Terms and Conditions
TERMS, CONDITIONS & GENERAL INFORMATION 2010–2011
Please read the Terms, Conditions & General Information contained in these pages very carefully for M.S. Safari, Ltd. of Arusha, Tanzania (herein referred to as “My Serengeti Safari”). They outline the terms under which your My Serengeti Safari tour will operate and they limit our liability. Payment of deposit and/or final payment is an acknowledgment of receipt of these terms & conditions and constitutes acceptance of such as outlined.
RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS & FINAL PAYMENTS
The pre-planned trips represented on this web site tend to sell out fast. As such, early reservations are essential to ensure availability of space. A deposit of $500 per person is due to My Serengeti Safari at the time of reservation. (A higher deposit may be required for some tours). If deposit is not received at our offices within 7 days from the date of reservations, booking/s is/are subject to cancellation. After receipt of deposit by My Serengeti Safari, any change/s made to the reservation/s will incur a processing fee of $30 per change (see also cancellation clause). Final payment is due to My Serengeti Safari 60 days prior to departure date. If the reservation is made within the last 60 days of departure (and if space is still available), the entire tour price must be paid at the time of reservation. My Serengeti Safari will accept credit cards for deposits. Balance payments are requested to be paid by wire funds transfer, or if paid by credit card, will be subject to a 3% processing fee.
PRICES, RATES & FARES
Unless otherwise indicated, all price rates shown are in United States Dollars and are per person sharing a double-bedded hotel room. These prices are in effect at the time of viewing the web site and are subject to change at any time prior to departure. Quoted tour prices are based on current rates of exchange, tariffs and taxes as of the date of your reservation. My Serengeti Safari reserves the right to increase tour prices to cover increased costs of tariffs, taxes, park fees and fluctuations in foreign exchange markets.
BEST PRICE GUARANTEE
My Serengeti Safari guarantees to match a bona-fide safari fee proposal for any itinerary that you find that matches one of our planned safaris or a customized itinerary we may prepare for you. In addition, we will discount the fee by an additional $50 per person per trip as an incentive to book with My Serengeti Safari. In order to qualify, client must provide My Serengeti Safari with proof of a bona-fide competitor’s fee proposal, and the itinerary must match (for example: duration, destination, selection of lodges, number of passengers in vehicle etc.). My Serengeti Safari reserves the right to determine like kindness of each itinerary and to decide on a case by case basis whether or not each itinerary qualifies for the Best Price Guarantee.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
All participants must be in possession of a passport valid for 6 months beyond the re-entry date into the United States. A visa or visas may be required for some or all of the countries visited on the holiday or tour selected. Please check your visa requirement/s at time of booking. My Serengeti Safari will NOT provide visa information and application forms. My Serengeti Safari recommends a reliable visa service that will assist in obtaining visa/s for nominal fee/s. Non U.S. Citizen/s may have different requirements. It is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure that all his or her visa and passport requirements are met.
TOUR INFORMATION
Acknowledgment of booking will be sent immediately upon initiation of a reservation. Upon initial payment of Invoice, general information such as reading and clothing suggestions, customs information, anticipated weather conditions, etc. will be forwarded to you upon receipt of deposit. Final tour documents consisting of detailed tour itinerary, hotel list, etc., are emailed from our offices approximately 21–30 days prior to departure.
CANCELLATIONS & CHANGES
Because on the special nature of the programs featured on this web site, suppliers impose rigid cancellation fees; please be aware that My Serengeti Safari has no control over such fees and cannot make any exceptions to these charges.
Note: ALL cancellations must be received by My Serengeti Safari in writing; cancellation/s will be effective when the written notice is received at My Serengeti Safari’s offices in Arusha, Tanzania.
If a cancellation is received after My Serengeti Safari is in possession of the initial deposit, but more than 60 days prior to departure (or 90 days if applicable), the cancellation fee incurred will be $250 per person (a higher cancellation fee may apply to some tours). If cancellation is received between 59 and 45 days prior to departure the fee incurred will be 25% of the entire tour price. Or, if final payment has been received before 60 days prior to departure, and cancellation occurs, the fee incurred will be 25% of the entire tour price. Cancellation/s received between 44 days and 30 days prior to departure will be charged a fee of 50% of the entire tour price. NO REFUNDS whatsoever will be made for cancellations received within the last 30 days prior to departure.
Airfares are subject to different rules and cancellation fees; some may be non-refundable. Details will be provided at the time of booking directly from our air ticket partner AirTreks, if you have chosen to utilize their services. To protect against cancellation charges, we strongly recommend purchasing Cancellation Protection and Travel Interruption Insurance (see Insurance clause).
