Terms & Conditions

Last updated January 6th, 2025

These terms apply to both travel advisors and their clients. Responsibilities specific to travel advisors are outlined clearly, and client responsibilities are explicitly detailed to ensure mutual understanding of their roles and obligations. The following Terms and Conditions of Sale apply to all transactions. By paying the booking deposit or any portion of the reservation, travelers agree to these terms.

Table of contents

1. Responsabilities
2. Liability
3. Payments
4. Prices
5. Itinerary confirmation and modification policy
6. Documentation
7. Refunds, cancellations, and travel insurance
8. Land arrangements
9. Air transportation
10. Car rentals
11. Rail cancellations
12. Special mobility needs
13. Apartment and villa rentals
14. Check-in and check-out
15. Air conditioning
16. Local supplier updates & messages
17. Weather and activity cancellations
18. Post-travel complaints
19. Severability
20. General provisions

1. Responsabilities

1.1. Responsabilities of travel advisors

Travel advisors working with Essential Travel must:

• Inform customers of these terms and the required travel documentation for their destination.
• Verify the accuracy of travel documents and vouchers issued by Essential Travel.
• Notify Essential Travel immediately of any discrepancies in issued travel documents.
• Obtain client authorization for credit card use, ensuring compliance with payment, refund, and cancellation policies.
• In case of issues related to an Essential Travel booking, contact Essential Travel’s emergency line before taking any action.

1.2. Responsabilities of travelers (travel advisor clients)

Travelers booking through Essential Travel or their travel advisors are responsible for:

• Reviewing and understanding the terms and conditions of their booking.
• Ensuring the accuracy of personal details and travel information provided to their travel advisor or Essential Travel.
• Obtaining and carrying the necessary travel documentation, including passports, driving licenses, visas, and vaccination records.
• Keeping their mobile phone activated during the trip to receive important updates from Essential Travel or service providers.
• Contacting their travel advisor immediately if they receive contradictory information from suppliers or service providers.
• In case of issues related to an Essential Travel booking, contacting Essential Travel’s emergency line before taking any action.

2. Liability

Essential Travel, its directors, officers, employees, independent contractors, agents, and suppliers act only as agents for travelers, making arrangements for hotels, transportation, sightseeing, restaurants, and other services described in this document.

By accepting travel documents, travelers agree that Essential Travel and its affiliates are not liable for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, irregularity, or expense caused by any act or default of any hotel, carrier, restaurant, company, or person providing or rendering services included in the itinerary. The tickets, coupons, tariffs, rules, or contracts currently in use by any carrier, hotel, restaurant, or any other contractor providing services shall constitute the sole contract between such contractor and the traveler.

Essential Travel accepts no responsibility for damage, delay, or irregularity arising from sickness, labor disputes, machinery breakdowns, quarantine, government restraints, war, terrorism, weather conditions, vehicle defects, or any other cause beyond our control. Any losses and expenses incurred are the traveler’s responsibility.
All accommodations, services, and facilities are subject to the laws of the countries in which they are provided. Essential Travel reserves the right to cancel or modify itineraries and substitute services without notice and to decline to accept or retain any traveler at any time.

Liability is limited to the value of the disputed service, pending valid proof. Essential Travel is not responsible for acts beyond our control, including weather, strikes, or acts of God.

3. Payments

• A non-refundable deposit of a minimum of $500 per person is due within 7 days of booking for reservations made more than 74 days prior to departure. Additional deposits may be required for certain products and will be indicated when a deposit is required.
• Full payment is required 60 days before departure (or at the time of booking if within 30 days).
• Payments can be made via agency checks, wire transfers, or major credit cards.

4. Prices

All prices are in USD and subject to change until fully paid. Rates are guaranteed only after full payment is received. Essential Travel offers package pricing and does not itemize individual components.

5. Itinerary confirmation and modification policy

Once the itinerary is validated by the travelers, the travel advisor will receive a confirmation email with the finalized itinerary. As the booking process begins immediately after receiving the deposit, any changes to the confirmed itinerary may incur additional fees.

