Europe Express Terms and Conditions

EEFC, Inc. is an independent company licensed to market and distribute travel products under the “EUROPE EXPRESS” brand name (“Europe Express” or the “Company”). These terms and conditions (the “Terms and Conditions”), as may be amended from time to time, apply to all our services directly or indirectly (through distributors or travel agents) made available online, through any mobile device, by email, or by telephone. By accessing, browsing, and using our website or any of our applications through whatever platform and/or by completing a reservation, you acknowledge and agree to have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions set out below. Please ensure that you read carefully and understand these Terms and Conditions prior to booking. These Terms and Conditions are subject to change and you are advised to check this website or to request the latest version of the Terms and Conditions from EUROPE EXPRESS prior to booking your vacation.

Reservations:
Europe Express requires payment via a valid credit card to confirm a booking along with the full passport name, date of birth, and gender for each passenger. Prior to deposit payment being received, no space is held and prices are subject to change. Beginning at 45 days prior to departure, the ability to add or change certain services on a booking is restricted, depending on service type. All services are non-refundable and non-changeable fourteen days prior to departure.

Payments:
To confirm a booking 75 days or more prior to departure, a non-refundable planning fee of $250 per person plus additional costs for air, rail, insurance, custom services and prepaid items will be charged to the credit card provided. Bookings departing within 75 days require full payment at time of booking. If the total value of a booking is under $250 per person, to confirm the booking, the full value will be collected and the booking is non-refundable. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure all arrangements are booked as requested and that the reservation contains no errors, including passenger names, birth dates and other personal information. Any traveler information provided in writing shall supersede any such information provided to Europe Express verbally and Europe Express accepts no responsibility for discrepancies between verbal traveler information and written traveler information. After initial payment has been made, Europe Express considers all information contained on the reservation to be accurate. Payment to Europe Express constitutes acceptance of all the Terms and Conditions.

Final payment is required 75 days prior to departure and will automatically be charged to the credit card submitted. The collected non-refundable planning fee(s) will be applied to reduce the total price of the booking. Payment is not deemed made until it is received by Europe Express. A confirmation notice will be emailed automatically upon processing the payment to the travel advisor. Please ensure this document is reviewed and contact Europe Express immediately if it appears to be incorrect or incomplete. If Europe Express is unable to charge the required payment to the credit card provided, Europe Express will contact the travel advisor to secure a new form of payment, if we do not receive full payment within 5 business days, the reservation will cancel and we reserve the right to retain any monies received with respect to the reservation.

Prices:
Europe Express reserves the right to adjust prices without notice according to exchange rate fluctuations, airline surcharges or any increase in vendor rates prior to payment in full. The following are not included in the vacation price: passports; visas and vaccinations; tips to your tour director, host, driver, local guides, and/or ships’ crew; port taxes; gratuities; laundry; telephone; mini-bar; alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted Europe Express menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant (these extra items will be billed before leaving the hotel or restaurant); optional excursions; seat assignments on airplanes or rail; airport transfers on non-qualifying flights; porterage at airports and train stations; travel insurance premiums; carrier baggage fees; and all other items of a personal nature.

Confirmation of Services:
Confirmation of services begins when the initial payment is received. At this time, the booking status is active and all Terms and Conditions are deemed accepted. A confirmation statement is emailed to the travel advisor with the details of the passengers and services on the booking.

Air Tickets are issued and ticketed immediately when initial payment is received. Once ticketed, changes to passenger names, departure or return dates, itineraries, and class of service will incur additional fees (from Europe Express and the airline) or may require new tickets to be purchased. These fees or new tickets are at the expense of the customer and will be collected prior to making any changes.

Hotel confirmations may take 24 hours to receive a response. If the requested hotel cannot be confirmed, a comparable (in price and standard) alternate hotel will be confirmed. At this time, the travel advisor will be notified via email (on file) and telephone with the alternate hotel details. Please review these details immediately, we allow 24 hours from time of notification to cancel or change the booking without penalty. Cancellations or changes after this point will incur standard penalties as outlined below.

Timing of confirmation of all other services (sightseeing, transfers, rail, car rental, etc.) varies. In the event one of these services is not available, or the price has changed, the travel advisor will be notified and presented with alternatives. Cancellation fees still apply.

Service Change Fees:
Changes or cancellation of services in a booking made 75 days prior to departure are subject to a $50 per person fee plus any supplier fees. This fee is waived if the change is to purchase additional services for the booking. Airline, hotel, rail, and car rental penalties may apply and may be up to 100% of the full price. Any revisions to a booking may result in the loss of a confirmed airline reservation or an increased airfare which will be payable by the passenger. No changes are permitted 14 days prior to travel.

