Scenic Group Travel Policy and Advisory Update: COVID-19

Updated November 2, 2020

 

OPERATIONAL UPDATES

We hope that you and your families are all well and starting to adapt your plans as the Government health and safety restrictions continue to evolve.However, the continued Government travel restrictions and international border closures, it continues to be impossible for us to operate our schedules for guests with bookings departing from Canada.  This has resulted in us being unable to operate all Scenic Group departures up to 28th February 2021 and Scenic Eclipse Ocean Cruises, Scenic Myanmar River Cruises and Scenic Africa Land Touring up to 31st March 2021.

 

This situation is totally out of our control and the COVID-19 pandemic is a force majeure event, as defined within the Scenic Group terms and conditions. However, to support your future travel plans, Scenic Group will be providing a Future Travel Credit (FTC) for affected departures. Please note that the FTC value and following terms may vary depending on the specific departure:

 

 

The following Future Travel Credit (FTC) policy applies for guests with bookings departing during these periods:

  • Scenic River Cruises and Scenic Land Tours departing from 1st January 2021 to 28th February 2021, we will provide a 100% Future Travel Voucher for the amount paid to date.
  • Scenic Eclipse Ocean Cruises, Scenic Myanmar River Cruises and Scenic Africa Land Tours departing from 1st January 2021 to 31st March 2021, we will provide a 100% Future Travel Voucher for the amount paid to date.

 

The flexible conditions for your Future Travel Credit (FTC) are as follows:

 

  • Valid for travel to re-book and commence through to 31 December 2023
  • The value of your Future Travel Credit is based on the amount paid for your reservation to date
  • The Future Travel Credit can be applied to any booking within the Scenic Group (Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises including Emerald Waterways and Emerald Yacht Cruises)
  • The Future Travel Credit can be applied to any existing booking or when re-booking your future travel
  • The Future Travel Credit is fully transferrable to another guest.
  • The Future Travel Credit can only be used to make a new future booking and cannot be redeemed for cash.

 

If you choose not to take up the option of the Future Travel Credit (FTC), you can opt to forfeit your future travel credit   under our standard terms and conditions, then consult with your travel insurance company to enquire if you are eligible to lodge a claim. If required, we can provide a letter to assist you in making your claim. Please email your cancellation request to Cancellations_CA@scenic.ca. 

 

 

Our flexible booking and cancellation policy for guests with a River Cruise or Ocean Cruise and/or international Land Tour booking, departing from 1 April 2021, is as follows:  

 

All guests with a booking scheduled to depart from 1 April 2021 to 31 December 2022 (or 31 December 2023 for Scenic Eclipse), have the option to transfer their booking to an alternate date without the Scenic Group fee, up to 60 days prior to departure. The value of the booking will be applied as a Future Travel Credit (FTC).

 

Please note, the final payment is due as per your booking conditions, and if you choose to cancel or transfer there may be third party fees applicable, which will be at your own expense.  This flexible booking and cancellation policy excludes Russia, South America, Australia and New Zealand Land Touring.

 

We will continue to monitor the changing global situation and remain committed to doing our best to assist with your concerns and adjusting travel plans. 

 

On behalf of the Scenic Group team, we are here to support you during this challenging period and look forward to exploring our precious world with you again soon.

 

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the current situation and when do you expect to operate again?
A. We are closely monitoring the changing global situation and will continue to take guidance from Government advisory notifications and travel restrictions (including port and border closures). The inability to operate our schedules applies to all Scenic Group departures up to 28 February 2021 and for Scenic Eclipse Ocean Cruising, Scenic Myanmar River Cruising and Scenic Africa Land Touring up to 31 March 2021.
Q. What is your policy if I cancel my booking for a cruise or tour which remains scheduled to depart?
A. If you choose not to take up the option of the Future Travel Credit (FTC) for any cruise or tour that remains scheduled to depart, you may opt to cancel your booking under our standard terms and conditions. You can then consult with your travel insurance company to enquire if you are eligible to lodge a claim. If required, we can provide a letter to assist you in making your claim.
Q. What should I do next?
A. If we cannot operate your departure as scheduled, then Scenic Group will send you an auto notification letter, for the booking with the applicable Future Travel Credit details. We will automatically apply the Future Travel Credit on your record so there is no need to take any immediate action. Our reservations team will be working through these bookings in departure date order and would appreciate your patience in waiting for us to contact you. This will ensure we process the changes as quickly as possible. However, if you would like to secure your reservation now for a future travel date please contact your Travel Agent or our reservations team.
Q. What if I held a reservation for departing prior to November 1, 2020?
A.

The following policy applies to ensure your future travel plans will be protected, if you held a:

• River or ocean cruise reservation during this period, Scenic Group will provide a 110% Future Travel Credit (FTC) Voucher for the amount paid, to re-book and travel by 30 June 2023.
• Land tour (including Egypt cruise tours) reservation during this period, Scenic Group will provide a 100% FTC Voucher for the amount paid.

The flexible conditions for your FTC Voucher are as follows:

• Valid to re-book and for travel to commence by 30 June 2023
• The value of your FTC voucher is based on the amount paid for your reservation to date
• The FTC Voucher can be applied to any booking within the Scenic Group
• The FTC Voucher can be applied to any existing booking or when re-booking your future travel, and;
• The FTC is fully transferrable to another guest

Q. Will the Scenic Group booked airfares be included in the Future Travel Credit?
A. All components of the Scenic Group reservation will be moved to Future Travel Credit and this includes any Scenic Group booked airfares. This means you are not restricted to book with the same airline or book your new airfares within a certain time frame.
Q. What is a Third Party Fee?
A. Third party fees are incurred by Scenic Group when we contract other travel partners to help package your client’s itinerary. This may include airlines, hotels, Russian River cruises, Dalmatia Ocean Cruises coach and limousine transfers, exclusive access to venues and charters. In these circumstances, Scenic is subject to the third party terms and conditions and needs to make a claim for the costs incurred to deliver the services within your booking. For example, an airline may apply an amendment or cancellation fee on your air ticket.
Q. What is a Future Travel Credit?
A.

