Please carefully read these booking conditions. By booking a Tour you acknowledge that you have read, understand and you agree to be bound by these conditions which form an agreement between Authentic Lapland and yourself. If you make a booking on behalf of other participants, you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept these Terms on behalf of the other participants in your party.
- Parties
1.1 These terms and conditions form part of the contract between:
1.1.1 Authentic Lapland (“the company”); and
1.1.2 Any person wishing to travel on a tour provided or offered by the company (“the client”)
1.2 The person making the booking for the tour warrants that, before making the booking, he or she has read and has agreed to be bound by these terms and conditions.
1.3 Where the booking for a tour is made other than by all persons wishing to travel on the tour, the person making the booking warrants that he or she has advised each person wishing to travel on the tour of these terms and conditions and further warrants that each such person has agreed to be bound by them.
- Payment
2.1 At the time of booking, the client must pay 100% deposit of at least the following:
2.1.1 In respect of land tours, transfers and accommodation, an amount equivalent
2.1.4 In respect of the Independent Lapland Tour, 100% of the estimated total cost.
2.4 The acceptance by the company of payment of a deposit does not, by itself, constitute acceptance of a booking. A booking will be deemed to have been accepted once the company has confirmed its acceptance in writing.
2.5 It is the clients responsibility to check their tour confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to the company or authorized agent immediately.
2.6 You must be at least 18 years of age to make a booking. You agree to provide full, complete and accurate information to the company.
2.6.1 Names must be provided exactly as they are stated in the relevant passport.
- Payment of the balance of the tour price
3.1 The balance of the tour price, being the total estimated tour price less any deposits paid, must be paid at the booking date.
3.2 above, then the company reserves the right to cancel the client’s booking. In that event, the client agrees that he or she shall not be entitled to a refund of any deposit paid, such deposit to be retained by the company by way of compensation for the time spent and work done by it. The company shall however retain a discretion, to be exercised entirely as it thinks fit, as to whether or not to refund all or part of any deposit paid in the event of cancellation in these circumstances.
3.3 above, and the company, at its discretion, determines not to cancel the client’s booking, then the client agrees to pay to the company any additional charges, fees or expenses that have been or may be properly incurred as a result of the balance of the tour price not having been paid by the stipulated time.
- Variation by the client
4.1 In the event that the client wishes to vary his or her booking, the request for a variation must be made in writing.
4.2 The company will use reasonable endeavours to try and satisfy the request for variation and will advise the client if it can be satisfied.
4.3 If the request for variation can be satisfied:
4.3.1 The company will advise the client of any variation in the tour price; and
4.4 If, despite the reasonable endeavours of the company, the request for variation cannot be satisfied, then it is agreed that the booking sought to be varied shall remain in existence (if the client seeks to cancel the booking, the cancellation provisions set out herein will apply).
- Cancellation by the client
5.1 In the event that the client wishes to cancel a booked tour, then he or she must provide a written notice of cancellation (“the cancellation notice”) to the company.
5.2 The cancellation notice must be:
5.2.1 Delivered to an office of the company; or
5.2.2 Sent by e-mail to the company’s e-mail address existing as at the date of the cancellation notice.
5.3 In The amount of 30% of the booking is non-refundable. For cancellation made less than 45 days but more than 30 days before the confirmed arrival date, Authentic Lapland can hold 50% of the total cost of the booking. For cancellation made less than 30 days before the arrival date, Authentic Lapland can hold the total cost of the entire reservation.
5.4 The company strongly recommends that the client take out and maintain a policy of insurance to cover cancellation of any tours.
- Illness preventing tour commencement or continuation
6.1 If due to any illness, suspected illness or failure to satisfy any required tests (such as a temperature test in relation to Covid-19):
– an airline or other common carrier refuses you carriage;
– a hotel or vessel refuses to accommodate you; or
– we or our suppliers (acting reasonably) exclude you from the trip
and you are consequently prevented from commencing or continuing your trip, then:
– if you have already commenced your trip, we will provide you with reasonable assistance to arrange alternative travel arrangements or to continue the trip. This will be at your cost.
– if you have not commenced your trip then we regret we will not be in a position to provide such assistance.
6.2 We will not be liable to refund the cost of your trip (or any part of it) because we would have already paid (or committed to pay) suppliers and we would have already performed significant work preparing for the delivery of your trip and servicing your booking.
6.3 We will not be responsible to you for any loss or expenses incurred in connection with your booking (for example, airfares and visa expenses) if you are prevented from commencing or continuing your trip in these circumstances.
