Special Booking Conditions — Eclipse Trips
A solar eclipse creates exceptional demand for accommodation, transport, viewing locations and other services. As a result, these services often demand premium rates, with suppliers requiring substantial advance payments that are non-refundable once confirmed.
For this reason, Eclipse Trips have Special Booking Conditions. These conditions apply to any trip identified by Magnificent Explorers as an “Eclipse Trip” and override our standard Terms & Conditions only where there is a conflict. All other Terms & Conditions continue to apply.
Deposit and payment schedule
Unless otherwise specified for a particular Eclipse Trip, a deposit of 50% of the total trip price is required to secure your booking.
Eclipse Trips may have different payment schedules depending on the arrangements required for each departure. Your deposit, any interim payments, final payment amount and applicable due dates will be advised before booking (see the Payment Terms FAQ) and confirmed in your booking documentation. These payment dates may be considerably earlier than those applying to our standard trips.
If you book after one or more scheduled payment dates have passed, all payments that would otherwise have been due by that date will be payable when your booking is confirmed.
Non-refundable payments
Due to the advance commitments we are required to make to suppliers, your Eclipse Trip deposit is non-refundable once your booking has been confirmed. Any subsequent payments identified as non-refundable in your payment schedule will become non-refundable once paid.
The standard Magnificent Explorers Cooling-Off Period, Lifetime Deposit Guarantee, Transferrable Deposit conditions, Credits and Trip Transfer conditions do not apply to payments made towards an Eclipse Trip.
If you cancel your booking, any payments already made will not be refunded or held as a credit towards another trip.
Travel insurance
Because of these stricter cancellation conditions, we strongly recommend arranging comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you book your Eclipse Trip, with cancellation cover appropriate to the amount you have committed. Personal circumstances including illness, injury, bereavement or inability to travel do not alter these cancellation conditions.
The eclipse
A solar eclipse is a natural event and viewing conditions cannot be guaranteed. Cloud cover, weather, atmospheric conditions, local restrictions, safety considerations or other circumstances outside our control may affect or prevent visibility of the eclipse.
Magnificent Explorers will make reasonable efforts to provide the eclipse-viewing arrangements described in the itinerary and, where practical, may adjust the viewing location or schedule to improve viewing conditions. However, the inability to see or fully experience the eclipse due to weather or other circumstances outside our control does not constitute cancellation or non-delivery of the trip and does not entitle you to a refund.
Changes to arrangements
Eclipse periods create exceptional demand for on-ground services therefore accommodation, transport, eclipse viewing locations or order of activities may need to change.
Where a change is necessary, we will make reasonable efforts to provide an appropriate alternative. Any changes do not in itself constitute cancellation of the trip.
Magnificent Explorers · Special Booking Conditions for Eclipse Trips · read alongside the standard Terms & Conditions