third trimester of pregnancy may wish to consult their physicians to determine whether travel is appropriate. Passengers should also review their insurance policies to determine whether treatment occurring onboard the vessel or while traveling is covered. In some cases, our services or care will be less than the level you anticipate or find offered by medical shore facilities. Also, some passengers will find accessibility difficult either while moving about on ship, transferring on/off ship, or ashore.

Complaints procedure

We hope your travel arrangements run as smoothly as possible and you enjoy your time abroad, however if you feel the need to complain we recommend that you immediately inform a representative of the Principal, Cruise company or hotel reception staff, whilst you are away. If you fail to follow this procedure there will be less opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint. The amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced or you may not receive any at all depending upon the circumstances. If you are not satisfied, you must follow this up in writing (by post only) immediately on your return (or at the very latest within 28 days) DIRECTLY to eWaterways Limited.

Data Protection

We take full responsibility for ensuring proper security measures are in place to protect your personal information. The booking information that you provide to us will be passed on only to the providers of your travel arrangements or other persons necessary for the provision of your travel arrangements. The information may therefore be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary and religious requirements. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. If you are travelling to the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection will receive this information for the purposes of preventing and combating terrorism and other serious transnational crimes.

If you travel outside the European Economic Area, data protection controls may not be as strong as in this country. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to complete your booking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. Full details of our data protection policy are available on request.

Never share your Manage my Booking order number with anyone that you do not want to be able to administer your booking. When you have finished in the Manage my Booking area of our site always click on the Logoff button on the Web site to exit the application and prevent further access to your account. When using a public PC (such as in a library or school), also close the browser when you are finished. eWaterways Limited cannot be held responsible where changes are made to your booking without your permission if they have been made by someone with access to your Manage my Booking order number.

Online user reviews

The Cruise and Destination reviews and other views posted on the reviews section of our site are those of the visitors who have submitted them, and these does NOT necessarily reflect the opinion of eWaterways Limited. Reviews posted on our website are not intended as advice and should not be relied upon as such. We therefore disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on such information. We reserve the right to monitor any information transmitted or received through our review section. We reserve the right to reject or remove your review at any time at our sole discretion. We do not guarantee in any way that your review or any part of it will be displayed on our website.

Reviews submitted by users will be considered non-confidential and eWaterways Limited is under no obligation to treat such reviews as proprietary information. eWaterways Limited shall have no duty to attribute authorship of reviews to you, and shall not be obligated to enforce any form of attribution by third parties.

If you have any concerns or queries about reviews which appear on our website please contact us at press@eWaterways.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEO, Etc.:

eWaterways and our suppliers frequently photographs, films, or records passengers and activities during the course of a cruise. Copies of such photographs, etc. may be available for a modest charge. As our passenger, eWaterways is hereby authorized to take and to use such photographs, etc. for marketing and training purposes without being obligated to compensate the passenger.

EWaterways.com reserves the right to assess fare and charges in effect at the time of bookings, as well as fuel, federal or state taxes or fees and/or any other unexpected imposed surcharges we incur up to your cruise/land tour departure date. Any such charges will be in addition to your quoted cruise price and may be added to your final bill.

GOVERNING LAW AND RESPONSIBILITY

All contracts incorporating these Terms and Conditions shall be governed by the Laws of the United Kingdom, USA or Australia depending on where the customer resides. The Price Listed on the website and the documents issued in conjunction with these Terms and Conditions are the sole responsibility of The Company.