Terms and Conditions
NOTIFICATION
Information contained in this website is not an offer or a contract. Information contained on this website is not an offer or a contract. Any and all information contained herein is subject to change at any time without prior notice. The transportation of guests and baggage on Viking River Cruises vessels is provided solely by the Operator and is governed by the Terms and Conditions printed on the Passenger Ticket Contract. For complete information on Terms and Conditions, itinerary, liability of Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd, liability limits and all sections mentioned below, refer to the Passenger Ticket Contract. A copy of the Passenger Ticket Contract is available by contacting your Travel Agent or Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd.
PAYMENT POLICY
A deposit for cruise/land of $500 per person is required to secure a confirmed reservation. Promotions may have different payment terms—please refer to the offer. When more than one cruise is booked, deposit and payment policies apply per cruise. The final balance is due no later than 90 days prior to sailing. All reservations are subject to cancellation if payments are not received by the due date. Upon full payment by the participant(s) of the amount specified as the Tour Price (see Invoice), Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd. agrees to arrange for the provision of the services as described in this brochure and as modified by supplementary materials. Your full payment or acceptance of a ticket constitutes agreement to the terms and conditions of the Passenger Ticket Contract.
RESERVATIONS
To make a reservation, contact your local Travel Agency or call Viking River Cruises at 1800 829 138 (Australia), 0800 447 913 (New Zealand).
CANCELLATION POLICY
For any cruise/land booking, whether under deposit, partially paid, or paid in full, the following Travel Agent or Guest-requested situations are considered cancellations and penalties will apply as noted below: changes to departure date; substitutions of itinerary; substitution of another person for original booked guest(s); or changing to a promotional fare. All cancellations must be in writing. The following cancellation charges will be assessed for all written cancellations received prior to departure up to the scheduled time of departure.
Cancellation received | Following charges will apply: (Broken out by days before departure)
121 days or more | $100 per person
120-90 days | 15% of full fare
89-60 days | 35% of full fare
59-30 days | 50% of full fare
29-0 days | 100% of full fare
REVISIONS/CHANGES
Once a cruise/land booking has a deposit or is paid in full, all changes are subject to a $30 charge per change. See prior section under Cancellation Policy for additional details on situations which are classified as cancellations rather than changes.
DOCUMENTS
Documents will be issued approximately 3 weeks prior to sailing date or the first day of your Viking River Cruises. All early document requests will be charged a $25 early processing fee.
TRANSFERS
Transfers are only valid on tour departure and arrival dates. Transfers may be purchased through Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd for an additional cost or you may make your own transfer arrangements.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION/VISAS
All guests must have passports valid for six months following disembarkation and necessary visas when boarding. Guests are advised to check with their local embassy to determine which documents they must obtain. If incorrect documents are obtained, guests will be unable to participate in particular shore excursions and may be denied boarding and/or entry into certain countries. Note: Due to airline security measures, your passport name must match your airline ticket name or you may be denied boarding. Viking River Cruises accepts no responsibility for obtaining required visas nor for advising guests of visa or other immigration requirements.
CHILDREN/MINORS
Due to the nature of our cruise itineraries, Viking River Cruises does not maintain facilities or services for children aboard River Cruise Vessels. On all cruises and cruise journeys, minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied and share a cabin with a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult over the age of 21. We regret that we cannot accommodate children under 12 years of age, and we reserve the right to limit the number of minors under the age of 18 years on board.
DISABLED PASSENGERS
Guests who have any medical, physical or other special needs must contact Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd, at 1800-829-138 from Australia or 0800-447- 913 from New Zealand, to obtain our Policy Statement. All vessels and motorcoaches are equipped to European standards. Vessel operators will, under appropriate circumstances, permit its guests to use motorised scooters and wheelchairs which satisfy the criteria stated in the Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd Policy Statement, based upon a full understanding and appreciation by its guests and their companions that the vessels do not have elevators which would permit easy access from deck to deck and that some decks are multi-level or contain significant thresholds. Accordingly, a physically challenged guest will require the services of a responsible adult since crew availability is severely limited in most circumstances. Tips or gratuities for shipboard personnel on our China itineraries are included in your cruise fare. Gratuities for your Program Director or local city guides are not included. Should you wish to tip for these services, you may add a gratuity for your Program Director to your shipboard account as you settle it at the end of your cruise; for local guides or drivers, we recommend tipping at the end of each tour in cash. As a general guideline, we suggest approximately $2-$3 per person per day.
TIPS/GRATUITIES
Shipboard gratuities are included in your cruise fare for Europe, Russia and China river cruises. Gratuities for Program Directors and local city guides are not included in your fare.
EUROPE OPERATORS
The ships described on this website are operated by Viking River Cruises Ltd., Viking River Tours Ltd., Viking Croisières S.A. or Viking River Cruises AG.
CHINA OPERATORS
The ships and/or tours described on this website are operated by one or more of the following: Chongqing New Century Cruise Co. Ltd., Viking River Cruises AG, Viking River Tours Ltd., Viking River Tours (China) Ltd. and China International Travel Service Beijing Co., Ltd.
