IF YOU HAVE BOOKED A HOLIDAY ON OUR WEBSITE DESIGNATED AS A “CRUISE 1ST PACKAGE” OR “CRUISE 1ST HOLIDAY”, THEN THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS DO NOT APPLY TO YOUR BOOKING. IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES SEPARATE TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY TO BOOKINGS MADE WITH SUNSHINE CRUISE HOLIDAYS LTD - SEE OUR PACKAGE HOLIDAY TERMS & CONDITIONS. IN ALL OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES THESE AGENCY TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND THE APPLICABLE SUPPLIER(S) TERMS AND CONDITIONS SHALL BE THE APPLICABLE TERMS THAT GOVERN ANY BOOKING MADE BY YOU WITH CRUISE 1st.

The following information should be read in conjunction with our ‘Before You Sail’ information at the top of the page.

1) Your Contract

1.1) Your holiday arrangements are booked through Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd, trading as Cruise 1st. Our registered office address is at Cruise1st. Unit F1A, Lowry Outlet Mall, Salford Quays, M50 3AH, United Kingdom and our registered company number is 03931005. We are members of ABTA Ltd (ABTA numbers L7369 and Y2668). We act as a booking agent for suppliers of cruises, flights, holiday accommodation and other services. Please read these booking conditions carefully as you will be bound by them.

1.2) Unless your selected holiday is designated by us as a “Cruise 1st Holiday” or “Cruise 1st Package”, your contract is with the supplier of the services and your booking is subject to the supplier’s terms and conditions. As we are acting as agents, or sub-agents, for these suppliers we accept no liability for any failure in the services or any loss of any nature suffered by you as a consequence of using the services.

1.3) You agree to submit to Irish law and the jurisdiction of the Irish Courts in any matters that fall within the scope of the agency responsibility of Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd.

1.4) When you make a booking you confirm that you have the authority to accept and do accept, on behalf of your party, the terms and conditions set out below. A booking can only be made by a person aged 21 years or over. All passengers who, at the time of departure, are under the age of 21 years must be accompanied by a passenger who is over the age of 21 years.

2) Supplier Conditions

2.1) Please note that all bookings are subject to the supplier’s conditions of booking which can be found on the supplier’s websites or obtained on request from our office. These contain limitations and exclusions of liability to any person who travels with them. They should be read carefully as you are bound by them. We will ask you at time of booking to confirm your agreement to these terms.

2.2) Any accommodation and amenities are as described in the supplier’s brochures or on their websites and therefore any changes made are subject to their booking conditions.

2.3) The suppliers reserve the right to change itineraries and details in accordance with its booking conditions. All flight timings are provisional and could be subject to change by the supplier. We will endeavour to inform you of such changes, but do not accept any responsibility for such changes.

2.4) All cruise lines place restrictions on persons aged under the age of 18 (or 21 in some cases) travelling without parents or guardians or occupying their own stateroom. It is essential that you check with your reservations agent at the time of booking to establish the rules for your particular cruise line regarding this restriction.

2.5) Adults who are not the parent or legal guardian of any child travelling with them are in most cases required to present the child’s valid passport and any applicable visas and an original legally affirmed or notarised letter signed by at least one of the child's parents/legal guardians.

The letter must authorise the travelling adult to take and supervise the minor/s on the specified cruise, allow them to sign any applicable sports waivers and must authorise the travelling adult to permit any medical treatment that must be administered to the child which in the opinion of the treating doctor needs to be carried out without delay. A letter can be legally affirmed or notarised by a practising Solicitor, Notary or Commissioner for Oaths for a fee. If such evidence is not produced, the minor(s) concerned will not be permitted to board the ship or undertake the cruise. We will not be responsible for any costs, expenses or losses suffered as a result either by the minor affected, the person(s) paying for their cruise (if not the minor him/herself), or any persons travelling with the minor who decide not to continue with the holiday as a result of the failure to produce a letter of authorisation as set out above. We will not pay any compensation or give any refund to any minor who is not permitted to board the ship, any person paying for the minor’s holiday (if not the minor him/herself), or any persons travelling with the minor who decide not to continue with a cruise themselves as a result of the failure to produce a letter of authorisation.

