Before you sail
Please carefully read this General Information, which contains useful details that you need to know before you book your Cruise & Maritime Voyages cruise holiday. Should there be some additional information that you require or you have questions about any aspect of your cruise, please do not hesitate to contact us. For more detailed information please take a look at our Marco Polo pre-sailing booklet, a copy of which will be forwarded around two months before you sail.
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Baggage
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Baggage
There is no restriction on the amount of luggage that you may bring on board the cruises which depart from and return to the UK. As there are no separate Baggage Room facilities aboard our ships, it should be noted that all baggage must be stored within the cabin..
Brochure information
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Brochure information
The information contained in this brochure has been checked for accuracy and is correct at the time of printing in August 2009. Worldwide events subsequent to this date may necessitate unavoidable alterations to our planned schedules. Any such changes deemed to be significant or fundamental to your booking will be advised to you accordingly.
It should also be noted that the destination photography and maps are generic to the locations depicted and may not be a specific representation of sights or images to be viewed in a particular port of call on the cruise booked.
Children and teens
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Children and teens
Please note that Marco Polo is child-free and therefore for the enjoyment of adult passengers only (16 years and above at the time of sailing). There are no dedicated recreational facilities for children aboard Ocean Countess, but nevertheless accompanied children and teenagers under the age of 18 at the date of sailing are of course welcome aboard and, when occupying a third or fourth berth in a cabin with two full fare paying passengers, travel at a beneficial rate as shown under the Fares box on page 23. Children and teens under the age of 18 at the date of sailing but occupying a twin cabin with just one accompanying adult are charged at the full adult fare.
Dress code
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Dress code
During the day, attitudes are very relaxed and informality is the key. Casual clothing is quite sufficient during the days at sea and for time spent ashore. On certain shore excursions and at some religious sites, discretion should be used so as not to cause inadvertent offence with inappropriate clothing. Advice will be given on board in such cases. Every day, the Daily Programme suggests, as a guide a mode of dress for that particular evening’s events.
There are generally two ‘formal’ or gala nights planned on each cruise when many gentlemen wear a dinner jacket, although a lounge suit is quite acceptable. The ladies on these occasions have a chance to dress up and often opt for evening or cocktail dresses. On evenings proposed as ‘informal’, a suit or smart jacket and trousers, with or without a tie, for the men is suggested and the ladies have further opportunities to look elegant in a cocktail dress, trouser suits and stylish co-ordinates. A ‘casual’ recommendation often covers evenings spent in port or when a special event such as a deck party is scheduled. In these cases, the choice of dress is left entirely to you.
Electrical appliances
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Electrical appliances
All cabins feature 110v and 220v current and have an electrical socket to allow small appliances such as electric shavers, electric rollers and curling tongs and to be used. Each bathroom is equipped with an integral hair dryer.
Embarkation/Disembarkation Arrangements
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Embarkation/disembarkation arrangements
The embarkation procedures normally commence 4 hours prior to the published sailing time. At final disembarkation, you should allow approximately 90-120 minutes from the scheduled arrival time before disembarkation. Full embarkation procedures and timings will be confirmed when tickets and cruise documentation is despatched usually 14 days prior to sail date.
Flight information
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Flight information
All Marco Polo and Ocean Countess cruises currently shown on this website are ‘no fly’ cruises sailing from and to British ports.
Gratuities
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Gratuities
According to international custom in the hospitality industry, tipping is accepted as recognition of good service. For your greater convenience we operate an automatic tipping system so instead of worrying how much and when to tip, an amount of £5.00 per person per night (£4.00 per person per night for cruises of more than 16 nights duration) will be debited to your onboard account. You have the chance to adjust the amount to be charged to your account in order to reflect your level of satisfaction and this can be done by contacting the Reception Desk accordingly.
