THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW...

PASSPORTS

Passports are required for all international travel and must be valid for a minimum of at least six months beyond your scheduled return date to Australia. Travel documents and airline tickets must match EXACTLY the name and spelling as it appears in your passport. Please double check all correspondence to ensure that we have booked your name correctly. If this is found to be incorrect you will be liable for the costs involved to correct the error, and this can be more expensive than you think.

We prefer a copy of the biodata page (the photo page) of all passengers’ passports. We will assume you have a valid passport unless you have told us otherwise or your passport has been sighted.

If you are not travelling on an Australian passport please inform us immediately as visa requirements may be different. It is your responsibility to obtain the necessary re-entry visa into Australia. Please also advise us of problems such as a previous criminal record, communicable disease etc. This could deny entry into your country of destination. We respect your privacy in such cases so please refer to our privacy policy.

Whilst we offer general advice and assistance where possible, please remember we are travel agents and not government authorities. It is the responsibility of each traveller to ensure that they have full and correct documentation to undertake their journey.

VISA REQUIREMENTS

Although we are happy to assist in obtaining visas, issuance and compliance is not the responsibility of your travel agent. We cannot be held responsible should you be unable to obtain the correct visa to undertake your journey. Deportation for non-issuance or incorrect visas is at the traveller’s expense. Entry to any country is always at the discretion of local officials. MRTS charge a processing fee if we obtain a visa on your behalf. We have external services to assist with most visa applications and information. Please note visas can sometimes take time to obtain, so be sure to plan in advance.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Your holiday safety and enjoyment is very important to us, therefore, we insist that you have comprehensive travel insurance. To help you identify the most suitable policy for your needs, we can provide a brochure (product disclosure statement, or PDS/ Financial Services Guide, or FSG) from our preferred travel insurance providers. It is important, legally, to read this brochure carefully and to take note of the cover and exclusions as they may relate to your particular circumstances. Your consultant can only offer general advice in regards to insurance.

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions (other than those listed as automatic inclusions in the brochure) then special approval is required by the Insurer and additional costs may be incurred. Your consultant will help you complete the appropriate processes for this.

Please note that when providing you with a quote for insurance we have not taken into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. The Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Services Guide have been included for your perusal.

If you decline the offer to purchase Travel Insurance from MRTS you will be required to sign an Indemnity Form before travel documents can be released and note we will charge an administration fee of $250 for any claim assistance for policies not purchased with MRTS. Claims can be complicated and time-consuming so we thank you for your understanding.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

It is compulsory that you and all members of the travelling party are aware of the following 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 a group, we will be happy to provide you with more than one copy of this confirmation if requested.

All reservations have been booked under the terms & conditions laid down by the airlines and tour operators. Please pay particular attention to the clauses covering amendments and cancellations as detailed in their brochure. (If you require further details of our suppliers’ terms and conditions please ask your consultant). Macedon Ranges Travel Services (MRTS) reserves the right to impose service, cancellation and amendment fees as per our “Menu of Services”

These terms and conditions apply to bookings you make with our consultants (in-store, over phone or by email) as well as online bookings you may make on our website.

PRICES QUOTED

Prices quoted are not guaranteed until full payment has been made. Prior to full payment, costs may vary depending on currency fluctuations, fuel and security charges and other reasons such as changes in airport and government taxes. Prices can be withdrawn at any time. Deposits merely hold the reservations; they do not guarantee prices.

DEPOSITS & BALANCES

A non-refundable deposit (subject to your rights under the Australian Consumer Law) of $200.00 per person is required at the time of booking, along with any deposits requested by operators, hotels or airlines. Final balances of bookings may be required instantly or up you about 1 month prior to travel, each supplier is different, and your consultant will notify you of important payment dates.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Prices quoted are based on payment by cash, cheque or direct deposit. Credit card payments are accepted however, a surcharge of 1.2% will be applied. Cheques may not be accepted for travel within 7 business days of travel.

