General Travel Package Terms and Lumiversumi Travel Agency Special Terms
Lumiversumi Travel Agency Ltd (Powder Universe) has a valid guarantee for package travel with the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority, which is the supervisory authority for the activities of travel organizers (www.kkv.fi).
Registration number: 764/23/Mj
General Travel Package Terms
These terms and conditions have been negotiated between the Finnish Travel Agents Association and the Consumer Ombudsman. The terms and conditions apply to contracts concluded from 1 July 2018 onwards. The terms have been drawn up taking into account the mandatory provisions of the Package Travel Directive (EU 2015/2302) and the Act on Combined Travel Services (901/2017/www.finlex.fi/laki/alkup/2017/20170901) concerning package travel and linked travel arrangements.
The general travel package terms can be found here.
Travel Insurance and Off-Piste Insurance
The price of the trip does not include cancellation coverage or travel insurance. Lumiversumi requires participants in off-piste, climbing, and hiking trips to take out insurance that covers medical expenses as well as evacuation and repatriation.
We recommend taking out travel insurance at the time of booking to cover cancellation costs and possible illness of yourself or your travel companion. The passenger is responsible for their own insurance coverage and its scope; Lumiversumi is not liable for any damage that may be caused to the passenger or their belongings. The insurance must be paid no later than 3 days before the start of the trip in order to be eligible for cancellation compensation. We recommend checking the terms of the current insurance with your insurance company. Proof of valid insurance must be presented to the tour leader or guide upon request. The tour operator may, if necessary, deny participation in the trip to a customer without travel insurance, and in such cases, the organizer is not obliged to compensate the customer for any costs or damages incurred.
Please note that your off-piste insurance covers evacuation from outside the ski area as well as any return home that deviates from the normal procedure.
Travel Documents
Passengers must ensure that they have the necessary documents (passport, visa, USA's Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application, flight ticket) and verify their accuracy and consistency with the reservations. Also, check departure times for transportation.
For trips outside Europe, the passport must be valid for at least six (6) months after the trip. Some of our destinations require obtaining a visa in advance. Participants are responsible for obtaining visas and the costs associated with them. Lumiverse is not responsible for incorrect visas or damaged passports that may prevent travel or entry to a country. The passenger should ensure that the passport has sufficient blank pages for visas and stamps.
Customer Obligations and Responsibilities
The customer must follow the instructions and regulations provided by the tour leader, authorities, organizer, or representative related to the implementation of the trip, as well as the rules of conduct for transportation.
The customer must not disturb other passengers with their behavior or cause harm or danger to themselves or other passengers. If the customer substantially fails in their obligations, their departure on the trip may be denied or they may be removed from the trip. In such cases, the customer is not entitled to a refund and is responsible for all costs incurred for their return journey.
The customer is responsible for damages caused intentionally, negligently, or carelessly to themselves, the organizer, or third parties, including violating the aforementioned instructions.
The customer must provide the tour operator with contact information to reach them before and during the trip.
The customer is responsible for obtaining guidance on any special health-related needs. The customer must inform the tour operator in advance of any health-related special needs.
The customer must immediately contact the tour operator directly if an error is noticed during the trip.
Application of Special Conditions
Due to regulations regarding the transportation mode of Lumiversumi`s travel products, booking and sales conditions for scheduled flights, and special accommodation conditions due to the nature of the trip, we apply the following special conditions in addition to the general travel package terms.
Changes to Services and Trips
Lumiversumi may make minor changes to travel arrangements that are not errors and do not justify the cancellation or compensation of the trip. Changes in flight schedules of up to 8 hours (forward or backward) or changes in accommodation to an equivalent level without substantial changes in location and other services are not considered errors. Hotel ratings are based on our own classification.