Health requirements
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Health requirements
At the time of printing, passengers on Marco Polo Cruise P002 are required to obtain a Yellow Fever inoculation in advance of this cruise. There are currently no mandatory vaccinations for visiting any of the other ports of call of the cruises in this brochure. Useful information is also available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Healthcareabroad/Pages/Healthcareabroad.aspx
Holiday and accomodation information
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Holiday and accomodation information
In this first edition preview brochure, we have endeavoured to provide as much essential information as space permits about Marco Polo and Ocean Countess. However, please bear in mind that from time to time, certain facilities, activities entertainments and shore excursions may be altered or withdrawn due to such reasons as adverse weather conditions, lack of demand, essential maintenance work or other reasons beyond our control.
Itineraries
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Itineraries
It should be noted that the cruise itineraries published in this brochure are subject to amendment. Should major changes to the ports of call, other than timing adjustments or the order in which they are visited, become necessary we shall endeavour to notify you in advance. Please note that in the event of adverse weather or sea conditions that prevent a vessel from calling at one of the scheduled ports of call, alternative arrangements will be made where possible. Rotating of the ports of call may vary due to congestion.
Medical Declarations
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Medical declarations
In the interest of your own safety and wellbeing, you must be fit and healthy to take your cruise and all other travel arrangements that you book with us. Therefore, the Company must be advised at the time of booking of any pre-existing medical condition and of any change to a passenger’s condition that occurs between booking and the sailing date. Medical Declarations, on the Company’s official form, will be required by all passengers including those who a) are pregnant or b) have a mental or physical disability, including mobility limitations. The Declaration Forms are sent to passengers once bookings are confirmed. Cruise & Maritime Voyages reserves the right in its absolute discretion to refuse boarding to persons who in the opinion of the Company’s Medical Consultant are unfit to undertake the cruise or who have failed to make full disclosure of the nature of their condition.
Upon arrival at the embarkation port, you will also be required to complete a Fitness to Travel Declaration. If you have suffered from any viral symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting or flu-like symptoms within the 48 hours before sailing, you must immediately contact your GP and notify us providing details of the symptoms suffered. Based on the information you provide, if we reasonably feel that you are not fit to travel, we will not allow you to board.
The Company regrets that it cannot accept bookings from passengers who will be twenty-eight weeks pregnant or more by the end of their cruise. Please note that a failure to disclose a specified medical condition may additionally invalidate your travel insurance.
Medical services
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Medical services
The services of our qualified medical staff are available to you on board in the event of ‘mal de mer’ or an emergency. It should be noted that the NHS does not cover treatment on the ship and there is a scale of charges for surgery visits and medical treatment. Such charges are usually claimable under your travel insurance policy, less any excess amounts.
Mobility and special needs
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Mobility and special needs
A cruise is quite unlike a land based holiday and the ships of our fleet are not ideally suited to prospective passengers in wheelchairs or those who have limited mobility. It is therefore essential that you contact our office to discuss your requirements before you make a booking. It should be noted that the layout of the ship could considerably restrict such passengers’ movement around the vessel and indeed preclude access to some of the ports of call, where gangway conditions are not conducive or passengers are conveyed ashore by tender.
Passengers with mobility limitations, or who have special needs, that are accepted for travel must be accompanied by at least one able-bodied companion who will be responsible for general care and assistance throughout the cruise.
On-board payments
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On board payments
All prices on board are quoted in Sterling and a cashless system is in operation for all your on board purchases. An account is opened for you at the start of your cruise and you sign a debit when purchasing goods and services on board. This is charged to your shipboard account and a final invoice is presented at the end of the cruise itemising all charges.
This can be settled by Sterling Travellers’ Cheques, Visa or MasterCard credit cards, and of course, cash. It is not possible to use debit cards or personal cheques to settle on board accounts. The Reception staff also offer a facility to purchase small amounts of foreign currency for use in most of the ports of call.
