General booking conditions of Internationale Frachtschiffreisen Pfeiffer GmbH
1. Travel agency
The booking is made through Internationale Frachtschiffreisen Pfeiffer GmbH as an agent of the freighter voyages. We are commissioned by the shipping companies to offer the voyages and to handle the entire process on behalf of the shipping companies. Internationale Frachtschiffreisen Pfeiffer GmbH is not the tour operator, but a travel agent for the customer. The respective conditions of carriage of the shipping company apply.
2. Doctor, medical certificate, age
There are no doctors on board of cargo ships. Good health and unrestricted ability to walk are required for each passenger. Certain disabilities completely forbid passengers to travel on a cargo ship. Persons aged 65 years and older are required to submit a medical certificate prior to travel. On some trips all passengers need a medical certificate. You will get the forms from us. Depending on the shipping company different age limits may arise.
3. Liability
“Internationale Frachtschiffreisen Pfeiffer GmbH” acts as an intermediary agent to the shipping companies and travelers and assumes no liability for the provision of transport services. For damages resulting from actions and omissions of the carrier etc. as well as of the passengers the conditions of carriage of the shipping companies apply.
4. Schedules and dates
Cargo ships are intended for the transport of cargo. You should have a sufficient margin in your vacation planning schedule, since route and time changes are always possible. There is no guarantee to touch at certain ports. Shipping companies explicitly reserve the right to change routes and omit certain ports. In rare cases the port of embarkation or port of disembarkation can change. The specified travel times listed correspond to the experiences of the past years and are non-binding. Claims due to schedule changes, etc. do not exist, unless stipulated in the conditions of carriage of the respective shipping company.
5. Berths and shore leave
Berthing times vary and depend solely on the requirements of the cargo. Always coordinate with the ship management before going ashore, as cargo ships will leave the port even if you have not yet returned.
6. Passport, visa and health regulations
A valid passport is required for all freighter travel. Compliance with the vaccination, passport, customs and foreign exchange regulations is the passenger´s responsibility. We will provide more information on request.
7. Prices/terms of payment
Alle Preise gelten pro Person und entsprechen dem Stand der Drucklegung. All passage rates include transport, the cabin space and full catering. The travel to or from the ports is not included. Upon receipt of your travel registration you will receive from us a booking confirmation with all the details. As soon as the booking is confirmed by us, the corresponding deposit, generally 25% of the travel price, is due. The remaining amount is due at the time set by the shipping company, usually 4 weeks prior to departure.
8. Flat charge
For expenses resulting from telephone, satellite telephone, fax, mail, etc. for security registration, interim messages, call for embarkation, etc. we charge a booking fee of 50,- € per person. It is due at receipt of the travel registration.
9. Cancellation, rebooking
For all journeys cancellation fees are payable if the journey is canceled by you, even if through no fault of your own. The conditions of carriage of the shipping companies apply. Schedule changes, arrivals ahead of schedule or behind schedule do usually not entitle the traveler to a cancellation. In addition to the claims of the carrier Internationale Frachtschiffreisen Pfeiffer GmbH collects a flat cancellation fee of 50,- € per person for the expenses incurred. Cancellation fees are due immediately. The same applies if we rebook upon your request. We should point out that the shipping companies, in accordance with their conditions of carriage, are entitled to rebook you onto a different, comparable ship. In the event that the shipping company is unable to offer a similar trip we will try to rebook. Should the voyage be completely canceled by the shipping company, there is only a claim for reimbursement of the payments made. There is no entitlement to further compensation.
10. Insurances
The contracting of a medical travel insurance and the existence of a general liability insurance are required by all shipping companies. Travel cancellation expenses insurance and baggage insurance are recommended. We contract a “deviation insurance” for all travellers which covers the cost that arise for the shipping company when the ship is forced off course, for example to stop at the nearest port in case of illness or an accident of the passenger.
11. Privacy Protection
We collect and store those personal data that are necessary for the processing of the booking or the processing of which is required to fulfil a legal obligation.
Disclosure to third parties will only be done if necessary for the booking (Forwarding to shipping companies) or compliance with ISPS rules in the seaports. Beyond this, personal data will not be passed on to third parties.
You can get additional information in our Privacy Policy at frachtschiffreisen-pfeiffer.de or on request.
12. Miscellaneous
Oral agreements shall only be effective if they are confirmed in writing. Information is given to the best of our knowledge and is without guarantee. German law applies and Wuppertal or the place of the head office of the shipping company is the place of performance and jurisdiction.
13. Invalidity of individual provisions
If for some reason one of the provisions of this contract should be invalid or inapplicable, all other provisions remain in effect.
(Status: November 2023)