GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS
1. ACCEPTANCE OF THE CONTRACT
Upon purchase of the tour package, the terms and conditions set forth herein become
a binding contract between the Purchaser and TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL. Acceptance
of this contract occurs when payment or deposit is received by TRAVEL ASSOCIATES
SRL. Purchaser represents by tender of payment that the itinerary has been reviewed
and that it meets Purchaser's expectations and request.
2. DEFINITIONS
a. The Tour Package purchased by the Purchaser from TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL consists
of the itinerary prepared by TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL and the vouchers for prepaid
travel services. The itinerary is the written travel schedule listing scheduled
daily activities and travel services purchased. In the event of a difference between
information contained in the brochure and that contained in the itinerary, the
language of the itinerary shall control. Vouchers are coupons which constitute
evidence of prepayment by Purchaser for various travel services. TRAVEL ASSOCIATES
SRL is bound by only the terms and conditions contained on the vouchers it delivers
to the Purchaser.
b. Confirmation of Travel Arrangements. Travel Arrangements
are not confirmed until TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL has received the required deposits
and Purchaser has received formal confirmation from TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL.
c. Hotel Accommodations. It is anticipated that the hotel accommodations shown
in the brochure will be utilized; however, comparably classified accommodations
maybe substituted at the time the specific itinerary is prepared. Hotel accommodation
classification standards used at the location involved do not refer to standards
used at any other location.
d. Transfer refers to transportation from one
location to another, generally between airport and hotel and, unless otherwise
stated on itinerary, refers to a seat in a bus, van, car, or other vehicle. Determination
of the appropriateness of vehicle shall be determined by the provider of the service.
3.
RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENT
Reservations made within 60 days of the departure
require full payment. Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. If this
final installment is not paid when due, TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL reserves the right
to treat the reservation as canceled.
4. PARTICIPATION
Purchaser is
responsible for selecting a trip appropriate to his or her health, physical abilities
and interests. The right is reserved to decline to accept or retain a person as
a tour member for any reason which affects the operation of the tour or the rights
and welfare or enjoyment of the other tour members, and a refund of recoverable
land tour services is the limit of TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL's liability.
5.
PRICE OF TOUR PACKAGE
The Tour Package price includes all the prepaid travel
services represented by the vouchers provided to the Purchaser.
b. Until full
payment is received from Purchaser, prices are subject to change, due to fluctuations
in tariffs, exchange rates and other factors beyond TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL's control.
c. TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL has no obligation to provide Purchaser with any
information concerning the costs utilized in establishing the price of the tour
package, either before, during or after the tour is completed.
Price does
not include charges for passports, visas, inoculations, laundry, liquor and beverages,
cover charges, excess baggage charges, trip cancellation or interruption, accident
and baggage insurance, or transportation not included in the itinerary, optional
tours, any items of a personal nature, any items not specifically listed as included
and international departure taxes.
6. CANCELLATION POLICY
Most international
plane tickets and most Latin American domestic plane tickets are non-refundable.
Some airlines will offer credits for future passage, with penalties.
For
your land arrangements, a t the time we receive written notice that you must cancel
your trip, the following fees will be charged:
• When only the down
payment has been paid: 50% cancellation fee over the total down payment + cost
of wire transfer will apply.
• More than 45 days before the start date
of the trip and after the total payment has been made: 50% cancellation fee over
the total down payment + cost of wire transfer.
• 31 to 44 days before
the start date of the trip and after the total payment has been made: 50% cancellation
fee over total payment is applicable.
• 20 to 30 days before the start
date of the trip and after the total payment has been made: 80 % cancellation
fee over total payment is applicable.
• Less than 20 days before departure:
no refund can be guaranteed. TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL will try to get as much refund
as possible for the client upon negotiations with local travel suppliers.
*In
all cases, TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL will try to refund as much of the payment as
possible, according to the cancellation policies of our travel services suppliers.
Important note: Certain hotels, boats, lodges and airlines may have deposit
terms and cancellation policies different from those of TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRLs.
We may need to collect additional deposits from you to hold reservations. The
cancellation penalties on payments will be determined by these individual organizations
and will override TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL's policy.
We strongly advise our
clients to purchase cancellation insurance after the initial deposit for a trip.
Some insurance offers a pre-existing waiver if purchased within a short time after
the initial deposit, usually 2 weeks. In the event that you must cancel your trip
due to illness, family crisis or other emergency, this insurance reimburses you
for non-refundable trip costs for covered reasons under the individual policy.
7. REFUNDS
a. In the absence of exceptional circumstances, no refunds
are given for any unused prepaid services included in the tour package or any
changes made in the itinerary while enroute, including changes in hotel accommodations,
excursions, and transportation services. Changes included for services provided
by TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL are not subject to refund.
b. Any request for refund
must be presented in writing within 30 full days of your return. Requests for
a refund based on a claim of exceptional circumstances, will be considered by
TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL on a case by case basis. TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL, slits sole
discretion, will determine whether exceptional circumstances exist and determine
the amount of the refund, if any. The decision of TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL is final.
No refund requests will be considered or made while Purchaser is enroute.
8.
CHANGES IN ITINERARY BY TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL
TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL reserves
the right to:
a. Make changes or cancellations in services where such changes
are made necessary by circumstances beyond TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL's control, including
changing carriers and substituting similar hotel accommodations for those designated
in the itinerary.
b. Cancel any trip due to inadequate sign-up which makes
the trip economically infeasible to operate. In such cases, a full refund of the
canceled trip cost is the limit of TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL's liability.
9.
CUSTOM TOUR PACKAGES
On request, TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL can prepare custom
itineraries for the Purchaser.
Payment by Purchaser constitutes absolute confirmation
that the itinerary meets traveler's requests and expectations.
10. CHOICE
OF LAW AND VENUE
This contract is to be performed in the City of Buenos Aires,
Argentina. All questions of law in any action based upon any claim of breach of
this agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the city of
Buenos Aires, Argentina as existing at the time of such action. Any action brought
by either party based on any claim arising under or as a result of this contract
or based on the tour package of which it is apart, shall be brought in a court
of competent jurisdiction in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
11. WARRANTY
DISCLAIMER
No guarantees or warranties, express or implied, are made that
the tour package will meet all of the traveler's expectations.
12. RELEASE
TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL, Inc., its affiliates and all cooperating airlines and agencies
act only in the capacity of agents in all matters of transportation and tour operation,
and their liability is limited to the terms of the airline tickets and land accommodation
contracts. Group organizers, travelers and tour participants, individually and
jointly, release TRAVEL ASSOCIATES SRL from any and all liability and responsibility,
known or unknown, present or future, for any and all loss, injury to person, damage
to property, or accident, or which maybe the result of any delay or change of
itinerary, or irregularity connected with the tour package purchased, which is
beyond its control, including but not limited to, acts of God, transportation
problems, fire machinery or equipment malfunction or failure, government actions,
wars, civil disturbances, labor disputes, riots, thefts, sickness, or weather,
and which includes all expenses or damages, direct or consequential, claimed or
sustained by group organizers, tour participants, or travelers, and waive TRAVEL
ASSOCIATES SRL based on any claim of negligence by any of the suppliers of services
included in the tour package. The passenger tickets shall constitute the sole
contract between the airlines and the purchaser of these tickets and/or passenger.
All baggage shall be carried at participant's own risk. Purchaser is solely responsible
for obtaining necessary travel documents for the areas visited. This release is
binding upon group organizers, tour participants, travelers, their representatives,
heirs and assigns.