Tour Contract
General: Upon full payment of the tour price by the participant, Image Tours, 2828 Kraft Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49512, Ph: 616/957-1010, Fax: 616/957-0103, agrees to secure the services specified in this brochure, subject to the terms, conditions and limitations contained in this contract. The participant agrees that if there are any corrections or changes, the correct information will prevail.
Included: Click Here to view 'Included Features'.
Not Included: All costs not included in “Included Features,” for example, fees and charges for travel protection plans/insurance, optional excursions, beverages (except when expressly specified), passports, visas, vaccinations, medical exams/tests, baggage handling, laundry, phone calls, any items of a personal nature, or any other items/services the inclusion of which has not been expressly specified in this brochure. Also not included are any fees associated with (or in connection with) air transportation, including but not limited to seat assignments, fees charged at the airport, and baggage.
Airlines, Accommodations & Services: Image Tours strives to coordinate and execute a pleasurable and memorable trip for all of its customers, but it must be remembered that all aspects of the tour, including but not limited to transportation, accommodations, tour managers/ guides and services are furnished by independent companies which are not under the direct control of Image Tours.
Driver/Tour Manager: As a general rule, Image Tours secures both a driver and a tour manager for each tour. Under certain circumstances, Image Tours may have the driver double as the tour manager.
Itinerary Deviations: Due to special circumstances (including but not limited to holidays, special events, seasonal schedule changes, weather, safety considerations, government restrictions, and traffic delays), some sights, services or stores may have reduced hours or may not be available. Under such circumstances or toward the improvement of the tour experience, Image Tours and the tour manager reserve the right to make changes to the tour routing or visited sights, at their sole discretion.
Physical Condition Guidelines: Click Here for Physical Condition Guidelines to determine if these tours are a good fit for you.
Reservations: Image Tours requires a signed Reservation Application and deposit for each participant within one week of reservation. A signed Reservation Application validates that the participant has reviewed this Tour Contract and agrees to abide by its terms and conditions. Each participant must provide their signed Reservation Application and a nonrefundable deposit of $250 per person, plus the optional Image Tours Travel Protection Plan, to the travel agency whose name and contact information appears on the Reservation Application. Immediate full payment is required for new reservations made within 100 days prior to departure.
Final Payment: Final payment must be received by Image Tours at least 90 days prior to departure. Please Note:
1) After initial deposit, Image Tours accepts only one payment per person (one traveler credit card number or one ACH debit transaction). No split or partial payments will be accepted..
2) Image Tours accepts payment by ACH debit authorization (which is an electronic alternative to paying by check). No fees apply.
3) Image Tours accepts Visa®, MasterCard® or Discover®, with a signature for authorization by a card holder traveling on the tour and date stated on the invoice. Image Tours reserves the right to pass along up to 2% in credit card processing fees, in which case Image Tours will advise of applicable fees at time of transaction.
4) Image Tours reserves the right to cancel a reservation for which it has not received payment by the due date, including payments declined due to insufficient funds. Cancellation penalties will apply.
Price Guarantee: Image Tours will guarantee the Tour Only price after processing the deposit and completed Reservation Application. Image Tours guarantees the Tour and Air Inclusive price after the reservation is paid in full. In order to guarantee the air price, Image Tours must have the flexibility to issue the air tickets. Subsequently, changes or cancellations after final payment are subject to the air transportation penalties as outlined in the Image Tours “Cancellations” policy.
Air Schedules: Prices are based on Economy Class fares. Air schedules will be provided after the Tour and Air Inclusive reservation is paid in full and tickets are issued. Image Tours is not responsible for overnight stays or independent transfers occasioned by airline schedules or delays. Seat assignments and baggage fees are not included and, if charged, must be paid by passengers directly to the airlines. Frequent Flyer Miles, luggage transfer service between flights, and pre-assigned seats may not be available. Air schedules are subject to change at any time, and tour participants who cancel due to changes in airline or changes in flight schedule will be subject to the Image Tours "Cancellations" policy. A participant wishing to request a specific schedule, airline, or upgrade must ask their travel agent to check the approximate cost prior to deposit, as this will usually require a “Tour Only” reservation with air purchased through another source. The participant will be responsible for any resulting price increases, change fees, penalties, or transfer costs. Always check with your travel agent before purchasing an air ticket from another source. Image Tours does not recommend issuing air tickets until within 75 days prior to departure and shall not be held liable for any fees/ costs/penalties incurred for tickets purchased through another source, regardless of the reason.
