Reisebedingungen DouroAzul Hotel Ships

Cancellation, delay or alteration of sailing itineraries
DouroAzul, S. A. reserves the right to cancel, postpone or alter the itinerary of any trip for any reason whatsoever, namely due to chartering of the vessel, insufficient number of reservations, weather conditions,
mechanical problems, medical emergency, strike or work stoppage on site, local holidays and other reasons, without obligation to compensate the client.
 
Prices
Prices may be altered as long as conditions justify it, namely due to unforeseen increases in government charges, taxes or surcharges on fuel, as well as changes in any external costs beyond the control of DouroAzul, S. A. Not all cabin types on all vessels may be available at the prices indicated for all voyages if purchased in advance. Prices include VAT.  Children up to the age of two do not pay. Children's policy on request.
 
Contracted services
The on-board masseur, local guides, meals on land, some transportation service providers and other necessary services are contracted to third parties and are not employees of DouroAzul, S. A. Therefore, in providing these services, DouroAzul, S. A. acts only as a sales agent and is not responsible for any claims against these entities resulting from actions on its behalf.

Complaints and Refunds
Only complaints and requests for refunds submitted in writing by the complainant to DouroAzul, S. A. within 5 days of the end of the service will be considered. All disputes will be resolved in the Porto District Court.

Reservations and Cancellations
Reservations will only be considered valid once 20% of the total cruise price has been received. Bookings must be made directly with DouroAzul, S. A. or through one of its distribution companies, travel agents, wholesale agents or recognized travel operators.
Changes to bookings after the initial booking will be charged at a rate of up to €25 per change, i.e. name, address, trip and departure date, category, and other changes.
DouroAzul, S. A. reserves the right to change the cabin category on board to a higher or lower level if necessary. In the event of a change to a lower category level, the full amount of the difference between the booking category and the cabin actually occupied will be refunded.
20% of the total price of the cruise must be paid at the time of booking. Payment can be made by credit card, bank transfer, check or cash. Once the booking has been made, the following cancellation charges will apply in the event of the booking being canceled:
- 20% non-refundable initial deposit;
- cancellations up to 15 days before departure: 75% of the total price of the reservation;
- cancellations less than 14 days before departure: 100% of the total amount of the reservation will be charged.
All cancellation charges are subject to additional charges incurred by DouroAzul, S. A. for transportation, hotel accommodation, food and beverages, contracted services or other non-refundable charges related to the reservation made by the passenger. These additional costs will be charged to the passenger in addition to the normal cancellation charges.

Swimming pool / Jacuzzi on board
The captain and director of the boat reserve the right to set the operating hours they deem appropriate for the boat's swimming pool and Jacuzzi in terms of safety, and according to the weather conditions, the location of the boat and other constraints. The following rules must be observed with regard to the use of the swimming pool and jacuzzi on board: passengers under the influence of alcohol are prohibited from using them; they may only be used by passengers wearing suitable swimwear; the boat's management reserves the right to limit or prohibit the use of any passenger who they consider may pose a threat to the boat, its passengers or themselves. The following age restrictions apply to the use of the swimming pool and jacuzzi on board: passengers under 15 years of age must be supervised by a parent or responsible adult; passengers under 10 years of age may not use the jacuzzi on board unless accompanied inside by a parent or responsible adult; passengers under 5 years of age may not use the jacuzzi on board.

Clothing
Dress on board varies from beach casual (shorts, t-shirt, polo shirt, beachwear, etc.) to country club casual (pants, dress/pants and jacket, blazer and tie as an option, long-sleeved shirt, skirt, etc.). Formal dress is not required in the evening. Men may opt for a suit and ladies may choose a cocktail dress for the Captain's welcome party or farewell reception, or for any of the evening events ashore. For the sake of well-being and respect for all guests, shorts are not allowed in the dining room in the evening, and people in swimsuits are not allowed in the dining room at any time. People in wet bathing suits are not allowed in any of the public areas inside, except in the case of a passenger going to/from their cabin to the pool area. Nudity or toplessness is not allowed anywhere on the boat.

Currency
The currency on board is the Euro. Passengers will be able to pay their bills on board with a credit card from their own country, and the amount will be automatically converted into their country's currency by the bank issuing the credit card. There are ATMs in numerous places on land which accept all bank cards belonging to the usual banking networks (Cirrus, Star, etc.) and provide euro notes.

Customs and Immigration
Passengers are responsible for obtaining all the necessary immigration documentation to enter Portugal and to visit Spain before arriving from their country of origin. Inability to enter Portugal due to incorrect immigration documentation may result in the cancellation of the cruise due to a No-Show and no refund will be given. Passengers are individually responsible for complying with international customs regulations when leaving Portugal and entering their countries of origin. DouroAzul, S.A. is not responsible for any Customs charges in relation to any products that have been offered or purchased, including wine and alcoholic beverages, during the cruise vacation.
 
Government Taxes and Fees
The cruise fare includes all taxes and government fees applicable only to the part that concerns the cruise. Airport taxes, departure taxes, immigration taxes and other travel taxes are the responsibility of each traveler and vary according to the route of travel and the country of origin and destination. Any doubts should be clarified before departure with the travel agent / professional.
 
Valuables
There are no safes on board and passengers are responsible for the safety and protection of their valuables.
 
