TRAVEL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Sisters of Mary Boystowns and Girlstowns 
Operating as Sisters of Mary World Villages for Children 

Deposit and Registration

• A $200* non-refundable per person deposit is required at the time of a completed reservation application. Full payment* is due no later than 60 days from departure. 
• If reservations are made within 60 days of arrival, full payment is required at the time of reservation. 
  **Full/Final payments due 30 days prior to departure.
  **All payments made are non-refundable. 

Form of Payment

Groups will receive an invoice from SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN. Payments must be in US (United States) Dollars and made by Bank/Certified/Personal Check or EFT. If you wish to pay with a credit card, we will accommodate your need but require you to pay the associated credit card fees. Every reservation must be accompanied by a signed waiver. Returned checks will incur a $50 service fee. In case of computer or human billing error, we reserve the right to re-invoice participants with corrected billing. 

Price Guarantee

Rates shown on the website are based on double or twin occupancy or for larger groups accommodation in group housing. All prices are shown in U.S (United States) dollars. SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN reserves the right to alter prices at any time prior to departure and without prior notice if circumstances warrant. Any devaluation or revaluation of currencies may affect the published price. 

Not Included

Items of a personal nature, such as telephone calls, street food or beverages, trip insurance, portage at airports, excess baggage fees and passport or visa fees. 

Passports, Visas & Documents

A valid US passport is required for US citizens. If you do not have a valid passport, please contact your closest passport office. Passports must be valid at least 6 months after the return date and have at least two blank pages. U.S citizens do not need to obtain visas for Mexico. For all other nationalities please consult your consulate. When and if a visa is required, it is pilgrim’s responsibility to obtain one. Cancellations due to lack of appropriate documents will result in trip cancellation with no refund.  

Final Instructions & Documents

Final documents are issued upon receipt of final payment only and within 4 weeks of departure. Final confirmations are not guaranteed if final payment is not received on time.  

Participation

SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN contracted for services reserves the right to refuse to accept or retain any person whose behavior is deemed likely to affect the smooth operations of a pilgrimage, or adversely affect the enjoyment or safety of other passengers. SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN, its agents, and suppliers, shall be under no liability to any such person for refund, compensation, repatriation, or any other matters arising. 

Air Transportation

• All Pilgrims should arrive and depart on the same flight. 
• Flights must be booked into Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport – the airport code is MEX 
• Arrival time in Mexico City should be between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm, Departure from the country should be no earlier than noon and not later than 3 pm  
• There will be one transfer provided for each group, therefore, if group members arrive on a different flight, they must be prepared to wait until their entire group has arrived to be transported to Chalco. 
• Travel dates and flight times must be approved by WVC staff prior to ticketing your flights. 
• Travel insurance on your flights is encouraged.  

Airport Taxes, Fees & Fuel Charges

Airport taxes including but not limited to Federal Inspection Fees for the U.S. Customs and Immigration; International Air Transportation Tax; Agricultural tax; security fees, and other airport related taxes are the responsibility of the pilgrim and are normally included with the cost of your air reservation. Confirming this is the responsibility of the pilgrim.  

Open Trips

SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN offers several Open Trips each year to provide single individuals with an opportunity for pilgrimage. From time to time, a travel date may be canceled due to non-materialization. SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN will confirm the travel date 30 days prior to departure. If you have arranged your domestic or international flight prior to this date and confirmation of the travel date, be advised that SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN are not responsible for domestic or international flights costs. Furthermore, SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN are not responsible for airline penalties caused by date changes/cancellations. Items booked or purchased outside of SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN are the sole responsibility of the pilgrim. 

Private Rooms and Room Assignments

A limited number of single rooms may be available (on request basis only). If pilgrims are traveling alone and wish to have the Sister in charge of Villa Aloysius assign a roommate, we will do our best, however, we may not be able to accommodate a room change due to incompatibility. 

Meals

This pilgrimage includes three meals per day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), which are served at the Villa Aloysius Cafe. Beverages are included with meals and light snacks. We cannot guarantee that special meal/diet requests can be met. 

Baggage

SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN are not responsible for the loss of, theft of, delay, or damage to a participant’s belongings while traveling. 

Responsibility Clause

By utilizing the service of SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN, you agree that these entities will not be liable for any change in flight or itinerary schedule, strikes, delay, acts of governments, fires, riots, theft, pilferage, epidemics, quarantine, medical or customs regulations, accident, loss, injury, or damage to you or to those traveling with you in connection with any accommodations, transportation or any other services or resulting directly or indirectly from any occurrence or conditions beyond its control, including defects in vehicles, breakdown in equipment, thefts, delay or cancellation of or changes in itinerary for any act, omission, or event during the time you are traveling. SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN are not responsible for circumstances beyond its control. In circumstances where trip cancellations resulting from the inability for trip to depart as scheduled, such as cancellations due to acts of war and/or terrorism, war, God, or nature takes place, SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN is not liable for restitution. Though every effort will be made to follow the proposed itinerary, it should be considered as an indication of the tour, rather than a contract of schedule and places to be visited. Occasionally local religious holidays, national days, traffic conditions and other events may necessitate changes in the sequence of events.  

