Legal information
Terms and conditions
The framework for your voyage aboard Polarfront: booking, payment, boarding conditions, changes, cancellation and liability.
- Version 9
- in force
- 16
- articles
- 10
- PDF pages
01Definitions
- “Tickets”
- Means the various tickets issued, namely the Expedition Tickets and/or Air Tickets.
- “Air Ticket”
- Document containing the terms of the air transport contract under which the Air Carrier undertakes to carry the Traveler between the airports mentioned therein.
- “Expedition Ticket”
- Document containing the terms of the Expedition contract under which the Expedition Organizer undertakes to have the Traveler carried by Latitude Blanche and to provide the Traveler with the services and facilities mentioned on the Expedition Ticket.
- “Brochure”
- Promotional and commercial document issued by Latitude Blanche.
- “Conclusion of the Contract”
- Means the moment at which the Contract is formed between the Traveler(s) and LB, that is, when the Traveler pays the first deposit.
- “General Terms and Conditions of Sale” or “GTC”
- Means this document.
- “Contract”
- All of the respective obligations of LB and the Traveler as set out on the invoice and on the Tickets, as well as in the GTC.
- “Expedition”
- Maritime itinerary as described in the commercial Brochure and/or on LB’s website and in the Expedition Ticket.
- “Excursions”
- Means shore excursions that were not booked at the same time as the Expedition and are not included in the initial rate of the Expedition.
- “LB”
- Latitude Blanche, a société par actions simplifiée (simplified joint-stock company) with its registered office at 2 rue Henri Barbusse, 13001 MARSEILLE, France, with a share capital of €416,020, registered with the MARSEILLE Trade and Companies Register (Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés) under number 829 350 602.
- “Expedition Organizer”
- Natural person or company that undertakes to have the Travelers carried by LB and to provide them with the services and facilities mentioned on the Expedition Ticket, and whose letterhead appears on the Expedition Ticket.
- “Disabled Person” or “Person with Reduced Mobility”
- Any person experiencing a limitation of activity or a restriction on participation in the agreed Services due to a substantial impairment of one or more physical, sensory, mental, cognitive or psychological functions, a multiple disability or a disabling health condition.
- “Service”
- Means any Expedition, flight, Transfer, Pre- and Post-Expedition Service, and other tourist service booked at the Conclusion of the Contract.
- “Price”
- Total amount of the Services booked by the Traveler
- “Pre- and Post-Expedition Services”
- Services comprising Transfers, visits and land services before and/or after the Expedition, as mentioned in the Contract.
- “Transfer”
- Operation consisting of transporting the Travelers between the port of embarkation and/or disembarkation and a meeting point set by LB (airport, hotel, train station, etc.)
- “Air Carrier”
- Company that undertakes to carry the Travelers by air and whose letterhead appears on the Air Ticket.
- “Seller”
- Natural or legal person who sold the Services included in the Contract directly to the Travelers.
- “Travelers”
- Any person named at the time of booking/Conclusion of the Contract and appearing on the invoice and/or on the Tickets issued by LB or by the Seller.
02General provisions
These GTC form an integral part of the Contract entered into between LB and the Traveler. In any event, the terms of the Expedition Ticket prevail over the General Terms and Conditions of Sale. All of these contractual documents together constitute the Contract entered into between LB and the Traveler.
The Conclusion of the Contract entails the Traveler’s unreserved acceptance of these GTC in their entirety, as well as of the clauses and conditions of the Expedition Ticket.
Should any provision of these General Terms and Conditions of Sale and/or of the Contract be contrary to a mandatory legal provision and/or be held null and void, such nullity shall not affect the validity of the other clauses.
03Payment of the Price
The Conclusion of the Contract requires payment of a deposit of 35% of the Price of the Service, with the balance to be paid as follows:
- Payment of a second deposit of 30% of the total price no later than 90 business days before the departure of the Expedition,
- Payment of the balance no later than 45 days before the departure date of the Expedition.
After full payment for the Service, the Traveler will receive the Ticket(s).
