| Terms & Conditions
Your contract with Laurus Travel Inc. (hereafter
referred to as we, us, our, Laurus, the company) is subject to the
following terms and conditions.
1. RESERVATION & DEPOSIT
If you book more than 70 days before scheduled departure date, a
non-refundable deposit of $400 per person is payable upon confirmation of
your space. If you book within 70 days of departure date, you must pay the
full amount immediately upon confirmation of your reservation. Your
deposit shall be accompanied by a photocopy of your passport and the
completed reservation form, which can be mailed in or submitted online.
Our accepted forms of payment for deposit are cash, cheque, money order,
bank draft and wire transfer; credit card is also accepted subject to a
small surcharge.
2. FINAL PAYMENT
Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure date. Failure to comply
with this requirement will result in automatic cancellation of reservation
and forfeiture of deposit. In the event that reservation is made within 70
days of departure, full payment must be made immediately upon confirmation
of your space. For final payment we accept cash, cheque, money order, bank
draft and wire transfer; Visa and MasterCard credit cards are also
accepted subject to a surcharge.
3. CURRENCY & PRICES
All prices shown in our literature and on our website, unless noted
otherwise, are in the currency of the country where the tour originates.
Land Only prices are in U.S. dollars; Canadian dollar price will be
confirmed at the time of reservation. All prices are per person based on
double occupancy. We reserve the right to change prices for any reason at
any time prior to receipt of your deposit. We reserve the right to adjust
your price as late as 30 days past your final payment due date if the
price has been quoted in error. We reserve the right to change your
confirmed price after your deposit or final payment has been made in the
event that the US or Canadian dollar, whichever applicable, has
depreciated by 5% or more against the Chinese currency from the date of
your payment. If the airlines or cruise operators increase or impose new
taxes, levies or fuel surcharges after your payment has been paid, we will
pass on such charges to you by way of a new invoice.
The tour price includes:
~Hotel accommodations as specified
~Local air and ground transportation per itinerary
~Airport transfer on arrival if the arrival date corresponds with tour
schedule
~Guided sightseeing and entrance fees per itinerary
~Cultural shows as listed
~Daily meals as specified
~English-speaking guides throughout tour
~Baggage handling
~Service of a tour leader for groups with 10 or more participants
The tour price excludes:
~International airfare
~Local air taxes and surcharges
~Passport and visa charges
~Airport transfer on exit
~Travel insurance
~Gratuities to guides and any other service providers
~Any item or service not specifically listed in the itinerary as included
4. TIPPING
Tipping is an expected element on our tours. To relieve the clients of the
hassle to tip multi-parties individually at each destination we collect a
lump sum from each client at the beginning of the tour to cover the entire
duration of the tour. The amount is $10 per day per client. The amount to
be collected by the national guide/trip leader is for everyone to be
tipped including the national guide/trip leader. You are encouraged to tip
the national guide/trip leader extra at the end of the tour if you feel
the service has exceeded expectations.
5. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
It is your responsibility to obtain passport and travel visa. Before
applying for Chinese visa, you must ensure that your passport has at least
one blank visa page and a minimum of six months validity from the intended
date of travel. You must secure travel visa before entering China. You are
required to submit to us a photocopy of your passport at the time of tour
booking. We also require a photocopy of your travel visa before the trip
unless the visa has been obtained through us. To obtain your travel visa
through us, you must make the request on your tour reservation form and
forward to us your application within our required time frame. We accept
no responsibility for your delay in forwarding the application. Your
application must include your passport, completed visa application form,
and a 2x2 inch color photograph. It is your responsibility to ensure that
you meet the visa application requirements set by the Chinese government
and that you verify the visa for accuracy upon its receipt.
6. AIRFARES
Airfares included in the tour prices are discounted economy class. The
carriers are chosen at the sole discretion of Laurus in order to keep our
tour prices affordable. We do not accept requests for specific carriers
and seat types such as bulkhead or exit row. With discounted group fares
you may not qualify for frequent flyer reward points. International
airfares arranged by us generally are not eligible for upgrade. If you
request a specific carrier and upgradeable fare class, you will be charged
extra. Clients asking for business or first class seats on intra-China
flights will be charged the fare difference plus a $50 service fee per
flight if such seats are available.
7. HOTEL ROOM & UPGRADE
We book hotels with the assumption that our customers are all non-smokers.
When a hotel is unable to accommodate our request for non-smoking rooms,
we make sure the hotel does its best to minimize the odour of cigarette
smoke. Rooms for tour groups are assigned by a run-of-the-house system.
Consequently we do not accept requests for a specific floor or room type.
