GENERAL INFORMATION

BOOKING YOUR CRUISE: You can book by contacting your ABTA Travel Agent or by telephoning Swan Hellenic on (020) 7800 2200. When you are happy with the accommodation offered and the fare quoted, you need to complete a booking form and pay your deposit or full payment if the booking is made within 56 days of departure. These should be given to your Travel Agent or sent to:
Swan Hellenic, 77 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1PP
or you can fax your booking form to us on (020) 7800 2723.

The deposit is 10% of your total fare plus your full insurance premium where applicable. These deposits are not returnable in the case of cancellation but may be recoverable subject to the terms of your travel insurance. Cheques should be made payable to your Travel Agent or Swan Hellenic.

PAYING THE BALANCE OF YOUR FARE: After you have made your booking, a confirmation will be sent to you showing the cruise and cabin booked and fare payable. The balance of your fare must be received by us not later than 56 days before departure from the UK. If it is not received by the due date, we reserve the right to re-sell the accommodation held for you, which will also result in the forfeiture of your deposit.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS You will need a full passport valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel for all countries to be visited. Swan Hellenic will obtain collective visas for holders of British passports where appropriate. If further individual visas or entry permits are required for holders of British passports, details of how to apply and costs will be sent approximately 6-8 weeks before your departure date. At the time of publication, British passport holders are required to obtain individual visas for India, Oman, Vietnam, China and Yemen. EU/EEA passport holders will be sent visa details on request. Holders of other passports are asked to consult the relevant authorities and make their own arrangements where appropriate.
NB Any passenger with an Israeli visa or entry permit or with either a visa for Egypt or Jordan issued at an Israeli border crossing in their passport (whether valid or not) will not be permitted to disembark in some Arab countries. At the time of publication these include Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Libya. A new passport should be obtained before travelling.

VACCINATION We recommend passengers consult their doctor for advice on vaccination measures. A copy of the government booklet "Health Advice for Travellers" can be obtained free of charge by telephoning 0800 555777.

LUGGAGE Baggage restrictions vary according to the airline and the class in which you fly, but you should be able to bring at least 20 kilogrammes of baggage. Full details will be given with your Advance Information, sent to you 8 weeks before you depart.

AIRPORT HOTELS Details of hotels near to Heathrow and Gatwick Airports are available on request.

ON BOARD A Booklet of Information which covers everything you need to know about facilities on board and arrangements ashore will be sent to you.

TIPPING There is no need for tipping at any time. This is already included in your fare. Swan Hellenic pay tips where appropriate.

RESTAURANT SEATING Individual table reservations are not necessary as open seating applies at all meals.

CLOTHING The mood is relaxed. On Minerva casual clothing may be worn for breakfast and lunch, and in the Bridge Cafe in the evenings. We ask gentlemen to wear a jacket and tie for dinner in the Dining Room. There are two formal dinners on each cruise, where gentlemen are invited to wear black tie. For River and Clipper cruises, casual clothing may be worn at mealtimes. Gentlemen may prefer to wear a jacket and tie for the Welcome and Farewell Dinners. Please note that there are clothing restrictions when visiting Saudi Arabia. Full details will be provided prior to your departure

SMOKING We ask passengers not to smoke in cabins, restaurants, during Speakers' talks and in reserved parts of the public rooms on board and on coaches on excursions. Aboard Clipper vessels, we ask passengers not to smoke in any interior areas of the ship, including the Dining Room, Observation Lounge or passenger cabins. Smoking is only permitted on the outer decks.

INCLUSIVE EXCURSIONS A full programme of shore excursions is already included in your fare. There are no additional charges for these.

ALTERNATIVE EXCURSIONS Alternative excursions are available free of charge at some destinations.

SUPPLEMENTARY EXCURSIONS At some ports, we may offer optional supplementary excursions, for which we make a charge. Where these involve commitments such as transport or hotel arrangements, you may be asked to pre-book these before the cruise. Details of all excursions will be sent to you before departure.

DURATION The duration of the holidays is calculated to include the day of departure from the UK until the day of disembarkation from the ship, or departure from hotel.

BONDING Swan Hellenic complies with the bonding requirements of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Passenger Shipping Association. Our ATOL license, number 5503, is issued to P&O Cruises Limited.

HEALTH AND SAFETY For your own sake - and for the comfort of other passengers - you must be fit and healthy to travel with us. This in particular applies to Pre- and Post-Cruise Tours which are likely to have a more active itinerary. There are limited facilities aboard Minerva available for disabled passengers including cabins specially equipped to take wheelchairs - enquiries should be made before making a booking to check limitations and access to and from the ship. River and Clipper vessels however are not recommended for those with physical disabilities or those who are wheelchair bound, as access on board the ships is restricted.

If you do have a physical disability, use a wheelchair or are undergoing medical treatment you must let us know in writing when you make your booking. We may ask your doctor to fill out our questionnaire if we need further information before accepting your booking. All passengers aged 75 or over will be asked to get their doctor to complete a medical questionnaire, confirming fitness to travel. If you wish to use a wheelchair at any time, including at the airport, you must travel with a companion fit and able to assist you.

GOING ASHORE BY TENDER Wherever possible, Minerva and Clipper vessels will dock allowing you to come and go as you please via the ship's gangway. Sometimes at the smaller ports, Minerva and Clipper vessels will anchor at sea and ship's boats or local tenders will be used to transport passengers ashore. We regret for safety reasons passengers who use wheelchairs will not be able to go ashore where Minerva and Clipper vessels cannot berth alongside. Passengers with limited mobility may have difficulty embarking onto and disembarking from the ship's boats or local tenders and in using boats on excursions.

On the Clipper vessels, when the ship is at anchor, landings are made by Zodiacs (large motorised dinghies). If passengers have any problem with mobility they should note that Zodiacs are boarded from a fixed platform reached by a short spiral staircase at the side of the ship.

MEDICAL ATTENTION A British registered doctor travels aboard Minerva. A European registered doctor travels on Clipper vessels. There is no charge for seeing the doctor but a small charge is made for prescriptions.

SPECIAL DIETS Please give us full details of any special diets at the time of booking. We will confirm that we can provide them before you travel.

ALCOHOL IN MUSLIM COUNTRIES As you may be aware a number of countries, including Libya and Saudi Arabia, prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol. During our time in these ports, at the request of the authorities, we are unable to sell or provide alcohol in any form. In the past we have not been restricted in the same way when sailing between ports within these �dry� countries; however there is always a possibility that the authorities may impose such a ban at any time.

CANCELLATION We hope that you do not have to cancel. But if for any reason you do, you must write to us immediately, returning any deposit confirmations or tickets that you have received, for cancellation. The following cancellation charges will apply:

Period before departure within
which written confirmation is
received by Swan Hellenic
Cancellation charge
57 or more days before departure Your 10% deposit
56-42 days 20% of total fare
41-29 days 45% of total fare
28-15 days 75% of total fare
14-1 day 90% of total fare
Departure day or
failure to embark
100% of total fare


TRANSFERRING TO ANOTHER CRUISE If, between the time your booking has been accepted and up to 57 days before departure, you wish to transfer to another cruise or amend your booking in any way, an amendment fee of �50 per person will be charged.

If however the transfer is made within 56 days of departure of your originally booked cruise, normal cancellation fees will apply.

TRAVEL INSURANCE All passengers must hold travel insurance before departure. A special optional holiday travel insurance for UK residents has been arranged with:

Fortis Insurance Limited (formerly Bishopsgate Insurance Limited) Bishopsgate House, Tollgate, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO53 3YA. Telephone: (023) 8031 3030. Registered number: 354568 England

Unless you indicate otherwise on the booking form, the cost will be automatically added to your fare (see below for rates). If you do not wish to opt into this insurance scheme you must supply the name of your alternative insuring company in the space provided on the booking form at the time of booking. A brief summary of the optional insurance cover is set out below. The insurance cover commences from your departure from home and is valid for the whole time that you are away until your return home, provided that you have paid the correct premium for the duration of your holiday. However, cancellation cover commences immediately the insurance cover has been opted into. A certificate giving full details will be sent to subscribers with their deposit confirmation. Non-UK residents must make their own arrangements in their country of residence to include possible repatriation.

BROCHURE/WEBSITE INFORMATION The information in the brochure and on this website represent Swan Hellenic's plans and intentions at the time of going to press. Events subsequent to the publishing of this information may cause us unavoidably to change our plans, which could affect the published itineraries and/or the prices and port taxes. In the event of such changes or alterations, you will be told immediately, but Swan Hellenic gives notice that all information in the brochure and website is subject to alteration with or without notice. Passengers are carried subject to the conditions of the carriers concerned. You will find Swan Hellenic�'s conditions on pages 120-121 of our new brochure.

BOOKING INFORMATION Information provided by you in connection with your booking will be held by Swan Hellenic in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1984. It will be used for reservations, bookings, ticket issue and marketing and may be used by P&O and its Member companies to provide you with details of their full range of services and products.




ATOL Protection:

ATOL 5503 The air holidays and flights shown are ATOL Protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 5503. ATOL Protection extends primarily to customers who book and pay in the United Kingdom. Click on the ATOL logo if you want to know more.








Home News and Offers The Swan Hellenic Experience Ocean Cruises Expedition Cruises River Cruises Cabins and Prices Cruises by area Site Search Contact Us