2.6) Please note that parent(s)/legal guardian travelling with a child who has a different surname to the parent(s)/legal guardian, will be required to produce official proof such as a full birth certificate/wedding certificate/divorce papers etc to prove that they are the parent(s)/legal guardian of the children concerned. Proof of legal guardianship is also required where there is a minor travelling with their legal guardian.

2.7) Individual staterooms can generally be booked by married couples whose minimum age are eighteen (proof of marriage is required at time of booking). On board there are certain facilities where each entry is restricted by age.

2.8) The minimum age for infants to sail is six (6) months, as of the date of sailing and twelve (12) months, as of the date of sailing for Transatlantic, Transpacific, Hawaii, selected South American cruises and other selected cruises. For the purposes of this policy, any cruise that has 3 or more days consecutive at sea will require infants to be 12 months old on the first day of the cruise.

The health and safety of our guests is our number one priority. As such, in consideration of the limitations of the shipboard medical facility, equipment and staff, Cruise1st cannot accept waivers, releases or requests for exceptions to this policy.

3) Making Your Payment

3.1) You will need to pay a non-refundable deposit, as required by your contracted supplier(s), as detailed below at the time of booking. The balance of your holiday must, unless otherwise advised by us, notwithstanding any terms to the contrary contained in any supplier booking conditions, be paid to us at least 15 weeks prior to departure so that we can guarantee payments are made to suppliers in accordance with the supplier’s conditions. For late bookings i.e. normally within 15 weeks of departure or where the supplier requires full payment you will be asked for a higher deposit or the full payment at time of booking.

3.2) All travel arrangements are subject to availability at the time the booking is made. Providing your chosen holiday is available and we have received all appropriate payments, we will send our Confirmation Invoice to you via post or email. Please note: It may not be possible to confirm your flight details at this point. If this is the case, these will be confirmed to you at a later date. A binding contract between us comes into existence when we debit your card for payment and confirm the elements that make up your holiday. A contract will exist at this point, even if we are unable to confirm your flight details at that time. In the event of us confirming your holiday and subsequently being unable to debit monies from your card a booking will still exist along with any cancellation penalties imposed should you not wish to provide the funds. Cruise1st reserve the right to take action to recover any outstanding monies should this situation occur. You are reminded that should you choose to cancel or amend your booking, you will be liable for any additional administration fees levied by both the supplier(s) and Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd (see 8 below). You should note that package holidays are not covered by EU Distance Selling Regulations and as such there is no cooling off period within which to change your mind about booking a holiday with us. The confirmation invoice will also show the balance due on your holiday that still has to be paid and your flight details (where applicable and/or available).

3.3) The person making the initial booking guarantees payment to Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd of the total amount due on behalf and with the consent of all other persons who are party to the booking.

3.4) All payments must be made in Euros and all cheques must be drawn on a UK or Irish bank and made payable to Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd.  From 13 January 2018 MasterCard and Visa credit card payments are NOT subject to a card fee. There is currently no charge for payment by Visa Debit, Mastercard Debit or Laser Debit card issued by a UK or Irish bank.

4) Prices and Accuracy of Promotional Material

4.1) All information contained in any of our promotional material, e.g. brochures, advertisements, mail shots, websites, travel channel and e-shots, is based on information available at the time of publication. Every effort is made to keep our websites and promotions up to date but tour operators are continually updating their information so we cannot guarantee that this is reflected in the latest changes. We cannot include all the information relevant to the tour operator’s holidays being promoted so it is important that you read their current brochure or visit their website for further details. We reserve the right to change any information before your booking is confirmed and the amended information will then form part of your contract with us. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and prices at the time of printing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. We reserve the right to correct errors prior to confirming your booking.

