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MSC Sinfonia Cruise from Durban

*This is an article from the 2010/2011 cruise season, and the information could no longer be relevant. The page is retained for historic reference purposes only. If you would like current information and prices/quotes for the current season, please click the options in the green box to the right*

Last year we had an awesome time cruising from Durban on the Rhapsody, and were thrilled when Starlight Cruises invited us to review the Sinfonia. We were on MSC cruise SI24 from Durban to Maputo-Portuguese Island in a category 8 outside cabin, leaving on 1 Feb 2010 and returning on the 5th Feb 2010.

PASSPORT, VISA & HEALTH GUIDE FOR MOZAMBIQUE

The information contained here is to be used as a guideline only

DESTINATION – MAPUTO; BARRA LODGE; PORTUGUESE ISLAND

Passport information

  • ALL passengers travelling will require a valid passport – except in the case of a 2 night cruise to “Nowhere”. A cruise to Mozambique involves leaving South African sovereign territory and, as such requires a valid passport. You can NOT travel by presenting your identity document, driver’s licence or any other form of ID besides a valid passport, should this occur you WILL be denied boarding.

  • South African Citizens with dual nationality - MUST USE THEIR SOUTH AFRICAN PASSPORT TO EXIT AND ENTER SOUTH AFRICA.

  • Non-South African Citizens/Permanent Residents must have their permanent residence endorsed in their foreign passport.

  • When travelling on a “Nowhere” cruise you will be required to present an original official photo identity document – acceptable documents are - an ID book, drivers licence or a valid passport. Children require an original birth certificate. Photocopies and certified documents are NOT accepted.

Visa information

  • Currently South African passport holders do not require visa for Mozambique when travelling aboard the Sinfonia.

  • A fee of US$ 25 visa fee will apply to ALL foreign passport holders – this visa is obtained on board and does not have to be pre-arranged.

Health Requirements

  • There are no official health requirements for Mozambique.

  • Precautions: Mozambique is a Malaria area; however shore landings take place during the day when mosquitoes are least active. Please consult your Doctor; Pharmacist or Travel Clinic.

Conditions of booking, Passage and Carriage of Baggage

A. In these terms and conditions (”the booking conditions”) the following words shall have the meanings given to them hereunder:

  • The “Company” shall mean the owner of the Cruising Vessel.

  • Starlight shall mean Starlight Shipping (Pty) Ltd, the General Sales Agents in South Africa
    for the Company. Starlight has been appointed solely as the General Sales Agents in South Africa for the Company and not as agents for the company in any other capacity. The Company and not Starlight shall be the carrier in terms of the contract of carriage.

B. The carriage of the passenger and his luggage shall be governed by the terms and conditions on the face and reverse of the Company’s passenger ticket to be issued prior to embarkation. A copy of the Company’s standard passenger ticket conditions is available for inspection on request. The passenger shall be
bound by those terms and conditions and agrees that his acceptance of the ticket shall be deemed to be an acceptance of the terms and conditions contained herein. It is recorded that the terms and conditions of
the passenger ticket incorporate the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea, 1974 (”The Athens Convention”). In terms of the Athens Convention the carrier’s liability for the loss of or damage to luggage and for any damages suffered as a result of the death or personal injury to a passenger, are limited as provided for therein, In any event, the company shall not be liable for any loss, injury or damage of whatsoever nature or inability to perform the contract of carriage or any part thereof arising
out of or resulting from vis major or force majeure.

C. The contract of carriage shall be governed by the law of the country where the Company has
it’s principal place of business.

D. The passenger agrees that any dispute, action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with the contract of carriage shall be brought before the courts of the country where the company has it’s principal place of business.

