Essential Information
You need to be aware of the following before you go ahead and book an Explore polar voyage. When you book you will be asked if you have read and understood these pages as well as the booking conditions. Please take the time to read the detail through.
Before You Book Who travels on your voyages?
Your fellow passengers could be from anywhere in the world. Voyages are conducted in English, so most passengers tend to be from the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the US. These polar ships are not operated by Explore and are not exclusive to Explore customers.
Age limits
On M/S Expedition and M/V Ushuaia the minimum age is 10, for Antarctica on M/S Fram it is fi ve and on M/V Ocean Nova it is eight. On the other ships there is no minimum age. Under 18 year olds must be accompanied by a parent or adult. There is no maximum age, and you’ll be travelling with people of all ages.
Itineraries Polar voyage itineraries are best kept fl exible: the weather or the ice conditions may require the captain to make itinerary changes. Itineraries can also be adjusted to take advantage of opportunities such as rare wildlife sightings.
Maps
The maps in this brochure are indicative only; each ship tends to follow its own preferred route, which may vary from one voyage to the next depending on conditions.
Accommodation and fl ights You may require international fl ights or hotel accommodation before or after your voyage. This can be organised through Explore: when you make your enquiry your polar specialist will be happy to look at options with you.
Cabins and single cabin option
Most cabins are based on two people sharing, however triples and quads are also available (see individual ship details). Double beds are available in some cabins, while most other cabins have twin beds. If you are travelling on your own you can choose to share a cabin with another solo traveller of the same sex (except on M/S Fram) or pay a supplement for sole occupancy of a cabin.
Meals
All meals are included while on board and all the ships can cater for specifi c diets: please tell us about any dietary needs when you make your booking.
Joining a group adventure Everyone joining a polar voyage arrives with slightly different expectations. The crew aim to ensure everyone’s expectations are met. Voyage itineraries have to stick to a schedule to ensure that they work logistically so please be prompt and a little fl exibility always helps!
Travel insurance Valid travel insurance is mandatory for all voyages and you should carry your original insurance policy documents with you on the voyage. If you have arranged your own insurance, please ensure that your documentation specifi cally shows you as the named policy holder and that the cover is valid for the period of travel. It must also indicate that you have cover for at least medical expenses (to a comparable level to the Explore policy) and emergency repatriation in the event of illness or injury. Please ensure that a 24-hour contact telephone number for your insurance company is stated on your documentation in case of an emergency. If you have purchased Explore insurance you should carry the policy document with you together with a copy of your confi rmation invoice, which is your proof of purchase of insurance.
Pre-existing medical conditions
If you, others you are travelling with or anyone else upon whom travel depends (including anyone whose illness or death is likely to result in your wishing to cancel or curtail your holiday) have a pre-existing medical condition you must inform your travel insurance company of this when you purchase your policy otherwise you may not have appropriate cover. A medical form must be completed by each passenger before the booking can be accepted by the ship operator.
Fitness and ability to participate Although high levels of fi tness are not necessary for most activities on polar voyages, some physical participation from passengers is required, for example climbing into and out of the Zodiacs and short walks ashore. If in doubt please discuss with one of our polar team: it is your responsibility to let us know if you have any concerns about your ability to participate. If you have any medical condition or disability which may affect your trip arrangements in any way, you must provide us with full details at the time of booking – please see booking condition 10 on p65
Proof of fi tness or experience For certain activities you may be asked to summarise your previous experience and confi rm your fi tness levels. If unsure we suggest you check the relevant Tour Notes or contact our polar team to discuss.
Peace of Mind Explore is a fully bonded Tour Operator licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and by ABTOT. We hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL number 2595).
All the fl ights and fl ight-inclusive holidays* in this brochure or on our website are fi nancially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay, you will be supplied with an ATOL Certifi cate**. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (fl ights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about fi nancial protection and the ATOL Certifi cate go to
http://www.atol.org.uk/ ATOLCertifi cate
*The fl ights and fl ight- inclusive holidays we arrange are ATOL protected providing they are made available in the UK.