4.2) Gratuities may vary from different cruise line operators. Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd will try to advise of operators’ gratuities policies but cannot be held responsible for any third party compulsory charges. For up to date information on gratuities please refer to relevant operator's latest brochure or website.

4.3) If an additional discount is given by Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd it is generally based on the Suppliers selling price. Subsequent changes to your booking e.g. a part cancellation or use by you of a Tour Operators voucher to part pay a booking may affect the amount of discount we give you.

5) Your Tickets

5.1) Tickets and travel documents are normally supplied 14 days prior to departure. If you do not receive your tickets 7 days before departure please contact us using the contact details provided below. Please check your travel documents carefully upon receipt, and advise us immediately of any error. If you have any further queries, please contact our Customer Services Dept on +XXXXXXXXXX or e-mail us at customer.services@cruise1st.ie

6) Travel Insurance

6.1) It is a condition of booking with every supplier that you must have adequate travel insurance to ensure that you are covered against unexpected cancellation charges prior to departure and events occurring during your holiday.

6.2) If you make alternative insurance arrangements, we reserve the right to view details of your insurance cover (insurer and policy number), as we may have to pass this information on to the suppliers. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are adequately insured throughout your holiday.

7) Special / Medical Requests

7.1) Special Requests such as (but not limited to) assigned seat number requests, special medical needs, special meal requests or rooming requests will be passed on to the relevant supplier but cannot be guaranteed by Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd.

7.2) You must ensure that you are medically and physically fit for travel, and that such travelling will not endanger yourself or anyone else. At the time of booking (or as soon as possible if the condition arises after booking) you must tell us in writing about any assistance or requirements that you have relating to accommodation, seating or services on your holiday including medical assistance or a requirement to bring medical equipment onto the cruise. We also ask that you notify us of any medical or physical condition which will or may require medical treatment or attention during your holiday or which may or will affect your holiday in any way (including your use of any services or facilities) in order that we can prepare accordingly and make all reasonable efforts to accommodate you in a safe manner.

7.3) Any assistance or requirements that you have relating to accommodation, seating or services including medical assistance or a requirement to bring medical equipment must be advised to us, where known at time of booking. Should your needs change after booking or you become aware that you need assistance as described above you must notify us immediately and we will make reasonable efforts to assist you at that time. Where we cannot provide appropriate support or the services as requested we will advise you as soon as possible.

7.4) Most ships have selected staterooms designated for guests with physical disabilities. Please contact our Reservations department for further information. If you would like to bring a motorised wheelchair or scooter on board a ship you must advise our reservations agents at the time of booking, as some ships may not be able to incorporate this request unless you have booked a disabled stateroom. The cruise line may also be unable to provide a standard coach transfer, in which case we may have to quote you for a suitably equipped transfer vehicle. You must also advise us of the dimensions and battery type as limitations may apply and we may not be able to accommodate this request. Certain conditions (for example, use of tenders or some shore excursions) may prevent guests with wheelchairs from going ashore at certain ports of call.

7.5) Not meeting any special request for any reason will not be a breach of contract. If a special request can only be met at an additional cost, that cost will either be invoiced prior to departure or will be payable locally. Confirmation that a special request has been noted and passed on to the supplier or the inclusion of the special request on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation is not confirmation that the request will be met.

7.6) Unless specifically agreed by us in writing at the time of booking, we cannot accept any booking that is conditional on a special request being satisfied. Such bookings will be treated as normal bookings subject to the above comments on special requests.

7.7) Cruise lines welcome pregnant guests but will not usually accept guests who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of, or at any time during their cruise holiday. Guests must bring a letter from their GP stating how many weeks pregnant they are at the start of the cruise, that they are fit to travel and are not a high risk pregnancy. Please check the cruise line terms and conditions for full details.