Cancellation Fees:
Cancellations by Europe Express due to a Force Majeure Event (as defined below) and any cancellations 15 days or more prior to departure are refundable less the $250 per person non-refundable planning fee plus all non-refundable supplier cancellation fees. Supplier cancellation fees may include but are not limited to airline, hotel, insurance, theatre tickets, entrance tickets, rail, car rental and custom services. Cancellation of these items may be up to 100% of the full price. Escorted tours are non-refundable once paid in full. Except for cancellations by Europe Express due to a Force Majeure Event, all bookings and services on bookings within 14 days of departure are non-refundable.

Air Arrangements:
Europe Express is not responsible if an airline cancels, reschedules, or delays a flight for any reason. It is the responsibility of the passenger to work with the airline on which ticketed to reach the destination. Europe Express is not responsible for any additional expenses that may be incurred. Europe Express is not responsible for and will not provide any refund for portions of trips missed due to canceled, rescheduled, or delayed flights. Europe Express is not responsible for and will not pay any fees related to incorrect passenger names being provided at the time of booking. Air routings are subject to availability, routings are not guaranteed and are subject to change at any time.

If an airline schedule change occurs and Europe Express is notified by the airline in advance, Europe Express will notify the travel advisor via email of the itinerary change and best possible new routing. Europe Express will provide 72 hours to accept this change or request a modification. Lack of response within this time frame constitutes acceptance of the new itinerary and the new airline tickets will be issued. Airline schedule changes in flight number or flight times 60 minutes or less will automatically be accepted by Europe Express and no modification to the air tickets will be offered.

Europe Express may request ancillary services (seat assignments, wheel chair assistance, special meals, frequent flyer account data, TIN information), however confirmation of these services is not guaranteed. Europe Express is not responsible for any additional expense that may be incurred confirming these services. Europe Express is not responsible for any customer service issues that may arise from these services.

If you make your own flight arrangements, Europe Express will not be responsible for any loss resulting from cancellation or changes in international gateways or travel dates and we therefore recommend that you do not purchase airline tickets with high penalty charges for changes.

Under the Secure Flight Program enacted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires airlines to collect passenger information for the purposes of watch list matching. TSA may share this information with law enforcement or intelligence agencies or others under its published system of records notice. At time of booking air, Europe Express will require the information to pass to the airline(s) for the Secure Flight Program. The information includes full name, date of birth, gender, redress number (if available), passport number, passport expiration, nationality and place of birth.

Certain destination countries may require aircraft cabin insecticide treatment. For information regarding these requirements, please refer to the Department of Transportation website (https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/spray).

Travel Insurance:
Europe Express recommends all travelers purchase travel insurance when travelling internationally. Travel insurance pricing and coverages vary by provider. Benefits may include trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical/dental coverage, emergency transportation coverage, travel delay coverage, and/or baggage delay or loss coverage.

Travel Documents:
Passenger Travel Documents, including airline tickets and itineraries, are sent by electronic mail when possible. Paper documents may be necessary in which case the documents will be sent by priority mail. The passenger may request paper or expedited documents in which case delivery charges will apply.

Participation:
Europe Express reserves the right to accept or reject any vacation participant for any reason and to remove any participant whose conduct is deemed unacceptable to Europe Express. We will not refund nor cover any cost or expenses the passenger incurs if we have to terminate vacation arrangements due to unacceptable behavior.

Children:
Children age 10 or over are charged the full adult rate and must travel with an adult.

Travelers Who Need Special Assistance On Tours:
You must report any disability requiring special attention to Europe Express at the time the reservation is made. Europe Express will make reasonable attempts to accommodate the special needs of disabled travelers, but is not responsible in the event it is unable to do so nor is it responsible for any denial of services by air carriers, hotels, restaurants, or other independent suppliers. The Americans with Disabilities Act is only applicable within the United States and facilities for disabled individuals are limited outside its borders. Most transportation services are not equipped with wheelchair ramps. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to a vacation participant for walking, dining, getting on and off motor coaches and other vehicles, or other personal needs. A qualified and physically able companion must accompany travelers who need such assistance and must assume full responsibility for their wellbeing. The passenger assumes the full risk of use and of any prohibitions imposed by vendors.

