Rail Tour Package Terms and Conditions
General Tour Information
Princess Lodges offers a unique opportunity for independent-minded travelers who want flexibility in their itineraries as our tours are composed of components that can be added together to provide a truly customized package. Our large staff of experienced representatives will assist you with every step of your tour. As tours are customized, you will not be traveling with the same group of people, or on the same motor coach, throughout your tour. Your motor coach driver will serve as your guide, offering detailed information on the sights you’ll see each day. Frequent rest stops are scheduled for picture taking, food breaks, and stretching. Due to the remote location and limited menus of many of the places we stop for meals, we recommend guests with special dietary requirements make arrangements to bring along food to meet their special needs. Most hotels can prepare a box lunch for you if requested the day before you depart. Smoking is not allowed on our motor coaches or rail cars.
Reservations
Travel agencies provide valuable service and counseling to prospective travelers. We encourage you to make your Princess Lodges reservations with a travel professional. Travel agencies work on your behalf and are not owned or controlled by Princess Lodges. If you use a travel agency, your deposits and payments for Princess Lodges tours, which may include lodging, rail car, and motor coach, are to be paid to the travel agency with which you make your reservation, otherwise you will make such payments directly to Princess Lodges. Since space available on tours is limited, reservations should be made as early as possible. If you use a travel agency, refunds for cancelled or unused tour services will normally be made to your travel agency in the amount actually received by Princess Lodges, less any applicable cancellation fees and charges (this is separate and apart from fees your travel agency may assess for changes or cancellations). You are responsible for obtaining from your travel agency monies either retained by the agency or received by the agency from Princess Lodges for your reservation. If you do not use a travel agency, refunds, less any applicable cancellation fees and charges, will be paid by Princess Lodges directly to you.
Tour Prices
Our tour prices include the following: Transportation and transfers, as indicated in your itinerary; Hotel accommodations (prices based on double occupancy); Sightseeing, as indicated in your itinerary; Baggage handling at hotels. Our tour prices do not include: Taxes, fees and charges imposed by governmental or quasi-governmental authorities relating to any aspect of your tour (“Taxes”); Gratuities for driver/guides, hotel personnel, or other persons rendering a purely personal service; Air transportation, unless included in your itinerary; Meals are not provided, except where specifically indicated in the itinerary.
Payment
Full payment is due at time of booking. Payment by VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card is accepted. For bookings made through our call center we will also accept agency checks. For faster processing, the travel agent should include a customer number on the agency check. Travel agents please note that MCOs will not be accepted.
Public Health and COVID-19 Practices and Procedures
Details can be found here
Independent Contractors
Please note that some services and/or certain portions of the tours (such as air travel, taxis, shore excursions, hotels, boats, other vessels, certain rail services, meals and medical care providers) are provided by independent contractors that are persons or companies other than Princess Lodges. Princess Lodges assumes no responsibility with respect to the goods or services of these independent contractors (including for delay, injury, death or damage to property) even though it may collect monies or make arrangements on your behalf.
Cancellation Policy
A full refund will be made for cancellations received by Princess Lodges at least 46 days prior to the date on which you are to commence travel (by air, rail, sea or otherwise). Passengers, who cancel after that date for any reason, including medical or family reasons, are subject to the following cancellation fees: 45-31 days before commencing travel – 50% of gross fare; 30 days or less before commencing travel – 100% of gross fare. Fees incurred as a result of cancellation cannot be applied to future bookings. Travel agents may impose their own cancellation fees. Agency fees of any nature are a matter to be decided on solely by the agency and passengers. Given that the resale of canceled space on a tour will likely result in a lost opportunity to sell space on other tours, these fees are due regardless of resale. Travel documents are non-transferable. Name changes and departure date changes on any portion of your booking are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees. Princess Lodges strongly recommends that you obtain your own insurance and/or travel protection against loss or damage to baggage and personal effects, tour cancellation, medical expenses, emergencies, injury or illness that may occur in connection with your tour.
Changes in Tour Content
Princess Lodges reserves the right to alter tours and, if necessary, substitute a tour component of comparable value (including hotels and rail service).
Increase in Fares or Taxes
If cost factors dictate the need for fare increases, Princess Lodges may do so at any time prior to departure. You have the option to cancel your tour, without paying cancellation fees, if you do not accept a fare increase. However, this right to cancel without paying cancellation fees does not apply to an increase in Taxes that becomes necessary due to actual Taxes exceeding the estimates used by Princess Lodges in computing the amount quoted for your tour. We reserve the right to pass through to you any extra Taxes.
Refund Policy
Princess Lodges reserves the right to cancel all or part of a tour in its reasonable discretion including in response to insufficient sales. If Princess Lodges cancels the entire tour, you will receive a full refund of amounts paid to Princess Lodges. If Princess Lodges cancels a portion of the tour due to weather or other reasons beyond the control of Princess Lodges, or if you decide for any reason whatsoever to not participate in all or part of the tour, Princess Lodges will not be required to make any refunds. For other partial cancellations by Princess Lodges, you will receive a refund for the value of the cancelled portion, with value to be determined by Princess Lodges in a fair and equitable manner. If, due to weather or other unforeseen reasons, flights are adversely impacted or you are required to spend an additional night in a location, hotel and meal costs and other incidental expenses are your responsibility. If you used a travel agency to make your booking, all refunds will be made to your travel agent in the amount actually received by Princess Lodges less any applicable cancellation fees and charges. You are responsible for obtaining from your travel agency monies either retained by the agency or received by the agency from Princess Lodges
Booking Optional Tours
Princess Lodges is pleased to offer you the ability to purchase optional tours for your land package by calling 800-426-0500. You will find a full list of optional tours at www.princesslodges.com. All optional tour bookings must be made at least five (5) days prior to the start of your travel. Credit card information is required for each guest that wishes to participate in an optional tour. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards as payment for optional tours. If you wish to cancel a tour you must do so at least three days prior to the start of your travel otherwise you are subject to a 100% cancellation fee. Please note that optional tour availability is based on date, capacity limitations and suitable weather conditions. Optional tours are subject to change at any time and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are encouraged to book early as space is limited. Your credit card will be charged at the time of booking. You will receive information on confirmed optional tours in your Welcome Agenda upon arrival at each location.