8) If You Wish to Change or Cancel

8.1) Your booking can be cancelled subject to payment of the cancellation charges which will be levied by the suppliers. The level of cancellation charge payable is dependent upon how far in advance of the departure date you cancel your booking. Please see the relevant supplier’s terms and conditions for details of these charges. We may also, at our discretion, impose a Cruise1st cancellation charge to cover administration of your cancellation, in addition to the charges below. All cancellations must be made in writing by the lead name in your party to:-

Customer Services
Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd
209-215 Broadway
Pacific Quays
Salford
Manchester M50 2UE
United Kingdom

8.2) You should also be aware that in some cases, airlines and other suppliers treat any changes made as a cancellation and you may be asked to pay up to 100% of the ticket cost should you wish to make any changes after your booking has been confirmed.

8.3) Please see the suppliers booking conditions for specific advice on change or cancellation charges applicable to your booking but for guidance only, typical cancellation charges for a cruise holidays are likely to be as follows:

5 days or less : 100% 
6 to 15 days : 90% 
16 to 41 days : 75%
42 - 56 days : 60% 
57 to 105 days : 50% 
106 or more days : Loss of Deposit Only (As detailed when booking)

Note: The date of the cancellation will be taken as the day we receive the cancellation in writing as opposed to any telephone contact

8.4) Any cancellation charges may be recoverable through your travel insurance. Please check your insurance policy for more information.

8.5) If you wish to amend your booking this may be possible but will be subject to the policies of the suppliers of your travel arrangements. Any additional costs including any administration fees charged by the suppliers and by Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd will need to be paid before any change is confirmed. Please note that some suppliers will treat amendments as a cancellation of the original booking and charges will apply as detailed above.

9) Alterations to Your Booking by the Supplier

9.1) Unfortunately, we cannot control or prevent changes implemented by our suppliers. Should a change occur we will endeavour to minimise the inconvenience you may experience. We cannot however offer any compensation. Again, please refer to the booking conditions of the Supplier.

10) If You Have a Complaint

10.1) If you have a complaint regarding any part of your booking, please contact the supplier of the service in question at the earliest opportunity. If you have a problem whilst on holiday notify the supplier, principal or local supplier immediately. If you fail to do this there will be less opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint. Any complaint letters sent to us on your return will be directed to the relevant supplier responsible for providing your booked arrangements.

10.2) Should you have a complaint about any aspect of the service provided by Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd please write to our customer services department at the address below within 28 days of returning to from your holiday. We will in turn investigate your complaint and respond to you.
Customer Relations Department
Cruise1st
209-215 Broadway
Pacific Quays
Salford
Manchester M50 2UE
United Kingdom

Email: customer.services@cruise1st.ie

11) Data Protection

11.1) For the purpose of applicable UK and Irish data protection legislation in force, we, Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd, are a data controller. In order to process your booking, we need to collect personal details from you. These will include, where applicable, the names and addresses of party’s members, credit/debit card or other payment details and special requirements such as those relating to any disability or medical condition which may affect the chosen booking and any dietary restrictions which may disclose your religious beliefs. If we need any other personal details, we will tell you before we obtain them from you. In order to process your order we will share your information with the airline, hotel, car rental agency, or other involved third party or supplier. We will provide only the personally identifiable information necessary to ensure the successful fulfilment of your travel arrangements. The information may also be provided to security or credit checking companies, public authorities such as customs/immigration if required by them, or as required by law.

11.2) We have appropriate measures in place to protect the personal details you give us. Where your travel arrangements are to take place outside the European Economic Area, (EEA), controls on data protection in your destination may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. We will not however pass any information on to any company and/or organisation not responsible for providing any part of your travel arrangements. Where you provide us with personal details relating to any special requirements and/or details of any illnesses, disabilities or religious requirements, you consent to this information being passed onto any organisation or companies responsible for any part of your travel arrangements whether in the EEA or not. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, we cannot process your booking.

11.3) We are entitled to assume you do not object to our doing any of the things mentioned above unless you tell us otherwise in writing. You are generally entitled to ask us (by letter or e-mail) which details of yours are being held or processed, for what purpose and to whom they may be or have been disclosed. We will charge a fee to respond to such a request. In limited circumstances we are entitled to refuse your request. Except where expressly permitted by the Data Protection Act 1998, we will only deal with the personal details you give us as set out above unless you agree otherwise. For example, if we wish to use any of your personal details for marketing purposes, we will tell you this when we ask for your details and give you the opportunity to say no if you do not want us to do so.

