General Information

Passengers who have not cruised with Swan Hellenic, or who are regular passengers will no doubt have many questions to ask about our ship, our operation and many other matters. This section (which forms part of our contract with you) has been written to give you some general information about cruising with us and we feel sure you will find it useful both before and during your cruise. Our aim is your complete enjoyment of the cruise holiday, and all of our staff, ashore and afloat, together with the ship’s company, will do all they can to ensure this. The information given here is correct at the time of printing, August 2012, but is subject to change without notice. If you have any queries about your booking, we will always be pleased to help you. Please telephone our Pre-Cruise Administration Department on 0844 209 9000.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office produces up-to-date travel information to help British travellers make informed decisions about travelling abroad. For further information please visit www.fco.gov.uk or telephone 0845 850 2829. Alternatively, you can contact ABTA’s Consumer Advice Information Line on 0901 201 5050 (calls are charged at 51p per minute, plus network charges).

BEFORE YOU GO
PASSPORTS AND VISAS
British Citizens require a full 10 year passport valid for at least 6 months after the date of return travel for all countries to be visited and with spare pages. For British citizens, when joining or departing the ship in some ports, individual visas may need to be obtained prior to the cruise departure. At the time of printing August 2012, you will need to purchase and obtain the following visas if your cruise includes the countries indicated: India multiple entry visa, Chinese visa ( for pre and post tours), Sri Lankan ETA(Electronic Travel Application), Sri Lankan visa (post tour only). The Oman entry visa needs to be purchased on arrival. This information is subject to change and it may be necessary for other visas to be obtained and purchased. Full information on visas for your cruise will be sent to you approximately 16 weeks before departure. 

In some ports Swan Hellenic is able to obtain group visas for UK passport holders on arrival which will enable you to go ashore. Swan Hellenic may not always be able to obtain group visas for non UK passport holders. In some countries group visas are restricted to allow passengers to participate in shore excursions organised by Swan Hellenic only. If you wish to explore independently in the countries indicated it will be necessary for you to obtain and purchase an individual visa prior to the cruise departure; this includes St Petersburg and Sochi, Russia. This information is subject to change and it may be necessary for other visas to be obtained and purchased.  

Other nationalities should consult their travel agent/embassy regarding visa/entry requirements.

Passengers with an Israeli visa, passport or entry permit or with a visa for Egypt or Jordan at an Israeli border crossing in their passport (whether valid or not) may not be permitted to disembark in some countries. At the time of printing this includes Oman. A new passport must be obtained before travelling on the cruise.

Some countries place restrictions on certain nationalities obtaining group or individual visas. In such ports you will not be permitted to disembark.

Any British Citizen Passport holders transiting the US without a machine readable passport will need to obtain a visa from the United States Embassy. British Citizen passport holders with a full right of abode are permitted to transit the USA under the US Visa Waiver Scheme (1-94W) and must register their intention to travel on https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov 72 hours prior to travel. Other nationalities please check with your respective embassy (charges apply).

All the information stated is correct at the time of printing, August  2012, and is subject to change. Swan Hellenic will endeavour to inform passengers of any mandatory requirements and changes in the pre cruise documentation which is sent approximately 8 weeks prior to the cruise departure.

Please note that it is the responsibility of each passenger to check with the various embassies or consulates involved in their particular cruise, to ensure that they have the necessary visas and correct documentation to enter all the countries visited. Any passengers arriving at the departure port/airport without a passport, correct visas (if required) or correct documentation will be refused permission to board the ship/aircraft. Failure in this respect is not covered by insurance and no refund can be made.

HEALTH, VACCINATIONS AND MEDICAL INFORMATION
As health regulations are ever changing, we recommend that you consult your GP or contact MASTA (Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad) www.masta-travel-health.com at least 12 weeks before your intended departure to check the latest requirements for the countries you will be visiting. At the time of confirmation of your booking, we will advise you of any mandatory vaccination requirements. Any passenger arriving at the airport/port without the correct certificate will be refused permission to board the aircraft/ship. No passenger refund is applicable. Depending on the itinerary, passengers should consult their GP regarding the possibility of taking a course of anti-malarial tablets prior to their departure.