If the organizer cannot adhere to the agreed travel plan due to reasons beyond their control, the organizer has the right to change travel routes and other parts of the trip, such as schedules, accommodation, and transportation, or make other changes to the itinerary that do not significantly alter the nature of the trip. For example, prevailing weather conditions may affect the travel itinerary. Customers must be informed of such changes without delay. Despite these changes, the customer is still obligated to pay the trip price and other agreed payments. Lumiverse reserves the right to provide the tour with English-speaking guidance if the guide or tour leader is prevented from departing on the trip due to sudden illness or other compelling reasons, until a replacement guide or tour leader is available. The tour operator reserves the right to replace the pre-announced guide or tour leader with another for compelling reasons.
Booking Changes
For name changes and partial cancellations according to the general travel package terms, we charge an office fee of 100 euros per person plus actual costs incurred. If a passenger wants to transfer the trip to another person, they must notify us immediately. Airline tickets usually do not allow changes after ticket issuance.
Transferring trips is not possible for all trips, as for some of our trips, we need to obtain special permits granted by local authorities well in advance, as well as pre-arranged visas.
Travel Packages
Travel package prices typically include flights on regular aircraft, accommodation, airport transfers, and guided tours at the destination, unless otherwise stated in the travel description. Due to the specific nature of the trips, a tour leader or guide may not always be present during flights, train rides, bus trips, or other travel arrangements, but a guide will be available at the destination.
A travel reservation becomes binding once the customer has paid an advance payment. The amount of the advance payment depends on the destination and nature of the trip. The most common reservation fee is 500 euros. By making the payment, the customer agrees to the applicable general travel package terms and Lumiversumi's special travel conditions, as well as any changes that may have been made to the sales materials, which will be communicated at the time of the booking.
For certain trips (e.g., cat skiing and helicopter skiing trips), the reservation fee may be higher as the immediate costs of the trip exceed the basic reservation fee. Also, any flight and hotel fees (customized trips) that Lumiversum needs to pay immediately are paid in connection with the reservation fee. These fees are part of the reservation fee. The amount of any deviating reservation fee is specified in the travel description.
The due date for the final invoice is determined according to the terms and conditions of the accommodation provider and/or airline. The final payment must be made no later than the specified due date, usually 60-30 days before the start of the trip, depending on the nature of the trip.
The reservation fee must be paid no later than the due date. If payment is not received within 5 banking days of the due date, the travel organizer has the right to cancel the customer's participation in the trip.
If payments are made late, it cannot be guaranteed that the corresponding service will still be available. Lumiversumi has the right to charge the customer for any costs incurred due to rebooking.
The charge for a reminder invoice is 10 euros. The travel organizer has the right to terminate the contract if the passenger has not paid the price of the trip by the agreed payment date. Failure to make payment does not release the subscriber from travel-related obligations, such as further advance payments to the travel agency.
Determination of Travel Price and Price Changes
The prices of trips are provided without commitment. They are based on the flight prices, tariffs, and exchange rates valid at the time of publication of the trip. The travel organizer has the right to make changes to prices (e.g., fuel surcharge on flights) and/or exchange rates. The final payment price will be adjusted according to exchange rate changes as stipulated in the package travel conditions. The impact of a weakened euro exchange rate on the trip price will be charged to the customer if the effect of the exchange rate change is over 10 euros per person.
Customer Responsibilities and Liabilities
The passenger and the travel booker are responsible for all bookings, cancellations, changes, and situations where the passenger does not use the reserved seat despite the booking or cancels the reservation before the trip, as well as any other possible costs. Lumiversumi is not responsible for costs arising from the interruption or cancellation of the trip due to the passenger's incomplete travel documents.
Lumiversumi is not responsible for the costs of obtaining the customer's travel documents.
Lumiversumi is not responsible for errors in the customer's booking information or the costs incurred to correct them.