12) Our Liability to You

12.1) We act only as an agent for the ultimate service provider concerned and your contract for your holiday arrangement is directly with the service provider. We accept no liability in relation to the service itself or for the acts or omissions of the service provider concerned. Please note that all bookings are also subject to the supplier's/principal's conditions of booking. These contain limitations and exclusions of liability to any person who travels with them.
12.2) Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd is not your tour operator and there will not be a Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd representative on location. We would advise you to contact the relevant supplier, e.g. tour operator, directly should any problem or complaint arise, ensuring that you take the contact numbers with you when you travel.

12.3) When booking with Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd your flights and accommodation, or any other services you may choose to book with us, are unrelated to each other and are likely to be arranged and provided by different suppliers. We will notify you at time of booking or before travel of the suppliers providing your chosen holiday arrangements.

13) Passport, Visa & Immigration Requirements

13.1) Passports
If you are an Irish citizen (including children and infants), you must have your own full 10 year (5 year for children) Irish Passport which is valid for at least 6 months after your expected return date to the Republic of Ireland. Guests holding non Irish passports should check with the relevant embassies. It is no longer possible for children to be included on their parent’s passport. All guests should check with the relevant embassy prior to travel for the most up to date information on passport requirements.

13.2) If you are travelling to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program, you and all members of your party (including children) must ensure that your passport is machine-readable. An Irish passport is machine readable when there are two lines of letters, numbers and chevrons (“>>>>>”) printed across the long edge of the personal information page (the page with photograph and personal details). The machine-readable text will appear on a white strip on older passports and directly on the pink page of newer passports. If there are no such lines of text on the personal information page, the passport is not machine-readable.

From 26 October 2004, anyone travelling to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Programme without a machine readable passport will need a visa to travel to the U.S.

If you are travelling to the U.S. after October 2006 under the Visa Waiver Programme and are carrying a passport issued after this date, you will be required to have a biometric passport. Irish travellers with valid machine-readable passports issued before October 2006 travelling to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Programme can travel on their existing passport up to, and beyond, October 2006. If your passport is issued after 26 October 2006 and it is not biometric, you will not qualify for visa free travel but will be required to obtain a visa. For more details on passports, contact the Irish Passport Office. Please note that this information is subject to change and it is solely the passengers’ responsibility to check the up to date passport and visa requirements in good time before departure.

Please note: Certain persons may not be eligible to enter the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. These include, but are not limited to, for example people who have been arrested, even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction and those with criminal records. If you are in any doubt whatsoever as to whether you can travel under the Visa Waiver Program you are strongly advised to contact the Consular Information unit, United States Embassy, 42 Elgin Road, Ballbridge, Dublin 4
Telephone: +353 1 668-8777
Fax: +353 1 668-9946 
or visit http://dublin.usembassy.gov/ before you book your holiday with us.

Guests arriving in the U.S. will have a digital photograph taken, and have inkless digital scans taken of their index fingers. If you would like further information, please ask at the time of booking or contact the Irish Passport Office or U.S. Embassy.

13.3) Electronic System For Travel Authorization (ESTA)

ESTA is a mandatory automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and whether such travel poses any law enforcement or security risk. It is a MANDATORY requirement to board any cruise or flight which will call at a U.S. port of entry, including transit stops in the U.S.. All major airlines including British Airways are strictly adhering to this regulation. If you do not have an ESTA you will be refused travel to the USA. Please note that the US Customs and Border Protection department now charge to apply for an ESTA. All payments must be made by credit card. If you are travelling directly to Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Isles, you will need an ESTA.

To apply for the ESTA, please log on to the website at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ to provide the biographical and eligibility information required. The airlines will be ensuring that the ESTA information has been completed at check-in. Please note that failure to complete the ESTA authorisation process may result in the airline denying boarding. For cruise check-in, guests will need to bring a printed copy of their ESTA approval and present this at the pier when checking in for a cruise that will call/finish at any U.S. port.

