Terms & Conditions

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Common Issues

  • Unless otherwise stated, the room category included is Run of House (i.e. only those rooms that are available).
  • Seasonality may result in low occupancy and some hotels may close certain facilities without prior notice. Ciao is not responsible for any such closures, cancellations or delays or the costs of any alternatives.
  • If you request changes to an accepted Booked Tour, Ciao reserves the right to charge an administrative fee of $50 CAD per change.
  • If you request changes to your final itinerary for your Booked Tour while in the destination country, out of respect to our Service Providers, Ciao reserves the right to charge a reasonable administrative fee for such changes.
  • Ciao reserves the right to change dates, personnel, Service Providers and location of an activity when unforeseen circumstances arise.
  • The final itinerary may be altered due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances that would affect the comfort or safety of the participants. Ciao is not responsible for any such alterations.

 

Assumption of Risk

Ciao issues all tickets and bookings, all transport arrangements and hotel accommodation reservations as agent only upon the express condition that you voluntarily assume all risk of personal injury, death, damage, accident, delay or property loss resulting from any cause whatsoever, including but not limited to the inherent risks of travel, as well any negligence on the part of Ciao or its employees, agents or representatives, whether such injury, death, damage, accident, delay or property loss occurs before, during or after the tour. You hereby acknowledge and agree that you are aware of the risks and danger associated with international travel and those risks and dangers associated with your Booked Tour and the countries you will be travelling to. COVID Testing, Vaccinations, Trip Cancellation, Accident and Medical Insurance are highly recommended. This is the responsibility of the client. No form of insurance or coverage is ever provided by Ciao or its Service Providers. It is also your responsibly to contact your local government travel advisory since regulations in the destination country are subject to change without notice.

Release of Ciao Tours

You hereby waive, release, remise and forever discharge Ciao, and its respective associates and affiliates, and all of their respective officers, directors, shareholders, servants, agents, employees and insurers (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any and all actions, causes of action, claims, demands, obligations, suits, debts, duties, accounts, bonds, costs, expenses and compensation of any kind whatsoever (collectively the “Claims”) on account of or in any way arising out of or relating to, or which in the future may result from or be related to your Booked Tour and all activities and travel related thereto, participation in your Booked Tour and your participation in any activity that may take place on your Booked Tour, and or the participation of or role of any of the Released Parties with respect to your Booked Tour (the “Released Matters”), including, without limitation, any such Claims based on tort, contract or any other theory of recovery or equitable remedy, which you now have or which you may have in the future.  FURTHER, AND WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT THIS RELEASE INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS RESPECTING THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OF ANY OF THE RELEASED PARTIES DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY RELATED TO THE RELEASED MATTERS, OR ANY OF THEM.

Unanticipated Cancellations

Ciao will always try to satisfy your requirements, nevertheless, we must reserve the right at any time to withdraw any application or to cancel any bookings made by you, in which event no liability whatsoever, in respect of such cancellation or withdrawal shall fall upon Ciao, save only that the funds, already paid by you in respect of the booking so cancelled or the application so withdrawn, shall be refunded to you without interest. 

Service Providers

Service Providers include, without limit, transportation companies, event providers, cooking class providers, accommodation providers, tour personnel, and others whose services are required and/or provided on your Booked Tours (depending on the tour type). These Service Providers are independent contractors and not agents or employees of Ciao. Ciao is not responsible for these Service Providers or their acts or omissions. Transportation companies providing services shall not to be held responsible for any act, omissions or event during the time as passengers are not on board their conveyance. The passage contract in use by these Service Providers, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between you and the Service Provider. 

Tickets and Travel Documents

Neither Ciao nor its agents shall assume any responsibility for lost or invalid travel documents, passports, visas, health documents, tickets, vouchers or coupons. All rates on foreign tours are subject to fluctuation of currency and are subject to change without advance notice prior to deposit.

You are solely responsible for ensuring that you meet foreign entry requirements and that your travel documents, such as passports, vaccines, health tests and visas (transit, tourist, and otherwise) are valid.

Baggage

Baggage disclaimer: although every effort is made to handle your luggage as carefully as possible, Ciao is not responsible for and does not assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage due to breakage, theft, loss or wear and tear through hotel and group carrier handling.

General Terms

The laws of the Province of Alberta govern this Reservation Form. The parties hereby irrevocably attorn to the jurisdiction of the courts of the Province of Alberta, which courts have sole and exclusive jurisdiction over all disputes or matters arising from this agreement; provided, however, that Ciao may bring proceedings in such other jurisdictions as it considers appropriate to enforce the rights granted to it in this Reservation Form.

Limitation of Liability

Ciao’s aggregate liability to you for any claims, costs, losses, damages, expenses of any kind or any other cause (including but not limited to liability for personal injury or death, any breach of this Reservation Form or the Booked Tour by Ciao, and any claim based on negligence, and regardless of the form of action) shall not exceed the amount paid by you to Ciao for the services in question.  Ciao is never liable to you for special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages which you may incur or experience on account of entering into or relying upon this Reservation Forum.  Ciao is never liable to you for any aggravated or punitive damages in any circumstances.

 

Privacy Policy and Email Communication

By agreeing to the terms and conditions of this Reservation Form, you also agree to our Privacy Policy (available on ciaotours.com) and you agree to communication via email for the purpose of providing services to you and selected travel opportunities that we may send to you from time to time.