The Future Travel Credit (FTC) provides flexibility for you to re-book a river cruises or ocean cruise for travel in 2021 to 2023 as outlined in the policy applied for the date of departure for the reservation you are holding. 

 

To provide additional flexibility you can choose to travel up to the following dates; 

 

• 1 May to 30 June 2020 departures, rebook and travel up to 31 December 2022 

• 1 July to 31 October 2020 departures, rebook and travel up to 30 June 2023

• 1 November 2020 to 31 March 2021 departures, rebook and travel up to 31 December 2023

 

The Future Travel Credit (FTC) are also fully transferrable to another guest, booking or other Scenic Group brand.

Q. Is there a flexible booking policy for Future Travel Credit (FTC) holders?
A.

The below flexible booking policy applies when using a Future Travel Credit to re-book:

 

• Included flexible cover means you can re-book with confidence and protection.

• You can defer travel after re-booking up to 60 days prior to travel*, with no Scenic Group fees (3rd party fees may apply). 

• Should you need to cancel your re-booking, you can do so up to 60 days prior to travel*, with no Scenic Group fee (3rd party fees may apply). Your Future Travel Voucher will then be held for a further 24 months to use on a future departure.

• Final payment is due as per your booking conditions. However, changes can be made up to 60 days prior to travel*, with no Scenic Group fee (3rd party fees may apply). 

 

 

This policy applies to guests who have been affected by a booking that has been unable to operate or who have cancelled their booking voluntarily under our COVID policy.

 

*Excluding Russia, South America, Australia and New Zealand Land Touring 

Q. Is my Future Travel Credit combinable with all other offers available at the time of booking?
A. Some conditions may apply to the use of your FTC and they may not be combinable with limited promotions such as deposit protection plan.
Q. What if I choose not to take a Future Travel Credit?
A. If you choose not to take up the option of the Future Travel Credit, you can opt to cancel your booking under our standard terms and conditions, then consult with your travel insurance company to enquire if you are eligible to lodge a claim. If required, we can provide a letter to assist you in making your claim.
Q. Why is the Land Tours Future Travel Credit Value only 100%?
A. Land tours which are operated by Scenic Group have itinerary inclusions that are provided by partners such as airlines, hotels, restaurants and coaches. Therefore, Scenic is required to recover these third party costs and we are unable to pass on any additional Future Travel Credit above the 100% value for your clients booking.
Q. What if I have an Egypt Cruise and Tour?
A. Similar to the Scenic Group land tours, the Egypt cruise component is provided by a third party partner. Thus, the Future Travel Credit is only applicable at 100%, as we need to recover these costs.
Q. What if my booking is part of a Group or Charter?
A. The policies detailed on this page are for independent travel bookings only. If you have a booking which is part of a group or charter, please contact your travel agent (advisor) or Scenic directly for the applicable policy.
Q. What is the Consumer Protection BC act?
A. Consumer Protection BC requires that cash is held in trust, customer deposits represent customer funds received in advance of their tour and which are not released into the Company’s general funds and recognized as revenue until the customer returns from their tour. https://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/
Q. Do I still get Scenic Group Status Points for the suspended booking?
A. No, as guests will receive a Future Travel Credit this is not applicable. However, upon re-booking you will accrue Scenic Group Status points on the selected departure once your journey has been completed.
Q. Can I apply the Deposit Protection Plan to my new booking?
A.

The Deposit Protection Plan is not applicable for bookings using Future Travel Credits. After re-booking the Flexible Booking Policy will apply, whereby up until 60 days prior to departure you have the option to transfer to another departure, or cancel and hold funds in credit for a further 24 months. This will be without any Scenic Group charges or change fees. However, third party fees may still apply. Flexible booking policy does not apply to Russia, South America, Australia or New Zealand.

Q. Can I extend my final payment? (All departures and all destinations)
A. Yes, we understand your concerns around payment final payment in the current environment. Please contact our reservations team to request a final payment extension review. 
Q. What are your on board safety and health protocols?
A. Scenic will ensure that we adhere to the highest standards of hygiene and cleaning protocols on all ships and all tours when operating. Thorough cleaning will be conducted regularly, and hand sanitizers are located throughout the ship to ensure the highest level of personal hygiene whilst on board. For further information, refer to our Cruise with Confidence information for River Cruises and Ocean Cruises and Land Journeys.

 

Q. What if I have an Oberammergau booking?
A.

Scenic Group prior notifications for Oberammergau will remain the same.

If you hold a Scenic river cruise and Oberammergau land package, then you can move your current 2020 booking and reserve a comparable 2022 Scenic river cruise, same suite category, with the Oberammergau land package at the 2020 pricing. Alternatively, you can choose a 110% Future Travel Credit for the full value of your Scenic booking, to re-book and travel on any Scenic river cruise up to 31 December 2022.

We are working closely with the Oberammergau organisation to arrange a 2022 river cruise itinerary including the Passion Play. These details will be communicated directly to guests and their travel agents as soon as they are available.

 
Read our statement from the Scenic Group Chairman and Founder, Glen Moroney, here.


We appreciate that the situation is constantly evolving and it can be quite overwhelming. We will continue to update you as much as possible through our websites. If you have any further questions please contact our Reservations Centre and we appreciate your patience as there may be delays due to the unusual higher volume of calls.

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