These booking conditions set out the terms of your contract with Riviera Tours Limited trading as Riviera Travel (Riviera). Please read them carefully as you will be bound by them. References to “you” and “your” and “passenger(s)” means all persons named on the booking (Booking Party) (including those added at a later date) “We”, “us”, “our” means Riviera. For cruises, we will be the contracting carrier.
We will confirm your holiday by issuing a confirmation invoice to the party leader who confirms they have authority on behalf of the Booking Party including minors (under the age of 18) to make a booking and accept these booking conditions on behalf of everyone in the Booking Party. You are responsible for obtaining and providing all information and payments required by us in accordance with these booking conditions. A binding contract comes into existence when we issue the confirmation invoice.
Please check your documents carefully and contact us immediately if any information on any document is incorrect. We cannot accept any liability if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within 10 days of our sending it out (5 days for tickets). You may contact us by e-mail at info@rivieratravel.ie or call us on +44 (0) 1283 742300.
The relevant deposit must be paid to confirm your booking. The balance of the holiday cost is due 75 days (101 days for all cruises) prior to the departure. If full payment is not made on time, we will cancel your booking and keep all payments paid at that date and levy the cancellation charges shown in clause 8. If booking within 75 days (101 days for all cruises) of departure, full payment must be made at the time of booking.
A binding contract comes into existence when we issue the confirmation invoice.
We are Riviera Tours Limited, New Manor 328 Wetmore Road, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 1SP.
In compliance with The Package Holidays and Travel Trade Act 1995 (Republic of Ireland), an insurance policy has been arranged with Arcus Solutions, to protect Republic of Ireland customers’ prepayments in the unlikely event of our financial failure, and paid in respect of travel inclusive packages sold by the Policyholder to Republic of Ireland customers with travel departing from Republic of Ireland, European Union and United Kingdom for:
In the unlikely event of financial failure please contact the claims helpline on +44 (0) 1702 811397. A copy of the policy is available on request.
This policy is provided by:
This policy is underwritten by Accelerant Insurance Europe SA registered and authorised by the National Bank of Belgium and regulated by the Financial Services and Markets Authority (Ref. 3193), Acting in Ireland under Freedom of Services.
View the Irish Total Payment Protection (topp) Policy information
Please note, advertised prices may have changed by the time you book your holiday and errors occasionally occur. You must check the price of your chosen holiday at the time of booking. We reserve the right to change prices and correct errors in advertised prices at any time before or after your holiday is confirmed. Subject to the correction of errors or amendment costs, once your booking is confirmed we can change your holiday price only in certain circumstances.
Changes in the price of the carriage of passengers resulting from changes to the cost of fuel or other power services, the level of taxes or fees imposed by third parties including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports, or exchange rates mean that the price of your travel arrangements may change after you have booked. However, there will be no change within 20 days of your departure.
We will absorb, and you will not be charged for, any increase equivalent to 2% of the price of your travel arrangements, which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment charges. You will be charged for the amount over and above that. If this results in an increase equivalent to more than 8% of the price of your travel arrangements, you will have the option of accepting a change to another holiday if we are able to offer one (any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value can be used towards an optional excursion, towards a future Riviera Travel holiday or refunded), or cancelling and receiving a full refund of all monies paid, except for any amendment charges. Should you decide to cancel: 1) you must do so within the time period shown on your final invoice 2) We will provide a refund of insurance premiums paid to us if you can show that you are unable to transfer or reuse your policy.
Should the price of your holiday go down due to the cost changes mentioned above, then any refund due will be paid to you. We will deduct from this refund our administrative expenses incurred. Please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.
Special requests must be advised at the time of booking. Unless specifically confirmed by us in writing, all special requests are subject to availability and may incur an additional charge at your hotel. Please note that any special requests will not be binding and do not form part of your contract.
Sometimes we may be able to offer tour or cruise-only holidays subject to availability. Please call for details. If you choose one of these holidays, your tour or cruise will begin at the hotel or ship stated in the itinerary. You must make your own travel arrangements, including any flight or rail travel, plus transfers to the first hotel or ship, and onwards from the final hotel or ship. We will not be liable for the cost of any travel arrangements you put in place if the tour or cruise is cancelled or the starting point of your cruise or tour in destination has changed. You must send us details of your travel arrangements at least eight weeks prior to your departure.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you arrive at the stated embarkation point at the required time for any ship that forms part of your holiday. If you are late, whilst we will make reasonable efforts to assist you in joining the ship, this may not be possible and in such circumstances your holiday will be treated as cancelled and you will not be entitled to any price reduction, refund or any other compensation.
