Booking Conditions Spain
BOOKING CONDITIONS – SPAIN
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO GUESTS:
You are viewing the Booking Conditions applicable to Royal Caribbean International cruises (and any related goods and services booked through the Royal Caribbean Group). These booking conditions apply to passengers whose country of Primary Country of Residence is Spain. If your Country of Principal Residence is not Spain, please visit https://www.royalcaribbean.com/guest-terms/ to determine the Booking Conditions that apply to you.
“Primary Country of Residence” means the country where you primarily reside at the time of booking the cruise. This should be indicated by you, your agent, or other representative at the time of booking the cruise or at online check-in.
These Booking Conditions are governed by the laws of Spain and any claim or dispute shall be resolved by alternative means of dispute resolution or under the laws and exclusive jurisdiction of the Spanish courts.
If you have any questions about the Booking Conditions that apply to your booking (or any related goods or services), please contact your travel agent or your local RCL representative.
These Booking Conditions together with our Passenger Conduct Policy and any Supplementary Policies or Conditions form the basis of your contract with us and apply to your booking. In the event of any discrepancy, these Booking Conditions will apply unless we notify you otherwise. When you make a booking directly with us, the parties to the contract are you and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. or RCL Cruises Ltd. or RCL Cruises (Cyprus) Ltd. depending on which of these entities will operate the cruise ship (“vessel”) on which you sail (the “Carrier”). You will be advised of the relevant Carrier at the time of booking and/or on your confirmation invoice.
“Carrier” shall include: (i) the Vessel, or any substitute vessel; its launches or boats; (ii) the operator, owner, manager and charterer of the Vessel; and (iii) with respect to the shore excursion portion of any CruiseTour, the operator of such shore excursion (“LTO”).
If you book a cruise holiday only on Royal Caribbean® together with other services (such as flights, shore accommodation and/or shore transfers) arranged or provided by a travel agent or tour operator (“tour operator”) with whom you make a booking and not provided by us, your contract for the whole of your holiday, including the cruise and all other services and arrangements, will be with your tour operator and not with us. The travel organiser’s Conditions of Booking (with the exception of paragraph 5.13(c)) will apply to your contract. Please ensure that you have obtained a copy of these Booking Conditions from your travel organiser before or at the time of booking. Please note that we have no liability to you in these circumstances. However, in the event that we are held liable to you for any reason, our liability and/or obligations to you or your organiser will be no greater or different from our liability and obligations under these Booking Conditions to consumers who enter into a contract with us. In any such situation, we shall be entitled to rely on all the defences, exclusions and limitations set out in the Booking Conditions below.
Key Rights:
The combination of travel services offered to you is a package within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2015/2302, as transposed into Spanish law by Royal Decree-Law 23/2018. Therefore, all bookings will benefit from all EU rights that apply to packages in accordance with the legislation in force at the time of booking. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd will be fully responsible for the correct execution of the package as a whole. In addition, as required by law, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd has protection to refund payments made by you and, where carriage is included in the package, to ensure your repatriation in the event that you become insolvent.
The fundamental rights set out in Directive (EU) 2015/2302 are available for review at https://www.royalcaribbean.com/guest-terms/.
PASSENGER HEALTH, SAFETY, SECURITY AND CONDUCT POLICY, AND OTHER POLICIES
It shall be a condition of boarding and remaining on board any of our ships that all passengers comply, during their stay, with our Passenger Health, Safety and Conduct Policy (“Passenger Conduct Policy”). This policy is intended to ensure that all passengers can enjoy a safe and enjoyable cruise holiday and, as such, the Passenger Conduct Policy sets out the standards of conduct that passengers must follow during their Royal Caribbean International cruise holiday, including transfers to and from the ships, within the terminals, while on board, at ports of call, during shore excursions and at our private destinations. Please see the Passenger Conduct Policy at https://www.royalcaribbean.com/guest-terms/ or contact your local reservations office for more information before you travel.
1 BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY
1.1 HOW DO I MAKE A RESERVATION?
You must pay a deposit to reserve your cruise booking. Deposit amounts vary by, among other things, cruise duration, package selection and stateroom category and are subject to change at any time. If you are making multiple bookings or booking consecutive cruises, a deposit will be required for each individual cruise. You will be advised of the required deposit at the time of booking. Unless otherwise listed on your booking confirmation, must pay the applicable amounts as follows:
For standard staterooms (deposits listed per person):
1 – 5 nights €100
6 – 9 nights €165
10 –14 nights €165
15+ nights & CruiseTours €490
For all suites: a non-refundable deposit equal to 10% of the cruise fare (based on double occupancy), or standard deposit listed above, whichever is greater, will be required.
Bookings made after the final balance due date must be paid in full at the time of booking. Depending on the type of cruise and or package you select, an increased non-refundable deposit may be required. Any increased non-refundable deposit payment required will be advised to you at the time of booking.
1.1.1 Non-Refundable Deposit Fares. To book our lowest fares and/or certain stateroom categories (i.e., suites) you must pay a non-refundable deposit. This means that, if you cancel your booking at any time, your deposit will be forfeited.
1.1.2 Refundable Deposit Fares. From time-to-time, we may offer a selection of stateroom categories available for sale with a refundable deposit for a premium above the non-refundable deposit fare. If you decide to make a refundable deposit booking, and you cancel your booking at any time prior to the final balance due date, we will refund your deposit and any additional payments made towards your booking. Refunds will be processed within fourteen days of cancellation and made to the original form of payment. If you book a flight-inclusive holiday, or your holiday includes a private or customized shore excursion, you may incur additional cancellation fees.
Please note you are also able to book a future cruise whilst onboard one of our ships, using our ‘Book Now’ or ‘Book Later’ programs. Please see the onboard sales consultant for full details. Terms and conditions apply for Royal Caribbean International’s onboard bookings, so please ensure you check your invoice carefully at the time of making a booking. Any bookings made onboard will be subject to these booking conditions. Your full name, including any middle names, as it appears on your passport, as well as your date of birth, must be given at the time of reservation. Please note that any payment you make to us using a debit or credit card will be settled via a bank in the US, and therefore your card issuer may choose to apply a foreign settlement fee. Please refer to the terms and conditions of your debit or credit card for details. For guests making bookings onboard any of our ships, different deposit policies may apply. Full details will be provided at the time of booking.
1.2 HOW WILL MY HOLIDAY BE CONFIRMED?
If your chosen holiday is available and you have completed the booking process, accepted our Booking Conditions and we have received all applicable payments, we will send a confirmation Invoice to you (if you book direct) or to your Travel Agent. Please note that it may not be possible to confirm your flight details at that time. If so, they will be confirmed to you at a later date. The binding contract between us only comes into effect when we send our Confirmation Invoice. At that point a contract will exist, even if we are unable to confirm the details of your flight at that time. The invoice will show the outstanding balance of your holiday and your flight details (if applicable and/or available). Please check that all details are correct as soon as you receive your Confirmation Invoice, electronic cruise documents, airline tickets and any other documents from your Travel Agent or from us. If any information is incorrect, you must inform your Travel Agent or our Reservations Department (if you have booked directly) within 14 days of us sending the document to your Travel Agent or to you for all documents other than airline tickets and e-tickets, and within 5 days for airline tickets and e-tickets. Once the air tickets have been issued, you must travel according to the itinerary in the sequence originally booked. Any unused flight segments will invalidate the ticket and the remainder of the itinerary will be automatically cancelled.
1.3 WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD I PROVIDE AND WHY?
Where appropriate, we may be required to collect personal information relating to you and your companions for transmission to U.S. immigration authorities, equivalent government agencies in other countries, and airlines. Therefore, you must provide us with all personal information that we lawfully request at the time you book your cruise or, if requested later, on the date we ask you to provide such information. This information includes certain information contained in your passport, emergency contact information and insurance details. We will inform you at the time of booking, or as soon as we know, of the exact details that are required and the date by which we need them. By providing us with the details requested in these Booking Conditions, you consent to us sharing your personal data with third parties, including, where applicable, the transfer of your personal data outside the European Economic Area for the purpose of fulfilling this holiday contract with you. If you fail to provide us with complete and accurate information within the timescales specified by us, we shall be entitled to refuse your booking or to treat your failure to provide the information in question within the timescales as a cancellation of your holiday. In addition, if we do not exercise our right to cancel your booking in these circumstances, you agree to reimburse us for any fines, surcharges or other financial penalties we incur as a result of your failure to provide complete and accurate details within the timescales specified by us.
CRUISE CHECK-IN
We strongly recommend that you check-in for your cruise at RoyalCaribbean.com in order to submit this information. Providing this information online prior to your cruise departure will greatly expedite the check-in process and allow you to board earlier and avoid potential delays and queues at the cruise terminal. If you have not completed online check-in, you must complete this process at the pier no later than two hours prior to the published departure time. All passengers must have checked in and be on board the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published departure time or they will not be allowed to travel. You should have your booking reference and sailing date to hand or, if we have already received this information from you at the time of booking, check that the details we hold are complete and accurate. If you do not have access to the internet, please contact your Travel Agent or our Reservations Department if you have booked direct. They will advise you on how this information can be provided or verified. Our procedures may change, and we will inform you of any changes at the time of booking or as soon as possible.
FLIGHT BOOKINGS
At the time of issuance of these terms and conditions, EU airlines are required to transmit certain personal information relating to passengers (primarily, but not limited to, information from the passenger’s passport data page) to authorities in the United States, as well as to applicable authorities in other countries to which you are travelling, in advance of the date shown on any flight reservation. While we may obtain some of the information we need from you at the time of booking, we also require you to provide us with certain additional personal information within specific timeframes. We strongly recommend that you provide the personal details of all passengers (including full names, dates of birth and passport details) through our online check-in process or as soon as possible after booking, as this will help us to ensure that we can issue all accurate flight details within the timescales we specify. We shall be entitled to refuse your booking or to treat your failure to provide such information within the specified timescales as a cancellation of your holiday. If you have not provided us with complete and accurate information, you and your companions may not be permitted to board the cruise or any outbound or return flight. Should this occur due to your failure to comply with such obligations, we cannot accept any liability to you or any of your party and we will not pay any compensation or make any refund to you or your party in such circumstances and you will be responsible for your own travel arrangements to and from the cruise. In addition, if your failure to provide this information results in fines, surcharges or other financial penalties being imposed on us, you will also be re sponsible for reimbursing us for any such amounts. Please also see our Privacy Statement available on the website.
1.4 WHEN IS THE BALANCE DUE?
Depending on the type of cruise and or package you select, your final balance due date will be between 50 – 120 days. The final payment schedule for the balance due for your cruise holiday will be specified at the time of booking and set out in your booking confirmation. Bookings for cruise holidays within the balance due period will require payment of the full fare at the time of booking. We must receive the balance of the cruise and/or flight costs (after deducting the deposit you have paid) either at the time of booking or by the balance due date. If we have not received all monies due to us in full and on time, you will be deemed to wish to cancel your cruise and cancellation charges as set out below will be assessed.