In certain countries, and specifically for cruises calling in Brazil, Yellow Fever inoculations are mandatory for each passenger whether or not you intend to proceed ashore. You will be required to obtain and carry an original Yellow Fever certificate stamped by an authorised Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre. The certificate itself is valid from 10 days after vaccination for a period of ten years. If you are excused on medical grounds you will be required to obtain and carry an original Yellow Fever (charges apply) exemption certificate stamped by an authorised Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre. Certificates will be inspected at your departure airport/upon embarkation. You will not be able to travel or embark the ship without a valid certificate as stated. Regulations requiring mandatory Yellow Fever Vaccinations and certificates are laid down by the local Port and Health Authorities, and the vessel will be unable to obtain entrance to certain ports if the correct paperwork, as stated above, is not available. This requirement may differ from the advice given by the World Health Organisation and your local doctor. Swan Hellenic will advise you at the time of booking (or as soon as possible if regulations change) if Yellow Fever is a mandatory requirement on your cruise. 

If you do not normally enjoy good health, you should consult your doctor regarding the advisability of taking a cruise and being away from the usual medical and hospital facilities. Your insurance company must be advised of any pre-existing conditions at the time of booking and of any conditions arising subsequently prior to departure, otherwise your insurance may be invalid and you will be responsible for any costs arising from medical treatment or repatriation. We ask you to advise us at the time of booking of any disability or illness so that we can advise our onboard medical team.

CHILDREN
There are no recreational facilities for children aboard Minerva and reservations for children are not advised.

PASSENGERS WITH
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Swan Hellenic will always try to accommodate passengers with special requirements. However, we feel we should point out that we are not specialists in catering for the disabled. If you or any person travelling with you suffers from a disability, you must contact our Administration Department for advice before any booking is confirmed. The following conditions apply:

Medical Situations: Any disability or medical condition that requires ongoing special treatment, medication and/or medical apparatus, must be reported to the company’s Reservations Manager in writing along with the first deposit, which is due at the time of booking. These conditions include but are not limited to wheelchairs, oxygen therapy, dialysis, etc. Failure to disclose a medical situation at the time of booking may result in you being denied boarding at port of embarkation.

Health Care Companions: All passengers with special requirements must be self-sufficient and must be accompanied by a passenger who will take full responsibility for any assistance needed at all times during the cruise and in the event of an emergency.

Wheelchairs/Mobility Scooters: Passengers using wheelchairs must provide their own collapsible chair. Mobility scooters must be gel or dry cell battery only with a width of no more than 78cm to enable access to the cabin and each part should weigh no more than 23kg. The passenger or their health care companion must be able to carry the wheelchairs/mobility scooters up and down the gangway unaided in each port of call. At initial embarkation and final disembarkation Swan Hellenic are able to load the wheelchair/mobility scooter on/off the vessel with passenger luggage. Due to health and safety regulations, however, crew and Swan staff are unable to assist with wheelchairs/scooters at the ports during any cruise.
Any passenger taking a mobility scooter aboard Minerva must reside in a disabled cabin. There are four specially adapted cabins aboard Minerva, A37, A38, SB9 and DB11. In each of these cabins there is an 8.5cm rise into the bathroom. Mobility scooters cannot be used aboard Minerva during your cruise.

Some ports require tender boats to go ashore and conditions may preclude a passenger who uses a wheelchair/mobility scooter from leaving the vessel. This decision must be made by the ship’s Captain and is binding. Passengers should also be aware that facilities for the disabled in some destinations may be very limited. If a wheelchair/mobility scooter is taken on a shore excursion, the passenger or health care companion will be responsible for placing the wheelchair/mobility scooter into the hold of the coach. In some destinations coaches may not be able to accommodate wheelchairs/mobility scooters. Getting about once aboard Minerva is relatively easy, however certain parts of the ship may be inaccessible for wheelchair users.  

Pregnancy: Regulations vary from airline to airline, but some will refuse to carry women who will be 28 weeks pregnant on the date of return travel. If you are in doubt, please check with the airline concerned and we would recommend that you consult your doctor in any case.

Special Diets: We can usually make provisions for special diets provided that sufficient notice is given, although we cannot cater for Kosher or Halal diets. A vegetarian choice is available on board ship and vegetarian meals are also available on flights providing two weeks’ notice is given. Please indicate any requests at the time of booking. We will make every effort to satisfy your request, although this cannot be guaranteed.