The Price of our Expeditions is per person and includes:
- The Expedition on a full-board basis, from dinner on the 1st day to breakfast on the last day;
- Baggage handling at embarkation and disembarkation;
- The Welcome and Captain’s cocktails;
- Drinks with meals (still and sparkling water, tea, coffee);
- Access to the wellness areas (sauna, Nordic hot tub, gym);
- Zodiac excursions;
- Standard non-motorized water activities (kayaking, pedal boating) when authorized by the local authorities and confirmed by the ship’s Captain, feasible with the boats and equipment available on board, and provided that sea and safety conditions are met;
- The presence of a naturalist guide;
The Price of our Expeditions does not include:
- Transfers, day rooms, hotel nights, meals ashore, entrance tickets, baggage handling at airports and any other land services before or after the Expedition;
- Visa fees, landing taxes and any special access fees and health formality fees
- Bar drinks, fine wines and shop purchases;
- Telephone calls, internet and emails;
- Laundry service;
- Passengers’ personal insurance (cancellation, repatriation, assistance, medical expenses, etc.);
- Personal expenses, tips for local guides and for the crew.
04Rates and discounts per person and per Expedition
The Expedition’s reference rates apply throughout the sales period and are per person, based on double cabin occupancy.
Single supplement. A 25% supplement applies to any person occupying a cabin alone.
05Passport, visas and vaccination certificates
Before the Conclusion of the Contract, each Traveler of French nationality must comply, according to their personal situation, with the administrative and/or health formalities required by the countries concerned by the Services, in particular those communicated by LB. Travelers of a nationality other than French must obtain information from the relevant embassies and/or consulates and comply with the administrative and/or health formalities required by the countries concerned by the Services.
LB may under no circumstances be held liable for the consequences of the Traveler’s failure to comply with police, customs or health formalities before or during the Services. A Traveler who is unable to board a flight or the ship for failure to present the required documents shall not be entitled to any refund or compensation.
In any event, the Traveler is advised to check all information with the relevant authorities before the departure date. LB advises Travelers to consult the country information pages of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the chosen destinations on the website http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs or to inquire by telephone (+33 1 43 17 53 53, Ministry of Foreign Affairs). LB particularly draws Travelers’ attention to the fact that the information given may change up to the departure date, and Travelers are advised to keep consulting it until the time of their departure.
06Conditions of boarding and maritime transport
a. General rules
The Traveler must report for boarding under the conditions set by the Expedition Ticket and at least two hours before the scheduled departure time of the ship. The Expedition Ticket issued by LB is valid only for the Expedition mentioned on the ticket.
Every Traveler must carry a valid passport or, where applicable, an identity card, valid for 6 months after their return date, as well as any visas and vaccination certificates that may be required at the ship’s ports of call and arrival. Each Traveler is personally responsible for complying with the legal and regulatory requirements applicable before departure. The Expedition Organizer and/or LB and/or the Captain may refuse the embarkation or disembarkation of any Traveler who does not present a document authorizing them to disembark at the point of arrival and at the scheduled ports of call.
If a Traveler who has booked an Expedition only, port to port, arranges their own air or land transport to the port of embarkation and/or home from the port of disembarkation, they are strongly advised to purchase changeable and refundable transport tickets and to allow reasonable transfer times between station/airport/port. In the event of delay, cancellation or change, LB will not cover the cost of transport, Transfers and/or any other type of services and facilities outside the Expedition Ticket and not purchased directly from LB. LB is not liable for any incidents or accidents causing property damage and/or bodily injury that may occur during travel to/from the ship.
Each Traveler warrants that they are fit to travel by sea and that their state of health or conduct will not harm the other Travelers or the smooth running of the agreed and/or offered Services. If a Traveler’s state of health is likely to limit their ability to take part in the agreed Services or to disrupt their smooth running, they must notify LB and must provide, upon request, a medical certificate attesting to their fitness. Any health problem, if known, must be reported to LB in writing at the Conclusion of the Contract or at the latest before the ship’s departure (or before the start of the Services).
A mandatory, complete medical questionnaire (document provided at the Conclusion of the Contract) must be filled in by the Traveler’s regular attending physician between 90 and 45 days before the start of the Services and must be returned without fail to LB by mail or email no later than 40 days before the start date of the Services. Any medical certificate completed before the defined period will not be valid. Any Traveler who has not returned their duly completed mandatory medical certificate, or whose certificate declares them unfit to travel, will be refused boarding without any refund.
