sitemap
home     travel agents     about us     contacts     join our mailing list

TERMS & CONDITIONS

PAYMENTS & CREDIT CARDS
Check payments should be made payable to: Hello Italy Tours and mailed to 14 East 60th Street, Suite 503, New York, NY 10022. For Information call: 212-308-3030 or 1-866-444-8259 or fax: 212-308-4705 or e-mail: hit@helloitalytours.com. We accept American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card. NOTE: American Express refunds will be charged a fee of 3%.

DEPOSIT REQUIREMENTS AND FINAL PAYMENT
Upon acceptance of the quotation a deposit of $200 per person for Independent tours and $300 per person for Escorted Tours is required prior to making any reservations. In addition, any deposit or full payment which may be requested by hotels, trains, cruise lines, or airlines once we have received their confirmation will be passed onto the travel agency or client along with the conditions as specified. These deposits may or may not be refundable by the hotels; cruise lines or airlines based on their conditions.

Final payment together with flight information must be received 45 days prior to client's departure for Independent tours and 60 days for Escorted tours.

TOUR PRICES:
All tour prices are per person and include VAT (Value Added Tax) in effect at time of printing. All rates are subject to increase do to an increase of our costs, such as but not limit to: airfares, land services, taxes, fuel cost, currency fluctuations. All rates are confirmed after full payment.

ALL CANCELLATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED IN WRITING.

CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS FOR INDEPENDENT PACKAGES:
$100 per person cancellation fee from time of booking to 45 days prior to departure
From 44 to 31 days before departure: 20% of booking or minimum $200 per person.
From 30 to 16 days before departure: 30% of booking or minimum $300 per person.
From 15 to 8 days before departure: 50% of booking or minimum $500 per person plus incurred expenses.
NO REFUND on cancellations received 7 days or less before departure date and NO REFUND on a no show.

NO REFUND on any unused portion of the trip. AIR & LAND Packages are based on NON REFUNDABLE air fares.

CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS FOR ESCORTED TOURS:
$100 per person cancellation fee from time of booking to 61 days prior to departure
From 60 to 31 days before departure: 20% of booking or minimum $200 per person.
From 30 to 8 days before departure: 50% of booking or minimum $300 per person.
NO REFUND on cancellations received 7 days or less before departure date and NO REFUND on a no show.
NO REFUND on any unused portion of the trip. AIR & LAND Packages are based on NON REFUNDABLE air fares.

TOUR CANCELLATION:
Hello Italy Tours reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any trip in conjunction with operating requirements and is not responsible for any other travel arrangements affected due to the cancellations. In such case, the operators’ sole responsibility is to provide a refund without any other liability whatsoever. Hello Italy Tours is not responsible for cancellation penalties imposed by airlines or other transportation carriers.

CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS FOR CAR RENTALS ONLY:
$25 per car charge on cancellations received from time of booking up to 15 days before departure.

$50 on cancellations received 14 days or less before departure.
Unused car rentals vouchers combined with a Fly & Drive Tour package are NOT REFUNDABLE.
NO REFUND on any unused portion of the car rental and NO REFUND on a no show.

CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS FOR VILLA RENTAL:
There is a non refundable deposit of 25% of the villa booking.

25% Cancellation charge of the booking if the cancellation is made from 74 to 42 days before the rental period.
50% Cancellation charge of the booking if the cancellation is made from 41 to 31 days before the rental period.
90% Cancellation charge of the booking if the cancellation is made from 30 to 8 days before the rental period.
NO REFUND on cancellations received 7 days or less before departure date and NO REFUND on a no show.

NO REFUND on any unused portion of the trip. AIR & LAND Packages are based on NON REFUNDABLE air fares.

General Letting Conditions will be provided upon confirmation.

HOTELS & ACCOMMODATIONS:
Hotels are classified using Italian government rating. Hello Italy Tours reserves the right to make substitutions with hotels of similar ratings. Air conditioning and heating are not standard in many hotels abroad and cannot be guaranteed. Some hotels may charge a supplement for air-conditioning upon your arrival. It may occur that the allotment in some hotels may be exhausted at the time of booking. In this case Hello Italy Tours will try to obtain alternate accommodations in the same category. If the alternate hotel is confirmed at a supplement and is not acceptable by the passenger, Hello Italy Tours will refund all deposits, provided passengers or travel agent’s written cancellation is received within 10 days of the notification of the price increase. Hotel accommodations are based on two persons sharing a twin-bedded room with bath or shower. A limited number of single rooms are available at additional cost, while single rooms provide privacy they are often smaller than twin bedrooms, and sometimes not well situated especially in old hotels. Generally triple rooms consist of normal twin bedded with a cot or rollaway for the third person.

AIR TRANSPORTATION:
Airline schedules and flights are subject to change without notice. Hello Italy Tours is not responsible for penalties incurred due to schedule and/or flight changes. Cancellation fees apply to some types of air tickets and may involve forfeiture of the amount paid. Consult your travel agent or the airline for the applicable penalties and/or restrictions.