Note: The company has the right to refuse or revoke passage to anyone who, in its judgement, is in a physical or mental condition unfit for travel, or who may require care beyond that which the vessel can provide. Under such circumstances, no refund, assistance or compensation will be payable. Please also refer to Section 10 of the Fair Trading Conditions.

HOTELS & LAND TOURS
The land packages contained in this brochure can only be purchased in conjunction with the cruises shown in this brochure. The company reserves the right to assign your hotel based on pre-reserved space at hotels contracted. Hotel rooms are not usually available until approximately 3.00pm on the day of arrival. Certain land packages and excursions will not operate if minimum numbers are not met and others may have a maximum capacity. The sequence of escorted land tours may vary from the brochure. If, for any reason, a hotel or entertainment feature is cancelled or otherwise unavailable, the company reserves the right to cancel, make substitutions or omissions and is under no obligation, except that in the event of cancellation you will receive a full refund of any payments received for that service. Please note that the terms for cancellation by the passenger of any pre-booked land stays and excursions are as per our general cancellation terms, as detailed in our Fair Trading Conditions. 

SHORE EXCURSIONS
Shore excursions are included in your cruise fare in every port of call, where available. Please note that the company reserves the right to amend, cancel or substitute an included shore excursion and in these circumstances is under no obligation to make a refund. Additional excursions, including some as mentioned in the brochure, may be available at supplementary cost.

At the time of going to press, August 2012, the exact content of the shore excursion programme has not been finalised. All excursions should be pre-booked although it may also be possible (subject to availability) to book your excursions on board. Shore excursion details will be sent to you approximately 8 weeks prior to departure. Please note that it is not possible to credit the non-use of an included shore excursion against the cost of a supplementary shore excursion.

ONLINE SERVICES – ALREADY BOOKED
Our website www.swanhellenic.com features an Already Booked section. Here you will be able to find useful information such as Frequently Asked Questions, Your Cruise Book (available 8 weeks prior to departure) and Partner Services. You can also update your Mandatory Passenger Information online.

JOINING YOUR CRUISE
Portsmouth
All our coach transfers to join or leave Swan Hellenic cruises in Portsmouth are complimentary. For passengers flying from London and returning to Portsmouth there will be a coach transfer from Portsmouth back to the Swan Hellenic group departure airport in London at the end of the cruise. For passengers departing from Portsmouth and flying back to London, there will be a coach transfer at the start of the cruise from the Swan Hellenic group airport to Portsmouth.
For cruises departing from and returning to Portsmouth there will be return coach transfers from London Victoria coach station and Southampton Airport. Discounted parking rates are available at the port. To make your booking contact our Administration Department on 0844 209 9000. Please note that any car parking  subsequently cancelled after all cruise monies have been received will incur an admin charge of £10 per booking.

Embarkation at Portsmouth
Embarkation at Portsmouth will generally begin three hours before the ship is due to sail.
Door-to-Door Luggage Service – UK

For cruises beginning and ending in Portsmouth we have partnered with The Baggage Handling Company providing a UK based door to door baggage carrying service. Luggage is collected from your home, delivered to Minerva in Portsmouth on embarkation day then collected at the end of the cruise and returned to your home. This service can be offered in either direction (one way) or as a pick up and return. Prices start from £25 + VAT for one way, £50 plus VAT return. For more information and to book please contact our Administration Department on 0844 209 9000 or directly with The Baggage Handling Company via the link from our website:
www.swanhellenic.com/alreadybooked

Swan Hellenic will have no responsibility, financial or otherwise, in regard to any loss or damage. Any contracts entered into for luggage transfer services offered by The Baggage Handling Company are entered into directly and form no part of any contract with Swan Hellenic Cruises.

Valet Parking 
(Portsmouth to Portsmouth Cruises only)
Cruise and Passenger Services (CPS) offer secure valet parking conveniently located at Portsmouth International Port. Both CPS and the secure car park are Park Mark®awarded.

Simply drive to the terminal, your key tag receipt will be provided on arrival, ensure that your baggage and personal effects which you require are removed from your car. A careful and experienced driver will then drive your vehicle to the secure car park. On your return simply collect your keys and a parking marshal will assist in locating your vehicle, which will be waiting directly outside the terminal building.

Valet parking is available for £11 per day.

Please contact CPS directly if you wish to book valet parking. Email: info@candps.com
Tel: 0845 071 3939.