Medical consultations, treatment and medication ashore or on board the ship are at the Traveler’s expense. Every Traveler must ensure that they have appropriate medical insurance coverage.
In the event of an epidemic risk, the Expedition Organizer, LB, the ship’s Captain or any local health authority may require the Traveler to complete a health questionnaire and, where applicable, to take a screening test before or upon embarkation or disembarkation, including at ports of call.
Throughout the voyage, the Traveler must comply with shipboard discipline. The Traveler is required to attend any safety demonstration and briefing organized on board and to follow the crew’s instructions at all times.
The Traveler undertakes to respect the rules of good conduct presented by the Expedition team.
The Expedition Organizer, LB and/or the ship’s Captain may, if they deem it necessary, terminate the contract and refuse to carry any Traveler who does not comply with the entry requirements of the country of the ports of destination, or whose presence on board could be detrimental to the comfort, health or safety of the other Travelers, to the crew, or to the laws and regulations of the ports called at by the ship, or could make the Expedition Organizer and/or LB responsible for their defense or repatriation. On these grounds, the Expedition Organizer and/or LB and/or the ship’s Captain may decide to take the following appropriate measures: 1) Refuse to embark or disembark the Traveler(s) at any port called at by the ship; 2) Disembark the Traveler(s) at any port called at by the ship; 3) Confine the Traveler(s) on board, in their cabin or in a cabin of the ship’s medical service; 4) Have a doctor or the doctor’s team administer any approved drugs, medications or other substances and/or confine the Traveler to a hospital or any other similar institution at the ports of destination if necessary.
b. Disabled Persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility
Due to the layout of Polarfront (interior and exterior), the ship cannot accommodate Disabled Persons or Persons with Reduced Mobility on board.
c. Children and pregnancy
Children under 3 years of age are not permitted to board Polarfront. Children over 3 and under 8 years of age may board only upon presentation of a boarding authorization, preferably requested as soon as the child is registered as a Traveler, issued against a signed release, and which must in all cases be presented at the time of boarding, failing which the Expedition Organizer and/or LB will not be able to admit the child on board.
For all Expeditions, children must be able to be fully independent during organized outdoor activities and inflatable boat landings, be tall enough to sit on the inflatable tubes of the boats, and understand and respond immediately to instructions given by the persons in charge. Consequently, children’s participation in any inflatable boat activity is subject to the approval of the Captain and the Expedition Leader, depending on sea conditions and the difficulty of the landing at each site visited.
When on board and/or on excursions, minor children remain under the full and entire responsibility of their parents or accompanying adults.
As the ships do not have facilities for childbirth on board, women more than four months pregnant are not permitted to board the ships. In any event, pregnant women traveling on board a ship are advised to consult a doctor before boarding to make sure that their state of health is compatible with the planned expedition.
d. Permitted baggage
Each Traveler must properly label each piece of baggage, indicating very legibly their full name, the name of the ship, their destination and their cabin number. This must be done in clearly visible and indelible characters.
Goods, property and objects whose contents may threaten the health and integrity of other Travelers and their baggage, of persons and property, or may damage or pollute the ship; flammable, explosive, corrosive, dangerous, odorous or leak-prone materials; objects whose importation is prohibited or which do not comply with customs or police regulations; and, in general, goods and objects other than those intended for the Traveler’s personal use are prohibited on board and in baggage (hereinafter the “Prohibited Items”). The Traveler shall in any event be liable for any injury, loss or damage suffered as a result of the presence of Prohibited Items in their baggage or cabin, and shall indemnify the Expedition Organizer and/or LB against any actions that may be brought against them due to the presence of such Prohibited Items on board or during embarkation or disembarkation. Such Prohibited Items may at any time and in any place be landed, destroyed, thrown overboard or rendered harmless by the Expedition Organizer, the crew and/or LB, without compensation and notwithstanding payment by the Traveler of any destruction costs.
The Traveler must keep watch over their baggage and personal belongings throughout the Services, including the stay on board, as well as during embarkation, transshipment and disembarkation operations. The Expedition Organizer and/or LB accept no liability for baggage left unattended by the Traveler and for which the Traveler has not taken all necessary precautions to prevent theft, loss or damage. The Expedition Organizer and/or LB shall not be liable for fragile items, jewelry, watches, money, cash, computers and other electronic equipment, cell phones or any other valuable object.
