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Deposits, Terms and Conditions (Please read carefully)

Deposits Contact our office or your travel agent to ensure that the trip you have selected is available. A non-refundable deposit is required to hold your reservation and this can be paid by credit card or cheque.

Deposits are A$500 per person, except for the Antarctic and Scotland trips (US$1250 per person) and Arctic trips (A$1500 per person). Note that Polar and Scotland trips have different booking terms and conditions -details are sent on enquiry. On receipt of your deposit and trip application form, you will be sent a registration package with a waiver /acknowledgement of risk form, medical form, detailed trip notes and itinerary, clothing and equipment list, and an invoice. The completed release of risk form and medical form must be returned immediately. Your balance of payment is due 60 days prior to departure. Payments by credit cards will be surcharged 2%. If the final balance is not received by the due date, we will regard the booking as cancelled and normal cancellation fees will apply. If you reserve a trip within 60 days prior to departure, full payment is required at the time of booking, along with signed application and release of risk forms.

Insurance: Personal travel insurance is not included in the trip cost. It is a condition of booking and participating in a trip with Southern Sea Ventures that you are insured.

Changes & Transfers: Transfers may only be made to another trip scheduled to commence within 12 months of your original departure date and the following transfer charges will apply. A transfer fee of A$100 applies if you wish to change from one trip to another more than 60 days prior to commencement of the trip. In addition, any increase in trip costs as a result of your transferring to an alternative trip or departure date, will be payable by you. However, if you decide to transfer less than 60 days prior to departure, normal cancellation fees will apply.

Cancellations: If it becomes necessary to cancel your holiday, you must notify Southern Sea Ventures immediately in writing. Cancellation will take effect upon receipt by Southern Sea Ventures of your written notice. The following fees apply when cancellation occurs between:

We very strongly recommend you take out travel insurance that includes cancellation coverage at the time of booking.

Delay or Change of Itinerary: Southern Sea Ventures may for any reason change the date of departure or conclusion of the trip, the scheduled point of departure for the tour, omit or change any scheduled stop on the trip or change the scheduled place of conclusion for the trip whether before or after the trip has departed, without prior notice to you. You will have no right to any refund and Southern Sea Ventures will have no obligation to you or be liable for any loss, consequential damages, expenses, loss of time or enjoyment or inconvenience in respect of such changes.

Southern Sea Ventures reserves the right to cancel any trip prior to departure, in which case any payment made by you will be refunded in full and you will not be entitled to make any further claim for compensation or damages, expenses, loss of time or inconvenience which may result from such cancellation.  

If Southern Sea Ventures cancels any trip more than 60 days prior to departure as a result of the issuance of a travel warning (from the Australian Government) then Southern Sea Ventures will provide a full refund of your deposit or arrange a transfer to another trip. If a travel warning is issued within 60 days of departure, and Southern Sea Ventures cancels the trip, Southern Sea Ventures cancellation conditions will apply. Travel insurance may compensate you depending on the circumstances.

Medical Disclosure: You declare and warrant that: Πyou are in good health and mental and physical fitness at the time of booking this trip Πyou have disclosed to SSV every matter concerning your health and mental and physical fitness of which you are aware, or ought reasonably be expected to know, that is relevant to SSV's decision to permit you to join the trip Πimmediately upon any adverse change in your health or fitness that may be likely to affect SSV's decision to accept the risk of permitting you to join the trip, you will notify SSV in writing of any such adverse change.

You acknowledge that the obligation to disclose under this condition continues from the time of booking the trip through to departure and extends for the duration of the trip.

If you fail to comply with the duty of disclosure in this condition and if SSV would not have permitted you to undertake the trip, or continue participation of the trip, had you made full disclosure under this condition, SSV will not be liable, except to the minimum extent required by law, for personal injury, death or property damage or loss incurred by you.

Trip Costs: Trip costs are based on surface costs and exchange rates at the date of printing our brochure (ie August 2005 for our 2006 brochure). While we try our utmost not to increase our prices, this is sometimes beyond our control. We reserve the right to amend our prices. They should only alter in the event of significant increases in ground, airfares or cruise costs and/or marked fluctuations in the exchange rate upon which the trip price is based. Any price increase must be paid in full prior to the departure date.

Items Not Included In Our Costs:

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