Swan Hellenic will have no responsibility, financial or otherwise, in regard to any loss or damage. Any contracts entered into for valet parking offered by CPS are entered into directly with CPS and form no part of any contract with Swan Hellenic Cruises.

Travelling to the Airport
Approximately 8 weeks prior to departure we will send you details of long-term parking at your departure airport.

FLIGHTS
We use a mix of scheduled and dedicated charter flights, however, we are not always in a position to confirm full flight details at the time of booking and any information that may be provided at that time is subject to change.

Flights to and from South America, the Middle East, the Indian sub-continent and the Far East may incur overnight flights.

Flights back from the Caribbean may have an overnight flight.

On long haul routes flights may be indirect, necessitating a change of aircraft during the journey. On direct services it may be necessary for the aircraft to stop en-route for operational reasons.

Baggage allowance is usually 20kg on our dedicated flights and most scheduled flights, although it may vary slightly according to the carrier.

For long haul flights we recommend that you check-in a minimum of 3 hours before departure to allow for increased security checks. We regret that online check-in is not always available for scheduled flights booked through Swan Hellenic. If you do not check in on time, the airline may not allow you to board the flight.

We cannot accept responsibility if such situations arise and, whilst we will do our best to arrange alternative transport, any resulting costs will be your responsibility. Swan Hellenic’s recommended travel insurance includes cover for travel delays (see page 104).

The airlines likely to operate our flights are Thomson Airways, Thomas Cook, Titan, BA, Iberia, Air France and Monarch Airlines using Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767, Airbus A300, A320, A330 and A321. Other airlines and aircraft may also be used including local airlines for internal flights. If you wish to upgrade your flight,
please contact us to discuss availability and supplementary costs.

On all dedicated charter and scheduled flights you will be required to collect your luggage and proceed through immigration and customs. We will have porters waiting to receive your luggage and transfer it to the ship where it will be delivered to your cabin.

Luggage Delivery Service – Overseas
For cruises which start and end at a UK airport we have partnered with The Baggageman providing an overseas door to door luggage collection and delivery service. Luggage is collected from your home and delivered to Minerva, allowing you to enjoy a relaxed journey without worrying about carrying luggage, delivering it back to your home address at the end of the cruise. For further information and to book please contact The Baggageman directly on 0800 0232094 or www.thebaggageman.com and quote Swan Hellenic.

Swan Hellenic will have no responsibility, financial or otherwise, in regard to any loss or damage. Any contracts entered into for luggage transfer services offered by The Baggageman are entered into directly and form no part of any contract with Swan Hellenic Cruises.

NOTES ABOUT FLIGHTS
1. All flight times, air carriers and flight routings are subject to change. Flights will not necessarily be direct or non-stop. Swan Hellenic will inform you of any changes.
2. Swan Hellenic will determine the city airport i.e. for London, either Heathrow, Stansted or Gatwick may be used. Where a choice of UK departure airport is offered, this is subject to availability.
3. All flight upgrades are on request and are subject to price and availability. Please contact our Reservation Department to request an upgrade.
4. Please note that for all pre and post-cruise tours and stays, travelling to join or return from your tour or stay will be by scheduled carrier, to or from London.
5. Airlines reserve the right to refuse travel on medical grounds. You must notify us of any medical conditions or other requirements for airport assistance (only available after check in) or special arrangements required on your flight. You may be required to provide additional information to the airline in order that they
can assess your fitness to fly. Several airlines are
unable to carry passengers who require oxygen
during part or all of the flight. If you do require oxygen then advance arrangements need to be made at additional cost.
6. If you have any special dietary requirements, please advise us at the time of booking or at least 14 days prior to departure. We are unable to guarantee that all requests can be met.
7. Only fully fit and mobile passengers may occupy exit row seats. These seats will only be assigned at the discretion of the airline at check-in.
8. Due to the configuration of aircraft, it may not always be possible to obtain seats together.
9. All flights are non-smoking.
10. We do not pre-allocate seats on dedicated
charter flights.

LOCAL CONNECTING FLIGHTS
Connecting flights to/from London can be arranged at a supplementary cost for cruises where scheduled international flights are used (subject to availability and routing, prices on request). Connecting flights are not available on cruises where we are operating a dedicated charter flight.

