General booking terms and conditions

Terms and conditions of payment

When booking online, the booking is binding for the customer when the payment has been confirmed by the tour operator by the given date provided by the tour operator. 

At the time of booking through Eckerö Linjen’s service centre the booking is binding when the customer’s payment has been confirmed in accordance within the given time of payment. For bookings made through Eckerö Linjen’s service centre a feasible expedition fee will be added. This fee is retained by Eckerö Linjen in case of cancellation.

In case of a clear mispricing, the supplier and Eckerö Linjen retain the right to correct the pricing, or repealing the transaction. The customer is to be informed immediately of the corrected pricing.

Booking terms and conditions for tour packages

A tour package is an arrangement that consists of transportation and accommodation or any of these services combined with a tourism service, e.g. rental car, theatre tickets or admission to a sports event. A tour package must be longer than 24 hours or include one overnight stay. A tour package is to be sold at a package price or for separate prices that are bound to each other. A travel guarantee should be available for all tour packages no matter if they’re sold to an individual customer or a company.

Eckerö Linjen, who through this agreement handles Visit Åland’s online bookings, is under the law of package tours and therefore bound as a tour operator to inform customers regarding booking- and cancellation terms and conditions, as well as the customers right to cancel their booking at any given time.

The first payment instalment (booking fee) is 20% of the tour package’s full price and is to be paid at time of booking. The final payment is to be made at the latest 40 days before departure. If the booking is made within 40 days or sooner to departure, the full amount is to be paid at time of booking. Eckerö Linjen and the supplier retain the right to cancel the booking if payment hasn’t been done in time. 

A feasible change fee will be added in case changes are made to a booking. The change fee will not be charged if the change is an addition to the booking. Changes made online are free of additional charges.

Cancellation terms

Cancellations are to be made first and foremost online and secondarily by phone to Eckerö Linjen. The cancellation is considered valid at the time when the information of cancellation reaches Eckerö Linjen. A cancellation made outside of business hours is considered valid when the office opens again.

As a tour operator Eckerö Linjen has, according to law, the right to charge cancellation fees.

By signing the main contract, the parties have agreed that Eckerö Linjen is to follow recommendations set by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority which have been made together with SMAL r.f. (Suomen matkatoimistoalan liitto). Any possible changes in cancellation fees may only be done if both parties are in agreement.

Cancellation of hotel and B&B as well as cancelling package tours consisting of travel and accommodation at a hotel or B&B

If the cancellation takes place later than after 15.00 (3PM) the day before arrival, the customer must pay the whole price for the booked package.

Cancellation of cabin

When cancelling later than 29 days before departure the cabin provider may retain between 20% to 100% of the rent (not including provision) according to requirements below, if the cabin cannot be rented by anyone else. In that case the new booking applies.

● When cancelling 21-29 days before arrival the customer is to pay 20% of the price.

● When cancelling 8-20 days before arrival the customer is to pay 50% of the price.

● When cancelling 3-7 days before arrival the customer is to pay 75% of the price.

● When cancelling 2 days before arrival the customer is to pay 95% of the price, when cancelling later than that no refunds will be made.

Cancellation of special land tours

When cancelling selected activities such as e.g. tee times at golf courses the following regulations are applicable:

● 1–4 people. Cancellation free of charge until 15.00 o’clock (3PM) the day prior to arrival. After that no refunds will be made.

● 5–20 people. Cancellation free of charge until 30 days prior to arrival. After that no refunds will be made.

When cancelling tickets to concerts or other shows, no refunds will be made no matter when the cancellation takes place.

Cancellation of package tour

The customer has a right to cancel their tour at any time before the tour has begun. Eckerö Linjen retains a cancellation fee upon cancellations according to the following:

● When cancelling 21-29 days before arrival the customer is to pay 20% of the price.

● When cancelling 8-20 days before arrival the customer is to pay 50% of the price.

● When cancelling 3-7 days before arrival the customer is to pay 75% of the price.

● When cancelling 2 days before arrival the customer is to pay 95% of the price, when cancelling later than that no refunds will be made.

If the tour has been priced according to a group consisting of two or more customers who will be housed in the same room or apartment, and one of them cancels their participation, the tour provider will have the right to, on top of cancellations fee mentioned above, retain fees due to unbooked accommodation caused by the cancellation.

The customer who has cancelled his/her tour, together with the members of the group participating in the tour, are unitedly responsible for paying any extra charges caused to the tour provider. Instead of the above mentioned, the tour provider and the group can come to an agreement to find a more suitable accommodation, and thus the group will only pay the possible extra fees. 

