Special Eclipse Departures TERMS & CONDITIONS

BOOKING

Once we have electronically received your:

Booking Form (http://www.smallworldjourneys.com.au/booking_form.html)
Release, Discharge and Indemnity Form and
Deposit

we will, subject to availability, confirm your trip by sending you a booking confirmation. This will normally be done within 48 hours and by email. We advise you not to make any international travel plans until you have received our confirmation. We urge you to check the details we send you carefully and to contact us immediately if there is any incorrect information.

Please note that before we can accept your booking it is a mandatory requirement that you accept these terms and conditions. You understand that you are entering into this agreement electronically and that by clicking “Submit Form”, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of this agreement and that it is a legally binding agreement between Small World Journeys and you .

PAYMENT FOR SPECIAL ECLIPSE DEPARTURES:

At time of reservation..........................$500 non-refundable deposit due per person
90 days prior to departure..................Balance is due

If you sign up for a trip within 90 days of trip departure, full payment is due at the time of booking. If your payment is not received when due, Small World Journeys reserves the right to consider the reservation canceled and you will be forfeiting your deposit.

We accept MasterCard, Visa, Australian bank cheques, and international cheques in Australian dollars. Please contact us for our bank details if you wish to pay by direct deposit or international wire transfer.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT & ROOMATES:

ECLIPSE BY REEF BOAT ONLY

Accommodations are based on double occupancy. If you are traveling alone and wish to share accommodations, we will attempt to match you with a roommate of the same gender. However, if a roommate is not available, the single supplement will be charged, but we will only charge you half of the single supplement. If you prefer single occupancy, a full single supplement will be charged. We will not be responsible for incompatibility of a roommate for any reason.

CANCELLATIONS

IF YOU CANCEL

Accidents happen; emergencies occur. For this reason we strongly recommend travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you should an emergency happen that prevents you from participating on your Small World Journeys trip.

If it is necessary for you to cancel your trip, you must notify us in writing by email, fax or letter immediately. If we are unable to find a suitable alternative trip or trip date, we will refund you the cost of your trip less the following, per person charges:

For Special Eclipse Departures, we will refund you the cost of your trip less the following charges:

91 days or more prior to departure........................................$500 deposit

90-61 days prior to departure...................................................50% of total price

60 days or less prior to departure...........................................No Refund

Your refund will be calculated on the day we receive your written cancellation.

IF WE CANCEL

Small World Journeys may cancel a Small Group departure due to logistical or operational issues, insufficient sign-ups or any other cause that makes the trip unfeasible for us to operate. We will advise you of such cancellations at a minimum of one month prior to departure. At that time we will endeavour to find an alternative trip for you. If we do not find an alternative for you that is acceptable, you are entitled to a full refund and that will constitute full settlement.

We may also cancel departures if forced to do so by circumstances such as war, civil or political unrest or what is commonly referred to as force majeure.

Force Majeure

In the case of Force Majeure (meaning a circumstance beyond Small World Journeys’ reasonable control including, but not limited to, war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, disease, industrial or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and strikes), Small World Journeys will not be liable for any delay, change or cancellation of trips.

Small World Journeys normally makes significant payments to its suppliers (hotels, outfitters, etc.) far in advance of the scheduled departure date. If a trip is cancelled due to force majeure, Small World Journeys will promptly refund the portion of the trip cost not already advanced to suppliers. Small World Journeys may, in its discretion, recover from its suppliers a refund of money paid in respect of any trip cancelled due to Force Majeure. Where this occurs, a refund will be given. Otherwise, Small World Journeys will not be liable to refund money paid in respect of a cancelled trip.

Please note Small World Journeys is also not responsible for expenses incurred while preparing for a cancelled trip (e.g., nonrefundable advance purchase air tickets, special equipment, visa fees, loss of enjoyment, etc.) or for any additional arrangements made before or after the cancelled trip.

REFUNDS

Prices are quoted as a package, and in many cases are based on group participation. Therefore, Small World Journeys does not give refunds for unused services, activities or meals. Additionally, no refunds will be given if you voluntarily leave a trip for any reason after the trip has begun.

Refunds will be at the discretion of Small World Journeys should you be forced to leave a trip for any reason.

TRANSFERS

For Special Eclipse Departures: due to the special nature of these adventures, transfers will not be possible.

PRICING

Eclipse By Reef Boat is a small group guided trip and will confirm at 4 guests. All other Eclipse trips offered by Small World Journeys have no minimum numbers.

We reserve the right to change our prices without prior notice, due to factors beyond our control. Price increases are not passed on to participants who have already paid a deposit.

ITINERARIES & CHANGES

We will take every measure to ensure the accuracy of the website, promotional literature, itineraries and prices, but conditions can change and errors can occur. Circumstances beyond our control may also necessitate changes to our itineraries. In this case, guests should refer to the tour itinerary included in the Pre-Departure packet with the updates. Changing conditions in the field may also necessitate itinerary modifications after the trip has departed.

VIEWING THE ECLIPSE

We have made every effort to select the locations with the highest probability of actually being able to view the eclipse. However, please understand that Small World Journeys cannot control the weather and therefore cannot guarantee the observation of the total solar eclipse. Cloud cover or other unforeseeable weather conditions may prevent you from viewing this event.

PRE-TRIP MATERIALS

Once you have signed up for a trip, Small World Journeys will send you additional information to help you prepare for your trip. Please note we send correspondence by email to cut down on paper usage. If you wish to receive correspondence by mail, please advise us upon booking.

