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TERMS AND CONDITIONS |
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INCLUDED
Accommodations: As featured in the itinerary. Meals: As indicated in the itinerary: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
Transfers: Included in fixed departure (group) programs, on arrival and departure, when arriving and departing on the first and last scheduled days of the tour. For all other tours, transfers are included as indicated.
Porterage: The handling of two bags per person. Baggage and personal effects are at the owner's risk throughout the tour.
Taxes & entrance fees: Hotel taxes, entrance fees to National Parks, museums and places of interest in effect at the time of booking are included unless otherwise specified.
Tax increases or new taxes charged for services that were not taxed in the past will be charged to the client.
Sightseeing: As specified in the itinerary.
NOT INCLUDED
Costs of obtaining passports, visas or tourist cards; excess baggage fees; personal expenses such as room service, beverages and laundry; gratuities for tour escort, guides or driver; personal communications charges; international airfare and airport departure taxes (US$26 per person as of April 2007); tax increases or new taxes charged for services that were not taxed at the time the booking was made; excess mileage carried out at the request of the passenger; sightseeing or meals not specified in the itinerary; personal insurance coverage (strongly recommended).
IMPORTANT
The Costa Rican government is in the process of trying to pass a law where all tourism services would be taxed. Currently, things such as lodging and meals are taxed, but unfortunately, it's highly probable that other services such as guides salaries; ground transportation, charter flights, etc. will be taxed. We don't know exactly how much the tax will be, rumor has it that it will be 13% but it could be more or less. The quote that I am sending you does not include this new tax. If and when the law passes, Costa Rica Expeditions will we not be able to absorb it. We need to decide exactly how to handle it when it's a reality.
INFORMATION FOR FIXED DEPARTURES PARTICIPANTS
1. Who Should Go . Fixed departures are open to everyone. Travelers should expect co-participants of all ages, nationalities, cultures and physical abilities. Also, additional guests may be added to any portion of any fixed departure itinerary. We are happy to accept children 12 and older. For families with children younger than 12, we have special family departures.
2. Hotels & Lodges . For the Costa Rica Explorer and the Costa Rica River & Rainforest trips, we reserve the right to change hotels at the last minute. This applies primarily to the San Jose hotel, but possibly the Monteverde or Savegre hotels (depending on the program chosen). Our ability to guarantee departures with as few as two participants with the price structure currently in effect is in large part due to the fact that we are able to change hotels. We will do our best to keep you informed of which hotels we are planning to use for each departure. Travelers who find these conditions unacceptable should choose the Costa Rica Connoisseur or a custom individual itinerary in which hotels are not likely to change under normal circumstances.
3. Itinerary Order . While the services provided remain the same, we reserve the right to change the order of the itinerary. Normally, we will advise participants of foreseen changes at the time of booking; however, occasionally changes are made at a later date. The same services are included regardless of the order of the itinerary.
4. Additional Nights . Additional nights (if applicable) in San Jose do include breakfast, but the last night of the program in San Jose does not include breakfast (the morning of departure).
5. Pack Carefully! . Hiking shoes are necessary. Some participants prefer tennis shoes; however, if you choose not to bring hiking shoes, bring two pair of tennis shoes so one can be drying if they get wet. Binoculars (8 x 42 minimum recommended) add a whole new dimension to an adventure and are not easily available for rent in Costa Rica. Please also remember that it may be difficult or impossible to get items such as batteries or bulbs for flashlights and/or cameras-bring extras. It is also advisable to bring more film or memory cards for your digital camera than you think you'll need! Spillable liquids should be packed inside re-closable plastic bags as light charter planes are not pressurized.
