Show of the Month Travel Club Guidelines

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332 Congress Street,
Boston, MA 02210
617.338.1111

Table of contents (click on a category, or scroll down for more information)
eligibility	cruises	billing	traveler's health
accommodations	passports & visas	tipping	taxes & surcharges
flights	travel hosts	insurance	responsibility
extensions	affiliates	cancellation policy

Eligibility

Show of the Month Travel Club travel programs are designed as a benefit of membership for Show of the Month Club members. Non-members may travel with the club, provided the following two conditions are met prior to traveling: Travel with a current member(s) of Show of the Month Club (at no extra fee) or be charged an additional $35 fee for a 2 year membership in Show of the Month Travel Club.

Our travel programs are primarily designed for adult travelers, but children can often be accommodated on select programs. Most are suited for older children (8 and older) with the necessary curiosity and interest. Children under 12 years of age will usually pay a child rate for both or either air and hotel arrangements (this varies per program). Children over the age of 12 must pay full price unless otherwise indicated. A parent or guardian must accompany travelers under the age of 18.

Your Accommodations

We always use hotels that are rated at least three-stars or better. On select programs, we feature deluxe 4 or 5-star hotels and resorts. Most include daily breakfast. You may choose from double, twin, or single accommodations; occasionally, triples and quads are available. To ensure your privacy, single accommodations always require a single supplement (an additional charge to have a private room). We do not match single travelers with roommates.

Hotel information will be sent with a pre-departure itinerary after booking, and with final information sent approximately 2-3 weeks prior to departure. Please note: While we make every effort to ensure special room requests, special requests are at the discretion of the hotel and cannot be guaranteed.

Your Flights & Seating Requests

Please make any special meal or seating requests with Show of the Month Travel Club, not directly with the airline. Let us know of any special requests you may have upon booking - the earlier we have your request, the better our chance of having it fulfilled.

Because we reserve GROUP air space, you will not be able to check on your reservation or make requests directly with the carrier prior to departure. While we make every effort to ensure your requests, we cannot guarantee them. It is at the discretion of the air carrier to fulfill any special requests. Many carriers do not allow seating to be assigned until check in at the airport.

Please note: Show of the Month Travel Club assumes no responsibility for applying Frequent Flyer Miles toward tickets arranged through Show of the Month, or any other tour operator affiliated with Show of the Month Travel Club. Please be aware - some Frequent Flyer Miles may not be applied toward certain classes of service under which tickets have been issued. Information on your tickets cannot be obtained prior to departure, so please remember to retain your boarding passes, as you may need to submit that information to the airline to redeem miles.

Extensions

Passengers seeking to extend their travel arrangements are allowed to extend their return date, not their departure.* Air deviation charges will apply toward each ticket, and varying fees apply according to each individual airline. Extension arrangements must be made directly with our office, not with the airline. Please note: Show of the Month Travel Club is not liable for any charges incurred for passengers who have made their own travel arrangements in conjunction with the base tour.

*Depending on whether a pre-tour extension is offered.

Cruises

Cruising usually requires several details to be reviewed and discussed before and after your initial booking. We encourage you to call or email us with your questions about cabins, meal times, excursions, etc. at any time.

If you are interested in reserving one of our cruises and have questions about cabin types and ship details, please contact us at 617-338-1111 (press #3 for Travel Services).

Travel Documents & Itineraries

You can expect to receive travel documents (final flight and hotel itineraries, information and air or cruise tickets (if applicable)* approximately 2-3 weeks prior to departure* - usually via Airborne Express or another certified carrier. For some programs, such as theater weekends - information will be sent by surface mail. Documents for all passengers cannot be released until full payment conditions have been met. *Our affiliates also send documents on a similar time schedule.

Please note: We reserve the right to make any changes to your itinerary if deemed necessary, at any time prior to departure.

*SOMC Travel and/or some of our affiliates may not send air tickets directly to you. In some cases, tickets or passes will be handed to you at the airport prior to check-in. Your final documents will specify this.

Passports & Visas

Traveling internationally, a US Passport with at least six months of validity (after your return date) is required. For some countries, a Visa is required. For travelers who are not US citizens, you must consult the embassy of your destination for Visa requirements. Visa information will be mailed to you, or, we recommend Express Visa Service http://www.expressvisa.com

For trips to Canada and some Caribbean destinations, proof of citizenship (an original birth certificate with a raised seal) is required.

For more information on requirements and travel advisories, check frequently online at: http://travel.state.gov/

Travel Hosts & Guides

Where indicated, you will be provided with a Show of the Month Club host. The role of your host is to provide assistance with check-in at the airport, oversee transfers, and assist with accommodations and customer care issues.

This host is not a certified tour guide. Local guides or tour leaders are provided on nearly all of the programs we offer, and they are responsible for leading sightseeing groups and lecturing.

SOMC Affiliates & Contractors

Show of the Month Travel Club directly manages a number of the tours offered; however, we do offer some programs that are managed by professional tour operators hired as independent contractors. This allows us to offer a wider variety of travel opportunities to our members.
Please note: We do request that you contact Show of the Month Travel Club directly with regard to any questions, concerns or changes that you may have. Please do not contact the designated operator.

