General conditions
General terms and conditions
CENTRAL DANUBE provides its services exclusively on the basis of the following General Terms and Conditions of Carriage. With the purchase of a ticket, the passenger accepts the present General Terms and Conditions of Carriage as part of the contract and thus as binding. Male wordings are a proxy for the female spelling.
Summary of the main provisions First Class/52 seats Fare according to the current timetable/advance booking is advisable! Economy View/38 seats Fare according to the current timetable/advance booking is advisable!
Economy Plus/55 seats Fare according to the current timetable/advance booking is advisable! Economy/39 seats Fare according to the current timetable/advance booking is advisable! Captain´s Lounge/35 seats Fare according to the current timetable/advance booking is advisable! Children Fare according to the current timetable or free for infants under 2 accompanied by their parent (the child cannot occupy a separate seat)/advance booking required! 2 - 11 year olds accompanied by an adult - 50% (their own seat)/ advance booking is advisable! Children (aged 0-11 years) may only ride with the Twin City Liner if they are accompanied by an adult person. Wheelchair spaces/2 spaces The spaces for wheelchairs are located starboard-side approx. midship (rows 10 and 12). Due to limited spaces advance booking is compulsory. Wheelchair users must travel with an accompanying person. Motorised wheelchairs must be equipped with a wheel hub motor and not exceed the weight of 60 kilograms. Open deck seats/29 seats Only bookable in good weather, as long as the shipmaster gives his approval. Open deck seats can only be booked 1 hour before departure directly at the ticket office/ Schwedenplatz departure point/Bratislava! Fare according to the current timetable Discounts: Discounts cannot be combined and are excl. port charges and other surcharges. Catering on board Snacks, drinks and souvenirs available on board. DogsSurcharge of € 5,-. Valid EU vaccination certificate (rabies vaccination), muzzle and leash are necessary! Bicycles 12 spaces on board, transport of bicycles for an extra charge of € 5,- No transport of tandems, fatbikes, bike trailers, etc. advance booking is necessary. FEES
Changing a booking Up to 48 hours before departure for a fee of € 10,– per person.
CancellationUp to 48 hours before departure 50% of the ticket price is payable and thereafter 100%. In the case of late payment/bank transfer we take measures to collect the debt through third parties and charge default interest at the statutory rate. Cancellation cover When booking your journey the cancellation conditions stated above come into force. Consider the possibility of sickness and the resulting need to cancel the journey. You might incur cancellation costs that could be covered by taking out an appropriate insurance policy. We strongly urge you to take out cancellation insurance! YOUR STAY ON BOARD Trip along the Danube Canal and the open river During the trip along the Danube Canal passengers are not permitted to leave their seats for safety reasons! You may leave your seats once the high speed catamaran is on the River Danube. Food and drink must not be taken onto the sun deck. No smoking Smoking is strictly forbidden in the passenger cabin, the Captain`s Lounge and on the sun deck / upper deck! You are permitted to smoke on the rear outer deck (in the lower area of the catamaran). Please use the ashtrays provided. If you have any questions please ask the onboard staff. Photography and film Passengers agree to photography and filming on board, and to the subsequent use and publication of this material. No claims– for whatever reason – can arise from this. BOARDING Boarding commences 30 minutes before departure. ENTRY AND EXIT REGULATIONS A valid passport or Identity Card stating the EU citizenship of the owner is required (also for EU citizens). You can obtain information about entry conditions for non-EU citizens from the appropriate consulate! https://twincityliner.com/en/content/valid-travel-document-necessary
Principally, every passenger is personally responsible for observing the currently effective passport, visa and health regulations.