CHANGES IN PRICE AND ITINERARIES

We reserve the right to cancel your booking in the event we have reasonable grounds to believe it is fraudulent. If a Provider changes any part of your booking for reasons beyond its control, we will use our reasonable endeavours to notify you. If any such changes result in your Travel Product costing more or otherwise being materially different, then you may cancel the Travel Product. Any refund would be subject to the Travel Provider terms and conditions. These terms and conditions are subject to variation at any time.

YOUR OBLIGATIONS AND WARRANTIES

You warrant to us that:

You are at least 18 years old and have the power, capacity and authority to enter into a binding contract with us and with the Providers of the Travel Products that you acquire;
You have read and understood these terms and conditions and if booking on behalf of third parties, you have conveyed these terms and conditions to them;
The information you provide us about yourself is true, accurate, current and complete (apart from any optional items) as required by any registration process;
You have considered acquiring comprehensive travel insurance and we are not responsible for any failure by you to acquire adequate insurance cover; and
You will use the Menu of Fees in accordance with these terms and conditions and you will not use the Menu of Services in any way to breach any laws or defame anyone.

CANCELLATION & AMENDMENTS

In the event of a cancellation your deposit will be forfeited and become (or part of) our cancellation fee. Our cancellation fee is in addition to cancellation fees imposed by our suppliers, airlines, hotels, tour operators etc* Detailed information on supplier cancellation fees is printed on their brochures, if you would like to know these costs before committing to a booking please ask your consultant.

Any changes made to a confirmed, deposited or finalised booking prior to departure will attract an amendment fee as per our Menu of Services. Many Providers treat name changes and route and/or itinerary alterations as a full cancellation and these can incur full cancellation charges. We will not charge a cancellation or amendment fee if you cancel or amend your booking due to a breach by us of our obligations to you or due to our fault.

Cancelled bookings usually also incur supplier fees, which can be up to 100% of the cost of the booking, regardless of whether travel has commenced. Supplier fees may also apply where a booking is changed and when tickets or documents are re-issued. Where we incur any liability for a supplier cancellation fee for any booking which you change or cancel, you agree to pay these fees. Where you seek a refund for a cancelled booking for which payment has been made to the supplier, we will not provide a refund to you until we receive the funds from that supplier.

FEES AND COMMISSIONS

We charge a fee for providing the services to you. The fee is non-refundable, even if the Travel Product is not used.

All fees are outlined in the Menu of Services.

We may receive a commission, fee, rebate, gift or financial incentives from Providers, in respect of your booking. Any commission, gift, fee, rebate and/or financial incentive received by us from Providers in relation to your booking is non-refundable in the event of cancellation.

FORCE MAJEURE

We will not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations in booking the Travel Product that is due to events beyond our control. If a force majeure event occurs that affects your booking, your entitlement to a refund, a credit or re-scheduled travel booking will depend on the Provider’s terms and conditions. If your booking is impacted by a force majeure event and you are entitled to a refund or credit from the Provider, we will facilitate this refund or credit. The Menu of Service fee, credit card fees or any commissions received are non-refundable in the circumstance that a force majeure event occurs.

LOW COST FLIGHTS

If you book a low-cost flight with us, we will make the booking on your behalf and your contract for your low-cost flight will also be subject to the airline’s booking terms and conditions. It is your responsibility to ensure that all details of the booking are correct before proceeding. For any changes or cancellations, please contact the airline directly, quoting your reference.

ADDITIONAL AIRLINE CHARGES

Some Providers may also charge additional fees. Please check with the Provider for their full terms and conditions.

HOTEL/ACCOMMODATION BOOKINGS

Some Providers will require an additional charge to be paid locally (e.g. a resort fee) at the time of check in or check out. This amount is in addition to the amount shown during the booking process under the ‘total booking cost’ amount. There may be taxes levied abroad but not paid at the point of purchase that are payable in relation to your hotel booking (e.g. local taxes, sales tax etc.). Any local taxes will be payable by you directly to the Provider at the time of check in/check out.