6. When traveling in light charter aircraft due to weight limitations in the plane, you will need to restrict what you are taking with you to 25 pounds per person, including cameras, clothing, carry-ons, etc. Provisions will be made for extra items to catch up to you later in the trip. Airplanes fly as high as 10,000 ft and are not pressurized. Spillable liquids should be packed in plastic bags. The 25-lb weight limit for flights or boat trips within Costa Rica does not mean that you need to limit yourself to 25 lbs of baggage for your entire trip to Costa Rica. While it always makes sense to travel light, you can bring more than 25 lbs of luggage. We will store your excess luggage while you are on portions of the trip that involve flights or boat trips, and catch it up to you as soon as feasible after you have finished those sections.
7. More on Baggage Limit . The most frequent problem in achieving outstanding levels of satisfaction for participants on trips such as these has to do with the 25-lb. baggage weight limit for light charter aircraft and boats. It is important to understand that, for reasons of safety and cost, the baggage limit must be enforced on all light charter flights-regardless of whether or not they are full.
8. Safety . Costa Rica Expeditions is the largest user of light aircraft in Costa Rica, with the exception of the government. Over the past 18 years, we have accumulated tens of thousands of passenger hours in light aircraft. There have been two accidents, neither of which resulted in fatalities. We enforce higher safety standards for the pilots and aircraft we use than the Costa Rican Civil Aviation Board.
9. Airport Transfers . International arrival and departure transfers are not included for those arriving or departing on dates other than the scheduled arrival/departure dates for the program. Transfers are available by previous arrangement through Costa Rica Expeditions for participants not arriving or departing on the stated arrival/ departure dates of the tour. The cost per person, per transfer is: 1 person: $65, 2 people: $33, 3 people: $22, 4 people: 16 and 5 or more: $13
10. Airport Departure Tax . Upon departure from Costa Rica, this $26 per person tax (as of April 2007) can be paid in Colones, cash dollars or a combination of both. If you wish to pay using a credit card only VISA is accepted. Travelers checks are not accepted.
11. Group Size . When there are eight participants or more on a trip, the same guide will accompany the group during the entire trip. If there are less than eight participants, the group will have different local guides at the different sites. Participants will not be guided on travel days.
12. Service Guide . Service Guides are bilingual guides who escort our guests on itineraries that do not include naturalist accompaniment. Often these are naturalists-in-training and have considerable knowledge of plants and animals. All have training in guiding techniques, a general knowledge about Costa Rica, and a sincere desire to share this knowledge. These guides are included to accompany the group for a portion of the itinerary and to help out with logistics.
13. Welcome Orientation Meal . Due to the fact that many participants arrive after dinner on Day 1, we provide a welcome orientation breakfast on Day 2 in lieu of a dinner on Day 1.
14. Driving Conditions . Although Costa Rica is a small country and the distances between sites are relatively short, due to the conditions of winding, bumpy roads clients should expect long travel times from one point to another.
15. For the Two-Day Pacuare River trip, you will need to pack three groups of "stuff". The first set will be river gear which you will wear in the raft and will be wet the whole trip. The second set of "stuff" will be dry cloths to wear at camp as well as personal toiletries needed for the night at camp. The third group of "stuff" will be left on the bus so that you will have clean dry (warm) clothes at take out. Please take with you on the river only those things that are truly needed. Each person will receive one dry bag to accommodate his/her belongings.
16. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: When a single parent is traveling alone with one child he or she must pay the adult rate plus the single supplement. The child will pay the regular children's rate. The reason that this is done this way is because lodging is not costed into the children's rate.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Payment policy: A deposit of 50% of the total trip cost is required to guarantee your reservation upon acceptance of proposal. The balance is due 30 days prior to the start date of departure.
Cancellation Policy
In the case of cancellations 30 days or more prior to the start date of the scheduled trip, there is a full refund, minus hotel deposits, and a cancellation fee of $300 or 10% of the entire cost of the trip, whichever is less. In the case of cancellations received in our office from 29 to 15 days prior to the start date of the trip, there is a 50% refund, minus hotel deposits. There will be no refund for cancellations made 14 or fewer days prior to the trip. This policy may not apply to hotels or tours in which Costa Rica Expeditions, S.A., acts only as an intermediary, in which case the individual policies of the suppliers may apply.