Details of these regulations and provisions are solely for information purposes. They cannot be used to derive any contractual obligation of whatever nature on the part of Central Danube at any time. Nevertheless, with the existing border controls, Central Danube is obligated by law to refuse transportation to anyone who cannot present their valid passport or National ID card when boarding. I. GENERAL CONDITIONS 1. Scope of Applicability The following terms and conditions apply to all passengers carried out by CENTRAL DANUBE, including all related services. This also applies to passenger transportation based on a charter contract; this means that such a contractual relationship is governed by the general conditions and terms of CENTRAL DANUBE and not by the transportation terms and conditions of the charterer. 2. Validity of tickets The period of validity is indicated on the issued ticket. 3. Transportation a) CENTRAL DANUBE provides transportation services to its passengers and to live animals on its passenger ships in accordance with its transportation terms and conditions and other conditions according to the timetable effective at the time of transportation. b) CENTRAL DANUBE may refuse to provide transportation or onward transportation of persons or animals without being liable for damages in the following specific cases: 1. in case of force majeure and in the case of circumstances beyond CENTRAL DANUBE's control, such as technical defects of or damage to the ship, which make it impossible or unreasonable to provide onward transportation services, and also in unfavourable weather conditions or when obliged to observe orders and/or enforcement measures imposed by competent authorities; 2. if it is illegal to render transportation or onward transportation services or if providing such services would violate public order and safety; 3. if the transportation terms and conditions or general instructions of the company or instructions given by the ship crew or, if relevant, land staff are not observed; 4. in the case of infringement against section § 1.03 (2) of the Lake and River Traffic Ordinance, Federal Law Gazette BGBL II No 289/2011, as amended. 4. Price adjustment CENTRAL DANUBE reserves the right to adjust their prices, including for tickets already booked, if reasons outside their control entail a cost increase (eg. new or higher taxes, decrees or orders that lead to cost increases, in particular an increase in average fuel prices since publication of the timetable or price increases due to fluctuations or changes in the exchange rate). If price adjustment exceeds 10% of the original ticket price, the passenger is entitled to cancel the booking free of charge. 5. Cancellation and changes to bookings Fees for cancelling and changing bookings are shown in the current CENTRAL DANUBE general conditiions. Changes to bookings must be made in writing (email, letter). The date on which it is received serves as the date on which cancellation of the travel contract is effected. 6. Complaints Disputes or other disagreements between passengers and service personnel shall be settled by the ship’s captain. 7. Liability a) CENTRAL DANUBE is liable for damages suffered by a passenger if CENTRAL DANUBE caused the damages through gross negligence (intent or gross negligence). b) CENTRAL DANUBE is not liable for accidents or damages caused by the own fault of the person involved, in particular by non-compliance with existing regulations or instructions of the ship’s personnel, by force majeure or non-company persons and their representatives. If the person involved culpably caused damages, then § 1304 ABGB applies accordingly. c) No liability is assumed for damage to luggage, including bicycles, unless CENTRAL DANUBE caused the damages through gross negligence (intent or gross negligence). 8. Limitation All claims by passengers – of whatever sort – expire after 2 years. 9. Wi-Fi on boardThe free use of Wi-Fi on board the Twin City Liner is an exclusively voluntary service provided by CENTRAL DANUBE. This – in whatever direction – cannot be used to derive any contractual obligation of whatever nature on the part of CENTRAL DANUBE at any time.
CENTRAL DANUBE does not guarantee connection speed and quality.
CENTRAL DANUBE does not provide support for the devices and software you use. If you have any problems in this regard, please contact your device or software manufacturer.
CENTRAL DANUBE excludes any liability - for whatever reason - for itself and its legal successors in connection with the use of the Wi-Fi network on board. In this context, users undertake to comply with any national and/or international legal provisions without the need for separate instruction from CENTRAL DANUBE.
Please note that there may be times when the service cannot be used due to maintenance, etc.
