TOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AGREEMENT
The terms and conditions set forth below (the “Terms” or “Agreement”) establish the entire understanding and agreement between you, the trip “Participant”, and “Michela Fantinel”, the organiser behind www.rockytravel.net for any bookings or transactions made to Michela Fantinel. By completing this booking form and paying a deposit to Michela Fantinel of www.rockytravel.net, you agree to these Terms and allow us to perform services on your behalf.
All persons named in this booking (“Participants”) are subject to this Agreement. By signing these Terms, you confirm that you have made all other Participants listed in the reservation aware of these Terms and that all Participants accept these Terms.
TOUR BOOKING AND ARRANGEMENTS
Reservations
All bookings must be made through credit card or bank transfer in Euros. A booking is not final until you receive our final email confirmation.
Deposits
To guarantee your space on the tour, a non-refundable deposit of up to 30% of the total trip cost, as specified in the tour description, is due when booking. Your booking is not confirmed until you receive an email from us confirming your tour reservation.
Tour Arrangements
We advise you not to book your flights nor make further travel arrangements until we have confirmed your tour by email. We cannot compensate you for the travel arrangements booked before we confirm the trip.
Booking and Cancellation of Tour
All further bookings and travel arrangements are due between 150 and 120 days before the tour departure. Tour conditions and balance deadlines are outlined in each tour page description. The tour price is per person and includes the items listed in the tour price inclusions mentioned in the tour description. If you booked a double room for single use, a price upgrade applies as specified in the tour description. Group sizes are subject to a minimum and a maximum, as described on the tour page.
We reserve the right to cancel a tour if the number of sign-ups is fewer than the requested minimum number of participants (as stated in the tour description). This will be communicated by email; in that case, the paid deposit will be refunded to you entirely if we decide to cancel the tour.
Payment of Deposit
Payment is made by credit or debit cards or bank transfers in Euros. You are responsible for all fees incurred for the bank transfer from your home country and any bank fees and credit card surcharges associated with wire transfers/bank transfers. Payment can only be made using the currency indicated on the tour page. This is usually Euros or USD.
The first deposit or the amount specified in the tour description is meant to cover these activities: organising, planning, assisting and guiding the tour participants throughout the tour, as well as an arrangement for transfers if mentioned in the tour description.
CANCELLATION POLICY
All payments, including the deposit, are non-refundable. The initial deposit you pay to secure your space on tour is fully refundable only if we do not meet the minimum number of guests for the trip to go ahead. This is specified in the tour description. In that case, a full deposit refund is paid to you, minus the bank charges.
What if we cancel the tour
Michela Fantinel reserves the right to cancel all or a portion of a trip for force majeure or any other circumstances beyond our control, and, in the event of such cancellation, full or partial refunds, if any, will be at Michela Fantinel’s and our partners’ discretion. We also reserve the right to cancel any trip if sign-up is inadequate to make the trip economically feasible for Michela Fantinel to operate. In this event, we give a full refund of the tour price. However, Michela Fantinel is not responsible for additional expenses incurred by you in preparing for the trip (e.g., non-refundable air tickets, visa fees, gear or medical costs).
What if you cancel the tour – Penalties
You cannot cancel the tour after paying the deposit. If you cancel the tour, we will have to apply the following penalties, which are due as follows:
- Cancellation ten months before the departure date: 25% of the balance.
- Cancellation eight months before the departure date: 50% of the balance.
- Cancellation six to five months before the tour departure: 100% of the balance.
Fewer than the required number of participants
Each trip requires a minimum number of participants for departure. While we don’t have a deadline for the bookings, we may accept bookings up to 150 days before departure. The signed-up participants cannot withdraw from the tour and/or request a deposit refund after the tour is confirmed.
If we sign up enough participants to run a trip, but unexpected cancellations drop the number of participants below the required minimum, we will try to run the trip at an additional charge per person that will be communicated and must be accepted by all participants on tour. If other participants join and the required number of participants is re-attained, the surcharge will be refunded. In the event of a cancellation from our side, you will be issued a full refund of the paid deposit, representing full settlement.
