DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS:
Advance reservations are required for all tours. Full payment is required when reserving a single-day tour. A 50% per person deposit is required on multi-day tours and final payment is due no later than 45 days prior to tour departure. Some multi-day tours require a larger deposit in order to comply with our suppliers’ policies. Payments may be made by cash, check, or credit card (3% convenience fee). In some cases there are savings when payments are made in cash.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR BASEBALL TOURS:
Rain outs/cancellations: Notch Above Tours will not be held responsible for game changes due to weather delays, or other events beyond our control. When tickets are refundable, not exchangeable, your ticket costs for the tour will be refunded. No other part of the tour cost will be refunded due to inclement weather/rainouts or other conditions beyond our control.
CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY:
We understand that you may occasionally need to change your travel plans due to unexpected events. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance (see below). Cancellations may be made by phone or in writing. Please carefully read the following Notch Above Tours Cancellation Policy: Cancellations made 60 days or more days prior to a tour will be assessed a cancellation fee of 200.00 for multi-day tours and 75.00 for one-day tours, plus any pre-purchased tickets. Cancellations made less than 60 days prior to departure on multi-day tours forfeit the deposit. Cancellations made less than 60 days prior to departure on one-day tours incur a cost of 25% of the tour cost plus the cancelation fee. Cancellations made 40 days prior to the departure date on any tour are 100% non-refundable. Additionally there are no refunds for unused portions of your tour. Notch Above will purchase tickets for concerts, sporting events and other performances on behalf of our travelers. Once these tickets are purchased they are non-refundable and become the property and responsibility of the traveler. If Notch Above must cancel a tour, all travelers will be notified and receive a full refund of payments made to Notch Above. Please note: we often co-sell tours with other travel companies whose cancellation policies may differ from Notch Above Tours. Please call for details.
AIRLINE TICKETS PURCHASED INDEPENDENT OF A TOUR:
Notch Above urges you to check airline cancellation policies before purchasing airline tickets. Tours can be cancelled for reasons including low enrollment. Notch Above accepts no responsibility or liability for cancellation penalties related to airline tickets purchased independently.
TRAVEL INSURANCE:
As an accredited Tour Operator, we are able to offer our travelers a very competitive priced policy to help protect their investment in travel. Travel insurance protects you if you need to cancel your trip for covered reasons prior to departure or if other covered, unforeseen circumstances arise during your trip. Deluxe Policy protects you for cancelling for ANY reason! Policies apply to both domestic and international travel, cruises and airfare. Our travel insurance is offered through, Travel Insured International, a highly regarded provider of travel insurance.
Two important notes:
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You must purchase travel insurance within fourteen days of your initial deposit to waive the pre-existing condition exclusion.
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Medicare does not cover expenses incurred outside the U.S. If you have supplemental insurance those expenses may be covered by that company however, check directly with them.
WHAT IS TYPICALLY INCLUDED IN A TOUR:
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Private motor coach transportation
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Professional Notch Above tour manager
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Baggage handling on multi-day tours (one suitcase per person)
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Admission fees
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Meals listed as included in the tour description
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Taxes and gratuities for meals and attractions listed as included
WHAT IS TYPICALLY NOT INCLUDED IN A TOUR:
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Alcoholic beverages you personally request with meals
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Incidental hotel charges such as telephone calls, room service and anything listed as “optional” in the brochure
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Customary gratuities for the tour manager, driver and local guides
Prices listed are subject to change. We do our best to avoid raising prices, but since our tour prices are determined far in advance, we must reserve the right to add a surcharge or to modify or cancel a tour if we are faced with significant increased costs and/or currency fluctuations over which we have no control.
GRATUITIES AND TIPPING:
Tipping may be awkward for some people. Your tour price typically includes gratuities for baggage handling (hotel porters) and restaurant servers. A gratuity for tour managers, drivers, guides and hotel housekeeping is a way of showing your appreciation.