The Traveler is civilly and criminally liable for any damage they cause, directly or indirectly, to the Expedition Organizer, the Carrier and/or LB, to other Travelers or to third parties. The Traveler alone is answerable for any fine or penalty imposed by the competent authorities as a result of their actions.
The Traveler agrees, upon simple request and without delay, to give free access to their cabin, baggage and personal belongings to the Expedition Organizer, the ship’s officers and/or LB, as well as to the customs, health and/or administrative authorities of the countries of call or of the flag State.
The Expedition Organizer and/or LB are not liable for damage to valuables, including but not limited to cameras, telephones, electronic devices and video cameras lost or damaged during the Services, whether ashore, on board the ship or its tenders, or during embarkation or disembarkation operations, nor for damage to objects that have fallen into the water.
Please remember that it is essential to be properly equipped (clothing, sunglasses, etc.), and we recommend bringing a pair of binoculars for comfortable, wildlife-friendly observation during nature outings.
e. Animals
Animals, including service animals and medical assistance animals, are prohibited on board the ships and will not be allowed to board.
f. Smoking policy
The ships are non-smoking except for specifically designated areas on the outer decks (this also applies to e-cigarettes).
07Air transport
All Air Tickets are issued as e-tickets. Surnames and first names must exactly match those shown on the Traveler’s valid passport. Any error or request for modification entails the purchase of a new Air Ticket at the Traveler’s expense, as well as reimbursement of the cancellation fees for the previous Air Ticket.
In accordance with French Decree No. 2007-669 of May 2, 2007, on the obligation to inform Travelers of the identity of the Air Carrier, LB will inform the Traveler, at the time of booking, of the identity of the Air Carrier(s) known at that date that may operate the air transport. In the event of a change after the Conclusion of the Contract, LB undertakes to communicate any change in the identity of the Air Carrier(s) as soon as it becomes aware of it before departure.
Airlines may enter into so-called code-share agreements with one another, which consist in marketing a flight under their own name while it is operated by an aircraft of another airline.
The term “direct flight” means without a change of aircraft but does not rule out the possibility of one or more stops. The term “nonstop direct flight” means without a change of aircraft and without a stopover.
The schedules and types of transport mentioned by LB are those communicated by the Air Carriers. They are therefore indicative until the time of departure and subject to change for all kinds of reasons (additional stopovers, weather conditions, air traffic authorization, strikes, etc.). In accordance with the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions, schedules and itineraries, as well as departure and destination airports, are never a contractual element, and under these circumstances LB cannot be held liable for such changes beyond its control.
Any technical, weather-related or political incident, delay, cancellation or strike, additional stopover, change of aircraft or route, etc., occurring during air transport may under no circumstances be attributed to LB and shall not give rise to any compensation on any basis whatsoever. If the Traveler wishes to forgo the benefit of a Service, they will be liable for the cancellation fees set out below.
The Air Carrier’s liability is limited in the event of damage, complaints or claims of any kind, in accordance with the conditions stated on the Air Tickets. LB will not reimburse any expenses (taxis, meals, hotels, etc.) once the Traveler is placed under the responsibility of the Air Carrier. The consequences of accidents/incidents that may occur during the performance of air transport are governed by the Warsaw and Montreal Conventions or by the local regulations governing domestic transport in the country concerned.
On international scheduled flights, depending on the Air Carrier, the general baggage allowance (excluding benefits for members of loyalty programs) is strictly limited to a maximum of 23 kg of checked baggage and a maximum of 8 kg of cabin baggage per Traveler. On domestic scheduled flights, the allowance is generally between 15 and 20 kg maximum of checked baggage. The maximum baggage weight per Traveler may vary depending on the Air Carriers or booking websites. Travelers are advised to check the maximum weight allowed for their Air Tickets and to pay close attention to this restriction. Air Carriers do not hesitate to charge supplements for excess baggage and sometimes refuse, for strict safety reasons, to check in baggage that is too heavy or too bulky. LB and the Air Carrier cannot be held liable where excess baggage weight results in a Traveler being refused check-in.