We will send you the following:

Confirmation Packet: General Information document which includes climate, visa, and travel insurance information, reading list, and other helpful information; Suggested Packing List, our Responsible Tourism document and Responsible Travel Policy.

Pre-Departure Packet: Last-minute information on the trip, detailed itinerary, rendezvous instructions, and emergency numbers--sent approximately 2 weeks prior to your scheduled departure date.

COMPLAINTS

Small World Journeys takes guest satisfaction and feedback quite seriously. This is why we give every guest who travels with us an Evaluation Form so that he or she may give us honest feedback, and if applicable, lodge a formal complaint with Small World Journeys.

Before you enter the state of Queensland, and as a condition of booking, we ask you to read our Complaints Policy, found in our Terms & Conditions document. We will provide a copy of this Policy in your first language if requested.

Eclipse By Reef Boat: Should you have any complaints about any aspect of Small World Journeys' operations or our suppliers, tell your guide immediately. Most problems can be dealt with quickly and may be due to cultural misunderstandings. If you are not comfortable discussing the matter with your guide, or if the problem is not rectified to your satisfaction, please inform us in writing. We will address your complaint in a prompt and professional manner within 5 working days of having received the complaint, and if appropriate, take remedial action.

Small World Journeys Independent Journeys
Should you have any complaints about any aspect of Small World Journeys' operations or our suppliers, please inform us in writing. We will address your complaint in a prompt and professional manner within 5 working days of having received the complaint, and if appropriate, take remedial action.

You may contact us by email: info@smallworldjourneys.com.au , by fax: + 61 7 4032 1590 or by post: PO Box 6267, Cairns, QLD 4870. If you are dissatisfied with the conduct of Small World Journeys, you may contact the Commissioner of the Office of Fair Trading on 131 304 or via email at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au/complaint-general.htm.

At no point will this dispute resolution process affect you from exercising your rights to other legal remedies.

INSURANCE

We strongly recommend you purchase insurance coverage to protect you in the event of trip cancellation, protection to baggage, possessions and valuables and to cover against personal accident.

For more information on travel insurance, go to: World Nomads

We will not be responsible for any loss, damage, or theft of your baggage, possessions or valuables under any circumstances.

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CLIENT

You are responsible for:

Choosing a trip appropriate to your physical abilities and interests. Guests are responsible for being in sufficiently good health to participate on their trip and may be required to obtain a medical practitioner’s clearance. Once a trip has been confirmed medical circumstances will not be considered as exceptions to our cancellation policy. Small World Journeys takes no responsibility regarding medical advice, medications or vaccinations that you or your doctor feel is necessary for your safe participation. All journeys are undertaken at your own risk and we reserve the right to refuse your participation in a particular activity or a complete journey if we believe it is for your own safety and the safety of other passengers.

Having a valid passport for international travel. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the date which you expect to return home. You are responsible for arranging visas or travel permits, if applicable. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry to Australia.

Providing Small World Journeys with correct information regarding your personal details. This includes name, address, email, medical conditions and flight details. We will not be responsible for losses incurred due to incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate information.

Providing Small World Journeys with a signed Release, Discharge and Indemnity Waiver prior to trip departure (You will not be permitted to join a trip without this information on file). This can be signed electronically by ticking the applicable box on the Booking Form.

Studying the pre-departure information sent to you, and arriving at the trip start with the recommended clothing and gear as specified on the Packing List.

Respecting the laws and customs of Australia.

Following the leader’s directions in accordance with environmental guidelines and regulations. This includes abiding by Leave No Trace Environmental Ethics as instructed by the trip leader.

Appreciating that in Australia, level of service, local customs, etiquette, food, living standards and accommodation may differ from those in the your home country. In Cairns especially, the pace of life and service can differ significantly from other Westernized nations.

Respecting the rights and privacy of other trip members. Any cause of danger, distress or annoyance to the group will be acted upon. You may be asked to leave a trip if the guide feels that your continuing participation may prove detrimental to yourself or to the safety or well-being of other guests. Any expenses incurred from removal from a tour will be your responsibility.

RESPONSIBILITY OF SMALL WORLD JOURNEYS

LIMIT OF LIABILITY

Small World Journeys will take all reasonable steps expected of a tour operator to ensure your safety and well being.

Some days or activities and certain trips listed in this catalog are operated by local tour operators contracted with Small World Journeys. We assume no liability or responsibility in connection with any injury, death, loss, accident, damage, cancellation, delay or inconvenience to person or property which may result through the acts of any company or person engaged in carrying out arrangements of the trip or resulting directly from the following: acts of God, detention, annoyance, terrorism, thefts, pilferage, force majeure, civil disturbances, government restrictions or regulations, strikes, delays and expenses arising from quarantine, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, discrepancies or change in transit or hotel services beyond the control of Small World Journeys.

Extreme care is taken in the contracting of all services, however we cannot be responsible for the errors or omissions of the suppliers or services. In the unlikely event that a supplier fails to honour their contract with us, we reserve the right to alter, change or cancel such services which are outlined in our website and promotional material. If and when such a change occurs, we will attempt to substitute a comparable service. However, we will not be liable for any difference in the quality or enjoyment.

You acknowledge that during the trip which you are choosing to participate in you are subjecting yourself to certain risks including, but not limited to: forces of nature, travel in remote areas and wilderness terrain, and transportation by coach. You recognise that such risks may be present at any time during the trip.

Small World Journeys reserves the right and trip participants agree to allow Small World Journeys to take photographic or film records of any of our trips and trip participants, and may use any such records for promotional and/or commercial purposes.

Payment of your deposit represents your acceptance of the above terms and conditions.