No Reimbursements Due to Changes or Cancellations
We will not reimburse Participants for any personal expenses such as airline tickets, other travel or hotel expenses due to changes in itineraries or tour cancellations. For this reason, we strongly encourage participants to purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
The tour price does not include travel and medical insurance.
We require all guests to take out comprehensive travel insurance to compensate for unexpected cancellations. Insurance covers travel cancellations and medical emergencies in Italy and the EU. We advise purchasing this insurance coverage as soon as the tour is confirmed.
We will request proof of travel insurance details no later than 120 days before departure. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in the cancellation of your booking without a refund.
We strongly recommend you purchase travel insurance that includes trip interruption, baggage, medical insurance, emergency rescue, accident/life, and other expenses that might arise due to a loss, damage, injury, delay, or inconvenience occurring to you while travelling to Italy and on tour.
Our preferred travel insurance partner is Travel Insurance, the largest US-based comparison website that offers plans from the most trusted travel insurers in the US/CA.
For international travellers not based in the US/CA, we recommend Heymondo. They offer great insurance plans for people up to 69 years old.
For Australian-based travellers, we recommend CoverMore.
To learn more about all options and how to choose the best travel insurer, check out our comprehensive guide to international travel insurance for travellers over 50.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Pre-departure Documentation: After we receive your deposit, you will receive your itinerary and general information about your tour by email. Please read these documents thoroughly as soon as you receive them. Contact your travel agent or us immediately if any information seems incorrect or if you have any questions. We cannot accept any liability if we are notified of document inaccuracies.
Passports and Visas
You are responsible for ensuring that all necessary travel documents are valid and effective and in your possession for the entire tour and that you meet the entry requirements of Italy or any country where the tour takes place before booking the tour. Michela Fantinel will inform all European Union passport holders of the passport, visa and health regulations. All other travellers should check the requirements with their Consulate. When travelling to Italy, ensure your Passport is valid for at least six months after your return date. You are responsible for passport requirements. You are responsible for checking and verifying any passport, visa, vaccination, or other entry requirements.
You are also solely responsible for any adverse consequences of missing or defective documentation. While we may provide information or advice on visas, climate, clothing, baggage, special equipment, etc., in good faith as a courtesy to you, we are not responsible for any errors or omissions regarding the information provided.
TOURS INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUDED ITEMS
Check each tour description to see what each trip includes and excludes. Most tours are fully guided, but some activities are optional and may be self-guided, so they vary on what is included. Our tours do not cover travel costs to get to the starting point, such as international or domestic airfare, domestic trains or buses, medical insurance, excess baggage charges, or any personal items. Any unpaid optional tours or sightseeing events are listed in the tour brochure and are to be paid locally if you choose to join them. All drinks, except on our welcome and farewell dinners, and any special dietary requirements are excluded. However, our partners can cater for vegetarians, vegans and gluten-intolerant participants. These must be notified before arriving on tour.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Our tours are for physically active people. The demands vary depending on the specific itinerary, ranging from beginner to moderately physically challenging. As a result, good physical and mental health is critical for the pleasure and safety of our tours.
By agreeing to these Terms, you certify that you do not have any physical, psychological or other mental health conditions that would create a hazard for you or other Participants or affect other people’s enjoyment of the tour.
In some destinations, we may request a medical certificate to ensure you can participate in all activities safely. We also reserve the right to cancel or refuse a booking if you are not fit for our tours.
ACCOMMODATION & MEALS
Hotels
Our tours include accommodation from the point of tour departure through tour completion. Check the individual tour description for information about your accommodation. All our tour prices include shared accommodation (twin beds). We offer to pair you with another woman if you want to save the single supplement for a single room. An upgrade supplement for booking a double room for single use is available at an extra cost communicated in the tour details. Due to the nature of the accommodation, some trips may not allow for single supplements, so please check the individual tour description.
Meals
Some meals may be included, but this will vary depending on the trip. Included dinners or lunches are offered as a menu, not a la carte. Check the individual tour description for meal information. In case of food allergies or intolerances, you must notify the tour company and the tour planner before arriving on tour.
