Both parties (that means you, the traveler, and me, Lise-Marie Wertanzl/Sterling Journeys, an affiliate of the Gifted Travel Network- the travel planner) agree to abide by the terms of this Agreement respectfully.
Fundamental Values:
1. I agree to design a vacation for you to the best of my professional ability that meets your unique wants and needs as you have informed me of them. Included is a comprehensive itinerary design, booking, and project management as needed and agreed upon at the time of retention.
2. You understand and appreciate that I focus on delivering quality experiences that closely align with your unique wants, needs, and budget without compromising the integrity of my brand standards. I pride myself on my ability to add value both before and during your trip.
3. I do not bargain shop, compete with online deals or advertised specials, or book through any vendors, suppliers, tour operators, or service providers that I am uncomfortable working with for any reason. I have sole discretion in this matter as it ultimately is a reflection on myself and my company.
Itinerary Development:
1. I charge a non-refundable professional services fee in advance of doing any itinerary development, creating quotes, or booking travel components. Unless otherwise specified, the retainer does not apply to the cost of your trip itself. I will not charge you any additional fees for booking the travel components of the specified itinerary.
I have chosen to waive my professional services fee for this itinerary.
2. Some people need options, so I will curate up to 3 rough itineraries for the agreed-upon destination(s)/region(s) as I see fit, based on the information we’ve discussed. Additional modifications of a significant nature may incur an additional cost. *Note: I am very generous regarding itinerary changes and will do whatever I need to do to get it the way you want it. However, custom itinerary development takes an enormous amount of time to get it right and avoid future mistakes. I have a responsibility to be fair to all of my clients and not allow one project to monopolize all of my time. I am happy to work out a different arrangement with you if you require extended services.
3. Rough Itineraries may not specify exact properties, flights, services, or activities as these cannot be confirmed or guaranteed until booking. Everything I present to you is always modification-based on availability and price at the time of booking.
4. I work hard to build relationships with quality service providers (i.e., the people on the ground who make your trip go the way it’s supposed to) who I know will take care of my clients. As in any industry, these relationships necessitate contractual agreements containing strict confidentiality clauses. Therefore, I am unable to break down pricing on itineraries and vacation packages. I also have the utmost faith in my partners, that they will deliver on what we have booked, so rest assured, you are in good hands.
5. Each supplier partner is an independent entity, and while we collaborate on your vacation, they are not in my employ. Sterling Journeys acts solely as a travel advisor and booking agent and is not the source or provider of travel.
6. Should I get something wrong, I will need to correct it. It won’t be like finding something on the sale rack that shouldn’t be. You will then have the option of continuing with the booking with the correction or not. I am extremely diligent and careful, but if it should happen, it will have to be corrected, and I reserve that right.
Cooperation:
1. You agree to inform me of any budget restrictions and personal non-negotiables BEFORE I begin working on your itinerary. Likewise, if I believe your expectations are unrealistic, I will tell you BEFORE accepting a retainer fee from you.
2. Receipt of retainer reserves your place on my workflow but does not imply immediate action. My project schedule is 100% at my discretion.
3. You agree to acknowledge emails & text messages within 48 hours during the planning process, and to respond as quickly and accurately as possible to my questions as they arise. Please keep in mind that there are a lot of moving parts and hard-working people spread across different time zones who may be waiting on your response. Any delay slows down the entire process.
4. If you are ever dissatisfied with my work for any reason, please address your concerns to me as quickly as possible. I will earnestly make every effort to resolve the matter constructively.
5. I will provide you with all the necessary travel documents and your final itinerary 10-14 days before your departure unless otherwise specified. You will also have access to a travel app, allowing you to access your itinerary on your smartphone.
6. We will assist you with all reasonable concerns and requests before, during, and after your vacation, to the best of our abilities. We do our best to anticipate all of your needs, but feel free to communicate any time that we can be of service.
7. You agree to respect my time, energy, work, and intellectual property as well as your own investment by thoroughly reading the information I give you about your trip—particularly your travel documents.
Money Matters:
1. Please give me the benefit of the doubt and do not assume that I have anything but your best interests at heart. There is no advantage to me to drive up the costs of your trip; I am more concerned with keeping you safe and smiling than saving you a few bucks. Please trust my judgment and expertise.
2. All estimates and quotes are subject to change based on price and availability at the actual time of booking. We advise you to book early to avoid disappointment. I apologize in advance for any frustration this may cause, but there is no way around it.
3. If you need to change or cancel any trip components after booking the services or during your trip, we will make every attempt to assist you, but you may be subject to cancelation fees. Also, any unused tour, cruise, or packaged portions of travel will not be refunded. Travel insurance may or may not cover these costs or the full cost of your trip cancellation regardless of the reason.
4. Itineraries may be quoted and require payment in the currency of the supplier. We will give you the most accurate conversion rate for the date, but please note that currencies fluctuate constantly. We are not responsible for any difference in pricing due to changes in currency, surcharges, or foreign transaction fees imposed by your credit card or bank.