Rooms booked under discounted group rates do not qualify for reward points
or free upgrades even if you enjoy elite status with the hotels. Since the
rooms are booked at group rates, the hotels are not in a position to
upgrade you or treat you better than other guests on our list. Any effort
to contact the hotels before arrival with the hope to upgrade will be a
waste of time. Clients asking for upgrade must do so before the trip and
will be charged an administration fee of $35 per hotel in addition to the
rate differential.
8. FOOD & BEVERAGE
Your daily breakfast is Western style buffet served in the hotel. Tea,
coffee, milk, fresh fruit and a variety of juices are included.
Lunch and dinner when included would be local
cuisine served in restaurants outside the hotels. Tea, bottled water and
soda are included with soda being limited to 2 glasses per client. Beer is
served at dinner and each customer is limited to 2 glasses. You may opt
for bottled water or soda or beer but can only chose one. Special dinners
may include wine, which is limited to one glass per customer. A standard
lunch or dinner consists of pork or beef or fish or chicken plus vegetable
dishes and rice or noodle. Serving utensils are provided.
Vegetarians and clients allergic to certain food
items such as nuts, MSG or sesame oil should disclose this information at
the time of reservation and also remind the guides once on the tour. Every
effort will be made to satisfy the client's needs, but for legal reason we
do not guarantee the dishes served contain absolutely no such ingredients.
Clients with special dietary needs due to medical conditions must disclose
their needs at the time of reservation and be prepared to pay extra.
9. LAND ONLY CLIENTS
Land Only clients should wait until the tour is guaranteed to arrange
their international airfares and travel visa. Failure to comply with the
requirement may result in irrecoverable loss, for which Laurus cannot be
held responsible. Our return of your payment should constitute the final
settlement in the event your tour is cancelled by us.
10. TRAVEL INSURANCE
Having travel insurance is mandatory when you take part in our tour and
your plan must protect you against trip cancellation & interruption, and
emergency medical treatment and evacuation. We offer competitively priced
travel insurance plans and may automatically add the cost to your invoice.
Our insurance quote, if offered, expires 15 days after the invoice is
delivered to you. You may pay for the insurance with any major credit
card. If you decide to purchase insurance elsewhere, you must provide us
with the proof of your coverage before the trip. We hold no responsibility
for any travel insurance claims, either paid or denied.
11. BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE
During the tour each client is limited to one (1) piece of checked
luggage. Violation of this requirement will result in extra charges to
cover our handling and/or excess weight. Our handling charge is $25 per
piece per city or port. Charge for excess weight will be decided solely by
the airline at the time of check-in. According to the Chinese air
carriers, your checked luggage must weigh no more than 20kg (44 lbs). One
carry-on weighing no more than 5kg is allowed. The client must be able to
lift and comfortably transport their own luggage short distances as porter
service may not be available at all hotels, airports, train stations,
cruise and ferry terminals.
Maximum Size of Checked Baggage
Maximum dimensions should not exceed 100x60x40 in centimeters
(39.5x23.5x15.75 in inches). Baggage exceeding the weight and/or size
limitations should be transported as freight.
Minimum Size and Weight of Checked Baggage
Minimum weight of each checked baggage should not be less than 2kg (4.4
lbs), and the minimum dimension should not be less than 30x10x12 in
centimeters or 12x4x8 in inches.
12. CHANGES AFTER BOOKING
Change of departure date after confirmation is not permitted. Transfer of
booking to another person may be accepted subject to an administration fee
of $100 and provided that no air ticket under your name has been issued.
Requests for any other changes such as hotel accommodations will be
subject to the following fee schedule provided we are able to make the
change:
-- 70 days prior to departure: $50 per request
-- less than 70 days prior to departure: $100 per request
-- Reissue of air ticket at any time: airline cancellation penalty plus
fare difference and a $50 fee
Once a booking is confirmed, no name changes are
permitted under any circumstance. It is important to note that certain
arrangements, such as instant purchase airline tickets, cannot be changed
after the paperwork is completed. Any change will incur a 100%
cancellation charge. Any change by you to your confirmed arrangements
after departure is in all cases subject to availability and extra costs
that must be paid by you on the spot and in cash only.
13. CANCELLATION
If you wish to cancel a confirmed booking, you must notify us in writing.
The cancellation penalty will be assessed as follows on receipt of your
written notice:
-- 70 days prior to departure: forfeiture of deposit
-- 69-42 days prior to departure: 50% of total payment
-- 41-30 days prior to departure: 75% of total payment
-- 29 days or less: 100% of total payment
Once issued, air tickets are 100% non-refundable.
If you have to cancel for a reason that is covered by your insurance, you
should contact the travel insurer. We will do as much as we can to assist
you but it is completely up to the insurer whether your claim is payable.