Airport Transfers: Refer to "Are Airport Transfers Included?" on the FAQ page.
Travel Requirements: Refer to "Obtaining a Passport Book" and/or "Are Vaccinations, Visas or other Documentation required, in addition to Passport?" on the FAQ page.
Change Fees: After Image Tours processes the deposit, all change requests must be in writing. Name changes (substitutions) or Tour changes (to a different tour date or itinerary) are considered cancellations/new reservations and are subject to the the “Cancellations” policy. Change requests are subject to availability and Image Tours’ acceptance. If confirmed, changes including but not limited to “Tour & Air Inclusive” to “Tour Only” and vice versa, departure/return date (when the tour date remains the same), U.S. departure/return city, extensions, and spelling of name will be subject to the following change fees, in addition to any applicable increase in price:
1) Prior to final payment, $100 per person.
2) After final payment, all changes are considered a cancellation and a new reservation and are subject to the "Cancellations" policy.
Early Returns: If you need to change your return date or location, air tickets are subject to change fees and you may need to purchase a one-way air ticket. If you must return early for a medical reason, obtaining a statement from the attending physician may help reduce airline fees and facilitate a claim through a travel protection plan.
Cancellations: Image Tours must receive the client's notification of cancellation in writing. The date such notification is received by Image Tours will determine the applicable penalties. The following cancellation penalties apply and will be retained by Image Tours:
1) More than 80 days prior to scheduled departure date,
a. Prior to final payment, $250 per person.
b. After final payment, $250 per person plus all costs associated with the air transportation.
2) From 79 days to 1 day prior to scheduled departure date,
a. Without a medical statement, 50% of the tour price plus all costs associated with the air transportation.
b. With a valid medical statement (see "Medical Statement Requirements"), 30% of the tour price plus all costs associated with the air transportation.
3) Scheduled departure date and after, no refund.
4) No refund will be issued for any unused portions of a tour.
Note: Cancellations are per room. In most cases of a cancellation by one of two persons sharing a room, it will not be possible to confirm a single room and the “Cancellations” policy will apply to both persons. If Image Tours is able to secure a single room, the traveler must pay the applicable single supplement and complete the required forms. Refer to “Are Single Rooms offered?”.
Travel Protection Plans: For coverage of cancellation penalties or missed days of the tour due to covered reasons, Image Tours highly recommends purchasing a travel protection plan. Please note that many health insurance plans do not cover customers while traveling outside the U.S.A. Look for plans that include coverage for travel accident/sickness, travel delays, and luggage. Ask your travel agency for options or consider the Travel Protection Plan offered by Image Tours at time of deposit. After purchase, the Travel Protection Plan is non-refundable.
Medical Statement Requirements: To be eligible for the refund provision under section 2) b of “Cancellations,” it is your responsibility to make certain Image Tours receives a valid medical statement, deemed acceptable to Image Tours, within six weeks of the date you were scheduled to leave. Otherwise, your cancellation will be processed in accordance with section 2) a of “Cancellations.”
A valid medical statement must meet all the following criteria:
1) A legible medical statement on the letterhead (including the address and phone number) of an attending licensed physician M.D. , or a copy of the Attending Physician Statement required by the insurance provider.
2) Signed by the physician.
3) State specific dates the passenger is unable to travel. These dates must include the entire duration of the scheduled travel dates.
4) State a specific medical reason why the passenger was unable to travel, due to the illness or injury of the participant or participant’s travel companion. In case of death of the participant or participant’s travel companion, or a member of participant’s immediate family, namely spouse, child, brother, sister, parent, in-law, grandparent or grandchild, a copy of the death certificate is required.
