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SouthAmericaSki.com Vacations Inc. Policies

 
Privacy Policy

Southamericaski.com respects your privacy and will not use your personal information for any other use than assisting you with ski and snowboard vacations to South America.  We will not share your personal information with any other people or companies.

 
Deposit & Payment Policy  

A 35% deposit is due upon booking for Argentina + Chilean resorts, 50% for Portillo.  Final payment is due 60 days prior to arrival or if time of booking is less then 60 days of arrival for all resorts. The credit card on file will be automatically charged for the balance 60 days prior to arrival. If paying by cheque which we prefer, a post-dated cheque for the final payment is required upon booking.  For bookings made within 60 days of arrival, full payment is due upon booking.  You will be sent a written confirmation of your booking by email or fax. Payments can be made by cheque, money order, bank transfer, or Visa or MasterCard via paypal.

  

Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc.’s Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be made in writing to Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. by email or fax and are not considered canceled until acknowledged by return email or fax by Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc.  Cancellations made;

  

A) 61 days or earlier before arrival are charged 15% penalty of the initial $ amount deposit charged .

B) 60-45 days before arrival are charged 10% penalty of the total $ amount of the booking.

C) 44 days before arrival-arrival time will result in full forfeiture of the total $ amount of the booking.

No Refund regardless of death, sickness, medical injury. 

*We are compassionate and understanding people at Southamericaski.com and can evaluate available options on a per situation basis when there is death, sickness or medical injuries involved with participants or their friends or family members. However, to possibly do so on a per situation basis we will require documentation faxed or emailed immediately otherwise there is no possibility. It is important to note in these situations we will try our best but there is no guarantee and is dependent on the individual resort or hotel’s decision on a per situation basis.*  

We highly suggest that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to avoid penalties due to a change in plans.The best company we recommend that also covers out of bounds insurance is World Nomads and their website is at http://www.worldnomads.com/skicover.aspx *

  

Weather Conditions/No snow/Too much snow

Ski and snowboard vacations involve risk and unpredictable weather conditions. Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. does not purport to any guarantee of conditions.  Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. will do it’s best to inform the client of current snow conditions at TIME OF BOOKING if it is during the season, and their honest OPINION of what they think the FORECAST will be, nothing else.

Southamericaski.com does NOT offer any kind of credit or refund for accommodation, transfers, lift passes, SnowCat Ski Days at Ski Arpa, or Heli Days at Valle Nevado, Powder South, 3rd Edge Heli, Chilean Heli Skiing if the operation or ski resort is actually open,
regardless of what the current snow conditions or temperatures are, even if the snow is boiler plate, icy, hardpack, cardboard, crunchy, sloppy, warm, wet, corn, etc.... We obvioulsy have no control over snow and the weather.  If a operation or resort is actually closed we will deal with the situation on a per situation basis sometimes with credit for later in the season or the following year, or a refund, depending on the location and situation. This is the same situation if roads are close to gain access to operations or resorts due to too much snow or if the operation or resort is run in limited operation due to too much snow. For some exceptions see lower down on this page for too much snow.  
 

Single Supplements & Upgrades

Depending on the trip, upgrades & single supplements may be available.  Please check with us for further details and pricing.

  

  

Changes

A change of trip or dates is considered a cancellation and a re-booking if made 60-45 days before arrival, therefore cancellation fees apply.  You can only make changes to trips within the same calendar year.  We do not sell TRIP INSURANCE, however we recommend buying some if you think there will be potential changes in your vacation or with certain members of your group.

  

  

Refunds

No refunds will be issued on whole or partially unused portions of packages.

  

  

Preparing For Your Trip

Clients themselves are responsible for the provision of all necessary valid documents such as passports, visas, health requirements and drivers licenses for the country they are visiting.  Clients are responsible for contacting

the appropriate consulate, embassy, or searching online themselves and SouthAmericaSki.com is NOT responsible for any kind of credit or refunds if a client is denied departure or entry from/to a country or has not arranged the appropriate documents such as valid passports and visas or if the client is denied entry into the destination country they are travelling to before or after departing country of origin or connecting or transit country.

  

  

  

  

Taxes 

All taxes are included in the prices quoted by Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc.

  

  

Currency

All rates are quoted in USD currency unless otherwise noted.