SERVICE FEES

Booking and Service fees may be charged as per our “Menu of Services”. Fees have been compiled with regard to consultants’ time, expertise and knowledge.

TAXES & LEVIES IMPOSED

Governments, airlines and airports impose a variety of security, airport and departure taxes. Where possible these taxes and charges have been included in the cost of the airline ticket. There may be some variations in final costs depending on exchange rate fluctuation and new taxes imposed at time of ticketing. Any additional costs or taxes that occur after departure are the responsibility of the traveller.

TRAVEL ADVICE / DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS & TRADE (DFAT)

Political unrest, acts of war or terrorism or natural disasters occur in certain parts of the world therefore the Australian Government, in conjunction with various other worldwide bodies, issue an advisory to Australian passport holders relating to travel in various countries. 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 access the advice provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs their websites are www.dfat.gov.au and www.smarttraveller.gov.au

There is another service provided to Australian travellers where you are able to register your personal details on www.orao.dfat.gov.au and the information is passed on to the relevant Embassies of the countries you will be visiting and you can be contacted in case of emergency.

FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS

Whilst your consultant is happy to advise which airlines participate in various frequent flyer programs and forward your frequent flyer numbers to airlines when making bookings, other matters related to Frequent Flyer Reward Programs is not our responsibility. Rules change on a regular basis and it is your responsibility to ensure that you are aware of any frequent flyer entitlements. Please note Frequent Flyer points are not always available on special (cheapest) fares with some airlines.

Please ensure that you advise your consultant of your frequent flyer memberships prior to booking. 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.

SPECIAL REQUESTS

If you have any special requests such as smoking or non-smoking rooms, aisle or window seats, special dietary requirement, airport assistance or hotel room type, every attempt will be made by us to accommodate your request. As we are not the ultimate service provider, we are not in a position to be able to guarantee the request.

TRAVELLERS HEALTH ADVICE

Some areas of the world have special vaccination and health requirements. We recommend that you contact your doctor or travel health clinics for advice. If you are unable to undertake travel because you do not meet the health requirements, we will not be liable for any extra costs that may be incurred. Smart Traveller website can also provide general information. Ensure you have sufficient amounts of any regular medications and a brief medical history from your doctor if required.

CASH PASSPORTS & FOREIGN CURRENCY

We are able to assist you with pre ordering a wide range of foreign currency. Purchasing some cash prior to your departure will save both time and money when you arrive at your destination. Your consultant will be happy to arrange this for you if you allow at least 7 working days prior to your departure. A nominal service fee may be applicable.

PRIVACY ACT

Macedon Ranges Travel Services complies with the National Privacy Principals in the Privacy Act 1988. In order for us to process your travel arrangements we may disclose personal information to our travel providers. You can read our Privacy Policy Here.

EXPECTATIONS OF SERVICE

We will always try our best to provide you with care and knowledge towards your booking by providing the best fit we see possible from the parameters given. We will do this in the quickest way we can, given that some bookings do need to take priority due to departure dates.

WHAT WE DO AS A TRAVEL AGENCY & LIABILITY

We act as an agent for and sell various travel-related products. This includes transport and accommodation providers, such as airlines, coach, rail and cruise line operators and wholesalers. Our obligation to you is to (and you expressly authorise us to) make travel bookings on your behalf and to arrange relevant contracts between you and these travel service providers. We exercise care in the selection of reputable service providers, but we are not ourselves a provider of travel services and have no control over, or liability for, the services provided by third parties. All bookings are made on your behalf subject to their terms and conditions. We can provide you with copies of the relevant service provider terms and conditions on request.

Macedon Ranges Travel Services, or any of its employees do not accept any liability for any injury, damage, loss (including consequential loss), delay, additional expense or inconvenience caused directly by a third-party provider.

Still have questions? Get in touch with us directly, we'd love to help!