E. BOOKING CONDITIONS
Before you Book
Please read the section carefully - it contains information you should be aware of before you
book your holiday.
To Make a Booking
Having established that space is available and on requesting your booking, a non-refundable deposit of R1000.00 plus the mandatory insurance per person must be received within 72 hours, failing which Starlight shall, in its absolute discretion, be entitled to cancel the booking. Confirmation of the booking by the passenger, or his agent, followed by a deposit will be considered as a consent to all provisions mentioned herein.
Balance of Fares
The balance of your tour fare including any currency or fuel surcharges levied by that time,
after deducting the amount of your deposit, is due and payable not later than 60 (SIXTY) days prior to the departure of your holiday. The Company and/or Starlight reserves the right to cancel the reservation within 8 weeks of departure if the full fare inclusive of all surcharges has not been received. The company and/or Starlight reserves the right to retain all of the deposit to offset damages or loss of profit which results from late payments. If your reservation is made within 75 days of departure the full fare (inclusive of all surcharges) is due within 48 hours of making your reservation. The Company and/or Starlight shall at its or their absolute discretion, be entitled to cancel the reservation without further reference if the fare is not received. In addition to any increase in the fare levied prior to payment of the balance of the applicable fare at that time, the Company may within its sole discretion declare and levy an extraordinary surcharge in the event of an unforeseen increase in the ruling price of fuel occurring during the currency of a cruise, in which event the Company may debit the passenger’s on-board account with such extraordinary surcharge(s).
Validity
The contract of passage is valid only for the person (or persons) whose name appears on the ticket and for the sailing day indicated. The contract and ticket is/are not transferable.
Passage Fare
The passage fare as may have been advertised or quoted is simply the fare in force at the date
of issuing the brochure. The Company reserves the right to increase the fare before the sailing of the vessel and the passenger in such case must pay the difference before embarking or shall have the right to cancel the contract forfeiting the non-refundable deposit paid to secure such booking. The advertised or quoted ticket fare appearing in any brochure or other publicity material, or included in the package price can be increased by the company within its sole discretion due to any circumstance beyond its reasonable control, including but not
limited to the occurance of currency fluctuations, the increase in the ruling price of fuel at the place it may be or is likely to be stremmed, increases in air tickets, any kind of taxes, or any other kind of increase connected with the holiday, package or cruise.
Cancellation by the Company
If the Company cancels any cruise or voyage at any time, in whole or in part, its liability shall be limited in its absolute discretion to refunding that part of the fare attributable to the part of the cruise or voyage that has not been performed, or to transferring the passenger to another ship of similar, but not necessarily identical, class and type performing substantially the same cruise or voyage and provide thereon substantially similar accommodation and facilities as on the original ship. Amending a booking Passengers amending a booking will be charged according to the table below (7 days and less - no changes allowed)
Cancellation by the Passenger
The Passenger shall be entitled to cancel the booking by giving notice in writing to the General Sales Agents in which event he shall be subject to the cancellation charges as follows: Between 45-60 days 25% of the cruise fare. Between 30-45 days 50% of the cruise fare. Less than 30 days 100% of cruise fare. Deposits are in all instances non-refundable.
Passenger’s Responsibility
The Passenger shall be directly responsible to the Company for any penalties, inconveniences, fines and expenses which by his fault the Company incur or may be assessed by port authorities, customs, health offices or by any other officials or authorities whatsoever. The passenger shall be bound by any order issued by the Master of the vessel and shall submit if requested by servants or agents of the Company to a search of the passenger’s person or any luggage and goods.
Health of Passenger
Where a passenger in the sole opinion of the Company and/or its Port Agents and/or the Master of the ship is considered to be, or has become, unfit to travel for any reason whatsoever or is likely to endanger his health or
safety or endanger the health or safety of or impair the comfort of others on board or seems likely to be refused permission to land at any Port, then that passenger may not be permitted to embark or may be disembarked at any Port, may be transferred from one berth to another or may have any drug, medicine or other substance administered through the ship’s doctor and/or his staff without liability to the Company for any consequential damage, loss, expense, loss of time or inconvenience and the Company shall not be required to repay any portion of a fare to any such passenger. Without limiting the foregoing, any passenger who assist or fails to report a stowaway shall be deemed to be unfit to travel.
Other Carriers
In making any arrangement for the care or transportation of any passenger other than by the ship named in this contract or for any shore excursion and transportation to or from shore and on land, the Company and/or Starlight is acting solely in the capacity of agent for the persons or parties providing same, but does so
on the express condition that no liability of any kind howsoever caused, including the negligence of any party inclusive of the servants or agents of the Company and/or Starlight shall attach to the Company and/or Starlight in connection with or arising out of such arrangements or in the execution of the care or transportation
contracted for. The passenger agrees that any independent or third party contractors with whom the Company and/or Starlight so contracts provide their services subject to their usual standard terms and conditions.
Insurance
Neither the Company nor Starlight are responsible for any loss or damage to property or luggage howsoever arising, including in consequence of the negligence of their servants and contractors. The Passenger is obliged to hold personal travel insurance to the satisfaction of the Company and/or Starlight at the time of departure covering the entire period of the cruise. No Passenger may board the vessel without such insurance cover being in place and the existence of such cover is a condition precedent to the acceptance of any booking and is an absolute warranty by the Passenger in favour of Starlight and the Company. The Passenger shall produce a copy of the insurance policy prior to boarding the vessel and failure to do so will render the booking subject to
immediate cancellation without compensation. The minimum terms of cover required are as specified on the Booking Reservation Form (”Mandatory Insurance Cover”).
Reservation Agents
The passenger agrees that the reservation agent is his agent and not the agent of the Company or Starlight. Accordingly, all money handled by reservation agents is handled on behalf of the passenger and not on Starlight’s or the Company’s behalf. The risk of loss of and/or theft of the money shall be borne by the
passenger until the money has been received by Starlight. In the event of the reservation agent signing the Booking Reservation form on behalf of the passenger, the passenger confirms and warrants the authority of the agent to do so and agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions thereof. In addition the reservation agent in so signing the Booking Reservation Form warrants his/her authority to do so on behalf of the passenger
and that the terms and conditions were drawn to the attention of the passenger.
Embarkation
Starlight will send details of embarkation and flight arrangements together with other helpful information about 2 weeks prior to departure.
Passage Ticket
Passage Tickets will only be issued after due receipt by Starlight of the full fare.

