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Booking conditions
Please down load
these click here. Once you have read and agreed to
these conditions please sign and forward a copy to us. If you prefer we can
post you a copy of these conditions, just let us know.
Health
At least six weeks prior to your planned trip - we advise all our customers to
view the information on www.cdc.gov/travel. In
addition to this, we recommend you contact your GP as they have complete
knowledge of your medical history and so are best placed to give you advice.
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Insurance
As a condition of booking, we require that you have fully comprehensive travel insurance. If you are making your own insurance arrangements it is your responsibility to ensure that you have adequate cover for the activities and trip you are planning.With all insurance you must disclose any pre existing illnessor medical condition as well as any medication being taken.
Over 80
While we acknowledge both the adventurous spirit and often better physical
shape of our older customers – our insurers require that those aged 80 years
and over provide a doctor’s certificate stating their fitness to travel.
Passports and Visa Requirements
Please ensure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of
your return to Ireland.This is a standard requirement for most long haul
destinations. At the time of going to print (Jan 05) for Irish Passport holders
a tourist visa was not required for any of the countries featured in this
brochure with the exception of Venezuela for which a tourist card is completed
on your flight. It is vital that you check with the relevant embassy or
consulate of the country that you are visiting for the latest information.
Currency – ATM’s
Be careful about carrying cash, we advise you use US$ travellers cheques or
your credit cards. In South America Visa cards are more widely accepted than
Mastercard. Laser cards with Cirrus can be used at some ATM’s to withdraw cash
but cannot be relied upon. Cash withdrawal with your Visa card at an ATM is
more widely available so ensure you have the necessary details with you. Some
people pay money in to their credit cards prior to departing so as to have easy
access to money while abroad.
Itineraries
The itineraries detailed in our brochure are intended as a guide and not an immutable contract, although a fundamental change of the basic itinerary would be unusual. It is important to note that South America is, in places, still developing both its infrastructure and amenities. With a natural landscape including such diversity as high altitude mountains and isolated jungles, and the full range of weather possibilities showcased from freezing at its spectacular glaciers to sun kissed on its tropical beaches. No amount of pre planning and attention to detail can ensure that things don’t sometimes go wrong. This can mean moments of discomfort, unavoidable delays, or a change in itinerary or activity, hence a flexible attitude towards what would normally be taken for
granted is a necessity. Customers making holiday arrangements with Beacon South America implicitly accept that we cannot take responsibility for the results of delays, alterations or any loss, consequential loss or contingent liability arising from them. What can be guaranteed is that Beacon South America and our representatives will be doing everything possible to resolve what ever the situation as it occurs.
Liability
Customers, including their luggage and property travel entirely at their own risk and acknowledge that certain risks may occur when, but not limited to, travelling in mountainous terrain and travelling through jungles. In addition the forces of nature, developing political situations and limited medical assistance in some regions may also pose certain risks.
Health and Safety
Health and safety does not have the same high profile in South America as in Europe, this is demonstrated, but not limited to, the lack of enforcement of seat belt regulations and the lack of availability at times of hard hats when horse riding or cycling. Customers making holiday arrangements with Beacon South America implicitly accept it is their own responsibility to assess the risk and make a personal decision.We endeavour to use the services of reputable companies in all instances and this is reflected in our choice of business Partners.
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Prices
Many factors influence the final price quoted for your trip not least of which
are the following – the season, the airline used and availability, the standard
of hotels, the number of people travelling, private or group excursions and the
rate of exchange. We tailor make each itinerary, when we have taken these
points and more in to account, we will quote you a price that represents value
for money based on the services chosen.
Taxes and Fees
The guideline prices given in this brochure do not include airport and
government
taxes - these will be quoted at the time of booking.We will include all
possible fees and taxes in the final cost of your trip.However there are
entrance fees to some National parks which must be paid locally in cash eg: The
Galapagos Islands fee which is currently $100 and some airport taxes which can
only be paid locally in cash – typically $20 - $40. Using the latest
information from our local representatives we will endeavour to give you
advance notice of any amounts that must be paid locally.
Hotel Standards
Standards from one country to another can vary enormously, in Ireland we are
used to a high standard particularly as many of our hotels have been built in
recent years.We have chosen the hotels used in this brochure as being at the
higher end of the standard mentioned and in the knowledge that our local
representatives view these hotels on a regular basis.There are some truly
memorable accommodation options from luxurious Explora properties in Chile to
basic lodges off the beaten track. Remember you are visiting a continent with
many different climates – in some instances insects may make an appearance in
your room and this is not a reflection on the cleanliness of an establishment
but more a fact of life. There may be instances where showers are cold, service
is slower, hygiene standards are not comparable with home and English speakers
limited - this is all part of the experience.
Hotel Check In / Check out times
Hotel rooms are ready for check in from 1400 onwards. In many instances your flight will arrive early in the morning, no guarantee of an early check in is possible unless you pay for an extra nights accommodation.When we make your reservation we will request an early check in. Check out from your hotel is normally at 1100, you may request a late check out locally, any additional charges to be paid directly to the hotel. In either instance your hotel will be happy to store your luggage for the period you do not have a hotel room. Flight check in times, connecting times, delays and schedule changes. We will provide the airlines recommended check in times with your final itinerary. Please adhere to these in order to minimise the possibility of your travel plans being disrupted. |
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As we use scheduled airlines with connecting flights – in some instances this may mean taking an earlier flight in order to allow plenty of time to make a connection and reduce the possibility of missing your onwardflight. From time to time flight delays occur, this can be for any number of reasons - adverse weather, technical problems or security alerts - every assistance will be given in order to reduce the delay of your arrival. Where necessary we will do all possible to reorganise your trip from your time of arrival.
Unfortunately - No refunds can be given for lost nights accommodation or missed
excursions as these are pre arranged. Airlines sometimes alter their flight
timings or aircraft type without very much notice. If you are on a tour this
may require the reduction of nights in destination and an increase in another.
While delays and schedule changes are totally out of our control we will always
do our best to find a solution.
Baggage Allowance
In general the baggage allowance is 2 pieces on international flights and 20kg
on domestic flights, however for trips in to the jungle there will often be a
limit of 5kg – where this occurs arrangements are made for the rest of your
luggage to be stored.
Weather
The information in this brochure is compiled from the relevant tourist boards
and is given as a guideline. As weather conditions in general seem to become
more erratic - we cannot accept any responsibility for how weather may affect
your holiday.
Christmas / New Year / Carnival / Public or Religious Holidays
Prices are often increased for a special event or during a busy period – this
will be advised at the time of your enquiry. Some facilities may not be
available, again this will be advised at the time of your enquiry.
Complaints
If despite our best efforts to ensure everything runs smoothly, you find you
have a complaint – please bring it to the immediate attention of our local
representatives as the best time to solve a problem is right there and then. In
the unlikely event your complaint is not resolved locally please contact us
immediately – we will appreciate the opportunity to work on a solution.
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