 |
Frequently Asked Questions
|
|
 |
|
| |
| Do I need to contact Direct Cruises to confirm my booking? |
|
Most of the time, you don't need to call us. As soon as the booking process is complete, you will be contacted and advised that your booking is firm.
Occasionally, however, an airline may take up to 24 hours to confirm a flight. If this is the case, we'll let you know once the flight has been confirmed by the tour operator. Flight details will be subject to alteration by the tour operator and Direct Cruises have no jurisdiction over flight times.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| When will I receive my written confirmation? |
|
Written confirmation will be sent out in the post with all your holiday details. You will be required to check that these details are correct as rectifying any mistakes may involve a charge. This receipt confirms the costing (as discounts will be illustrated here). However, the Tour Operators own confirmation should accompany this and therefore it can take up to 7 – 10 days before you receive this document.
It is extremely important to check this document carefully and for you to ensure that the details including spelling of names match your passport details and you must inform us immediately of any discrepancies. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Whom am I booked with? |
|
| Cruise bookings made through Direct Cruises are fulfilled by Best At Cruises who at all times act as the agent for the respective tour operator and you will be bound by the relevant tour operators booking conditions. All details can be found on your written confirmation. |
|
|
|
|
|
| What happens with connecting flights booked by me? |
|
| If you have made arrangements independently, neither Direct Cruises c/o Best At Cruises or the Tour Operator can take any responsibility for these arrangements. If you have made independent travel arrangements to and from your booked departure point, then please ensure that plenty of time is allowed for getting to and from the departure/arrival point. If the Tour Operator does make an alteration to your departure details, then they will not be accountable for any independent arrangements you have made. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Full payment of bookings |
|
The full balance will be due approximately 10 – 12 weeks before the departure date of your holiday and therefore "cleared funds" are required at the time of balance.
If you are unable to pay the balance of your holiday within the specified time before your holiday, then your booking will be subject to cancellation and cancellation charges will apply.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| What form of payment do you accept? |
|
Direct Cruises product provider Best at Cruises will accept most major credit/debit cards. Charges will apply to credit cards - 1.5% to 2% may be levied depending on the type of card you use.
Alternatively, you are able to pay by cheque, making cheques payable to Best At Travel Plc.
If you intend to pay your deposit by cheque, then your booking will not be confirmed until we have received the cheque. We are unable to accept cheque payments inside 8 – 10 weeks of departure.
Cash can only be accepted in person at the offices of Direct Cruises c/o Best at Travel. Do NOT send cash through the post. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Do I always have to use the same credit card? |
|
| No, you can use as many different credit cards as you wish. Credit card charges will apply (see credit card charges). If your reservation has been booked with a deposit and any credit card charges have been wavered at this stage during a promotion, the applicable credit card charges will apply to the balance payment in all circumstances |
|
|
|
|
|
| Which are the credit card charges? |
|
Credit Card Charges
2% for American Express
All other CREDIT CARDS 1.5%
Debit Cards & Cheques are free of charge
If your reservation has been booked with a deposit and any credit card charges have been wavered at this stage during a promotion, the applicable credit card charges will apply to the balance payment in all circumstances. |
|
|
|
|
|
| What does SSL mean? |
|
SSL is an acronym for Secure Sockets Layer. SSL protects transmissions over the World Wide Web from spectators by encrypting the data while it gets transmitted over the Internet. SSL works through a certificate that authenticates a certain domain. With this certificate, secure transmissions on the server are "certified" and valid. Both Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer support SSL, and many websites use the protocol to obtain confidential user information, such as credit card numbers. Web pages that require an SSL connection start with ‘https:’ instead of ‘http:’
SSL makes purchasing online more secure than buying at a physical retail store.
When you enter the secure connection to our e-commerce area, you are using SSL encryption. Whatever information you send is encrypted (garbled in a specific way that can be interpreted on the receiving end.) This information is transferred to a server that is not connected to the Net at all so that your personal data, including credit card number, is readable only by our order processing department.