  

  

Insurance

We highly recommend purchasing health insurance to ensure that you are adequately covered for any eventuality. Your lift ticket insurance in South America does NOT cover out of bounds skiing and snowboarding rescue or post out of bounds accident care or treatment.  If you are an advanced/expert skier or snowboarder we recommend purchasing or having health/travel insurance that covers out of bounds riding.

We recommend http://www.worldnomads.com/skicover.aspx

  

  

Health / Dietary Needs

By sending a deposit, you certify that you do not have any physical condition or disability that would create a hazard for you or other travelers. Please inform us prior to your departure if you have any special dietary or medical needs.

  

  

Late Arrivals & Departures

Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. cannot accept responsibility for travelers inconvenienced by late, diverted, delayed, canceled, or rescheduled travel arrangements. This also applies to missed flight connections or transfers and if airports, border crossings, train stations and trains, buses and bus stations are closed.   If clients are not able to depart from country of origin/connecting country or arrive in destination country via air, land, or water for whatever reason, weather, natural disasters, plane accident, fuel problems, wind, ashes, volcanic activity, floods, political problems, disease, any reason at all, SouthAmericaSki.com is NOT responsible for any credits or refunds for any portions of the trip you have booked with us.

  

  

Personal Belongings, Baggage & Documents

All personal belongings, baggage, and documents remain at all times and in all circumstances the owners responsibility and is at no time the responsibility of SouthAmericaSki.com if baggage or personal items are lost or stolen on flights, ground transfers, inside accommodation or on buses.

  

  

Weather Conditions/No snow/Too much snow

Ski and snowboard vacations involve risk and unpredictable weather conditions. Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. does not purport to any guarantee of conditions.  Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. will do it’s best to inform the client of current snow conditions at TIME OF BOOKING if it is during the season, and their honest OPINION of what they think the FORECAST will be. 

 
Too Much Snow
 

Chile

  

  

Road Closed Policies for Portillo, Farellones, La Parva  and Valle Nevado, Chile

  

Road Closure - Though well maintained by the Chilean Ministry of Public Works, snow storms can and do cause the road to close for getting to and leaving Farrellones, Portillo, El Colorado, La Parva and Valle Nevado ski resorts. Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc., and the individual resorts, are not responsible for the condition of the road. All guests should be aware that the possibility exists for road closures to prevent access to or exit from these resorts. There are financial obligations involved. Your vacation purchase is considered by Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc., and the individual resorts, to be consent to these obligations. 

  

  

  

  

  

  

Portillo

The road to Portillo is also the International Highway that links Santiago, Chile, with Mendoza, Argentina. The highway is maintained by the Chilean Ministry of Public Works, who is responsible for cleaning following snowstorms or other events. Portillo Ski Resort and Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. are not responsible for the condition of the road.

  

Guests who are unable to drive up to Portillo while the road is closed will be directly responsible for their accommodation and other expenses in Santiago or elsewhere. The nights that are not used at Portillo will be accredited to their accounts. Guests will be able to choose whether to transfer the credit to their extra services account at Portillo (ski lessons, bar bills, etc.), or use the credit toward a future reservation within the same season at Portillo through Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc.    Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. may decide to refund unused nights at Portillo Ski Resort, however Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. will only do so if Portillo Ski resort authorizes this. 

  

Guests who are unable to descend from Portillo and must spend the night in the resort will be charged the full rate for their first night’s accommodation. However, beginning the second night, a 50% discount is applied to the normal rate.  We highly recommend checking in with the hotel 48 hours before leaving regarding weather forecast.

  

  

Valle Nevado, La Parva

Road Closure - Though well maintained by the Chilean Ministry of Public Works, snow

storms can and do cause the road to close for a few hours to half a day. Valle Nevado, La Parva, and are not responsible for the condition of the road. All guests should be aware that the possibility exists for road closures to prevent access to or exit from the resorts. There are financial obligations involved. Your vacation purchase is considered by Southamericaski.com Vacations to be consent to these obligations.

Guests who are unable to drive up to any of the 4 resorts in 3 valleys while the road is closed will be directly responsible for their accommodation and other expenses in Santiago or elsewhere. The nights that are not used at La Parva will not be credited to their accounts, they will at Valle Nevado Hotels. Guests staying at Valle Nevado hotels will be able to choose whether to transfer the credit to their extra services account (ski lessons, bar bills, etc.) or use the credit toward a future reservation within the same season.

