General Terms & Conditions
Please read these Terms & Conditions carefully. They include important information you will need to know before you book a Crystal cruise, and are some of the Terms & Conditions which form part of the Ticket contract pursuant to which you travel with Crystal Cruises. The entire Terms & Conditions that form the Ticket contract by which you are bound are on your Cruise Ticket.
Cruise Fare
A) Cruise fare includes all normal shipboard services (including food and non-alcoholic beverages), facilities and port charges. The cruise fare does not include airfare, transfers, shore excursions, sightseeing or meals ashore, taxes, visa fees, gratuities, liquor, wines, laundry or valet service, or any item or service whatsoever of a personal nature, such as medical treatment, massage, spa services or hairstyling.
Guests may purchase stateroom upgrades on board at the regular fare. No discounts are available.
Transfers between the airport and ship on the day of embarkation and disembarkation are included for guests purchasing Crystal Cruises' Air/Sea Program, as detailed in this Crystal Cruises Worldwide Atlas 2005.
B) All guest fares are subject to change at any time. Crystal Cruises reserves the right to collect the fare in effect at the time of sailing.
Embarkation
The guest is required to be on board the ship at least one (1) hour before departure time. At the time of embarkation, the guest is responsible for having received all medical inoculations necessary for the voyage and having in his/her possession the Cruise Ticket, valid passport, visas, medical card and other documents necessary for scheduled ports of call and disembarkation.
Cancellations Prior to Embarkation
Cancellation requests must be made by telephone or in writing to Crystal Cruises. If the request is received by Crystal Cruises more than seventy-five (75) days prior to the Crystal Air/Sea Program departure date, a full refund of amounts already paid will be made to the guest through the travel agent except as noted herein below. All other cancellations will be assessed the following charges by Crystal Cruises, regardless of a name change or stateroom resale. 2005 Cruises: 75-45 days before departure = 10% of fare per guest; 44-15 days = 50%; 14 days and thereafter = 100%. 2005 World Cruise multiple voyages (48 days or more): 76-120 days before departure = 20% of fare per guest; 45-75 days = 50%; within 44 days = 100%. 2005 World Cruise Voyages (47 days or less): 61-90 days before departure = 10%; 31-60 days = 50%; within 30 days = 100%.
All appropriate refunds will be made to the guest through the travel agent, except for those payments made by credit card, in which case the amount of the refund will be credited directly to the cardholder's account. Any inquiries about a refund must be made by the guest to the travel agent. Some agents may, at their discretion, withhold an agency cancellation fee. If cancellation fees are charged by air carriers, pre- or post-cruise land operators, hotels or shore excursion operators, they will be deducted from any refund made pursuant to this paragraph. Crystal Cruises will not be responsible for the receipt of refund monies by the guest, except for those refunds made to credit cardholder's account. Note: Refunds relating to other changes on non-cancelled bookings will be sent directly to guests' travel agents for appropriate disbursement unless specifically requested otherwise.
Baggage, Valuables & Other Possessions
Each guest may bring aboard the ship a reasonable amount of clothing and personal effects without charge, subject to airline restrictions. All baggage must be securely packed and distinctly labeled with the guest's full name, the name of the ship, the stateroom number of the guest and the sailing date of the ship. Under no circumstances may dangerous articles such as firearms, explosives, liquid oxygen, combustible or illegal substances be taken aboard the ship. Any such items shall be surrendered to the Captain at embarkation, and may be disposed of at the sole discretion of the Captain. Pets and other animals, except for service animals as further described in these Terms & Conditions, are not allowed on board the ship.
Hand baggage, breakable items and valuables, including but not limited to jewelry, watches, money, precious stones and metals, securities, financial instruments and/or tickets, must be hand-carried by guests on and off the ship; are the full responsibility of the guest at all times; and may not be included with check-in baggage. Crystal Cruises is not responsible for loss of or damage to such items.
Liability Limitations for Loss of or Damage to Property
The total value of the luggage, valuables and other personal belongings of a guest aboard the ship who does not purchase Crystal Cruises' Cruise Protection Program or who does not deposit valuables for safekeeping, shall not be deemed to exceed the amount of $200 per guest, and Crystal Cruises' liability, if any, for loss of or damage to such belongings is limited to a maximum of $200 per guest.
Crystal Cruises provides safekeeping for valuables aboard the ship and encourages guests to deposit any jewelry or other valuables brought aboard the ship with the Reception Desk staff who will issue a receipt for such valuables. Crystal Cruises provides an in-room personal safe for your convenience. However, Crystal Cruises shall not be liable for any personal items left behind or loss of or damage to money, jewelry, watches, precious stones and metals, securities, financial instruments, tickets and/or other valuables unless they have been delivered to the Reception Desk for safekeeping and a receipt issued. The value of articles delivered for safekeeping shall be deemed not to exceed $200 unless the guest declares in writing the articles delivered are of a higher value.
