When you book your journey/holiday the terms set out below form the basis of the contract between Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Limited ("the Company") and you and your party. The contract is concluded only when the Company confirms your booking. The person who makes the booking is responsible on behalf of everyone included in the booking.

Tickets are issued by the Company:

- for travel on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express as agent for Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Limited.

- for travel on the Eastern & Oriental Express as agent for Eastern & Oriental Express Limited.

- for travel on the Road To Mandalay as agent for Myanmar Hotels and Cruises Ltd.

- for travel on the Great South Pacific Express as agent for Heritage Train Company Pty. Ltd.

Carriage by rail, air, river or sea carrier is subject to the terms and conditions of the carrier with which you travel, including the Conditions of Carriage of Passengers and their luggage of the carrier. Conditions of Carriage are subject to international conventions and agreements as well as to any applicable law. Any ticket issued for or used on such other transport shall be issued by the Company as agent only for the carrier(s) concerned.

Copies of all Conditions of Carriage applicable to your journey/holiday are available for inspection at the Company's Reservation Office or through the travel agent where you book. You will be required to indicate your acceptance of such conditions before booking your journey/holiday.

Our tour consultants will be pleased to discuss your requirements and make a provisional reservation for you. To confirm, please complete the on-line booking form and send it to our office with a 15% deposit (or full payment if made within 56 days of departure). Completion of the booking form requires that you accept the Booking Terms & Conditions as set out in this brochure. Alternatively, you may take the completed form to your travel agent

On receipt of the booking form and deposit/full payment we will confirm your reservation in writing to the address you supply. If you have made your reservation through a travel agent all correspondence will be sent to him. Any money paid by you to a travel agent in respect of a booking with the Company and held by the agent is held on behalf of the Company.

NOTE THAT HOTELS AND FLIGHTS CANNOT BE BOOKED UNTIL A BOOKING FORM AND DEPOSIT IS RECEIVED.

The final balance is due 56 days prior to departure, failure to remit at this time may subject your reservation to cancellation by the Company and fees as in paragraph 4 charged.

Payments received for holidays with an air element for holidays commencing from the UK are financially protected by our Civil Aviation Authority licence (No 3141) and bond. ATOL protection extends primarily to customers who book and pay in the United Kingdom. All other holidays are protected by a special account set up by our bankers and held in trust on your behalf.

The Company will do its best to make any changes that you may request after your confirmation has been issued. If an amendment or cancellation by you or any member of your party is necessary this must be confirmed in writing and a fee is payable by you to the Company, on the following scale

* Fees are expressed as a % of the journey/holiday price.

Notification of a cancellation to a confirmed booking will be valid only if made in writing to the Company's Head Office and signed by the person who made the booking or your travel agent on your behalf. The company reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to request notification of consent from each member of the party in respect of whom the cancellation is made.

No cancellation fee will be payable where cancellation is due to an increase in the total price of your journey/holiday provided that such cancellation is made within seven days of receiving notification of the increase from the Company.

Arrangements for journey/holidays are made many months in advance and changes may have to be made to brochured itineraries, for example, a change of flight schedule. Any change will be notified to you at time of booking or as soon as is reasonably possible.

Occasionally circumstances occur that involve either a major change or cancellation of an itinerary. For the purposes of these Booking Conditions these are as follows: -
i) a change of departure date, point, time or return time by more than five hours ii) a portion of the journey/holiday is not available for reasons beyond the control of the Company and/or of any carrier or supplier iii) insufficient number of bookings have been taken iv) security risks v) industrial action

If after your reservation has been confirmed but before departure, a major change to your itinerary becomes necessary there are various options available to you:
(i) accept the changes as given to you (ii) accept the same journey/holiday on an alternative date or accept an alternative journey/holiday with the appropriate adjustment to your invoice (subject to availability) (iii) cancel your reservation and receive a full refund. (In the case of industrial action, which affects only part of the journey/holiday, you may not choose this option.)

The Company does not guarantee and will not be liable in respect of changes or delays to departures or arrivals where such changes or delays are reasonably required or beyond the control of the Company and/or of any carrier or supplier.

The prices shown on this web site are based on known costs and exchange rates as at 1st May, 2000, and the Company does not expect to have to make changes.

The company guarantees that once your reservation is confirmed that no surcharges will be imposed, except where there is an unforseen increase in national or local taxation, or adverse fluctuation in currency exchange rates affecting the cost structure of your journey/holiday. Such surcharge will not be applicable to any bookings where the full balance has been paid.

In the unlikely circumstance that a surcharge is necessary the Company will inform you or your agent in writing as soon as possible of any proposed increase. Providing the Company is notified within seven days of receiving notice of such increase, you may choose to cancel the journey/holiday with full and immediate refund of any monies already paid.

The Company accepts responsibility for ensuring that all elements of the journey/holiday we are contractually obliged to provide are as described on its web site and are of a reasonable standard. However, circumstances may subsequently change and in the event of any significant or long-term changes you will be informed of these at time of booking or as soon as reasonably possible.