You can transfer your booking to another person who satisfies all the conditions applicable to the contract by giving us notice in writing as soon as possible and no later than 7 days before departure. Such a transfer may incur fees, charges or other costs and we will inform you of these before the transfer is confirmed. You and the person to whom your booking is transferred will be responsible for paying any fees, costs and/or charges we incur in making the transfer.
Any amendments other than name changes and transfer of your booking to another person are discretionary and we may not be able to agree to them. Any amendments we agree after issue of the confirmation invoice will incur an administration fee of at least €50 per person plus any costs incurred by us and or charged by our suppliers. Some amendments may be treated as a cancellation of the original booking which will require payment of the applicable cancellation fee. A change of holiday dates is a cancellation of the original booking and the cancellation charges in clause 8 apply. Name changes are allowed 7 days or more prior to travel. All costs must be paid before the amendment can be affected.
You can cancel your holiday at any time by writing (letter or email) to us at our offices. Cancellation will be effective when received by us. Since we incur costs in cancelling your travel arrangements, you will have to pay cancellation charges as set out below. Where a percentage is shown, this is a percentage of the total cost of your holiday.
Please note that if you cancel any insurance premiums you have paid, these may be non-refundable as they do not form part of your holiday contract.
All Cruises
Period before departure within which written notification of cancellation is received by us | Cancellation charge per person cancelling |
---|---|
More than 101 days | deposit |
100 – 61 days | 50% |
60 – 31 days | 70% |
30 – 16 days | 90% |
15 days or less | 100% |
All long haul and European tours
Period before departure within which written notification of cancellation is received by us | Cancellation charge per person cancelling |
---|---|
More than 75 days | deposit |
74 – 61 days | 50% |
60 - 31 days | 70% |
30 - 15 days or less | 90% |
14 days or less | 100% |
In addition, change or cancellation of flights and other transport costs can result in 100% cancellation charges irrespective of the date of cancellation. Part cancellation will require recalculation of the holiday price and we will re-invoice you accordingly. If a cancellation results in single occupancy of a cabin or hotel room, a single person supplement will be payable except where 100% cancellation charges have been paid by the person cancelling.
You can cancel your holiday without paying cancellation charges if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occur at your holiday destination which significantly affect the performance of your holiday.
You must have valid and appropriate travel insurance for the full duration of your trip. You should ensure that your policy provides at least comparable cover to that provided by the policy of our insurance partner. We may ask you to provide evidence of your travel insurance and if you cannot do so or do not purchase any such insurance we will not allow you to travel and will treat your holiday as cancelled with the applicable cancellation fee being due.
We cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance of our obligations is prevented or affected, as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. This means a situation which is beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Such situations are likely to include (whether actual or threatened) war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, epidemics, pandemics, fire, closure, restriction or congestion of airspace, airports and ports, an operating ban on the carrier due to perform your flight, Department of Foreign Affairs Travel advice and all other events outside our control.
All complaints and any problems must be reported whilst on holiday at the time you become aware of them and confirmed in writing. If you remain dissatisfied you must write to us within 28 days of your return with booking reference and full details of your complaint.
In respect of cruises which commence in the EU complaints pursuant to EU Regulation 1177/2010 must be sent to us as soon as possible. We will endeavour to respond within 28 days. If you are not happy with our final decision you can refer your complaint to the Cruise Line International Association which is the voluntary complaints body authorised by the Department of Transport to deal with complaints at Passengerrights@cruising.org.
You can also access the European Commission Online Dispute (ODR) Resolution platform at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/main/?event=main.home2.show. This ODR platform is a means of registering your complaint with us; it will not determine how your complaint should be resolved.
You are responsible for any damage or loss caused by you. Full payment for any such damage or loss must be made on demand as soon as possible. If in our or in the reasonable opinion of any other person in authority, you behave in such a way as to cause or be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to any third party or damage to property, we shall be entitled to terminate your
holiday and/or require you to leave the accommodation or other service. We will have no further responsibility to you. No refunds will be made. You must not solicit other persons for commercial purposes or advertise goods or services without our prior written permission.
You are bound by the terms and conditions and conditions of carriage of our suppliers and independent contractors which we incorporate into these booking conditions which may limit or exclude liability to you.