All settlements will be made on the basis of actual cash value (replacement cost, less depreciation) to the extent of the $200 limit of liability of Crystal Cruises. Claims for damaged items will be settled on the basis of cost of repair. No amount shall be paid in settlement of any claim without proof of the actual cash value, or repair cost, as appropriate, arising from the loss or damage. Such proof must be sent to Crystal Cruises. Crystal Cruises' liability must also be proven before any settlement will be paid.
Personal belongings lost while unattended in public lounges or other public areas, whether on board the ship or elsewhere, are not reimbursable. Losses due to ordinary wear and tear, perils of the sea and other acts-of-God are not reimbursable.
Time Limits & Notice Requirements for Property & Other Non-Personal Injury Claims
A written claim for loss of or damage to baggage, valuables and other personal belongings must be made to Crystal Cruises before the guest leaves the disembarkation area to enable Crystal Cruises to investigate any damage and to conduct a search for claimed lost articles; all other non-personal injury claims must be made in writing as soon as they arise; any suit must be filed within six (6) months from the date the guest disembarks the ship and served within ninety (90) days from the date of filing or the guest waives and releases any right he/she may have to make a claim against Crystal Cruises for any such loss or damage.
Itinerary/Right to Change/Detention
Crystal Cruises reserves the right at its sole option and discretion and that of the Captain of the ship, without liability for damages or refund of any kind, to deviate from the ship's advertised or ordinary itinerary or route, to delay, advance or cancel any sailing, to omit or change ports of call, to arrange for substantially equivalent transportation by another vessel and/or by other means of transportation, to cause the guest to disembark from the ship temporarily or permanently, to tow or to be towed or assist other vessels, or to perform any similar act which, in its sole judgment and discretion, is justified for any reason.
Crystal Cruises may, for any reason whatsoever, cancel any sailing at any time before departure of the ship. In such event, Crystal Cruises' only liability will be to refund to the guest the amount it has received for the Cruise Ticket.
Health/Pregnancy/Children/Disability/Wheelchair/Security/Indemnification
A) The guest represents and warrants that the guest is physically and otherwise fit to travel; that he/she will at all times comply with the ship's rules and regulations and orders and directions of the ship's officers and medical staff; that his/her conduct will not impair the safety of the ship or inconvenience other guests. Crystal Cruises is unable to accommodate women past their sixth (6th) month of pregnancy.
B) Crystal Cruises, the Captain or medical officer of the ship without liability at any time may refuse to transport or may land any guest at any port or place, or transfer the guest to other means of transportation, because of health or physical condition, mental disorder, failure to abide by ship regulations, failure to possess necessary passports, visas and health or vaccination certificates, or other causes rendering the guest unfit to travel.
C) If the guest is refused passage or leaves the ship prior to the end of the cruise for any of the reasons described in this section or for other reasons including, but not limited to, personal, medical or business reasons, Crystal Cruises will not be required to refund any portion of the Cruise Ticket price, or to be responsible for any of the guest's costs.
D) Crystal Cruises is unable to accommodate children under six (6) months of age without a waiver of consent signed by a parent and reserves the right to restrict the number of those under three (3) years of age aboard the ship. Any child under the age of eighteen (18) must be accompanied by an adult over the age of twenty-one (21). In addition, if the adult accompanying this child is not a parent, a "Parental Consent Guardianship Form" must be signed by a parent or legal guardian and received by Crystal Cruises prior to sailing. Children under the age of twenty-one (21) are not permitted in the ship's casino or to participate in any monetary-based games of chance (including Bingo).
E) Guests with any disability, including those confined to wheelchairs or who must use service animals, must notify Crystal Cruises at the time of booking. Wheelchair bound guests must be accompanied by a traveling companion ashore and on board the ships. Some ports of call are anchorage ports, and physical conditions may preclude wheelchair guests from going ashore. This decision must be made by the Captain of the ship and is binding. Wheelchair guests must bring their own wheelchairs.* (See "Special Assistance" Section below)
F) The guest hereby consents to a reasonable search being made of the guest's person, baggage or other property, and to the removal and confiscation or destruction of any object which may, in the opinion of Crystal Cruises, impair the safety of the ship, be illegal or inconvenience other guests.
G) The guest shall indemnify Crystal Cruises for all penalties, fines, charges, losses or expenses incurred or imposed upon Crystal Cruises or the ship by virtue of an act or violation of law by the guest.
H) The guest agrees that he or she shall not solicit for commercial purposes guests or others on board the ship, or advertise goods or services on board the ship without the prior written permission of Crystal Cruises. Travel agent solicitation is strictly forbidden.
