Booking conditions

It is your responsibility to verify all visa and passport requirements necessary for your holiday. You are responsible for obtaining independently and paying for all visas and entry documents, for meeting all health and other requirements, and for any documents required by the laws, regulations, orders, and/or requirements of the countries you will visit. Avalon cannot accept liability for any passenger refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure of the passenger to carry correct documentation or adhere to specific entry and exit requirements. You should confirm the necessary requirements for visas via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/foriegn-travel-advice

You must have a passport to travel internationally. Most countries require that the passport be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the conclusion of your trip. Multiple-entry visas are required for some holidays. The process of obtaining a visa and/or passport can take up to three months or more.

Please check that each name is exactly as stated in the relevant passport. Please also check that all information which appears on the Confirmation/Invoice or elsewhere is correct and complete. If any information appears to be incorrect or incomplete, please contact us, or your Travel Agent, immediately.

It is a UK Government requirement for certain key passport & personal data to be provided for security reasons. You will be required to provide this information via our designated web portal, the link is provided in the important information section of your booking invoice. If you do not submit this data your booking may be subject to cancellation because the transport provider may be unable to allow you to travel. You must provide the data as soon as possible after the booking has been made and at least 4 months prior to departure. If you are booking within 4 months of departure you must submit the data immediately after booking. The absolute final deadline for data to be submitted is 4 days prior to departure although again we would encourage you to submit the data as soon as your booking has been made. Inaccurate or incomplete data could delay your journey, either at check-in or with the immigration authorities. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you or any member of your party are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry or submit correct documentation or data.

Avalon is dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable cruise experience for all guests. Avalon does not discriminate against any person based on disability and shall make every effort to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities. The safety of guests taking into account all relevant safety regulations and the design and structure of the ship is our paramount consideration.

You must report to Avalon at the time the reservation is made any disability requiring special attention while on your cruise. Avalon will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the special needs of disabled customers, but it is not responsible in the event it is unable to do so nor responsible for any denial of services by air carriers, hotels, restaurants, or other independent suppliers. Avalon does not provide personal services (such as pushing a wheelchair, assisting with walking, etc.) and Avalon does not provide individual assistance to a holiday participant for walking, dining, getting on and off coaches, cruise ships, and other vehicles, or other personal needs. A qualified and physically-able companion should accompany customers who need such assistance.

Passengers with reduced mobility and other disabilities which impact on their mobility and independence should take note that not all ports of call are accessible and the situation may change depending on the time of year, weather conditions and port traffic. These cruises are not suitable for Passengers who are full time wheelchair users or who need assistance. All passengers must be able to negotiate 3 flights of stairs and embark or disembark the vessel in the event that the ships are temporarily rafted together and double docked.

If we are not notified at time of reservation of any disability requiring special attention, Avalon reserves the right to cancel your booking or terminate your holiday if your special needs or disabilities are not suitable for the holiday, pose a threat to the health and safety of other participants or personnel on-board the vessel, are incompatible with other customers, or if you are not traveling with a companion who provides all the assistance you require. Avalon will not refund or cover any costs or expenses incurred for cancellation, booking, or termination of the holiday. Cancellation penalties, as above, apply.

Not all sightseeing stops/sites accommodate wheelchairs, and some locations and sightseeing activities require extensive standing, sitting, or walking—sometimes on unpaved or cobblestone streets. Avalon will not refund or cover any cost or expense incurred for any missed activities due to a participant’s inability to fully participate with the group. Most transportation services, including the touring motor coaches and cruise ships, are not equipped with wheelchair ramps. On river cruise ships all passengers must be able to negotiate 3 flights of stairs and embark or disembark the vessel if the ships are temporarily rafted together and double-docked. Although some of our ships have elevators, many of our small ships do not. Passengers requiring ship elevators should inquire before making reservations.

Most stateroom and bathroom doors as well as restrooms are not wide enough to allow access by standard wheelchairs, and bathrooms and other doorways may be fitted with coamings. Motorised scooters and motorised wheelchairs are not permitted on Avalon cruises. Arrangements cannot be made to carry or use these on tour or cruise and if you bring one, you will be asked to make alternate arrangements for transporting the scooter to your end destination at your expense. Collapsible wheelchairs are permitted on board, but for safety reasons, the number Avalon can accept is limited and wheelchair maximum size must not exceed 1030mm/40.44in length x 555mm/21.85in wide. You must notify Avalon at the time of booking of your intention to bring a wheelchair to ensure Avalon can accommodate within safety regulations. Otherwise, you or your wheelchair may not be permitted on board. There is no separate storage for wheelchairs; it must be kept in your stateroom. For safety reasons, passengers in wheelchairs cannot be carried on ramps in ports where the ship is at anchor.

The cruises, subject to the ship structure and itinerary may be unsuitable for passengers who need assistance dogs. A risk assessment will be carried

All Cruise Directors, Local Hosts, Local Guides, and ships’ crews speak English, and all commentary and instructions are conducted in English only. For your safety and enjoyment, you must be able to read, understand and speak English.