RIGHT TO PROMPT REFUND
Upon cancellation of the transportation or travel services, where the passenger is not at fault and has not cancelled in violation of any terms and conditions previously clearly and conspicuously disclosed and agreed to by the passenger, all sums paid to the seller of travel for services not provided will be promptly paid to the passenger, unless the passenger advises the seller of travel in writing, after cancellation. This provision does not apply to where the seller of travel has remitted the payment to another registered wholesale seller of travel or a carrier, without obtaining a refund, and where the wholesaler or provider defaults in providing the agreed-upon transportation or service. In this situation, the seller of travel must provide the passenger with a written statement accompanied by bank records establishing the disbursement of the payment, and if disbursed to a wholesale seller of travel, proof of current registration of that wholesaler.
UNUSED TOUR ITEMS
No refund will be made for any unused accommodations, missed meals, transportation segments, cruise portions, sightseeing tours or any other service. Such unused items are neither refundable nor exchangeable (no exceptions).
INSURANCE
My Serengeti Safari strongly recommends Travel Insurance available through AirTreks (www.airtreks.com) for guests on My Serengeti Safari. The plan protects you and your investment in the event of a sudden emergency before or during your trip and offers coverage for trip cancellation or interruption, illness, injury, and damage, loss or theft of baggage, as well as emergency assistance.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Health regulations for some countries visited on featured trips on this web site may require proof of inoculation and/or vaccination certificate; such certificate should be in your possession throughout the entire tour. My Serengeti Safari strongly recommends that you consult with your personal physician or Passport Health at 888-499-7277 or via the web at www.passporthealthusa.com in regards to your itinerary and required inoculations. You may also visit the website of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) at www.cdc.gov.
REVISION FEES
A handling fee of $30 per transaction is charged for any alteration or revision made to a reservation. Spelling corrections to client’s names after tickets have been issued will be subject to airline revision fees. Courier delivery costs may apply if any changes are made within five weeks prior to departure. A change of date or itinerary within 90 days of departure will be treated as a cancellation and new booking; in this case regular cancellation fees apply.
NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOUR PRICE
AIRFARE
Airfare to and from Africa, air-related taxes and fees, passport and visa fees, inoculation and vaccination fees, insurances of all kinds, laundry, phone calls, beverages, meals not detailed in the itinerary, tips to Tour Guides, motor coach drivers and local city guides, items of a personal nature, excess baggage, optional excursions, etc. The tour price also does not cover costs and expenses, including the return to your home, if you leave the tour at your own volition, or due to illness, or as a consequence of official action by the government of any country visited.
Any domestic and international departure or arrival taxes, security charges, and other types of taxes or charges imposed by airlines, airports, governments, etc. are not included in the tour price. Any additional fees charged by the airlines, such as baggage handling, seat selections and/or any other services are the sole responsibility of the passenger(s).
All items of a personal nature including alcoholic beverages (except on certain occasions): meals not specified, tips to tour guides; excess baggage charges; cancellation, health, accident and baggage insurance; private, non-group transfers; and any items not specifically listed as included.
YOUR TOUR PRICE DOES INCLUDE
ACCOMMODATIONS
Accommodations on a double occupancy basis, will be provided at the property specified or similar. Rooms will be assigned by the respective supplier/s on a run-of-the-house basis, in category/ies as specified in the itinerary. The hotels featured in the itinerary will be in accordance to the level of the program – First Class, Deluxe or Luxury - (this term may be defined by the hospitality industry in the region providing such accommodation or by trade custom). All per person rates are based on double occupancy of the respective accommodation units as described above. A Tour member occupying a single room, either by choice or by circumstance, is required to pay the single room supplement. Quoted single room rate does not necessarily mean single occupancy of a double room, as some of the establishments featured in this web site have especially designed single occupancy units.
MEALS
Meals for each tour are included as stated on itinerary. A la Carte, Buffet meals and/or table d’hôte are offered. Special meals and entertainment are included as shown in the itinerary. In some rare instances, a meal may not be of a standard expected under the term of “deluxe” particularly in remote areas.
SIGHTSEEING & LAND TOUR SERVICES
The following services are included in your tour price: transportation between the airports and hotels, baggage handling, sightseeing with English-speaking guides as mentioned in the itinerary and all entrance fees to attractions visited as described in the itinerary. Transport will be via safari vehicle, private car and other modes of transportation, as determined by the nature of the terrain and as outlined in the itinerary. Transfers are not included when arriving or departing at the first destination gateway by means other than the scheduled flights, but can be arranged upon request at additional cost.
LATE BOOKING CHARGE
Bookings made within 30 days of departure incur an additional $50 per person handling fee.
NON REFUNDABLE AIR TICKETS
For departures that are not guaranteed: If you are purchasing a nonrefundable air ticket, please make sure that your travel agent explains the difficulties associated with these airfares. My Serengeti Safari cannot be held responsible for any change/cancellation penalties associated with non-refundable airfares.
AIRLINE BAGGAGE REGULATIONS
Intercontinental, Economy-class allowance per tour participant, permits two checked pieces of luggage per person, and subject to a total combined measurement of 106 inches (width + depth + height). No dimension of any single bag is to exceed 62 inches. The carriage weight per bag is limited to 50 lbs.