Independent Contractors/Shore Excursions/Limit of Liability
Tours, including pre-cruise, post-cruise and other shore excursions, including hotels, restaurants and transportation, whether by vessel, air, rail, land or other means, not owned or operated by Crystal Cruises, are not under the operation or control of Crystal Cruises, and Crystal Cruises makes no representation of any kind as to them, and takes no responsibility for them. Crystal Cruises takes no responsibility for air or other transportation under any circumstances even if the cost of such transportation is included in the ticket price. Guests must assume responsibility for their actions while ashore and for their participation in shore activities.
Non-Liability for Medical Treatment
A) Doctors and/or nurses are on board the ship for the treatment of crew members and may, for the convenience of the guest and at the request of the guest, give medical assistance to the guest. Crystal Cruises does not undertake to treat or care for the guest medically, and the doctors and nurses, even if designated officers of the ship, are not agents for or employees of Crystal Cruises, but rather are independent contractors. Crystal Cruises shall not be liable for any aspect of medical treatment provided to the guest, including, but not limited to, the consequences of any examination, advice, diagnosis, medication, treatment, prognosis or other professional services which such doctors or nurses may furnish the guest. It may be necessary for the guest to obtain shoreside medical services during or after the cruise in countries other than the United States in which a different standard of medical care applies than that to which the guest may be accustomed. Crystal Cruises makes no warranty as to the quality of any such medical services.
B) The guest hereby consents to treatment by the ship's doctor or other medical personnel, if any, or by a physician designated by Crystal Cruises, if subsequent to embarkation the guest is unable to request or authorize such treatment and in the opinion of the ship's doctor needs medical attention.
C) The guest shall be charged for medical services and for medications and supplies used for his/her medical treatment. The guest shall also be responsible for the payment of any medical expenses incurred ashore.
Liability Limitation for Loss of Life or Injury
A) Crystal Cruises hereby disclaims all liability to the guest for damages for infliction of emotional distress, mental anguish or psychological injury of any kind under any circumstances, when such damages were not the result of physical injury to the guest caused by the negligence of Crystal Cruises, not the result of the guest having been at actual risk of physical injury where such risk was caused by the negligence of Crystal Cruises, or not intentionally inflicted by Crystal Cruises.
B) For all cruises that do not begin, end or call at a port of the United States of America, the aggregate liability of Crystal Cruises for the death of or personal injury to a guest shall in no event exceed the monetary limitations of SDR ("Standard Drawing Rights") 46,666 (approximately $69,089 as of March 31, 2004) as set forth in the Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea, adopted at Athens on the 13th day of December 1974, and the protocol thereto adopted as of November 19, 1976 (herein "Athens Convention").
C) For all cruises that begin, end or call at a port of the United States of America and to which the damages limitations of the Athens Convention are held not to apply, the liability of Crystal Cruises for the death of or injury to a guest shall be subject to all exemptions from and limitations of liability provided in or authorized by the laws of the United States.
D) In addition to all of the restrictions and exemptions from liability provided in the Cruise Ticket, Crystal Cruises shall have the benefit of all Statutes of the United States of America providing for limitation and exoneration from liability and the procedures provided thereby, including but not limited to Statutes of the United States of America as set forth at 46 U.S.C. Sections 182, 183, 183b, 184, 185 and 186; nothing in the Cruise Ticket is intended to nor shall operate to limit or deprive Crystal Cruises of any such statutory limitation of or exoneration from liability, or of the benefits of any statute or law of any country which might be applicable providing for exoneration from or limitation of liability.
Special Assistance
A) Wheelchair
It is strongly recommended that wheelchair-bound guests bring their own junior/adult standard-size wheelchair (22.5" wide) and be accompanied by a traveling companion for better access on board the ship. Some ports of call are anchorage ports and physical conditions may preclude our guests in wheelchairs from going ashore. This decision is made by the ship's Captain or doctor, and is binding.
B) Hearing-Impaired
The Hollywood Theatre is equipped with a StarsSound Infrared Hearing System. Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity also offer close-captioned programming on selected television programs. Guests can contact the Reception Desk to activate this feature.
C) Oxygen
For safety reasons, liquid oxygen tanks are not permitted in any staterooms or public areas. Compressed gas oxygen tanks and oxygen concentrators may be used on board subject to cruise route and storage limitations. Crystal Cruises must be notified in writing no later than 30 days prior to sailing that a guest desires to bring his or her own oxygen equipment, and has made direct arrangements with an independent medical contractor who has agreed to undertake all required arrangements without involving the ship's onboard Medical Center and its personnel. The concentrator-dependent guest must travel with a companion who is also completely familiar with the operations of the concentrator. Onboard Guest Services will provide a Release and Indemnity Form to those guests who will be bringing onboard oxygen equipment. These forms must be returned to Onboard Guest Services in their entirety two weeks before the cruise begins. Due to storage limitations, we can only allow two guests per cruise to bring onboard oxygen equipment.
