What Are My Payment Options?
You can see all our OUTbound payment options by clicking on “PAYMENT OPTIONS” on our homepage. Here you’ll find a detailed explanation of our pay-in-full option or our finance-free quarterly or monthly payment plans that can be tailored to fit every budget! You’ll find even more payment option information listed in our Guest Terms and Conditions.
How Do I Pay For My Trip?
A credit or debit card is required for the purchase of any OUTbound reservation. OUTbound accepts Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit and debit cards as payment. Guests making a reservation can enter their credit card information easily and securely at the time of booking. You can also update your payment information for a current reservation at any time by clicking on the “MY TRIPS” button on our home page, logging onto your account and selecting the reservation for which you would like to change, or update the credit card you have on file. Personal checks are not accepted.
What’s Included?
Unless otherwise specified, rates are per person, priced in U.S. dollars, and based on double occupancy. OUTbound rates include your booked room, port fees, taxes, all standard meals (not including premium dining options), entertainment, onboard ship or on-property resort events and most activities. For OUTbound all-inclusive resorts and river cruise vacations, all your drinks and most excursions are included as well! Be sure to check out the individual vacation descriptions for additional details and to see specifically what is included on any particular OUTbound experience. Rates may vary depending on promotional offers.
What’s Not Included?
Each OUTbound experience is designed to be different. While some people love the consistency of taking the same trip over and over, we like to mix things up a little while still providing you the comfort of the familiar. The world is a big place, and we want to share as much of it with you as possible! Port charges and any taxes will be listed as a separate charge during your booking and appear as a separate line item on your invoice, but are included in the cost of your reservation. Any additional gratuities you choose to give during your trip are optional, but always greatly appreciated by our tour guides and crew. Rates do not include airfare, optional specialty restaurant fees (where available), optional or upgraded shore excursions, spa services, onboard store purchases, personal expenditures or onshore expenses not included with your pre-described tour. See the individual OUTbound vacation descriptions for specific information and additional disclaimers on exactly what and what is not included in any specific experience.
Do I Need Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance is not required but is highly recommended. OUTbound urges all guests to strongly consider purchasing travel insurance to protect against the unexpected. Travel insurance is like any other insurance… you don’t need it until you need it, and when you do need it you’re usually grateful you have it. A comprehensive travel insurance policy ensures that you are protected if you need to cancel. Most policies will also offer 24-hour emergency assistance and protect your valuables while traveling. As with any other form of coverage, travel insurance is a personal choice. There are many options available, so make sure you pick a policy that suits your individual needs best.
Do I Need A Passport Or Visa?
All OUTbound vacations take us outside of the United States, so every person traveling with us will need a valid passport. To avoid any issues joining us, your passport should be valid for at least six (6) months past the scheduled end date of your OUTbound trip and you should have multiple blank pages available for immigration stamps. As for visas, certain ports and resort locations will require one, so check the “OUTbound READY” page of your specific trip to see what visas are required for you on any given vacation event. In many instances, you’ll be covered by a “blanket visa” as part of our event, which covers all individuals traveling with us on that specific trip.
Keep in mind that ultimately all documentation is your responsibility, so please make sure everything is in order well before your departure. We’ll give you the heads up for what will be required, but it is up to each individual guest to make sure they have all the required valid documentation for each trip.
What If I Have Medical Limitations?
OUTbound does our very best to accommodate all our guests, including those with physical limitations and special needs. However, each potential guest will need to ascertain whether a specific OUTbound vacation is suitable for them depending on their own unique physical disability or mental condition that requires special treatment or attention. For instance, while we OUTbounders pride ourselves on providing personalized attention, we are not able to provide guests with unlimited individual assistance due to our program schedule, obligations to host group activities and, of course, legal liability.
Any physical, medical or mental limitations or special requirements a guest may have must be made known to an OUTbound Agent prior to making your reservation so that we can discuss whether or not a particular trip is right for you, or if another OUTbound option might be more suitable. OUTbound has the right to refuse or revoke participation or passage to anyone who, in our sole discretion is in a physical or mental condition that makes them unfit for travel or who may require care beyond what OUTbound is able provide.
To insure your wellbeing and the wellbeing of your fellow OUTbounders, certain activities may be unavailable based on your current or pre-existing medical, physical or mental condition. All guests with disabilities must be self-sufficient or travel with another paying guest on their same reservation, traveling in the same room, who is familiar with your condition and able to provide any necessary assistance during the trip or in the event of an emergency.
While most large ships and resorts are easily navigable for guests in wheelchairs, certain decks or areas may be inaccessible. The bad news is that river cruises are almost completely off-limits for full-time and power wheelchair users. As a rule, riverboat companies only allow wheelchairs that are collapsible. When our boat docks at each new port, there may be times when you will not be able to leave the ship if you are unable to walk and must be carried on and off the boat in a wheelchair. Some tours, particularly in Europe, require walking across cobblestone streets, up stairs and hills, and through narrow passageways both inside and outside buildings. Further, ADA equipped rooms can be limited on some smaller vessels or non-existent on some ships positioned in remote regions of the world.
Will There Be Kids?
Unless otherwise noted in the trip description, the minimum age for an OUTbound guest is 18. Guests over 18 but under 21 years old are required to travel with a companion over the age of 25, staying in the same room.
How Do I Change A Name On My Reservation Or Replace A Booked Guest?
Any name changes or guest replacements on your reservation will require the assistance of an OUTbound Agent. If the person being removed or replaced on your booking has paid for any part of the reservation, an authorization form signed by all involved parties is required. You will need to request an authorization change form from OUTbound. Once signed by all parties involved in the replacement or removal, return the form to OUTbound. This ensures that everyone involved with the change is fully aware of the requested change or replacement and has given OUTbound their permission in writing to make the noted change. A fee of $100 per person to change or replace a guest on your reservation will be charged. Changes are subject to any additional Third Party Supplier fees. All guest replacements must be completed at least 14-days prior to event start date.
Can I Change My Room?
An OUTbound Agent can assist you with upgrading your originally reserved room or moving your currently booked room to another location within the same category. Unfortunately, “downgrading” your room reservation to a lower category is not allowed. All modifications to existing reservations require the assistance of an OUTbound Agent. Give us a call at 916.683.1000 or send an email to info@iamOUTbound.com and we’ll be happy to help. Please note that some reservation modifications may be subject to a change fee, depending on when the request is received and the particular trip in question.
What If My Name Is Spelled Incorrectly?
Make sure your name is spelled correctly and matches your passport exactly before completing your reservation online. If there’s a mistake, an OUTbound Agent can help you make the necessary correction free of charge. However, any corrections must be completed prior to OUTbound submitting the passenger manifest for your trip to the cruise line or resort company (approximately 90-days before the event start date). Once the cruise line or resort property has generated the official passenger manifest, a name correction fee of $100 will be charged.
What If I Need To Cancel?
Life can be messy. Things come up. Plans change. That doesn’t mean your OUTbound adventure will be a total loss. We have a few options for you if you’re not able to join us on your scheduled OUTbound vacation. All reservation cancellations and modifications need to be handled by an OUTbound Agent, so give us a call at 916.683.1000 or email us at info@iamOUTbound.com to review your options and get help modifying or canceling your booked trip with us.
What Are The Cancelation Policies?
A complete explanation of our iamConfident Booking policy, along with current cancellation terms and associated fees, are all outlined in our Guest Terms and Conditions.