- Variation or cancellation by the company
7.1 The company will use its best endeavours to provide any tour that is advertised or offered. However, it may be necessary for the company to vary or even cancel some tours, whether due to force majeure or otherwise. Where it becomes necessary for the company to vary or cancel a tour, the company will use its best endeavours to provide an alternate tour that is substantially the same or as similar as practical to the tour that is advertised or offered. The client acknowledges that such a necessity may arise from time to time and the client warrants not to make any claim of any nature, subject to these terms and conditions, against the company in respect of any such variations or cancellations.
7.2 The client acknowledges that the company may, in order to provide maximum opportunities for the client, propose flexible or alternate arrangements. Any flexible or alternate arrangements may extend to routes, schedules, itineraries, amenities and mode of transport. The client accepts, at the time of booking, the possibility for and appropriateness of such flexible or alternate arrangements and shall make no claim against the company in respect thereof. The information provided by the company in its brochures is correct to the best of the knowledge of the company at the time of print but the company does not, and cannot, guarantee that any item or amenity will be available at the time requested by the client.
7.3 For clients travelling on our tours, the company sets its own minimum numbers based on logistics and guarantees to operate once the minimum number has been achieved. The minimum number of confirmed passengers required to guarantee a Authentic Lapland Tour is 2.
7.4 When it is necessary for the company to substantially vary or cancel a tour that it has advertised or offered, the client shall be at liberty to request the company:
7.4.1 To refund to the client so much of the tour price paid by him or her that the company can reasonably and properly refund, allowing for all the circumstances; or
7.4.2 To credit so much of the tour price paid by him or her as the company can reasonably and properly credit, allowing for all the circumstances, to another tour offered by the company but shall not be entitled to make any further claims against the company.
- Force Majeure
8.1 The company is unable to accept liability or pay compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our contractual obligation is prevented or affected by reason of circumstances amounting to ‘force majeure’ i.e. any event which the company or the supplier(s) of the service(s) could not, even with due care foresee or avoid. Such events may include, but are not limited to, war, threat of war or civil commotions, riots, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather, fire, flood, drought, government action, airport and port regulations and closures, technical transportation problems, maintenance to vessels, scheduling of transport and similar events outside our control. A flight or ship delay does not constitute a change to holiday arrangements.
8.2 The company will not be liable in any way for death, bodily injury, illness, damage, delay or other loss or detriment to person or property, or financial costs both direct and indirect incurred, or for the company’s failure to commence, perform or complete any duty owed to you if such death, delay, bodily injury (including emotional distress or injury), illness, damage or other loss or detriment to person or property is caused by Act of God, war or war like operations, mechanical breakdowns, terrorist activities or threat thereof, civil commotions, labor difficulties, interference by authorities, political disturbance, howsoever and where so ever any of the same may arise or be caused, riot, insurrection and government restraint, fire, extreme weather or any other cause whatsoever beyond the reasonable control of the company; or an event which the company or the Third Party Supplier of services, even with all due care, could not foresee any and all of which, individually and collectively, constitute “Force Majeure”.
- Flexibility & Unused services
9.1 The company shall not be liable to refund to the client any monies paid by the client for a tour, part of a tour or for services not used by the client.
9.2 You acknowledge that the nature of adventure travel requires flexibility and acknowledge that you will permit reasonable alterations to products, services or itineraries by the company. The route, schedules, accommodations, activities, amenities and mode of transportation are subject to change without notice due to unforeseeable circumstances or events outside the control of the company (including but not limited to Force Majeure, illness, mechanical breakdown, flight cancellations, strikes, political events and entry or border difficulties). No reimbursements, discounts or refunds will be issued for services that are missed or unused after departure due to no fault of the company, including your removal from a Tour because of your negligence or breach of these Terms.
- Complaint procedure
10.1 If there is a problem during your holiday, you must report it immediately or to the relevant airline, ground handler, cruise operator, hotelier or other supplier, to provide the company with the opportunity to properly address such complaint. The company assumes no liability for complaints that are not properly brought to the attention of the company and cannot resolve or attempt to resolve complaints until proper notice is provided. Any complaint made after the completion of a Tour must be received in writing by the company within 28 days of the last day of travel of the booking in question.
- Prices
11.1 Prices quoted by the company prior to or at the time of booking are calculated by reference to a number of factors, including exchange rates, Government charges, both in Finland and overseas, transport costs including fuel charges, prices charged by suppliers in other countries and other matters.
11.2 The company will use its best endeavours to ensure that prices quoted by it prior to or at the time of booking remain valid until payment in full is made for the tour. The client acknowledges that some of the variable factors affecting the cost of the tour, including but not limited to those referred to in 10.1 above, may increase between the time of booking and the time of payment in full. In the event of any such increases, the company reserves the right to pass on to the client any such amounts, provided that, subject to term and condition 10.3 below, it does so at least 30 days before the date of departure and the client agrees to pay same.