62 For more information go online at
www.explore.co.uk/polar
**ATOL Certifi cates will be issued for all fl ight and fl ight inclusive holiday bookings made on or after 1st October 2012. Although ATOL Certifi cates will not be issued before 1st October 2012, all fl ight and fl ight inclusive holiday bookings made prior to this date will also be protected by the ATOL scheme as referred to in our booking conditions.
As a member of the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT), Explore has provided a bond to meet the requirements of the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.
In the event of Explore’s insolvency, protection is provided for non-fl ight packages commencing in and returning to the UK and other non-fl ight packages excluding pre-arranged travel to and from your destination. Please note that packages booked outside the UK are only protected when purchased directly with Explore. In the above circumstances, if you have not yet travelled you may claim a refund, or if you have already travelled, you may claim repatriation to the starting point of your non-fl ight package.
Voyage only
If you are planning to book only the voyage itself through Explore we strongly recommend you book fl ights that are fl exible and refundable. Due to the nature of polar voyages days of operation and itineraries can change. It is important that all customers are able to amend their connecting travel arrangements should the need arise. Also, in the event of a voyage being cancelled (for whatever reason) it is important that you are able to get your fl ight cost refunded. We regret we cannot accept liability for any connecting travel arrangements you make (including any cancellation or amendment charges) in the event of changes to or cancellation of our polar voyage.
Passports and visas
It is your own responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a full passport, with at least six months validity from the end date of your trip. Also, you are responsible for any visas and vaccination certifi cates necessary to enter or transit any countries involved in your trip. British passport holders require no visas or statutory vaccinations for any voyages in this brochure. However, if you are travelling via the US, it is compulsory for all travellers to provide their personal details online using the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) well in advance of travel (and not less than 72hrs before travel) at a cost of $14 (£9). If you are not a British national please check with the relevant embassy or consulate of the destinations you plan to visit.
Visa Swift Explore has partnered with Visa Swift, the experts in visa processing. Visit their website where you can download visa application forms, follow links to important embassy websites and enquire about their visa service. Visa Swift also offers a full range of passport services, including passport renewals, second passports and replacement passports. Please telephone 020 7405 1616 for more information or visit Visa Swift at
www.visaswift.com/explore.aspx
Foreign offi ce advice The Foreign & Commonwealth Offi ce (FCO) Travel Advice Unit (
www.fco.gov.uk/travel) provides a wealth of information on your destination. We strongly recommend that you thoroughly read their comments on the countries you plan to visit at the time of booking and prior to departure.
Our prices Prices shown in this brochure are per person in GBP. Prices are correct at time of going to print, however they may increase or decrease at any time during the life of the brochure. The price you pay may vary depending on when you book, as the ship operators occasionally run price promotions. The most current price for each voyage can be found on
www.explore.co.uk
What’s included in the price? See individual Tour Notes for detail on what is included in each voyage. Normally all meals, Zodiac excursions and on-shore walks and hikes are included, but other activities must be pre-arranged and an extra charge will be made. Drinks and items of a personal nature such as laundry are not included in the voyage price. Tips for the crew are not included and are usually expected.
Explore’s price guarantee Once we have confi rmed your booking we guarantee the price won’t change: we will not pass on surcharges of any kind. Unlike most other tour operators we will not pass on unexpected additional costs like fuel surcharges and tax increases.
R
No. 5207
Carbon offsetting As part of our responsible tourism policy we offset carbon emissions from all customer and staff fl ights booked by Explore. Our carbon offset partner is Climate Care. If you are booking your own fl ights to join one of our tours, we urge you to offset your carbon emissions through Climate Care or a similar offsetting scheme. For more details, please see our website
www.explore.co.uk.
Brochure and website accuracy
The information contained in our brochure and website is believed to be correct at the time of printing or publication. However, errors may occasionally occur and information may subsequently change. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking.
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