If you have booked through a travel agent, the travel agent may have different payment conditions that will apply to your booking. If you are unable to complete the online check-in process, this may be due to an outstanding balance on your booking. If you have booked via a travel agent, please speak to your travel agent so that the funds can be transferred to us to complete your online check-in.
1.5 WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MONEY PAID TO A TRAVEL AGENT?
Except in the case of flight inclusive bookings, all monies paid to any of our Authorised Travel Agents for your holiday with us will be held by the agent on your behalf until we issue our Confirmation Invoice. Thereafter, your agent will hold the money on our behalf. In the case of flight inclusive bookings, all monies paid to such Authorised Agents for your holiday with us will be held on our behalf until we are paid or you are reimbursed. If you are unable to complete the online check-in process or print your barcoded SetSail Pass, this may be due to an outstanding balance on your booking. If you have booked through a Travel Agent, please contact that agent to remit the funds to us so that you can complete the process.
1.6 WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
Unless otherwise stated, all prices for standard flight/cruise packages and cruises only listed in the brochure and on the website are per person in Euros (€) (including taxes and charges) and are based on two people sharing the specified cabin. Some elements of your holiday will vary depending on the itinerary; however, in general, the price of a standard flight/cruise package includes the following where applicable: accommodation on board ship on a full board basis (an additional room service charge applies), entertainment* on board ship; return international flights and connecting flights as set out on the confirmation invoice; hotel accommodation as indicated in the itinerary (on a room only basis unless otherwise stated), representatives at some overseas arrival airports on standard departure dates; and relevant taxes and fees. Standard prices for flight/cruise packages shown in the brochure are based on the lowest priced Spanish departure airport available, which may be a regional airport, at the time of printing. For more information, please contact our Reservations Department. For cruise-only packages, the cruise price includes full board, accommodation, entertainment* on board ship and applicable taxes. All holiday elements presented are subject to availability at the time of booking. If you have booked a cruise holiday only, we will only provide you with the ship-related services listed above. For passengers who have created their own package, apart from the services related to the on-board services as indicated above, what is included will be according to your selection only. Please always check your confirmation invoice upon receipt to ensure that all relevant information is included. Unless otherwise agreed, the price does not include non-Spanish departure taxes and airport upgrade tax (on some itineraries this must be paid locally); shore excursions and personal expenses (e.g. drinks on board, laundry costs, health and beauty treatments, hairdressing, telephone calls, etc.); meals in hotels ashore (e.g. hotel meals on board, laundry costs, health and beauty treatments, hairdressing, telephone calls, etc.); meals in hotels ashore (e.g. meals in hotels on board (e.g. meals in hotels on board).); meals at hotels ashore (unless otherwise stated); transfers by any method if not travelling on the standard departure date(s); travel insurance; service charges/props**, i.e. service charges/props on board or ashore; anything else not specifically mentioned as included in the price.
*There may be a charge for some on-board entertainment activities.
**For your convenience, a discretionary service charge (“Service Charges”) will be automatically added daily to the onboard account of each Guest, except as otherwise provided below. Service Charges are subject to adjustment, at your discretion, onboard the Vessel until the morning of disembarkation. Service Charges will not be automatically added to your onboard account if they are included in the cruise fare, as reflected in your booking confirmation, if you pre-pay them or where prohibited by applicable law.
We reserve the right to charge a fuel surcharge when making a booking, to reflect the cost of fuel or other energy sources. We may also increase prices to reflect changes in relevant taxes, fees or exchange rates. See section 1.9 for further details on the limits of any price variation.
1.7 HOW CAN I GET THE LOWEST PRICE PER PERSON?
Prices quoted are minimum prices and are based on the lowest available fare. Please contact our Reservations Department, your travel agent or cruise specialist for more information. Minimum prices are calculated using the lowest available stateroom category, and these prices may not be available on all sailing dates listed. Prices vary by ship, itinerary, sailing dates, stateroom category, and also by departure airport if you purchase a standard flight/cruise package. Prices are subject to change at any time, please contact your travel agent or our Reservations Department directly.
1.8 WHAT IS A “GUARANTEED” RESERVE (GTY)?
We may (at our discretion) offer you the option to make a “Guaranteed” (“Guarantee” or GTY) booking. This means that you can book a cabin of a guaranteed minimum category type, (specified by us prior to booking) on your chosen ship. However, the exact location of the cabin on the ship will be allocated by us (at our discretion) and at any time up to the time of check-in at the Port. Once the GTY stateroom is assigned, we cannot accept any changes requested by you. The advantages of a GTY cabin are that, once your booking is confirmed, we may (at our discretion) upgrade your cabin to a higher category than originally booked at no additional charge to you. In either case, you are “guaranteed” the minimum cabin category we agree to offer at the time of booking. The cabin we allocate will be appropriate for the number of passengers occupying it and this may mean that you are allocated a room with upper berths which are accessed by a staircase. Upper berths can only be used by passengers over the age of six, therefore GTY cabins are not recommended for young families. If you have any specific requirements regarding your cabin, or the location of your cabin, or if you are travelling with family or friends (especially children) that you wish to have close by, we suggest that you do not book a GTY. Occasionally, we may have promotional GTY offers.
*The layout and benefits of the suites vary according to the category. We may assign you an entry-level suite without a balcony and/or which does not include the same benefits as a higher grade.
Please note: If you book two or more consecutive cruises and one or all of the cruises are booked on a GTY basis, there is a possibility that you may be assigned different cabins on each cruise, so you will need to change cabins on the changeover day between your consecutive cruises.
1.9 WILL THE PRICE CHANGE?
We reserve the right to increase or decrease the price of unsold holidays at any time. You will receive confirmation of the price of your chosen holiday as above. After confirming the price of your chosen holiday at the time of booking, subject to correction of errors, we will only increase or decrease the price in the accordance with the terms of this paragraph. Price increases or decreases after booking will be passed on in the form of a surcharge or refund. A surcharge or refund will be payable, subject to the conditions set out in this clause, if the cost of carriage or the duty, tax or charge payable for services such as landing fees or embarkation and disembarkation fees at ports or airports increases or decreases, or if our costs increase or decrease as a result of adverse or beneficial changes in the exchange rates used to calculate the cost of your holiday. If the surcharge is more than 8% of the trip price (excluding change fees) and we inform you in writing at least 20 days before the start of the trip, you have the right to choose one of options (a), (b) or (c) as in clause 5.4 explained in more detail. You have 14 days from the date of issue printed on the notice to let us know whether you wish to opt for option (b) or (c) under clause 5.4 below; otherwise we will assume that you have accepted the change and will invoice you accordingly for the additional costs, stating the additional payment period. If you do not tell us within this period that you wish to choose one of the two options, we are entitled to assume that you do not wish to do so and will pay the additional cost. The surcharge must be paid together with the balance of the travel price or within 14 days of the date of issue printed on the surcharge invoice, whichever is the later. Additionally, we may instead charge the increased price onboard.
Please note that travel services are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes due to contractual and other safeguards will not affect the price of your holiday. We reserve the right to correct errors in advertised and confirmed prices. We will do this as soon as we become aware of the error. Please note that changes and errors may occasionally occur. You must verify the price of your chosen holiday at the time of booking. Please note: Any change you make to your booking may result in a change in price as explained in clause 1.11.
1.10 IF I HAVE TO CANCEL MY CRUISE HOLIDAY, WILL I GET A REFUND?
If you or anyone travelling with you wishes to cancel your holiday, you must contact us (if you book direct) or your travel agent and notify us in writing by registered post or email to ensure that the cancellation letter is received securely. Cancellation of the holiday will only occur on the date we receive the written cancellation notice. Except for bookings made with non-refundable deposit, if you cancel your reservation you will be liable to pay the cancellation charges set out below which are calculated on the total price of the booking:
| Cruise Length: | Days to Sailing*: | Cancellation Charge (Per Guest): |
| 1 – 14 nights | 50+ days | Deposit only (including increase deposit for non-refundable add-ons) |
| 40 – 31 days | 50% of total price | |
| 30 – 15 days | 75% of total price | |
| 14 days or less | 100% of total price | |
| 15+ nights | 120+ days | Deposit only (including increase deposit for non-refundable add-ons) |
| 119 – 31 days | 50% of total price | |
| 30 – 15 days | 75% of total price | |
| 14 days or less | 100% of total price |
Note: The minimum cancellation charges will always be the loss of deposit (including any increased deposit amount arising from a build your own package). In instances where the deposit amount paid is higher than the 25/50/75% of cruise fare cancellation charge, then the highest of the two amounts is payable as the cancellation charge, i.e. the full deposit amount is retained.
In all cases, amendment or transfer fees are non-refundable. Please refer to section 1.11 when making a significant amendment after the final payment due date, as your booking variation may be treated as a cancellation of your original booking and cancellation charges will apply. Therefore, a new booking will be created incorporating any new business rules or terms and conditions applicable.
Please note: The date of departure means the date the arrangements you have booked with us commence. Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to your insurance company. Where any cancellation reduces the number of full paying party members below the number on which the price, number of free places and/or any concessions agreed for your booking were based, we will recalculate these items and re-invoice you at the applicable higher price. For guests making bookings onboard any of our ships, different cancellation policies may apply. Full details will be provided at the time of booking.
1.11 CAN I MAKE CHANGES TO MY BOOKING AFTER IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED?
It is your responsibility to confirm your ability to travel before making a booking. Depending on your selected fare type, once your Holiday is confirmed you do not have an automatic right to cancel or make certain changes, unless we have breached our obligations hereunder or otherwise provided under Applicable Law. If you wish to make a change to your Holiday, you must notify us at least 91 days before departure for flight-inclusive Holidays or final payment due date for all others. Depending on the nature of the change, you may be required to submit your request in writing. We will endeavour, but cannot guarantee, that we will be able to accommodate every change request.
If we accept your change request, a non-refundable fee will become immediately payable, together with any fare difference, costs incurred by ourselves, and costs or charges incurred or imposed by any third parties (e.g., airlines or ground transport providers), which may, in some cases, be the full cost of the fare. Amendment fees will be assessed as follows:
i) Name changes (the substitution of one Guest’s details for another) can be requested up to 7 days before sailing and a fee of €50 per name change per booking will apply. The replacement guest must fulfil all necessary conditions for participation in the cruise (for example age, health, and visa requirements). Name changes to the lead guest or both names on a booking will be deemed a transfer.
ii) All other changes (for example, transfers, changes to ship, sail date, flights, or brand) can be requested up to the final payment due date and a fee of €75 per guest per booking will apply.
The change fees above are those imposed by us only. Transfers are accepted only on a “like for like” basis, i.e., same ship, sail date and stateroom. Depending on the change, some of our suppliers may treat name changes as cancellations and rebooking. Any promotions applied to a booking (for example, loyalty discounts, residency rates, or minimum occupancy) must be satisfied following any changes to the booking, or such promotion(s) will be forfeited, and the booking will be repriced at prevailing rates.