F. It must be noted that the terms of the booking and as otherwise set out herein, will be superseded by the terms of the passenger ticket issued to the passenger as at the date of embarkation, unless as is inconsistent with that specific condition.

G. Landings
The company is entitled to substitute any advertised port of call if the master deems it necessary to do so. Landings at the advertised ports of call are weather dependent. The master of the vessel shall make the decision whether it is deemed safe to take passengers ashore.

Booking Confirmation

The booking is confirmed, and we are within 60days of sailing; therefore we will require that FULL PAYMENT of all the amounts due is made within 48 Hours. Please ensure that you utilise the 6 digit Booking Reservation Number as a reference and fax proof of payment to us. Bookings with no deposits are automatically cancelled after 72 hours. 

Starlight Cruises does not accept credit / debit card payments.

Booking Form

This document needs to be completed in full and returned to our office as soon as possible. No booking is deemed complete without our having received a fully completed and Signed Booking Form and no documents will be issued without this form.

Please ensure that all passengers fully understand the Terms and Conditions attached, by which this booking is governed.

E-mail back to: Bookingforms@starlight.co.za or fax to 011 807 5085

Passport and Visa Info

It is the sole responsibility of the passenger to ensure that all passports; visas; ID     Documents, etc that are required are obtained. 

Sinfonia Luxury Coach Transfer Service Jhb-Kzn Return

Starlight Cruises now offers a Return Luxury Coach Transfer service from Johannesburg to Durban. Please see attached for details. 

Airport / Harbour Transfers

There is a continuous shuttle bus, which operates between Durban Airport and the Port when the Ship is in the Harbour. The cost is R70 per person each way. This service can be pre-booked with our reservation offices. Call us to make the necessary arrangements.

UShaka Tickets

We have negotiated a special entrance rate for Ushaka Sea World (not Wet ‘n Wild) of R50.00 per person. This amount is over and above the R70.00 cost of the shuttle itself. Provided your flight arrives in Durban before 10:00am, the Airport shuttle bus will stop at Ushaka on the way to the harbour and drop you off along with your hand luggage. Your checked luggage will continue with the shuttle bus to the harbour, and will be taken to your cabin.

It is preferable to book the Ushaka Sea World stopover prior to arriving in Durban, tickets can, however be purchased on the transfer coach. Ushaka Sea World tickets can be purchased at the Harbour upon Disembarkation.  

Please note that Starlight Cruises does NOT accept credit card payments. Upon booking you will receive a confirmation with our banking details on it to do an internet transfer or a direct deposit into our account. Please note that Starlight’s bookings are booked on a live system nationwide - all Durban cruises and category options are subject to availability at the time of booking.

Ask our lovely travel consultant your questions here. She would love to assist.

2015 Investment Cruise

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