TRIP CANCELLATION & TRAVEL PROTECTION INSURANCE
Costa Rica Expeditions strongly recommends that you buy Trip Cancellation and Travel Protection Insurance.
Here are some of the coverage's:
.Trip cancellation or interruption because of a covered medical problem that you, your traveling companion, family member or business partner may develop between the time you book and the end of your trip.
.Trip cancellation or interruption because of burglary of your or your traveling companion's residence within 10 days of your departure or during your trip.
.Non-delivery of services bankruptcies or financial defaults of airlines or tour operators.
.Expenses arising from an accident or sickness during your trip including evacuation or repatriation to a hospital near your home if your situation is acute or life threatening.
.Payment for lost and delayed baggage.
If you do not have this kind of insurance and any one of these or several other situations covered by the policy should arise you would have to cover the expense out of your own pocket.
The policy we recommend even covers you for pre-existing medical conditions if purchased within 10 days of the date you pay for or deposit your trip.
Our travel insurance contact in the United States is Preferred Adventures Ltd, St Paul, MN. If you wish to purchase insurance, please access their website at:
https://www.travelex-insurance.com/consumer/welcome.aspx?location=23-0428
IMPORTANT NOTICE PLEASE READ:
Passport Requirements
All foreign citizens entering Costa Rica must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the date they enter the country. As of April 2007, Citizens of the United States are required to have a valid passport for at least 30 days after the date they enter into the country. Please visit http://www.costarica-embassy.org/consular/travel/documents.htm for updates. Citizens of the United States and many other countries do not need visas to enter Costa Rica. Citizens of countries other than the United States, Canada and the European Economic Community should check with the nearest Costa Rican Embassy or Consulate. Please note effective January 23, 2007 all nationals, including U.S. citizens, will be required to hold a valid passport to enter the United States by air. This also applies when coming from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda. The new passport requirement means that all travelers, including U.S. citizens, who are departing the U.S. and intend to re-enter the United States are required to hold a valid passport upon departure from the U.S.
A word to the wise: In years past entrance requirements were much less strictly enforced than they have been lately. Airline counter personal in the country of origin are responsible for enforcing entrance requirements. Although they may still occasionally be lax, if you do not have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after your date of travel, it is highly probable that they will not let you board the plane.
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
RESPONSIBILITY
Costa Rica Expeditions, S.A., (its owners, associates, agents and employees) give notice that they assume no responsibility for injury, loss or damage to person or property in connection with any service resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God, detention, annoyance, delays and expenses arising from quarantine, strikes, thefts, pilferage, force majeure, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, civil disturbances, government restrictions or regulations, discrepancies or change in transit or hotel service over which it has no control. Costa Rica Expeditions is not responsible for loss of life, personal injury, cancellations, delays, over-bookings, loss or damage of baggage and/or loss of services as a result of the same caused by any domestic flights within Costa Rica. For an additional charge, when advisable, charter flights may be arranged through Costa Rica Expeditions.
Should clients decide to book a charter flight, Costa Rica Expeditions will not assume responsibility for cancellations, delays, over bookings, any loss of services from the same. Costa Rica Expeditions reserves the right to adjust the U.S. dollar prices without notice, to reflect fluctuations in the Foreign Exchange Markets. Costa Rica Expeditions also reserves the right to withdraw a tour or any part of it, to make such alterations in the itinerary as it deems necessary for the comfort or well-being of the participants and to pass on to tour members any expenditure or losses caused by delays or events beyond its control.
With advance deposit to Costa Rica Expeditions or any of its agents, the depositor therefore agrees to be bound by the above recited terms and conditions.
MEDICAL AND HEALTH
We have a 24-hour medical service. Guests with existing medical conditions should make them known to Costa Rica Expeditions well before their arrival to Costa Rica, given that guests will be, at some time during their trip, in some of the most remote places in Costa Rica. Under certain circumstances, evacuation could be prolonged, difficult, expensive or impossible. Guests should take special care. If they feel sick, they should tell us so we can start making arrangements for evacuation should it become necessary.