II. Transportation of persons and living animals 1. Timetables, journey times, delays a) The transportation of persons and living animals is in accordance with published timetables tenders showing arrival and departure times of ships, other vessels and their classifications. b) If not shown on the timetable, timings of the start and termination of sailings in accordance with the timetable are issued separately. c) No claims against CENTRAL DANUBE may arise with regard to cancelled and delayed ships. In particular, connections with other means of transport (particularly ship, railway, bus, plane) and further travel in the case of missed connections cannot be guaranteed. Similarly, CENTRAL DANUBE is not obliged to wait for delayed arrivals of other forms of transport. 2. Ticket prices, tariffs, means of payment a) Ticket prices, reduced fares and conditions governing tickets, transferability, validity, valid days, journey breaks, cancellation, changing bookings etc are shown on the current timetables available in all ship stations. b) Special arrangements can only be made with CENTRAL DANUBE in writing. c) CENTRAL DANUBE will publish ticket prices at the sales points in Euros. d) When booking and purchasing tickets from travel agents abroad or through private persons, conversion rates between Austria and the relevant currency at the time of payment, as stated in Wiener Zeitung on the day in question, shall apply. 3. Tickets and ticket sales a) Passengers must carry a valid ticket showing the embarkation and disembarkation points, as well as the type of ship, the ticket price and the ship’s classification. b) CENTRAL DANUBE reserves the right to refuse to carry anyone who does not possess a valid ticket. Passengers must have a ticket with them throughout the entire journey. c) The information on the ticket is decisive for carriage. d) Tickets issued by CENTRAL DANUBE display the booking number and not the name of the purchaser. The numbering makes tickets transferable, so that the ticket holder does not need to be identical to the purchaser. If a ticket is lost, CENTRAL DANUBE is not resposible for damages incurred by the ticket purchaser through or related to unauthorised use. e) If a passenger loses their ticket, they are not entitled to travel on the section of the route for which the original ticket was issued until a new ticket has been bought at the current tariff for the relevant part of the journey. f) CENTRAL DANUBE can refuse to carry any passenger who holds a ticket purchased in contravention of legal or official rules or at a price different from the published tariff. CENTRAL DANUBE also retains this right if the price differs from that agreed with CENTRAL DANUBE. 4. Sales points a) DDSG Blue Danube – Ticket office, Vienna City Ship Station, 1010 Vienna, Schwedenplatz (Station ticket office) and DDSG Blue Danube – Ticket office, Shipping Centre, 1020 Vienna, Handelskai 265 b) CENTRAL DANUBE –Central booking office – enquire by telephone +43/1/904 88 80 or by emailing booking@twincityliner.com c) Flora Tour, Kúpeľná 27/6, 811 02 Bratislava, Slovakia. Tel.: +421 2/544 358 03 d) Internet/online booking at www.twincityliner.com e) Some travel agents and ticket offices Ticket offices (see a and c) open at least 30 minutes before departure times given on the timetable. Ticket offices can refuse to issue tickets (see a and c) 5 minutes before the departure time. Passes for reduced fares must be presented to ticket office on or without request. When a ticket is issued, the passenger must check that they have been given the correct ticket and change, as complaints later will not be considered. 5. Ticket inspections a) When embarking each passenger must show a ticket on or without request. During the journey tickets must be shown to the ship’s personnel at any time upon request. b) Travel groups with vouchers towards payment must exchange the relevant correctly completed vouchers – booking number, number of passengers in the group, company stamp and signatures of the issuing employee – at the ticket office for tickets. Every passenger receives a ticket for each section of the route. c) Amendments to the content of tickets make these void without prejudice to criminal consequences. d) Provisions in point 6 apply to additional charges and back payments. 6. Additional charges, back payments, refunds 1) Additional charges When a ticket is issued, if the ticket was verifiably bought at too low a price, then the passenger must upon request immediately pay the difference. CENTRAL DANUBE or its representatives has the burden of proof in this regard. 2) Back payments a) If a passenger is found without a valid ticket during or after the journey, then they must immediately pay double the ticket price as specified for the distance to the next point where the ship docks or to the final stop. b) If immediate back payment in accordance with the conditions is refused, the ship or station personnel are entitled to take the name and address of the passenger as shown on a valid passport/ID card and to refuse to carry them further on the ship or to hand them over to the relevant official authorities. 3) Refunds a) When a ticket is issued, if the ticket was verifiably bought at too high a price, as soon as this is established, the passenger will be refunded the difference by the relevant ticket office employee. The passenger has the burden of proof in this regard. b) In the following cases a refund will be given by CENTRAL DANUBE upon the passenger’s request: - if a trip is cancelled or interrupted for company reasons (such as an official navigation blockage) or due to force majeure. c) In general tickets issued by travel agents should be returned to the sales point for refunding. d) CENTRAL DANUBE does not replace or refund lost tickets. e) All claims to refund expire unless made within 6 months after the end of the validity period on the ticket by returning the original ticket to the relevant sales point. f) There is no right of withdrawal pursuant to section 11 FAGG [Austrian Remote and External Business Act] for distance marketing and contracts concluded outside the office (long-distance and external business) concerning the carriage of passengers. g) CENTRAL DANUBE shall decide on all refund claims. 