1. Transportation Inside Your Destination TourTop
• All intra-China or Asia tour flights are included in your itinerary
• Private bus travel, private transportation from airports to hotels and domestic transportation in your destinations are included
• “Land Only” tours do not include transportation to your hotel from the international airport.
2. AccommodationsTop
• Included in your travel package are hotel and cruise (if applicable) accommodations
• These are included as per person, double occupancy – two people sharing one room – with two twin beds
• If you want to have triple occupancy the rate will be the same and will consist of two twin beds and one cot. Rooms in your destination’s hotels may not be as large as those in America, so you could be in tight quarters with this room arrangement
• If you want a room to yourself, you must pay an additional “Single Occupancy” rate
3. Meals Top
• Your daily meals are included
• Meal codes consist of B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner and IM=In-flight meal
• American buffet style breakfast is usually served at your hotel
• Lunch and dinner usually consist of Chinese “family style” meals with a set menu and one included beverage per person
• Occasionally, lunch and dinner will consist of American fare for variety and familiarity
4. International Air Transportation Top
• Round trip airfare from either San Francisco (SFO) or New York (JFK) per your itinerary and departure date.
• Add-on travel from your home city to one of these airports is available but not included in your tour package.
• Airfare is not included in “Land Only” tours.
5. Escort/Guide Services Top
• When you travel with 10 or more people, your tour includes a professional tour director, or national guide, throughout mainland China or your other destination
• You will also have the assistance of local guides at each stop on your itinerary
• The China Golden Triangle tour is locally hosted with a local guide at each destination; no national guide will be provided
6. Sightseeing and Admission FeesTop
• Your tour includes all comprehensive sightseeing, Yangtze cruise (if applicable) and shore excursions (where applicable)
• It also includes Cultural adventures (where applicable) and evening shows’ entrance and admission fees
• Arranging these programs is by your local tour operator and is based on such factors as weather, traffic, holidays, etc.
7. PorterageTop
• Handling fees for luggage are included in your tour arrangements
8. WHAT YOUR TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:Top
• US, China and other international destination air taxes and government fees
• China and other destination visa processing fee
• Airfare between your home airport and SFO or JFK airports
• Tips for tour directors, local guides, drivers and porters
• Personal expenses such as laundry service, room service, phone bills, excess baggage charges, optional tours and insurance premiums
• Any items not specifically listed in the tour package are also not included
9. Charges for ChildrenTop
• Children from age 2 to 12 pay the children’s rate
• Children under 2 are considered lap children and will have no seat on airline flights or beds at hotels
• Children aged 12 and older will be charged adult fares
10. Fuel SurchargesTop
• Because of the increasingly escalating cost of fuel, sometimes we receive fuel surcharges from the airlines with which we fly
• All fuel surcharges are not included in your tour package and you are responsible for paying for them
• Although we hate to ask for them, we must collect them from you from each carrier who adds them to the price of its fare. We cannot be responsible for them yet will attempt to notify you in advance in case such surcharges exist
• Fuel surcharges are subject to change without notice
• This applies to all departure dates from the USA after the charge is announced and all payments, even those paid in full
• In addition, this surcharge fee may apply to air taxes and government fees in the cities of your destination tour
11. Passenger InformationTop
• You must provide your FULL passport names as indicated on your passports to Joy Holiday as they appear exactly. We require only your passport name; anyone not providing his/her exact passport name will be denied boarding and will take all responsibility for this occurrence
• Double check with Joy Holiday that your passport names are listed correctly when you book travel with us by phone or online. Your correct passport names MUST be used in the first place as they will be used in the airline booking system then and there. Any name change occurring later on in the booking process will nullify your existing reservations and you will have to pay penalties
• Joy Holiday will not be responsible for checking passport names you provide when making your reservation, sending in your copies of passports or at any other time. You MUST submit the correct passport name; this is your responsibility
• Once you receive your tour invoice, check your names again to ensure they match your passport names
• When you receive your airline tickets and travel information, again check to ensure your correct passport names exist on them. Also check flight segments, travel dates, etc. and notify Joy Holiday immediately with any discrepancies. This is your responsibility, so take it seriously
12. BaggageTop
• You should carry baggage insurance as Joy Holiday is not responsible for it
• We cannot accept liability for any loss, damage, breakage, theft or other mishap you might incur with it
• Baggage requirements differ for your international flight and flights in China
• Baggage for transpacific flights is two pieces of checked luggage per person.
