Deposit and Payment: A deposit of $200 per person will be required at the time of booking to confirm the booking.  This deposit will be non-refundable, and can be made with Visa, MasterCard or certified check.  If paying by check, this deposit should reach us within 10 days of the booking.  If the deposit is not received within that period, we will assume that you no longer wish to travel and will release any arrangements being held.  The balance will be due at least 6 weeks prior to departure.  Bookings that are received within 6 weeks prior to departure must be accompanied by full payment.  Failure to comply with these provisions could result in cancellation to the booking by Rhapsody Tours Ltd., without notice.

Changes By The Client: Once a booking has been confirmed, should you wish to change to an alternative departure date or make changes to any reservation, prior to departure, a handling fee of $25.00 per person will apply.  Note: Changes or adjustments to a reservation will not be accepted within 3 weeks prior to departure.  Should cancellation by one or more persons traveling together change the room requirements for the remaining person, the remaining single traveler must pay the applicable rate for the accommodation to be occupied.  Should you wish to change any pre-paid arrangement during your tour, you are required to contact Rhapsody Tours immediately to request such a change in advance, and Rhapsody Tours will make every effort to accommodate a change request.  Where a change can be made, there will be a change fee charged as well as a cancellation charge for the service not used, if any.  If such a change is required for reasons of an emergency situation, Rhapsody Tours may waive the change fee.  If you decide to change any pre-paid arrangements without notifying Rhapsody Tours, there will be no refund issued for unused services or exchange vouchers. 

Special Requests: Requests for adjoining rooms, smoking/non-smoking accommodation, or special in-flight meals, must be placed in sufficient time and although Rhapsody Tours Ltd.  will do their utmost to accommodate these special requests, we cannot be held responsible if such requests are not fulfilled.  Any physical disability requiring special attention or treatment must be reported at the time the reservation is made.

Tour Document Delivery: Travel documents are usually issued within 3 weeks of departure, provided that full payment has been received.  In the event that late payment results in the late delivery of documents Rhapsody Tours Ltd. will accept no responsibility for the consequences thereof.  All document delivery will be by overnight courier, and Rhapsody Tours will charge, over and above the total tour costs, for all courier expenses. Courier charges will be shown as a separate item on invoices as a part of the full payment due to Rhapsody Tours.

Passports and Visas: All clients must be in possession of valid Passports, and it is the client’s sole responsibility to ensure that Passport documents are in order to allow travel.  In the event that a Visa becomes required, Rhapsody Tours will advise the client, although it remains the client’s sole responsibility to ensure that the necessary Visas are obtained prior to departure.  At this time there is no Visa required  for  citizens of the USA for any of our destinations, but citizens of Canada are required to obtain a Visa if traveling to Poland or the Czech Republic.  Visa requirements may change without notice.

Air Transportation:  Our tour pricing in our brochure, on our web site, and on any of our flyers does not includes return airfare, unless specifically specified.  When requested, or when included, Rhapsody Tours will ticket from any point of departure in North America to the point of destination, through either gateway city.  Airfares will be based on either special or best available rates at the time of booking.  Airfares included in any of our tour pricing are based on those in effect at the time of printing and are subject to change without notice. 

Domestic Add-On Fares To/From Gateway: Rhapsody Tours has designated both New York City and Toronto as North American gateways for all tours that include air transportation., and applicable domestic add-on fares will be charged.  We guarantee that the best fare possible will be obtained as the add-on fare.  The add- on fare will be included in the final tour pricing.

Air Carriers: When requested, or whenever air transportation is included, Rhapsody Tours may utilize any or all of the following scheduled carriers: American Airlines, Malev, Lufthansa, CSA, Austrian Airways, Air Canada, Air France, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, British Airways, or any IATA carrier necessary to construct a return routing from the clients home airport at the best possible fare.

Ticket Issuance: Once airline tickets have been sent, the passenger is solely responsible for the ticket.  Upgrades to business or first class may be requested directly by the client from the airline, and may be available at additional costs.  If the client specifically requests business or first class air transportation at the time of booking, Rhapsody Tours will ticket accordingly, subject to availability.  In most cases, once an airline ticket has been issued, it is totally non-refundable.

Airline Ticket Cancellation:  Prior to departure, once an airline ticket has been issued, there will be a $100.00 per person administrative fee for cancellation (as a result of cancellation by the client), plus any applicable airline cancellation penalty (which varies from airline to airline).  In most cases, the airline tickets we issue will be totally non-refundable. 

Airline Flight/Itinerary Changes: After departure, any changes to the flight itinerary due to circumstances which may arise beyond Rhapsody Tours control, and of which Rhapsody Tours had no prior knowledge or  warning,  (e.g. as a result of airline or airport shutdowns, airline flight cancellations due to mechanical or any other reasons) may entail additional charges directly to the client.  If additional nights are required before or after a tour due to airline schedules, for example, the client will be billed for charges billed on their behalf to Rhapsody Tours. 

Airline Responsibility: The airlines concerned will not be held responsible for any act, omission or event, during the time that passengers are not aboard their aircraft.  The passenger ticket in use by the carriers when issued shall constitute the sale contract between the airline and the purchaser of those tickets and/or the passengers.  

Tour Cancellation Conditions: All cancellations, changes or refund requests must be made in writing or e-mail to Rhapsody Tours, and shall be considered in effect as of the date received.  Cancellations or changes made up to 90 days prior to departure will incur a penalty of $125.00 per person.  Between 89 days and 60 days prior to departure a penalty of $400.00 per person; between 59 and 30 days prior to departure, a penalty of 50% per person; between 29 days and departure day no refunds will be granted.

Flight Delays, Misconceptions or Cancellations: Should a client be unable to complete their tour for any reason whatsoever, no refunds will be granted for any pre-paid but unused services.  Rhapsody Tours Ltd. does not accept any responsibility for additional charges or expenses that result from a change of flight times or cancellation of flights, train delays, hydrofoil delays or cancellations, or any misconceptions, and no refunds will be issued for services not provided.

Cancellation By Rhapsody Tours Ltd.  Once the client’s independent tour booking has been confirmed, and the tour fully paid by the client prior to departure, there is no reason within our control for Rhapsody Tours having to cancel a booking. We reserve the right, however, to cancel a departure, and offer an alternative departure, should any unforeseen circumstance beyond our control arise which could affect the client’s arrangements.  Such circumstances will always be discussed with the client prior to any decision on cancellation being made.  Our FIT tours are never subject to cancellation for reasons of insufficient bookings, as with other tour operators.

Baggage:  Airline regulations limit the free baggage allowance on domestic and international flights.  The client will be advised of free baggage allowance restrictions.  Excess baggage is subject to additional charges to be paid directly by the client to the air carrier at the time of check-in.  Rhapsody Tours Ltd. cannot ever be held responsible for either: damage to baggage; delay in baggage transportation; or, baggage loss, as a result of handling by a common carrier.  The same holds true for baggage handling during airport transfer, rail, and taxi/minibus transfers or hydrofoil transportation.  It is strongly recommended that the client purchase baggage insurance to protect their belongings.

Insurance:  Trip cancellation insurance (to protect against loss of monies incurred through cancellation due to illness, etc) as well as personal travel insurance and accident coverage, as well as baggage loss (for whatever reason) insurance, can be available through Rhapsody Tours Ltd. if required by the client.  Details on request.  Please note that, if insurance is required, it must issued by Rhapsody Tours in accordance with conditions specified by the travel insurer at the time of booking.  The insurance premium will be an extra charge and is non-refundable.

Porterage:  The client will be responsible for taking their own luggage through customs, and for taking their own luggage with them when traveling from point to point.  Since porters and/or luggage carts are not always readily available, you will need to be comfortable with carrying your own luggage.  Every effort will be made, however, to ensure that assistance with luggage carrying will be available.  Rhapsody Tours has made arrangements with some suppliers to facilitate porterage whenever possible.  Details will be provided to the client.

Other Transportation: Rhapsody Tours has included ground transportation by minibus, taxi, motor coach or train for transfers and point to point travel, as well as with hydrofoil on the Danube River between Budapest and Vienna, as seasonally available, as indicated in our brochure.  In addition, Rhapsody Tours has arrangements with various car rental companies throughout Europe.

Transfers:   Transfers are included between hotels and airports, piers and railway stations, as indicated in our brochure.

Sightseeing:   Sightseeing tours and excursions are included as indicated in our brochure and web site, with the services of fully qualified English speaking guides or hosts.  The availability of some sightseeing options may be seasonally affected.

Accommodation:  Hotel rooms are included, offering full private facilities and in-room amenities, in either deluxe, first class, or best available class of hotel in some Hungarian cities other than Budapest (namely in Eger, Pecs, and Sopron, as indicated in our itineraries).  In all locations, Rhapsody Tours has taken extra care in personally inspecting and selecting rooms for our clients at all hotels, to ensure maximum client security and comfort.

Please be advised that you will encounter living standards and practices that may be different from our North American standards with respect to the provision of some services and accommodation.  Rhapsody Tours strongly recommends that before traveling overseas you should obtain the latest travel information reports on countries to be visited from either the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs or the U.S. State Department (see our Links).

Meals:  Some meals are included as specified in the tour itinerary.  Full buffet breakfasts are included daily, as well as some dinners or lunches.  Note that hotel meals for independent clients are never provided from a group menu, and wherever hotels catering to tour groups arrange for group buffets, Rhapsody Tours clients will partake of the more substantial regular buffet instead, as preferred hotel guests.

Taxes:  All local taxes, standard service charges, and V.A.T. on accommodation and meals are included in the tour price. 

Your Tour Price Does Not Include: Airport Departure Taxes, Airport Improvement fees (if not include in the air transportation ticket price); other departure taxes where applicable; excess baggage charges; meals not specified; hotel restaurant gratuities (where not included in the menu price); gratuities to taxi and bus drivers, tour guides, etc.; telephone calls; any other personal communications; and, all items of a personal nature.

Special Notes: The right is reserved to change or cancel the pre-arranged itineraries, including designated hotels, if there are reasons beyond our control arise (see above). Pursuant to travel industry regulations in force in some jurisdictions, if:  price changes cause an increase of 7% or more of the confirmed price (except for government taxes);  there is a change in the standard of accommodation; or, there is a projected delay of over 24 hours in transport arrangements of which we become aware prior to your departure, you will be notified and given 48 hours  (if time is available) to advise us of your desire to cancel the tour with a full refund.  Otherwise, you will be considered to have accepted the change(s).

Pricing:  All tour pricing is quoted in U.S. dollars per person (unless otherwise stipulated) and is based on tariffs, airfares and rates of exchange in effect as of the date of quote, and is subject to change without notice. 

Operators Responsibility: All arrangements for accommodation, transportation, sightseeing and other services, are made by Rhapsody Tours and/or their appointed representatives who act only as agents in obtaining these services for clients.  Rhapsody Tours shall not be liable or held responsible directly or indirectly for any delay, injury (including death), loss or damage to any person, company or association providing accommodation, transportation or other services in connection with any of its tours.  The right is reserved to withdraw all or part of any tour should conditions warrant, and to make such alterations in an itinerary as may be found desirable for the convenience of the client.