7. Embarkment and disembarkment, your stay on board, journey breaks 1) Embarkment and disembarkment a) Instructions of the ship station and ship personnel must be followed when entering and leaving the ship and during your stay onboard. b) Passengers may only board jetties, pontoons and ships when the boarding sign has been given. Similarly it is forbidden to open, go beyond or slip through the cordon without permission. c) As soon as the sign for departure has been given it is forbidden to attempt to embark or disembark or to try to help somebody to do so. d) It is only permitted to enter the ship with a valid ticket. e) Anyone found on board after departure without a valid ticket must pay double the ticket price of the journey to the next ship station (point 6, paragraph 2, a). 2) Your stay on board a) Every passenger has claim to only one seat. Passengers with an open deck ticket do not have claim to a seat in the pasenger cabin on the main deck or in the Captain`s Lounge. b) Passengers are not allowed not leave their booked seats during the journey along the Danube Canal. c) Food and drinks must not be taken onto the upper deck/sun deck. d) Please note that certain cabins and areas are no smoking. 3) Journey breaks In the case of unforeseen interruptions to the journey, CENTRAL DANUBE reserves the right to replace the ship specified in the travel contract with another suitable for fulfilling the contract, irrespective of whether it belongs to CENTRAL DANUBE or is the same type and size. 8. Persons excluded from carriage or permitted carriage conditionally a) Carriage can be denied to persons who do not comply with prescribed regulations or instructions of personnel, drunken persons or persons under the influence of narcotics and those offending standards of decency. They are not entitled to a refund of the ticket price or any other compensation. b) If reason for exclusion only becomes apparent during the journey, the passenger must leave the ship at the next landing stage on the request of the ship’s captain. Such persons are not entitled to a refund of the ticket price or any other compensation. c)Passengers are not permitted to consume food and beverages, with the exeption of baby food, brought by them onto the ship. If they ignore a warning, offenders shall be denied carriage.The final decision is exclusively at the discretion of the ship’s captain.
9. Carriage of dogs and other animals a) Dogs and other living animals that can be transported on passenger ships without causing risk or nuisance to passengers can be brought onboard. b) Carriage of animals is bound by official regulations, particularly those regarding animal diseases. An EU vaccination certificate (pet passport) must be carried. Carriage will be denied to sick animals. c) Animals must be supervised by the passenger themselves. Dogs must be kept on a leash and wear a muzzle. d) CENTRAL DANUBE assumes no liability for transported animals and for damages arising thereof. The owner or person responsible for the animal is liable for any damages caused by the animal. 10. Changes to services The ship’s captain reserves the right, where necessary without prior notification, to change the timetable, to reduce speed, to omit stations or to go to other stations, to assist other ships, to tow other vessels, to sail with or without pilots, without compensation claims of any sort arising from these measures. Where possible the ship’s captain shall inform passengers immediately of changes and relevant circumstances. 11. Force majeure and unforeseen circumstances 1) In the case of forces of nature, government decrees, strikes, political unrest, war, technical faults or other circumstances beyond CENTRAL DANUBE’s control, CENTRAL DANUBE is entitled to take the following measures: a) to postpone, curtail or entirely cancel the trip; b) to start or finish the trip at other ship stations than the ones advertised; c) to replace the ship specified in the travel contract with another appropriate to fulfilling the contract, irrespective of whether it is owned by CENTRAL DANUBE or the same type and size; d) To call at stations in any order once or several times, or to omit stations, to disembark a passenger and/or their luggage at arrival or intermediate stations to be transported by another means of transport on any route as the passenger’s own risk. 2) If for the abovementioned reasons the trip does not take place, then the customer can claim the following offers: a) The customer is at liberty to return the ticket or to rebook the trip free of charge. b) If during the journey the ship in accordance with maritime regulations has to assist a vessel in difficulty, CENTRAL DANUBE shall not be liable for the resulting delay to the journey. The decision to offer assistance is made exclusively at the ship captain’s discretion. 12. Liability 1) CENTRAL DANUBE is liable for compliance with industry standards in performing its services. 2) Any damages that could lead to claims against CENTRAL DANUBE and its staff must be reported to a ship’s crew member by the passenger immediately after detection, and no later than when leaving the ship at the destination. 13. Complaints a) If during the journey a passenger finds cause for complaint, they must report it immediately to a ship’s crew member. Tour guides and local agents can accept complaints, but they are not authorised to accept claims in the name of CENTRAL DANUBE. b) Claims to CENTRAL DANUBE should be made by emailing booking@twincityliner.com or by post, stating the grounds for the damages claim no later than four weeks after the contractually stipulated end of the journey, otherwise they shall not be accepted, unless the passenger can prove that through no fault of their own they were prevented from meeting the deadline. c) If passengers forego all or part of the programme included in the ticket price, CENTRAL DANUBE cannot accept claims to price reductions. 