If a tour is cancelled by Laurus, our return of
your full payment shall constitute the final settlement. We shall not be
held liable for any loss you might have incurred such as airline penalty.
14. CHANGES BY LAURUS TRAVEL
We reserve the right to change any of the tour details and correct any
errors at any time. The right is also reserved to change airlines,
aircraft types, hotels and vessels scheduled for any specific departure.
Even after we have confirmed your booking we may have to make alterations
to your arrangements. Most alterations will be minor and of little effect
on your overall arrangements and while we will do our best to notify you
of any such minor change before your departure, we will have no other
liability to you.
15. UNUSED SERVICES
Regardless of the reason, unused services during the tour including but
not limited to transportation, hotel accommodations, meals and sightseeing
are neither refundable nor exchangeable.
16. OUR RESPONSIBILITY
We act only as agent for our suppliers and contractors who provide
transportation, accommodations and other related travel services. We
assume no responsibility or liability for any injury, death, damage, loss,
accident with any services resulting directly or indirectly from acts of
God, strikes, government regulations, thefts, cancellations, errors,
omissions, failure of any means, discrepancies or changes over which we
have no control. We apply all reasonable checks and measures in utmost
good faith to ensure that details in the itinerary are carried out exactly
as specified. However, changes, including, but not limited to,
substitution of hotels or vessels of equal or similar quality and air
carriers, may be made out of necessity.
Clients must be aware that there may be different
living standards and practices outside of their home country including but
not limited to provision of utilities such as water, electricity,
accommodation, food preparations and services of all kinds. Under no
circumstances shall we be responsible for any inconvenience, loss, damage
or injury resulting from these conditions.
The passenger contract issued together with the
air ticket by the air carrier shall constitute the sole contract between
the airline and the passenger; we shall not be responsible for any delays,
substitutions of equipment or any act of omission whatsoever by the
carrier, its agent, employees and contractors.
17. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
You are responsible for providing us with correct, complete and accurate
information regarding personal details. Failure to comply with this
requirement may result in irrecoverable loss.
If you have made independent travel arrangements,
you accept responsibility for joining our tour on time. We are not able to
refund monies paid to us, or any third party acting on our or your behalf,
or make compensation where, for whatever reason, you miss any part of our
tour or fail to use any other travel arrangements made by us.
When you book arrangements with us, you accept
responsibility for the proper conduct of yourself and your party. If your
actions or omissions cause damage to any property in the provision of the
contracted arrangements, or cause delay or diversion to any flight or
other means of transportation, you agree to pay any charges incurred.
You agree to abide by the authority of the
national guide/trip leader or our local agents. Conduct or behavior
causing danger, distress or annoyance to others may lead to the client's
removal from our tour with all expenses to be borne by the client.
18. OUR RIGHTS
We reserve the right to decline, accept or retain any person as a tour
member at any time. We reserve the right to alter the itinerary, including
substitution of accommodations and modes of transportation. We reserve the
right to photograph and film group activities and use the resulting
photographs and video clips for promotional purposes without identifying
the customers. If you prefer that your image not be used for such
purposes, please make a note of that on your reservation form and also
remind the national guide/trip leader on arrival.
19. HEALTH & FITNESS REQUIREMENTS
We are unable to accommodate participants with physical or mental
disability that requires special attention. Our tours involve frequent and
strenuous walking and stair climbing. A client who is deemed unreasonably
impeding the progress of the tour due to physical or mental disability
will be removed from the tour at the client's expense. Anyone over the age
of 74 is required to submit a completed questionnaire for us to assess
their ability to travel.
20. MINIMUM AGE & CHILD FARE
Minimum age acceptable for our tours is 8. Children between 8 and 11 may
qualify for child discount. Children over 11 will be charged full adult
fare.
21. MISPRINTS & ERRORS
In the event of misprints or errors, we have the right to re-quote or
offer a full refund of any monies paid without further liability.
22. COMPLAINT PROCEDURE & LITIGATION
If you have a problem during your vacation concerning any service provided
as part of the arrangements we have confirmed, you must inform our
national guide/trip leader or local representative (local agent, local
guide or hotel manager) immediately to enable them to try to resolve the
matter. If this cannot be achieved, you must notify our office in writing
no later than 15 days after completion of your tour in order for the
complaint to be investigated.
It is agreed between you and Laurus that all
disputes and matters whatever arising under, in connection with or
incident to this agreement shall be litigated, if at all, in and before a
court located in Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia, Canada to
the exclusion of courts of any other city, province/state or country.
Your payment to us or through us indicates that
you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by, each and all of the
above terms and conditions. |
China tours since 1998
