General Terms and Conditions, sled dog tours
1. Conclusion of Contract
Bookings from Tour operators
Booking requests have to be made in text form or written form. With confirmation of the booking request through True North Oy which also is made in text or written form a binding contract between the tour operator and True North Oy is concluded. Both parties are bound to their contractual rights and duties from this stage of time on. The invoice is issued with the confirmation. A deposit of 20% of the invoice amount, payable within 14 days after the invoice date, is due. The remainder must be credited to True North Oy’s account on the guest’s arrival date.
Bookings from Private Persons
Booking requests have to be made in text form or written form. They are confirmed by True North Oy in text form. A binding contract about the booked journey comes into effect as soon as the contractual partner has made the advance payment according to the following provisions. If the advance payment is not made in time there is no claim for the booked place. The contractual partner bears the risk that the booking is deleted and the place is given to somebody else.
2. Program
The program of the booked journey is defined in the program description in connection with the confirmation of the booking.
3. Participation Requirements and Equipment
To ensure the safety of the guests there are age limits for sled dog tours and snow mobile tours. In case bookings including minors are accepted it is explicitly stated that the final decision if the guest can drive his own sled is made by the guide and can be changed during the tour if necessary. Furthermore there are in the program descriptions. If a guest doesn’t fulfil those requirements when he arrives it is possible to exclude him from the tour. The same applies if it can be seen during the tour that he doesn’t meet the requirements. In this case there is no claim to a refund of (a part of) the tour price or an alternative program. Instead the rules regarding a tour termination according to number 9 are applied. Required equipment is provided through True North Oy according to description of services. That includes besides to clothes for extreme cold especially dog sleds, snow mobiles, snow shoes, etc. It should be noted that guests are responsible for damages on the equipment. Regarding bookings of snow mobile tours there is a deductible of EUR 600,- payable on site if any damages occur.
4. Prices and Payment Terms
The price that has to be paid is defined in the program description in connection with the booking confirmation and is invoiced by True North Oy. If not stated otherwise all prices are in Euro. With receipt of the invoice/booking confirmation an advance payment of 20% of the total amount is due. The payment must be received on the bank account of True North Oy within 14 days. At least 30 days before arrival the final payment must be received on the bank account of True North Oy. If the final payment is not made in time True North Oy is entitled to refuse travel services and invoice the cancellation fees stated in number 5. If the journey is booked less than 30 days in advance the total amount is payable with receipt of the invoice/booking confirmation. In exceptional cases it is possible that prices must be raised later. Reasons for such price increases can be especially:
a) a retroactive increase of the transportation costs
b) new or increased government charges and fees (e.g. airport fees)
c) exchange rate changes
d) state ordered price increases (e.g. value added tax)
5. Cancellations and Changes
True North Oy must be informed about cancellations and changes in written or text form. Changes of travel dates, program or guests are treated as cancellation and new booking. For cancellations or absence of the final payment the following cancellation fees apply:
Cancellation more than 60 days before arrival: EUR 100,- processing fee per person
Cancellation 60 – 31 days before arrival: 20 % of the total amount or decay of the advance payment
Cancellation 30 – 16 days before arrival: 50 % of the total amount
Cancellation 15 – 2 days before arrival: 80 % of the total amount
Cancellation 1 day before arrival: 100 % of the total amount
No show without cancellation: 100 % of the total amount
For the purpose of the calculating of the cancellation fees the receipt of the cancellation declaration at True North Oy is decisive. Is the cancellation declared on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday so is the next working day decisive. The contractual partner can prove that True North Oy has suffered no or little loss. We recommend to take out a travel insurance.
6. Liability Exclusions
True North Oy is not liable if the non-fulfillment or insufficient fulfillment of the contract is based on the following reasons:
a) failures of the tour operator or the guest before or during the journey
b) unforeseeable or unpreventable failures of a third party who is involved in the delivery of the services
c) force majeure or an incident True North Oy could not foresee or prevent with all due care
d) bad weather conditions
7. Changes of the Program
True North Oy reserves the right – also in the interest of the guests – to change programs or individual agreed services after booking or arrival if unforeseeable events require so. This can be the case especially if changes are based on force majeure, administrative measures or delays of third parties for which True North Oy is not liable. Of course, True North Oy will try to inform tour operators and guests as soon as possible about such changes.
8. Non-Performance of a Journey
True North Oy is entitled, to cancel the journey if the guests -through acts or omissions -gives reasonable grounds. In this case cancellation fees of number 4 are invoiced.
9. Tour Termination through the Guest
If a guest terminates the tour early on his own wish or on health grounds he has to bear the additional costs related to this termination. That are namely costs for pick up from trail/wilderness huts (costs for snow mobile, vehicles, trailers, working time, etc.), costs for additional transfers (e.g. to camp, to doctor, etc.), costs for accommodation and food, etc. it is explicitly stated that an immediate pick up can only be realized in emergency cases and eventually has to be done through the (air) rescue. If the tour is terminated on own wish the guest will be picked up through employers of True North Oy on the appropriate way within 24 hours. The guide and the group continue the tour in the meantime. Furthermore it is stated that the camp is closed during the tours. In case of tour termination guests can stay in a very limited number in a multi-bed room in the camp. If this room is full the guests have to use a hotel -e.g. in Äkäslompolo -on their own costs until they are entitled to accommodation in the camp again according to the program description. Until this guests have to care for their food on their
own. After termination of the tour there is no claim and no possibility to continue the tour on a later stage of time.
10. Cancellation of a Log Cabin-Booking
For cancellations the following cancellation fees apply:
Cancellation up to 30 days before start of rental/arrival: no cancellation fee
Cancellation 29 – 7 days before start of rental/arrival: 30 % of the rent
Cancellation 6 – 0 days before start of rental/arrival: 100 % of the rent
No show without cancellation: 100 % of the rent
11. Cancellation of an Half-Day or Day Tour
For cancellations the following cancellation fees apply:
Cancellation up to 72 hours before start of tour: no cancellation fee
Cancellation up to 48 hours before start of tour: 20 % of the tour price
Cancellation up to 24 hours before start of tour: 30 % of the tour price
Cancellation less than 24 hours before the tour: 100 % of the tour price
No show without cancellation: 100 % of the tour price
12. Applicable Law and Jurisdiction
All contractual relationships based on these terms and conditions are subject to Finnish law. The exclusive place of venue for all disputes from the contractual relationship is Rovaniemi/Finland.
Issue: November 2022