5. All payments for travel are due before you depart, and each supplier will have their terms and conditions, which I will share with you. We suggest you read them carefully. By submitting your credit card authorization form to Sterling Journeys, you agree that we will be making payments on your behalf to the agreed-upon suppliers.
6. Except in the cases of fraud, negligence, or default, you agree you will not try to remedy a desire to cancel a booking with a credit card chargeback. If your credit card company is unsuccessful in claiming your funds because you agreed to legitimate terms and conditions and the supplier has not defaulted on those terms, they may attempt to retrieve the funds from Sterling Journeys. We receive a planning fee and commission after you have traveled. You understand and agree that any recovery from Sterling Journeys will be limited to the amount of commission and fees actually received by Sterling Journeys.
7. We HIGHLY recommend Travel Insurance for a myriad of reasons and will ask you to sign a waiver should you choose not to be insured. We will give you more detailed information on that after we have begun the planning process.
Responsibility:
1. It is your responsibility to inform me if something does not meet your expectations. The sooner you tell me, the sooner it gets fixed.
2. Occasionally things go wrong. In such a circumstance, I will do my best to make it right as urgently and efficiently as I can. I have gone to great lengths for my clients and always will.
3. You concede that the actions, errors, or faults of other businesses (including travel suppliers), humans (including your travel party), modes of transportation, nature, Force Majeure, pandemics, or acts of God are beyond the realm of my control or liability (whether malicious, irresponsible, or unintentional). We both enter into this Agreement in good faith.
4. Sometimes it may be necessary for a supplier to alter your itinerary due to weather or safety concerns. We will do our best to make sure you are happy with the alteration, but if it is a matter of safety, we will always opt for that.
Travel to specific destinations may involve greater risk than others; we encourage you to stay on top of the latest advisories at http://www.state.gov, http://www.tsa.gov, http://www.dot.gov, http://www.faa.gov, http://www.cdc.gov, and http://www.cbp.gov.
5. It is 100% your responsibility to understand your travel insurance policy benefits, limitations, and restrictions (regardless of whether I recommend and book the policy for you). I will assist you in dealing with the insurance company to the extent that I can do so, but your policy is an agreement between you and the insurance company.
6. Although I will do my absolute best to ensure you are well aware of your trip’s requirements and prepared for such, you understand and agree that the following are the sole responsibility of the traveler(s) once you embark on your journey: possessing valid identification, passports (valid six months after returning from your trip), visas, immunization requirements, documents, vouchers, etc.; understanding travel protection/insurance policies & filing claims; complying with TSA & FAA restrictions as well as relevant laws & ordinances of governing bodies; being where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there; asking questions if you need answers; your happiness and pleasure while traveling.
Not quite sure what valid identification is? Check here, http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/acceptable-ids.
7. While we don’t feel it is our business, and we will not ask, you should know that some countries will refuse you entry if you have a criminal record such as a DWI, and it is your responsibility to review current entry requirements.
Please see http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/faq/inadmissibility/index.asp for more information.
8. If you are traveling with kids, they also need travel documents. In fact, if a minor is traveling with only one parent, they may need an authenticated and verified consent form.
You can get that here, https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-3643
9. Some things you should know about air travel:
we can’t control air schedule changes, we understand your frustration and will do our best to help solve it
airline e-tickets expire a year from issue date unless it says differently
we recommend you check in a minimum of 2 hours before your scheduled departure for domestic flights and three hours prior for international flights
it is your responsibility to reconfirm your flights at least 72-24 hours before the flight
Federal law forbids certain materials from being brought on board; for a list, see here, http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/prohibited-items
Some airports in countries require passenger cabins to be treated with insecticides before flights. If you want to know more, visit http://www.dot.gov/office-policy/aviation-policy/aircraft-disinsection-requirements
10. When you check-in for a cruise, flight, or tour, you may have to agree to additional terms and conditions from the supplier. If you would like Sterling Journeys to check you in for any component of your trip, you are taking full responsibility for agreeing to and complying with the supplier’s terms and conditions at check-in.
11. Client Conduct. You are at all times responsible for your behavior and those traveling in your party. Should the actions of you or your party cause the cancelation of your trip, damage to property, or endangering the lives of others, suppliers reserve the right to remove you from any facility. You understand that Sterling Journeys is not responsible, and you will not receive a refund for your unused portion of the trip. You also agree to pay for any damage that you or your party have brought about. Also, your baggage and personal effects are ALWAYS your responsibility.
General:
Sterling Journeys is located in Broward County, Florida, and therefore the laws of Florida govern this document. Should there be any part of this Agreement that is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, that does not mean the other parts are. Should there be a need to adjudicate this at any time, you agree that it will take place in Broward County, Florida.
If we should need to update these Terms and Conditions, we will let our clients know of the changes. If an agreement has already been signed, then that version will be in effect.
Sterling Journeys is an independent affiliate of Gifted Travel Network, California Seller of Travel 2113317-40, Florida ST39093, Washington #603308394. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.
