Terms & Conditions
Booking conditions
All bookings, changes, alternations and cancellations must be made in writing.
All rates are quoted in euro (EUR) per person and include taxes and VAT. Authentic
Scandinavia guarantees no changes in the prices of confirmed tours. A detailed list of
all services included in the tour price will be specified under each tour (please see Price
Details). Any extra expenses incurred by the client during the tour, for example use of
telephone, hotel mini-bars, etc. must be paid directly by the client to the hotel or other
provider of such services, prior to departure.
Amendments to confirmed reservations
Changes to confirmed tours will incur a EUR 50 amendment fee. This fee will apply to each
amendment made for the tour.
Refunds and unused services
Travel arrangements cancelled or amended within 24 hours of your departure or once travel
has commenced will not qualify for any refunds, nor can services be substituted for
alternative arrangements. Unused services are non-refundable.
Cancellation
All cancellations must be made in writing to info@authentic-scandinavia.com.
The date of the cancellation shall be when Authentic Scandinavia receives it in writing (our
office hours are Monday-Friday 09:00 – 17:00 hrs, CET).
The following cancellation fees apply on Independent- and Escorted Tours:
Over 30 days prior to departure - Loss of full deposit
Between 30-15 days prior to departure - 50% of total payment
Between 14-0 days prior to departure - 100% of total payment
The following cancellation fees apply on tours including Hurtigruten & Göta Canal:
Over 60 days prior to departure - Loss of full deposit
Between 60-42 days prior to departure - 30% of total payment
Between 41-28 days prior to departure - 60% of total payment
Between 27-0 days prior to departure - 100% of total payment
Passport, visas, customs, currency and health regulations
Every participant is responsible for providing his/her own travel documents (i.e. passport,
visa, vaccination certificates etc). We recommend a careful examination of the customs/duty
regulations and currency regulations for the respective destination(s). Please note that your
passport details are required for all bookings including cruises (overnight cruises, as well as
all cruises with Hurtigruten).
Travel insurance
Authentic Scandinavia recommends that each customer has adequate travel insurance, also
to include cancellation cover.
Authentic Scandinavia can not be held responsible for loss of luggage, or other personal
possessions, for personal injury, accident or illness. In the event of personal injury, accident
or illness, Authentic Scandinavia cannot be required to make any refunds should the tour be
partially cancelled or cancelled.
Cancellation by Authentic Scandinavia
Due to reasons of higher power and reasons beyond our control, Authentic Scandinavia
reserves the right to cancel the tour. Monies paid for services will be refunded, but Authentic
Scandinavia will not be liable for any further claims.
Liability by Authentic Scandinavia
Authentic Scandinavia has the obligation to choose all services carefully, and to prepare the
tour in the best way possible. In the unlikely event that services are not fully carried out due
to an error through Authentic Scandinavia, we reserve the right to provide equivalent
services in compensation. In this case, further damage claims will not be accepted.
Subject to this settlement, in case a breach of contract is committed the direct liability of
Authentic Scandinavia for immediate loss or injury to the client subsists, provided that the
breach was not caused by Force Majeure or the behavior of the client or a tour participant,
and that it is a question of the non-performance of a promised service or an alteration of
services which has less value than the service agreed upon in the original agreement. The
amount of this liability is restricted by the sum of the agreed cost of the tour.
Furthermore the providers of the various services are basically personally liable to the client,
in case the services are not being carried out in a satisfying way or to their full extent,
contrary to the expectations.
The liability of the individual coach, taxi, shipping and other transport companies contracted
by Authentic Scandinavia for the purpose of organizing a tour, depends on the appropriate
laws of the general conditions of business, on the contracts obligations and on common
usage.
Any arising complaints must be directed to Authentic Scandinavia immediately and confirmed
in writing. In case complaints cannot be solved on the spot, they have to be directed to
Authentic Scandinavia in writing within 30 days after the termination of the tour. Later claims
cannot be taken into consideration.
Activities
Some of our tour packages include activities such as dog sledding, and optional activities
such as glacier walks, snowmobile safaris, ice fishing and similar. In this relation Authentic
Scandinavia acts as an agent only for the activity providers, thus Authentic Scandinavia shall
not under any circumstances be held liable for injury, damage, loss or accident caused by
participation in or in connection with such activities.
Acceptance
By paying the deposit/final amount the customer has accepted the general terms and
conditions listed in this document, as a part of the agreement between Authentic Scandinavia
and the customer.
Privacy policy
We ask for personal information in the booking request section. This information is necessary
to ensure that we are able to make and confirm your booking. This information will not be
used for any other purpose, and will not be shared with any other outside parties except for
necessary information given to our suppliers involved in your reservation (hotels etc.).
The personal information will not be sold or shared, and your e-mail address will not be
forwarded to outside parties.
Booking & Payment Procedure
1) Reservations
All reservations will be on request; you will not receive an immediate online confirmation.
2) Confirmation of services
You will receive a confirmation by e-mail as soon as all services (hotels, trains etc.) included
in the selected package tour are confirmed. The confirmation will be sent to you between 24-
48 hours after the reservation has been made (Monday-Friday).
3) Payment
Information about payment procedures will be sent to you by e-mail simultaneously with the
confirmation of all services.
We offer the following methods of payment:
- Secure online payment by credit card
- By credit card through our office terminal (credit card details must be sent by fax)
- Bank transfer
The following credit cards are accepted: VISA and MasterCard
4) Deposit
A deposit of EUR 100 per person is due within 10 days of receiving our confirmation.
For package tours including Göta Canal and longer voyages with Hurtigruten, as well as for Escorted Coach Tours and Partly Escorted tours, a deposit of 10% of the total booking price is due within 10 days of receiving our confirmation. The deposit is non-refundable.
By longer cruises with Hurtigruten we refer to cruises of 3 nights and more.
5) Additional add-ons
Once we have received your deposit you can book additional add-ons, including sightseeing,
city cards etc. Further information will be sent in a separate e-mail as soon as we have
received your deposit.
Should any of the additional add-ons be essential for your to commit to the reservation,
please kindly specify the required add-ons in the remarks field when submitting your
reservation (step 3 in the booking process). Examples of such add-ons may be dog-sledding,
overnight at ice hotel etc.
6) Final payment
Final payment is due 45 days prior to travel. For package tours including Hurtigruten and Göta Canal the final payment is due 65 days prior to travel.
7) Last minute bookings
Bookings made less than 45 days prior to travel must be paid in full as soon as you receive
our written confirmation.
8) Failure to complete payment
Automatic cancellation of your booking will occur if payment has not been received by the
specified date.
9) Travel Documents
The travel documents will be sent to you by e-mail after we have received your final payment.
The documents will be sent no later than 2 weeks before the start of your tour.
About Independent Rail Tours
Our Independent Rail Tours are a selection of eco-friendly package tours, where travel is by
public transport, including train, boat and/or bus. Several tours also include overnight cruises,
scenic railways and fjord cruises. When booking an independent rail tour you have the
perfect opportunity to sit back and enjoy the spectacular scenery without having to worry
about driving directions. The independent rail tours also give you the flexibility to focus on the
sights and attractions that you find interesting.
Frequently asked questions about Independent Rail Tours
Is this a guided tour and how large is the group?
All our independent rail tours are self guided tours, meaning that you will not travel as part of
a group or with a guide. However, if booking an independent activity tour the activities will be
in a group.
Is airport- and hotel transfer included?
Airport- and hotel transfer is not included in the price. Please note however that it is very
easy and convenient to get to and from the airport by public transport. Whenever possible we
always include hotels that are located within short walking distance from the train
station/ferry terminal/bus station/pier. In some cases this is not possible due to availability or
the distance between i.e. the ferry terminal and the central train station. In these cases we
include information in the travel documents on how you can find your way by public transport.
How will I find the way?
We will provide you with a detailed travel itinerary, including information on how to get from
the airport to your hotel, from your hotel to the train station, ferry terminal etc. We also
provide exact details on how to change from one transport to the other during your trip (from
train to boat to bus etc.).
What are the possible travel dates for this tour?
The Independent Rail Tours can start any day of the week during the travel periods specified
under “Price Details”. Several tours are available all year. To check availability please refer to
the Availability Check for each tour.
What is included in the tour price?
For an overview of the services included in the tour price for each package tour please refer
to "Price Details" for each tour.
Can I add additional hotel nights?
Extra nights can be added when submitting the tour reservation through our website.
Extra nights before the start of the tour or after the end of the tour can also be added until the
due date of the final payment by sending an e-mail to info@authentic-scandinavia.com
Please note that there will be an amendment fee of EUR 50,- for adding extra nights in the
middle of the tour once the tour is confirmed. The amendment fee also applies if adding an
extra night after you have received the travel documents.
Can I exclude hotel nights?
Should you wish to exclude any hotel overnights included in the tour we ask you kindly to
specify this in the remarks field when submitting the reservation through our website (step 3
of the booking process). The price deducted from the package price equals the costs for an
extra night (please see “Add-ons” for price details).
How will I receive my travel documents and tickets?
All travel documents will be sent by e-mail. Included in the travel documents are a detailed
travel itinerary, an address list and travel vouchers. You will receive a travel voucher for each
service included in the package tour. These vouchers are your proof of payment and must be
presented during your trip. The travel vouchers for the train rides must be exchanged for the
train tickets at the train station before boarding the train.
What happens if the train/boat/bus is delayed and I miss my connection?
Public transportation in Scandinavia is highly dependable. In case of close connections
please rest assured that we have included departure times that correspond with the
connecting transportation. However, we always recommend that you inform the
driver/conductor of your connecting transport so that they can call to inform your connecting
transport in case of delay. If you have booked a tour including a combination tour ticket (i.e.
Norway in a Nutshell) please note that this is an independent, yet scheduled, excursion and
the transportation always corresponds.
Can I get a senior discount on your tours?
We can unfortunately not offer any senior discount on the prices published on our website.
Can I get a discount on your tours with Scanrail/Eurail Pass?
We can unfortunately not offer any discount on the prices published on our website for
Scanrail / Eurail Pass holders.