* The dimensions (L x W x H) of the two together cannot exceed 107 inches (273 cm)
* Minimum dimensions of one piece of luggage cannot exceed 62 inches (158 cm)
* The weight of each bag may not exceed 50 lbs.
* You may carry on one bag whose dimensions do not exceed 45 inches (115 cm)
﹡ For Bus Tours
For the purposes of safety and comfort, we recommend you that do not carry too much baggage. Too much baggage will occupy the passenger’s room and cause the danger of driving. We recommend: 1 backpack for 1 Day Tour; 1 carry-on for 2/3 Days Tour; 2 carry-on for 4/5 Days Tour; 1 large baggage for 6/7 Days Tour; 1 large baggage and 1 carry-on for 8 Days Tour or more. The principal carry-on is 21 inches; the principal large baggage is 29 inches.
13. On Chinese domestic flightsTop
o Strict rules apply that limit your baggage allowed
o You may take one piece of luggage that weighs 44 pound or less per person as well as a carry-on bag which weighs 11 pounds or less and fits under your seat or in the overhead bin
o Please pack as lightly as possible to accommodate these regulations
14. ShoppingTop
• Because China is reputed to be a shopper’s paradise, you can expect to make purchases.
• Joy Holiday is never responsible for any purchases made, whether or not that purchase is made at a scheduled vendor
15. Health and Medical IssuesTop
• Since our tours are often rigorous at times, you should be able to keep up with these rigors
• Please check with your personal physician to make sure s/he clears you for travel
• Most travelers get Hepatitis A and B and Tetanus vaccines
• Some of these shots need to be taken well in advance of your travel
• Please check with your personal physician as to what shots s/he recommends; Joy Holiday is not responsible for your taking immunizations or not
• For the latest information regarding oversea travel and health precautions, please read the Center for Disease Control (CDC) on its website or phone 1.888.232.3228
16. Gratuities Top
• You should tip your American tour guide, national tour guide, local tour guide, driver, porters and wait staff
• This amount is not included in the fare
• Tipping is of course optional, based on the service you receive
• A guide to tipping will be sent to you along with your itinerary
17. THE LEGALITIES: Methods of PaymentsTop
• Joy Holiday accepts all major credit cards (VISA, Master Card, American Express and Discover), personal checks, bank checks, money orders and electronic bank transfers as payment forms.
• Third-party checks, however, are unacceptable
• Checks and money orders should be made payable to “Joy Holiday”
• If you join us from outside the USA, you must pay by electronic bank wire, bank check or international money order in US dollars
18. DepositTop
• A non-refundable fee of $200 US dollars is required per person to secure your reservation on any holiday we offer
• Your reservation will not be confirmed until your payment has cleared
• For trips departing in 50 days or less, full payment is required
19. Final Payment Top
• Final payment is due 50 days prior to departure
• To get an early booking discount, or cash discount rate, pay by personal check, certified check or money order in the cash discount amount listed on your invoice by the payment due date, received in our office by that date
• To pay your balance by credit card, use the credit card authorization form, sign it and mail or fax it to us. This authorizes us to charge the amount shown on your invoice
• Check or money order payments must clear our bank by payment due date
• Your reservation can be canceled if we do not receive the final payment by its due date
• Should the above happen, you will lose your deposit
• USA and China air taxes and fees and other applicable charges (e.g. Visa Handling Fee, USA domestic add-on airfare) are not part of the tour price and will be billed as a separate item on your invoice
20. Payment for “Land Only” PackagesTop
• Travelers purchasing “land only” packages and pay by credit card must provide a clear copy of their credit card, both front and back sides, and a copy of the passport for each traveler.
