TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR SVALBARD ADVENTURE TRIPS
Last update: July 2022
REGISTRATION
Registration for one of our cruises implies acceptance of the present general conditions..
This is a cruise onboard with embarkation / disembarkation – Longyearbyen. This is not a trip organized by an agency. You remain the "organizer" of your own trip and must therefore manage your journeys to and from the boat yourself, as well as any hotel night during the trip. Escales Polaires is only the maritime cruise service provider for your trip. It is the captain who decides the daily course of the cruise.
You will be accommodated in two-person cabins.
There will be a maximum of 12 participants.
PROGRAM
First Day (J): You embark at the beginning of the afternoon, no later than 3 p.m. For those who choose to arrive earlier, please note that we cannot manage people or luggage.
Day J+1 to N-1: Spitsbergen discovery
Last Day (N): The last day of the charter should be spent visiting Longyearbyen. This generates a margin in the event of meteorological or technical unforeseen events, in order not to make you miss return flights. You will disembark on the last day of your charter at 10:00 p.m.
However, in order to be able to adapt to the schedules of your return flights, you can if necessary
spend an additional night on board and disembark at 09:00, after breakfast which will be served to you.
APTITUDE
Both for everyone's safety and not to compromise the objective of shore excursions, be careful not to underestimate the "physical" nature of the stay: we are on a small boat which can sometimes roll and pitch. On land, it must be considered that the walk is of a difficult level. Indeed, no path, but most often scree, sometimes snow, or spongy soil.
The isolated character of the program is an aggravating factor. Each of the participants must therefore have the minimum physical skills required for this type of stay (being able to climb a 3m vertical ladder is a good benchmark), as well as an appropriate state of health. Everyone should be able to withstand vomiting due to seasickness, without further medical complications.
Persons with physical disabilities, pregnant women and children under 15 cannot take part in our cruises.
People with allergies or special medical treatment should ask us before registering.
You may be asked to provide a medical certificate before boarding, proving your fitness.
If the Captain judges that a person has knowingly not followed these instructions and that, due to their state of health or their difficulty in moving, they are taking a risk by wanting to board for the trip, they may refuse this person, without giving refund or reimbursement of return costs.
In the event of an epidemic risk, the company SAS Escales Polaires, the captain of the boat or any local health authority, may impose a health questionnaire on you as well as, if necessary, a screening test before or during boarding.
Anyone who tests positive for a screening test will be refused access to the boat without being able to give rise to reimbursement or reimbursement of return costs.
BOOKING
Escales Polaires not being a “travel agency”, we are not authorized to sell you more than our own service. It is therefore up to you to manage your plane tickets, your possible hotel night, as well as the bus/taxi to come on board. You can question us if necessary.
To validate your reservation, you must sign the registration quote accompanied by a deposit corresponding to 30% of the total price of the stay.
PAYMENT
Payment deadlines:
-1st deposit: 30% of the total price of the stay (upon booking);
-2nd deposit: 40% of the total price of the stay (3 months before departure);
-The balance: 1 month before departure.
For stays booked less than 3 months before the start of your cruise, the full price of the stay will be requested upon booking.
Failure to meet payment deadlines would be considered a cancellation on your part.
You have the option of booking and paying by bank transfer or by credit card (secure online payment).
CANCELLATION
From you
The cancellation of a stay after the signature of the registration form will give rise to a refund of the sums paid according to the following conditions:
- More than 12 months before departure: 100% of the price of the trip minus the administrative costs which amount to €100.00 per passenger;
-Between 12 months and 91 days before departure: 70% of the price of the trip;
-Between 90 days and 31 days before departure: 30% of the price of the trip;
-Less than 31 days before departure: no refund.
The date of cancellation of your reservation is determined by the date of receipt of your cancellation email.
On our side
If we were to cancel your stay, the amount of the deposits paid would be fully refunded, without giving rise to any right to recourse or to any compensation, including the expenses incurred for the preparation of the trip..
If we were forced for reasons external to us to modify your stay after your boarding, you would be reimbursed for services not performed and not replaced, without being able to claim from Escales Polaires any compensation other than reimbursement for Services not performed and not replaced.
In case of unavailability of the Isbjornen II boat, we will try to ensure your stay on a replacement boat, of equivalent comfort and capacity, without giving rise to the right to compensation, including the expenses incurred for the preparation of the trip.
Any delay on your part in boarding, for whatever reason, will not give rise to a refund.
Only the captain decides the time of departure. Vis-à-vis the other participants, the boat cannot afford to wait for a person who would be several hours late.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The responsibility of ESCALES POLAIRES vis-à-vis the people on board is governed by the provisions of the Transport Code (L-5421-2 and following). ESCALES POLAIRES has taken out insurance covering this liability with the “Shipowners club” of London, contract no. 58870/835140/531648/2, as well as with the company “Transmer Assurances” contract no.
Given the special nature of our stays, Escales Polaires cannot be held responsible and our customers cannot claim any compensation in the event of a change in dates, times or itineraries motivated by causes beyond our control, climatic or other before or during the stays, in case of failure of our animal observations.
All participants are required to comply with the instructions and advice of the crew, which cannot be held responsible for any incident, accident or bodily injury resulting from reckless personal initiative.
All the practical information contained in our technical sheet or on our website is provided for information only, they are not contractual and cannot engage our responsibility. It is up to everyone to check if they are in good standing with the legislation of the country both on departure and on arrival.
Stopovers Polaires reserves the right to refuse any registration request from a person that we do not deem physically or morally fit to participate in one of the stays. Children are accepted from 15 years old.
PRICE / DATES
The price indicated is valid for one person and does not include the plane ticket or the cancellation insurance, nor the expenses and costs incurred for visits to museums or other, nor any overnight stay on land.
Do not confuse the dates of the cruise and the dates of your air:
Example: If your stay on board is from Tuesday August 10, 2021, to Friday August 20, 2021, your flights will therefore be Monday August 9 and Saturday August 21.
SECURITY
In Spitsbergen, for the sake of safety against polar bears, no one will be allowed to disembark the boat without being accompanied by an armed member of the crew, with the exception of Longyearbyen.
INSURANCE
Each participant benefits during the cruise from civil liability, search and rescue costs. You are responsible for the travel cancellation guarantee.
Any medical consultations, treatment and medication on land remain your responsibility. Each person must ensure that they are covered by appropriate medical cover.
VARIOUS
We strongly advise you to take your outward and return flight as soon as possible after your registration. Indeed, some flights can be full a long time in advance. Before confirming your air purchases, you can ask us about the consistency of your choice with the planned cruise.
If you are late boarding, the boat will not be able to wait for you.
On the boat, we don't have the technical and human resources to provide a special menu to people who request it. We're sorry about that.
After your registration, you will receive a technical sheet containing all the useful details for the preparation of your cruise.