Terms and Conditions
Reservations and Payments: A deposit of $540.00 ($569 via credit card) per person along with a completed and signed application must be submitted with the reservation to confirm the trip. Registration and Final payment for all tours is due 56 days prior to departure. For registrations submitted 56 days or less prior to departure, space will be on request and is subject to availability of hotels. Full payment is due not less than 56 days prior to your tour start date. When bookings are made less than 56 days before the tour start date full payment must be made when booking. For late sign up payments you may be responsible for arranging your own travel to catch up with the group. Payments made less than 45 days before departure must be made with certified check or money order mailed Priority or Overnight Delivery, or credit card. An early registration assures you of your place on the tour. Therefore, we highly recommend that you submit your registration deposit as early as possible.
Cancellations and Refunds: A cancellation by you must be advised to BMSJ in writing. If a booking is cancelled we reserve the right to apply the following cancellation charges:
– More than 55 days prior to tour date: Initial deposit amount
– 21 to 55 days prior to tour date: 50% of total cost
– 14 to 20 days prior to tour date: 75% of total cost
– 1 to 13 days prior to tour date: 100% of total cost
Credit card payment: BMSJ accepts American Express, MasterCard, VISA and Discover.
Tour Pricing: BMSJ offers a 5% discount on the published Tour Price if ALL payments are made by check or money order. This discount will be listed as a credit on your final statement. Quoted prices are based on the Tour origination locations indicated the tour itinerary page and registration form. BMSJ will always be happy to assist you with any flight arrangements. The advertised cost for each tour is based on an established minimum level of participation. Should the group for any tour fall below this number, each traveler MAY be assessed a surcharge. IF this is enacted, the surcharge amount is dependent upon the final number of persons traveling in the group. BMSJ makes every effort not to have to enact a surcharge, but if we do, we keep it as small as possible. If assessed a surcharge, you will be notified of the amount at least three weeks before the departure date. Payment is due upon notification, and must be received in our NY office 14 days before the tour departure date in order for your final tour documents to be mailed out in a timely manner. If the payment arrives later and necessitates that BMSJ mail your documents with expedited service, you will be responsible to pay for these costs. Should the trip fail to achieve minimum participation, BMSJ reserves the right to cancel the tour, and BMSJ will refund in full any payments received.
Required Tour Documents: A valid passport and appropriate visa must be held by each passenger. For applicable visas or visa information please contact your appropriate Consulate. In countries where an entrance visa is required and BMSJ is procuring that visa, the cost of the visa will be assessed to the passenger. Otherwise the passenger will be given information about how to obtain the visa at their own expense.
Revisions and/or Changes to pre or post-tour individual arrangements booked for passenger by BMSJ: There will be a $100 nonrefundable deposit per person to initiate the itinerary. If the itinerary is accepted by the passenger, this will be applied toward the final cost. No research will be done until the deposit has been received. Once accepted, there will be a charge of $20 for each additional email, phone call or fax to change the itinerary. This charge is over and above any charges imposed by airlines, hotels and/or ground operators.
Cancellation by BMSJ: We may cancel a trip at any time up to 30 days before the tour start date. If we cancel a trip because we do not have the minimum number of participants we will happily refund all the money you have paid to us, including the processing fee. We are not responsible for any other expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your booking including flights or other travel other, visas, vaccinations or medical costs etc. If in our sole opinion it is not safe or viable to operate the planned itinerary due to political instability, natural disasters or other external events including terrorism we may cancel a trip at any time prior to departure. If we cancel a trip under these circumstances we will happily refund all the money you have paid to us, including the processing fee.
Accommodations: Based on twin-bedded rooms with bath or shower as indicated. You are assigned accommodations as the guest of the facility selected. The tour operator reserves the right to substitute hotels of similar category. If you have opted for sharing we will do our very best to find you a room mate but if we can’t find one then you will have to pay the single room subsidy. When choosing who shares with whom & which room you get we put the room numbers in a hat and you pick one out. This does not include the hotel at the start of the tour when we will be putting people in rooms according to when they arrive. If you are traveling as a pair from the date of sign up we will of course put you in the same room as one another if that is your preference. For those that want a single room we will do our best to get you one but please bear in mind it may not always be possible as things are always subject to change at short notice.
Meals: Meals will be provided as per the final trip itinerary. Any foods or beverages not included in the program and purchased by you will be at additional cost. Tour price includes only foods and beverages that are provided to the entire group.
Sight-seeing: As specified in itinerary. Entrance fees are included. Note: In some cases, to maximize sites to be visited, BMSJ will combine your tour group with a standard sightseeing tour. This is done on rare occasions so as to enhance the tour program.
Land transportation: As specified, by modern air-conditioned (where required) cars and/or minivans.
Air: All airline tickets are subject to each carrier’s Terms and Conditions as to passage and cancellation fees. Tours are sold in conjunction with the services of these approved carriers.
Local Hosts and guides: Listed local Hosts and guides are subject to availability and will be hosting your itinerary wherever possible. However, due to scheduling, there may be some times when the featured local Host or guide is not available. If this occurs, BMSJ will provide a comparable and experienced substitute.
Not Included: Items of a personal nature such as laundry, drinks and telephone calls, as well as any item that is not specifically detailed in the brochure or final trip itinerary.
Consumer Disclosure Notice: BMSJ and/or their agents act only in capacity as agents for the passenger in all matters connected with hotel accommodations, sight-seeing tours and transportation, whether by air, rail, bus, motorcar, boat or any other means and as agent holds itself free of responsibility for any damage occasioned by any cause. BMSJ and or its agents will not be responsible for any damages, expenses or inconveniences caused by late departures or change of schedule, strikes or to their conditions, nor will be responsible for loss or damage to baggage or any of the passenger’s belongings. All prices quoted are correct at time of brochure printing, include the cost of operation of the tours, and are subject to currency and airfare changes. BMSJ, its parent corporation and affiliates, officers, employees, servants and agents shall not be responsible for personal injury, death or property damage as a result of force majeure or for any other losses or damages incurred by any person or tour participants caused by any delay or change of itinerary or arising out of any act, including, but not limited to, any act of negligence, any person acting for or on behalf of BMSJ for transportation, accommodation or sight-seeing provider or any other person or entity rendering any of these services or accommodations being offered in connection with these tours. Any dispute arising out of these tours, must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the completion of the tour and will be settled by arbitration within the City of New York.
Insurance Protection Plan: We strongly recommend TRAVEL INSURANCE to protect against cancellation fees and additional travel expenses that may incur before, after or during the trip. With your reservation confirmation, BMSJ will send complete details on its insurance program.