For guidance we have details on our website of general passport and visa requirements applicable to our holidays, together with details of any compulsory health requirements. It is, however, your responsibility to ensure you have and comply with passport and visa requirements, and you are aware of all recommended vaccinations and health precautions. We cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to comply with these requirements.
The Department of Foreign Affairs publishes regularly updated travel information on its website https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/which we recommend you consult before booking and in good time before departure.
In accordance with EU Directive (EC) No 2111/2005, we are required to bring to your attention the existence of a “Community list” which contains details of air carriers who are subject to an operating ban within the EU. The Community list is available for inspection at https://lexparency.org/eu/32005R2111/. We are required to advise you of the actual carrier(s) (or, if the actual carrier(s) is not known, the likely carrier(s)) that will operate your flight(s) at the time of booking. Where we are only able to inform you of the likely carrier(s) at the time of booking, we shall inform you of the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon as we become aware of this. On occasions we may take bookings prior to the airlines/rail schedules being confirmed, whilst the route will be shown on your confirmation and ATOL certificate, the actual flight/rail times will be advised as soon as we have the schedules confirmed. Any change to the operating carrier(s) after your booking has been confirmed will be notified to you as soon as possible. If the carrier becomes subject to an operating ban as above as a result of which we/the carrier are unable to offer you a suitable alternative the provisions of clause 10 Changes and cancellation by us will apply. Such a ban would constitute unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. We are not always in a position at the time of booking to confirm the flight timings which will be used in connection with your flight. The flight timings shown in our brochure, website and/or on your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. Flight timings are outside our control. They are set by airlines and are subject to various factors the ability of passengers to check in on time.
Specific instructions relating to departure and travel arrangements will be sent with your travel documents approximately 2 weeks before departure. Please check your tickets very carefully to ensure you have the correct flight times. Flight times may be changed even after tickets have been despatched - we will contact you as soon as possible if this occurs. Any change in the identity of the carrier, flight timings, and/or aircraft type (if advised) will not entitle you to cancel or change to other arrangements.
The information contained in our brochure, website and other advertising material is believed correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. However, errors may occasionally occur and information may subsequently change. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking.
For holidays other than cruises, we are unable to accommodate children under 9 years old at the date of departure. For cruises, the minimum age limit is 12 years old at the date of departure. We reserve the right to limit the number of children on any particular cruise. Any minor must be accompanied by and share a cabin with an adult aged 21 or over. If the adult is not the minor’s parent, a “Parental Consent Guardianship Form” must be signed by a parent or legal guardian prior to sailing.
You must attend all mandatory safety briefings and drills at the commencement of the holiday and any subsequent briefings or drills required during the holiday by any carrier or supplier. You must at all times comply with rules and regulations and the orders and directions of carriers and our suppliers and warrant that your conduct will not impair the safety of others.
We, carriers, our suppliers and/or the relevant authorities are entitled to administer a public health questionnaire at any time. You must complete the questionnaire and supply accurate information regarding any symptoms of illness. We may deny boarding to any passenger who has symptoms of any illness. You must report illness or any symptoms of illness and you may be required to remain in your cabin or hotel room as required by the ship’s captain or the hotel manager. Refusal to comply with any of these procedures may result in your holiday being terminated. We have no liability to you in the event that we cancel or curtail your holiday for the reasons referred to in this clause.
In respect of cruises which commence in an EU Member State and where necessary in order to meet applicable international, European and national safety requirements and/or where the design or structure of the ship or port infrastructure and equipment, including port terminals, makes it impossible to carry out the embarkation, disembarkation or carriage of a passenger suffering from a disability of reduced mobility in a safe or operationally feasible manner, we and the carrier are entitled to refuse a booking from the person concerned. Passengers must be fully mobile to travel on any cruise. We cannot provide individual assistance to any passenger for walking, embarking or disembarking or travelling on other forms of transportation. In the event that you require assistance with embarking or disembarking from the ship at the first or last port as a result of your reduced mobility or disability, please advise us at the time of booking but in any event no later than 48 hours before the assistance is required. Some ships may not have elevators. You must check at the time of booking. Some excursions require a good level of physical fitness and do not have vehicles and/or there are restrictions re access. Regulation 1177/2010 may be viewed at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=celex%3A32010R1177.