The Company also accepts responsibility for any personal injury, illness or death affecting you, or any person included in the booking, caused by the negligence of its employees, agents or suppliers sub-contracted by it to provide any part of the confirmed arrangements provided that
(i) such agents or suppliers or employees were acting within the scope of or in the course of their employment when the incident occurred (ii) you notify the Company of any claim within 28 days of completion of the journey/holiday (iii) you agree to assign to the Company any rights against a supplier or any person that you may have relating to the claim and agree to co-operate fully with the Company. (iv) the Companyıs liability in respect of any air, sea, river or rail carrier is restricted by the appropriate ticket conditions (see section 2).

The Company does not accept responsibility for any loss or damage suffered as a result of any event beyond its control or the control of the relevant agent or carrier or supplier.

"Journeys of Distinction" Holidays in Europe featured on this web site include complimentary insurance cover for UK residents only. For all other journeys/holidays, it is recommended that you and your party take out adequate travel insurance which the company will be pleased to arrange for you. Insurance is arranged with Norwich Union.

Premiums and a synopsis of the cover:

This is not your policy. A copy will be sent to you with your booking confirmation. Under the Association of British Insurers General Business Code of Practice we must bring the following information to your attention:
You should read the Policy Document carefully. It gives you full details of what is and what is not covered and the conditions of the cover.
Conditions and exclusions will apply to individual sections of your policy while general exclusions, conditions and warranties will apply to the whole of your policy.
Health restrictions apply regarding pre-existing medical problems concerning the health of the people travelling and of other people upon whose health the trip may depend.
If you are going to take part in dangerous sports or pastimes where there is a high risk of injury, check that your policy covers you.
Your policy may contain exclusions against Date recognition failure for losses arising from the failure of equipment or any computer programme to correctly recognise the calendar date.
Property claims are based on the value of the goods at the time you lose them and not on a "new for old" or replacement cost basis.
Most sections have a policy limit on the amount the insurer will pay under that section. Some sections also include other specific limits, for example: for any one item, pair, or set, or for valuables in total. You are advised to check your policy if you intend taking expensive items with you.
Under most sections of the policy, claims will be subject to an excess. This means you will be responsible for paying the first part of the claim. The amount you have to pay is the excess.
You need to take all reasonable care to protect yourself and your property.
Your insurance policy contains a complaints procedure which tells you what steps you can take if you wish to make a complaint.
Your policy contains a "cooling off" period during which you can return the policy and get a refund (except for European Inclusive Holidays where insurance is complimentary), if you have justifiable reason for being dissatisfied with the cover.

Your policy is governed by the law of England and Wales unless we agree otherwise with you.

Please make sure you read your policy carefully.

If you would like more information, you should ask our Travel Consultants or your travel agent.

N.B. Passengers making their own stopover arrangements during one of our journeys/holidays can purchase additional insurance. However, this insurance would not cover any third party amendment or cancellation fees.

You should ensure that you comply with all passport, visa, customs and other formalities and regulations (including obtaining vaccination certificates where necessary) provided for by any governmental or local authority. The Company does not accept any responsibility for the consequences of non-compliance with such formalities and regulations (including where entry or carriage is refused due to such non-compliance or otherwise).

N.B. Passport, visa and health regulations do change and you are advised to check with the appropriate embassy or authority well before your journey commences.

Please bear in mind that where visas are required for any country visited by the Orient-Express trains, that these visas are still required even when in transit through a country.

If you or any member of your party is prevented from travelling for any unavoidable reason, you may transfer your reservation to another party. This is subject only to giving reasonable written notice and settling any outstanding balance of the journey/holiday price that may include additional costs incurred to make the transfer.

Travel Documents, which are valid only for the passenger(s) named, will be issued after receipt by the Company of full payment for your reservation and not normally later than ten days prior to departure.

Please take your confirmation of booking with you on departure.

You should ensure that you, or any member of your party, do not carry any substances or articles, which are dangerous, may cause damage or inconvenience to other passengers or their luggage, or are prohibited in any of the countries through which your luggage is carried.

All luggage is carried at your own risk and the Company accepts no liability for any loss of, damage to or delay to such luggage unless through its own wrongful act or wilful neglect or that of its employees, agents or suppliers sub-contracted by it to provide any part of the arrangements detailed in the brochure. The Company's liability shall, in any event, be restricted to US$3,750 per passenger.

If you have a problem or complaint during your journey/holiday please bring it to the attention of the management immediately, so that they have the opportunity to put it right. Any further cause for complaint should be put in writing and brought to the attention of the Company at its Head Office, within 28 days of the completion of your journey/holiday.

Tickets for travel on any Orient-Express Trains or Cruise product or for any travel documents relating thereto shall not be used for any promotional or advertising purposes without the prior written consent of the Company.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of descriptions and information contained on this web site. However, circumstances may subsequently change and in the event of any significant or long-term changes you will be informed of these at the time of booking or as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure.