IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
It is compulsory for us, Private Ocean Islands, to have your full passport details to book flights. We can only confirm a booking on receipt of a 20% non-refundable deposit for the accommodation portion of any trip plus 100% payment of all flights. The balance of payment is required 30 days prior to travel
CONFIRMED BOOKINGS
Once a booking has been confirmed to us in writing, we will change the booking’s status from “provisional” to “confirmed” on the condition that you have paid the specified non-refundable deposit. The standard amount is 20% of the total land arrangement costs, however, this amount can vary depending on certain terms and conditions or party size.
Please contact your Journey Specialist for further details and please do not confirm a booking unless you have this non-refundable deposit in hand, as you will become liable for cancellation fees should the booking not materialize.
Full payment from the guest/s is due eight weeks prior to arrival, after which our cancellation fees escalate in accordance with our Cancellation Policy.
PAYMENT
Payment can be made by electronic transfer directly into our account in respective currencies (USD, EURO and ZAR) or by credit card. Private Ocean Islands accepts all major credit cards i.e. Master Card, Visa and American Express.
If you choose to pay by credit card Private Ocean Islands will have to convert your USD payment into South African Rand at the bank selling rate of exchange on the day payment is processed. This is a requirement of the South African foreign exchange regulations. All credit cards transactions will carry a bank fee of 4%.
Where a deposit has been paid and the reservation is subsequently cancelled by Private Ocean Islands due to a failure to pay the balance outstanding, the deposit paid will be forfeited to Private Ocean Islands.
All Bank Charges resulting from wire transfers to be for your own account.
CANCELLATION POLICY
It is very important that you are aware of our cancellation policy which comes into force as soon as a booking is made definite. Cancellation fees are levied when guests cancel a confirmed reservation. The costs of the cancellation fees will escalate the closer the guest/s cancels to their confirmed departure date.
Our penalties escalate from forfeiting the deposit to payment in full as follows:
- Should a cancellation be made more than 8 weeks before departure, the non-refundable deposit is forfeited. Should a cancellation be made between 4 weeks and 8 weeks, the deposit plus 25% of the price is Should a guest cancel between 3 and 4 weeks prior to departure, 50% of the price is forfeited.
- Should a guest cancel between 2 and 3 weeks prior to departure, 60% of the price is forfeited. Should a guest cancel less than 2 weeks prior to departure, then 100% of the price is
Please note that we contract services and accommodation of third parties who have their own cancellation policies that may differ from ours and on occasion, these must be adhered to. Some parties may require partial or full payment upfront in order to confirm a booking – on cancellation this larger deposit may therefore be forfeited as per the third party’s cancellation policy.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Please ensure that you take out comprehensive travel insurance covering your personal effects, accident, medical and emergency travel expenses, cancellation, curtailment and Covid cover. Travel insurance is Mandatory to most Indian Ocean Islands destinations.
MEDICAL
We recommend you contact your doctor for advice as to which prophylactic is recommended for the countries you are visiting. Please be aware that if you are on prescription drugs, you would be best advised to always carry the Doctor’s prescription with you.
Yellow fever: There is no risk of yellow fever in Mauritius, Seychelles, or the Maldives. But in all cases, these governments require proof of yellow fever vaccination only if a passenger is arriving from or has been to a country with risk of yellow fever.
Areas at risk are: South America and certain African countries Uganda; Republic of Congo; Angola; Kenya; Ethiopia. Any guests originating or transiting (for a longer period than 12 hours) from any of the listed countries will be required to show proof of their Yellow Fever Vaccination book. Please forewarn all guests of this to avoid any difficulties at Immigration.
VISAS & PASSPORTS
Please check your visa requirements as Private Ocean Islands cannot be held responsible should the necessary visa & Passport requirements not be fulfilled.
With warm regards,
The Private Ocean Islands Team