6. Documentation

Travel documents (tickets, vouchers, etc.) are sent after full payment is received. Travelers are responsible for obtaining and presenting necessary official travel documents (e.g., passports, visas).

7. Refunds, cancellations and travel insurance

Travel insurance is not included in Essential Travel packages but is highly recommended. It provides coverage for unforeseen events, including trip cancellations, medical emergencies, baggage loss, and delays. Travelers are advised to purchase comprehensive insurance to ensure peace of mind during their journey.

• Deposits are always non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Refund requests must be submitted in writing within 30 days of returning to the U.S. Supporting documentation may be required.
• Cancellations must be submitted in writing and acknowledged by Essential Travel. Cancellation policies for flights vary by airline.

7.1. Cancellation fees

8. Land arrangements

For private transfers:

• The transfer listed is non-transferable and applies only to the provided travel information (e.g., flight, train, or ferry). If there are any changes due to delays, rescheduling, or cancellations, please contact the supplier directly to advise. Last-minute requests cannot be guaranteed.
• 1 checked baggage and 1 carry-on bag per person; if more than that, please let us know, as a supplement could apply.

Note: Essential Travel reserves the right to change the order of tours and substitute hotels, provided the replacement is of the same category.

Note: Notification of changes and/or cancellations must be in writing. No refund on unused land arrangements once the trip has started. No refund for partially used car rental vouchers. During the trip, if travelers wish to make changes, cancellations, or additions to their itinerary, they must contact Essential Travel’s emergency line. Please note that cancellations are never guaranteed.

9. Air transmportation

• Charter flights are subject to specific terms outlined in the « Charter Operator-Participant Contract. »
• Scheduled flights follow the carrier’s terms and conditions, with Essential Travel acting solely as an agent.
• Airlines reserve the right to change schedules, equipment, or routings at any time.
• Essential Travel will pre-assign seats where possible at the time of booking. However, advanced seat assignments may not be available on certain flights, can be changed or cancelled by the airline at any time, and are not guaranteed.
• Travelers are responsible for reconfirming their flight schedules 72 hours prior to departure and on the day of departure.
• Schedule changes within 15 minutes of the original departure time will be automatically accepted on behalf of the traveler. Changes beyond this timeframe require approval before ticket issuance.
• Baggage allowances vary by airline; travelers must confirm directly with the carrier.

10. Car rentals

Drivers must be at least 25 years old. Rates typically include unlimited mileage and VAT but exclude tolls, gasoline, additional driver surcharges, overtime charges, or VAT on additional items paid locally. Some countries may require an International Driving License, which is the traveler’s responsibility to obtain. Airport surcharges and one-way drop-off fees may apply. Specific vehicle models cannot be guaranteed.

11. Rail cancellations

Upon receipt of full rail payment, rail passes and any tickets and seat reservations that are currently loaded, ready for confirmation by the various national rail agencies, are confirmed and issued. Rail products can only be ticketed when loaded for international issue by the appropriate rail agency for that country. Once payment is made for the rail, and it is available to ticket, if the price of the ticket increases, Essential Travel will contact the Travel Agent for approval to charge the new price and issue the tickets. All rail pricing is subject to change until ticketed, and all rail is non-refundable once issued.

It is the client’s responsibility to check locally if trains are affected by strikes or cancelled as Essential Travel is not notified by Railway companies.

12. Special mobility needs

Requests for accommodation must be made at booking and require a completed Special Mobility Needs Form. Services are subject to availability, and Essential Travel is not responsible for the standards of requested facilities. In many countries, mobility standards differ significantly from those in the United States. Travelers should expect stairs and the absence of escalators or assistance with luggage. When escalators are available, they may be small and not suitable for larger items or extensive use.

