General selling conditions

The general sales conditions are those of each supplier, please check when you make the booking. General sales conditions are those of Silver Voyages. Excerpt from the provisions of Decree no 94-490 of 15 th June 1994 enforced by the Act no 92-645 of 13 th July 1992, article 31.

Sales of Voyages and Trips

Article 95- Except for the provisions of the second paragraph (a and b) of the article 14 of the above mentioned Act of 13 th July 1992, every offer and sale of services of voyages or trips implies the delivery of the necessary documents corresponding to the regulations defined herein.

In case of air transport or regular transport titles which are not accompanied by the services usually implied by these kinds of transports, the vendor is to deliver the buyer one or more passage tickets for the entire voyage. In the event of an especially required transport it is compulsory to mention the name and the address of the transporters for the account of which were issued the tickets. Separate invoicing of various elements which comprise one and the same voyage package does not give the right to the vendor to elude the obligations entailed by the hereby.

Article 96- Prior to the conclusion of the contract, the vendor is to provide a written document bearing the purpose, the address and the proof of his authorization by which the customer is to be informed about the price policy, the timeframes and the other elements implied by the organisation of the respective voyage or trip such as:
1) Destination, features and types of transport vehicles to be used.
2) Accommodation-location, comfort level, main features and facilities, homologation and p lace in the tourist classification which corresponds to the rules or customs of a particular country
3) Number of meals included in the package
4) Itinerary description in case of tours
5) Administrative and sanitary formal procedures required at border passage and the delay implied by the latter
6) Visits, trips and other services included in the package rate or possibly available for an additional charge
7) Maximal and minimal number of passengers essential for the organisation of the voyage or trip; should this depend on a minimal number of passengers, the customer is to be informed about the cancellation of the voyage or trip in time, namely within more than 21 days prior to the departure date.
8) Deposits at the conclusion of the contract as well as delays for the balance clearance.
9) Price revision methods in accordance with the provisions of art. no 100 of the hereby decree.
10) Cancellation policy
11) Cancellation policies as defined under the articles 101,102 and 103-see bellow
12) All details regarding the undertaken risks and the amount of the warranties covered by the insurance contract.
13)Information regarding the optional conclusion of an insurance contract covering some particular consequences of the cancellation policy or the optional conclusion of an assistance contract covering the repatriation expenses in case accident or sickness.


Article 97- Preliminary information supplied to the customer is binding for the vendor. In this case the vendor should inform the customer that the information is subject to changes and also specify those changes when concluding the contract.

Article 98 –A written copy of the contact duly signed by both parties is to be remitted to both the vendor and the buyer. The contact is to include the following provisions:
1) Name and address of the vendor, of his warrantor and his insurer together with the name and address of the organizer .
2. Destination or destinations of the voyage or in case of a multiple stop voyage the corresponding timeframes and dates.
3) Features and types of the transport vehicles used, dates, hours and places of departure and return.
4) Accommodation-location, comfort level, main features and facilities, homologation and p lace in the tourist classification which corresponds to the rules or customs of a particular country
5) Number of meals included in the package
6) Itinerary description in case of tours
7) Visits, trips and other services included in the package rate
8) Total amount of invoiced services and price revision methods in accordance with the provisions of art. no 100 of the hereby decree.
9) Specification of services or fees not included in the package rates such as: airport or port tax, accommodation taxes when not included, etc.
10) Deposits and payment policy; in any case, the last amount to be paid by the customer against document release cannot represent less than 30 percent of the package rate.
11) Particular requirements of the customer agreed upon by the vendor
12) Complaint procedures: the complaint should me made in real time by registered letter
13) In the event of a minimal number of passengers required for the organisation of the voyage, the vendor should establish a timeframe within which the customer is to be informed about the cancellation of the voyage (see above art, paragraph 7).
14) Cancellation policy according to the mutually signed contract
15) Cancellation policies as defined under the articles 101,102 and 103-see bellow
16) All details regarding the undertaken risks and the amount of the warranties covered by the insurance contract against civil responsibility.
17) Details regarding the insurance contract agreed upon by the buyer and covering some particular consequences of the cancellation policy (number of policy and name of insurer required) and details regarding assistance in special situations, such as repatriation in case of accident or sickness; in this case the vendor is to hand over the buyer a written document specifying both the covered and the uncovered risks.
18) Deadline for informing the vendor about the termination of the contract by the buyer.
19) Commitment of the vendor to provide the buyer, at least ten days before the departure date, with the following information:

a) Name, address and telephone number of the vendor's affiliates or by default of the local organisations able to help the customer in difficulty, or by default a telephone number through which an urgent contact could be established with the vendor.
b) Telephone number which would allow a direct contact in the case of persons under age travelling abroad.

Article 99- The buyer can transfer his contract to an assignee who accomplishes the same conditions as himself only when the contract has not come into effect. The buyer, unless otherwise stipulated, is to inform the vendor about the change, by registered letter, at least seven days before the beginning of the voyage (15 days before, in the event of a cruise). This assignment does not require the prior authorisation of the vendor.