Money Back Guarantee
In the very unlikely case that your credit card is used in a fraudulent way in your online purchase, you are protected by the EU Distance Selling Directive, and the card issuer should reimburse your money. The EU Distance Selling Directive provide that if fraudulent use is made of a consumer's credit, debit or store card for distance selling purposes the consumer is entitled to cancel the payment and to be reimbursed in full by the card-issuer. See full information on the regulation here. http://www.hmso.gov.uk
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Making Special Requests |
|
| Special requests by their nature are treated as a “request” only and cannot be guaranteed. To make a special request, you can fill in our online special request form and we will pass this on to the Tour Operator for their consideration. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Can I change my meal requirements on the ship (i.e. vegetarian, halal, kosher, gluten-free etc)? |
|
| You are able to request a special meal during booking online (on the box provided) or booking by phone with an agent. Please note requests will be sent to the cruise operator, but cannot be guaranteed. In certain instances, in-flight meals are at a supplemental cost and this charge will be passed on to you. Some no-frills airlines do not offer the facility to pre-arrange in-flight meals. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Can I request seats together? |
|
This is a service that some tour operators offer at a charge. These arrangements are subject to availability.
Please note the request will go through to the airline, but in most circumstances it is best to check-in early in order to guarantee your seat choice. |
|
|
|
|
|
| Can I pre-book my seats / cabins? |
|
| This is a service offered by certain tour operators at a charge and is subject to availability. When making these requests, then it would be beneficial to put in order of priority a list of first, second and third choices as your first choice may not always be available to you. |
|
|
|
|
|
| How do I cancel my booking? |
|
In the event that you need to cancel your holiday – for whatever reason, we will need to accept your notice of cancellation in writing, signed by the person who made the booking.
You will need to send this notice by recorded delivery to:
Direct Cruises c/o Best At Cruises, Worldwide House, 10-12 Berners Mews, London W1T 3AP.
We will need to know the date of departure, the lead name of the booking and a reference number to be included upon your letter.
This letter must be signed by the person who made the original booking and should be sent by recorded delivery to the address above.
Once Best At Cruises has received this written and signed notification of the your notice of cancellation, we will then notify the Cruise Operator. They will advise the accurate cancellation charge to be applied to your booking. In addition there will be a £30.00 pp administration charge. These charges will be applied to you.
You will find here a letter that you may wish to complete and sign that you can send to us.
If you have a valid insurance, then you will need to contact your insurance company in order to process any claim that you may wish to make. |
|
|
|
|
|
| What are the cancellation charges? |
|
You will find that cancellation charges will increase the closer to the departure date that the cancellation is made, therefore it is in your interest to cancel as soon as you can in order to minimise these charges, should you need to.
Cancellation charges are determined by the Cruise Operator with whom you are booked as your contract is with this principal. You will normally find a scale of cancellation charges in the cruise operator’s brochure.
There is an addition to this, a £30.00pp administration charge as per the conditions of sale upon the reverse of your confirmation receipt.
Please note the accurate cancellation charge can only be calculated upon receipt of a written cancellation letter and any information given in any other way will be approximate. |
|
|
|
|
| When will I receive my tickets? |
|
| Your tickets are normally despatched to Best At Cruises no later than 7 – 10 days before departure and we will then forward them on to you. Generally speaking you should receive your tickets approximately 2 weeks before your departure date. Please ensure that you check these thoroughly and ensure that the all names match your passport. Any name change charges at this stage will be passed on to you. NB, certain scheduled services will treat a name change as a cancellation and re-book. |
|
|
|
|
| What happens if my tickets are incorrect? |
|
| Please notify us as soon as possible. We will contact the Tour Operator on your behalf and will pass on any related charges |
|
|
|
|
| What is my Baggage allowance? |
|
| Your baggage allowance can vary and is generally (as a guide only) 20Kgs (44lbs) per person. These actual amounts can be identified upon your tickets and can be found in the relevant tour operator’s brochure. |
|
|
|
|
| Does my baggage allowance include hand luggage? |
|
| Your baggage allowance is for items that will be “checked” into the hold of the aircraft. Hand luggage should only consist the necessities. |
|
|
|
|
|
| My question isn't
answered here. What next? |
|
| Please visit our
Contact us page. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