11.3 Once the client has paid in full for the tour, the company shall not be entitled to pass on to the client any increases in the variable factors referred to above, save where any such increases are imposed by Government regulation, or similar, whether in Finland or overseas, or where such increases, wherever imposed, are solely as a result of fuel surcharges. In that event, the company shall be entitled to require the client to pay such surcharges, and the client agrees to do so.
- Acceptance of risk
12.1 The client acknowledges that the tours offered by the company may be considered to be, in full or in part, adventurous. That consideration is one taken into account by the client in making the booking. The tours may involve personal risk, such risks to include illness, injury, disease, loss or damage to property, discomfort and inconvenience. The client, in making the booking, accepts such risks and agrees that he or she has made the booking upon the condition that he or she travels at his or her own risk. The client warrants that he or she shall not make any claim against the company for injury or loss, howsoever caused, arising out of the acceptance of such risk.
12.2 It is the responsibility of the client to be informed about any travel advisories or warnings issued by any Government Department. If a travel advisory or warning is issued by a Government Department in relation to a destination to which the client has booked to go, then the client may, at his or her discretion, cancel the booking (and in which case the cancellation provisions herein referred to will apply) or proceeding with it. If the client decides to proceed with the booking, then the client acknowledges and agrees that he or she has decided to do so at his or her own risk and will not make any claims against the company in respect thereof.
- Insurance
13.1 The client shall, prior to or at the time of booking, take out, and maintain for the duration of the tour, insurance that will provide indemnity to the client for at least the following:
13.1.1 Unlimited medical expenses; and
13.1.2 Unlimited repatriation expenses.
13.1.3 Cancellation protection
13.2 The company shall, at any time, be at liberty to request the client to produce to the company a copy of a policy or certificate of insurance to show that 12.1 above has been satisfied. In the event that the client fails to produce a copy of the policy or certificate within 48 hours after being so requested by the company, then the company reserves the right to cancel the client’s booking, and in which case any monies paid by the client shall be forfeited to and retained by the company by way of compensation for the work done and time spent by it. The client acknowledges that the request for evidence of such insurance is an important request in relation to the company’s business.
- Authority on tour
14.1 At all times, the decision of the company’s tour leader or representative will be final on all matters of or pertaining to the tour. The client agrees to comply at all times with any decisions or directions of the company’s tour leader or representative as well as with the laws, customs requirements, foreign exchange requirements and drug regulations of all countries to be visited.
14.2 Should the client fail to comply with a decision or direction of the company’s tour leader or representative, unless same shall be manifestly unreasonable or unlawful, then the tour leader or representative may require the client to leave the tour and in which case the client agrees to do so. In that event, the client shall not be entitled to make any claim against the company and warrants that he or she will not do so.
- Travel documents
15.1 The client acknowledges that it is his or her responsibility to obtain and maintain a valid passport, any valid visas, permits or certificates, including vaccination certificates, for any tour booked with the company. You must have a passport that is valid 6 months after the last date of travel with the company as set out on your itinerary. The client further acknowledges that it is his or her responsibility to ascertain any requirements for such matters and to ensure that those requirements are satisfied.
15.2 Whilst the company will endeavour to notify the client of any changes to matters of the type referred to in 14.1 above, the client acknowledges that the company has no legal responsibility to do so and further acknowledges that it is the client’s responsibility to ascertain such matters.
- Disclaimer of liability
16.1 The company will use its best endeavours to ensure that its obligations pursuant to the contract with the client are satisfied. However, despite those best endeavours, it is not always possible for those obligations to be satisfied. Unless otherwise excluded or modified by law, the company hereby disclaims liability for any loss of or damage to the client, including loss of life or injury, and loss of or damage to any of the client’s property, however such loss or damage may be caused. Unless such disclaimer shall be excluded or modified by law, the client warrants that he or she will not make or pursue any claim against the company in respect of any such loss or damage, however caused.
16.2 The client acknowledges that the provisions of 15.1 above are reasonable and necessary for the business of the company having regard to a range of matters including but not limited to the following:
16.2.1 The adventurous nature of tours advertised and offered by the company
16.2.2 The tours or parts of them are supplied or undertaken by third party operators. Whilst the company has undertaken due diligence on the quality of the services offered by such third party operators, and has been satisfied as to the adequacy of that quality, it cannot be responsible for any acts or omissions on their parts.
16.2.3 Any of the optional activities listed or available throughout the tour are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by Authentic Lapland. Clients also accept that they undertake any activity at their own risk and their participation is their own decision and does not form any part of their contract with Authentic Lapland. Authentic Lapland does not take responsibility for cancellations, unreliability of services or safety of operators, agents or contractors.