1) Suitcase - Motor Coach Allowance: Each participant is entitled to one suitcase during the tour. A wheeled suitcase is recommended. The suitcase cannot exceed 62 total linear inches (length + height + width, excluding wheels and handles), cannot exceed 12 inches on the shortest of the three measurements, and cannot exceed 50 lbs. (23 kgs.) in weight. This applies throughout the tour (please be considerate of the drivers) and on your return trip as well (plan for shopping by packing lighter before you leave home). The following are a few examples of common luggage sizes currently on the market that fit the luggage allowances:
28" x 18.25" x 11.25" (57.5" linear)
28" x 21" x 10.5" (59.5" linear)
29" x 20" x 10" (59" linear)
29" x 20.5" x 12" (61.5" linear)
29" x 21" x 11" (61" linear)
29.5” x 22.5" x 10" (62" linear)
Baggage space on the motor coach is limited. In fairness to all passengers, our tour managers are instructed to direct any participant with a suitcase exceeding the size allowance to purchase a replacement bag on Day 2 of the tour and to leave the oversized bag behind or ask the hotel to ship it back home, entirely at the participant’s own expense. If there is room on the motor coach, the tour manager may allow the oversized luggage, in which case the tour participant must pay the foreign currency equivalent of $10.00 per day to the tour manager at the beginning of the tour, for excess storage fees. If luggage weighs more than 50 lbs., the tour participant will be required to redistribute excess weight to a carry-on or discard items as necessary.
2) Suitcase - Airline Allowance: Airline baggage allowances may differ from the Motor Coach Allowance. Airline baggage fee policies are changing frequently and are inconsistent between carriers. Airline baggage fees are not included and, if charged, the passenger is responsible to pay any applicable baggage fees directly to the airline. To minimize (and possibly avoid) baggage fees, Image Tours recommends you follow the same checked baggage allowance for air travel as outlined for the motor coach (#1 of this section), namely one suitcase not to exceed 50 lbs. and 62 linear inches.
3) Carry-on - Motor Coach/Airline Allowance: Each passenger is entitled to one carry-on. In addition, each participant may carry a coat over their arm, a camera or small purse over their shoulder, and a magazine or book in their hand. The carry-on may not exceed 15 lbs. and must fit in the space under your seat on the motor coach. This space measures 15” x 12” x 7”. During the tour, you will not be able to store your carry-on in the suitcase compartment under the bus. For safety and storage considerations, wheeled carry-on bags are not suitable.
Baggage Loss or Damage: Baggage loss or damage sustained while in the custody of an airline, hotel, bus company, or transfer company is not the responsibility of Image Tours. A statement outlining airline liability for passengers’
baggage, as part of the Contract of Carriage, can be found on file for inspection at the offices of the airline or on the airline’s website. The airline’s liability shall in no event exceed the actual loss incurred by the passenger, subject to proof of the
amount of the loss.
What to do in case of damage or loss by an airline: The participant must report the loss or damage immediately (while still at the airport) to the airline in question for two reasons:
a) Most airlines require immediate claims or they will not accept them.
b) Insurance companies have the right to void any claim that is not reported immediately.
Responsibility of the Airlines: The airlines are not held responsible for any acts, omissions, or events during the time the passengers are not on board their aircraft or conveyances. The passenger’s contract in use by the airlines, when issued, (for view on the airline website), shall constitute the sole contract between the airline and the passenger. Any and/or all transportation companies shall have or incur no responsibility for liability to any traveler aside from their liability as common carriers. Services performed and tickets issued by the air carrier are subject to rules and regulations relating to liabilities established by the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions and the terms and conditions of the airline contract.