1.12 TRAVEL INSURANCE
Guests are required as a condition of our accepting your booking to take out adequate and appropriate travel insurance to cover as a minimum all travel, cancellation, curtailment, medical and repatriation liabilities (including where these arise as a result of circumstances outside your control such as, without limitation, accident or illness or inability to travel for other reasons). You must read policy details carefully and take them with you on Holiday. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable for your individual needs. Except where required by Applicable Law, we do not verify the extent or adequacy of the cover provided by any insurance policies.
2. BEFORE LEAVING HOME
2.1 WHAT ABOUT VALUABLE OR IMPORTANT OBJECTS?
Be sure to carry all valuable and important items (e.g. medicines, jewellery, fragile objects, important travel and other documents, (video)camera, laptop, mobile phone, etc.) in your hand, and not in your checked baggage. Once on board, be careful not to leave your valuables unattended in your cabin or anywhere else on the ship. Special care must be taken with these items. For your protection once on board, all valuables and important items should be deposited at the Guest Services Desk or in the mini-safe in your cabin. You are also strongly advised to take out appropriate and adequate insurance to protect such items. We cannot accept any responsibility for valuables or important items that are not deposited at the Guest Services Desk or at your hotel (booked with us) for safekeeping. In respect of items so deposited, the maximum amount we will pay you if any of them are lost or damaged (for whatever reason) while in our custody is the maximum amount payable under the Athens Convention (see paragraph 5.8) in this situation. In order for us to help you as far as possible, you should report the problem to us as soon as possible. If you discover the loss, delay or damage while on board, you must report it immediately to the Passenger Services Desk. The time limits for reporting any loss, delay or damage are as follows: any damage or delay, which is obvious, must be reported to us and to the provider of the service concerned (if other than us) before or, at the latest, at the time of departure from the ship or, in relation to other services, during the use or at the end of the use of such services. Any loss, damage or delay, which is not obvious, must be notified to us and to the provider of the service in question (if other than us) within 15 days of your departure from the ship or the end of your use of the service in question. Failure to notify us within the above time limits may affect our ability to investigate the loss, delay or damage and may have an impact on how we deal with the claim. In all cases, you must give credit for payments received from any airline and/or other supplier in connection with your claim. You must also provide us with details of any relevant insurance cover you have. In appropriate cases, we have the right to ask you to reduce your claim by the amount received from any or all insurers.
2.2 WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY PROPERTY IS LOST, DAMAGED OR DELAYED DURING MY STAY ON THE CRUISE?
This section applies in relation to any loss, damage or delay in arrival of property which occurs during your stay on the cruise or while you are boarding or alighting from the ship or while using any service provided or arranged by us, except for claims in relation to any valuable or important items (see section 2.1) or in relation to air travel, including the process of boarding or alighting from the aircraft (see section 2.4 below). It is the responsibility of our passengers to remove all their belongings from their cabin when they leave the cruise. If an item is left on board, we will assist you in trying to retrieve it; however, if we are unable to do so, we will not be liable and will refer you to your travel insurance to make a claim for the item. Please note that abandoned items may be destroyed. You should report the problem to us as soon as possible. If you discover the loss, delay or damage while on board, you must report it immediately to the Passenger Services Desk.
The time limits for reporting any loss, delay or damage, as well as the maximum amount we or the supplier concerned will pay, are as follows:
– Any damage or delay, which is evident, must be notified to us and to the provider of the service in question (if other than us) before or at the latest at the time of leaving the ship or, in relation to other services, during the use or at the end of the use of such services.
– Any loss, damage or delay, which is not obvious, must be notified to us and to the provider of the service in question (if other than us) within 15 days of your departure from the ship or the end of your use of the service in question. If you can prove that the damage, delay or loss was our fault or the fault of the provider of a service which we agreed to arrange as part of your holiday, we will compensate you for the loss or damage which you can prove you have suffered as a result of such damage, delay or loss, subject to the Athens Convention. However, the maximum we will have to pay you for any damage, delay or loss in these circumstances is the maximum payable in respect of cabin luggage under the Athens Convention. The same will apply where goods are damaged, delayed or lost while not on board or getting on or off the ship, but using other services (apart from air transport) which form part of the holiday we have agreed to provide under the contract. In all cases, you must give credit for payments received from any airline and/or other supplier in connection with your claim. You must also provide us with details of any relevant insurance cover you have. In appropriate cases, we are entitled to reduce your claim by the amount received from any or all insurers.
2.3 WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY GOODS ARE LOST, DAMAGED OR DELAYED DURING MY AIR TRAVEL?
Any damage, destruction, delay or loss suffered during any air travel (including the process of boarding and alighting) must be reported to the airline at the time it is discovered or, in any event, in writing within 7 days of the completion of the flight in question (in the case of damage, destruction or loss) or within 21 days of the baggage being made available to you (in the case of delay). Passengers with flights booked through Royal Caribbean International® should also contact our Onboard Passenger Services team who will be able to assist you. The maximum amount we or the airline will have to pay you in the event of damage, destruction, delay or loss of baggage or property is the maximum amount payable under the relevant international convention or regulation. We will only be liable for air travel that has been booked as part of a standard flight/cruise package or a package that you have created that includes flight services. For most international flights, the Montreal Convention 1999 will apply. Where the 1999 Montreal Convention applies, the maximum amount that we or the airline will currently have to pay you for loss, destruction, damage or delay of baggage is the maximum amount payable under the Convention. Neither we nor the air carrier shall be liable to pay any compensation for delay affecting baggage if we or the air carrier can prove that the air carrier took all measures that could reasonably be required to avoid the delay or that it was impossible for the air carrier or its servants to take such measures. In the case of damage to, destruction, delay or loss of baggage, if we or the air carrier prove that the damage, destruction, delay or loss was caused or contributed to by the negligence or other wrongful act or omission of the person claiming compensation or of the person from whom he derives his rights, neither we nor the air carrier shall be liable for the damage, destruction, delay or loss to the extent that such negligence or wrongful act or omission caused or contributed to the damage, destruction, delay or loss. Subject to the foregoing, we and the air carrier shall only be liable for destruction, loss of or damage to checked baggage if the event which caused the destruction, loss or damage occurred on board the aircraft or during any period when the checked baggage was in the charge of the air carrier. However, neither we nor the air carrier shall be liable if and to the extent that the loss, destruction or damage results from any inherent defect, quality or vice in the baggage. In the case of unchecked baggage, including personal items, we and the air carrier shall be liable only if the damage was caused by the fault of the air carrier or its employees or agents. Some airlines have weight restrictions, as well as restrictions on the number of pieces of checked baggage. Please check with the relevant airlines for the exact baggage allowance, as in most cases, exceeding these limits will result in additional charges. In all cases, you must give credit for payments received from any airline or other supplier in connection with your claim. You must also provide us with details of any relevant insurance cover you have. In appropriate cases, we have the right to ask you to reduce your claim by the amount received from any insurer.
2.4 LUGGAGE LIMITS AND PROHIBITED ITEMS.
Unless we notify you of a lower limit the maximum luggage allowance for each Guest is 90.5kg (200lbs). The foregoing luggage allowance applies only with respect to carriage onboard the Vessel; other carriers (e.g., airlines, motor coach operators, or train operators may have different luggage allowances, which may be lower). If you book a flight-inclusive Holiday, it is your responsibility to verify the baggage allowance included with your Holiday and to pay for any airline, or other third-party carrier imposed, checked-bag or overage fees (if any).
In no event shall any Guest bring on board the Vessel or check-in, any illegal controlled substances (including medical marijuana), fireworks, live animals, weapons, firearms, explosives or other hazardous materials, or any other items prohibited by Applicable Law or other policy. Marijuana possession and/or use, including medical marijuana, and possession or use of any illegal drugs, is strictly prohibited in many jurisdictions visited and on the Vessel at all times, as well as in terminals, during shore excursions or any other part of the Holiday, regardless of any local, state, or other laws which might permit use or possession of marijuana. Guests who violate the laws of any jurisdiction are subject to being reported to law enforcement or customs authorities, arrest, and prosecution. If we or the Master of the Vessel have reason to believe that any stateroom may contain any item or substance which should not have been brought onboard, the Master or an authorized officer has the right to enter and search the stateroom concerned and seize any such item or substance. Guests who bring on board dangerous items, marijuana in any form, or any illegal drugs or controlled substances are also subject to immediate disembarkation or denial of boarding. Guests shall have no claim for refund, loss, damage, inconvenience, or compensation whatsoever under any of these circumstances. You shall be responsible to notify us in advance of the start of your Holiday if there is any question as to the permissibility of taking any item or substance onboard the Vessel. We reserve the right to refuse to permit any Guest to take on board the Vessel or on any mode of Transport any item we deem inappropriate.2.5 PASSPORT, VISA AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
2.5.1 Generally. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have all of the necessary travel documents to complete your Holiday (e.g., cruise documents, air tickets, passport, medical card, proof of insurance, letters for unaccompanied minors, visas and vaccine cards) and that the names on such documents are exactly the same as they appear on your cruise and/or airline tickets. As a courtesy to you, we may provide general information or advice with respect to necessary travel documents required for a given Holiday. Nevertheless, that information is only a guide, it is your responsibility to verify such information with the appropriate government authorities and we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of such information. Except where we expressly agreed to obtain a visa, entry permit, or other similar document on your behalf, we do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa, or immigration requirements. ADDITIONALLY, YOU MAY BE DENIED BOARDING, WITHOUT A RIGHT OF REFUND, OR SUBJECT TO FINES OR DEPORTATION, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION OR IF YOUR DOCUMENTATION CONTAINS AN ERROR.
2.5.2 Passports. You must have a current passport which is valid for at least 6 months after your expected return date. Depending on your Primary Country of Residence, obtaining a passport may ordinarily take up to 12 weeks, but you should allow longer at busy times of the year. Citizens and permanent residents of certain common travel areas (e.g., the Schengen Area or the Common Travel Area) may be permitted to travel with fewer controls, including without a passport. Nevertheless, we may still require you to provide your passport details to comply with our obligations and strongly recommend that you have and carry a valid passport in case of an emergency or other unforeseen circumstances.
2.5.3 Visas. Depending on the itinerary, there may be a visa requirement for your Holiday, particularly if you are visiting countries in the North America, Asia, Middle East, China, India, and Australia. If you need assistance when applying for your visas, we recommend VisaCentral, a CIBT company. To make sure you know about the visa requirements for your destination, CIBT has established a dedicated visa portal available at https://cibtvisas.co.uk/royalcaribbean.
THE VISACENTRAL PORTAL IS PROVIDED TO YOU FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE ONLY. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION TO ENTER EACH COUNTRY ON YOUR HOLIDAY ITINERARY, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT INTEND TO DISEMBARK THE VESSEL. YOU SHOULD CONFIRM ANY ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS WITH THE EMBASSY OR FOREIGN MINISISTRY FOR YOUR PRIMARY COUNTRY OF RESIDENCE.