WHAT IS A SINGLE ROOM AND WHY IS IT MORE EXPENSIVE:
Hotels frequently charge us a “flat” room rate (i.e $ x per room per night). We take that amount and divide it by the number of people who will be sharing that room. The per person amount is going to be less as the number of people in the room increases. Thus the rate for a single room is higher than the rate for a quad (4 person) room. Notch Above does not charge a “single” fee or any other fee for single travelers other than the additional cost of the hotel room(s). The cost of meals, attractions, transportation etc. remains the same no matter how many travelers in your party. When requested, we will refer single travelers to other single travelers who ask us to help them find a roommate. With your permission, we provide those requesting this service with the names of any others requesting a roommate. We strongly recommend that you get together before the tour to determine your compatibility. Once you both agree to share a room, you both need to notify us of that decision.
Triple and Quad Room Information: It is important to note that the number of beds in the room does not normally change as the number of people sharing that room increases. Two people in the room usually have two beds; three people have two beds; and four people have two beds. That means rooms with three or four people usually should assume there will be more than one person in each bed.
PASSPORT AND BORDER CROSSING UPDATE:
International travelers:
On June 1, 2009, the U.S. Government implemented the full requirement of the land and sea of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security.
U.S. citizen children under the age of 16 will be able to present the original or copy of their birth certificate, or other proof of U.S. citizenship such as a naturalization certificate or citizenship card.
Groups of U.S. citizen children 16 through 18, when traveling with a school or religious group, social organization, or sports team, will be able to enter under adult supervision with originals or copies of their birth certificates of other proof of citizenship. See the Department of Homeland Security’s “GetYouHome.gov” for more information on the changing travel requirements.
U.S. and Canadian citizens under the age of 16, or under the age of 19 and traveling with a school, religious, or other youth group, may present a birth certificate, consular report of birth abroad, naturalization certificate of Certificate of Canadian Citizenship. Birth certificate may be original, photocopy, or certified copy.
The group should be prepared to present a letter on organizational letterhead with the following information:
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The name of the group and supervising adult.
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A list of the children on the trip, primary address, phone number, date of birth, place of birth and name of at least one parent or legal guardian for each child.
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A written and signed statement of the supervising adult certifying that he or she has obtained parental or legal guardian consent for each participating child. The group should be prepared to present proof of such consent in the form of permission slips signed by both parents.
For general information, visit www.dhs.gov or www.travel.state.gov
TERMS OF SERVICE:
NOTCH ABOVE TOURS, Inc., acts a only in the capacity of agent for the tour participant. We in no way represent nor act as agent for travel service suppliers such as hotels/motels, restaurants, sightseeing attractions and tours and transportation. We accept no responsibility or liability caused by the defect or negligence or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out or performing any of the services involved. We cannot be held responsible for events beyond our control, such as (without limitations) acts of God, declared or undeclared war, strikes, government restrictions, terrorist activities, defects in vehicles, breakdown of equipment, delay, or cancellation of, or changes in itinerary or schedule.
We reserve the right to make changes in the published itineraries whenever, in our sole judgment, conditions so warrant, or if we deem it necessary for the comfort or convenience or safety of our tour participants. We reserve the right to withdraw without penalty, any tour announced. Our sole responsibility upon cancellation of a tour is the refund of monies paid.
We also reserve the right to decline to accept any person as a participant in a tour or end an individual’s participation in a tour at any time when such an action is determined by the appropriate Notch Above Tours staff to be in the best interests of the health, safety, and general well-being of the tour group or individual participant. Any dispute or controversy that might be the subject of any action in court shall be governed by the laws of the State of Vermont and shall be resolved through the binding arbitration in accordance with the terms and conditions of Title 12, Vermont Statutes Annotated, Chapter 192.
Acknowledgement: I understand that this agreement with Notch Above Tours, Inc, contains an agreement to arbitrate. After consenting hereto, I understand that I will not be able to bring a lawsuit concerning any dispute that may arise, which is covered by the arbitration agreement, unless it involves a question of constitutional or civil rights. Instead, I agree to submit any such dispute to an impartial arbitrator. Your partial or full payment or signature on a Notch Above Tour constitutes consent to all provisions of the conditions and general information listed here.