1. Our contract
All bookings are made through Captain Renes Travel Inc. By booking a trip with us you are agreeing to these booking conditions (which constitute the entire agreement between you and Captain Renes Travel Inc.) and your booking will be accepted by us on the basis of this. The services to be provided are the services specified in your booking confirmation. If booked by a third party (travel agency or tour operator), they oversee all obligations instead of the registered traveler(s) and also bears the full costs of a cancellation. For minors, the registration has to be signed by a legal representative.
2. Deposit requirements
You must pay a deposit of at least 20% of your travel price – per person, per trip, to confirm you’re booking. If your booking is made within 90 days of the departure date, the total amount is due at the time of booking. Please note that for selected trips, e.g. »Captain’s Choice Voyages«, different deposit amounts may be required.
3. Acceptance of the booking and final payment
When we accept your booking, we issue a confirmation invoice. A contract is established between us and the traveler(s) from the day which we issue the confirmation invoice, or if you book within 30 days of departure, the contract is established when we accept your payment. Details of your balance payments can be found on your booking confirmation invoice. Payment of the balance of the tour price is due 56 days before the departure day. If this balance is not paid on or before the due date, we reserve the right to treat your reservation as a cancellation.
4. Price & Supplements
Our prices are calculated in Canadian dollars. Prices are based on exchange rates; Please note that rates may vary depending on the currency in which the booking is made. We reserve the right to charge surcharges up to 56 days prior to departure due to adverse exchange rate changes, increases in air fares or other transportation costs, increased costs by local operators, taxes or other government actions. If a surcharge results in an increase of more than 10% in the price of the tour, you may cancel the reservation within 14 days of notification of the changes and receive a full refund. Small group trips are advertised with a minimum number of participants and i.d.R. Guaranteed from 8 fully paying travel participants. If the advertised minimum number of participants is not reached, we have the right to charge a surcharge (maximum $500 per person).
5. Your personal information
In order for us to book and confirm your travel arrangements, you must provide all requested personal information. The required information varies depending on the trip. They include but are not limited too: full name according to passport, date of birth, nationality, passport number, passport and expiration date. For group travel, we need information about pre-existing illnesses that may affect your ability to travel and medications you use on a regular basis. With your booking confirmation you will receive a “personal questionnaire”. Failure to provide the requested details may result in additional charges or non-refundable cancellation of your trip.
6. Cancellation by the Traveler
If you cancel parts or the entirety of your booking, you will be charged a cancellation fee. A cancellation is only effective when we receive a written confirmation of the cancellation.
If you cancel a trip:
- 92 days or more before departure, we retain the deposit;
- Between 91 and 62 days before departure, we retain the deposit or 50% of the total booking costs; whichever is greater, and
- between 61 and 32 days before departure we retain the deposit or 75% of the total booking costs; whichever is greater, and
- 31 days or less prior to departure we retain 100% of the costs you paid in connection with the booking.
Please note that for some types of travel and additional services, including „Captain‘s Choice Voyages“, different cancellation policies apply – including higher fees. Your booking advisor will inform you of any discrepancies. For details, see the essential travel information for your trip. It is strongly recommended that you take out a cancellation insurance covering the cancellation fees at the time of booking. If you leave a trip for any reason after its commencement, we are not obliged to reimburse unused services. If you do not participate in a tour, join after its commencement, or leave before it’s completion – there will be no refund. The above cancellation fees are added to the fees that may be charged by the accommodation, travel agency or third-party providers.
7. Cancellation by Us
Our small group tours only take place if 8 full paying participants have booked – unless a minimum group size is explicitly stated otherwise. We can cancel a trip at any time before departure if it is not possible for us to carry out the planned itinerary due to terrorism, natural disasters, political instability or other circumstances beyond our control. If we cancel your trip, you may transfer the amounts paid to go towards another trip or receive a full refund. In cases where the cancellation is due to external events beyond our control, the non-refundable costs will be deducted. We are not responsible for incidental charges incurred as a result of your booking, including, but not limited to, visas, vaccinations, excess travel insurance or non-refundable flights.
8. Passport & Visa
You must have a valid passport and have received all necessary visas, permits and certificates for the countries you will visit during your trip. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the travel period. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct visas, permits and certificates for your trip. For details, please refer to the essential travel information. We are not responsible if you are denied entry to a country because you are missing the correct passport, visa or other travel documents.
9. Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all our travellers and should be completed at the time of booking. Your travel insurance must protect you against accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation. We also strongly recommend insuring cancellations, cuts, personal liability, lost luggage and personal belongings. For group travel, you must provide your travel insurance number and the insurance company‘s 24-hour emergency number. Without this information you can not take part in the trip. If you have travel insurance associated with your credit card or bank account, make sure you have the participating insurer information, insurance policy number and emergency contact number.
10. Flexibility
You understand and acknowledge that most of our trips, especially small group tours, require flexibility and you should plan for alternative changes which may occur during the duration of the trip. The itinerary intended for each trip is representative of the nature of the activities planned. However, it must also be taken into consideration that the route, timetables, schedule, accommodation and activities as well as the mode of transport may be changed due to circumstances or events beyond our control that may occur without prior notice.