• Send the documents as a scanned attachment to ______________________ or fax it to ____________________________; _______________________ outside the USA
21. All-Inclusive TourTop
• This refers to a holiday to your destination that includes international air transportation, hotel accommodations, sightseeing tours and most meals, as opposed to what is included in a “land only” holiday
22. US Add-On FlightsTop
• Add-on flights from an airport convenient to you to JFK or SFO is an optional service we offer to help you get to your final destination
• We start from SFO or JFK, for Air China offers non-stop flights to Beijing from these airports
• Add-on fare is not considered part of the tour nor is included in its price
• Add-on fares are subject to confirmation and availability on the airline providing the service
• Because such add-on fares are complex, Joy Holiday cannot guarantee changes in their flight schedule, route, air fare or the availability and confirmation of the flight
• If you use an add-on airline, please reserve your seats as soon as you get your tickets to ensure your guarantee of a seat
• You should purchase travel insurance to ensure against flight cancellations, changes and delays that may jeopardize your trip with Joy Holiday
• We cannot be held responsible for any delayed or missed connections whether or not we book the add-on flight
23. Tour Fare ValidityTop
• Tour fares are based on the value of the US Dollar and RMB (Yuan) exchange rate as of October 1, 2008, when one US dollar equaled 6.8 Chinese Yuan
• Fares are subject to change per the exchange rate
• When the US dollar devalues by 10% or increases by the same amount, Joy Holiday reserves the right to adjust prices accordingly
This applies to all tours, even those that have been paid in full already
24. Cancellation and Refund PoliciesTop
• You must notify us of any cancellation in writing
• Cancelling by phone is not allowed
• All cancellation refunds will be calculated from the day we receive the cancellation letter
• If you cannot go on the trip or part of the trip for any reason whatsoever, understand that any and all unused portion(s) of the trip are non-refundable and non-exchangeable
• If your cancellation cause a room configuration and leave another traveler without a roommate who then incurs a single person room supplemental charge, we will deduct the amount of that charge from your refund in addition to any other charges that may apply
• Should you outside of 50 days, the roommate will be charged the single room supplemental charge
• You must return all air tickets and all other travel documents to our office before we can affirm your cancellation with your insurance company, should you have one
• You are only allowed a refund after you write to us and return all travel documents and tickets
• Your cancellation policy is penalized according to how many days in advance that we receive your cancellation letter and materials
o 50 days or more $200/person
o 49-31 days $400/person
o 30-15 days 50% tour cost/person
o 14 days or less 100% tour cost/person
• Visa fees to wherever your destination was are not refundable and you will incur additional charges if the visa was processed
• No matter what the reason for cancellation, this policy remains in effect
• Please purchase travel insurance to protect this investment
25. Itinerary ChangesTop
• Because unforeseen circumstances may cause changes to your itinerary, the day-to-day rundown provided on our website is provisional and subject to change. However, we do our best to keep the trip as planned.
• We will attempt to provide you with a final itinerary 14 days prior to your departure date
• If a hotel or cruise ship becomes unavailable, you will receive substitutions of equal or higher value
• No refunds will be given in case venues change
• Local tours depend upon local tour operators, determined by factors such as weather, traffic and holidays
26. Yangtze River CruiseTop
• This is subject to be changed or altered per various factors such as water levels, port accessibility, weather and the ability to navigate, among others
27. Travel DocumentationTop
• Traveling to mainland China requires a valid passport and visa you obtain prior to entering the country. Please see our section on Passports and Visas
28. Group SizeTop
• We must have at least 10 people registered for each tour to guarantee a departure
• If we must cancel a departure, you may either reschedule your trip or receive a full refund of all fees paid to us
29. DocumentsTop
• You will receive all your final documents, including air tickets, hotel lists, final tour itinerary, clothing suggestions, luggage tags and a suggested reading list, at least 2 weeks before your departure
30. Travel InsuranceTop
• We cannot stress enough that you should purchase some sort of travel insurance in case you have to cancel, something happens to you or your luggage on the trip, etc.
31. California Seller of TravelTop
• Joy Holiday is a registered Seller of Travel in California.
• Our registration number is ________________________.