14. Insurance The liability of CENTRAL DANUBE is limited to the business liability insurance (insurance sum EUR 25 million) the grounds and the amount. It is recommended that you take out insurance independently to cover luggage, accidents, illness abroad, and travel cancellation costs. 15. Passports and visas a) Passport and visa regulations depend on the nationality of the passenger. b) CENTRAL DANUBE is not obliged to apply for visas or to check them. Costs and penalties arising from passengers’ non-compliance with international travel regulations or entry conditions of countries visited shall be borne by the passenger. III. Carriage of baggage 1. Excluded items a) Excluded from carriage are items that could endanger, cause nuisance to or in any other way harm other passengers, as well as items that are in their nature unsuitable for transportation on passenger ships. b) Passengers who nevertheless bring such items on board can be excluded from embarking on or continuing their journey and will not be entitled to reimbursement of their ticket cost, baggage charge or to other compensation. c) The passenger bears sole responsibility for damages of any sort caused by prohibited items brought on board. Liability on the part of CENTRAL DANUBE is excluded. 2. Baggage a) Every passenger can bring on board items intended for their own use during the journey (where necessary packaged appropriately), unless their carriage contravenes paragraph 1. Due to the particular character of the ship, the size of baggage is limited to hand baggage size used in air travel (max. 9kg). b) The passenger can at their own risk bring easily accommodated luggage items on board (small hand luggage), as long as it does not occupy another seat or impede freedom of movement on the ship. c) CENTRAL DANUBE assumes liability for damages to baggage only if it can be proven that it was caused by gross negligence on their part (intent or gross negligence). The passenger is responsible for loading, unloading and moving their baggage. If during loading, unloading or moving of baggage a passenger is assisted by ship or station personnel, then this service is offered on a purely voluntary basis. CENTRAL DANUBE assumes no liability for damages to baggage caused in such cases, irrespective of whether the ship or station personnel is to blame or not. d) It is the passenger’s responsibility to comply with customs and other regulations. 3. Bicycles a) Bicycles that are suitable for carriage on passenger ships are transported subject to prior payment of the fee specified in the timetable if the space is available and on the discretion of the ship’s captain. b) Bicycles can be transported at the tariff rates specified in the timetable. c) Pre-booking is required to take bicycles on board, as the space is limited to 12 bicycles. d) Each passenger may take only one bicycle on board. Instructions from the ship’s personnel regarding stowage of bicycles must be followed. e) Bicycles must be claimed immediately upon arrival at the station of destination. Bicycles that are not claimed will be unloaded at the final station at the end of the day (Vienna City Ship Station). f) Motorized vehicles cannot be transported on passenger ships. g) Otherwise the provisions in paragraph 1 apply. h) Bicycle trailers, fatbikes, tandems, etc. cannot be transported. 4. Items lost or left behind a) If you find any lost or forgotten items in the cabins, stations or ships, please hand them over to a ship’s crew member. There is no entitlement to a reward. b) Notify a ship’s crew member of lost items. IV. Catering 1. Catering services a) Catering services on the ships are provided by independent companies at their sole responsibility. Any liability on the part of CENTRAL DANUBE for the services of these companies and their staff is therefore excluded. b) During the cruise passengers are offered food and drinks on the menus at the prices specified. The food and drinks menus are available to all. c) The above conditions apply mutatis mutandis to Bordnebenbetriebe onboard services, as well as souvenir shops and tour operators etc. V. Other provisions 1. Unforeseeable events CENTRAL DANUBE explicitly states that Central Danube makes no special provisions against hostage-taking, hijacking, capture, bombing or explosions and similar acts of violence or terrorist attacks or threats and cannot ward off such events. Therefore in such cases, claims cannot be made for whatever reason against CENTRAL DANUBE. 2. Damages a) A damages or cleaning fee of € 150,- is immediately payable in the case of soiling of the ships, stations or their facilities. Confirmation will be given of the amount paid. CENTRAL DANUBE reserves the right to issue a separate invoice for exceeding cleaning expenses to the person responsible for the soiling. b) In the case of damage to the ships, stations or their facilities, the ship and station personnel are entitled to request the name and address of the person responsible for the damage and to ban them from continuing their journey or to hand them over to the appropriate authorities. VI. Jurisdiction and applicable law For all legal disputes the sole place of jurisdiction shall be the appropriate court in Vienna. Austrian law applies exclusively with the exception of the conflict of laws rule of international private law. Should the translation of these General Commercial Terms and Conditions into English or Slovak lead to differences in formulation or meaning, the German version hereof shall be applied as the only effective version.
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