2.5.4 Other Entry Requirements. Many countries require pre-arrival registrations, vaccination or immunity cards, health declarations or travel permits commonly required together with a valid passport. If your holiday includes a flight or port of call in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea or the United Kingdom, you may be required to obtain prior electronic authorization before boarding a flight or arriving at a point of entry.
2.5.5 Other Entry Requirements and Consular Services. Please visit the appropriate office providing consular services for specific entry/exit requirements for each destination country during your Holiday. You can access the latest travel advice from the foreign ministry of your Primary Country of Residence, from the European Commission’s Consular Protection access portal available at: https://consular-protection.ec.europa.eu/travel-advice. If you require assistance locating the appropriate office, please contact your local booking office or travel agent.
2.6 ARE THERE FORMAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS?
Please contact your doctor for advice and the most up-to-date health requirements for all your cruise destinations at least eight weeks before your voyage and again within fourteen (14) days prior to your voyage. To ensure a smooth sailing, we ask passengers to complete a questionnaire at check-in or at the port to confirm if they have or have symptoms of gastrointestinal or other diseases that are easily transmitted from person to person such as COVID-19. We have a medical service on all our ships to assist you if you feel unwell during your cruise. We strongly recommend that you go to the medical centre if you feel unwell, especially in case of any gastrointestinal illness, such as diarrhea or vomiting. In such circumstances, contact the medical centre immediately and follow any advice or instructions given by the medical staff. When necessary, if your condition is considered contagious, you may be confined to your cabin to prevent the disease from spreading to other passengers on board. Failure to comply with the instructions of the ship’s medical staff is contrary to our Passenger Health, Safety and Conduct Policy and may result in your expulsion from the ship at the next port of call. For full details of our COVID-19 protocols, our Supplementary Booking Conditions and our Guest Health, Safety and Conduct Policy, which are incorporated into these Booking Conditions, see https://www.royalcaribbean.com/guest-terms or contact your travel agent.
The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or purchased in Spain may be different in other countries. For example, in the UAE, some prescription and over-the-counter medicines are considered controlled substances and cannot be brought into the country without prior permission from the UAE Ministry of Health. For holidays in Europe, you need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to receive any necessary healthcare during your visit to an EEA country or Switzerland for free or at a reduced cost. If you have an EHIC card, you will be able to receive medical care in an EU country, but it is not an alternative to adequate travel insurance, which we strongly recommend that you obtain as soon as you book.
Royal Caribbean International® cannot accept passengers who will be more than twenty-three (23) weeks pregant at any time during their cruise or CruiseTour. Please contact us if you have already reserved your cruise and do not meet this requirement. Guests will be required to fill out a Public Health Questionnaire prior to arrival or at the pier attesting that they are not more than twenty-three (23) weeks pregnant. Please check our website for full details.Please see our website for more detailed information.
3. FROM THE PLANE TO THE PORT
3.1 HOW DO I GET TO MY CRUISE?
ALL FLIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS
All flights are subject to the availability and conditions of carriage of the airline concerned, which can be found on the airline’s specific website or are available on request. These conditions set out your rights and obligations, which you must comply with. In the event that we incur costs due to your failure to comply with the Conditions of Carriage, we reserve the right to pass these costs on to you. The dates of your outward and return flights will be communicated at the time of booking; however, the flight times and/or itinerary may not be shown on your confirmation invoice. Flight times shown on your Confirmation Invoice are approximate and subject to change. Your Confirmation Invoice will show the latest scheduled times. The actual flight times will appear on the flight details page of the electronic cruise documents, which you should read carefully as soon as you receive them. We may not be able to inform you of your flight times and itinerary for bookings made more than 10 months in advance. Please note that the flight you have booked may not be the most direct route and may also include multiple stopovers prior to your destination, which may require disembarkation from the aircraft. In the event that passengers are travelling together but with different booking numbers, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to book the same flight itinerary, as this is subject to availability. This information will be provided as soon as we are in a position to do so. The contract between us will come into existence when we send the Confirmation Invoice, even if we are unable to provide flight times. Flight times and airlines shown on your Confirmation Invoice cannot be guaranteed and are subject to change. While we endeavour to book the best connections between flights, there may be waits at connecting airports. We are not always able to confirm the route, service (scheduled or non-scheduled), airline, aircraft type or destination airport to be used in connection with any flight included in your holiday. Where this information is provided at the time of booking or subsequently, it is subject to change (including substitution of scheduled air services for non-scheduled flights and/or rerouting of air travel due to the withdrawal or change of scheduled air services or their unavailability). Changes of this kind will not entitle you to change or cancel other arrangements without payment of our normal charges. In any event, the actual flight times will be those shown on your tickets, which will be sent to you approximately four weeks prior to departure. You should therefore read your tickets very carefully as soon as you receive them to confirm that the flight times are correct. It is possible that flight times may change even after the tickets have been dispatched; if this happens, we will contact you as soon as possible. Any changes to your flight or other details will be subject to availability at the relevant time and will involve additional costs and charges incurred by us or imposed by the airlines or other supplier. If your airline tickets have been issued, standard cancellation penalties imposed by the airlines will also apply. In some cases, these penalties may be equivalent to the full cost of the ticket. If you wish to travel on a particular airline or flight route or if your departure and/or arrival date differs from the standard flight inclusive package, you may be required to pay additional costs and charges incurred by us or imposed by the airlines.
3.2 WHAT CLASS OF SEAT/AIRLINE TICKET HAS BEEN BOOKED?
Unless you book and pay for an upgrade, you will fly economy class. We strongly recommend that you check in early if you have a specific seating preference, as we have no control over seat allocation (you will have to pay the airline directly if they charge you a surcharge) and they may only allow you to select your seats once they have received full payment and issued your airline tickets. Flights are often full, your choice of seats may not be available and adjacent seats may not be available. At our discretion, we will arrange special group fares with some airlines (assignments) and, in some of these cases, you may not be able to pre-book your seats – they will be assigned to you when you check in online or at the airport. Only fit and able-bodied passengers may be seated in the exit row of the aircraft. Therefore, emergency exit seats will be assigned solely at the discretion of the airline at the time of check-in. Some journeys involve changing aircraft. Where applicable and where we are able to notify you, this information will appear on your Confirmation Invoice. Flights used in conjunction with our cruises may be based on special fares and may not take the most direct route. Flights may have at least one refuelling and/or other stopover and this may not appear on your Confirmation Invoice. Flights will be scheduled or non-scheduled. Most airlines prohibit smoking on the aircraft. We/the airline will endeavour to accommodate any requests for special service(s) such as special dietary requirements, pick-up and drop-off or wheelchair assistance, but unfortunately neither we nor the airline can guarantee that we will comply with your request. Some requests for medical assistance and special meals may incur a surcharge, which will be billed accordingly. For any special requirements, please email infocliente.es@rccl.com or call 900 374 400 *. Any requests of this nature must be communicated at the time of booking. Failure to accommodate a special request for any reason will not constitute a breach of contract. Airlines may refuse to carry passengers with certain medical conditions at their discretion. You must provide details of all medical and physical conditions suffered by you, and/or any member of your party at the time of booking. See also sections 4.3, 5.2 and 5.6. We do not guarantee that passengers travelling in the same group can be confirmed on the same flights. The possibility to book seats in advance and to check in online varies between airlines and ticket classes. Please visit your airline’s website for more detailed information.
3.3 WHAT HAPPENS IF I WANT TO UPGRADE MY FLIGHTS?
Subject to availability at the relevant time and payment of the applicable fare difference, you may upgrade your flight. If you are interested in upgrading your flight to an advertised destination, please notify reservations at the time of booking and we will provide you with details at that time or forward your request to the Air Sea department. The upgrade package may differ from the upgrade package offered by the airline.
3.4 WHAT HAPPENS IF MY FLIGHT IS DELAYED?
Unfortunately, flight delays sometimes occur. If this happens, the airline in question can provide you with refreshments and, if necessary, may offer overnight accommodation depending on the expected length of the delay, the time of day and the airport in question.
Where you have booked a Fly/Cruise holiday, we cannot accept any liability in respect of any delay which is due to any of the reasons set out in section 5.7 of these booking conditions (including the behaviour of any passenger on the flight who, for example, fails to check-in or board on time). Please note the following: If your flight is cancelled or delayed, your ticket is downgraded or you are denied boarding by the airline in circumstances that would entitle you to claim compensation from the airline under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – Denied Boarding Regulation 2004, you must claim the compensation due to you from the airline. All amounts you receive or are entitled to receive from the air carrier concerned under that Regulation represent the full amount of your right to compensation or any other payment arising from such cancellation, delay, downgrading or denied boarding. This includes any disappointment, distress, inconvenience or effect on any other arrangements you may have. The fact that a delay entitles you to cancel your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements, even if such arrangements were made in conjunction with the flight. We assume no liability in respect of the making of any payment to you in connection with the Denied Boarding Regulations or in respect of the cancellation or delay of a flight, the downgrading of an airline ticket or the denial of boarding, as the full amount of your entitlement to any compensation or other payment (as aforesaid) is covered by the airline’s obligations under the Denied Boarding Regulations. If, for any reason, you do not make a claim against the air carrier and you make a claim against us, you must, at the time of payment of any compensation to you, make a full assignment to us of the rights you have against the air carrier in respect of the claim giving rise to that compensation payment.
3.5 WHEN WILL I RECEIVE THE INSOLVENCY INSURANCE CERTIFICATE?
If you book a package flight/cruise holiday with us directly through our website in Spain, we will provide you with a Confirmation Invoice and insolvency insurance information by email as soon as you have booked. When you book a flight/cruise holiday through a Travel Agent, your Travel Agent will provide you with the insolvency insurance information, either on our behalf or on your own account. Please ask for this document and keep it with your travel documents when you travel.
4. ON BOARD
4.1 WHAT IS THE DIET?
On all ships, you can choose from several seating options for meals in the main restaurant. Please request your preferred seating and table size at the time of booking. We do not accept bookings on the condition that your preferred seat is or becomes available prior to departure. If you cancel because your preferred seat is not available (whether or not confirmed at the time of booking), our standard cancellation charges will apply. Seat requests cannot be guaranteed. You will find confirmation of your table number in your cabin at the start of your cruise. Meal times may vary slightly on port days due to shore excursion departures. “My Time Dining” (no seat reservations) is offered throughout the fleet and offers passengers flexibility at dinner time. You can decide what time you would like to dine between 18:00 and 21:30 (may vary depending on your itinerary) each evening, however, as with a regular restaurant, we strongly recommend that you make a reservation to ensure the best service and to avoid possible delays. You can also book your dinner time prior to the start of your cruise through the “Already Booked” section of our website. “My Family Time Dining is available on board selected ships for earlier dining times only (varies by ship and sailing). This offers children expedited service during the first dining shift. Once they have finished, they are transferred to “Adventure Ocean” which is only available to passengers aged between three and eleven on the sailing dates. If you would like to book any of these options, please contact your Travel Agent or, if you have booked directly with us, please call our reservations service department on 900 374 400*, and they will be happy to assist you. All dining options are subject to availability at the relevant time. The above dining provisions are correct for ships in operation at the date of issue of these terms and conditions. Please note that new ships which start sailing after the date of issue of these conditions may have different dining provisions. If you intend to make your booking on a ship that will sail for the first time after the issue of these conditions, please call us closer to the departure date to update the dining arrangements.