• California law requires certain sellers to have a trust account; Joy Travel has one
• Joy Holiday does not participate in the California Travel Customer Restitution Fund
32. Legal ResponsibilityTop
• Joy Holiday acts solely as an independent contractor acting on the behalf of neither you (herein referred to as “You”) nor the travel suppliers
• Joy Holiday sells and organizes tour packages as a tour operator consisting of certain services such as airfare, surface travel, water transportation, hotel/cruise accommodations, sightseeing trips and other things we purchase or reserve from other suppliers (herein referred to as “Suppliers”)
• Joy Holiday does not own or operate any of the Suppliers
• The Suppliers are all independent contractors and are not affiliated in any way with Joy Holiday. Therefore, Joy Holiday cannot be held liable for any negligent or willful act by a Supplier
• The passage contracts used by Suppliers used in your tour package, once issued, shall construe the sole agreements between you and the third party Suppliers, and are subject to the terms and agreements of each Supplier
• The cruise contract is one between you and the Supplier and is thus subject to the terms and agreements between you and the cruise line Supplier. Joy Holiday assumes no responsibility for cruise changes in itinerary or accommodations imposed by the cruise line or the local tour operator
• By using the Suppliers, you agree to review with such Suppliers any discrepancies, disputes, accidents, personal property loss or personal loss incurred by you or anyone with whom you travel. No one involved with Joy Holiday, nor Joy Holiday itself, shall be liable
• Joy Holiday shall not be in any way liable for any inconvenience, accidents, loss, personal injury or property damage to you or to those traveling with you in course of the trip resulting directly or indirectly from any occurrences or conditions including but not limited to delays, cancellations, change of schedule, overbooking or downgrading of accommodations, mechanical or construction breakdown, default of any third parties, criminal or terrorist activities, acts of governmental authority, social or labor unrest, hygiene, disease, customs regulations, weather conditions, Acts of God, or any other actions, omissions or conditions beyond the control of Joy Holiday
• Joy Holiday shall not be held liable for any potential risks or hazards associated with travel abroad. You must be aware that living conditions, water quality, hygiene, medical treatments, electricity and accommodations will differ from those in the United States and are hereby warned they might not be similar in standards to that with which you are used. In going on a Joy Holiday excursion, you hereby agree to voluntarily assume all risks associated with such travel, whether expected or not or directly or indirectly caused by this travel
• Joy Holiday can change the departure date, cancel tours, alter itineraries, substitute hotel/cruise accommodations, land travel operators and any other aspect related to the convenience of operating a tour. Should cancellation, alteration or substitution of such services occur due to the operation of the Suppliers, delays, weather, act of government authority or other causes of whatever nature beyond the control of Joy Holiday, comparable services would be offered; and, there shall be no refund or penalties in this connection. Joy Holiday reserves the right to decline to accept, or retain any person as tour member if such person's physical or mental conditions, in our opinion, impede the operation of the tour. Joy Holiday also reserves the right to cancel the tour prior to departure for any reason. Liability for such cancellation is limited to full refund of money received by Joy Holiday. Doing so will constitute full settlement with the tour member.
• Airlines, cruise lines, rail, motor coach and other transportation carriers concerned shall not be liable for any act, omission or event during the time the passengers are not on board their planes, cruise ship or conveyances. All transportation carriers herein mentioned shall have or incur no responsibility for liability to any traveler aside from their liability as common carriers.
• Hotel and cruise ship profiles are based upon information provided to Joy Holiday by hotels and cruise ships, or their representatives, including images and descriptions of individual properties. Star-ratings may differ from country to country. Although Joy Holiday does its best to maintain current information, it is not responsible for any inaccuracies, changes in features or amenities, or images provided by third parties.
• Payment of the required deposit constitutes consent to all provisions of the conditions and general information contained herein for all travelers covered by the payment. The General Conditions under which you agree to utilize the services of Joy Holiday in arranging the tours may not be amended in any way except in writing signed by an authorized officer of Joy Holiday
• Joy Holiday reserves the right to modify these Terms and Conditions as it sees fit at any time. Your continued use of our services will depend upon the Terms and Conditions in effect at the time of your trip
• Joy Holiday attempts to ensure accuracy on its websites and in its brochures; however, it cannot be held responsible for any errors or other discrepancies in the media provided
33. Limitation of LiabilityTop
• By choosing one of our holidays, you acknowledge that Joy Holiday has no liability for any consequential, physical or emotional damage incurred on your trip. The sole extent of liability shall never exceed the amount of fees paid to Joy Holiday by you
34. Claims and JurisdictionTop
• You must file any and all claims against tour operators within 30 days of the completion of your holiday in writing
• By using the services of Joy Holiday, you agree that the venue for dispute of claims, actions against, or proceeding against Joy Holiday due to anything in these terms and conditions shall be California. Therefore, claims and actions are determined according to the laws and regulations of the State of California.
