Before You Go

RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENTS

A deposit of $1,000 per person or 10% of your total holiday cost (whichever is greater) is required to secure your reservation and must be received within 7 days of booking.   The balance is due from your travel agent no later than 119 days prior to sailing.  Payment must be sent together with passport details and dining room requests.

Passengers who do not make final payments at the appropriate times may be subject to cancellation without notice. In most cases, we are able to provide you with travel documents, including your Passage Contract, approximately 21 days prior to sailing. Travel documents are issued only after final payment has been received by the company.

BOOKINGS

Bookings in Australia can be made through your preferred Travel Agent.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS

All Australian citizens and residents will require a full passport valid for the countries visited and which must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date.

It is the responsibility of each passenger and their travel agent to check with the various embassies consulates involved for their particular cruise, ensuring that they have the necessary documentation/ visas to enter all countries visited. 

In some ports, group visas are available and we will take care of these for you. Group visas will allow passengers on our shore excursions to go ashore. In some ports it may be necessary for passengers to obtain individual visas and you may be required to obtain these prior to travel. To avoid queues, if our local agents are able to obtain visas at the airport on your behalf they will do so and the cost will be added to your on board account. There is for example a visa charge for passengers flying in and out of Egypt and Turkey. UK passport holders joining our organised tours in Russia do not at the present time require individual visas. If however the situation changes, it will be the responsibility of the passenger to obtain and purchase their own visa. Currently passengers who wish to go ashore independently at any time in Russia will require a visa purchased and issued before arrival. Advice regarding all aspects of visa requirements and payments will be included in your pre-cruise information.

Where visa charges are payable locally these must be paid by the passenger. Advice will be given with your final details when this is necessary. To avoid queues at the airport, if our local agents are able to obtain these on your behalf in advance, they will do so and the cost will be added to your final invoice or on-board account.

Any passenger arriving at the departure port/airport without a passport will be refused permission to board the ship/aircraft. Failure in this respect is not covered by the insurance and no refund can be claimed.

HEALTH, VACCINATIONS AND MEDICAL INFORMATION

As health regulations are everchanging, we suggest you consult your local doctor for any concerns you may have. Please check the requirements of the countries that you will be visiting at least 12 weeks before your intended departure. If you do not normally enjoy good health, you should consult your doctor regarding the advisability of taking a cruise and being away from the usual medical and hospital facilities. The company must be advised of any pre-existing condition at the time of booking and of any condition arising subsequently prior to departure.

MEDICAL ATTENTION

We hope you will find it unnecessary to use the ship’s medical facilities during your voyage. If, however, the occasion does arise, it is comforting to know that we do carry a fully qualified doctor and nurses. The National Health Service does not cover treatment on the ship and the doctor or nurse will make a charge for their services as well as requiring payment for any medicines or drugs needed. Such charges are normally reclaimable under your travel insurance, less any excess. In the unlikely event that you require urgent medical attention ashore, we will assist by contacting your insurer who will make the necessary arrangements for your treatment and repatriation.

CHILDREN

Aboard the mv Discovery there are no recreational facilities for children and reservations for those under the age of eleven are not advised.

PASSENGERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Voyages of Discovery will always try to accommodate passengers with special needs However, the following conditions apply:

Medical Situations: Any physical disabilities or medical conditions that require special treatment or medical apparatus must be reported to the company’s Reservations Supervisor in writing along with the first deposit, which is due at time of booking. These include but are not limited to wheelchairs, oxygen therapy, dialysis, etc. Failure to disclose a medical situation at time of booking may result in you being denied boarding at port of embarkation.

Health Care Companions: All passengers with special needs must be self-sufficient and must be accompanied by a passenger who will take full responsibility for any assistance needed during the cruise and in the event of an emergency.

Pregnancy: Regulations vary from airline to airline, but some will refuse to carry women who will be 28 weeks pregnant on the date of return travel. If you are in doubt, please check with the airline concerned and we would recommend that you consult your doctor.

Disabled Passengers: We feel we should point out that we are not specialists in catering for the disabled. If you or any person travelling with you suffers from a disability, you must contact our office for advice before you make your booking.

