Key rights under The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 

 

• Passengers will receive all essential information about the package before concluding the package travel contract. 
• There is always at least one trader who is liable for the proper performance of all the travel services included in the contract.
• Travellers are given an emergency telephone number or details of a contact point where they can get in touch with the organiser or the travel agent. 
• Travellers may transfer the package to another person, on reasonable notice and possibly subject to additional costs. 
• The price of the package may only be increased if specific costs rise (for instance, fuel prices) and if expressly provided for in the contract, and in any event not later than 20 days before the start of the package. If the price increase exceeds 8 % of the price of the package, the traveller may terminate the contract. If the organiser reserves the right to a price increase, the traveller has a right to a price reduction if there is a decrease in the relevant costs.
• Travellers may terminate the contract without paying any termination fee and get a full refund of any payments if any of the essential elements of the package, other than the price, are changed significantly. If before the start of the package the trader responsible for the package cancels the package, passengers are entitled to a refund and compensation where appropriate. 
•  Travellers may terminate the contract without paying any termination fee before the start of the package in the event of exceptional circumstances, for instance if there are serious security problems at the destination which are likely to affect the package.
• Additionally, travellers may at any time before the start of the package terminate the contract in return for an appropriate and justifiable termination fee.
• If, after the start of the package, significant elements of the package cannot be provided as agreed, suitable alternative arrangements will have to be offered to the traveller at no extra cost. Travellers may terminate the contract without paying any termination fee, where services are not performed in accordance with the contract and this substantially affects the performance of the package and the organiser fails to remedy the problem.
• Travellers are also entitled to a price reduction and/or compensation for damages where the travel services are not performed or are improperly performed.
• The organiser has to provide assistance if the passenger is in difficulty.  
•  If the organiser or the retailer becomes insolvent, payments will be refunded. If the organiser or, where applicable, the retailer becomes insolvent after the start of the package and if transport is 
  included in the package, repatriation of the travellers is secured. MSC Cruises has taken out an appropriate insolvency protection that passengers may contact directly. In case that services are denied because of organiser’s insolvency, the competent authority can be contacted.  CAA ATOL +44 (0) 333 103 6350 Canary Wharf, London E14 4HD claims@caa.co.uk  
   
  
  

For further details about health formalities, passport and visa requirements please consult https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office

 

The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2018/9780111168479/contents

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THE MSC CRUISES PRE-CONTRACTUAL INFORMATION DUE TO COVID 19 EMERGENCY FOR CRUISES SAILING 24th JANUARY 2021 AND/OR ANY LATER DATE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. 

Due to Covid 19 emergency, travellers are asked to carefully read, acknowledge and accept the following measures that will be in force during the cruise, starting from the departure until disembarkation:  

 

At embarkation  

- Travellers are invited to wear a mask and bring with them a sanitizing gel on their way from home to the ship.  
-  Each Traveller named in the Booking will receive with the ticket an health questionnaire to be filled in, signed and given to the medical staff at the berth not earlier that 6 hours before embarkation.  
- Depending on the evolutions of the MSC Cruises’ Health & Safety Protocol as well as the guidelines from national and international Health Authorities, Travellers may be required to undergo a COVID-19 test before embarkation. Conditions about the relevant timing and type of test vary according to itinerary and international mobility restrictions.  Proof of tests results will be required at embarkation. Should the test result be positive, Traveller will be denied embarkation and will be provided with shore assistance. Any relevant further details shall be timely communicated by the Company through its usual communication channels.  
-  Travellers are required to arrive on the pier according to the time schedules indicated in the cruise ticket to reduce the risks of mass gatherings.    
-  Before boarding the ship and at each time of embarkation after a shore excursion, Passengers will undergo a temperature screening. In case of temperature equal or above 37.5 degrees/99.5 F°, boarding will be denied on the grounds of safety.  
- Should the medical staff deem it appropriate, Travellers may be subject to further testing and medical evaluation until cleared for boarding. 

 

 

During the cruise 

-   Travellers shall be subject to daily temperature checks and/or any other health and safety measures as deemed appropriate by the Company, the ship’s doctor or the Master.  
-  Free medical assessments for any COVID-19 related symptoms will be available throughout the cruise.  
-   Travellers shall abide by the measures prescribed by the Company to implement social distancing between travellers - as well as between travellers and crew- in all public spaces in accordance to the guidelines given by the Authorities.   
- In addition to maintaining social distancing, unless otherwise stated in onboard signage, Travellers shall be required to always wear face masks in the indoor public areas, except when seated in bars and restaurants. When outdoor, face mask is mandatory only when a safe distance cannot be maintained, unless onboard signage states differently. 
-  All entertainment activities shall be organized according to specific protocols to be followed on board, including but not limited to, cleaning and disinfection of the materials, limiting number of participants, social distancing, wearing of face mask.  
- Onboard services may be subject to changes based on local regulations or other restrictions adopted or referred to the COVID-19 situation. 
-  With the aim to protect traveller’s health, reduce its risk of infection while ashore and make sure that every aspect of the traveller’s experience during an excursion is fully in line with the on-board standards of health and hygiene, getting off the ship during a port call is permitted only in a context of a Shore Excursion organised by MSC Cruises.   The Company reserves the right not to admit on board any Traveller who disembarked the ship on its own.  

Insurance coverage

- Each  Traveller is required to have in place an insurance policy covering, from the time the Holiday Package has been confirmed to the end of the Holiday Package, Covid 19 related risks such as related risks, such as cancellation, interruption, repatriation expenses, quarantine, medical assistance and related expenses, as well as hospitalisation.  

Travellers will be asked, at embarkation, to provide evidence of their insurance policy in order to verify the details of the insurer, the insured amounts and full details of the COVID-19 insurance coverage.  Travellers failing to provide this documentation will be denied boarding.