D) Special Dietary Requests
If you require a special diet or if you need special food items available on board during your cruise, please submit your requests in writing to our Onboard Guest Services Department no later than one month prior to your cruise, and confirm your arrangements with the Food and Beverage staff on the day of embarkation. There may be a charge for some special requests.
Onboard Guest Services
Phone: 800.446.6620 option 5
Fax: 310.785.3891
Email: OnBoardGstSvcs@crystalcruises.com
Time Limits & Notice Requirements for Personal Injury Claims
Any incident or accident resulting in injury or death to the guest must be reported immediately to a ship's officer. Crystal Cruises will not be liable therefore except as provided by law and then only if a written claim is presented to Crystal Cruises within six (6) months of the incident or accident and suit is filed within one (1) year of the incident or accident alleged to have caused the injury or death, and served within one hundred and twenty (120) days of such filing. If a written claim is not made and suit is not filed and served within the time provided in this paragraph, then the guest waives and releases any right he/she may have to make a claim against Crystal Cruises for any such injury or death.
Written Notices
Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Cruise Ticket, all written notices required by the Cruise Ticket must be mailed, postage pre-paid, to:
Crystal Cruises
2049 Century Park East, Suite 1400
Los Angeles, California 90067
Ships' Registry
Crystal Harmony, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity are registered in The Bahamas.
Hotel & Land Programs Terms & Conditions
Booking Deadline
Pre- and post-cruise land program requests should be made as soon as possible after booking, and cannot be accepted after Cruise Tickets and final documentation have been issued.
Rates
All prices are in U.S. dollars, per person, double occupancy. Single and triple occupancy rates are available, on request. Rates for hotel accommodation upgrades to suites and junior-suites available upon request, subject to availability.
Land Program Availability
We recommend early booking of land programs due to limited availability. If a program is fully sold, Crystal Cruises will wait-list and do everything possible to accommodate the request. Hotel Programs and Extended Land Programs are subject to a minimum number of guests booking and may be cancelled at any time prior to the date of departure.
Deposit
A deposit of 10% (20% for World Cruise) of the price is required for the program to be confirmed. Final payment is due 75 days prior to the ship's departure.
Refunds, Unused Services, Cancellations
Refunds will not be given for partially used services. No refund will be made for missed hotel nights or other program features due to airline delays or other factors beyond the control of Crystal Cruises.
If a guest cancels a Hotel Program or Extended Land Program, any cancellation fees charged by the hotel, Extended Land Program operators or Shore Excursion operators to Crystal Cruises will be deducted from the guest's refund.
Inclusive Hotel Programs
Guests sailing on World Cruise Voyages that begin in Papeete, Sydney or Hong Kong receive a complimentary pre-cruise Crystal "Classic" Hotel Program; see pages 29 and 110. Guests may purchase up to two additional nights from Crystal Cruises, subject to availability. Rate information available on pages 29 and 110. Guests who forfeit all or part of the inclusive program cannot obtain refunds or credits for unused services.
Beijing Land Programs are offered as inclusive three-night packages. Extensions are not available. Upgraded room accommodations are available for an additional charge, based on availability. Guests who forfeit all or part of the inclusive program cannot obtain refunds or credits for unused services.
Eligibility for participation in Inclusive Hotel Programs may be restricted based on fare calculations.
Important Notes
• In line with established hotel practice, rooms will normally not be ready for occupancy until 3 pm. Check-out times vary between 11 am and 12 noon.
• Although only the finest hotels have been selected, guests should be aware that it is not always possible for these properties to provide the high standards of personalized service our guests enjoy aboard Crystal Cruises.
• Hotel Program and Extended Land Program participation is strictly limited and subject to availability at the time of booking.
• Itineraries and hotels advertised for Extended Land Programs may change; however, alternative properties will be of an equal or better standard. Order of sights may vary.
• Crystal Cruises reserves the right to substitute hotels of a similar or higher standard without notice.
• We recommend that guests with early morning flight arrivals and late-night departures reserve an early check-in or late check-out (subject to an additional night's charge).
• Crystal Cruises reserves the right to operate an Extended Land Program without an accompanying Crystal escort, with or without notice.
Shore Excursions
Crystal Cruises may, at any time, at their discretion, amend, delete or add to any of the featured Crystal Adventures shore excursions.
Crystal Penthouse
Crystal Penthouse (CP) guests are entitled to a total of two private car transfers per voyage. Transfers operate from/to the designated airport in the port city for embarkation and disembarkation. Transfers from/to other locations within 100 miles of the port city for embarkation and disembarkation may be substituted. Restrictions apply. Services are non-transferable. There are no credits given for forfeited services.