The carrier, acting via the captain, reserves the right to refuse passage, disembark or confine to a cabin any passenger whose physical or mental condition or behaviour is considered in the sole opinion of the captain to constitute a risk to the passenger’s own well-being or that of any other passenger or crew member. The carrier and the captain reserve the right to disembark any passenger whose behaviour affects the comfort, enjoyment, safety or well-being of other passengers or of any crew.;
During passage through locks or under low bridges or in the event of adverse weather conditions, it may be necessary to close the sundeck to passengers. Sundeck closures are rigidly enforced in the interests of safety. Ships may be required to moor alongside one another in some ports. This may result in your view being blocked. It may also result in your having to cross other ships in order to go ashore.
While we take reasonable steps to minimise noise and vibrations on the cruise ships, you acknowledge and accept that some noise and vibration may be experienced on vessels and that we will not be liable to you in relation to such noise and vibration.
You must advise us if during your holiday you have any symptoms of Covid-19, however mild they may be. The symptoms include but are not limited to, high temperature or fever, a new continuous cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, a loss or change to your sense of taste or smell, muscle aches, headaches and fatigue.
If you have any food allergies which may cause significant health issues, you must report this in writing at the time of booking or as soon as convenient. It is your responsibility to ensure that you actively avoid any food you are allergic to and make all appropriate enquiries to establish the ingredients of any food. The supplier is not under any obligation to prepare or provide special meals.
Passengers must observe the non-smoking policy on board the ships, hotels and other transport provided. If smoke is detected in any accommodation, a cleaning fee of €200 per occurrence will be billed to the passenger’s account. Smoking restrictions include e-cigarette smoking. If there is violation of the non-smoking policy, then passengers may be disembarked from the ship or asked to leave the hotel without refund.
You must indemnify us and the carrier for all penalties, fines, charges, losses or expenses incurred or imposed upon us, the by you and or any breach of these terms and conditions or any carrier’s or suppliers’ terms and conditions of conditions of carriage.
The river cruise ships, yachts and Star Clipper ships do not have doctors or facilities to deliver babies or provide-natal treatment. We recommend that women who are less than 12 weeks pregnant seek medical advice prior to travel.
For safety reasons women past their 24th week of pregnancy at any stage of the cruise cannot be carried on board. Airlines also have restrictions.
Pregnant women are required to produce a fitness to travel certificate based on the proposed holiday itinerary and transport provider’s requirements. The carrier expressly reserves the right to refuse passage to board to any passenger who appears to be in an advanced state of pregnancy and the carrier shall have no liability whatsoever in respect of either such refusal and/or the carriage.
There are no doctors on board any of the river cruise ships, yachts and Star Clipper ships in our programme. Should you require medical attention during your holiday then local medical services can be contacted for emergency treatment. The cost of such treatment is your sole responsibility. We are not be liable for any aspect of medical treatment provided to you ashore or in resort.
If you have any medical condition which may need treatment during a cruise, this must be disclosed at the time of booking in order for a risk assessment to be undertaken as to whether you can be safely carried. You may be asked to provide medical evidence for this purpose. Carriage is dependent on the nature and extent of the medical condition, the itinerary and length of cruise.
In relation to other holidays please notify us in writing of any medical or reduced mobility needs at the resort or on transport provided by us. This includes adapted hotel rooms and assistance at airports.
In relation to your own medical equipment, there are limited storage facilities on board ships and in hotels. You must check prior to booking if the equipment is allowed on board aircraft, ships or hotels. Scooters cannot be carried on board ships due to space limitations and reasons of safety.
During our holidays, we visit many historical sites and often enjoy walking tours of various places of interest. Some holidays, therefore, may not be suitable for clients of impaired mobility. Before you make your booking, we will advise you as to whether the proposed holiday arrangements are generally suitable for someone with reduced mobility. However, reduced mobility of course means different things to different individuals as we fully appreciate that individual capabilities, restrictions and requirements are likely to vary considerably. When we refer to reduced mobility, this means any material reduction in mobility whether this is permanent or temporary and whether caused by age or by physical or mental disability or impairment or other cause of disability.
Our priority is always the comfort and safety of passengers as well as complying with the strict legal requirements relating to safety of life at sea and inland waterways. In order to achieve these objectives, passengers with reduced mobility or disability or who need assistance dogs should at the time of booking provide as much detail as possible of the matters. Please contact us on +44 (0) 1283 742300. to discuss further. Passengers may be required to be accompanied or may be refused carriage. You warrant that you have considered the information to passengers for reduced mobility and disabilities and that you have made all relevant notifications to us.