Hotels:
The accommodations listed or displayed on this website are intended to be used for your trip; however, if a change becomes necessary for any reason the accommodations substituted will be reasonably equivalent to those shown. Hotel classifications are based on Europe Express assessment and may not reflect opinions of other sources. Space is subject to availability and rooms are assigned on a “run-of-the-house” basis by hotel management upon check in. Single rooms are usually smaller in size than twin-bedded room or double-bedded rooms and have one small bed. Triple-bedded rooms usually include a standard twin or double bed plus a rollaway or sofa bed. Any service issues affecting the quality of a guest’s hotel stay must be addressed directly with hotel management. For example, while a hotel normally may offer a particular feature such as air conditioning, Europe Express cannot guarantee that the service will be in operation at any given time and cannot be held responsible for any such lack of operation at the time of stay. Please note that accommodation check-in times vary worldwide.

Visas & Passports:
Passengers are responsible for obtaining and paying for all visas and entry documents, for meeting all health and other requirements, and for any documents required by the laws, regulations, orders, and/or requirements of the countries you will visit. Non-U.S. citizens must consult with appropriate consulates to determine if any visas are needed and are responsible for obtaining all visas and entry documents independently. Europe Express is not responsible for providing specific visa and passport information or documentation and Europe Express cannot accept liability for any passenger refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure of the passenger to carry correct documentation. All passengers traveling internationally are required to have a passport. Most countries require that the passport be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the conclusion of your trip. It is recommended to have a minimum of three blank pages in the passport when traveling, as many countries require blank pages. Multiple-entry visas are required for some vacations. Europe Express is not responsible to obtain or verify visa and passport requirements of the traveler(s).

Baggage Allowance:
Size and weight limitations for carry-on and checked baggage vary from airline to airline and even according to destination. Some airlines charge fees for checked baggage which are not included in the vacation package. Please check with the airline directly for baggage information and regulations. Regulations within most airports require that travelers handle their own luggage through customs. No responsibility is accepted for loss of or damage to baggage or any of the traveler’s belongings throughout the duration of the vacation.

Service Issues:
Notice of service problems that could not be resolved with the hotel or other supplier during the trip must be forwarded to Europe Express within 30 days from completion of the trip. All unused documents should be returned with the request for review. Please allow 4-6 weeks for resolution of service issues.

Accuracy of Information:
(A) The information contained on our website is correct to the best of our belief, but we accept no liability for any inaccuracies contained therein; (B) Any information or advice provided by us on matters such as permits, visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, baggage, special equipment, etc. is given in good faith but without responsibility on our part.

Travel Advisories and Warnings:
For information regarding possible dangers at international destinations, contact the Travel Advisory Section of the US State Department, (202) 647-5225, Travel Advisory Section. For medical information, contact the Center for Disease Control, (404) 332-4559, cdc.gov/travel.

Limitation of Liability:
Europe Express is an independent company licensed to market and distribute travel products under the “Europe Express” brand name, and purchases transportation, hotel accommodations, and other services from various independent suppliers that are not subject to its control. These suppliers are independent contractors and acts of independent contractors are not acts of Europe Express. All certificates and other travel documents for services issued by Europe Express are subject to the applicable supplier’s terms and conditions, which are available upon request, and to the laws of the countries in which the services are supplied. Moreover, the airlines concerned are not responsible for any act, omission, or event, at any time passengers are not on board their planes or conveyance. The passage contract in use by the airlines concerned, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between the airlines and purchaser of these tours and/or passenger.

Neither Europe Express, its affiliates, owners, officers, agents, employees, contractors, nor any associate organization shall be held liable for any act, default, injury (including emotional injury, injury to person or property, or death), loss, expense, damage, deviation, delay, curtailment or inconvenience caused to or suffered by any person or their property, howsoever arising, which may occur or be incurred by any organization or person, including but not limited to any such act, default, injury, loss, expense, damage, deviation, delay, curtailment or inconvenience which may have been caused or be occasioned by reason of (1) any wrongful, negligent, willful or unauthorized acts or omissions on the part of any of the suppliers or other employees or agents, (2) any defect in or failure of any aircraft, vehicle, equipment, or instrument owned, operated or otherwise used by any of these suppliers, or (3) any wrongful, willful or negligent act or omission on the part of any other party. In issuing tickets for transportation of the travel by any means and making arrangements for travel, hotel or other accommodation, Europe Express is not acting as principal but only as agent for the companies, corporations, owner, public carriers or persons providing or offering the means of transportation and accommodation. Europe Express neither owns nor operates such third-party suppliers and accordingly, Europe Express is not responsible for their acts or omissions. In addition, Europe Express is not responsible, and will not be bound by, representations made by third party representatives, travel agents, unaffiliated websites, or any other party. Europe Express’s maximum liability, for any reason whatsoever, will be limited to the amount paid to Europe Express for any services.