Article 100- If the contract sets forth a possible price variation, in accordance with the provisions of article 19 of the above mentioned act (of 13 th of June 1992), it should also indicate the precise calculation methods and the additional factors to be taken into account, such as transport rates, taxes, etc.

Article 101- Should the vendor be compelled to bring a substantial modification to any essential element of the initial contract (for example to the price), before the agreed departure date, the buyer is entitled to:
-either terminate the contract and in this case have his deposits immediately refunded, without penalties
- or accept the modification or the substitution suggested by the vendor; this acceptance is to be mentioned in an appendix to the contract together with the new package rates; again refunding is to be made if need be.

Article 102- Should the vendor cancel the voyage or trip in accordance with the provisions of the art. 21 of the above mentioned act, before the agreed departure date, the buyer is to be informed about this by registered letter; he is also entitled to complete immediate refunding and to an amount at least equal to the penalties implied by a cancellation from his side. Nevertheless these provisions do not prevent the buyer from accepting a substitution voyage or trip that the vendor may propose.

Article 103 - Should the vendor be unable to provide a substantial part of the services mentioned in the contract, he is to:
-either propose substitution services; should these be inferior to the agreed ones, he is to reimburse the price difference; should they be superior he is to bear any additional charges
-or, should he fail to find any substitution services or should the buyer refuse his proposals for good reasons, the vendor is to provide for the buyer's return.

Particularities

Formal procedures : the information available at booking regarding the formal procedures implied by your voyage has only a guidance purpose. It is your task to have in order all the papers for the customs, the medical insurance, etc. For persons under age travelling alone or accompanied by only one parent, a parental authorisation is required.
Important: any person under 15 of age travelling abroad (including babies) must have an identity card or passport; or be mentioned on one of the parents' passports.
Foreign citizens who want to travel abroad are to address the consulate of the destination country or other authorities within whose competence this may come. A passenger whose failure to present the necessary documents prevents him from making the voyage is not entitled to any refunding.

2) Registration: all registrations made 30 days or more before the departure date are to be accompanied by 30% deposit payment, with balance due 30 days prior to the departure date, except for some flights, voyages or trips which may require full prepayment. The customer's failure to clear the balance within the agreed timeframe is considered as a cancellation.
All our offers are valid within the limit of available places.

3) Travel guidebook : the travel guidebooks are sent to the client at least 48 hours before the departure or handed in directly at the airport.. In this case the customer will only be informed in advance about the hour of the departure. The transport tickets are to be sent either by private transporters (UPS, DHL) which can also guarantee in case of their loss or by registered mail.

4) Price policy: the package rates which appear in the advertising material are only approximate and subject to modifications without prior notice. In this event the new rates are to be indicated at the time of booking.
Package rates are influenced by many elements; for example by transport costs, depending on fuel price variation and on many related taxes, such as those of landing, embarking, debarking, airport taxes, etc. Should one of the above change, we are entitled to reflect this change in our package rates. However such a modification is not to intervene within 30 days before the agreed departure date.

5) Voyage duration : this is calculated by taking into account the number of nights not of full days, with day of departure and day of arrival included. However transport is usually made during the first and the last night. This could imply a shorter day because of a late arrival or of an early morning departure, for which the customer is not entitled to refunding.

6 ) Transport: High air traffic or unpredictable events (technical incidents, strikes, unfavourable weather, etc.) may cause small delays. Air or railway connections are not guaranteed and associate companies are entitled to modify their schedule, their itinerary, etc. However, this again does not qualify the customer for refunding, the responsibility of the company being limited to passenger transport and luggage. Also refunding is refused in case of unused transport titles (plane, train tickets).
For customers organising the transport by themselves, we recommend, in order to avoid financial losses, to choose flexible transport titles, i.e. which can be modified and consequently refunded.
Flights are to be confirmed 72 hours before the departure to our local affiliate.
Luggage: the maximal weight generally admitted is 20 kgs per person on normal flights and 15 kgs on special flights.

7 ) Registration failure
We are not to be held responsible at any rate for a registration failure due to the following:
-absence at the established hour of departure, even if caused by a delay of transport means
-invalid identification papers, medical insurance papers, etc
In the event of registration failure all voyage expenses are to be charged to the customer's account.

8 ) Services, trips and tours
Classification: the rating of each accommodation type mentioned on our brochures is in accordance with the local classification.
Singles: one bed suitable for one person only. You can generally have them at an additional charge, but they are less spacious and less comfortable then other rooms.
Twins: two single beds or one twin bed.
Triple or quadruple rooms: generally comprise one or two twin beds (often rollaway beds) in a twin room. It is customarily to take over a room after 14 o'clock and hand it over before 12 o'clock, irrespective of your arrival or departure hour.

Babies: cribs are scarce in hotels and if any, they are seldom available and not subject to previous reservation. So it is advisable that customers bring their cribs as well as their special baby food.

Meals: unless otherwise specified, a full board includes all meals from the first day's dinner to the last day's breakfast. A full board includes breakfast, lunch and dinner while a half board generally includes breakfast and dinner; all other additional meals are on the customer's account.