RAIL TICKETS:
Change in the dates of travel or revision of the reservations only prior to the first date of travel have a revision fee of $30 for tickets under $100 and a 30% charge for tickets over $100. Unused rail tickets are not refundable. Lost or stolen rail tickets or rail passes are neither refundable nor replaceable. Handling and/or issuing charges are not refundable. Cancelled tickets must be returned to Hello Italy Tours before the first date of travel. We will then refund the cost of the tickets subject to the deduction of cancellation fees. In addition there is a general administration charge on cancelled tickets. In the event that tickets arrive in our office after the first date of travel, no refund can be given. Train ticket only purchases are subject to a $25 mailing and processing fee. Hello Italy Tours acts only as a booking agent and is not responsible or liable for any loss, damage, death, injury, delay, inconvenience or irregularity caused by any vehicle defect or through the negligence, misconduct, strikes or other acts, defaults of omissions of any carrier. All bookings are subject to the conditions, tariffs and regulations imposed by the rail company.

BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE FOR ESCORTED TOURS
Porterage is not included in any of the tour programs, unless specifically stated. If a tour program provides for porterage, it is restricted to one suitcase only. Due to limited coach capacity, this single bag should have dimensions not exceeding 30"X18"X10" and weight not exceeding 60 lbs. (27 kg). An additional charge will be made per traveling day if a second piece of baggage is carried, or if the suitcase exceeds the established weight and/or dimensions. A personal travel bag can not exceeding 17"x14"x8", which should be taken care of by the owner at all times is permitted. No responsibility is accepted for loss of or damage to baggage or any of the passenger's belongings. International air carriers may also impose fees or require you to remove articles and put them in another bag if weight or size limits on checked or carry-on luggage is exceeded. Baggage insurance is recommended.

RESERVATION CHANGES
Any changes made of travel dates or itinerary changes after finalized booking are subject to the applicable cancellation fees. Any other changes to any finalized booking will incur a fee of $100.00 per modification. No changes can be made 14 days prior to departure.

INSURANCE:
Health, accident, luggage and trip cancellation interruption insurance is strongly recommended and available directly with Hello Italy Tours. You have the option to accept or refuse it. A separate payment must be made for the insurance coverage. Insurance premium is non refundable.

PASSPORT/VISA:
United States citizens require a valid passport only, when traveling to Italy. Non-citizens have other requirements which should be checked to the destination countries nearest consulate for update details on visa requirements.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS:
Tour documents including any airline tickets are normally mailed by USPS Priority Mail 21 to 14 days prior to departure date, provided payment in full has been received 45 to 60 days prior to departure, depending on tour program purchased; a $15 charge per reservation is added for documents requested in advance. To ensure quick and safe receipt of documents, a $15 charge per reservation can be added for two-day delivery in the continental USA (Two-day delivery is required for reservations made within 45 days of departure). Train ticket only purchases are subject to a $15 mailing and processing fee.

ITEMS NOT INCLUDED:
Air travel unless specifically mentioned, local airport taxes, passport and visa fees, laundry, telephone calls, wine liquors, mineral water and after dinner coffee or tea. Meals not included in the itinerary, sightseeing or services other than those specifically mentioned, tips to tour escorts and motor-coach drivers when touring, local city guides, items of personal nature, excess baggage.

CLAIMS:
No claims will be considered and no action will lie against Hello Italy Tours unless written notice of claim is received by Hello Italy Tours within 30 days of completed travel. No refund will be given for unused services or any portions of the booking.

HELLO ITALY TOURS RESPONSIBILITY:
The responsibility of Hello Italy Tours 14 East 60th Street, New York, NY 10022 as the tour operator and/or its agents is limited. They act only as agents for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by aircraft, motor-coach, private car, rent car, or any other conveyance, and assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity which may be occasioned either by reason of defect through the acts of God, dangers incident to sea fire, breakdown in machinery or equipment, acts of governments or other authorities de jury or de facto, wars, whether declared or not, hostilities, civil disturbance, strikes, theft, pilferage, epidemic, quarantines, medical regulations or customs regulations, or from any causes beyond Hello Italy Tours control, or any loss damage resulting from improper passport, visas, or others documents. The issuance of the tickets and vouchers shall be deemed to consent to the above conditions. The acceptance of tickets and vouchers by the participant or by assignee(s) shall be deemed to be acceptance by such person(s) of the above conditions and acknowledgment and agreement by such person(s) that participant air carriers shall not be liable for any portions of the tour other than air transportation. The passenger’s ticket constitutes the sole contract between the purchaser and/or passenger of these tickets and the airline or transportation companies. Hello Italy Tours assume no responsibility in this connection.

BROCHURE/WEBSITE DISCLAIMER:
Hello Italy Tours is not responsible for any typographical or printing error.

FORUM SELECTION CLAUSE:
Any litigation concerning the trip , including accommodations or any other services booked through Hello Italy Tours, may be brought only within the state of New York and nowhere else, and New York law will be applicable to any and all such litigation.