Please be aware that there are no wheelchair accessible cabins on any of the river cruise ships, yachts and Star Clipper ships used on our cruises. Disabled rooms in hotels are limited in number and so must be pre-booked and subject to availability.
In the event you end up in difficulty (of any sort) during your holiday, we will provide you with appropriate assistance as soon as reasonably possible including by the provision of appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance and by assisting you to make distance communications and to find alternative travel arrangements as may be applicable. Where you are in difficulty as a result of your negligence, we may charge you a reasonable fee for this assistance which will not exceed the costs we actually incur.
Weapons, ammunition, explosives, substances that are hazardous, disabling, or illegal, or any other article that in the sole opinion of the captain may be considered dangerous, are strictly prohibited aboard the ship or carried on any form of transport or hotels.
You consent to a reasonable search being made of your person, property, cabin, hotel room and to the removal and confiscation or destruction of any object which may, in our opinion or that of any carrier or supplier will impair the safety of others or of property or be illegal or inconvenience others.
We are a data controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data Protection Acts 1988 - 2003 (data protection laws). Personal data will be collected, processed, stored and used securely and in accordance with our privacy policy and data protection laws. Please see our data protection privacy policy.
Save as provided by law and subject to the provisions of the Regulation all claims must be brought in the Courts of Ireland which shall have exclusive jurisdiction and shall be subject to Irish Law.
If the price of your holiday reduces after you've booked, we’ll give you a future travel voucher for the difference in cost plus 25%. If we offer an added-value benefit or free upgrade to a holiday after you’ve booked, we will apply the same upgrade or add-on to your booking. If this is not possible for any reason, then we’ll give you a future travel voucher for the same value plus 25%. It will be at Riviera's sole discretion whether to offer a future travel voucher or added value benefit to make up the difference in cost. The Price Promise applies to the core elements of the Holiday you have booked with Riviera (including tour or cruise, flights and transfers if booked as a package, or tour/cruise only). The Price Promise is applicable to the final value payable at the time of booking, taking into account any discounts or promotions you may already have received when booking. The Holiday must be like-for-like to be eligible for the Price Promise; including date, departure airport and cabin category. The Price Promise does not apply to exclusive offers. Future Travel Vouchers may only be used on a new booking of a Rivera Travel holiday of 7 days or more, and must be redeemed by making a new booking within 12 months from the date stated on the voucher. Future Travel Vouchers have no cash value, and cannot be transferred.
To be eligible for our Quality Promise, customers must notify us of the Equivalent Holiday available at a lower price either before booking, or within 48 hours of confirming their booking. If Riviera deems the Holiday to be of equivalent quality, then we will offer a price match. To be deemed as equivalent quality, the Holiday must meet the following criteria. The destination, duration and itinerary must be the same, even if the itinerary stops are not in the same order. Inclusions (excursions, meals and experiences) must be equivalent. The departure date must be the same. Flight or rail options must be equivalent; including departure gateway, Air line/ rail provider and time of day. The Accommodation must be equivalent, in respect of location, star-rating, board basis and facilities. The Quality Promise only applies to the core elements of the holiday (including tour or cruise, flights and transfers if booked as a package, or tour/cruise only), and only applies to the base price of the Holiday - exclusive offers, loyalty benefits or promotions offering upgrades or add-ons free of charge do not apply. Evidence must be provided to Riviera via a website link to the equivalent Holiday, or an official quote provided by a licensed travel agent or tour operator within the last 48 hours. If any elements of the Holiday differ, it is at Riviera's sole discretion as to whether to price match.
To qualify you must raise your concerns with the Riviera Travel tour manager or cruise director and state your intention to take advantage of this guarantee within the first 24 hours of arrival at your holiday destination, they will endeavour to resolve any issues. If by the end of Day Two a solution cannot be reached, Riviera Travel will arrange and cover the cost for you to return to the starting point of your holiday arrangements with us from the next available location. We will also refund the total cost of your Riviera Travel holiday, although no refunds will be made for any additional costs incurred such as overnight hotels, airport travel, insurance, etc. The guarantee does not affect standard booking conditions or pre-departure cancellation policy. Valid on holidays of 8 days or more. Valid on 'land only' holidays. The guarantee will not apply where the situation is beyond our control.