Health and Medical Care
DouroAzul, S. A. boats do not have medical assistance or medical facilities on board. Any medical emergencies are treated at local medical facilities. Although Portugal and Spain are modern countries with medical facilities of the quality normally found in a modern European country, DouroAzul, S.A. cannot guarantee the quality of treatment in medical facilieties on land. DouroAzul, S.A. does not provide crew members to push passengers in wheelchairs; so passengers in wheelchairs must travel with a companion who able to help them with the wheelchair and their mobility. Some ships have elevators and chair elevators that allow passengers with limited mobility to access to various areas of the ship that may be difficult or impossible for passengers with limited mobility. The cabins do not have refrigerators and DouroAzul, S.A. does not provide refrigeration for medicines. Shore excursions involve physical exertation of various kinds, which can be described in detail on board by the boat's tour guides; the inability of a passengers to fully enjoy a shore excursion due to their inability to participate in all elements of the excursion will not constitute grounds for reimbursement of any percentage of the excursion.
 
Wireless Internet connection
All DouroAzul hotel ships have a wireless Internet connection. The bandwidth of the connection and the coverage area of the ship are limited but sufficient for normal Internet use. Use by one person may be limited to allow more passengers to access the Internet. The boat's receptionists will help passengers make the most of the boat's Wi-Fi capabilities. An additional fee may be charged on board for the use of Wi-Fi.
 
Laundry Services (except Spirit of Chartwell)
The boats do not have self-service washing machines. The boats offer a personal laundry service for an additional fee. The scope of the service varies from boat to boat and can be explained in detail on board.
 
Mail
National and international mail can be sent on board for a nominal fee. For further information, please contact reception.
 
Scope of responsibility
DouroAzul, S. A. operates river and coastal cruises and is responsible for all operations, except those contracted to third party service providers as described above, from the moment of embarkation until the moment passengers disembark. DouroAzul, S. A. is only responsible for the airport/boat/airport transfer if it has been purchased from DouroAzul S.A. by the passengers or the company organizing the trip. DouroAzul, S. A. is not responsible for the performance of airlines, hotels and excursion companies before and after the cruises, onshore guides, tour package providers or any other elements of a passenger's vacation experience beyond the cruise portion of the trip.
 
Pets
Pets are not allowed on DouroAzul, S. A. boats. Guide dogs and other animal for personal support are allowed and must be specifically coordinated at the time of booking.
 
Shore Excursions and Tours
Each DouroAzul, S. A. ship has tour escorts available to help passengers choose and take part in shore excursions. Shore excursions can be purchased on board. There are enough places for all passengers on all excurions and all requests will be honored as long as they are made before the day of departure of the excursions. Shore excursions may be adjusted depending on road conditions, traffic, holidays and the weather. When meals are included in an excursion, the price includes wine and water. Presentations about the excursions will be given every evening on board. Excursions canceled or altered by DouroAzul, S. A. will be refunded by the amount corresponding to the part that was not taken or that was replaced. Excursions canceled by passengers less than 48 hours before departure will not be refunded.
 
Smoking Policy
Smoking is not allowed in any of the areas inside the boats. Cigar or cigarette smoking is only allowed on the pool deck. Pipes are not allowed anywhere on the boats, including the pool deck. Any passenger found smoking inside the boats will be disembarked and will not be refunded the cost of the cruise.
 
Visitors
Visitors will only be allowed on board if they have been previously agreed with the boat's reception, approved by the captain/master and if the visitor is identified with an official document on arrival. Visitors dining on board will pay the price stipulated for meals on board, which does not include drinks and is subject to availability.
 
Insurance
All DouroAzul, S. A. boats fully comply with the insurance requirements laid down by Portuguese law for the type of boat and service provided.

Children
There are no triple cabins and DouroAzul does not provide extra beds, cribs or carrycots.
However, it is possible for parents to bring a crib or carrycot, which can be placed between the beds in the standard twin cabins or in the Royal Suite. On the Spirit of Charwell, the standard twin cabins are very small, so if you need to place a carrycot or cot for a baby up to 3 years old traveling free of charge, it will be very tight to move around the cabin and Douro Azul cannot be held responsible for any inconvenience of this nature. In these cabins it is not possible for an adult and child to be in the same bed.  
As the Royal Suite is larger, it has enough space for cribs or carrycots. In this cabin, children up to the age of 3 can also share a bed with their parents and travel free of charge.
No child may be left alone in a cabin unaccompanied by an adult. All responsibility for children lies with the person accompanying them.
Children aged 4 to 12, sharing a room with an adult, receive a 50% discount on the selected fare. DouroAzul does not offer babysitting services or activity programs for children. Children under the age of 6 will not be allowed on bus tours.  
DouroAzul does not guarantee the availability of restaurant chairs, bus safety seats or other children's equipment.
For check-in purposes, all children under the age of 18 must present an identification document and must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult over the age of 18.  
Although children under the age of 3 are free of charge, this must always be stated on the booking confirmation.

Travel insurance
With regard to travel insurance, we would like to inform you that our company has a multi-risk insurance policy that covers its maritime-tourism activity, i.e. if an accident occurs that is the company's responsibility, it is covered by it. However, there is no specific travel insurance for each passenger. They will have to do this on their own.

Important notes:
(1) DouroAzul reserves the right to cancel the cruise if the minimum number of cabins is not reached. If there is a cancellation by DouroAzul, you will be given the possibility to take the cruise on another date or cancel it free of charge.
(2) The execution of the services or their continuity is conditioned by possible adverse weather conditions or safety constraints, breakdown or unexpected maintenance of the ship, imposed by the Authorities, in any capacity.

Stand: Dezember 2023