08Transfer of the Contract
In accordance with Article R.211-7 of the French Tourism Code, and only where that code is applicable to LB, the Traveler may transfer their Contract to a third party who meets the same conditions as they do to take part in all the Services, as long as the Services have not begun. The transfer of the Contract does not entail the transfer of the Air Tickets.
The transferor and/or the transferee are required to pay the resulting costs. They must inform LB of this decision by any means providing an acknowledgment of receipt (registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, email), no later than 60 business days before the start of the Services.
Should the Traveler transfer their Contract without informing LB in the manner provided above, such transfer will not be valid and the Services provided for in the Contract will be canceled with no possibility of refund.
09Cancellation or modification of the Contract by the Traveler
Pursuant to Article L.121-21 of the French Consumer Code, Travelers are informed that they do not benefit from the right of withdrawal provided for in Article L.121-17 of the French Consumer Code.
Unless LB has given its prior agreement, the Traveler may not modify the Services provided for in the Contract.
If the Traveler modifies or cancels some or all of the Services provided for in the Contract, they must inform LB by any means providing an acknowledgment of receipt (email, registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, etc.) as soon as the event giving rise to such modification or cancellation occurs. The date on which the document is sent will be used as the date for invoicing the modification and/or cancellation fees.
Requests to modify an expedition are admissible only if notified to LB, by the means set out above, 90 days or more before the departure date of the Expedition. After this deadline, modification requests will be treated as a cancellation request and will therefore be governed by the paragraph on cancellation fees.
The modification conditions are understood exclusively as the option offered to the traveler to replace a port-to-port Expedition with another port-to-port Expedition with Latitude Blanche.
9.1 Modification fees
In the case of a change to an Expedition of higher value, and subject to compliance with the conditions set out below, no modification fee will be applied to the Expedition service. For other services (e.g., air services), the modification fees will correspond to the costs already incurred by Latitude Blanche:
- The passenger may change their Expedition provided that they replace it with an Expedition whose rate is higher than that of the Expedition being replaced
- The departure date of the replacement Expedition must fall within a maximum of 12 months from the date of the modification request
- The booking of the replacement Expedition and the payment of its deposit must be made at the same time as the modification request
- The replacement Expedition then becomes non-exchangeable and non-refundable; only a cancellation may be made by the passenger.
In the case of a modification of the Contract for a Service of lower value than the initial value, modification fees apply and are equal to those of the cancellation conditions defined below.
- From the date of booking confirmation up to 91 days before the departure of the Expedition: 25% of the total amount of the Services,
- From 90 to 76 days before the departure of the Expedition: 50% of the total amount of the Services,
- From 75 to 61 days before the departure of the Expedition: 75% of the total amount of the Services,
- Less than 61 days before the departure of the Expedition: 100% of the total amount of the Services.
For other Services:
No refund will be granted for any cancellation or waiver of an air or land Service included in the contract, or of any service forming part of the Expedition, for any reason whatsoever.
9.2 Cancellation fees
For other Services:
No refund will be granted for any cancellation or waiver of an air or land Service included in the contract, or of any service forming part of the Cruise, for any reason whatsoever.
9.3 If the Traveler is prevented from traveling due to their death, the Contract is terminated upon notice given by their heirs before performance of the Contract begins. 25% of the Contract price is then due to LB. The same conditions apply, at their request, to the members of the deceased Traveler’s family who were due to travel with them.
9.4 A Traveler who fails to show up for the departure of a Service, or who is unable to depart or chooses not to for any reason whatsoever, including due to a delay in getting to the point of departure, is not entitled to any refund.
9.5 Once the Services have begun, the Traveler is bound to pay the full price of the Contract, whatever the reason that may lead them to forgo them.
10Cancellation, interruption or modification of the Contract by LB
Arrival and departure times are given for information only and are not final. LB, in its capacity as Expedition Organizer, cannot guarantee that they will coincide with connection times (plane, train, etc.).
LB may assign Travelers cabins other than those originally planned.
LB reserves the right to interrupt an Expedition or to modify its itinerary for any reason it deems valid, and in such case it cannot be held liable for any loss or harm.