*Local call charges apply.
4.2 WHAT ABOUT SPECIAL DIETS?
Royal Caribbean International® can provide onboard meals for the following special diets: vegetarian, diabetic, low-fat, low-sodium and low-cholesterol. Other special diets, such as kosher and lactose-free meals, may be available upon request. Our kosher meals are similar to airline meals and come pre-packaged. Kosher and other special meal requests may not be of the same standard or variety as the food provided on the general menu and must be requested in advance of sailing in accordance with 4.3 below. Apart from the main restaurant, requests for meals meeting specific dietary requirements or suitable for persons with certain food intolerances are not accepted in any restaurant on board. Please submit your dietary requirements in writing with as much detail as possible about your particular needs as outlined in 4.3 below. We will do our best to accommodate reasonable requests, although we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet the requirements. Please ask your Travel Agent for more information. While we can accept requests for specific dietary requirements and take note of food intolerances, this is limited to the main restaurant on each ship. We cannot guarantee or accept responsibility that food served in any other dining establishment onboard the ship will satisfy specific dietary requirements and food intolerances. Royal Caribbean International® does not provide baby food, but it can be purchased in advance from the “News & Offers/Shop Gifts” section of our website and then delivered to you on board.
4.3 WHAT HAPPENS IN CASE OF SPECIAL SERVICES/REQUIREMENTS?
We try to assist passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility by making reasonable efforts to cater for those with special service/assistance needs. For disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility, we will try to ensure a comfortable journey between airports, docks and on board by liaising with airlines, port agents, hotels, transport companies and, of course, our ships, to make all reasonable and necessary arrangements for assistance on genuine medical grounds. We also endeavour to accommodate special dietary requirements for religious and/or medical reasons, e.g. gluten-free, dairy-free or kosher meals. Please advise us in writing, at the time of booking, of any special requirements you may have prior to booking, e.g. transportation of any special medical appliances, assistance animals, wheelchairs, airport/port/on-board assistance or in connection with accommodation on the ship or at the hotel. We will also provide you, with your first confirmation invoice, with a “Guest Special Needs” form (also available on our website) which we ask you to complete and return to us no later than 90 days prior to travel, as this gives you the opportunity to consider and inform us in detail of any special requirements you may have in writing. Based on the information you provide about any special needs you may have, we will assess the suitability of the trip in light of those needs, as we have a legal obligation to ensure your reasonable safety while you are in our care. If we consider that, because of your special needs, the holiday you have booked is not suitable, we will contact you as soon as possible after you have provided us with information about your needs to explain our reasons and assess possible alternatives. For all prospective passengers considering a cruise with Royal Caribbean, please do not hesitate to contact us prior to booking to inform us of any special requirements. We will then be able to advise you informally if we feel that the cruise you have chosen is suitable. Please note that any sensitive personal information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence. In the event that we are unable to provide the appropriate support or services requested, we will advise you as soon as possible. The request/information can be sent by email to infocliente.es@rccl.com. If your needs change after booking or you become aware that you require assistance as described above, you must notify us immediately and we will make every reasonable effort to assist you at that time.
4.4 CAN IT BE GUARANTEED THAT A SPECIAL REQUEST WILL BE GRANTED?
Regrettably, no. While Royal Caribbean International® and our suppliers will make every effort to accommodate reasonable special requests, we cannot guarantee that Royal Caribbean International® or any supplier will be able to do so. Failure to meet any special request for legitimate reasons will not be a breach of contract. If a special request can only be met at additional cost, except where contrary to the requirements of applicable law, such cost will be invoiced prior to departure or paid on the spot. 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 fulfilled. Unless specifically agreed by us in writing at the time of booking, we cannot accept any booking that is conditional on the satisfaction of a special request. Such bookings will be treated as normal bookings subject to the above comments on special requests.
4.5 ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION ON BOARD
The minimum age for consumption of any alcoholic beverage on Royal Caribbean International® ships depends on the ship’s location at the beginning of the cruise itinerary, but may change during the cruise as required by local laws. For ships originating in Europe, Asia, Australia and South America, the minimum age for alcohol consumption is eighteen (18) years of age. For ships originating in North America, the minimum age for alcohol consumption is twenty-one (21) years. At private coastal resorts, such as Labadee and CocoCay, and at ports in the United States and Canada, the minimum drinking age is twenty-one (21) years. We reserve the right to change the minimum age without notice when required by local law or when we deem it appropriate or necessary. If a guest who is under the minimum drinking age on board becomes under the minimum drinking age during a cruise itinerary and becomes under the minimum drinking age, they must notify the Passenger Services Desk and provide proof in the form of a passport to record their age so that the Passenger Services Desk can update their details and allow them to purchase alcohol on board. Please note that in the territorial waters of some countries on your itinerary or depending on the port of embarkation, onboard shops may be closed or restrictions may be imposed on some items available for purchase or additional VAT may be added depending on the VAT rules of the country in question. Restrictions apply and this policy is subject to change without notice. Passengers may take on board, on embarkation day only, 1 bottle (75cl) of wine or champagne for consumption in their cabin. When consumed in any restaurant, bar or lounge on the ship, a corkage fee of $15 per bottle will apply. Alcoholic beverages purchased at ports of call or onboard shops will be stored on the ship and delivered to passengers’ staterooms on the last day of the cruise. Security personnel may inspect containers (water bottles, soft drink bottles, mouthwash, luggage, etc.) and will dispose of containers containing alcohol. If a guest violates any alcohol policy, the Royal Caribbean International® Passenger Conduct Policy may apply up to and including the time of disembarkation. Alcohol will not be returned to guests who are under the minimum age for consumption. In accordance with our Passenger Conduct Policy, passengers who violate any alcohol policy (excessive drinking, providing alcohol to persons under the above age, irresponsible behaviour, or attempting to conceal items containing alcohol at security and/or baggage checks or at any other time) may be forced to disembark or denied boarding, and violators will be responsible for any costs incurred. Royal Caribbean International® reserves the right to revoke or otherwise restrict the alcohol privileges of any guest, regardless of age. Additional group policies are found in the Appendices of the Travel Agent’s Guide and apply without exception. Applicable statutory age restrictions apply while the ship is in port and until the ship enters international waters.
4.6 SHORE EXCURSIONS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES
To the best of our knowledge, the information relating to shore excursions in our systems and documentation is correct at the time of issue. Our descriptions may refer to activities that are available in the ports you visit. Please note that these excursions are owned and operated by local operators, who are independent third parties. We have no responsibility for such activities, as we have no involvement in their organisation, supervision or control. These activities are provided by local operators who are wholly independent of us and we act as agents for such operators. They do not form part of the contract you enter into with us, even where we suggest particular operators/centres and/or assist you in booking such activities in any way, unless they are expressly booked as part of your package holiday.
Any arrangements you enter into directly with suppliers in relation to shore excursions are between you and the local operators, and do not form part of your contract with us, regardless of whether we can provide you with practical assistance in booking such activities or even make the booking on your behalf. Accordingly, we cannot accept any liability, whether in contract, tort or otherwise, in relation to such activities.
Shore excursions may involve or require physical exertion, or carry a degree of risk or danger, so you should carefully assess whether the shore excursion is suitable for you. It is your responsibility to make all necessary enquiries about any shore excursion and/or activity in which you intend to participate and to make appropriate enquiries of the external shore excursion operators to ensure that you have prepared yourself with appropriate clothing for the excursion/activity, including any clothing required for difficult/dangerous terrain, physical exertion for extended periods, and/or extreme weather conditions.
Therefore, we cannot guarantee that shore excursions are generally available or available for passengers with disabilities; please contact us or your travel agent for information on specific excursions.
On some shore excursions, which have been assessed as suitable, there may be special arrangements for passengers with reduced mobility or disabilities. For further details, including costs for such special arrangements, please email shorexaccess@rccl.com with details of any special requirements. If applicable, please also indicate wheelchair/scooter dimensions, weight and battery type. Trips involving flights, special events, ground transport and hotel stays may incur a cost to us and may be subject to cancellation charges.
We cannot guarantee and make no representations as to the accuracy of any information given by us or local operators in relation to such activities or the resorts/area/place you visit generally (except where it relates to services which will form part of your contract) or that any particular excursion or activity which does not form part of our contract will take place, or the manner in which it will take place, as these services are outside our control.
If you consider that any of the above activities, which are not part of our contract, are vital to the enjoyment of your holiday, please write to us immediately and we will provide you with the most up to date information available to us. If we receive information about any major changes to resort/area information and/or external activities which may reasonably affect your decision to book a holiday with us, we will communicate this information to you at the time of booking, although we cannot guarantee that we will do so.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, you acknowledge and agree that the very nature of the recreational activities of the shore excursion in which you are participating may be hazardous, with inherent risks and dangers and that personal injury (and sometimes death) may occur, and you are willing to assume and accept all risks of personal injury or death that may arise. Potential hazards and risks associated with these activities may include, but are not limited to, difficult and dangerous terrain, physical exertion for extended periods, extreme weather conditions, including sudden and unexpected changes, and evacuation difficulties in the event of injury.
By using, participating in, booking or reserving a shore excursion, you accept these risks and agree that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. trading as Royal Caribbean Group, and all of its subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, successors, assigns, affiliated ships, respective masters, officers and crew, operators, charterers, underwriters, agents, servants, administrators, contractors or third party operators are not liable for any claim by you, your dependents or your legal representatives (except where we have been negligent) for breach of contract, of law or statutory duty causing personal injury or death, direct/indirect or consequential loss or damage, including but not limited to economic loss (such as loss of profits or loss of use of capital or revenue or otherwise), or for any punitive, exemplary, exemplary, quantifiable or supplementary loss or damage, whether such liability is in contract, tort or in equity, arising out of your provision of the shore excursions.
By using, participating in, hiring or booking a recreational activity, you acknowledge, agree and understand that the risk warnings set out above constitute a “risk warning” for the purposes of any relevant legislation.
Note: Any dispute or claim arising out of a shore excursion must be brought against the local operator of the excursion, however, if such dispute or claim is made against a Royal Caribbean contracting entity, it must be brought in the courts of Spain, which shall have exclusive jurisdiction over such dispute or claim in accordance with the laws of Spain.
