Terms and Conditions
For your own guidance and protection, please read carefully and be sure that you fully understand the contents of the IMPORTANT NOTES and TERMS & CONDITIONS as published on the website. Receipt of your payment represents your acknowledgment and acceptance of these terms and conditions. Access China Tours will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS
Booking Procedures: Early reservations are highly recommended. We suggest that you book the tour at least 6 months prior to the departure date.
Deposit: A deposit of $600 must be paid by personal check or credit card at the time of signing up a tour. Access China Tours accepts all major credit cards. Reservation can be made by phone, fax, mail, or email. A Reservation Form must be completed. Our receipt of the deposit confirms your reservation, and the deposit amount is applied toward the total payment.
Travel Protection Payment: We will send you travel insurance information along with the Welcome Packet and payment schedule is determined by the insurance company.
International Air Tickets: Since Access China Tours does not block seats with airlines, we can fly participants to China from their choice of gateway city at a competitive price, and we make flight bookings when we receive your deposit. Therefore, sometimes tickets need to be issued before the final payment due date for the sake of securing seats and avoiding price increase. In this case, participants are required to make the international air ticket payment earlier than balance due date. You will be notified of the air payment with our written announcement.
Final Payment: Final payment for all tour packages is due 90 days prior to arrival date. Payment can be made by check or credit card with signed Credit Card Authorization form. Any reservation request made within 90 days prior to departure date must be paid in full upon confirmation by check or credit card. Access China Tours generally does not accept reservation within 30 days of tour dates and reserves the right to cancel the bookings not paid in full by the due date if there is a waitlist on the tour.
Tour Preparation: Access China Tours sends two pre-departure packets to tour participants to help them prepare for the upcoming China experience. Within the two packets, participants will find a confirmation letter, statement & receipt, the Assumption of Risk & Liability Release Form (MUST be signed and returned to our office), detailed tour itinerary, visa application form, insurance information, suggested reading list, general destination information, temperature chart, service voucher, emergency contact numbers, air tickets (if applicable), Chinese visa (if applicable), name badges, luggage tags, and other useful information. The first packet is sent upon receiving the deposit and confirming space on tour; the second packet goes to tour participants approximately 3 weeks prior to departure.
Tour Prices: Our published ‘Land’ prices are in US and Canadian dollars. Clients may choose to pay with either currency when they sign up the tour. All ‘Land’ prices include intra-China airfare between cities and airport tax within China. We try our best to keep our prices the same as published and price change rarely occurs during the year. However, all prices are subject to change without notice due to dramatic increase in fuel surcharges, land operation expenses, and currency exchange rate. Access China Tours reserves the right to adjust the price of any tour should such circumstances arise.
Changes to Itinerary: Access China Tours has made all possible attempts to ensure the accuracy of tour itineraries. Circumstances beyond our control may occur. We reserve the right to change itineraries, sightseeing activities, and common carriers, and to substitute hotels when necessary. Service of a similar category and standard will be maintained if such changes are made.
Arrival & Departure Transfers: Arrival and departure transfer services are included for all tour participants who arrive and depart on the scheduled arrival and departure dates, regardless from whom they purchased the international air tickets. Transfers for early arrivals and late departures are not included in the tour price, and one must arrange their own arrival and departure transfers unless they request Access China Tours to provide such service at an additional cost.
Private and Customized Tours: Tour prices for private tours and customized trips are quoted individually. What’s included in the tour price vary from tour to tour based on individual client’s requests. The inclusions and exclusions of a private tour price are listed in each tour proposal produced by Access China Tours and they are different from those of pre-scheduled Luxury Package Tours and Adventure Package Tours. Trips to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, and Mongolia are all individually priced and executed.
Cancellation Policy: All cancellation notices must be received in writing and will become effective as of the date of receipt by Access China Tours. We assess cancellation fees of all tours according to the following schedule:
90 days or more prior to departure *………………………………….. $300 per person
89 to 60 days prior to departure *………………………………………. $600 per person
59 to 30 days prior to departure *………………………………………. $900 per person
29 to 15 days prior to departure *…………………………………….. $1200 per person
* Plus any charges assessed by government agencies, land suppliers, cruise companies and airlines
Within 14 days of departure ………….100% forfeiture of the tour price per person
Access China Tours will not grant partial refunds for any unused trip arrangements after the trip has commenced or any refunds to participants who do not complete any portion of the itinerary. Any airline tickets issued are subject to the carrier’s refund and cancellation policy. Access China Tours reserves the right to cancel any tour(s) that has only one traveler except with a private tour. In this case, we will try to find an alternative tour for tour participants. If this is not acceptable, all money paid will be refunded in full and this will constitute full and final settlement for the client. Clients, who have notified Access China Tours of their desire to travel in a fully-escorted group, have the right to cancel a tour without penalty when the group size (for published packages only) is less than 6 full-paying participants by the time of final balance payment (90 days prior to tour date). All eligible payment will be refunded. However, Access China Tours will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by tour participants (e.g., non-refundable “advance purchase” air tickets, insurance & medical expenses, passport and visa expenses, etc.). If a tour is forced to be cancelled due to government’s travel warnings, declared or undeclared wars, hostilities, civil disturbances, strike, riot, epidemic, and quarantines, Access China Tours will refund all participants’ payment less any irretrievable expenses and loss (visa fees, airline penalties, communication cost, & non-refundable booking cost, etc.)