Special Medical Conditions and Those Who Need Special Assistance

We ask you to report any disability requiring special attention to the SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN office staff so we may best assist you. Be aware that all our pilgrimages are operated outside the U.S. where the Americans with Disabilities Act is not applicable and facilities for individuals with disabilities are limited. Most transportation services, including motor coaches, are not equipped with wheelchair ramps or lifts. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to any pilgrim for walking, dining, while in their room, at the airport, getting on and off transfer vehicles and or other personal needs. A qualified and physically able companion(s) must accompany passengers who need special assistance. Pregnant and breast-feeding women considering international travel should be advised to evaluate the potential problems associated with international travel as well as the quality of medical care available at the destination and during transit. A pregnant woman is advised to travel with at least one companion. During her pregnancy, her level of comfort may be adversely affected by traveling. 

Safety

Please be aware that during your participation on pilgrimage operated by SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN, certain risks and dangers may arise beyond our control including, but not limited to, the hazards of being in undeveloped areas; by automobile or transfer vehicle such as a motor coach, or other means of transportation; the forces of nature, political unrest and accident or illness in remote regions without means of rapid evacuation or medical facilities. SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN does not have liability regarding provisions of medical care or the adequacy of any care that may be rendered.  

Young Travelers

Travelers must be 15 years old on the departure date. Due to heightened security, many countries have adopted practices to prevent international abductions of children. If a child will be traveling with adults other than the parents or with only one parent, it is recommended, and some airlines may require that a notarized letter be written by the parents or non-traveling parent granting authorization to the party traveling with the minor including the dates of travel.  

Physicality of Tours

Please note that travelling to a Sisters of Mary location may require a lot of walking, sometimes up/or down hills and at times very rough terrain or cobblestones. You may certainly stay behind for certain parts of the journey; however, it is suggested that 3 to 4 weeks before your departure one should begin preparing physically begin walking “briskly” 1-2 times a day; build up to 2-3 miles with no discomfort. 

Tour Cancellation by Operator

Be clearly advised that from time to time, a reservation may be cancelled due to lack of participation. In such cases, the operator’s sole responsibility is to provide a full refund of the pilgrimage fee or application of said fee to another departure date. SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN are not responsible and do not assume responsibility for any additional costs or any fees relating to the issuance and /or cancellation of air tickets or other arrangements not made through SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN. Cancellations due to state advisories and/or state warnings, Acts of War, War, Terrorism, Acts of God, Natural Disaster, or any other circumstance outside the control of SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN, are not the fault of SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN. An earnest effort will be made to accommodate another travel date, however, cancellation for any of these reasons will not be eligible for a refund. 

Waiver of Liability / Hold Harmless

By accepting the terms and conditions, I agree and acknowledge that I may be giving up important legal rights and remedies available to myself, my family, my heirs, successors, and assigns. For value received, I agree on behalf of myself, my heirs, successors, and assigns (“Our Behalf”) that I assume all risks and waive any claim of liability of any nature whatsoever against, and agree to indemnify and hold harmless, SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN et al. with respect to any and all actions, claims or demands that may be made or brought on Our Behalf against SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN et al. arising out of, or in connection with, travel to, or attendance at the pilgrimage or any other activity I may engage in while participating in the trip. Further, for value received, for any injury to third parties that may arise because of my own actions or omissions, I agree to indemnify, hold harmless and defend SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN et al. with respect to all actions, claims, expenses or demands arising therefrom that may be made or brought against SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN et al., including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses arising in connection therewith.  

NATURE OF RISKS: 

I understand that voluntarily traveling to, and attending, a pilgrimage at this time may involve certain risks beyond the control of SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN, its officers, directors, volunteers, and agents, in connection with the trip. Such risks include, but are not limited to, accidents, emergencies, epidemics/pandemics, exposure to reckless conduct of other persons, and/or negligence of security and medical personnel. SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN et al. hereby disclaim all liability and responsibility for any such risks. I understand that I will be at various sites, such as the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, churches, local homes and areas of poverty, restaurants, or tourist sites. If during any unstructured or free time in the tour there may be an opportunity to participate in recreational or other activities, participants do so at their own risk and agree to indemnify and hold harmless, SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN et al. 

AMENDMENTS: 

SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN reserves the right to correct any errors or omissions and to amend these Terms and Conditions at any time as the result of any material changes to legislation or regulation. All amended Terms and Conditions shall automatically be effective upon being posted on our website. Accordingly, all are expected to check the content of said Terms and Conditions on our website prior to reservation and prior to travel to ensure they are aware of any changes. 

PRINTING DISCLAIMER 

SISTERS OF MARY WORLD VILLAGES FOR CHILDREN are not responsible for typographical or print errors including errors in trip cost. We reserve the right to re-invoice or correct billing at any time.