- This page contains the terms and conditions of the services offered by our organization. Participants expressly accept the contents at the time of booking.
1 – MEMBERSHIPS
Our organization EtnaExcursion.it provides tourist services through the collaboration between various professional figures: volcanological guides, nature guides and ski instructors. The fees are used to reimburse the expenses of the activities and the remaining part in order to pursue the company objectives: improvement and expansion of the association, environmental education initiatives and above all concrete works and actions for the protection and enhancement of the territory.
2 – INSURANCE
The proposed activities are covered by RCT (Professional Civil Liability) insurance from UNIPOL SAI as well as by the personal policies of the individual guides. The RCT policy is a protection for participants in the event of accidents caused by the staff of our organization or in the event that their direct responsibility for the accident can be determined.
They are therefore EXCLUDED from the cover:
a) any injuries or damages suffered by participants in the normal course of the excursion (e.g. an injury following a fall on rough volcanic terrain…); See point 6.
b) services and activities carried out by third parties and not directly by the staff of our association, even if booked through this website (catering services; accidents occurring on means of transport where a ticket is required such as the cable car, quad excursions; etc.)
c) damages caused by members for actions not in compliance with these regulations and for failure to comply with the indications of the guides.
3 – RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENTS
Our activities are by reservation only. To take advantage of the promotional rates and offers advertised on the website, advance payment is required via the website's online booking system. Advance payment also guarantees availability of the requested seats and full completion of the ordered services as scheduled, barring circumstances beyond the organization's control . Users acknowledge that, conversely, reservations without advance payment will require payment of the full rate advertised on the website at the time of the excursion, and therefore, rates may be subject to change without notice due to normal offer changes. Advance reservations also take precedence over other reservations. Business customers or travel agencies/tour operators may request a mandatory deposit for large groups or for tours that include third-party services (e.g., catering, tickets, etc.).
4 – TRANSPORT
The rates indicated on the site They include, as a rule, the transfer from our meeting points except in cases where a meeting point is specified at another starting point. The organization also offers its guests a shuttle service from their accommodation (or from the nearest meeting point within walking distance) which is calculated approximately on the basis of a flat-rate reimbursement per kilometer. The transport is functional exclusively to carry out the activities of our organization and No other types of transfers are carried out that are not connected to our recreational activities and guided excursion services. The rates for the optional transport service from the accommodation are shown in the online booking and may be subject to adjustments in the event of extraordinary requests.
Important: the organization is NOT responsible for any objects left or lost on the means of transport and will not ship them.
5 – RULES OF CONDUCT
Participants must comply with the rules set forth in this regulation and any instructions provided by their respective tour leaders during excursions. Therefore, never leave the group without express permission. Our website provides appropriate information regarding the technical level, required equipment, and difficulty of individual tours. Users are required to read these instructions and inform all members of their group. Anyone with special needs or medical conditions of any kind must notify the tour management and tour leader before the tour begins. The organization will not be held responsible for any damage resulting from failure to comply with these basic common sense rules.
6 - INFORMED CONSENT
Land the recreational activities proposed take place in natural environments, mainly mountainous, where the risk of injury cannot be completely eliminated.
Some examples: irregularities on the ground; contact with wildlife or stinging or toxic vegetation; detachment of rocks; explosions and volcanic eruptions; fall of lava ash and pyroclastic material; instability of the soil in epigeal and hypogeal environments; Any other danger or risk not dependent on the organization.
There is no such thing as a safe mountain!
Risks can only be mitigated by responsible behavior, therefore by the experience, competence, prudence of the companions. Our organization relies exclusively on highly trained and qualified personnel.
Participants acknowledge and sign that the organization cannot be held responsible for accidents related to the dangers and imponderable risks related to the very nature of the environment in which it moves as specified in this paragraph.
7 – CHANGES BY THE ORGANIZATION AND/OR USERS
The tour leader may decide, in the event of adverse weather conditions, volcanic dangers or for any other reasonable reason, to vary, move or cancel the agreed excursion or tours. In this case, you will be entitled to a refund of the tour provided that it has not already started and completed at least 1/3. Any requests for changes to the program of the chosen tour made by one or more participants will be evaluated by the tour leader and if these involve additional costs, they will be borne by the requester(s). Users are required to respect the times indicated on the site, in particular the meeting time, as well as the duration of the tour.
In the event of significant delays, the tour will still conclude at the scheduled time, and the organization reserves the right to shorten the scheduled itinerary accordingly. If the delay results in a reduction of the scheduled itinerary and the user wishes to reschedule the itinerary, the organization reserves the right to request an additional payment to be agreed upon on-site.
8 – CHANGES and REFUNDS
CHANGES – In the event that participants are unable to attend the tour on the chosen day, a voucher (not personal and therefore transferable) will be issued to be used within 1 year of issue. Cancellation of the reservation MUST be communicated at least 48 hours before the tour ( 72 hours in August and on public holidays ) to benefit from the voucher.
REFUNDS – The organization will refund only for reasons of force majeure (weather alert, volcanic alert, etc.) that make it impossible to carry out the booked activities or for reasons dependent on our organization (e.g. breakdown of a means of transport, etc.). Cancellations due to subjective assessments of the weather by participants (e.g. Summer storms, etc.) do not entitle the organization to a refund. In the event that the payment of the fees was made by bank transfer, the bank charges (€3) will be deducted from the refund.
For last-minute cancellations or no-shows at the agreed-upon meeting point and time ( only the booking ticket received by email upon confirmation will be valid), NO refunds will be provided for any reason, as reserved seats cannot be resold.
In case of no-show, significant delays, errors in booking the day or type of tour, withdrawal of participation by users within 48 hours of the tour departure time, no refund or voucher will be issued.
DELAYS – Participants are required to show up at the time indicated in the tour schedule requested and sent by email at the time of booking confirmation. Out of respect for other participants, the guide is therefore not required to wait for any latecomers more than 15 minutes after the scheduled time and they will lose the right to participate in the tour and any refund.
In order not to lose the right to participate, the option of a private guide and vehicle formula, if available, can be requested last minute at the secretariat, at the extra cost of €100 (per vehicle) by rescheduling the departure time.
Exclusively in the case of previously booked private tours, the guide can wait for participants for a maximum of 60 minutes after the scheduled time, but will conclude the tour at the scheduled return time.
9 – PROCESSING OF SENSITIVE DATA AND PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL
Participants authorize the processing of personal data sent in accordance with art. 13 of Legislative Decree 196/2003 and art. 13 GDPR 679/16. The data acquired will be processed exclusively for the purposes of carrying out recreational activities and will NOT be transferred to third parties for commercial purposes. Finally, consent is given to the publication of photographic material, acquired during the activities, on our social channels for promotional purposes. Anyone who does not wish to give consent to the publication of their images, MUST give prior notice to the guide or the organization.