Important – It is strongly recommended that you leave a minimum of 4 hours between any connecting flights, to allow for potential flight delays and increased airport security. If you have an early morning flight departing from London, you may wish to consider taking a connecting flight the day before and staying in an airport hotel.

Any hotel accommodation and transfers to make connections will be at passengers’ own expense.

FLIGHT DELAYS
Unfortunately, it is impossible to guarantee that flights will take off exactly on time, as delays can occur for any number of reasons. EU legislation places the responsibility on airlines to provide minimum standards of care to passengers. When there is a delay, we will ask the airline to ensure that you are provided with regular updates and, where necessary and practical, refreshments as follows: 3-5 hour delay – light refreshments: over 5 hours’ delay – a main meal. Please ensure that all medications are packed in your hand luggage.

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS & AIR CREDITS
The Company will have no responsibility, financial or otherwise, in regard to air, hotel, transport or any other arrangements made by passengers with third parties. Passengers should ensure that any such arrangements are transferable and refundable, or covered by their travel insurance, in the event of delay, amendment or cancellation of any of these independent arrangements, or of your cruise. Information regarding embarkation and disembarkation times as well as access to the port will be given in your Pre Cruise documentation. Air credits may be available on request at the time of booking and subject to availability. Passengers taking air credits or on a cruise only package must make their own arrangements to transfer from the airport  to the ship and vice versa. This is also applicable to passengers booked on a pre or post tour whereby passengers must make their own arrangements to transfer from the hotel to the airport and vice versa.

ON BOARD
CURRENCY AND PAYMENTS
On board Minerva all prices are in £ Sterling.

As there are limited foreign exchange facilities on board, we would recommend that you purchase any currency requirements you expect to need before you travel. There is little opportunity to visit banks whilst on excursions. For purchases ashore, many shops accept most Travellers’ Cheques and major Credit Cards. A cashless system operates on board with passengers settling accounts at the end of the cruise.

Payment methods – Visa, Mastercard and American Express credit cards (2% surcharge), Visa debit cards only, Travellers Cheques and cash are accepted for payment of shipboard accounts. Personal cheques and Mastercard debit cards are not accepted.

MEDICAL ATTENTION
We hope you will find it unnecessary to use the ship’s medical facilities during your voyage. If, however, the occasion does arise, it is comforting to know that we do carry a fully qualified doctor and nurse. The National Health Service does not cover treatment on the ship and the doctor or nurse will make a charge for their services as well as for any medicines or drugs needed. Such charges are normally reclaimable under your travel insurance, less any excess. In the unlikely event that you require urgent medical attention ashore, we will assist by contacting your insurer who will make the necessary arrangements for your treatment and repatriation.

BARS & ALCOHOL
Please note that bars may have to be closed for the sale of alcohol and cigarettes in certain waters. Only alcohol purchased in the ship’s bars and restaurants may be consumed on Minerva.

DINING ARRANGEMENTS
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are arranged on an open sitting basis and may be taken in the Swan Restaurant or the Veranda. Opening times will vary according to the daily programme.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Our onboard telecommunications systems mean that you are never more than a telephone call away from your home or office. All cabins feature direct-dial telephones, whilst fax facilities are available at Reception. The Internet Lounge, situated on Bridge Deck, allows you to access your email account (please note certain types of access, including Skype and other VOIP protocols are  blocked due to bandwidth restrictions) This also applies to Apple and MS programmes, such as iCloud.com which, because of band width restrictions, are also unavailable on board. Internet cards are available for purchase on board. WiFi is available for use on personal laptops in certain areas. Satellite coverage cannot be guaranteed.

ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
Cabins and suites feature 220 volt current. The use of hair dryers, electric rollers, curling irons, electric shavers and other small appliances should be checked with Reception, but, for safety reasons, the use of travel irons and any personal tea/coffee making equipment is strictly prohibited. Each cabin is equipped with a hair dryer.

LAUNDRY & PRESSING
Valet service is available for laundry and pressing. A laundry bag and order form are provided in your cabin wardrobe. Some passengers may wish to make use of the self-service launderette on Aegean Deck – washing powder is provided. Dry cleaning is not available on board.