16.3 The client also acknowledges that there may be flight delays (due to circumstances beyond the control of the company) that may lead to interference with a tour for which the client has booked. The company will not be responsible for any flight delays or loss of flight connections whether such loss is caused by the client, the company, any of its suppliers, an airline or other. In the case of any loss of flight connections, whilst every effort will be made by the company to continue with the booked tour, the company will not be liable to compensate clients for any lost part of their itinerary and the company will not be liable to pay for any additional costs that may be incurred by the client as a result of any loss. The company strongly recommends that clients have insurance that will cover them for flight cancellations and delays.
16.4 The client acknowledges that it is the client’s responsibility to check-in on time for his or her flight at any airport. The company will not be responsible for any flights that are not taken by the client due to the client’s late arrival at any airport. It is also the client’s responsibility to contact the relevant airline companies at an appropriate time before any flight departure to confirm that all details relating to their flights are correct.
- Medical condition
17.1 The client warrants that he or she has disclosed or will disclose to the company prior to or at the time of the booking of a tour any adverse medical condition from which the client has suffered during a period of 2 years prior to the date of booking. The client acknowledges that such disclosure is important and relevant because it may affect the willingness of the company to accept the client’s booking and may affect any advice that the company would seek to give to the client in relation to any proposed tour.
17.2 Medical Forms are mandatory for certain Tours. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions which may impact your ability to travel, participate in a Tour, travel to remote areas without access to medical facilities or may adversely affect the experience of others on your Tour, you must return a Medical Form, signed by a licensed and practicing physician to the company prior to or at the time of final payment for the applicable booking.
17.3 All clients must satisfy themselves prior to booking that they are fit and able to complete the itinerary of their chosen tour. The journeys are suitable for most travellers of average fitness and mobility. Travellers will be expected on occasions to carry their own luggage for short distances.
- Special requirements
18.1 Any special requirements must be disclosed to the company at the time of booking. The company will use reasonable efforts to accommodate special requirements or requests but this is not always possible given the nature of the destinations visited and availability of options outside a planned itinerary. Certain activities may be inaccessible to you if your mobility is limited in any way. All food allergies and dietary restrictions must be disclosed to the company at the time of booking but the company cannot guarantee that dietary needs or restrictions can be accommodated. Any special requests or requirements do not form part of these Terms or the contract between you and the company and the company is not liable for any failure to accommodate or fulfill such requests.
- Willing to share, single supplement and triple share on Viva Expeditions Small Group Tours only
19.1 Single travellers may avoid paying the single supplement by opting to travel on a “willing to share” basis on our overland expeditions. If we are unable to match a “willing to share” client with another “willing to share” client of the same sex, we will confirm a single room at the twin share price.
19.2. Clients wishing to guarantee a single room throughout the tour should pay the single supplement. This will guarantee you a single hotel room throughout the tour, subject to availability. A single room is not guaranteed for any basic lodge or camping components which only have dormitory style shared rooms.
19.3 While it is not possible to guarantee triple rooms at all hotels on our group journeys, we will provide a triple share room whenever possible throughout the journey. When unavailable a twin/double plus a “willing to share” room will be provided.
- Credit card administration fee
19.1 The client acknowledges that payment by the client by credit card will attract an administration fee and which the client agrees to pay to the company. The administration fee will be debited to the client’s credit card at the time of payment of the balance of the tour price.
- Conventions
21.1 The client acknowledges that there exists a number of international conventions governing travel and specifically limiting liability and compensation in certain circumstances. These conventions include by are not limited to: Warsaw Convention 1929 as amended by the Hague Protocol of 1955; Berne Convention 1961; Athens Convention 1974; Paris Convention 1962; Geneva Convention 1973 and the Montreal Convention 1999. The client acknowledges that some or all of those conventions may apply to any tour to be undertaken by the client.
- Binding law
21.1 The contract between the company and the client, including these terms and conditions, are subject to and are to be construed in accordance with the laws of Finland. In relation to any dispute between the parties, the company and the client agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of Finland.
- Variation
23.1 These terms and conditions may only be varied with the prior written consent of the company.
- Superseding effect
24.1 The terms and conditions set out herein supersede any previous understandings, arrangements or terms and conditions that may previously have existed between the company and the client.
- Binding effect
25.1 The contract between the company and the client, including these terms and conditions, shall be binding upon the heirs and successors of the parties hereto.
- Data Protection
26.1 The company will use its best endeavours to protect the client’s personal information. However, the client acknowledges that the company will, in order to provide the services or products in question, need to provide some or all of the client’s personal information to third parties, including overseas tour suppliers.