Please note that we cannot accept any responsibility if ESTA applications are rejected by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Any rejected ESTA applications will need to be referred to the Embassy of the United States to apply for a visa to travel to the United States.

We regret that Cruise1st is unable to complete ESTA applications for passengers under any circumstances due to the legal implications of an incorrect application.

13.4) Visas
Please note: that there may be a visa requirement for your cruise, particularly if you are visiting countries in Asia, the Middle East or Australia. We recommend that you contact our recommended visa agent, Visa Central, for advice and to purchase the most up to date visa requirements for your cruise. Established in 1997, Visa Central is the largest visa agency in the UK and is part of the larger CIBT group of visa experts. This online service contains up-to-the-minute information on specific visa requirements for all nationalities to all destinations and handles over a million possible visa requirements. Travellers do not have the expense of travelling to an embassy or the trouble of standing in a queue. To make sure you know about the visa requirements for your destination, please go online to http://uk.visacentral.com. If you would prefer not to use Visa Central, you may instead visit the relevant embassy in person to arrange the necessary visa. Guests who hold other nationality of passports should check with either Visa Central or with the relevant embassy of each port of call.

Some cruise lines, such as P&O cruises, may provide a visa advisory line in their brochure.

Where visas can be purchased onboard, guests are asked to complete the online check-in process, including all mandatory information in advance of their sailing. Completing this information will significantly speed up the process for you and will avoid delays and queues on the ship.

Please also note that if there is requirement to have a visa to travel to a particular country, even if a guest chooses to not disembark the ship in that country, then the guest is still required to obtain the necessary visa. The only exception to this rule is Russia where a guest is able to stay on the ship in St Petersburg and does not need to obtain a visa.

13.5) If you are not an Irish Citizen or do not hold an Irish Passport, you must check the applicable passport and visa requirements with the Embassies of the Countries that you will be visiting during your holiday. This includes any technical stops such as Prince Rupert.

13.6) You must ensure the name (including initials) is exactly the same as it appears on your ticket as in your passport. If there is any difference, you may be refused entry onto your flight/cruise.

13.7) Passport and visa requirements may change and vary by destination. You should check the up-to-date position with the appropriate embassy. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are denied boarding, refused entry onto any flight or into any country, or otherwise suffer any difficulties or incur any costs as a result of not having the correct passport and/or any required visa(s).

It is the sole responsibility of the guest to identify and obtain all required travel documents and have them available when necessary for their itinerary. These appropriate valid travel documents such as passports, visas, inoculation certificate and family legal documents are required for boarding and re-entry into the United States and other countries worldwide.

We strongly suggest that you take a photocopy of your passport in addition to your passport itself with you on holiday and carry the photocopy with you each time you depart the ship in order to minimise any inconvenience this may cause.

13.8) Compliance with specific passport, visa and health requirements and compliance with other immigration regulations are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates. Advice for travellers will also be contained in the supplier’s relevant brochure. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa, health or immigration requirements. Information on current travel requirements and restrictions can currently be found by visiting http://www.foreignaffairs.gov.ie.

14) Responsibility

Where your booking is not designated as a “Cruise 1st Holiday” or “Cruise 1st Package” we act as agent for the suppliers of holidays and services. Your contract is between you and suppliers directly on their terms and conditions. As we are not the organiser of a package as defined by the Package Holidays and Travel Trade Act 1995, Cruise 1st shall not be liable to you as the organiser of a package under the Package Holidays and Travel Trade Act 1995. The relevant supplier will have liability to you for the proper performance of their obligations and may have statutory obligations to protect sums paid by you in the event of its business failure.

*****

At Cruise1st, we pride ourselves on the quality of our staff. We are committed to ongoing training, a part of which sometimes involves the recording of telephone calls.
© 2011 Sunshine Cruise Holidays Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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