The regional requirements for non-intercontinental flights are determined by weight, usually 44 lbs. per person in economy class (charter flights, if and when used, allow only 22 pounds, soft-sided luggage; limitations are strictly enforced). Carry-on baggage is not to exceed 45 inches and must conform to under seat size requirements of 9x14x22 inches. Baggage and personal effects are at owner’s risk throughout the tour and baggage insurance is strongly recommended (see insurance clause). Carrier liability for tour members’ baggage is clearly stated on the passenger contract printed on all tickets; description can also be found for inspection at the airport or city offices of the carrier. Liability for checked and unchecked baggage shall in no event exceed the actual loss incurred by the passenger, subject to proof of the amount of loss. Please read all of the conditions of your ticket. Federal law and treaties limits the amount of recovery for loss of or damage to your luggage or its contents. To protect against such limitations, we strongly recommend that you purchase insurance (see insurance clause).
PHOTOGRAPHY, PHOTOGRAPHS & MAPS
My Serengeti Safari reserves the right to take photographs during the operation of any program and to use resulting photographs for promotional purposes. Any passengers who prefer that their images not be used are asked to notify their tour escort at the beginning of the program.
Photographs show places in geographic areas, but are not necessarily included in the tour. Maps shown on the tour pages are for general information and may not accurately reflect actual routings.
SAFETY
Please be aware that during your participation in tours operated by M.S. Safari, Ltd., certain risks and dangers may arise beyond our control including, but not limited to, the hazards of traveling in undeveloped areas; travel by boat, train, automobile, aircraft or other means of transportation; the forces of nature, political unrest and accident or illness in remote regions without means of rapid evacuation or medical facilities. My Serengeti Safari (USA), LLC and M.S. Safari, Ltd. will not have liability regarding provision of medical care or the adequacy of any care that may be rendered. It is understood that My Serengeti Safari will use its best efforts to ensure that adequate measures are taken.
RESPONSIBILITY–LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
M.S. Safari, Ltd. of Arusha, Tanzania (herein referred to as “My Serengeti Safari”) act only in the capacity as an agent for the hotels, airlines, bus companies, railroads, ship lines, and/or contractors providing accommodations, transportation or other services to the client. The client is advised that My Serengeti Safari purchases such transportation, hotel accommodations, restaurant and other services from various independent suppliers who are not affiliated with My Serengeti Safari. My Serengeti Safari makes every effort to select the best suppliers of the aforementioned services. However, My Serengeti Safari does not control the operations of these agents and as a result, CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY PERSONAL INJURY, PROPERTY DAMAGE OR OTHER CLAIM which may occur as the result of any and/or all of the following: (1) the wrongful, negligent or arbitrary acts or omissions on the part of the independent supplier, agent, its employees or others who are not under the direct control or supervision of My Serengeti Safari; (2) defects or failures of any vessel, aircraft, vehicle or other instrumentality which is under the control of an independent supplier; or (3) loss, injury or damage to person, property or otherwise, resulting directly or indirectly from any Acts of God, dangers, incidents at sea, fire, breakdown in machinery or equipment, or wars (whether declared or not), hostilities, civil disturbances, strikes, riots, thefts, pilferage, medical epidemics, quarantines, or customs regulations, defaults, delays or cancellations or alterations in itinerary due to schedule changes, or from any causes beyond My Serengeti Safari’s control. Further, My Serengeti Safari is not liable for any loss or damage resulting from insufficient or improperly issued passports, visas or other legal documents. All coupons, exchange orders, receipts, contracts and tickets issued by My Serengeti Safari are issued subject to any and all tariffs, terms, and conditions under which any services are provided by such hotels, airlines, bus companies, railroads, ship lines or owners or contractors or by their person in employ.
RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
My Serengeti Safari (when deemed necessary) reserves the right to: (1) cancel any itinerary or any part of it; (2) make any alterations to the itinerary (including, but not limited to, alterations to substitution of hotels); and (3) decline to accept or to retain any person as a tour passenger should such person’s health, mental or physical condition, in the sole opinion of My Serengeti Safari, impede the operation of the tour of the other passengers. Tour members are held responsible for being in sufficient good health to undertake the tour. If a passenger is asked to leave while the tour is in progress, that person will be responsible for charges incurred on account of such departure from the tour and/or their return to the their home country. In such a case, My Serengeti Safari will refund any monies that can be recovered for the unused portion of the tour, taking into account additional charges incurred by My Serengeti Safari. Other than to refund such sum, My Serengeti Safari will accept no further liability or obligation toward that person or third party.
DISCLAIMER
My Serengeti Safari is not responsible for any errors, omissions or misquotes contained in this brochure or any other accompanying promotional documentation. The contents of said brochure or promotional documentation may be changed at any time (including, but not limited to, rates and itinerary) without notice and at My Serengeti Safari’s sole discretion.