TENDERS
In some ports, the ship will anchor offshore and use smaller boats with a capacity of about 100 people (known as dinghies) to transport passengers to shore. Passengers will proceed to a boarding platform from where they will board the tender. Occasionally, due to operational reasons, it is necessary for us to transfer from a port of call to a tender. Please note that passengers embark, travel to and disembark from tender boats at their own risk.
Tender services are provided by independent third parties and are not operated, supervised or controlled in any way by Royal Caribbean International. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee that tender boats are available or suitable for passengers generally or whether they are available and suitable for passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility. Royal Caribbean International is not responsible for any illness, injury or death of any passenger, or for any damage to or loss of baggage or other personal possessions of any passenger arising out of or in connection with travel and disembarkation on the launches, as these services are not under our control.
You are obliged to follow all instructions given to you by vessel personnel. If you cause damage to the vessel or its furnishings, or to the equipment, or to any other property on the vessel, or to any other passenger, you will be fully liable for such damage and will indemnify Royal Caribbean International for all costs or claims arising therefrom.
4.7 ASSISTANCE
If you experience difficulties during your holiday and need assistance with health services, local authorities or consular assistance, please call us at (800) 443-5789+ for information (from overseas, additional fees may apply). Royal Caribbean may charge a reasonable fee for such services. On board, please contact the Guest Services Desk or the Medical Centre.
5. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
5.1 WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS FOR PASSENGERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS?
You must satisfy yourself that you are medically and physically fit to travel, and that the trip will not present a danger to you or anyone else. At the time of booking (or as soon as possible if the condition arises after booking) you must inform your Travel Agent (or us, if you have booked directly) in writing of any assistance or needs you have in relation to accommodation, seating or services during your holiday, including medical assistance or the need to bring medical devices on the cruise. We also ask you to notify us of any illness or physical condition for which you may or will need 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). Upon receipt of this information, we will be able to prepare accordingly and make all reasonable efforts to ensure that you can travel with us in a safe manner. Please provide as much information as possible. Except as noted below, our ships have a limited number of easily accessible cabins equipped with features designed to assist passengers with mobility or other disabilities who may find regular cabins uncomfortable. Passengers booking these cabins must sign and return the “Guest Special Needs Form” provided by us so that we can ensure that they are only allocated to those passengers who have a genuine medical need. We reserve the right to reassign passengers to a standard cabin where there is no genuine medical need for an easily accessible cabin, or to cancel the booking, in order to ensure the above. For more information, please contact your travel agent or our reservations team. Please note that some ports of call may not have the necessary infrastructure to provide accessible access or transport for disembarkation. Passengers using wheelchairs must bring their own folding wheelchair. Some areas of the ship may be inaccessible to them. If you wish to bring a motorised wheelchair or scooter on board, you must inform our Special Services department by email at infocliente.es@rccl.com at the time of booking to provide dimensional information, as a size limitation may apply and we may not be able to accommodate this request. Under certain conditions (e.g. use of dinghies or some shore excursions) at certain ports of call, passengers with wheelchairs may not be able to go ashore. Passengers affected by a disability or illness must be self-sufficient or travel with someone who can provide all necessary assistance. We regret that we reserve the right to refuse to allow anyone to travel in accordance with EU Regulation 1177/2010. This includes a refusal in order to comply with security requirements set by international, Union or national legislation or competent authorities, or where the design of the ship or port infrastructure (including terminals) and equipment prevents the safe or operationally feasible embarkation, disembarkation or carriage of a guest. Based on the information you provide about any special needs you may have, we will assess the suitability of the journey in light of those needs, as we have a legal obligation to ensure your reasonable safety while you are in our charge. If we consider that, because of your special needs, the holiday you have booked is not suitable, we will contact you as soon as possible after you have provided us with information about your needs to explain our reasons and assess possible alternatives. For all prospective passengers considering a cruise with Royal Caribbean, please do not hesitate to contact us prior to booking to inform us of any special requirements. We will then be able to advise you informally if we feel that the cruise you have chosen is suitable. Please note that any sensitive personal information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence.
5.2 ARE THERE ANY AGE RESTRICTIONS?
On our ships sailing from ports in Europe, Asia, South America, Australia or New Zealand, no person under the age of eighteen (18) (a “minor”) may sail on any cruise ship or have a stateroom on their own unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or authorised person* over the age of eighteen (18). Please note that for any of our ships sailing from a U.S. or Canadian port, the minimum age for the above policy will be twenty-one (21) years of age. *For minors under eighteen (18) years of age at the commencement of the sailing who are not travelling with at least one parent or legal guardian, written permission to travel issued by the parent or legal guardian must be presented. Minors travelling with one or more adults other than a parent or legal guardian must present (a) the minor’s valid passport, (b) all applicable visas, and (c) *when the minor is under eighteen (18) years of age, an original notarised or notarised letter signed by at least the minor’s parent or legal guardian. Where such a letter is required, the letter must authorise the adult passenger to take the minor(s) on the specified cruise and must authorise the adult passenger to supervise the minor, to sign applicable waivers regarding sporting activities and to allow any medical treatment to be administered to the minor which, in the opinion of the treating physician, should be carried out without delay. For a fee, a lawyer, notary or notary public can legally certify a letter. If such documentation is not provided, the minor or minors in question will not be allowed to board the ship or take the cruise. Royal Caribbean International® shall not be liable for any costs, expenses or losses incurred as a result by the minor concerned, the person(s) paying for the cruise (if other than the minor himself/herself), or persons travelling with the minor who choose not to continue the holiday due to the failure to produce the letter of authority as set out above. Note: A parent or legal guardian travelling with a child who has a different surname to that of the parent or legal guardian must provide official proof (such as a full birth certificate/marriage certificate/divorce papers) to show that they are the parent or legal guardian of the minor(s) concerned. Proof of legal guardianship is also required when a minor is travelling with his/her legal guardian. Married couples with a minimum age of sixteen (proof of marriage is required at the time of booking) may book single cabins. Minors may only occupy single staterooms when those staterooms are adjacent (directly opposite or next to) the stateroom of the minor’s parent or legal guardian. Some onboard facilities apply restrictions based on the age of the passengers. Persons using the Elemis AquaSpa must be over 18 years of age. Full details of age-restricted onboard facilities can be found in the Daily Program, available at the Passenger Services Desk. The minimum age for infants to sail is six (6) months from the date of sailing in general and twelve (12) months from the date of sailing for transatlantic/transpacific voyages, and for cruises in Hawaii, Australia, certain South American cruises and other selected cruises. For the purposes of this policy, for travel on any cruise that will be three or more consecutive days at sea, infants will be required to be 12 months of age on the first day of the cruise/trip. The health and safety of our passengers is our number one priority. Therefore, given the limitations of onboard medical facilities, equipment and personnel, the company cannot accept waivers, exemptions or requests for exceptions to this policy.
5.3 WHAT ABOUT EARLY OR DELAYED BOARDING AND REROUTING?
Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that ships will call at all advertised ports or that they will follow each and every part of the itinerary. Itineraries may change from time to time, both before and after the ship departs. Royal Caribbean International® and the ship’s captain have the right to omit or substitute any port(s), call at any additional port(s), change the order of calls, change the time of arrival, departure or length of stay at any port of call, deviate from the advertised itinerary in any way or substitute the ship. Where possible, you will be informed of any significant changes to your confirmed itinerary prior to departure (see section 5.5). Changes may need to be made after departure to the last confirmed itinerary for your cruise for a variety of reasons, such as prevailing weather and sea conditions, passenger emergencies, provision of assistance to other vessels and the inability of the ship to operate at its normal speed due to unforeseen mechanical or technical problems. Naturally, we will do our best to avoid any changes that would have a significant adverse effect on your last confirmed itinerary. However, we cannot accept any liability for any changes which result from circumstances beyond our control (see section 5.10) or which do not have a significant adverse effect.
5.4 IS IT POSSIBLE TO CHANGE OR CANCEL MY HOLIDAY?
Occasionally, we have to make changes and correct errors in our terms and conditions or in the brochure and other details both before and after bookings have been confirmed. In very exceptional cases, we have to cancel confirmed bookings. We may be required to carry out maintenance/construction work on the vessel you have chosen, or we may be required to comply with government or official orders affecting our services. Where the works are likely to seriously prejudice your holiday, we will give you as much notice as possible. Occasionally, we may also be forced to cancel a back-to-back cruise in the USA due to local legal restrictions that prevent us from allowing you to travel in such a way, but we will endeavour to notify you promptly after your booking if necessary (see Q&A What about back-to-back cruises?). We always do our best to avoid changes and cancellations, however, we must reserve the right to do so. If we have to make a significant change or cancellation, we will let you know as soon as possible. In the case of significant changes, if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you a choice of the following options:
A. accept the change in arrangements; or
B. purchase an alternative holiday with us, of a similar standard to that originally booked, if available. . If this alternative holiday is actually less expensive than the original holiday, we will refund the difference in price. If you do not wish to accept the specific holiday we offer (ifany), you may choose any other holiday we offer that is available at the time. You will have to pay the relevant price for that holiday. This will mean that you will pay more if the holiday is more expensive or receive a refund if it is cheaper; or
C. cancel or accept the cancellation, in which case you will receive a full refund of all monies paid to us within 14 days of such cancellation.
Please note that the above options are not available when the changes made are minor.
WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE (Contract modification)?
The organising agency may only change the conditions of the contract before the start of the trip if the change is insignificant and the organising agency itself or, where applicable, the retail agency, informs the traveller of the change using a durable medium and in a clear, comprehensible and prominent manner.
If, before the start of the journey, the organising agency is obliged to make substantial changes to any of the main features of the travel services or is unable to meet any of the traveller’s special requirements previously accepted, the organising agency or, where applicable, the retail agency, shall inform the traveller without delay, in a clear, comprehensible and prominent manner and using a durable medium, and the communication shall contain:
– The substantial changes proposed and, where appropriate, their impact on the price;
– A reasonable period of time for the traveller to inform of his decision;
– An indication that if the traveller does not communicate the decision within the specified period, he/she will be deemed to have rejected the substantial modification and therefore to have chosen to terminate the contract without penalty; and
– If the agency can offer it, the substitute package offered and its price.
The traveller may choose to accept the proposed amendment or to terminate the contract without penalty. If the traveller decides to withdraw from the contract, he may accept a substitute package offered by the organising agency or by the retail agency. The substitute trip should, if possible, be of equivalent or superior quality.
If the modification of the contract or the substitute journey results in a journey of lower quality or lower cost, the passenger is entitled to an appropriate reduction of the price.
In the event that the traveller chooses to terminate the contract without penalty or does not accept the substitute package offered, the organising agency or, where applicable, the retail agency, shall reimburse all payments made for the trip within a period not exceeding fourteen calendar days from the date of termination of the contract.