Responsibilities: Access China Tours acts as tour operator and agent. The suppliers providing accommodations, transportation, conveyance and other services are independent contractors and are not agents or employees of Access China Tours. All tickets, coupons and receipts issued by Access China Tours and all arrangements for transport or conveyance or for hotel accommodations are made by Access China Tours as agent of the suppliers. By utilizing the services of suppliers, you agree that neither Access China Tours nor any subsidiary or affiliate of Access China Tours shall be liable or responsible for any loss, injury or damage to person and property in connection with accommodations, transportation and other services resulting directly or indirectly from breakdown in equipment, fire, dangers pertaining to the sea, acts of government or other authorities, declared or undeclared wars, hostilities, civil disturbances, strike, riot, theft, pilferage, epidemic, quarantines, medical or custom regulations, defaults, delays and cancellations of itinerary or schedules, for damage resulting from improperly issued passports, visas or any documents and from any causes beyond the control of our company and any of its affiliates. All pricing is subject to change. Access China Tours reserves the right to correct promotional, printing, and/or pricing errors at any time, or to increase tour prices in the event of cost increases due to changes in airfares, cruise fares, currency fluctuations, taxes, or fuel surcharges. Access China Tours reserves the right to substitute hotels, alter the itinerary, reverse the order of places to be visited while the tour is en route or cancel the tour prior to departure.
By utilizing the services of Access China Tours, you agree the exclusive venue for all claims, actions or proceedings against Access China Tours of whatsoever nature arising out of this contract shall be the Province of British Columbia, Canada and such claims, actions or proceedings shall be determined according to the laws and jurisdiction of the Province of British Columbia.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Tour Dates: The tour dates of all package tours are published in this website. Customized tour dates may be arranged for private parties or groups at an additional cost.
Group Size: Our tour prices are based on the group size of a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 18 travelers excluding our tour manager. That means we will guarantee our departures as long as we have 6 participants on any tour. We will operate tours that have fewer than 6 participants without the national escort as long as the clients (2 travelers minimum) do not cancel the tour.
Escort and Guiding Service: All tours with 6 or more travelers are fully escorted within mainland China (a few within a region), and locally hosted in Hong Kong; Tours with 2 to 5 travelers are locally hosted throughout the journey.
Not Included in Tour Price: International air tickets, obtaining passport; excess baggage charges; travel insurance; personal expenses such as laundry and communication; add-on air cost; gratuities to tour manager, guides, and staff of Yangzi cruise vessels; meals, beverages, or sightseeing not included in the itinerary.
Accommodations: Hotels are based on double occupancy. Single supplement is indicated on the price chart. On occasions when accommodations must be assigned on a share basis due to insufficiency of single rooms, an appropriate refund will be made after returning home. We will make every effort to assist those who request a roommate. However, neither a single room nor a share can be guaranteed. Participants will be notified if a suitable roommate is not available 50 days prior to departure. In this case, the single supplement charge will be assessed. Cruise accommodations are based on double occupancy of twin-bedded stateroom with private bath. Triple occupancy in cabins is not available. Hotels and cruise ships are subject to change. Substitutions, if any, are similar class to listed hotels or cruise ships.
Travel Documents: Canadian and US passports with 6 (six) month validity AFTER the date of return are required for all tour participants. Access China Tours will help with the visa processing for entry into China. However, the visa fee is not included in the tour prices. Visa application form will be sent to tour participants along with detailed instructions on how and where to send the necessary documents. The turn-around time for visa processing generally takes about 7 – 10 working days.
Health & Behavior Requirements: Tour participants must be in good physical and mental condition, and agree to abide by the authority of our tour manager/leader, tour guide, and land operators. Any physical condition requiring special attention, diet, or treatment must be reported in writing when the reservation is made. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to a group tour member for walking, dining, getting off/on motor coaches and other transportation vehicle, or other personal needs. Participants requiring any form of assistance of such nature must be accompanied by an adult, over 21 years of age, responsible for providing such assistance.
Access China Tours and its designated tour operators reserve the right to decline to accept any person as a tour member or to require any traveler to withdraw from a tour anytime when such action is determined to be in the best interest of the health, safety, and general welfare of the tour group or individual tour member.
Certain tours may require medical professional’s health certification of the participant(s). Travelers aged 75 or older will be required to have his or her medical doctor notified of the travel plan and to sign off a notification form.
Currently, vaccinations are not required for travel to China. As health requirements change without notice, please check with your personal physician or public health service for up-to-date required or recommended inoculations.
If you have any questions or would like to make a reservation, please give us a call at 1 (800) 788-1399, email us at info@accesschinatours.com or use our contact form.