Passports
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Passports
A passport is essential for all cruises, including the British Isles and Celtic Explorer/Highlights sailings, and all British Citizens must hold a full ten year passport. Many countries, including most of those visited during the winter cruise programme, require visitors to hold passports that have at least six months validity beyond the return date of the cruise.
It is the responsibility of holders of non-British passports to check with the relevant consular authorities of the countries to be visited to ascertain if there any specific restrictions or requirements for their planned itinerary. Any passenger arriving at the departure port without a passport, or with the incorrect documentation, will not be allowed to embark. Such circumstances are not covered by insurance and no refund claims will be entertained.
Restaurant and table reservations
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Restaurant and table reservations
Whilst breakfasts and lunches are generally served in the restaurant on an open seating basis, two sittings are operated for dinner in the evening. On days at sea, these sittings are normally timed at 18.00-18.30 and 20.30hrs and these timings may vary during port days. You should state any preferences for a particular sitting and/or table size at the time of booking.
Please note that requests for specific dining sittings and/or table sizes will be treated strictly on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and will be subject to availability. Whilst every effort will be made to accommodate preferences, no guarantee or confirmations can be given.
Safety and security
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Safety and security
For your complete security and peace of mind, there are stringent security measures in force at UK ports. All cabin baggage will be electronically screened, hand baggage may be examined and you will be required to pass through an X-Ray arch prior to boarding the vessel. At embarkation you will be issued with a personalised ID card which is used for gangway control purposes and validates you as a bona-fide passenger.
Shore Excursions
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Shore Excursions
An attractive programme of tours is offered at each of our ports of call. At the time of going to print, the exact content and pricing of the programme has not been finalised, but you will be sent full details and a booking form with your pre-sailing information around two months prior to sailing.
We shall operate a pre-reservation service and, availability permitting; you will also be able to book on board with our Shore Excursion staff who will be pleased to assist you in selecting the tours most suitable for your requirements. Full details will be advised with the pre-sailing information.
Smoking
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Smoking
As a consideration to all passengers, there are designated smoking and non-smoking areas around the ship. Should international maritime legislation subsequently affect this policy, passengers will be informed accordingly. In any event, the restaurants will operate a non-smoking policy at all times.
Special diets
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Special diets
Passengers with certain dietary requirements may be catered for and further enquiries should be made at the time of booking.
Travel insurance
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Travel insurance
It is a condition of booking that adequate travel insurance is held by all passengers and South Quay Travel & Leisure Ltd is able to offer a comprehensive travel insurance policy to passengers that are booked directly with them (i.e. not through a travel agent or a tour operator) and details are shown on page 26.
If you are booked through a travel agent or a tour operator, or opt not to purchase this insurance, you must give details of the alternative cover that you have in place, including the name of your insurer, policy number and most importantly the telephone number of the insurer’s Emergency Assistance service.
Valuables
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Valuables
Each cabin has the facility of a personal safe for your valuables and important papers.
Visas
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Visas
At the time of printing, no individual visas are required to be obtained in advance for the cruises listed in this brochure by British nationals who hold a passport that show that they are a ‘British Citizen’. Passengers on the Baltic Cities & St Petersburg cruises at the time of writing will not be required to obtain individual Russian visas if they only go ashore as participants in the official shore excursion programme. If however passengers prefer to make independent arrangements for their time in Russia, a chargeable individual visa, issued in advance by the Consular Authorities in the UK, will be required.
Visitors
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Visitors
Due to the stringent security measures in force, it is not possible to allow visitors on board Marco Polo or Ocean Countess during their calls to UK ports.
Photography
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Photography
We would like to extend our appreciation to Transocean Tours, the current operators of Marco Polo, and the Owners of Marco Polo and Ocean Countess for supplying and granting permission to publish their ship’s photographic material in this brochure. Some of the images have been re-touched to take account of Cruise & Maritime Voyages livery.
We also kindly thank Photoshot and iStockphoto for their support in providing us with material for use in this brochure.