13. Apartment and villa rentals

Essential Travel and its local suppliers reserve the right to substitute the rented apartment/villa with another similar or higher quality apartment in case the apartment rented in this contract failed to be rented due to the following reasons (a, b, or c): a) Internal damages; b) Death of apartment›s owner or spouse; c) Any other security reasons that could be a risk for the clients’ security. If the apartment or villa rental substituted is not of equal or of higher quality, Essential Travel will refund the difference to the clients between the 2 properties.

13.1. Cancellation

Cancellation policy for these apartments is full penalty the moment it has been confirmed.

Loss or Damages: Any loss, damage or staining in the apartment must be paid for, whether accidental or deliberate, and therefore, due care and attention is advised. We are not responsible if you cannot operate machinery in European apartments or villas (ex: A/C unit, washing machine, coffee maker). Even though at the end of the tenancy, cleaning is included in the price, unless otherwise stated, a local charge for extra cleaning will be levied in case the apartment is left in an unusual dirty or messy condition.

13.2. Lost keys

It is vital that clients DO NOT lose keys during occupancy or take the keys away with them at the end of their stay. If keys are not returned to us for whatever reason, the cost of a new locking system to maintain security, and the cost of extra key cutting will be charged to the client’s credit card, or subtracted from the security deposit.

13.3. No smoking policy

Clients should be aware that if they DO smoke in a NON SMOKING property, the landlords will exercise the right to charge for the cleaning of curtains, carpets and upholstery in order to get rid of the remaining odors and smoke stains. Please make sure if you are a smoker that you are allocated a smoking property.

13.4. Maximum occupancy

Please note that the number of persons cannot exceed the maximum occupancy of the apartment under any circumstances. Additional guests cannot be accommodated unless otherwise agreed prior to arrival, and failure to inform us could render the contract not valid as cancelled and no refund will be given, and could create a loss of the security deposit.

13.5. Apartment description

Clients are responsible for reading the description and understanding what they are renting: number of rooms, bedding type (twin or double beds), number of bathrooms, showers or bathtubs. No refund or apartment exchange will be accepted in case of misconception or misunderstanding.

14. Check-in and chech-out

• Check-in times cannot be guaranteed prior to 4:00 p.m.
• Check-out is typically required by 10:00 a.m.
• Travelers are advised to confirm these times directly with the hotel or service provider, as variations may apply.

15. Air conditionning

Essential Travel is not responsible for air-conditioning standards or availability, as these can vary greatly between properties and countries. Hotels in Europe often feature climate control systems instead of traditional air conditioning, which may not cool rooms as much as travelers from the U.S. are accustomed to. This is especially common in Iceland, Scandinavian countries, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.

16. Local supplier updates & messages

To ensure a seamless travel experience, Essential Travel may share the contact information of travel advisors or their clients (e.g., mobile numbers) with service providers. This facilitates direct communication regarding itinerary changes or updates. Travel advisors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of their clients’ contact details provided to Essential Travel.

Travelers should:

• Keep their phones activated during the trip to receive updates and notifications promptly.
• Contact their travel advisor immediately if they receive contradictory information from suppliers about their itinerary. The most up-to-date details provided by our team will take precedence over supplier instructions.

17. Weather and activity cancellations

Weather predictions are inherently limited and subject to change. As such, activities will proceed as planned unless the supplier cancels due to weather conditions. In such cases, refunds may be provided per the supplier’s policies. However, if the supplier does not cancel the activity, no reimbursement will be granted for weather-related concerns.

18. Post-travel complaints

Any complaints regarding the trip must be submitted in writing within 14 days of the traveler’s return. Complaints received after this period will not be considered.

19. Severability

If any section or provision of these Terms of Use is found to be unlawful or unenforceable for any reason, the rest of these Terms of Use will not be affected and will remain valid.

20. General provisions

• Essential Travel reserves the right to modify itineraries, substitute services, and decline service to any traveler.
• Liability is limited to the amount paid to Essential Travel. Claims are governed by the laws of New York State.
• Essential Travel is not responsible for acts beyond its control, including government actions, terrorism, or natural disasters

The information provided in this document is subject to change without notice.