In particular, in the event of unfavorable weather conditions, or due to the political or social situation in the country of a port of call, or for any other fact that may endanger the safety of the Travelers, property or the ship, or in the event of orders imposed by public authorities, the Expedition Organizer and/or LB has the option to change the itinerary or the ports of call or destination, to delay or end the voyage, to divert the ship, to tow or be taken in tow, and to transfer the Travelers and their baggage to any other means of transport, even if this results in a lengthening or shortening of the program.
In all circumstances, the ship may render assistance to any person or property at sea and cannot be held liable for the consequences of a change to the Expedition program for this reason.
Where LB is compelled, for reasons external to it, to modify the Expedition after the Travelers have embarked, the Travelers may not claim any compensation from either LB or the Expedition Organizer. However, LB may ask the Travelers to pay an additional price corresponding to the additional services provided to them as a result of an extension of the Expedition.
In the event of external events beyond the control of the Expedition Organizer and/or LB, or for any reason relating to the safety of the Travelers or the ship, or due to an insufficient number of participants, LB may cancel the Expedition and must inform the Travelers and/or, where applicable, the Expedition Organizer by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, by email or by a press release.
LB’s Expeditions and other Services are subject to a minimum number of participants.
- LB reserves the right to cancel an expedition up to 21 days before departure if the minimum number of registered Travelers is less than or equal to 50% of the ship’s “passenger capacity” (6 Passengers)
- LB reserves the right to cancel any service other than the expedition if the number of Passengers is fewer than 6 participants (unless otherwise stipulated). Where LB is the Expedition Organizer, and whatever the cause of the cancellation, no compensation is due to the Traveler, who will have the choice between the following options: (i) A full refund of the Contract price; (ii) Another Service at an identical price; (iii) a Service at a lower price and a refund of the price difference between the two Services on the basis of the advertised prices. Travelers must inform LB of their choice as soon as possible and in any event before the deadline mentioned in the cancellation documents.
The means of transport covered by the Services are booked by LB in accordance with the terms and conditions of each provider supplying these services. LB reserves the right to replace one means of transport with another, or one hotel with another of the same category. In the latter case, if the hotel is of a lower category, the overpayment is refunded to the Travelers.
All services are offered subject to availability. If there are no more seats in the class offered, LB may offer, subject to availability, additional seats for a supplement.
Where an artist is invited on board the Ship as part of an artist residency, the mention of the artist in the Expedition brochure is non-contractual. The artist’s presence on board the Ship may be subject to change if the artist is unable to come on board, and the Traveler shall not be entitled to any refund.
11Liability
When it is not acting as Expedition Organizer, LB is liable for damage caused to Travelers in accordance with the provisions and compensation limits of the following texts, within their respective scopes of application, namely Articles L5421-1 to L5421-8 of the French Transport Code and Regulation (EC) No 392/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 23, 2009. Where that Regulation applies, the limits of compensation enjoyed by LB for death or personal injury are 400,000 special drawing rights (SDR) per Traveler and per incident.
When it is not acting as Expedition Organizer, LB is liable for damage caused to baggage in accordance with the provisions and compensation limits of the following texts, within their respective scopes of application, namely Articles L. 5421-9 to L5421-12 of the French Transport Code, Decree No. 67-268 of March 23, 1967, as amended by Decree No. 86-1065 of September 24, 1986, and Regulation (EC) No 392/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 23, 2009. Where that Regulation applies, the maximum compensation payable by the Carrier for loss of or damage to baggage is 2,250 special drawing rights per passenger and per carriage, a deductible of 149 special drawing rights per Traveler being applied in all cases.
Where Regulation (EC) No 392/2009 does not apply, the maximum compensation payable by the Carrier for loss of or damage to baggage is €1,520 per Traveler and per carriage.
When it is not acting as Expedition Organizer, LB in any event benefits from the limitations of compensation contained in the London International Convention of November 19, 1976, as amended by the 1996 Protocol, which limitations prevail over any other limitation set by a text that is not of mandatory application.
For any personal injury or property damage occurring on board the ship or its tenders or boats, during embarkation or disembarkation, or occurring in the course of carriage by sea, LB, when acting as Expedition Organizer, is liable within the same limits and under the same conditions as when it is not acting as Expedition Organizer.
Where such damage occurs outside these circumstances, but between the start and the end of the expedition, any compensation due to the Traveler by the Expedition Organizer and/or LB is capped at half the price of the Expedition.
Where LB is responsible for purchasing the Air Tickets for the Traveler, LB is liable for damage caused to Travelers or to their baggage within the limits and under the conditions laid down by Article L.211-16 of that code. In particular, LB cannot be held liable for the consequences of the following events:
- Loss or theft of the Tickets; failure to present, or presentation of, identity and/or health documents that are expired, have insufficient validity (identity card, passport, visas, vaccination certificate, etc.) or do not comply with the information given in the documents provided to the Traveler.
- Unforeseeable and insurmountable incidents or events attributable to a third party to the travel contract (force majeure).
- Where a cancellation is imposed by circumstances constituting force majeure and/or for reasons related to the safety of the Travelers and/or by order of a French or foreign administrative authority.
LB’s liability in its capacity as Expedition Organizer is expressly excluded for non-material damage, loss of enjoyment, and so-called punitive or similar damages.
Where a Traveler is refused boarding on the ship – including after or during a port call – under the conditions set out in Article 6, neither LB, in its capacity as Expedition Organizer, Carrier and/or Seller of a Package, nor the ship’s Captain or the crew shall be held liable on any basis whatsoever.
LB is under no circumstances liable for personal injury, property damage or non-material damage caused by wars, blockades, riots, strikes, labor disputes, acts of piracy or terrorism, epidemics or quarantines, natural disasters and catastrophes, nuclear fusion, fission, pollution or explosion or their consequences, closure of the port of departure, call or destination; detention, requisition or seizure of the ship for whatever reason, use of the ship for special needs of the State, or by the mere threat of any of the above events. Nor is it liable for damage caused by the Traveler’s voluntary participation in a brawl or in a dangerous activity/action not made necessary by the saving of human life.
LB is under no circumstances liable for damage caused by the interruption and/or modification of the voyage due to a force majeure event, wars, blockades, riots, strikes, labor disputes, acts of piracy or terrorism, epidemics or quarantines, natural disasters and catastrophes, nuclear fusion, fission, explosion or pollution or their consequences, closure of the port of departure, call or destination; detention, requisition or seizure of the ship for whatever reason, use of the ship for special needs of the State, or by the mere threat of any of the above events.
Where LB, in its capacity as Expedition Organizer, is responsible for transporting baggage for a period before or after disembarkation from the ship, it acts as agent on behalf of the Traveler, and its liability is not substituted for that of the carriers actually responsible for transporting such baggage.
Baggage not claimed upon arrival of the ship or of any other means of transport remains at the port at the Travelers’ expense and risk.
Any delay in the delivery of baggage that is detrimental to the Traveler may only give rise to the payment of compensation not exceeding 20% of the amount that would be due in the event of loss of baggage stowed in the hold under the terms of Article 12.2. LB reserves a period of 3 (three) months to search for lost baggage.
Unless there is a specific written contractual agreement, land or air transport, Transfers, water sports activities and scuba diving from the ship, the services included in the Pre- and Post-Expedition Services, Excursions, shore excursions including, where applicable, hotel and restaurant bookings, and guided tours, even when booked from the ship or through LB and invoiced by LB, are provided by independent providers who are neither representatives nor employees of the Expedition Organizer and/or LB. Travelers use these services at their own risk, and LB, in its capacity as Expedition Organizer, acts only as an intermediary and neither assumes nor incurs any liability for these services, in particular in the event of personal injury or property damage, cancellation, delay or change of program.
Any Traveler taking part in any of the outdoor activities agrees to participate in full awareness and solely at their own risk. Such participation then engages each person’s own responsibility with regard to their physical fitness, safety, behavior and comfort. The Traveler’s attendance at the information briefings given on board is mandatory. Under no circumstances may LB, its executives, directors, officers, crew members and expedition team members, or the activity leaders, be held liable for any loss or damage suffered while participating in outdoor activities offered during the Expeditions.
12Price revision
The prices offered by LB are set according to the economic conditions on the date of their publication. These economic factors include, among others, the cost of transport and fuel, the fees and taxes relating to the services offered (entry and/or exit fees for the countries visited, airport or port taxes, embarkation or disembarkation taxes, visa fees, entrance fees to tourist sites), and the exchange rates of the currencies used in calculating the program prices. LB expressly reserves the right to revise prices. Any change in the cost of transport, fuel, taxes, fees, exchange rates of the euro, the dollar or special drawing rights, and visa fees will be passed on in full in the prices of the voyages, including, where applicable, the agents’ commission. Where the French Tourism Code applies, LB may also revise the Price downward pursuant to Article L.211-12, it being specified that in such case no price revision may take place less than 20 business days before the scheduled departure date.
Where the French Tourism Code applies, any increase in the Price will be notified to the Traveler by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt – or by any other means providing proof of actual receipt of the correspondence – with 20 (twenty) days’ notice before the departure date. Upon receipt of this notification, if the percentage increase in the rate exceeds the limits set by the legal provisions in force, the Traveler and/or the purchaser of the Ticket(s) may terminate their contract and obtain, without penalty, an immediate refund of the sum paid by notifying the Seller in writing within 7 (seven) days of receiving notification of the Price increase.
It is specified that, for Expedition services only, any daily surcharge (S) will be calculated per passenger as follows:
S =fuel price change * X daily consumption**Ship capacity ***
- (*): MGO FOB Rotterdam 0.1% in US$
- (**): POLARFRONT: 2 t;
- (***): POLARFRONT: 12
For services other than Expedition services, the daily consumption of the ship Polarfront is set at 1.5 t.
13Travel insurance
The sale of Services by LB does not include insurance of any kind whatsoever.
LB recommends taking out insurance covering the Traveler for the risks of cancellation, assistance, repatriation, damage to and loss of baggage, and medical expenses. These optional insurance contracts must be taken out with an insurance company independent of LB.
14After-sales
Any comment or complaint relating to a voyage or stay must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, describing precisely the incident and the alleged harm, either to Latitude Blanche – 2 rue Henri Barbusse - 13001 MARSEILLE, France, if the Traveler concluded their Contract directly with LB, or to the travel agency that sold the Services, within one month of the return date, failing which the claim will be time-barred. LB invites passengers to fill in the satisfaction questionnaires handed out on board the ship at the end of the Expedition.
Any action by the Traveler against LB in its capacity as Expedition Organizer and/or Seller must be brought, failing which it will be time-barred, within 1 (one) year for property damage and 2 (two) years for personal injury, from the day on which the Traveler disembarked or should have disembarked.
Any action against LB in its capacity as Seller of a travel package within the meaning of Article L211-2 of the French Tourism Code is subject to the limitation periods set out in Articles 2224 and 2226 of the French Civil Code.
15Governing provisions
15.1 When LB is not acting as Expedition Organizer, the contractual relationship between LB and the Traveler is governed by the provisions of the French Transport Code, in particular Articles L 5420-1 to L 5421-12, by the implementing Decree of December 31, 1966, as well as by the provisions of the London International Convention of November 19, 1976, and, where applicable, those of Regulation 392/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 23, 2009.
15.2 When LB is the Expedition Organizer, the contractual relationship between LB and the Traveler is governed by the Contract, which includes the Expedition Ticket, as well as by Articles 47 to 49 of Law No. 66-420 of June 18, 1966 on charter-party and maritime transport contracts and its implementing decree of December 31, 1966.
15.3 When LB is the Seller of a travel package within the meaning of Article L211-2 of the French Tourism Code, the contractual relationship between LB and the Traveler is governed by the Contract and by Articles L.211-1 et seq. and R. 211-1 et seq. of the French Tourism Code.
16Governing law and jurisdiction
This Contract is governed by French law.
Only the courts within the jurisdiction of the Tribunal de Grande Instance (court of first instance) of Marseille, France, have jurisdiction to hear any action brought against LB, its employees, subsidiaries or subcontractors, even in the event of a third-party claim for indemnity (appel en garantie).
These terms and conditions form part of the contract entered into with Latitude Blanche, together with your Expedition Ticket. See also the legal notice. This translation is provided for information only; the French version of the terms and conditions prevails.