Drinks are not included. Should there be water included, it is important to note that it is filtered, not mineral water. Also should wine be included, this cannot be replaced with some other drink; neither does the customer receive any reimbursement in case of not drinking it.

Depending on the transport schedule, one or more meals can be served during transport.

Modification of hotels, tours, and accommodation: it is possible that hotels or boats are changed without essentially altering the course of the voyage. Whenever possible the customer is to be informed about such changes beforehand and to be offered a similar service to the one initially agreed upon. However sometimes religious or national holidays, strikes, meetings, etc about which the organizer himself has no knowledge may trigger modifications for which the vendor is not to be held responsible.

Accommodation at locals implies the acceptance of the different local customs and traditions; this is in fact the main advantage of such a formula and no complaints will be accepted in this respect.

9) Accommodation: there is a maximal number of persons that can lodge in a room; pets are to be registered also.

10) Modification, cancellation made by the customer

Should you want or be compelled to fully or partially cancel your voyage, the vendor is to be notified about your intention by registered letter; only the initial signatory is entitled to modify or cancel a voyage.

11 ) Modification and cancellation policy

A: valid for all voyages except for negotiated plane tickets, trips or voyages subject to a particular restrictive policy:

For cancellations made 30 days or more before the departure date a fee of 31 euros per person is to be paid; if made 30-10 days before, 50% of the voyage price is required; and if made 9-2 days before, 75%; for cancellations made within 2 days, 100% of the price is to be paid. The travel insurance is non- refundable.

B: valid for negotiated tickets (except for tickets, trips or voyages subject to a particular restrictive policy)

In case of regular or sometimes in case of charter flights also, the cancellation or modification fees vary:

B1) before issuing the tickets, all cancellations made 30 days or more before the departure date imply a fee of 31 euros per person; if made 30-10 days before, 50% of the price, if made 9-2 days before, 75%; for cancellations made within 2 days, 100% of the price is to be paid. The travel insurance is non- refundable.

B2) after issuing the tickets and before the departure: full payment of the tickets.

B3) after the departure date: no refunding, provided that no particular written agreement should exist between the parties

12) Particularities of the cancellation policy

Certain packages may imply some restrictive particularities compared to the usual cancellation policy about which the customer is to be informed..

13) Cancellation made by the organizer

The customer is not entitled to any refunding if the cancellation is required by a force majeure situation related to the customer's safety.

14) Termination of the contract: any of the parties is entitled to yield the contract to a third party; such a modification is to be made by registered letter at least 7 days before the departure date and is to mention the exact name and address of the assignor(s) as well as those of the customer(s) .

Important any contract assignment implies additional charges that can go up to even 100% of the initially agreed rates.

15) Insurance of assistance in case of repatriation, cancellation

At the moment of booking, we suggest an insurance of assistance in case of repatriation, cancellation that the customer may choose to accept or not.

In case of cancellation, it is your task to check that all cancellation clauses are covered by the insurer, because certain risks are usually excluded. Also we kindly remind you that the insurance companies usually take as a cancellation date the date on which the event which triggered the cancellation took place. In the event of your late declaration you might be compelled to pay all or a part of the cancellation fees. Important: the cancellation insurance fee is not to be refunded.

16) Complaints: our affiliates or local representatives are to be notified, as soon as possible, in written, about any complaints regarding the full or partial unfulfilment of the contract; customers are entitled to file complaints with attached proofs within 8 days from their arrival from the voyage; in this case a registered letter is required.

Formal procedures for children under age of French nationality

Under no circumstances could a person under age leave the French territory without having fulfilled the requirements stated bellow:

Countries requiring a passport: for persons under age accompanied by their parents, a passport is compulsory irrespective of the age, or
-if aged between 0-7 years, the child is to be registered in the passport of one of the two persons vested with parental authority
-if aged between 7-15 years, he is to be registered with photo in the passport of one of the two persons with parental authority
If aged more than 15 years the individual passport is compulsory.
Important: for the USA the individual passport is compulsory for all children, irrespective of their age (0-18 years old).
For persons under age not accompanied by their parents or accompanied by a third, the individual passport and a parental authorisation issued by the town hall are required.

Countries requiring a passport or an identity card

For persons under age accompanied by their parents, and identity card is compulsory irrespective of their age, or
-if aged between 0-7 years- the child is to be registered in the passport of one of the two persons vested with parental authority
-if aged between 7-15 years, he is to be registered with photo in the passport of one of the two persons with parental authority
If aged more than 15 years, the individual passport is compulsory.
For persons under age not accompanied by their parents or accompanied by a third: the identity card or the individual passport are compulsory and are to be accompanied by a parental authorisation issued by the town hall.

Countries requiring a visa: should this be the case, please address the embassy or the consulate of the destination country for more complete information.

Important (in all cases mentioned above):

It is advisable that the persons under age accompanied by one of the parents have a family booklet and an authorisation from the other parent.
The above information regarding child policy valid on the 4 th of August 2005, is intended to offer some general guidelines and can be subject to modifications made by the customs authorities. For further information, please address the embassy or consulate of the destination country (check our file with practical information for contact data).