Synkronos Travel Terms & Conditions of booking
It is important that you and all members of the travelling party are aware of the following important terms & conditions as they may relate all or in part to the bookings held by our office on your behalf. If you are making bookings on behalf of a couple or group of people you should ensure they are aware of these terms & conditions.
Prices quoted are in Australian dollars unless specificed and are subject to change at the discretion of the supplier, generally until paid in full. This can be due to changes in taxes, fuel surcharges, currency fluctuations or other factors beyond our control. Synkronos Travel receives fees or commissions from third parties/suppliers under this contract.
Booking Procedure
To make a booking with Synkronos Travel you must be at least eighteen years old and agree to all the terms and conditions as advised in this document. In order to secure a booking you must pay a deposit or in full as advised. The person completing the booking warrants that he/she has authority to accept the passage ticket conditions on behalf of all persons named on the booking.
You should carefully read all the terms and conditions specific to the product you are booking before finalising your travel transaction. Acknowledgement of your booking request will be sent via e-mail or telephone call within 24 hours of your request being received. A deposit must be received within 3 working days to confirm a booking. The booking will be automatically cancelled if no deposit is received within this time.
Booking Conditions
Reservations are subject to the terms, conditions and requirements of carriers, hoteliers and other service providers. We reserve the right to cancel or re-schedule departures or itineraries if necessary. Where it is necessary, Synkronos Travel may also substitute suppliers with others of at least a similar standard.
Fares & Prices
The booking form within this site is a request only. Synkronos Travel does not guarantee fares or prices until the booking has been confirmed in writing by one of our consultants, and full payment has been received. Schedules and availability, fare conditions and prices can change at any time. Routing restrictions and other special conditions may apply. Deposits merely hold the reservations and do not guarantee prices.
Accuracy of Information and limitations of liability
Synkronos Travel does not endorse or recommend any particular travel service provider. Synkronos Travel and its third party suppliers have taken reasonable care that the content of this web site, including all travel information and listings is correct but is subject to amendment at any time without notice. Synkronos Travel publishes such information in good faith and if in doubt you should check with a representative of Synkronos Travel to ensure any information displayed is correct at the time of booking. As user you acknowledge and accept that: Synkronos Travel accepts no responsibility or liability for any failure or delay on the part of any third party in providing travel services to you where your booking has been properly processed by it; nor are we responsible for any acts or omissions of airlines or other third parties in the course of delivery of such travel services. Under no circumstances will we be liable for direct, indirect, consequential or incidental damages including but not limited to lost profits or savings or damages for disappointment.
Payment Options
All prices are based on payment by cash, direct deposit or cheque. Cheques will not be accepted for travel within 7 working days of travel. Credit card payments are also accepted - a transaction fee will apply of: Visa 1.4%; Mastercard 1.2%, American Express 1.8%; Diners 2.5%; International Cards 3%
Cancellations and Administration Fees
Any and all cancellations must be made in writing. Once you have paid a deposit your booking is subject to cancellation/amendment fees. Each cruise line, airline and tour operator has their own cancellation policies and you should refer to their specific terms and conditions for information regarding cancellation charges. Specific cancellation fees for your booking are available from your travel advisor. Where amendment of a booking is permitted by the travel supplier, a charge of $50 per person is payable to Synkronos Travel for each permitted amendment. This is in addition to any fees charged by the individual suppliers. In addition to supplier cancellation fees, Synkronos Travel charge an adminstration fee of $100 per person for any cancellation received prior to final payment, or 10% of the total booking value once final payment has been received. Refunds are provided based on these conditions and only on receipt of any refund from the suppliers involved. Any refunds will be processed in the same manner as they were received. If paid by credit card, a refund will be made back to the same card. Merchant fees as outlined under 'Payment Options' are non refundable. Payments received by EFT will be refunded to the same original payor.
Amendment Fees
Where amendment of a booking is permitted by the travel supplier, an administration fee of up to $110 per person is payable to Synkronos Travel for each permitted amendment, plus the individual suppliers fee.
Service Fees
A non-refundable Service fee may be payable in respect of certain transactions. These fees are payable in addition to those imposed by travel service providers. Please contact your advisor for more details. Service fees may include but are not limited to the following:
Travel Documentation
Passport, Visa and Health requirements are the responsibility of individual travellers. Passports are required for all travellers departing Australia. Permanent residents travelling on a foreign passport must hold an Australian Re-entry Visa. Many countries require that foreign nationals entering hold a passport with at least six months validity. The final responsibility for ensuring documentation is correct is that of the individual traveller. Any fines, penalties, payments or expenditures incurred as a result of such documents not meeting the requirements of those authorities will be your sole responsibility. Synkronos Travel will not be held responsible for tickets lost by a third party, such as Australia Post.
Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance is highly recommended for all travellers. Please ensure you take note of the special inclusions and exclusions as they may relate to your particular circumstances. Pre-existing Medical Conditions and cover for this must be approved by the Insurer. If you have taken out another Travel Insurance Policy or believe you have adequate cover from a credit card policy we will require details of the insurance cover that you hold.
Taxes Imposed
A large number of Airport, Departure & Security Taxes are imposed by various countries, states and towns around the world and in Australia. Where applicable these have been included in the cost of the airline ticket and are shown in the relevant tax boxes. There may be some variations in final costs depending on exchange rate fluctuation and the number of taxes imposed at time of ticketing. Any additional costs or taxes that occur will be required to be paid.