In no event will Europe Express be liable to any third party for any consequential, incidental, indirect, exemplary, special, or punitive damages whether arising out of breach of contract, tort (including negligence), or otherwise, regardless of whether such damage was foreseeable and whether or not Europe Express has been advised of the possibility of such damages, and notwithstanding the failure of any agreed or other remedy of its essential purpose. Europe Express’s maximum liability, for any reason whatsoever, will be limited to the amount paid to Europe Express for any services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the international carriage of passengers is subject to international conventions and treaties, where applicable. These international agreements limit and, in some events, exclude the carrier’s liability to passengers (vacation participants). Where any claim or part of a claim (including those involving death or personal injury) concerns or involves any travel arrangements (including the process of getting on or off the transport concerned) provided by any air, sea, inland waterways, rail, or road carrier or any stay in a hotel, Europe Express’s maximum liability is the maximum which would be payable by the carrier or the hotel keeper concerned under the applicable international convention, treaty, or regulation applicable to the travel arrangements or hotel stay (e.g. the Warsaw Convention, the Montreal Convention for international travel by air, the EU Regulation on Air Carrier Liability for carriers with an operating license granted by an EU country, the Athens Convention for international travel by sea) in that situation.

Release:
In consideration of the services and arrangements provided by Europe Express, you, for yourself and for your heirs, personal representatives or assigns, do hereby release, waive, discharge, hold harmless and agree to indemnify Europe Express, and its owners, officers, directors, employees, contractors, subcontractors and affiliates from any and all claims, actions, or losses for emotional injury, bodily injury, property damage, wrongful death, loss of services, lost profits, consequential, exemplary, indirect or punitive damages or otherwise which may arise out of or occur during your travel in connection therewith.

Arbitration:
Any and all disputes and claims that arise out of or relate to these Terms and Conditions including the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation or validity of the terms and conditions herein, including the agreement to arbitrate (the “Arbitration Agreement”) and the scope or applicability of this Arbitration Agreement (collectively, “Disputes”), will be resolved in a binding, confidential, individual and fair arbitration process as set forth herein, and not in court.

These Terms and Conditions evidence a transaction in interstate commerce, and thus the US Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16, governs the interpretation and enforcement of this Arbitration Agreement. This Arbitration Agreement will survive the termination of these Terms and Conditions.

The party desiring arbitration must first send by mail to the other a written Notice of Dispute (“Notice”) that sets forth the name, address, and contact information of the party giving notice, the specific facts giving rise to the Dispute and the relief requested. It is the sender’s responsibility to ensure that the recipient receives the Notice. During the first 45 days after one party sends a Notice to the other, the parties may try to reach a settlement of the Dispute. If the parties do not resolve the Dispute within those first 45 days, either party may initiate arbitration as set forth herein.

Any arbitration between the parties will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) and will be governed by the AAA’s Commercial Arbitration Rules and the Supplementary Procedures for Consumer Related Disputes (collectively, the “AAA Rules”), as modified by this Arbitration Agreement. The AAA Rules are available online at www.adr.org, or by calling the AAA at 1-800-778-7879. The arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator. If the parties cannot agree on who that single arbitrator should be, then the AAA shall appoint an arbitrator with significant experience resolving the type of Dispute at issue. The arbitrator is bound by the terms of this Agreement. A form for initiating formal arbitration may be found on the AAA’s website at www.adr.org (“Arbitration Form”).

If a party is seeking to recover US$100,000 or less (exclusive of interest on the sum claimed, cost of arbitration and legal expenses), AAA rules provide that the Dispute should be resolved without a hearing, by submission of documents only. Either party may request a hearing, however, and be responsible for the fees associated with it. If the arbitrator recommends a hearing even if neither party requests one or if the claim is for more than $100,000 (exclusive of interest on the sum claimed, cost of arbitration and legal expenses), the manner and place of the hearing will be in Seattle, Washington USA or as otherwise agreed by the parties or determined in accordance with the AAA Rules, Principles, and Guidelines.

Exclusive Governing Law and Jurisdiction:
These Terms and Conditions and any actions and proceeding shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to conflict of laws principles. If the right to seek arbitration is for any reason waived by both parties, or if judicial review of any arbitration decision is sought, any action or legal proceeding to enforce any provision hereof, or based on any right arising out of, this Agreement shall be exclusively in the courts of the State of Delaware, or if it has or can acquire jurisdiction, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, and all of the parties hereby consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts and of the appropriate appellate courts in any such action or legal proceeding and waive any objection to venue or jurisdiction in connection therewith.

