Terms and conditions

It is strongly recommended that you make reservations as early as possible in order to ensure that your choice of dates on a tour or services and accommodations are available.  A late reservation fee of $50/€40 per person will apply to all bookings made within 60 days of departure.

 

All quotes, reservations, changes and cancellations must be made in writing (mail, fax or email).

  

Deposits (Individual Travel - (FIT)

In order confirm your reservation, a deposit in the amount of  minimum $250 (€200) is required. The amount of deposit may vary depending on services being booked and will be stated on your Confirmation letter. Any other special conditions regarding payments and cancellations will be also stated on your Confirmation.

  

Deposit requirements for groups will be advised in our offer.

  

Final payment

Final payment is due 60 days prior to departure. ETWT will reserve the right to cancel any booking not paid in full 60 days prior. Reservations booked within 60 days of departure, will require full payment at the time of booking.

  

Change fees

A change fee of $50/€40 per person will be charged for any change made more than 60 days prior to departure in the already confirmed booking. Any bookings being changed within cancellation period will be subject to cancellation penalties as stated in ETWT cancellation policy below.

 

Cancellations &  fees

Cancellations must be made in writing (by mail, fax or email). The date of the cancellation is considered the date when ETWT receives the notice.

  

ETWT reserves the right to cancel any tour up to ten (10) days prior to departure, for any reason, including insufficient number of participants. If the tour operator cancels the tour, the participants will receive full refund of moneys, paid within seven (7) days of cancellation notice. 

  

Cancellation fee schedule

Note that in addition to the following fees, outside suppliers impose additional cancellation fees which are added to the amounts below. You will be informed of those fees in your Confirmation.

Cancellation fees on group reservations will be stated in the Confirmation.

Unused portions of tour vouchers for hotels or any unused features/services are not exchangeable or refundable. Changes to reservations during the trip will be considered a cancellation and a new booking. No-shows on any part of the tour,  including sightseeing and included meals are non-refundable.

The passport must be valid for minimum 6 months after the arrival date to Russia in order to obtain the visa. Proof of travel insurance is also required. The tour operator will only provide a visa support letter, which is needed for your visa application. The tour operator is not responsible for the refusal of a visa to any individual by any consulate. In the event of such a refusal, all expenses incurred by the tour operator as well as applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Fees for passport, visas if required, travel insurance, tips for guides and drivers, transportation not included in itinerary, items of a personal nature, such as laundry, telephone calls, beverages, meals not included in the itinerary, sightseeing or services other than those listed.

Please contact the airline you are flying on to determine current rules regarding size and weight restrictions. On Escorted tours, the tour operator sets the limitation for luggage allowance to one suitcase and one carry-on bag per person, as motor coaches have limited luggage space. The tour operator is not responsible for lost or stolen luggage.

Hotel rates quoted are for standard rooms, unless otherwise stated. ETWT reserves the right to offer alternative hotels based on similar category, in case the hotel originally requested is not available. On Escorted tours, the tour operator has the right to change hotel accommodations before or during the tour. The tour operator will provide either comparable or better accommodations. If a lower category hotel is used, the tour operator will reimburse the difference in price after completion of the tour.

Every effort will be made to ensure that each tour follows the content of the itinerary. However, on occasion, conditions related to weather, seasons, strikes and climate or situations beyond our control may require revisions.

Special request on flights, such as seat assignments, special meals, wheelchair, etc. and special requests for hotels, such as location of room, bed type, should be indicated in your booking request. These are handled on request basis only and cannot be guaranteed. Please submit requests in writing no later than 45 days prior to departure.

In the unlikely event of a complaint, your tour escort, our local contact, or hotel must be notified at once, so that the situation can be rectified on the spot. If satisfaction is not reached, any claim must be made in writing within 7days after completion of the tour. ETWT cannot be held responsible for any infringements or omissions by third parties. Similarly ETWT and its agents and contractors cannot be held responsible for any personal injuries or losses caused by force majeure, or by events outside its control, such as strikes and delayed air flights.

Children & Special need passengers

Out of consideration to other passengers, and because such tours are generally considered unsuitable for younger children, some tour operators will not allow children under 12 years of age on their Escorted Tours. Children between the ages of 12 and 18 will only be accepted if accompanied by an adult. Handicapped participants or travelers requiring special assistance are welcome on all of our tours, but must be accompanied by a qualified and able person who assumes the total responsibility for the well being of the handicapped person. Many European hotels do not have any or have very limited facilities for handicapped guests. Likewise, European motor coaches and other transportation services (trains, boats, ferries, steamships) may not be equipped with wheelchair ramps and for safety reasons passengers needing wheelchairs can not be transported. Wheelchair rentals are very seldom available. To protect the well being and full enjoyment of the tour for all tour participants, the tour operator reserves the right to reject any person as a tour participant, as well as to expel from the tour any participant whose conduct is deemed incompatible with the interest of the group as a whole. Any additional expenses that are incurred as a consequence of such an action are the sole responsibility of the expelled tour participant.

.
Responsibility

Explore the World Tours Inc. (hereafter) ETWT acts only as an intermediary and agent for suppliers in selling services or in booking services which are not directly supplied by this tour operator  (such as air carriage, hotel accommodation, ground transportation, meals, tours, cruises, etc.)  and assumes no liability for injury, damage to person or property, loss, expense, accident or delay of irregularity which results directly or indirectly from any act of God, Force Majeure, strikes or an act, whether negligent or otherwise, or omission (including but not limited to delays) of any person, firm or corporation with this tour, including but not limited to transportation services, lodging, food, beverage, entertainment, sightseeing, luggage handling or tour guiding or escorting. Furthermore ETWT shall not be responsible for any injuries, damage or losses caused to any travel in connection with terrorist activities, social or labor unrest, mechanical or construction conditions or developments, or any other actions, errors, omissions, or conditions outside the tour operator’s control. By embarking upon his/her travel, the traveler voluntarily assumes all risks involved in such travel, whether expected or unexpected. Traveler is hereby warned of such risk, and is advised to obtain appropriate insurance coverage against them. Your retention of tickets, reservations or bookings after issuance shall constitute a consent to the above, and an agreement on your part to convey the contents hereto to your travel companions or group members. ETWT reserves the right to alter the tour itinerary and fares should it become necessary or desirable, and all additional expenses, if any, shall be borne by the tour participant. ETWT reserves the right to decline to accept or retain any person as  a member of any tour as circumstances may demand it. Baggage is carried at the owner’s risk and baggage insurance is recommended. The issuance and acceptance to tickets and vouchers shall be deemed to be consent to the above conditions. IATA carriers are responsible ONLY FOR THE AIR TRAVEL PORTION of these programs performed on behalf of the passengers in accordance with the terms and conditions of the individual passenger contracts which are subject to applicable laws, treaties and regulations governing air transportation. IATA carriers may not be held responsible for any act or omission or event during the time the passengers are not aboard the aircraft. The passengers, in purchasing the passenger contract, acknowledge and accept the forgoing conditions.ALL PRICES, TARIFFS, ITINERARIES AND SCHEDULES on this website are subject to change without notice. 

 

Important notice

All programs are based on tariffs, schedules, taxes and currency rates effective as of January 31, 2007. Prices already quoted or listed on our website are subject to increase without notice if any of these rates change prior to departure. ETWT is not responsible for typographical errors. Our prices are given as a package price and cannot be broken down.