| Universal
Tours, Inc.
Terms
& Conditions
"Without
a Travel Agent, Your on your own"
RESERVATIONS
AND PAYMENTS
Land
tours require a $200 deposit per person within 72 hours after
making reservations. The balance or final payment is due at
Universal Tours’ office 60 days prior to departure. Universal
Tours accepts the following methods of payment: travel
agency check, credit cards, debit cards, bank cashier’s check,
U.S. Postal Money Orders, and cash. Credit Cards – In order
to keep the lowest possible price, all prices are based on cash/check
payment. VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover are
accepted as a convenience to our customers, but are subject
to a 4% service charge. Credit/debit card payments must be accompanied
by a signed Universal Tours authorization
form in order to process any documents.
TOUR
PRICES
All
prices quoted are based on inclusions as listed in the individual
tour packages. Prices for air inclusive tours include airfare,
land costs, sightseeing, boat fees (as applicable), and meals
as outlined. Prices for land only tour packages do not include
airfare. Foreign airport departure taxes are the sole responsibility
of the traveler and are not included in any package price. Departure
taxes vary by airport. Taxes are listed on this website and
are current as of December 20, 2002. Taxes are subject to change
without notice.
CHILDREN/INFANTS
Universal Tours is pleased that our airline partners offer child
discounts between the ages of 2-11 for our Asian tour packages.
Child fares for airlines vary dependent upon carrier. Infant
fares are also available. Please inquire at time of reservation.
CHANGES
Universal Tours is happy to modify any tour program when possible
to meet the traveler’s requirement, however, a fee of USD $50
will be charged for each revision made to a reservation after
booking and confirmation. This fee does not include any penalty
imposed by an airline for flight itinerary changes. Airline
change fees are the responsibility of the passenger and varies
by airline.
CANCELLATIONS
Notice of cancellation must be made in writing and received
at Universal’s office more than 60 days before departure. All
cancellations are subject to a minimum processing fee of $100
per person, regardless of the reason, to offset the the costs
of handling the reservation. Universal Tours strongly recommends
the purchase of a travel insurance policy and can recommend
different plans to suit your needs. For cancellations received
within 60 days of departure, the following per person cancellation
fees apply:
Land tours
75-61 days prior $100 Deposit
60-46 days prior $150
45-32 days prior $200 or 25%*
31-22 days prior $200 or 25%*
21-8 days prior $300 or 50%*
7- Departure Date 100 %
* Whichever is higher.
No shows, non-arrivals or early check outs from hotels will
receive no refund. Additional fees for air, theatre, and rail
tickets may apply. Any reinstated cancellation will be subject
to a fee of $25 per person.
Universal
Tours strongly recommends the purchase of a travel insurance
policy and can recommend different plans to suit your
travel needs.
TRAVEL
DOCUMENTS
Your travel documents, including any air tickets, itineraries,
and travel literature are sent out two weeks before your departure.
Full and final payment is required in order to obtain travel
documents. To ensure document delivery, all travel documents
are sent via overnight express mail at a cost of $10.00 up to
$20.00 per mailing address. Depending
on means of delivery. Passengers paying with Credit/Debit card
this charge will show on statement as a service charge.
PASSPORTS
Each participant must possess a valid passport with an expiration
date of at least 3-6 months after scheduled departure, depending
on destination visited.
VISAS
Universal
Tours can process all visa applications for you or you can apply
on your own. Visa fees are not included in land tour packages.
Please note that once visas are applied for, all costs incurred
are non-refundable for any reason.
TOUR
PARTICIPATION
Universal reserves the right to refuse or retain any member(s)
of the group should circumstances so demand. Up to and including
local authority envolvement. Universal shall be under no liability
to any such person. Tour members are held responsible for carrying
proper documentation and being in sufficient good health to
undertake the tour. There will be no refund what so ever, for
these circumstances.
TOUR
GROUP SIZE
Tour group sizes may vary and Universal Tours (and its agents
and local operators) reserves the right to operate tours at
any size, or when necessary, with multiple coaches and tour
escorts. For Passengers travelling on a custamized designed
tour for a specific party will not apply.
AIR
TRANSPORTATIONs
Airlines and airfares are based on roundtrip economy class (unless
specified otherwise) and are subject to availability and change
at any time without notice. Air tickets are subject to reservation,
passenger initiated changes and/or cancellation rules, which
may vary from airline to airline, and which may result in penalties
and/or increased airfares, The pasenger is wholly responsible
for these charges. All applicable airline rules apply. The Passenger
Contract in use by the air carrier shall constitute the sole
contract between the airline and the passenger.
BAGGAGE
Trans-Pacific airline baggage allowance is two (2) pieces of
checked baggage with combined overall dimensions not to exceed
106 inches and not to exceed 70 pounds each. Local and intra-country
flight may have much stricter baggage limitations. Universal
Tours will advise you in case of this. All baggage and personal
property is at owner’s risk from gateway departure to return.
Universal Tours it' land operators, agents or subagents acting
on behalf of Universal Tours will assume no resposibility and
shall not be held liabel . Due to space limitation on buses
and ships only one suitcase per person is recommended. Baggage/travel
insurance is highly recommended.
