OK, we admit this stuff isn't as exciting as touring the world on vacation with Search Beyond Adventures! But the lawyers insist we inform you of this and it's important. So read on....
CANCELLATIONS, REFUNDS, CHANGES
Whether you register for a tour by phone, fax, internet, mail, or in person, such registration authorizes us to (1) sell a space on the tour to you with standard cancellation policies, (2) send you an invoice for the tour, and (3) purchase any air, train, cruise, or activity tickets for your tour.
If you decide to cancel the tour you must notify us by letter or by fax. Cancellations received more than 60 days prior to the departure date (90 days for cruises) will receive refund less a $50 cancellation fee. Cancellations received 30-60 days prior to tour departure date (60-90 days for cruises) will receive refund less a $100 cancellation fee. Cancellations received less than 30 days prior to departure (60 days for cruises) are non-refundable. In addition, if we have already purchased airline or other non-refundable tickets for you per your tour registration (see paragraph one above), we will charge you for these tickets and mail you the tickets to use towards possible future travel. We cannot give air ticket refunds even for cases of illness. We are purchasing the tickets only as an agent, on your behalf and per your order. Any requests for ticket cost refunds must be done directly with the carrier. Cancellation insurance may be purchased from us for all tours.
If we decline to accept your application because of lack of space or because we are unable to accommodate your special needs we will refund your deposits in full.
If you are more than 30 minutes late for your tour departure, you will be considered a “no-show”, and you will forfeit the entire trip fee.
LIABILITY LIMITS
Search Beyond Adventures, Inc. shall not be liable for any bodily injury or property damage that may result from weather, theft, civil disturbance, or strikes. Furthermore, Search Beyond Adventures, Inc. reserves the right to substitute accommodations, transportation, activities, leaders, and to alter the itinerary when necessary. If this is necessary, substitutions will be of a similar nature whenever possible.
Search Beyond Adventures, Inc. also reserves the right to modify prices and trip dates. If this is necessary we will give you as much advance notice as possible. Search Beyond Adventures, Inc. reserves the right to decline to accept or keep any applicant or participant whose actions or condition impedes trip operations. If you need transportation home due to illness or behavior you will bear the full cost of such evacuation.
Search Beyond Adventures, Inc. shall not be responsible or liable for any damages due to public transport misconnection caused by transport delays, transport cancellations, or lack of supervision or guidance to you by public carriers. On tours involving airlines, public buses, or trains, our responsibility begins only when the carrier has turned you over to us and ends when we turn you over to the carrier. Public transport carriers have the right to refuse to transport anyone they believe is incapable of safely traveling alone.
GETTING TO THE DESTINATION
Search Beyond Adventures has two types of tours. Some tours leave by van from Minneapolis or Boston or Los Angeles. For these tours, if you live outside the departing city, we will pick you up en route, if possible, or make travel arrangements to meet you at the destination city. Other tours depart by air. For these tours we will make all flight arrangements and bill you separately for any airfare not included in the original price. We will also request from the airlines their assistance to you during the flight or at connecting airports. Please note that although we request this service on your behalf, the airlines are responsible for your care until they present you to our tour staff, and you should confirm this airline service at check-in (airlines may differ in type of service provided). On air tours we will meet you at your destination’s arriving gate or in a connecting city. If you need to have staff on your flight, please request this on your application and we will notify you if this can be arranged.
If you are arriving by public bus or by train, we will arrange to meet you at the station, and bring you to the station when the tour returns.
POST-TOUR CHARGES
If we incur any of the following charges on your behalf during your tour you will receive an invoice for such charges after the tour. These charges include, but are not limited to: your long-distance phone charges, pay-TV charges, charges made by airlines for special assistance, excess baggage charges, evacuation charges, unscheduled drop-off charges, toiletry, clothing, or medical charges we made on your behalf, and extra lodging or meal charges caused by public transport delays or weather.
SUPERVISION & ASSISTANCE LIMITS
Search Beyond Adventures, Inc. provides assistance on each tour, but the exact level of assistance varies with the tour type. Our Regular tours are planned at approximately a 1:4 staff to participant ratio. This means one of our tour leaders or volunteers for every four vacationers. On Extra-Assistance options we have approximately a 1:2 staff to participant ratio. The actual ratio for any particular tour can vary from these guidelines, but the ratio would not vary by more than one more participant per staff person. If a greater variance is needed due to staffing problems we will contact you to discuss with you the options of either dropping from the tour without penalty or staying on the tour with the new staff ratio. The above ratios apply at the destination, not on transportation to the destination.
Search Beyond Adventures, Inc. does not guarantee in-room 24 hour assistance. Our staff assist people while in the community and during normal awake hours while at lodging. Our staff stay on-site at the lodging, of course, but we generally do not have staff sleeping in the rooms with participants, unless there is a need for physical assistance (e.g. wheelchair transfer) at night, or if night supervision has been pre-arranged.
ACCOMMODATIONS & MEALS
Unless you pay for an upgrade, most tours are based on double-occupancy rooms: two beds per room.
Unless registering as a couple all participants have their own beds.
All meals are included on the tour but not on any plane travel from your home airport to the destination. If you are traveling by air we do not pay for meals on the plane. If the airline does not serve a meal you may have the option of purchasing food aboard, or you may have an opportunity to purchase food at a connecting city during flight transfer. Generally, you pay for desserts and alcoholic beverages you may have. Breakfasts are usually served in the hotel (“continental”) with lunches and suppers eaten at restaurants.
GUARANTEE
If you are not satisfied with your Search Beyond Adventures tour we will give you a similar tour of equal value free! However, commercial transportation charges, e.g. air, train, and cruise charges are excluded and will be deducted from the credit. Such credits are non-transferable and may not be exchanged for cash. You are ineligible for this guarantee if you voluntarily or involuntarily left the tour prior to its completion. This guarantee does not apply to conditions caused beyond our control, e.g. adverse weather or transportation delays, for conditions that may arise from vehicle breakdowns, for lost or broken personal items, or for custom groups. Any request for replacement tour must be made within 30 days of completion of original tour.
ARBITRATION
You or your guardians agree that, on the petition of either party willing to advance the applicable filing fee, any claims that may arise from your tour will be settled through arbitration of the American Arbitration Association.
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