Gratuities are included for services during any land stay and for the cruise part of your holiday with the exception of our South American & Egyptian cruises. The pre-paid gratuities for South American cruises only include the Cruise Director, gratuities to shipboard crew and naturalists should be paid while onboard. For the Egyptian cruise,  gratuities for the Cruise Director and shipboard crew cannot be pre-paid and will need to pay on-board.  A voucher will be provided in your documentation for any prepaid gratuities.

During local or national holidays or special events, peak seasons, on Sundays, and during religious occasions, certain facilities such as museums, churches, restaurants, sightseeing tours, hotels, and shopping may be limited or not available. Alternatives will be offered whenever possible. Avalon cannot be held responsible for any closures, necessary itinerary changes, or curtails for any reason.

Christmas markets generally close around the third week of December

No medical personnel/doctors are present on-board the Avalon vessels. Avalon cannot guarantee the availability of medical facilities or for the quality of the care or services. Any medical attention you require while travelling with Avalon must be sought through a local medical facility, if/when available, for diagnosis. All related charges are at your expense. Avalon cannot guarantee Medical care overseas can be expensive. For this reason you must insure yourself against the possibility of injury and sickness requiring treatment on holiday. We offer insurance which is arranged by Holiday Extras. Please see our website for details. You can take out your own independent insurance.You are responsible for ensuring that you check the health and vaccination requirements of the destinations you are visiting. Country specific information can be found at https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/

If you feel unwell on your cruise, or if you have injured yourself, you, or someone accompanying you, are required to report this to the ship’s reception. Avalon shall not be under any liability whatsoever in respect of any claim for illness or injury which was not reported by you to the ship’s reception. Avalon reserves the right to remove or quarantine any passenger who show signs of illness, or who poses a threat to the safety and health of other passengers. Removal or quarantine of passengers for any health, safety or behaviour related assessment is at the sole discretion of Avalon or the Ship’s Operator or the captain. Any costs incurred for medical assessments, diagnosis and/or any other medically related charges are your responsibility to pay and are due at time of services. Passengers will be allowed to re-join Avalon with confirmed medical certification from a licensed health practitioner indicating fitness to travel without causing harm or posing a safety threat to other passengers.

Many local laws require the use of seatbelts while travelling. When seatbelts are provided, you are responsible for wearing your seatbelt. Avalon is not liable, nor are our service providers, for any injury, loss, damages, claims or death resulting from any accident or incident if you were not wearing your seatbelt at the time of the accident or incident when the coach is equipped with them.

Photographs or pictures appearing in this brochure or our website should be used solely as an indication of facilities and attractions. Actual facilities and attractions may vary according to itinerary. Maps shown on the holiday pages are current at the time of printing and may not reflect the actual routing should the itinerary change.

All information contained on our website or in our brochures, or which is otherwise produced or published by us is based on information available at the time of publication. We reserve the right to change any website prices or other information before your booking is confirmed and the amended information will then form part of your contract with us. If any part of these Booking Conditions is found to be unfair or unreasonable, the remaining terms will still be valid. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this brochure, our prices, and other information at the time of publication, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. We reserve the right to correct errors prior to confirming your booking. You must ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking.

Avalon does not have specialised facilities and/or treatments required for childbirth, prenatal, or early infant care on board its cruise ships, nor may those facilities be available at ports of call or on land stays. Avalon strongly urges pregnant customers to consider the risks of travelling where necessary medical care for pregnancy may not be available and may not be reachable in a timely manner to address potential medical complications, problems, and emergencies that can occur during pregnancy. Please note that the ships regulations state that women who are 24 weeks or more pregnant cannot be accepted on-board.

Smoking is not allowed on transportation that is exclusively provided by Avalon. On cruise ships, smoking is restricted to certain areas of the vessel. Smoking includes cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, e-cigars or any other smoking device.

Many dining rooms and other venues are smoke-free or have non-smoking regulations in public spaces. Smoking may be restricted to certain areas or not allowed. You are responsible to abide by all third party smoking policies.

Hotels may impose a 100% non-smoking policy. If you require a smoking room, a request may be submitted, but we cannot guarantee availability.

Any carriage or possession of illegal drugs will result in immediate termination of the Avalon holiday. You are responsible for knowing and observing the licensing laws for drug possession for all countries and states you are visiting. Repatriation is at your expense.

Due to heightened security, many countries have adopted practices to prevent international abductions of children. If a child will be travelling with adults other than the parents or with only one parent, it is recommended that a notarised letter be written by the parents or non-travelling parent granting authorisation to travel, including the dates of travel. We suggest that you also contact the appropriate consulate and airlines, as they may have additional requirements or recommendations.

Wi-Fi connectivity is provided by  independent third parties with separate Terms & Conditions of usage and acceptance thereof. These can be found online or will be made available upon request. Wi-Fi connectivity is not always guaranteed, and maybe disrupted, unavailable, and slower on board than you are accustomed.