ACCOMMODATIONS
All hotel rooms are equipped with private bath or shower, unless
otherwise specified. Room assignments are at the discretion
of the hotel and specific requests cannot be guaranteed. Triple
rooms may at times offer “roll away” as third bed. Universal
Tours and or it's acting agent reserves the right to substitute
hotels for hotels in similar categories without prior notice
- based on availability.
HOTEL
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Check-in
cannot be guaranteed prior to 2:00 pm. Departure is normally
required by 11:00 am.
HOLIDAY
SURCHARGES
Surcharges
may apply during certain dates due to trade fairs or holiday
periods.
TIPS
& TAXES
All
taxes are included with the exception of airport departure taxes.
Tips of a personal nature to local guides, drivers, porters
and other personnel handling of your travel arrangements are
not included.
HOTELS
The
prices shown for the hotels used in our programs have been negotiated
for the 2004 season and are indicative of the hotel’s own rack
rates. Some hotels may occasionally offer special reduced rates
in periods when their business is slow. These offers are normally
made locally on short notice and do not have any impact on prices
we have negotiated with the hotels on behalf of our clients.
ITINERARY
VARIATIONS
Universal
Tours (and its guides and local representatives) constantly
strives to improve each itinerary. Improvements or unforeseen
conditions may warrant itinerary changes, and we reserve the
right to vary itineraries and to substitute hotels. Any resulting
additional expense, cost adjustment, will be payable by the
tour participants/the passenger and will be fairly pro-rated.
ITINERARY
SEQUENCE
Every
effort will be made to adhere to the itineraries as stated or
requested. However, due to schedule changes and changes beyond
the operator/airline’s control, some change of sequence may
be necessary.
TOUR
COST
(Do not include)
Cost of passport, visas, port taxes, meals not specified in
each program and tour conditions, optional excursions or extensions,
excess baggage charges, accident baggage and trip cancellation
insurance, transportation not specified in itinerary, all items
not specified in our tour programs and items of a personal nature.
TOUR
CANCELLATION
Universal
Tours reserves the right to cancel or re-schedule any tour prior
to departure in accordance with operating requirements or circumstances
beyond its control. If a tour cancels, Universal’s sole responsibility
is to provide a full refund without any other
liability whatsoever. Universal Tours is not responsible for
cancellation penalties imposed by airlines or other transportation
carriers. Travel insurance is highly recommended.
PICTURE
USAGE AND MAPS
Photographs
used within this catalog are representative of the destinations
published and may not always depict actual scenes from tour
itineraries. Maps shown are for general information and may
not accurately reflect actual routing. Maps shown are not always
to scale. Copyright ©2002-2003 Universal Tours, Inc., and others,
as noted.
COMPLAINTS
In
the unlikely event of a complaint and/or refund request, please
note that they must be submitted in writing, together with all
supporting documents, to Universal Tours, Inc., no later than
30 days after the completion of the tour/services. Complaints
and/or refund requests received after 30 days upon the tour/services
completion date will not be accepted and Universal Tours, Inc.
shall be released from any and all further liability. In case
it pertains to any airline transportation service, any and all
claims shall be resolved between the passenger and the airline
directly. Although Universal Tours will make every good faith
effort to assist the passenger.
RESPONSIBILITY
The
responsibility of Universal Tours, Inc., and/or its agents,
is strictly limited. Universal Tours shall act as agent of the
tour members making arrangements for transportation, hotels,
restaurants or other services and does not assume any liability
whatsoever for any damage, loss, injury, death, accident or
delay to person or property due to an act of default by any
hotel, carrier, restaurant, company or other person rendering
any of the services included in the tour, or by force majeure.
Further, no responsibilities are assumed for any delay or damage
due to illness, government restraints, pilferage, labor disputes,
machinery breakdown, quarantine, acts of terrorism, weather
or any other causes beyond Universal’s control. Universal Tours
cannot be responsible for any acts of God, strikes, weather
and other local or unforeseen conditions, which may disrupt
the normal operation of the tour. Universal Tours highly
reccomends the purchase of a travel insurance policy.
Washington Seller of Travel Registration Number: 601 639546
Member
in good standing with the BBB
APPLICABLE
LAW
Purchaser/passenger
acknowledges that by booking and paying for a tour/travel services,
he or she agrees to accept and is bound by the terms and conditions
set out in this brochure. In the event that any legal or equitable
action is initiated concerning the interpretation, enforcement,
or breach of any term, obligation or duty as contained or related
to the Terms and Conditions. It is specifically agreed that
the exclusive venue of such action shall be solely in the City,
County and State of the operator’s principal place of business,
which is the City of Seattle, state of Washington. Any agreement
between tour operator and any travel agent, passenger, air carrier,
hotel, ground operator, or other tour operator shall be valid
only when accepted in writing by an officer of Universal Tours.
Your
signature below verifies that you have read and accepted the
"Terms & Conditions" above.
___________________________
Date:_____________
Passenger |