EGYPT OPERATORS
The ships and/or tours described in this brochure are operated by one or more of the following: Mövenpick Nile Cruises, Viking River Tours Ltd.
VIKING RIVER CRUISES PTY LTD and VIKING RIVER CRUISES, INC.
Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd and Viking River Cruises, Inc acts solely as a Sales Agent/Preferred Supplier for the abovementioned operators of the vessels described on this website. Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd neither owns nor operates any of the vessels described herein and thus assumes no responsibility or liability for acts or omissions of the vessel owners or operators in regard to the cruises described herein.
RESPONSIBILITY
Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd accepts no liability or responsibility, whether occasioned by railroad, motorcoach, private car, boat, aircraft or any other conveyance, for any injury, damages, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason or defect, through the acts or defaults of any company or person, or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour, as a result of any cause beyond the control of Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd. Guests specifically release Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd from any and all claims for loss or damage to baggage or property or from personal injuries or death, or from loss or delay, arising out of the acts, omissions or negligence of any independent contractors, such as air carriers, hotels, shore excursion operators, restaurateurs, transportation providers, medical personnel or other providers of services or facilities. All arrangements made for tour participants with independent contractors, including medical services, are made solely for convenience to participants and are done at the participant’s own risk. Medical personnel are independent contractors. Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd specifically disclaims all liability for damages for emotional distress, mental suffering or psychological injury of any kind, except to the extent prohibited by 46 U.S.C. §183c(b). Tickets, vouchers, and any other travel documents are subject to all terms and conditions of the respective suppliers (some of which may limit supplier’s liability). Under no circumstances shall Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd be construed as a carrier under a contract for safe carriage of the guest or his or her belongings. Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd and the owners and operators of the vessels identified on this website shall be entitled to any and all liability limitations, immunities and rights applicable to them or any of them under the Strasbourg Convention on the Limitation of Liability of Owners of Inland Navigation Vessels (CLNI), with protocols and amendments, together with the further provisions of the International Convention of Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976, with revisions and amendments (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Convention”), if and as applicable, and by those other and further limitations of liability set forth in the statutory and general maritime law of the United States, (including Title 46 U.S. Code Section 181-186, 188), as well as any other applicable nation’s laws limiting liability. Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd and the owners and operators of the vessels identified on this website shall be entitled to claim the benefit of whichever law, regulation, treaty or doctrine provides the greatest legal protections to Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd and the owners and operators of the vessels identified on this website.
REFUSAL OF PASSAGE
Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd shall not be required to refund any amount paid by any tour participant who must leave the tour prematurely for any reason, nor shall Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd or the owners or operators of the vessels identified on this website be responsible for the lodging, meals, return transportation or other expenses incurred by such tour participant.
ADVANCED, CANCELLED OR DELAYED
Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd reserves the right to withdraw and/or cancel a tour or to make changes in the itinerary and hotel accommodations whenever, in its sole judgment, or in the judgment of the vessel owner or operator, conditions warrant it. In the event of charters of the vessels, truces, lockouts, riots or stoppage of labor from whatever cause or for any other reason whatsoever, the Owner or Operator of the vessels identified on this website may, at any time, cancel, advance or postpone any scheduled tour and may, but is not obliged to, substitute another vessel or itinerary and shall not be liable for any loss whatsoever to guests by reason of any such cancellation, advancement or postponement.
ACTS OF GOD, STRIKE, OR OTHER
Neither Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd nor the owners or operators of the vessels identified on this website shall be liable for delay or inability to perform any condition on this website or any part thereof caused by or arising out of strikes, lockout or labor difficulties or shortages whether or not the Carrier is party thereto, or explosion, fire, collision, standing or foundering of the vessel or breakdown or failure of or damage to the vessel or its hull or machinery or fittings howsoever and wheresoever any or the same may arise or be caused, or civil commotion, riot, insurrection, war, government restraint, requisitioning of the vessel, political disturbance, acts or threats of terrorism, inability to secure or failure of supplies including fuel, Acts of God, or other circumstances beyond their control.
EXTENSIONS
The Extension packages as listed on this website have been developed in association with various international hotels. Situations may arise, voluntarily or involuntarily, that necessitate changes. Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd reserves the right to substitute hotels as it is deemed necessary and to provide comparable alternatives.
ITINERARIES, PRICES/INCREASES AND OMISSIONS
Itineraries are subject to change and may need to be altered or cancelled specifically because of water levels or wind factors. Prices shown in this brochure are subject to change with or without notice. Adjustments for currency and/or fuel fluctuations may apply. Optional shore excursions/tours/concerts, excess baggage charges, drinks, beverages and meals not included in the package are additional costs to the guest. Viking is not responsible for omissions, printing and/or presentation errors and reserves the right to make corrections as required.
VIKING TOURS
Viking River Cruises Pty Ltd also does business under the name Viking Tours, which is a registered trade name.