11. Changes to the itinerary for group travel
Although we make every effort to execute all trips as described, we reserve the right to change the itinerary. Please check our website for the latest updates of your itinerary before leaving.
Before leaving: If we make a significant change, we will let you know as soon as possible if there is still time before departure. The definition of a significant change is a change that affects at least two days in seven days of the itinerary. If a significant change is made, you can choose between accepting the change, being refunded the amount of money paid only for the land portion of the trip, or accepting an alternative tour offered.
After departure: We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure due to local circumstances or events beyond our control. In such emergencies, we bear the additional cost of necessary itinerary changes. Please note that we are not responsible for incidental charges that may be incurred as a result of changing the itinerary, such as visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.
12. Authority during a group tour
Our group tours are conducted by a tour guide. The Tour Guide‘s decisions are final in all matters, as they may affect the safety or well-being of the travellers or employee participating on the trip. If you fail to comply with a decision made by a tour guide or impair the well-being or mobility of the group, the tour guide may instruct you to leave immediately – without refund. You must comply at all times with the laws, customs, foreign exchange and drug laws of all countries visited, and must also agree to travel in accordance with our Responsible Travel Policy.
13. Assumption of Risk
You acknowledge that the nature of our trips may be adventurous and involve a degree of personal risk. The trips may visit places where the political, cultural and geographical features present greater dangers and physical challenges than in your everyday life. We provide many years of experience and use our own contacts as well as reports from local tourist boards and other tour operators to assess whether the itinerary planned is feasible. However, it is also your responsibility to familiarize yourself with all relevant travel information related to the itinerary of your trip. You acknowledge that your decision to travel has been made taking this information into account and you accept that you are aware of the personal risks associated with such travel.
14. Limitation of Liability
We work with a network of companies, promoters and individuals to help us carry out our travel as an agent for these third parties. We are however, NOT responsible for the acts and omissions of these third parties.
As far as legally permissible:
- Liability for any loss, death, injury or damage suffered by you, the traveller (directly or indirectly), in connection with or as a result of your participation in a trip or for breach of the booking conditions is excluded.
- You release us and our employees, I.e. tour guides and agents from any liability and expressly waive any claim that you make against us for or in connection with your participation in a trip.
- Any conditions or warranties that would otherwise be legally included in these booking conditions (implied warranties) are excluded.
To the extent that an implied warranty can not be excluded, our liability with respect to the implied warranty (in our sole discretion) is limited to: (i) providing a similar travel at an equivalent price; or (ii) a refund of the total amount we have received from you in connection with your booking.
Any claims of you are excluded, as far as they refer to indirect or consequential damages, lost profit or economic damage.
15. Optional Activities
Optional activities not included in the tour price are not part of the tour or this contract. You agree that the tour guide or local organizer in organizing your optional activities will not be liable to us in any way. The contract to provide this activity is between you and the activity provider.
16. Booked group travel activities
Activities included in the tour price and as part of a trip itinerary or contract often involve increased personal risk and sometimes require a degree of physical fitness. Participation activities as such is always voluntary. The local tour operators contracted by us to carry out the respective activities usually require the signing of a „waiver“ disclaimer. If you do not sign this statement, you agree to be excluded from participation or voluntarily renounce the activity. In these circumstances, no refund will be made by us. Should an activity be canceled by the respective organizer prior to commencement, for example, flights or boat tours for wildlife viewing due to inclement weather – we will refund the respective amounts to the traveler. If activities have to be canceled, for example flights, if the weather conditions deteriorate extremely after departure, there will be no or only a partial refund.
17. Complaints & Dissatisfaction
If you have a complaint about your trip, please inform your tour guide or us directly so that we can try to correct the matter while you are traveling. If no satisfaction is achieved in this way, then any further complaint must be sent to us in writing within 30 days after completion of your trip.
18. Severability Clause
In the event that any provision or condition contained in these booking conditions is unenforceable, invalid, or contrary to public policy, this provision or condition shall be deemed to be dismissed from this Agreement or amended to the extent required. It is to note that all further terms and conditions remain binding.
19. Photos and Marketing
You agree that we may make use of images taken during your trip for promotional and marketing purposes. You grant us a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide license to use such images.
20. Privacy Policy
All personal information collected about you can be used for any purpose that relates to conducting a trip or for marketing material related to our events and promotions. The information may be shared with our agents, service providers or other suppliers so that we can ensure the fulfillment of the trip. Otherwise, we will treat your information in accordance with our privacy policy.
21. Applicable law
The laws of Nova Scotia, Canada, govern these booking conditions to their fullest possible extent. All disputes relating to a trip or these booking conditions must be brought before the courts of Nova Scotia, Canada.
22. Registered address
Captain Renes Travel Inc. – 5953 West Bay Highway, West Bay, NS, B0E3K0, Canada
Additional Remarks
The translation of this document was done online with Google translator. We accept no liability for any translation errors. The original English documented version is legally binds the traveller and Captain Renes Travel Inc.