The customer cannot request a refund, if the tour has not been cancelled and the customer does not arrive to the appointed point of travel within agreed time frame, or if the customer cannot participate in the tour because the customer, due to reasons the customer is responsible for, is missing the documents needed for the journey, e.g. passport, visa, identification documents or vaccination documents.

Cancellation due to illness

In case the customer cancels due to sudden illness which can be confirmed with documented proof from a medically licensed doctor, an accident or death which has happened upon the customer themselves, their spouse, children, parents, siblings or significant other, the full amount of the tour will be refunded. The cancellation is to be made before the day of arrival. We recommend to all of our customers to sign travel insurance for unforeseeable events.

Complaints

Any possible complaints are to be brought forward as soon as possible directly to the supplier of travel/accommodation/activity. Eckerö Linjen is to be informed immediately if a correction does not take place immediately after notifying the correct contact. Requests for any refunds shall be addressed to Eckerö Linjen AB within 21 days after the journey.

For seamless arrangements and any follow up we ask that any requests are submitted in written form, via email to [email protected] or by mail: Eckerö Linjen Ab, Torggatan 2, AX-22100 Mariehamn.

Force Majeure

In case of force majeure (catastrophes, strikes, riots, widestake fires, war or so forth) Eckerö Linjen AB may repeal the purchase contract, where the customer is to be immediately informed and any submitted payments are to be reimbursed without deductions. No other reimbursements are to emanate afterwards.

Disputes

In case of a complaint where an agreement has not been reached with the supplier of journey/accommodation/activity the customer has the option of forwarding the issue to The Consumer Disputes Board in Finland, read more: www.kuluttajariita.fi/en/index.html

General booking conditions and terms when booking a cabin

The intermediary’s responsibility

Eckerö Linjen is responsible for handing rental contracts between renters (customers) and the cabin owner, who is responsible for handing in correct information. Eckerö Linjen takes on the responsibility of contact between all parties and communication regarding the case, when a possible contractual disagreement arises.

Eckerö Linjen cannot be held responsible for any breach of contract made by the owner of the cabin, and Eckerö Linjen retains the right to find a replacing cabin for the customer, or reimbursing any received payments for rent. In a dispute where the owner of the cabin is the one who has made a breach of contract, the owner of the cabin will be responsible for any additional costs caused by the inconvenience, e.g. another form of accommodation for the customer. No additional compensation shall be made to the customer.

Change of rental object

Eckerö Linjen can, with the grounds of an event taking place outside of Eckerö Linjen’s control, with the approval of the customer, change the rental object to a cabin of similar value and location.

Time period of renting

The time period of which renting will take place will be noted in the customer’s rental documents. The rental period usually starts at 15:00 o’clock (3PM) on the day of arrival and ends at the day of departure at 11:00 o’clock (11AM), if no other time has been given in the cabin description. In case of an early arrival and/or late departure the cabin is to be rented already from the day prior to arrival and/or day post-departure, if no other agreements have been made with the cabin owner.

Cabin owner’s responsibility

The cabin owner is responsible for providing correct information regarding the cabin and ensuring that the customer has access to the cabin under agreed time period of rental.

Cabin owner’s cancellation of rental contract

In case of force majeure (catastrophes, strikes, riots, war or similar) the cabin owner may cancel the rental agreement, where the customer is to be informed as soon as possible. If the cabin owner cancels the contract in case of force majeure all retained payments shall be reimbursed to the customer.

In addition to this no further compensation shall be made to the customer. Non-pecuniary as well as indirect damages are not eligible for reimbursement. The cabin owner, when possible, is to offer the customer a cabin of similar equivalence. For this cabin the customer is still to pay full price.

The customers (rental guests) responsibility

The number of people (including children) may not increase above the given number of people for each alternative of accommodation (which is stated in the booking confirmation, as well as on the website) without the permission from the accommodation. Pets are not allowed in all accommodations.

The customer commits to following the rules, instructions and regulations which are in place in the cabin. The customer commits to replacing or reimbursing all potential damages that may take place upon the property and its inventory. This reimbursement is to be made directly to the cabin owner. 

In some cabins it is possible to order final cleaning for a fee. If the customer has chosen not to purchase a final cleaning as an additional service, the customer will be responsible for cleaning the accommodation before departing. In case the final cleaning has not been done, the customer will be charged a fee even after departure.