Billing & Payments

Payments for Travel Club trips may be made with MasterCard, Visa, a Personal Check, or Money Order. All of our trips include service charges, so the only additional charge is airport departure tax when applicable (see individual trips).

After your reservation and deposit are received, we will send a confirmation/invoice that will indicate the due date of your final payment, along with travel insurance information, which you can expect within a couple of days after booking.

Please note: In the event that hotel or airline accommodations change due to events beyond our control, we always provide alternate air and comparable hotel arrangements. Air taxes are accurate at press time, but are subject to change. Passengers are responsible for applicable increase.

Please note: All cruise payments must be made directly to Show of the Month Travel Club.

Tipping

Tips to drivers, guides and escorts are not included in the price of your trip. However, tipping is your personal choice and will not be discouraged if you choose to tip in recognition of good service. Suggested tipping guidelines are $3-5 per person per day for tour guides, $2-3 per person per day for city guides, $1-2 per person per day for bus drivers. Portage service (baggage handling) is included so tipping is not necessary. Tipping your escort is optional.

Travel Insurance

Protecting yourself against unexpected medical emergencies before traveling (your own, a family member's, or a travel companion's) is a smart investment - so we strongly urge you to consider purchasing traveler's insurance. Show of the Month Travel Club recommends CSA Travel Protection for your travel insurance needs*. You may visit their web site at: www.csatravelprotection.com for more information

*Some providers provide their own travel insurance plans, like Collette Vacations, for example. Insurance information specific to these programs will be sent along with your reservation confirmation when you reserve, and we strongly recommend that their individual plans be purchased for these programs to provide the most comprehensive coverage.

Cancellation Policy

Reservations may be cancelled only by written notice to the Show of the Month Club.

For international programs, cancellations received no later than 90 days in advance of departure will be refunded in full less a $50 per person cancellation fee and the cost of any theater ticket/s involved; cancellations received within 90 days of departure are subject to a $50 per person administrative charge, the cost of any theater ticket involved, and are further subject to any charges for the non-refundable expenses by the Club on behalf of the canceling party.

The same policy applies to domestic programs, however, we require a 60 day advance notice of cancellation, plus the $50 administrative charge.

If an airfare represents any part of the trip cost, any penalties assessed by the airline due to cancellation by the member will be passed on to the Club Member.

Physical Demands & Medical Concerns

Health and safety is of the utmost concern before, during, and after traveling. Please review your information carefully to ensure that you are prepared to meet the physical demands of a program. Generally, longer programs can be filled with long travel days on a coach (rest stops included), and a lot of walking and standing (possibly on uneven or steep surfaces), and some destinations may have altitude or other environmental concerns. It is also important to be aware that many sites, especially in Europe, are not designed to accommodate wheelchairs or mobility aids. Please let us know if this is a concern before reserving your travel arrangements.

Show of the Month Travel Club makes no recommendations with regard to immunizations or other medical concerns. You must consult your doctor regarding health concerns for a particular destination, or consult the CDC for the best source of traveler's health information - they even include information for specific countries. Please consult their web site at: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/ or call the Travelers Health Hotline at 1-877-FYI-TRIP for more information.

Taxes & Surcharges

Departure/security/fuel taxes, fees, charges and surcharges are accurate at press time, but are subject to change and increases may be levied at the discretion of the individual airline. Passengers will be responsible for any applicable increases.

Responsibility

National Theatre Clubs, Inc. and Show of the Month Club International, Inc. ("The Clubs") act only as agents for the hotels, theatres, bus companies, railroads, air carriers, owners or contractors. By the acceptance of such reservations and tickets, the tour member agrees to the foregoing and also agrees that neither National Theatre Club, Inc. and Show of the Month Club International, Inc., nor any of their agents shall be or become liable or responsible for any injury, loss, cost, accident, expense or damage to person, property or otherwise in connection with any accommodations, transportation or other services.

Further, flight delays and rescheduling are unfortunate, but are an inherent risk of all air travel and are outside the responsibility of the Clubs. The Clubs act only as an agent for the airlines and other transportation companies. Accordingly, the Clubs can assume no liability for, and the participant agrees that the Clubs shall not be responsible for, any loss, expense, delay or inconvenience caused by, whether negligent or otherwise, any airline, other transportation company or any other supplier which provides services to the Clubs.

The Clubs reserve the right to withdraw the tour due to insufficient participation or for any reason whatsoever. The Clubs reserve the right to decline, accept or retain, at any time and for any reason, any person as a participant in the trip. If any person is removed by the Clubs from the trip, the Clubs' only obligation shall be to refund to such person a fraction of the trip price, the numerator of which fraction shall be the Clubs' cost for the person's unused services and the denominator of which shall be the Clubs' cost for the person's entire trip.

In the event of cancellation of the trip, the liability, if any, of National Theatre Clubs, Inc. and Show of the Month Club International, Inc. shall be limited to refunding to the member any amounts paid for the trip by him/her, which amounts have not or will not otherwise be refunded to him/her.