5.5 CAN I BE REFUSED TRAVEL?
If, in our reasonable opinion or in the reasonable opinion of the ship’s master or doctor, you are unfit, or appear to be unfit, to travel for any reason, or if you present a risk or danger to yourself or danger to others or behave in a manner which causes or is likely to cause danger, distress or distress to any third party or danger to property, we are entitled, without notice, to refuse you travel on any ship and to terminate your cruise holiday at any time. In that event, you will be dropped off at any port or place at which the ship calls without us incurring any liability. You will have to pay any costs, expenses or losses you suffer as a result and we will not pay you any compensation or make any refund. Once your holiday has been terminated in this way, we will have no further liability to you. We may also ask any passengers who check in and show symptoms of gastrointestinal or other illnesses that are easily spread from person to person to reschedule their cruise. This is done in consultation with medical personnel to ensure a smooth sailing. The same right to refuse to allow us to allow you to travel or use any services applies where you are unfit, or appear to be unfit, to travel or otherwise engage in inappropriate conduct, as set out above, during any other part of your holiday. If you have not duly notified us that you will require assistance with any needs in accordance with section 5.2 and in accordance with EU Regulation 1177/2010, we reserve the right to refuse you travel. See also section 1.3.
Please inform us of any special needs you may have so that we can advise you on the suitability of your chosen holiday. Please note that any sensitive personal information you provide will be treated in the strictest confidence. If we consider that, because of your special needs, the holiday you have chosen may not be suitable, we will advise you as soon as possible after you have provided us with information about your needs and evaluate possible alternatives.
On every Royal Caribbean International® ship, we are committed to providing every guest with an excellent cruise holiday. To ensure that you and the people you travel with receive just that, we have developed a set of Passenger Health, Safety, Security and Conduct Policies that are available onboard. Important: Any violation of any of the Royal Caribbean International® Passenger Policies will result in appropriate corrective action, including confiscation of inappropriate materials or items and removal of the guest from the ship or denial of their voyage or cancellation of future cruise bookings. These policies are subject to change without notice and without liability to Royal Caribbean International®. Royal Caribbean International® is free to adopt additional rules not contained in these policies.
5.6 WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR PASSENGERS?
Subject to paragraph 5.8 below, we undertake to ensure that the holiday arrangements we have agreed to make, carry out or provide, as applicable, as part of our contract with you, are made, carried out or provided with a reasonable standard of skill and care. This means that, subject to these booking conditions, we will accept liability if, for example, you die or suffer personal injury or if the holiday you have booked is not provided as promised or is substandard as a result of a lack of skill or care on the part of us, our employees, agents or suppliers in making, carrying out or providing, as the case may be, the arrangements relating to the holiday you have booked. If you wish to bring a claim against us, it will be your responsibility to demonstrate that a reasonable standard of skill and care has not been applied. In addition, we will only be liable for the acts or omissions of our employees, servants or agents if at the time of the alleged act or omission they were acting lawfully and performing duties or services in accordance with our specific instructions, and within the course of their employment or engagement by us.
We shall not be liable for any injury, illness, death, loss (e.g. loss of enjoyment), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any kind arising out of any of the following:
- The action(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) concerned or any member of their accompanying party; or
- The action(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party not connected with the provision of the services relating to your holiday which was (were) unforeseeable or unavoidable; or
- An event or circumstance that we or the service provider could not foresee or avoid even with all reasonable precautions; or
- The act or acts and/or omission or omissions of any person or persons who, at the time of the alleged act or omission, were not lawfully acting and performing functions or services in accordance with our specific instructions, and within the course of their employment or engagement directly by us; or
- “force majeure” as defined in section 5.10.
We cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss, expense or other amount(s) of any kind which (1) on the basis of information which you have given us in connection with your booking before we accepted it, we could not have foreseen that you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you; or (2) was not caused by a breach of contract or other default by us or our employees or, where we are responsible for them, our suppliers. Nor are we liable for any business losses of any kind. We accept no liability for services which are not part of the holiday package. These include, for example, any additional services or facilities that the hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide to you where the services or facilities are not advertised in our brochure or on the website, and we have not agreed to arrange them. In addition, regardless of the wording on our website, in any of our brochures or elsewhere, we undertake only to apply the standard of suitability or reasonable care described above, and we do not assume any greater or different liability to you. The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint arose will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question have been properly provided. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint complied with the local rules, laws and regulations applicable to such services at the time, the services will be deemed to have been properly provided, even if the services do not comply with the UK laws and regulations which would have applied if such services had been provided in the UK. The exception to this rule is where the claim or complaint relates to the absence of an element of safety which would lead a reasonable traveller to refuse to take the holiday in question.
5.7 WHAT IS THE LIMIT OF YOUR LIABILITY IN RELATION TO PASSENGERS?
While on board our vessels you may participate in recreational activities. You acknowledge and agree that the very nature of the recreational activities in which you participate may be hazardous, with inherent risks and dangers and that personal injury (and sometimes death) may occur, and you agree to assume and accept all risks of personal injury or death that may arise. By using, participating in, contracting for, or booking any recreational activity, you accept these risks and agree that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. trading as Royal Caribbean Group, and all of its subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, successors, assigns, affiliated ships, respective masters, officers and crew, operators, charterers, underwriters, agents, servants, administrators are not liable for any claim that you, your dependents, or your legal representatives may have for negligence, breach of contract or breach of law or statutory duty resulting in personal injury or death, any direct/indirect or consequential loss or damage, including but not limited to economic loss (such as loss of profits or loss of use of capital or revenue or otherwise), or for any punitive, exemplary, exemplary, quantifiable or supplementary loss or damage.
By using, participating in, hiring or booking any recreational activity on board, you acknowledge, agree and understand that the above risk warnings constitute a “risk warning” for the purposes of any relevant legislation.
You acknowledge, agree and understand that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. trading as Royal Caribbean Group, and all of its subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, successors, assigns, affiliated ships, respective masters, officers and crew, operators, charterers, underwriters, agents, servants, administrators re in no way responsible or liable for the acts, inaction, omissions, negligence or wilful or intentional misconduct of any independent third party, including but not limited to any independent provider of tender, excursions and/or shore activities, and you agree to assume and accept all risks of personal injury or death that may be involved, and hereby waive the right to bring a claim against against Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. trading as Royal Caribbean Group, and all of its subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, successors, assigns, affiliated ships, respective masters, officers and crew, operators, charterers, underwriters, agents, servants, administrators, contractors and third party operators for any personal injury or death, however arising, arising out of such activities. All participants participating in such recreational activities do so at their own risk. The limit of liability of Royal Caribbean International® or RCL Cruises Ltd for any shore excursion activity is described in section 4.6 of these Booking Conditions.
THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES:
Please note: Lead Guest accepts on behalf of themselves and their travelling party that Carrier’s exclusions and limits of liability (including all rights, defences and immunities) specified in these Booking Conditions shall also apply to and benefit: (a) designated third parties include any parent, subsidiary, affiliate, assignee or successor company of all entities identified in this Clause, (b) the officers, directors, employees, agents, crew and pilots of all the entities identified in this Clause, (c) any and all agents, suppliers, independent contractors, suppliers, concessionaires, physicians and medical personnel, retail shop personnel, health and beauty staff, fitness staff, shore excursion providers, tour operators, (d) shipbuilders, manufacturers and designers of the Vessel or Transport, (e) suppliers, installers and maintainers of all component parts, launches, appurtenances, craft or facilities (whether at sea or on shore) related to the Vessel or any substitute ship or Transport, owned or operated by their owners, operators, managers, agents, charterers, contractors, concessionaires or others, and (f) owners and operators of all shoreside properties or facilities at which the Vessel or any substituted ship or the Transport may call. This Clause is without prejudice to the applicable statutory rights of any guest.
The provisions of the Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea 1974, as supplemented and/or amended by any other applicable legislation in force from time to time, including but not limited to Regulation (EC) No 392/2009 (together the “Athens Convention”), apply to your cruise as well as to the embarkation and disembarkation process. In the event of any claim involving death or personal injury or delay, loss or damage to baggage, the only liability we assume to you is under the Athens Convention. This means that you are not entitled to bring any claim against us which is not expressly permitted by the Athens Convention or which exceeds the limits provided for by the Athens Convention. Any claim covered by the Athens Convention must be made within the time limits set out in the Athens Convention. The Athens Convention limits the maximum amount that we, as the carrier, have to pay if we are held liable in case of death or personal injury and in case of claims relating to baggage and valuables. Where any claim or part of a claim (including claims for death or personal injury) relates to or is based on any travel arrangements (including the process of boarding and/or alighting from the carriage in question) provided by any carrier providing air, rail or road transport or any hotel stay, the maximum amount of compensation we will have to pay you will be limited. The maximum amount we will have to pay you for any such claim or any part of a claim if we are held liable to you for any reason whatsoever will, unless otherwise expressly stated in the Booking Conditions, be equal to the maximum amount that would be payable by the carrier or hotelier in question under the International Convention or Regulation which applies to the travel arrangements or hotel stay in question (for example, the Warsaw Convention, with or without amendments, and the Montreal Convention for international air travel and/or, for airlines with an operating licence granted by an EU country, Regulation EC No 889/2002 on air carrier liability for domestic and international air travel). Please note that where a carrier or a hotel is not obliged to make any payment to you under the applicable International Convention or Regulation in respect of a claim or part of a claim, we are also not obliged to make any payment to you in respect of that claim or part of a claim. In making any payment, we shall be entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the carrier or hotelier in respect of the claim or part of a claim in question. Upon request, we can provide you with copies of applicable international conventions and regulations. If you have booked a cruise with us in conjunction with an international flight or a regional flight transfer, please also refer to section 3.4. The current maximum limits that apply under the Athens Convention in the event that we have had liability for death or personal injury caused by a maritime incident is 250,000 SDRs (approximately €310,000), unless the incident was caused by an act of war, natural phenomenon, civil war, terrorism or any other exception set out in the Athens Convention. If we are found to have been negligent, this limit increases to SDR 400,000 (approximately €496,000). The limit of our liability for death and personal injury for incidents not related to the carriage by sea is limited to 400,000 SDRs (approximately €497,000). In the case of our liability for damage to and loss of baggage, where baggage has been deposited on the ship, the amount is limited to 3,375 SDRs (approximately €4,193) and for damage to and loss of cabin baggage is limited to 2,250 SDRs (approximately €2,795).
5.9 WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE A COMPLAINT?
In the unlikely event that you have cause for complaint while you are on your journey, you should immediately notify the Passenger Services Desk on board the ship and the provider of the service(s) in question (if not us). This is to give us the opportunity to address and attempt to resolve any issues you raise. Any verbal complaints should be put in writing and given to the provider and to us as soon as possible. If a problem cannot be resolved to your satisfaction and you wish to follow up on your return, you should contact our Customer Relations team:
E-mail: crelations.es@rccl.com
Telephone: 900 374 400
Postal address: Ronda de Sant Pere, 25 (1º-1ª) 08010 Barcelona, Spain (W8261585G)
Please note that we can process correspondence sent by e-mail more quickly than correspondence sent by post.