Refunds of Optional Tours
In the event we cancel any optional tour for reasons beyond our control, including unsuitable weather conditions, a full refund will be made to the same credit card you used to book your optional tour by our Seattle Corporate Office at 450 Third Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119. These refunds will typically be reflected on your credit card statement between 7-10 business days after cancellation. Optional tours booked while on your land tour are 100% non-refundable, except if the operator of the tour cancels due to weather, mechanical difficulties, or other reasons beyond the operator’s control, in which case you will receive a full refund as noted above. Should any optional tour have to be abandoned through force majeure or other difficulties while the tour is in progress, a reasonable refund will be arranged, at our discretion, according to the circumstances.
Immigration and Customs
You may be required to present a valid passport, proof of vaccination, or other government approved document when entering or re-entering the U.S or Canada. We strongly recommend carrying a passport that is valid for at least six months beyond the completion date of your travel. You are responsible for securing proper documentation, including visas, for the countries visited on your tour and for entry or reentry to the U.S or Canada. U.S. citizens may check with the U.S. Department of State for passport and visa requirements of each county in their tour itineraries. We also strongly recommend that U.S. residents register their valuables with U.S. Customs before departure. Non-U.S. citizens should check with the embassy or consulate of each country in their itineraries for passport and visa requirements. Non-U.S. citizens who have previously been admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence must carry their passports and Permanent Resident Cards (Form I-551), commonly known as a Green Card. You may be denied travel, or fines may be levied against you if you do not have proper documentation. Payment of any such fines is your sole responsibility. If you have been convicted of a felony you will not be permitted entry to Canada.
Luggage Policy
Princess Lodges will carry as baggage on your tour only your personal items and clothing for your comfort and convenience while on your tour. Your personal items and clothing need to be placed in securely constructed and locked luggage that is designed for travel. You are limited to two pieces of luggage per person which must be able to fit in the baggage compartments of Princess Lodges motor coaches, plus one overnight or carry-on bag which must remain in your custody at all times. Princess Lodges will not assume any liability for any loss of or damage to carry on baggage left unattended on a motor coach, on other modes of transportation, or in hotels. Certain hotels may provide safe-deposit boxes or room safes. Your use of such safe-deposit boxes or similar facilities will not increase Princess Lodges liability as described herein. Princess Lodges is not responsible for any loss, delay or damage that occurs before baggage is in Princess Lodges actual custody or after baggage leaves our custody at the end of your tour. In particular, please note that we assume no responsibility for loss, damage or delay while baggage is in the custody of an airline. In no event shall Princess Lodges be liable for normal wear or tear of your property or baggage. Princess Lodges also does not assume any responsibility for loss of or damage to: perishable items; medicine; liquor; cash, credit or debit cards; jewelry, gold, silver or similar valuables; securities, financial instruments, records or other business documents; computers; cellular telephones; cameras; hearing aids; electric wheelchairs; scooters; video or electronic equipment; works of art; binoculars; recreational equipment; dental hardware; cosmetics; electric hair appliances; liquids; luggage locks; eyewear (including eyeglasses, sunglasses and contact lenses); medical equipment; cigarettes or other tobacco products; electronic nicotine delivery systems; film; videotape; computer disks; audio disks; tapes or CD’s. During your travel, the above listed items and other valuables must be placed in a bag you carry with you or shipped to your destination by other means. Princess Lodges liability for loss or damage to baggage or other personal property is limited to U.S. $250 per guest.
Guests with Disabilities
Princess Lodges does not discriminate against persons on the basis of disability. We seek, to the extent feasible, to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities. Service animals are permitted if we are notified at the time of booking that you will bring a service animal. Certain facilities and services that are part of a tour may not be fully accessible or usable by persons with disabilities. While Princess Lodges endeavors to contract with companies which provide accessible services and facilities, we cannot guarantee. In limited situations where an individual with a disability would be unable to satisfy certain specified safety and other criteria, even when provided with appropriate auxiliary aids and services, we may find it necessary to ask the individual to make alternative travel arrangements. We must be notified of any special medical, physical or other requirements of guests at the time of booking. Please contact our Access Office via email at [email protected] or via fax at 661-284-4408.
Medical Services
Medical services may be limited given the remote areas in which some tours operate. If you have a condition that requires that you use a special medical apparatus or need special assistance during your tour, we must be made aware of that at time of booking in order to determine whether we can accommodate your needs. If you are using prescription drugs, please bring an adequate supply with you and keep them in your carry-on luggage.
Pets
Animals or pets are not allowed at hotels or on tours with the exception of qualified service animals for guests with disabilities.
Privacy Policy/User Information
Your use of Princess Lodges services is subject to the Princess Lodges Privacy Policy that is on our website www.princesslodges.com, as incorporated herein by reference. You consent to the use of your personal information by Princess Lodges and/or its third party providers and distributors in accordance with the terms of and for the purposes set forth in the Princess Lodges Privacy Policy.