Seychelles Discovery Cruise with Dubai City Stay

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the travelling times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions. The Captain reserves the right to alter/modify an itinerary at any time, should safety, external circumstances or tides make this necessary.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £500.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

For the Seychelles, your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay. You do not need a visa to visit Seychelles, but you must get a travel authorisation before you travel. You can get the travel authorisation by completing a Travel Authorization and Digital Passenger Declaration before departure. This is available here: https://seychelles.govtas.com/ and should be completed up to 5 days prior to travel. We recommend you check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy prior to departure for the most up to date guidelines regarding this.

To enter the UAE, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive in the UAE. All UK passport holders do not require a visa prior to departure but will be issued a visitor or tourist visa free of charge when you arrive in the UAE.

Please note your final documentation will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalised on your final documentation. Please travel as lightly as possible so as not to restrict space in your cabin. Soft bags are more practical than hard suitcases. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0333 188 0407, quoting HX313.

IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.

Variety Cruises requires all passengers to complete a Guest Information Form prior to travel. This form must be completed no later than 30 days before your cruise departure. You may complete it at any time before this deadline. To access and complete the form, please use the following link - Guest Information Form

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org. uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

Medical Facilities & Emergencies

Remote regions lack advanced medical facilities, including intensive care and surgery. Ship doctors and nurses provide basic care, but serious cases may require evacuation, which depends on weather conditions, distance from a port and feasibility for medical evacuation to travel the distances required for evacuation.

Medications & Motion Sickness

The ship’s medical facility stocks a limited supply of both regular and emergency medications, so bring extra supplies of your regular and any necessary medications in your hand luggage. In case of unexpected delays, bring extra medication for beyond your cruise and a list of your medication in case you need refills. Seas can be rough—if you are prone or concerned about motion sickness, we advise you to consult your doctor and bring medication.

Health, Vaccinations & Insurance

Travellers should be in good health; those with medical conditions should consult their doctor before travel. Up to date vaccinations are strongly recommended. Comprehensive travel insurance, including emergency evacuation (minimum $100,000 coverage), is strongly recommended due to high costs and limited evacuation options.

Special Medical Needs & Age Requirement

If you need medical assistance (e.g., oxygen, mobility aids), inform the team when booking. Children must be at least 12 months old to sail to remote destinations.

This tour is accessible to most people with a good level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves climbing steep stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

The currency in the Seychelles is the Seychelles Rupee, but Euros (€) are also widely accepted in the major cities. The EURO is the official currency while on board, but also USD is accepted. Moreover, there is an optional credit system for expenses on board that may be paid/settled at the end of the cruise (American Express is not accepted). It is preferable if you have smaller denominations. Cash machines will also be available in the city in order to withdraw money in the local currency.

The currency in Dubai is the UAE Dirham.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any meals where these are not mentioned in your itinerary and personal purchases, such as souvenirs, extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £200-£300 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your tour. All expenses on board such as drinks are charged to your cabin and paid for on check out. Tipping is a common practice in the Seychelles and it is customary to tip approx. USD$11-$13 per person per day which is split between the whole crew. Tips can be given at the end of the cruise. Tips are accepted in Euros, US dollars and local currencies.

The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 1, and the maximum will be 42. If we are not able to operate your departure date, then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

There is no minimum number of travellers for this extension however the main tour passenger numbers will apply for the main part of the tour. If in the unlikely event there are less than the required number of people booked on your main tour date then you may be asked to change to a different date. A full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

There will be an English speaking tour director on board the boat however they will not accompany guests on land. Your cruise and excursions are not exclusive to Mercury Holidays and will be shared with other travellers.

Your stay in Dubai is not escorted by a tour guide. All internal transfers are included.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily on board the ship. Vegetarian and Vegan options available, please request prior to departure. Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed countries water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way. Bottled water will be available at shops and hotels/lodges.

Ramadan is the most important month in the Muslim Calendar, and it is a time for people to be with their loved ones, self-reflect and renew their faith. During this time Muslims fast from dawn until dusk and abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum. If you are a tourist visiting Oman, you will not be expected to fast. While eating, drinking and smoking is strictly prohibited in public places, hotels will offer meals and nonalcoholic drinks at many of their restaurants and bars. If you wish to consume alcohol during your trip, you may do so in your hotel room during the day, and some bars will be open as normal after sunset. Your guide during your tour will be on hand to give you any additional information that you require. When packing for your trip, it’s important you include a couple of different outfit options, so you’re prepared for all the activities you wish to take part in. When you’re relaxing by the hotel pool or sunbathing on the resort beach it’s fine to wear swim wear and beach clothes. However, when out in public during the day, it is advisable to be more covered up to show respect to the local customs. We would recommend that women cover their shoulders and knees and men should wear knee length shorts or trousers when out in public areas.

On your arrival in Mahé you will be met by a representative from our local agent in the Seychelles, Mason’s Travel, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Mason’s Travel representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your guide will be able to answer any queries.

On your arrival in Dubai you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Desert Gate.

Once you have passed through customs you must make your way to the arrivals area where your airport representative will be waiting for you holding a Mercury Holidays sign.

If you arrive into terminal 3, you will locate your transfer in front of Carrefour in the Arrivals Hall. Please note that our partners will not have a Mercury Holidays Sign but a Desert Gate Sign.

If you need to contact Masons Travel during your stay the details are:

Mason’s Travel (Pty) Ltd: P.O. Box 459, Victoria Mahé, Seychelles. Contact number: 00248 428 88 88

Emergency contact information: Mason’s Travel After Hours Duty Officer Contact number: 00248 252 4665 Emergency contact information for the cruise ship: M/Y Pegasus captain’s mobile number: 00248 2547032 24-hour emergency customer service: 00248 4288888 / 00248 2516488

Dubai City Stay: If you need to contact Desert Gate during your stay the details are:

Desert Gate Tourism: Address: 16E1, IRise Tower, Tecom, P O Box19271, Dubai Office number: 009714 442 1155 Email: premium@desertgate.ae

Emergency Contact details: Tel (24hr): 00971 52 750 2173 Jiri (Representative): 00971 52 332 4356 Romina (Representative): 00971 52 614 7659 Airport Representative (24hr): 00971 52 7502173

• Sunscreen, insect repellent and hat
• Waterproof, lightweight jacket
• Sunglasses
• Ruck sack or light bag per person
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Lightweight clothing (jeans are not recommended)
• Sweater
• Swimwear
• Camera and charger
• Lightweight/travel towel
• Binoculars
• A travel plug adapter: The vessel is equipped with European (2 pin) power sockets
• Personal toiletries
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc