Frequently Asked Questions - EWDR Scuba Diving Holidays

Our offer

We have carefully placed a range of sample trips on our website. These are trips that we are confident you will have a great experience. Each of these trips in customizable to your needs in duration, accommodations and diving requirements.

The prices listed at ozne sample trips are based on prices applicable in low season and based on occupancy of 2 persons in a room or cabin. Based on your requirements, we will request the exact prices and find suitable flights to match. You will then receive a total proposal from us.

Requesting a travel proposal

You can request a travel proposal easily and without obligation through our website. The travel proposal request buttons are easily recognizable on our website in a bright yellow color. The application form can also be found at this link.

Using our sample trips, you can get inspiration and get an idea of what the trip might look like. Of course, the trip will be put together entirely according to your wishes. In the quote request, you can specify the main destination and what your needs and preferences are. Once you have sent your quote request, we will contact you for some additional questions and then will be happy to get to work creating a suitable travel proposal!

Booking procedure

Confirmation

If you agree to our travel proposal you can do so by sending back an email that includes
you indicate agreement. Send copies of all travelers’ passports right away. We have
needed to book the flights. The sooner we can do this, the better. The prices of flights
fluctuate greatly, and without passport information, we cannot option the flights and thus the price may still
rise.

2. All in option

After we receive your agreement and passport copies we will check whether the price of the
trip remained the same and then we will option the flights, accommodations, transfers, diving, etc.

3. Invoice

If everything is in option we are sure we can go ahead with the trip. We then send
the invoice by e-mail.

4. Deposit

By return, the deposit must be paid. The amount of this down payment is
listed in the cost summary accompanying this travel proposal. Most (flight) options we can often only accommodate a maximum of 24
hold for hours and sometimes even shorter. Hence our request that payment be made by return.

5. Dive trip confirmed

After the deposit is received, we can convert the options taken into a
final booking.

6. Insurance

Are you properly insured? We would ask you to check this carefully. Through our

website you can book your cancellation and (continuous) travel insurance directly with Allianz HERE.

7. Residual Payment

The remaining payment is due 6 weeks before departure. Do you travel within n
you and 6 weeks? Then the full travel sum must be paid in 1x at the time of booking.

8. Travel documents

You will receive digital travel documents from us about 2 weeks before departure. These include.
from airline tickets, vouchers, accommodation address(es) and practical travel information.

9. Diving vacation:

Enjoy!

Is it possible to make a change after booking?

Should you require a change to your already confirmed program, this is possible. Do you contact your travel specialist to communicate the change? Please note that after final confirmation of the trip, there may be fees associated with changing the trip. If changing your program, for example, requires a flight change, an administration fee will be charged.

Cancellation Policy

1. If the traveler cancels the trip due to a circumstance concerning him, the traveler shall owe the following amounts in addition to any reservation fees due:

   a. until the 56th day before the day of departure: the deposit;
   b. from the 56th day to the 42nd day before the day of departure: 35%;
   c. from the 42nd day to the 28th day before the day of departure: 50% of the travel sum;
   d. from the 28th day to the 14th day before the day of departure: 75% of the travel sum;
   e. from the 14th day to the 5th day before the day of departure: 90% of the travel sum;
   f. from the 5th day up to and including the day before the departure day: 100% of the travel sum;

2. For the following and similar cruises and resorts: Cassiopeia Safaries Sudan, Shear Water, Ocean Hunter, Hunter ships general, World Wide Dive and Sail, Sea Escape & Baja diving Mike Ball, Nautilus Maldives, Nautilus general, Komodo Cruises Dive encounters, Peter Hughes, Aggressor Fleet and the following different cancellation policies apply:

   a. Until 90 days before departure: the deposit, with a minimum of € 500.- per person;
   b. From 90 to 60 days before departure: 50% of the fare;
   c. From 60 days to departure day: 100% of the travel price.

3. Loose tickets: If a loose ticket is canceled by the traveler before the ticket is printed, €115 will always be charged, except for tickets with different conditions. If the ticket is printed, the cost is 100% of the ticket cost.
4. Car rental: EWDR reserves all its rental cars inexpensively through international partners. These partners have strict conditions. For example, it is not possible to get a refund for unused car rental days

Corono Policy

Slowly but surely, the world opens up and travel is possible again. A fantastic development that we at EWDR very much welcome. We understand that despite the positive developments, many uncertainties and questions remain. For example, what happens if your trip is canceled or you can no longer travel yourself because of corona? All logical questions that we are happy to elaborate on.

Code Yellow, Orange and Red

The Dutch government uses a color code to categorize a country’s overall security. In countries with coronavirus, the color codes additionally mean the following in the country or area:

Green: no corona measures affecting travel / stay
Yellow: corona measures with limited impact on daily life
Orange: daily life is disrupted, entry ban may apply
Red: this country or area is totally closed with no prospect of entry and exit

At EWDR, we offer trips to countries listed on green, yellow and orange. Green and yellow speak for themselves. For orange destinations, we consider in advance whether it is realistic to travel to the destination, which often turns out to be the case. Not surprisingly, by now all major tour operators, like EWDR, have decided to offer orange destinations as well.

Useful links:

• Travel advice for the Dutch
• Travel advice for Belgians

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel free of charge if my trip is to a country with code orange?
If the situation is truly unsafe you may then cancel your package tour at no cost. However, you must be able to prove that it is no longer safe at your destination. They must be “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” that have a major impact on your package tour or on your trip there. So Code Orange by itself or feeling unsafe is not enough to cancel the trip free of charge.

I do not meet the vaccination & testing requirements of my travel destination, can I cancel free of charge?
No. You can, however, protect yourself from this at Central Management, among others, if it involves not getting a vaccination on the advice of your doctor. In all other cases, the insurance company will not cover it either.

I have to quarantine when I return home and don’t want to, can I cancel at no cost?
No. We can conduct your trip safely, and a quarantine requirement is not a restriction on conducting your trip.

I cannot travel due to a positive PCR test and/or antigen test, may I cancel free of charge?
No. Again, we were able to make the trip but unfortunately you were unable to go with us due to a positive test. A good cancellation insurance policy offers a solution in this scenario.

Travel Insurance

When preparing for your diving vacation, proper travel insurance should not be missed. At EWDR, we partner with Allianz Global Assistance. With Allianz, you’ve come to the right place for insuring your vacation or trip. For more than 50 years, Allianz Global Assistance has been the world’s largest travel insurer and assistance provider. Wherever you travel, for vacation, work or study, Allianz Global Assistance has appropriate insurance for every travel purpose.

With the insurance we offer, you are also covered for medical expenses when you go to an orange country. Should you like to arrange insurance there, you can do so through us using the following links;

Continuous Travel Insurance & Cancellation Insurance

This insurance is interesting if you go on (diving) vacation 2x or more per year. This covers you for both travel and cancellation. You can also purchase this insurance at any time.

Click here if you want to purchase the Continuous Travel & Cancellation Insurance.

Good to keep in mind:

• Recreational diving is covered by default in travel insurance. Are you going cave and/or wreck diving? This falls under “Special sports” and so you will need to co-insure this to be covered.
• The Hyperbaric Chamber (Decompression Chamber) is covered under “medical expenses” in travel insurance. It is important that you co-insure these as a diver.
• Repatriation, such as an emergency at sea requiring a helicopter or the like to arrive on site to transport you is covered under “S.O.S. costs.

Attention! For high travel amounts (above 3,000 p.p.), you still need to purchase additional (short-term cancellation insurance to cover the full amount.
This one is below.

Cancellation insurance

In fact, we always recommend these. Especially in times of corona, this is wise to do. You should also take out this insurance within 7 days of booking a trip
and you are covered should your vacation be unexpectedly unable to go ahead due to illness, death or other exceptional circumstances.

Click here if you would like to purchase Cancellation Insurance for your booked dive trip.

Travel Insurance

This insurance is interesting if you only go on vacation once a year this year and want to be covered for a specific trip. You can purchase this travel insurance up to 1 day before departure.

Click here if you would like to purchase Travel Insurance for your booked diving vacation.

Good to keep in mind:

• Recreational diving is covered by default in travel insurance. Are you going cave and/or wreck diving? This falls under “Special sports” and so you will need to co-insure this to be covered.
• The Hyperbaric Chamber (Decompression Chamber) is covered under “medical expenses” in travel insurance. It is important that you co-insure these as a diver.
• Repatriation, such as an emergency at sea requiring a helicopter or the like to arrive on site to transport you is covered under “S.O.S. costs.

Guarantees

We are affiliated with VZR, VVKR and Calamiteitenfonds.

VZR
EWDR B.V.. KVK number 83127003 is affiliated with the VZR. You can check this at https://www.stichting-ggto.nl/. All trips published on this internet site under the VZR guarantee. This VZR guarantee means that consumers are assured that their pre-paid travel money will be refunded if the other party cannot fulfill the agreed performance due to financial insolvency. Insofar as the agreement includes transportation and the place of destination has already been reached, the return trip will be taken care of.

Calamity Fund
We are affiliated with the Calamity Fund, which means that – for all our customers residing in the Netherlands – a Calamity Fund guarantee applies. Should a natural disaster occur at your destination during your trip or serious disturbances break out, the Calamity Fund may declare this to be a calamity, as a result of which the additional costs incurred due to a trip having to be modified will be paid by the Calamity Fund.

VvKR
VvKR is an association where 439 travel specialists are now united and where all members offering package tours are affiliated with a travel guarantee scheme such as STO-Garant, VZR, VZR Garant or SGR. This means you are insured if EWDR goes bankrupt, you will be refunded the prepaid travel funds. Also, all of our travel specialists who offer package tours also have mandatory corporate liability insurance for travel companies/tour operators. This liability insurance (AVB) covers damage to persons and/or property and consequential damages should something unexpected happen during the trip.

Furthermore, VvKR members are focused on small groups or on an individual basis and you will stay overnight in often nice authentic accommodations and in special locations, all while respecting local culture, traditions and practices.

Sustainability

As lovers of marine life, we are aware of the need for in the travel industry. Without a change in travelers and accommodations, this wondrous beauty will not last. Therefore, we try to work as much as possible with accommodations and airlines that invest in sustainability.

Flights

Can I book my flights myself or must they be part of the trip?
As a specialized travel agent, we work with many different airlines. Preferably, we take care of your flights, as they are part of a proposal that allows us to give you the most worry-free vacation possible. Not only do we sometimes have more favorable terms, we can be there in time to accommodate any flight schedule changes.

However, you are completely free to book your own intercontinental flights. If you take care of booking the flights yourself, please inform your travel specialist so that they will not be included in the proposal.

Domestic flights

If many domestic flights are required, we do provide them and in principle you cannot book them yourself. In most destinations, there are frequent changes on domestic flights that will affect your program. For seamless logistics, it is important for EWDR to manage these flights.

Travel documents and vaccinations

Do I need a visa for my trip?
For some countries, visitors need visas. Of course you will hear from us when this is the case and how to take care of this visa. It is rarely possible for Tico to arrange this visa for you due to the sharing of personal information. You can usually arrange the visa through the official website of the relevant government, but should you go for convenience and prefer to outsource the work, you can contact Visa Central.

Until when should my passport be valid?
It varies by country until when your passport must be valid. Often for our travel destinations, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after returning home. In addition, it is recommended to always have 2 blank pages in the passport.

Do I need vaccinations for my trip? Where can I get those?
You need vaccinations for some countries. You can check the website of the National Coordination Center for Travel Advising or your local public health department for the necessary vaccinations, among others. It is your own responsibility to make sure you have the proper vaccinations. Your travel specialist at EWDR can speak from personal experience about vaccinations and prophylaxis, but we as a tour operator are not allowed to make specific statements about this. With the right authorities, however, you can get perfect information prior to your trip.

Experiences & Complaints

After your trip, we will contact you briefly to discuss your experience and ask for feedback. We take complaints and suggestions to heart and will pass them on to our partners worldwide. By doing so, we try to improve our services for future travelers. If you have any problems during your trip you can contact us via email, phone, whatsapp or social media. We will still try to help you during your trip.