Guests who are unable to descend from any of the 4 resorts in 3 Valleys area and must spend the night in the resort will be charged the full rate for their first night's accommodation. However, at Valle Nevado hotels beginning the second night, a 50% discount is applied to the normal rate.

  

  

Farellones

Guests who are unable to drive up to any of the Farellones accommodation options while the road is closed will be directly responsible for their accommodation and other expenses in Santiago or elsewhere. The nights that are not used at Farellones accommodation will not be credited or refunded.

Guests who are unable to descend from any Farellones accommodation and must spend the night will be charged the full rate for any nights of required additional accommodation to what was originally booked.

  

IF THE SKI RESORT IS STILL OFFICIALLY OPEN, GOOD CONDITIONS OR NOT, SOUTHAMERICASKI.COM VACATIONS INC. DOES NOT OFFER ANY CHANGES OR CREDITS. 

  

The only accommodation options that DO offer credit or refunds if the ski resort IS CLOSED, OR ABOUT TO CLOSE are Valle Nevado Hotels, Nevados de Chillan and Gran Hotel Termas de Chillan hotel, all Portillo accommodation, Las Lenas hotels, La Parva Apartments, Cerro Castor Lodge, Los Andes accommodation (if Ski Arpa is closed). Locations such as Buenos Aires, Mendoza, San Rafael, Santiago, Farellones, Bariloche, San Martin de Los Andes, Farellones, Las Trancas, Ushuaia MAY (but are not required) offer credit or a refund, on a per situation basis as they are not directly related to the ski resort.

,

It is important to understand that the snowfall in South America is more variable than that in North America and Europe.  South America can have amazing seasons like 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009  where it snowed over 900 inches in Portillo and Las Lenas each, but we can also have variable seasons like 2003 and 2004 where some weeks it got really warm and with no new snowfall, conditions were not ideal and only 30% of the runs open but also some weeks where it stormed and you were skiing waist deep powder for 2 weeks, all this in the same season, variable.  In 1996, 1998 Las Lenas, Portillo and Valle Nevado never even opened, so well this is not frequent, it can happen. It can also snow too much burying the lifts for various days, while this is not too frequent either, it can happen.

  

In case of lack of snow with the resort being officially closed or about to become officially closed without a single lift or run open, Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. will offer to cancel the ski week for our guests as an available option ONLY for the following accommodation options;

  

Valle Nevado Hotels, Hotel Nevados de Chillan and Gran Hotel Termas de Chillan, all Portillo accommodation, Las Lenas hotels, La Parva Apartments, Cerro Castor Lodge, Los Andes accommodation (if Ski Arpa is closed). For all accommodation options, cities, and countries NOT mentioned within this paragraph we at SouthAmericaSki.com will do our best to see what options are available for possible credit or refunds, but cannot guarantee any such options and will be dealt with on a case by case basis.

  

In this case the option for the guests who have booked services at one of the aforementioned options in the paragraph above for that week have the option of

  

1. Keeping a credit for the total of the services booked, to be used in a later date during the current ski season for the trip you have booked your trip   (subject to availability)

  

If the resort originally booked is still open, but with horrible conditions and we MAY decide to make an exception of offering you credit (but are NOT required),  the decision not to come to Las Lenas ski resort during the originally booked week means forfeiture of the Buenos Aires-Malargue charter flight.   If Las Lenas is actually closed, you receive credit for the charter flight as well.

  

 or

  

2. The following year ski season in the same season as originally booked (i.e. high season, low season, mid season), if guests want a different week they can pay for the upgrade difference or be refunded a downgrade difference.

  

If the resort originally booked is still open, but with horrible conditions and we are making an exception of offering you credit,  the decision not to come to Las Lenas during the originally booked week means forfeiture of the Buenos Aires-Malargue charter flight.   If Las Lenas is actually closed, you receive credit for the charter flight as well.

  

*We are passionate skiers, snowboarders and travellers at Southamericaski.com and are open to evaluate available options when the ski resort is open but has very poor conditions on a per situation basis but do NOT guarantee or promise any kind of partial credit or refunds if this is the case.

  

  

Special Notes

Southamericaski.com Vacations Inc. reserves the right to change the price of a trip or accommodation due to an unexpected, major increase in costs such as a change in foreign exchange rates or taxes. If an alteration in costs has occurred we will notify you as soon as possible and ahead of time.

  

  

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