5.9.1 Applicable law
This package travel contract is governed by the agreement between the parties and by the provisions of these general conditions and by the current and applicable regional regulations, as well as by the provisions of Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007, of 16 November, which approves the revised text of the General Law for the Defence of Consumers and Users and other complementary laws.
5.9.2 Complaints to the agency
- Without prejudice to any legal action to which he may be entitled, the traveller may make written claims for non-performance or improper performance of the contract to the retail agency and/or the organiser of the agencies, retailer and/or organiser at the postal and/or e-mail addresses provided by the travel agencies for this purpose.
Within 30 days, the agency shall respond in writing to the complaints submitted.
5.9.3 Alternative dispute resolution
- At any time, the consumer and the agency may request mediation by the competent administration or bodies set up for this purpose in order to find a mutually satisfactory solution to the dispute on their own.
- The consumer may address his complaints to the competent Consumer Arbitration Board. The dispute may be submitted to arbitration if the agency against which the complaint is lodged has previously joined the consumer arbitration system (in which case the agency shall duly notify the consumer) or if the agency, despite not being a member, accepts the consumer’s request for arbitration.
Claims concerning intoxication, injury, death or reasonable suspicion of criminal offences cannot be submitted to consumer arbitration.
In the case of consumer arbitration, the award rendered by the arbitration tribunal appointed by the Consumer Arbitration Board shall be final and binding on both parties.
- If the organising agency and/or, where applicable, the retail agency, are members of an alternative dispute resolution system or are obliged to do so by any rule or code of conduct, they must inform the traveller of this before the conclusion of the package travel contract.
5.9.4 Legal action
- If the dispute is not submitted to consumer arbitration, the traveller may take legal action.
- Legal proceedings arising from the package travel contract shall be time-barred after two years.
5.10 WHAT ABOUT CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND YOUR CONTROL?
Unless we specifically state otherwise in these terms and conditions, we cannot accept any liability or pay any compensation where your holiday and/or any other service we have promised to arrange or provide cannot be provided at all, or as promised, or where you suffer any damage or loss (as more fully described in clause 5.6 above) as a result of circumstances beyond our control (“force majeure”). When we refer to circumstances beyond our control, we mean any event which we or the service provider concerned could not have foreseen or prevented even after taking all reasonable precautions. Such events are likely to include war or threat of war, terrorist acts or threats of such acts, riots or civil disturbances, trade union disputes, natural or nuclear disasters, fire, adverse weather conditions, health risks, epidemics, mechanical difficulties (which we could not have foreseen or avoided despite our normal thorough mechanical checks), unavailability of ports and ancillary facilities; the inability of cruise operators to operate cruises as a direct or indirect consequence of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union (including the loss or restriction of carriage or transit rights or the right of cruise operators to access ports and/or ancillary facilities) and all similar circumstances beyond our control. If, in the event of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, we are unable to guarantee your return home on the scheduled date after your cruise holiday, Royal Caribbean International will provide the necessary accommodation for a period not exceeding three nights per traveller. These limits may vary for persons with reduced mobility, pregnant passengers and persons with specific medical needs who have communicated their needs to us at least 48 hours prior to travel. In addition, if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances prevent us from completing the holiday, and we notify you without undue delay before the start of the package, we shall have no liability to you other than to reimburse you for the amount paid for the holiday within 14 days. We shall not be deemed to have unduly delayed in giving you notice of cancellation (i) 20 days before the commencement of the holiday in the case of journeys of more than six days, (ii) 7 days before the commencement of the holiday in the case of journeys of between two and six days and (iii) 48 hours before the commencement of the holiday in the case of journeys of less than two days.
5.11 VALIDITY OF THE BROCHURE
You should ensure that you use an up-to-date brochure when booking your holiday. We accept no responsibility for errors or incorrect or inaccurate information obtained from an out-of-date brochure.
5.12 WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS APPLY TO MY HOLIDAY?
Airlines, hotels, accommodation, rental companies and our other suppliers have their own terms and conditions which will apply to your holiday and we strongly advise you to check these. Some of these conditions may limit or exclude the airline’s or other supplier’s liability to you, often in accordance with International Conventions. Copies can be supplied to you by our suppliers.
5.13 IS MY MONEY SAFE?
A. Standard flight/cruise holiday and Build Your Own Package (with flights)
Both Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (“RCCL”) and RCL Cruises Ltd have insolvency insurance. This means that if you purchase a Royal Caribbean International® flight inclusive cruise holiday and we become insolvent (which is highly unlikely), our insurance guarantees that you will not be stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid us for an advance booking. You will receive a Confirmation Invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our insolvency insurance.
If you have booked a Royal Caribbean International® flight inclusive cruise holiday through one of our authorised travel agents, all monies paid by you for that booking will be protected by the above provisions, regardless of whether that travel agent becomes insolvent before or after we have issued our confirmation invoice. In this event, you will be required to pay any outstanding balance (if any) directly to us (or any other travel agent appointed by us) in accordance with these booking conditions in order to receive your holiday. If you have booked a Royal Caribbean International® flight inclusive cruise holiday through one of our authorised travel agents, that travel agent must provide you with a confirmation invoice issued by us showing that we have arranged the flights as well as the cruise part of your holiday. Where a travel agent acts as our agent to make a booking, any payment of money made by you to the travel agent and accepted by the travel agent will remain in your name at all times, but subject to the travel agent’s obligation to pay such funds to us for as long as we continue in business as a company. If our company goes bankrupt, any monies held at that time by the travel agent acting as our agent, or subsequently accepted by the travel agent from you, will be and remain held by that travel agent on your behalf, without any obligation to pay those monies to us. If we, or the suppliers identified on your booking invoice, are unable to provide the stated services (or a suitable alternative) for reasons of insolvency, our insolvency insurers may make a payment (or grant a benefit) under our policy.
B. Cruise holidays only plus other services arranged by your travel agent or tour operator
You may book a Royal Caribbean International® cruise holiday together with other services (such as flights, shore accommodation and/or shore transfers) that have been arranged or provided by a travel agent or tour operator (“tour operator”) with whom you book. In this situation, where the travel agent provides you with a package holiday incorporating third party services, your contract for the entirety of your holiday, including the cruise and all other such services and arrangements, will be with your travel arranger and not with Royal Caribbean International®. Your holiday will not be protected by our bond. Instead, you should check that your travel organiser has its own financial security arrangements to protect all monies paid by you to such organiser for your holiday and to repatriate you if you are already abroad (if applicable) in the event that you become insolvent. You should receive a Confirmation Invoice issued by the travel organiser stating that the travel organiser is responsible for providing all elements of your holiday. In the event of the insolvency of the travel organiser before we have received payment in full from that organiser in respect of the cruise only element of your holiday, your cruise only booking may be cancelled and we shall have no obligation to provide that cruise to you, nor any refund or compensation. In such circumstances, you will need to seek redress through the financial security arrangements (if any) that the travel organiser has put in place. Where a travel agent acts as our agent to make a booking, any payment of money made by you to the travel agent and accepted by the travel agent will remain subject to the travel agent’s obligation to pay such funds to us for as long as we continue to operate as a business. If our company goes bankrupt, any monies then held by the travel agent acting as our agent, or subsequently accepted by the travel agent from you, will remain without any obligation to pay such monies to us.
5.14 ACCURACY OF PRICES AND BROCHURES
Royal Caribbean International® policies and procedures are continually changing. At the time of issue and printing, all details in the brochure were correct. Please note that the information and prices in the brochure may have changed by the time you book your holiday. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the brochure and prices at the time of printing, unfortunately, errors do sometimes occur. You should therefore be sure to check all details of your chosen holiday with your travel agent, or with us if you book direct, at the time of booking. Before confirming your booking, we will notify you and seek your consent to any variations to the published booking conditions, including changes to the deposit or cost of travel.
5.15 COMMON INTEREST GROUPS AND IMMERSION TRIPS
From time to time we may have several common interest groups on board attending, for example, conventions, conferences, seminars, training courses, competitions, tournaments or specialised holidays such as cookery or dance courses. These groups may take place on the dates you sail with us. While we anticipate that this will not affect the normal day-to-day running of the ship, there may be occasions when some facilities may not be available while these groups are on board. Some sailings are sold in greater numbers in the regional market of the country for that itinerary, so there may be a large majority of passengers from that region on that sailing, such as our China sailings, which will be sold mostly in the Chinese market. These voyages are known as immersion voyages, which means that the product will be tailored to the local market on board in terms of language, food and entertainment. However, English will always be used on board all our ships, along with the local language, for announcements, programmes and menus on board.
PRIVACY STATEMENT
For the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) and the UK Data Protection Act, 2018 (the “Data Protection Regulation”), RCL Cruises Ltd is a Data Controller. In order to process your booking, we need to collect certain personal data about you. This data will include, where applicable, names and addresses of group members, credit/debit card or other payment details and special requirements, such as those relating to any disabilities or illnesses that may affect your chosen holiday plans, and any dietary restrictions that may reveal your religious beliefs. We may also need to collect other personal data, such as your nationality, citizenship, gender and passport details, in addition to the above data, to provide to third parties in order to carry out your holiday. We need to pass on your personal details to companies and organisations that need to know them in order to provide you with your holiday (e.g. airline, hotel, ship operator, other supplier, credit/debit card company or bank). We may also be required to make such disclosures either by law or by applicable third parties, such as Immigration, and such disclosures will only be made if permitted by the Data Protection Regulation or the General Data Protection Regulation (as applicable) and any associated legislation. Such companies, organisations and third parties may be outside the European Union, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if your holiday is to take place or involve suppliers outside these countries and we will take steps to ensure that your personal information is kept secure in accordance with European (EEA) privacy standards. Any information you provide to us in connection with your booking (including in relation to any disability or illness or your religious beliefs) will be kept confidential, but may be disclosed to third parties if necessary to provide services to you, for example, transfers via air or land ports. In general, you have the right to ask us (by letter or email) what information about you is held or processed, for what purpose and to whom it has been or may be disclosed. We may be entitled to charge a fee for responding to such a request. We undertake to respond to your request within 40 days of receipt of your written request and the fee. In certain limited circumstances, we have the right to refuse your request. If you believe that any of your personal information that we are processing is inaccurate or incorrect, please contact us immediately.
For full details of our privacy policy, please visit RoyalCaribbean.co.uk/privacy. There you will also find information on how to contact us.
CCTV (CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION)
We use CCTV to record images on all Royal Caribbean International® ships for the security and safety of our crew and guests. For further information on how this information is used and how long it is stored for please contact Royal Caribbean International® at privacy@rccl.com.
The contents of these terms and conditions supersede all previous editions. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the terms and conditions at the time of publication, unfortunately, errors sometimes occur and information may have changed since the date of publication.
Version Date: 17 December 2024