Passports
Passports are required for all international travel. Passports must have a minimum of 6 months validity from the date of scheduled return to Australia. Travel documents and airline tickets must exactly match the name and spelling as appears in the passport. Additionally, for security reasons some airlines may require all details as they appear in the passport prior to ticketing. Please ensure that you advise your consultant of the correct details at the time of booking. We will need to sight your passport before any documents can be released and we will not be liable for any incorrect information given to us nor for any re-issue fees imposed by the airline or tour wholesaler should re-issue of documentation be required. If travelling on any passport other than Australian you must inform us immediately as it may be necessary to obtain a Re-Entry Visa into Australia or visas for other countries. Whilst we offer full assistance it is the responsibility of each traveller to ensure that they have full and correct documentation to undertake their journey.
Visa Requirements
Australian Passport holders require visas to enter some countries. Some countries allow for a "visa free" stay for tourism purposes. If you are travelling on business this does not always apply. Also, if you or a member of your travelling party have a criminal offence entry may be denied. Please speak with your travel consultant about this.
Some consulates charge visa fees and we reserve the right to charge a service fee to cover courier fees and the like should we obtain this documentation on your behalf. Issuance of visas is not the responsibility of your travel agent and we cannot be held responsible should you be unable to obtain the correct visas to undertake your journey.
Frequent Flyer Programs
Many airlines offer Frequent Flyer Reward Programs - if you are not a member of any of these programs we are happy to discuss your options and of course the benefits with you. Similarly, if you are a member of any Frequent Flyer program please ensure that your consultant is aware of this immediately so that the necessary steps can be taken to ensure that you earn the rewards. As a safeguard it is also advisable to keep all your boarding passes so that you can verify this against your Points Summary after travel has been completed.
Dept.of Foreign Affairs & Trade Warnings
For reasons of political unrest, acts of war or terrorism or natural disasters in certain parts of the world the Australian Government in conjunction with various other worldwide bodies may decide to issue a Government Advisory warning to Australian passport holders not to travel to that country. In these instances whilst travel to some countries is not advisable and some clauses of the travel insurance coverage may not be affective we appreciate that some clients may still need to travel to those areas. Whilst we are prepared to make these bookings on our clients' behalf we do so without responsibility or liability.
Should you wish to check with the Department of Foreign Affairs their website address is: www.dfat.gov.au/. There is also another service provided to Australian travellers where you are able to register your personal details i.e passport numbers, contact details in Australia and the countries you will be visiting. These details are automatically passed on to the relevant Embassies of the countries you will be visiting. Simply register via the website: www.orao.dfat.gov.au to utilise this service.
Third Party Suppliers
As a licensed travel agent, act only as an agent for services supplied on behalf of third parties such as airlines, cruise lines or hotel operators. Each supplier operates under their own terms and conditions. By booking services with a supplier you are subject to their own terms and conditions. It is your responsibility to ensure you are familiar with these terms. If you require further information about third party supplier's terms and conditions please ask us.
Limitations of Liability
Synkronos Travel shall be responsible to the passenger for supplying holiday arrangements described throughout this website. Holiday arrangements include but are not limited to accommodation, flights, cruises, tours and transfers. These services are provided by reputable suppliers on their own conditions. Therefore it should be noted all bookings with us are subject to the terms and conditions and limitations of liability imposed by the supplier. We accept no responsibility if you, the passenger, is refused entry to the intended country/countries visited. We will not be responsible for any expenses, costs, liabilities or loss in relation to such. We do not guarantee any specific flight schedule and do not accept liability for lack of adequate connections, delays or airline schedule changes. By making a booking with Synkronos Travel you accept these terms and conditions.
Agency Disclaimer
Synkronos Travel, an independently owned and operated agent of Your Travel & Cruise Pty Ltd, acts solely as a general booking agent on behalf of the customer, for the purpose of processing bookings and reservations with various cruise lines and travel suppliers. Synkronos Travel has no control over the travel suppliers, the fares charged for services, their policies and procedures, change in itineraries, the scheduling of their services, or their methods of providing services. Therefore, Synkronos Travel shall not be liable or responsible, and is released of responsibility and liability, for any delay, inconvenience, loss or damage for personal or property injury, to any Passenger resulting from breach of contract or any acts or omissions on the part of any travel supplier, cancellation of any service by a travel supplier, any refund due from a travel supplier, any terrorist activities, civil or labour unrest, mechanical or construction defects or failures, diseases, local laws, climatic conditions, or any other cause. It is important that you and all members of the travelling party are aware of important terms & conditions as they may relate all or in part to the bookings held by our office on your behalf. These terms & conditions include information relating to quoted prices, payment options, insurance, taxes, passport and visas, frequent flyer programs, travel warnings and more. To view a terms & conditions document go to www.synkronostravel.com/terms--conditions.
If you require a hard copy of this document sent to you please advise your travel consultant. Please note that fares are not guaranteed until paid in full and tickets have been issued. Fares may be withdrawn or increased substantially with no notice given. In order to avoid possible increases we recommend you pay in full and have your tickets issued as soon as possible. Any increase prior to ticketing is the sole responsibility of the customer.
Force Majeure
Neither party will be liable for any failure or delay in performing an obligation under this agreement that is due to any of the following causes, to the extent beyond its reasonable control: acts of God, accident, riots, war, terrorist act, epidemic, pandemic, quarantine, outbreaks of infectious disease or any other public health crises, natural catastrophes, government acts, changes in laws, national strikes, fire, explosion. For the avoidance of doubt, Force Majeure shall not include (a) financial stress or the inability of either party to make a profit or avoid a financial loss, (b) changes in market prices or conditions, or (c) a party's financial inability to perform its obligations hereunder. In the event a Force Majeure applies you will be bound by the supplier's terms and conditions.