 

1.0 DEFINITIONS

1.1 In this Policy, the term “personal information” means information about an identifiable individual including name, address, payment information, travel document details, medical or allergy information that you choose disclose to us.

 

2.0 CONSENT

2.1 If you supply any personal information to us in the course of using our services, you:

(a) consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information by Ciao for the purpose of providing services to you;

(b) consent to receiving email and other commercial electronic messages from us for the purposes of providing services to you and administering your tour;

in accordance with: (i) this Policy, (ii) any other agreement you may have entered into with us, and (iii) applicable laws and regulations.

2.2 You must ensure that we are kept informed of the correct and current personal information that you supply to Ciao.

 

3.0 COLLECTION & USE

3.1 Ciao does not sell or otherwise distribute personal information to external third parties except in accordance with this Policy or as permitted by applicable privacy laws.

3.2 Ciao provides services through service providers such as transportation companies, event providers, cooking class providers, accommodation providers, tour personnel, and others whose services are provided in our tours, depending on the tour type (the “Service Providers”). These Service Providers are not owned or controlled by us. We provide certain information on an “as needed” basis to Service Providers so they can provide the necessary services. In no event shall either Ciao or our Service Providers be liable for the other’s breach of this Privacy Policy.

 

4.0 CHANGES

4.1 Ciao reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy to keep up with changes in the law and circumstance. Changes to the Privacy Policy will be posted on ciaotours.com). Ciao encourages you to periodically check our website for the most up-to-date Privacy Policy. By continuing to use our services after a change is posted, you consent to the modified terms of the Privacy Policy.

If you have questions that are not covered by this Policy, or wish to contact Ciao for any reason related to our personal information handling practices, please contact us.

Payment Schedule:

A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the total amount is required for your Booked Tour. The non-refundable deposit is payable by Credit Card or Cheque. E-transfer is available for Canadians only. A Credit Card Merchant fee of 4.15% (for USD) or 2.15% (for CAD) will be added onto the full Euro amount. Please note that Alberta Ciao Tours Inc. (“Ciao”) bases all prices on the Euro. We will fix the exchange rate of the Booked Tour cost in Euros into American or Canadian Dollars at the time the 75% balance of the Booked Tour price is due (i.e. 60 days prior to departure). This exchange rate is set based on the rate available at all major Canadian banking institutions. Please be advised that all funds collected for your Booked Tour are held in a segregated trust account, and in the unlikely event that Ciao is unable to forward such funds to our Service Providers, we will deliver such funds directly to you enabling you to continue your Booked Tour on your own.


Cancellation, Refund & Deferral Policy:

A cancellation of your Booked Tour prior to full payment of the Booked Tour price (i.e. 60 days prior to departure) will result in your non-refundable deposit being forfeited. Cancellations occurring after full payment of the Booked Tour price will result the forfeiture of your entire Booked Tour payment. No shows will also be charged the full Booked Tour price. Your notice of cancellation must be received by Ciao’s Canadian office in writing following your initial notification by telephone prior to the 60th day before departure.

Alternatively, you may defer your Booked Tour to a future date that is no later than 1 year from the departure date of your Booked Tour to be deferred. You may choose to defer your Booked Tour at any time prior to 60th day before the scheduled departure of your Booked Tour. Your non-refundable deposit (or your full payment if such has been made prior to 60 days from departure) will be held by Ciao, without interest, and applied as a credit against your future booking based on our Deferral Policy set out below. You may not defer your Booked Tour if there is 60 days or less remaining prior to the scheduled departure of your Booked Tour, and you will be required to either proceed with the Booked Tour as scheduled or cancel but in either case you are responsible to pay 100% of the entire Booked Tour price. Your notice of deferral must be received by Ciao’s Canadian office in writing following your initial notification by telephone given at least 60 days prior to the 60th day before departure. When applicable, a signed deferral contract would include the conditions set out below in our Deferral Policy:
Please note that cancellations of your Booked Tour may as a result of Government restrictions, public health orders, border closures as well as other reasons beyond your control or Ciao’s. Ciao will always rely on Governmental notice in this regard. Unless Ciao is specifically refunded for Booked Tours that are cancelled in this manner, Ciao shall not be responsible for any refunds to you. Accordingly, Ciao strongly recommends that you obtain a comprehensive travel insurance policy that will protect you against cancellations, unforeseen events and other common travel claims. The funds you deliver to Ciao are not covered by any insurance policy held by Ciao or by our Service Providers.

DEFERAL POLICY

1. Ciao Tours cannot guarantee the exchange rate, from Euro into American/Canadian dollars during the deferral period.

2. Any changes to your Booked Tour itinerary will result in add-ons and charged accordingly.

3. If the deferral requires changes to different Service Providers other than those quoted in the original Booked Tour, you will be responsible for an increased costs and expenses.
4. Should the Service Providers’ rates increase for the 2023 season, you will be responsible for the difference.

5. Your deferred Booked Tour must be completed within 1 year of the completion date of the original Booked Tour. If you do not proceed with deferred Booked Tour within this timeframe your original deposit will be forfeited.

6. You may only defer your Booked Tour once.

7. An administrative fee of $100 CAD per person will be charged for all deferrals.