WHAT TO WEAR
As a general rule, for days on board and ashore, summer clothing/casual wear is the order of the day. It should be light, comfortable and easy to care for. A sweater and jacket for cooler evenings and a light raincoat are also advisable.
On cruises to northern latitudes, warmer, layered, windproof clothing will be necessary. On more southerly cruises the weather will usually be suitable for sunbathing, so don’t forget your wrap, bathing suit, sunglasses, sunhat and sunscreen. For trips ashore and for getting into and out of the ship’s tenders, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes are a must. You may also want to bring with you a camera, extra binoculars, an umbrella and insect repellent.
In certain countries, shorts, short skirts, bare arms and shoulders will not be appreciated locally and you may be prohibited entry to certain sites. Please refer to the notes section in the Cruise Book for each excursion.
During the day, the general atmosphere on board is informal and casual clothing, including shorts, is perfectly acceptable. However, just as at a land based resort, we ask you to cover swimwear when entering the ship from the open decks. In the evening, the dress code varies according to your chosen restaurant. The Veranda is smart casual; for ladies that means dresses or blouses with skirts or trousers and, for gentlemen, long trousers and shirts with collars. In the Swan Restaurant gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie. As a courtesy to other passengers, the dress code will be observed; please ensure you are correctly dressed to avoid any embarrassment on entering the Swan Restaurant for dinner in the evening. On formal nights (approximately two in a 15 day cruise), gentlemen are invited to wear black tie or dark suits and ladies to wear evening gowns or cocktail dresses.

SMOKING
Smoking is only permitted in designated areas on the open decks. Smoking outside these areas, including in cabins and on excursion coaches, is strictly prohibited.

EMERGENCY MUSTER DRILL
After embarkation and prior to Minerva setting sail there will be a full emergency muster station drill. This exercise is to give all passengers precise information on the correct route from their cabins to the places where they should muster in an emergency, together with instructions about life jackets and emergency procedures. This Muster Drill is a requirement of law and all passengers must attend.

GENERAL
SPECIAL REQUESTS
We are unable to accept ‘conditional bookings’. Please advise any special requests clearly at the time of booking and we will do our best to comply with your wishes. We must point out that failure to fulfil a special request cannot be considered a breach of Contract on the part of the company.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS
We particularly ask you to tell us in writing of any alterations to your address before departure, and in any communication, please state the cruise on which you are travelling.

DATA PROTECTION ACT 1998
Please be assured that we have methods in place to protect the personal booking information held by us. This information will be passed on to the principal and to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. If you travel outside the EU, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We will only pass on your information to persons responsible for your travel arrangements. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities or dietary/religious requirements. (If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EU or not, we will be unable to accept your booking. In making your booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons). Full details of our data protection policy are available upon request.

CHANGES TO YOUR CRUISE & ITINERARY
The information in this brochure outlines details of our carefully planned programme. Should any subsequent events cause us to change our plans or affect the published itinerary in any way, we will let passengers know as soon as possible. However, in the event of war or threat of war, political unrest, terrorist activity, piracy, natural or nuclear disaster, we maintain the unreserved right to cancel, postpone or alter without prior consultation, any itinerary in whole or in part, in order to safeguard passengers, the ship and employees. See Fair Trading Conditions on pages 106-107.

GUEST SPEAKERS/SPECIALIST ENTERTAINMENT
If any of our confirmed Guest Speakers or specialist entertainers are unable to travel on their allotted cruise, Swan Hellenic reserves the right to engage alternative Guest Speakers, specialist entertainers or to alter the advertised programme.

OVERSEAS STANDARDS
It is a fact of life that when we travel to different countries, we often find that the customs, traditions and general pace at which things are done can be very different from what we are used to in the UK. In so far as standards of safety are concerned, the suppliers of services must comply with the rules and regulations of their own country and these are not always as strict as they are in the UK. Every care is taken to contract the best available transport. However, standards can vary and not all vehicles will have air-conditioning or seat belts.

DANGEROUS GOODS
We direct your attention to the fact that it is an offence to carry on board an aircraft or a ship any goods of a dangerous or damaging nature. Remember that petrol and other lighter fluids, including fluids for hair curlers, come under the terms of the Explosives Act; their inclusion in baggage is strictly prohibited.

WEBSITE ACCURACY
The information given on this website is checked for accuracy by our UK staff, our overseas staff and our agents. Nevertheless, we would ask you to bear in mind that things can change and often these things can happen without our prior knowledge. However, should we become aware of any long term or permanent change which is considered to have a permanent effect upon your enjoyment of the cruise, we will do our utmost to advise you.