Hazardous Materials Notice: Federal law forbids the carriage of hazardous materials aboard aircraft in your luggage or on your person. A violation can result in five years’ imprisonment and penalties of $250,000 or more (49 U.S.C. 5124). Hazardous materials include explosives, compressed gases, flammable liquids and solids, oxidizers, poisons, corrosives and radioactive materials. Examples: paints, lighter fluid, fireworks, tear gases, oxygen bottles and radiopharmaceuticals. There are special exceptions for small quantities (up to 70 ounces total) of medicinal and toilet articles carried in your luggage and certain smoking materials carried on your person. For further information, review the prohibited items webpage on the TSA website: www.tsa.gov.
Cancellation by Image Tours: Image Tours reserves the right to cancel a tour at any time and for any reason. If Image Tours is responsible for the cancellation of your tour, its liability shall be limited to a refund in full of only those monies it has received from or on behalf of the participant. Cancellations beyond the control/responsibility of Image Tours (including but not limited to cancellation of a group due to insufficient group participation or for any other reason listed in the “Responsibility” paragraph on this page), will be subject to the Image Tours “Cancellations” policy. If the air ticket is purchased through any source other than Image Tours, it is the purchaser’s responsibility to become familiar with the penalties and restrictions. In the event of a cancellation or date change, for any reason, Image Tours shall not be held liable for any penalties incurred from the cancellation or change of the air ticket. Therefore, we recommend tickets not be issued until 75 days or less prior to the departure date.
Responsibility: Image Tours, Inc., its employees, shareholders, subsidiaries, affiliates, officers and directors (collectively “Image Tours”) does not own or operate any entity which is to provide or does provide goods or services for your trip, including, for example, lodging facilities, transportation companies, local ground handlers, tour operators, food service or entertainment providers, etc. As a result, Image Tours is not liable for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such person, or of any other third party not under its control. Without limiting the foregoing, Image Tours accepts no responsibility for any risk or resulting injury, delay, postponement, cancellation, inconvenience, damage, or death which results from criminal activity, accidents, disease, epidemic or the threat thereof, pandemic or the threat thereof, illness, the provision of inappropriate or no medical attention or the lack of access to same, the demands of indoor or outdoor activities, service policies, government regulations, strikes, political or civil unrest, overbooking, structural or other defective conditions in hotels or other lodging facilities, acts of terrorism or the threat thereof, insurrection or revolt, weather, acts of God or any other events or circumstances beyond its control. In addition, Image Tours is not responsible for typographical or substantive errors in descriptions.
Travel Advisories and Warnings and Health Alerts: It is the responsibility of the traveler to become informed about current travel advisories and warnings. Refer to the U.S. State Department's travel website at www.travel.state.gov or call 1-888-407-4747. For health alerts, refer to the Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov or call 1-800-232-4636.
Traveler's Representation: The traveler represents that neither they nor anyone traveling with them has any physical or other condition or disability that could create a hazard to themself or other members of the tour. Image Tours reserves the right to decline, to accept or retain any person as a member of the tour at any time prior to departure, or in the course of the tour, should such participant’s health, mental condition, physical infirmity or general deportment impede, in Image Tours’ judgment, the operation of the tour or the rights, welfare or enjoyment of other tour participants, and all resulting costs will be the responsibility of the participant.
Entire Agreement: Participant warrants that no promises or inducements have been offered for this agreement other than as set forth herein and that this agreement is executed without reliance upon any other promises or representations. No modification, termination or attempted waiver of this Tour Contract shall be valid unless in writing and signed by the participant and an officer of Image Tours.
Arbitration Agreement: Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Tour Contract, to the brochure or to any information relating in any way to the travel arrangements, or to the tour itself, shall be settled solely and exclusively by binding arbitration in Grand Rapids, Michigan in accordance with the then existent commercial rules of the American Arbitration Association. In any such arbitration, the substantive (but not procedural) law of Michigan shall apply. The arbitrator and not any federal, state, or local court or agency shall have exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, conscionability or formation of this contract, including but not limited to any claim that all or any part of this contract is void or voidable.
Payment to Image Tours, or toward an Image Tours product, constitutes your acceptance of the Tour Contract as set out here.
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