Wheelchairs: We regret that we cannot accommodate mobility scooters, although we do welcome passengers who use manual standard sized wheelchairs. Passengers must however provide their own collapsible chair and must be able to walk up or down the gangway when embarking or disembarking the ship. If they are not able to do so we will be unable to accept a booking and/or allow embarkation. Please note that in cabins aboard the Discovery there is a 5” riser to bathrooms except in cabin no.’s 4140 and 4144 on Bali Deck, which have been adapted for wheelchair use. Once on board, moving around Discovery is relatively easy, although certain parts of the ship may be inaccessible. Please note that some ports require tenders to go ashore and conditions may preclude passengers with wheelchairs leaving the vessel; under such circumstances a decision would be made by the Captain and would be binding. Please also note that facilities for the handicapped in some destinations may be limited. If you require wheelchair assistance at airports then you need to advise us at the time of your booking enquiry and may be required to complete a medical questionnaire and/or accept additional Fair Trading Conditions before your booking is accepted.

Special Diets: We can usually make provision for special diets provided that sufficient notice is given. A good vegetarian choice is available on board ship and vegetarian meals are also available on flights. Other diets e.g. gluten-free and diabetic, can usually be accommodated, although Kosher and Halal options are not available. Please indicate any requests at time of booking. We will make every effort to satisfy your request, although this cannot be guaranteed.

Note: Please read the “Medical and other conduct” section of our Fair Trading Conditions carefully. The company has the right to refuse or revoke passage to anyone who, in its judgement, is in a physical or mental condition unfit for travel, or who may require care beyond that which the vessel can provide. Passengers are expected to conduct themselves in a proper manner throughout the cruise, and if it appears that a passenger’s conduct, behaviour or health is likely to endanger the passenger’s own health or safety, or that of any other passenger, employee or member of the crew, or may make Voyages of Discovery liable for the costs of any medical treatment or repatriation, Voyages of Discovery and/or the Master reserve the right to take appropriate action. This may include disembarkation, confinement to a particular cabin, and through the ship’s doctor the administration of any drugs or medicines and/or confinement to a hospital or similar institution at any port. Under those circumstances no refund or compensation will be payable.

OPTIONAL SHORE EXCURSIONS

At the time of going to print the exact content and cost of the shore excursion programme have not been finalised. Details will be sent to you before departure.

HOTELS, EXCURSIONS AND LAND TOURS

The land packages contained in this brochure can only be purchased in conjunction with Discovery Cruises. The company reserves the right to assign your hotel based on pre-reserved space. As we use a selection of hotels, it is not always possible to confirm your specific hotels at 30 days prior to departure, however, you will be advised as soon as practical prior to departure. Certain land packages and excursions will not operate without a minimum participation, and others may have a maximum capacity. If, for any reason, a hotel, sightseeing or entertainment feature is cancelled or otherwise unavailable, the company reserves the right to cancel, make substitutions or omissions and is under no obligation except that in the event of cancellation you will receive a full refund of any payments received for that service.

Transfers are only available on the arrival/ departure day shown in the itineraries in this brochure. Passengers who arrive or depart earlier or later than the standard package arrival or departure dates must transfer at their own expense, as must passengers arriving or departing from Buenos Aires domestic airport - Aeroparque.  Flight details must be advised no later than 30 days prior to the cruise departure date. Failure to do so may result in an administrative fee being levied.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Voyages of Discovery is committed to protecting the environment at all times and especially by the proper disposal of waste matter generated on board. This is achieved by adhering to stringent regulations and procedures on board and complying with various applicable legislation.

BAGGAGE POLICY

A reasonable amount of clothing and personal effects may be taken on board the ship without charge. For your own comfort and convenience, we recommend no more than two suitcases per passenger. Porterage is included at the pier on embarkation and disembarkation. Please ensure your luggage is labelled with your name and cabin number, as your bags will be taken directly to your cabin. Hand or unlocked baggage, travel documents, breakables, medicines, and valuables should be carried personally. The company strongly recommends baggage insurance. The liability of the company for lost or damaged baggage commences only when the baggage arrives alongside the vessel and is strictly limited as provided in the Passage Contract.