Waiver of Jury Trial:
In connection with any action or legal proceeding arising out of these Terms and Conditions, the parties hereby specifically and knowingly waive any rights that either party might have to demand a jury trial.

Time Limitation:
No arbitration proceeding or suit, whether brought in rem or in personam, shall be maintained against Europe Express arising out of these Terms and Conditions unless written notice of the claim, including a complete factual account of the basis of such claim, is delivered to Europe Express within 185 calendar days from the date of the incident giving rise to such claim; and no arbitration proceeding or suit shall be maintainable unless commenced within one (1) year from the day of the incident giving rise to such claim, notwithstanding any provision of law of any state or country to the contrary.

Class Action Waiver:
These Terms and Conditions provide for the exclusive resolution of disputes through individual legal action on the claimant’s own behalf instead of through any class action. Even if the applicable law provides otherwise, any legal action against Europe Express whatsoever shall be litigated by the claimant individually and not as a member of any class or as part of a class action, and the claimant expressly agree to waive any law entitling you to participate in a class action.

Force Majeure:
Europe Express will not be held responsible for delays or cancellation of all or part of any booking or services due to causes or circumstances beyond Europe Express’s responsibility or control, including but not limited to act of God; perils of the sea, harbors, rivers, or other navigable waters; act of any governmental or ruling authority; epidemic; collision; stranding; fire; faults or errors in navigation or management of this or of any other vessel; seizure of the vessel under legal process; any abrupt or unexpected increase in the cost of fuel or shortage of fuel; war; hostilities; riots; strikes or labor stoppages; or any other cause or circumstance beyond Europe Express’s responsibility or control (a “Force Majeure Event”). For the avoidance of doubt, a Force Majeure Event also includes (a) the occurrence of any pandemic, epidemic or prevalent disease or illness with an actual or probable threat to human life as may be designated or determined by any local, city, county or state governmental entities, as applicable, or the federal government of the United States, the World Health Organization (WHO) or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC); including, without limitation, coronavirus, atypical pneumonia, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), or avian influenza, or (b) adherence to any travel restriction, warning or advisory issued in relation thereto by any local, city, county or state governmental entities, as applicable, or the federal government of the United States, the World Health Organization (WHO) or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), or (c) any quarantine or similar measure taken in relation thereto by any governmental agency or authority to prevent the spread of any communicable disease, or (d) any unavailability of any resources, information or services resulting from any of the foregoing including, without limitation, the unavailability of resources, information or services due to any governmental shut-downs or the unavailability or resources, information or services due to a shut-down, quarantine or similar measure of any third-party service provider whose service or information is relied upon by Europe Express to fulfill its obligations under these Terms and Conditions.

Europe Express has no special knowledge regarding the financial condition of its suppliers, unsafe conditions, health hazards, weather hazards or climate extremes at locations to which an individual or group may travel. Health care standards, facilities and services abroad may be different or even inadequate for treating health conditions. For information concerning possible dangers at foreign destinations, we recommend visiting the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website which lists each country’s Travel Advisory. For medical information, we recommend contacting the Centers for Disease Control at (877) FYI-TRIP or www.cdc.gov/travel.

Severability:
The invalidity or unenforceability of any part of these Terms and Conditions, or the invalidity of its application to a specific situation or circumstance, shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the Terms and Conditions, or its application to other situations or circumstances. Any provision of these Terms and Conditions held invalid or unenforceable only in part or degree will remain in full force and effect to the extent not held invalid or unenforceable.

Consumer Protection/Seller of Travel:
The Company is a member of the United States Tour Operators Association and is fully covered by its Consumer Protection Plan. As an active member of the USTOA, the Company is required to post $1 Million with the USTOA. This amount is to be used to reimburse, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program, the advance payments of the Company’s customers in the unlikely event of the Company’s bankruptcy, insolvency or cessation of business. Complete details of the USTOA Travelers Assistance Program and a list of affiliates may be obtained by writing to USTOA at 275 Madison Avenue, Suite 2014, New York, New York 10016, or by email to information@ustoa.com or by visiting its website at USTOA.

EEFC, Inc. is a registered seller of travel in the states that require registration: Washington Seller of Travel, # 602-650-317; Florida Seller of Travel #5T37353; and California Seller of Travel # 2053616-80. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. EEFC, Inc. is not a participant in the California Travel Consumer Restitution Fund.

Terms & Conditions: v January 2021