It is the customer's responsibility to verify the following before confirming and paying for the trip:
The accuracy of booking details (e.g., dates, passenger names as per passport)
Validity of the passport and, depending on the destination's requirements, visa or transit visas
Required protections, vaccinations, and health requirements for each travel destination can be checked at the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (www.thl.fi) and health regulations, travel notices, and exceptional situations at the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (www.um.fi)
The customer is obligated to ensure the accuracy of passenger and contact details. The customer is responsible for checking flight departure times and any possible changes to schedules or departure terminals before and during the trip. As a general recommendation, passengers should arrive at the airport in Europe at least two (2) hours before departure. If you are carrying an avalanche backpack, make sure to bring the necessary documents for the backpack, follow IATA's guidelines for transporting dangerous goods, and allow sufficient time for security checks. For more information, visit the airline's website or contact Lumiversum at info@lumiversumi.fi.
Cancellation of the Trip
The passenger has the right to cancel the trip at any time before the start of the trip (General Package Travel Terms 4.1-4.3). Lumiversum has the right to charge a reasonable compensation for necessary measures resulting from the cancellation, such as prepaid services for which the travel organizer does not have a refund right (e.g., flights, hotels, visas, or other travel arrangements).
Lumiversum's general cancellation conditions when cancellation is made:
At least 60 days before the start of the trip, an office fee of 250 €/person is charged.
59-35 days before the start of the trip, 300€ is retained, as well as cancellation costs related to flights and other services.
34-15 days before the start of the trip, an advance payment of 500 €/person is retained, as well as cancellation costs related to flights and other services.
14-8 days before the start of the trip, 75% of the total price of the trip and/or charges imposed by service providers are retained.
7 days before the start of the trip or later, no refunds are provided.
In the case of last-minute cancellations, cancellation fees are often significantly higher than reservation and advance payment fees. Therefore, we recommend taking out a travel insurance policy that includes cancellation coverage immediately after making the booking.
For some of our trips, special conditions apply. In these cases, a deviation from the normal reservation fee may be charged, and specific cancellation conditions for each trip will be communicated separately via email.
Issued flight tickets or other special tickets cannot be canceled. If the trip is canceled, the special ticket reservation is automatically canceled. The travel organizer will charge full costs for canceled tickets.
If the number of passengers in a room or apartment changes, Lumiversum has the right to charge additional costs incurred from the change by dividing them among the passengers. If a change in accommodation type is not possible, Lumiversum has the right to charge the actual costs resulting from the cancellation of the spot by the cancelling participant.
Paid Additional Services and Refunds
It is possible to purchase additional services in connection with the trip, such as guided tours or ski lift tickets. Unused services are non-refundable. Lumiversum has the right to provide better arrangements, such as accommodation, than required by the reservation. Lumiversum is not obliged to provide the same additional services to all passengers.
Child Prices and Discounts
For more information about child discounts, contact info@lumiversumi.fi.
Passengers under 18 years of age cannot participate in the trip without a guardian.
Complaints
Complaints and comments related to the trip must be made immediately upon occurrence to our guides at the destination, the hotel, the transportation company, the restaurant, or similar. If the problem is not resolved during the trip, a written claim for compensation must be submitted to the travel organizer in writing within reasonable time.
Travel Organizer's Right to Cancel
The organizer has the right to cancel the trip if:
There are not enough participants registered for the trip (according to General Terms and Conditions 12.1). The organizer has the right to decide the required minimum number for each trip. The cancellation must be communicated to the customer as soon as possible, taking into account the length and nature of the trip.
The organizer's ability to carry out the trip as agreed has significantly deteriorated after the conclusion of the contract due to hostilities, natural disasters, strikes, or a similar situation occurring at the travel destination or its vicinity, or if the trip cannot be carried out for other unexpected reasons without endangering the customer's life or health. Substantial changes in conditions at the travel destination are also grounds for canceling the trip. The customer must be informed of the cancellation as soon as possible.
The travel organizer Lumiversum is not responsible for damages or cancellations resulting from force majeure, labor disputes, natural disasters, political conflicts, prevailing snow or weather conditions at the destination, changes beyond the control of the travel organizer, or any potential errors in writing or printing on the website.