EQUIPMENT RENTAL AND PERSONAL BELONGINGS
If you rent equipment (i.e. bicycle, sleeping bag, etc.), you are responsible for it once you take possession. Your responsibilities include any costs for damage or theft up to the total value of the item rented. Michela Fantinel is not responsible for any loss or damage to any luggage or property. They are considered the responsibility of the Participant at all times, even when left at the accommodation, carried by transfer companies or left in storage during your tour.
FLEXIBILITY
You understand that the amenities, lodgings, type of transport, route, schedule, and itinerary may change without prior notice due to local circumstances or events, which may include illness, strikes, political disputes, climate change and weather conditions, border crossing problems, and other unforeseeable factors.
PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITIES DURING TOUR
Tour Start Date
You are responsible for being ready to go at the departure point on the tour departure day and time. We are not liable for any losses due to cancelled or missed flights, changed flight itineraries, late arrivals, or early departures. We highly recommend that you arrive 1 or 2 days early to avoid missing the tour start date in case of one of the events mentioned above. Should you arrive late on the pickup day, when the tour starts, all additional transfers and arrangements to reach the group are at your expense.
Compliance with Local Laws and Tour Etiquette
You are responsible for complying with all local laws, respecting customs and culture, evaluating your abilities, respecting other trip members’ privacy, and, on the guided trip, following the tour guide’s advice. On guided tours, the decision of the local guide or local supplier is final on all matters that may threaten the safety or interfere with the welfare of the group or individual travellers.
IMAGES, VIDEO, PHOTOS
You agree that we may use and reproduce any images, photos, or videos that you send to us or that are taken by our guides and/or other travellers of you individually or in a group in any medium, including but not limited to print, electronic media, or the Internet, free of charge and without your right to inspection, for promotion and publicity purposes worldwide.
CLAIMS AND COMPLAINTS
We strive to offer top-quality tours throughout the tour, from planning to organising to guiding. If something does not meet your expectations, you punctually notify the tour leader and the tour planner, Michela Fantinel, so they can attempt to correct the issue with our partners and local tour operators. Failure to do so while on the trip will terminate your ability to claim compensation or significantly reduce it from our partners. Also, if you make any changes without informing the tour guide, you assume responsibility for any additional costs incurred and forfeit any potential refunds.
RESPONSIBILITY
We act only as a travel planner and tour organiser, and as such, are intermediaries for the various independent suppliers that provide accommodations, meals, transportation, sightseeing, activities or other goods and services associated with your tour (“Supplier” or “Suppliers”). As a result, we assume no responsibility for and cannot be held liable for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any Supplier and Partner or any other person or entity. A Supplier’s services are subject to the Supplier’s terms and conditions and the local laws and regulations of the relevant country. We will not provide any refund for a Supplier’s delay, cancellation, overbooking, or strike or for elements of the tour that you do not use.
PRIVACY
All information you provide to book your trip will be kept confidential. It will not be disclosed or sold to any third parties for any purpose beyond what is needed to obtain your travel arrangements with our suppliers or as required by law. Credit card information will be destroyed or deleted from our files, but we will save mailing information and past travel information. You may receive mailings from us occasionally unless you ask to be removed from our mailing list. Here is our privacy policy.
LIABILITY
Limitation of Remedies: To the maximum extent permitted under Italian law, Michela Fantinel shall not be liable for any special, consequential, indirect, incidental or other damages arising out of these Terms, including lost profits, whether such damages arise in the contract, negligence, tort, under the statute, in equity, at law, or otherwise, even Michela Fantinel has been advised of the possibility of such damages. You explicitly waive any right it may have to recover such damages.
Severability
If any provision of these Terms shall be unenforceable or invalid under Italian law, such unenforceability or invalidity shall not render the Agreement unenforceable or invalid. Such an unenforceable provision will be replaced with one that is valid and enforceable and which achieves, to the extent possible, the original objectives and intent of the original provision.
OTHER PROVISIONAL LAW
Italian Law shall govern the legal and contractual relationship between Michela Fanitnel and the Participants. Any legal proceedings shall take place in Pordenone, Italy. Updating of Terms and Conditions: Michela Fantinel reserves the right to update and alter these terms and conditions at any time, and it is your responsibility to be familiar with them.
The latest terms and conditions can be found at https://www.rockytravel.net/tours-terms-conditions/