Leaders on all of our wilderness trips carry a fully stocked first-aid kit. Hospital facilities are excellent in Costa Rica. Costa Rica Expeditions assumes no liability for costs of evacuation or provision of medical care. We strongly recommend that trip participants purchase short-term traveler's insurance covering baggage, accident/life and trip cancellation.
CANCELED TRIPS
Costa Rica Expeditions reserves the right to cancel any trip due to insufficient sign-ups. In the event of such a cancellation, those with reservations shall be notified as soon as possible and a full refund of payments on land costs will be given. Costa Rica Expeditions and participating agents are not responsible for any expenses incurred for non-refundable air tickets, equipment, medical costs, etc.
CONDUCT
Costa Rica Expeditions and its designated representatives reserve the right to disqualify any person as member of any trip or tour, should such person's actions or general deportment impede the operation of the trip or the rights or welfare or enjoyment of other members of the trip. Refunds are usually not given under these circumstances. In such extraordinary instances when a refund is granted, it is agreed that a refund based on the actual cost of the unused land services is the limit of Costa Rica Expeditions' responsibility.
PRICES CHARGED
The rates that Costa Rica Expeditions receives from lodging and other suppliers of services may be the same or even higher than the prices that the suppliers offer the public via the Internet or other channels of distribution. The prices we charge reflect our costs and a reasonable profit for our services in planning and operating the trip. We do not claim that individual services that may appear to be or actually be similar to the services we resell can never by obtained for prices lower than ours.
PRICE BREAKDOWNS
We do not give price breakdowns. The reason is that we have found through the years that, if we do so, we spend so much time having to explain every cost that we would have to charge considerably more for arranging the trips then we do now. Even more important, in almost all cases cost breakdowns would not help our clients choose a better vacation or a better value. The way we see it, our job is to concentrate on all the details and try to give our clients their ideal vacation at the best possible price. The travelers' job is to look at their holiday as a whole and decide whether our proposal will provide the vacation they want at a price they can afford. The best way for us to help travelers make the right decisions is to give them the most accurate descriptions possible of the experience, and a clear explanation of what is and is not included in the cost. A detailed breakdown takes attention away from the overall quality of the experience.
We acknowledge that we may occasionally inadvertently over-charge. If the price we are quoting seems excessive, please say so. Someone other than the person who prepared the original quote will recheck it. If there is an error we will make the adjustment. (We have also been known to accidentally leave out charges that should have been included. If we discover that this is the case after the first payment, we will not charge you.)
We are also aware of the possibility that the quote may be more than you want to spend. Please let us know if this case and, if feasible, we will quote a more affordable itinerary.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY FOR LOST BAGGAGE
Costa Rica Expeditions makes every possible effort to protect the baggage placed in our care. In the unlikely event that baggage or its content is lost, Costa Rica Expeditions will compensate the owner of said baggage for the value of the baggage and it's contents or four hundred dollar currency of the United States of America (US$400), whichever is less. Under no circumstances do we make compensation for claims of lost cash or cash equivalents such as traveler's checks. Alleged verbal representations by employees of Costa Rica Expeditions or any other person to the effect that Costa Rica Expeditions will take responsibility for amounts greater than the limit stated above are not valid. |
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As you search for your ideal trip in the custom itineraries section of our web site, you may wish to create a list of favorite trips. To do so, click on the link above each itinerary, “Add to My Favorites.” Each itinerary you chose will be added to a personalized list of trips. You can add as many trips as you want to your list and refer back to them by clicking on the link, "See My Favorites," which will appear in the right column once you have selected a favorite.
Your list of favorites will follow you as you surf the site, allowing you to refer back to selected itineraries at any time. On your next visit to our web site, the list will reappear by clicking the link, “See My Favorites.” 
