Platinum Protection Plan

The Platinum Protection Plan (“PPP”) is available for new river and ocean cruising bookings for travel after 1 January 2022 for Scenic and Emerald Cruises (“Eligible Booking”). By adding this plan, you are covered if you unable to travel due to health reasons, or your travel plans are impacted by COVID-19, up to 31 days prior to departure with a 100% refund (less airline cancellation fees and PPP cost), or a 70% refund between 15 and 30 days prior to departure (less PPP cost). 

The PPP must be purchased together with the Eligible Booking at time such booking is made and may not be added at a later date. The PPP is provided at a cost of $395 per person per river cruise, $495 per person per cruise on Emerald Cruises yacht cruising and $595 per person per cruise on Scenic Eclipse voyages (“PPP Fee”).

The PPP is not available on Russian cruises, Russian cruise tours, Amazon and Galapagos cruises or land tours and the PPP is also not available to new bookings using a Future Travel Credit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. If I have to cancel because I have broken my leg and my doctor states that I am unable to travel, will I be able to receive a refund?
A. Yes, if you are able to provide a Doctor’s certificate to show that you will be unable to travel you will be eligible for a refund.
Q. If I have to cancel because I am hospitalised due to a severe illness and my doctor states that I am unable to travel, will I be able to receive a refund?
A. Yes, if you are able to provide a Doctor’s certificate to show that you will be unable to travel you will be eligible for a refund.
Q. If I become unwell with a cold and do not wish to travel will I be able to cancel my booking and receive a refund?
A. Unless you are able to provide a Doctor’s certificate to show that you will be unable to travel you will not be eligible for a refund. However, we will be able to hold your money on file as a Future Travel Credit.
Q. If COVID-19 is still occurring and I wish to cancel my booking, will I be eligible for a refund?
A. If COVID-19 is still a declared global pandemic and we are required to cancel or suspend your cruise due to COVID-19, you will be eligible for a refund.
Q. I have lost my house due to a recent natural disaster (such as bushfire, floods) and am in temporary accommodation, will I be able to cancel my booking and get a refund?
A. Yes, if you are able to provide a letter from your insurance provided to show that you will be in temporary accommodation at the time of travel and the natural disaster occurred after your booking date you will be eligible for a refund.  
Q. I have been made redundant by my employer, can I apply for a refund and cancel my booking?
A. Yes, if you are able to provide a letter from your employer to show that you have been made redundant and this will mean you are unable to travel you will be eligible for a refund. You must have worked for that employer for at least one year continuously and the redundancy occurred after your booking date.
Q. If I wish to cancel my booking due to a change of mind and I no longer wish to travel, will I be able to receive a refund?
A. If you wish to cancel due to not wanting to travel anymore, you will not be eligible for a refund however we will be able to hold your money on file as a Future Travel Credit. 
Q. My travelling companion’s home has been damaged by flood but the home is still habitable, will I be able to cancel my booking and get a refund?
A. If the home is still habitable, you will not be eligible for a refund however we will be able to hold your money on file as a Future Travel Credit.
Q. Do all guests on the booking need to purchase PPP?
A. No, purchase PPP is optional, however if a guest has not purchased this and wishes to cancel their booking, standard booking terms and conditions will apply.
Q. Platinum Protection Plan is not included for land touring, what if my booking is a land and cruise combination?
A. Yes, the PPP will cover any complete booking which includes Ocean and River cruising if land/extension is in the region of their cruise itinerary (i.e. a booking that secures land tour/city extension that links to the cruise booking).
Q. If I use a Future Travel Credit and cancel for a prescribed reason, will I get a refund?
A. No. You will be subject to the conditions of the Future Travel Credit.

Terms and Conditions

If you have purchased the PPP with an Eligible Booking, the following terms apply when your Eligible Booking is cancelled due to a one or more Prescribed Reasons (defined below), either at your request or by us:

(i) If cancellation is made any time on or before 31 days prior to the date your journey commences with Us, including flight arrangements, we will refund all money paid on your Eligible Booking, less the PPP Fee, airline cancellation fees, if any and travel agent administration fees; and

(ii) If cancellation is made at any time on or after 30 days but no later than 15 days prior to the date your journey commences with Us, including flight arrangements for one or more Prescribed Reasons, we will refund 70% of the money paid on your Eligible Booking, after deducting the PPP Fee and travel agent administration fees.

If you have purchased the PPP with an Eligible Booking, the following terms apply when your Eligible Booking is cancelled due to a reason that is not a Prescribed Reason:

(i) If cancellation is made on or before 31 days prior to the date your journey commences with Us, including flight arrangements, we will provide a Future Travel Credit in an amount equal to the cost of the money paid on your Eligible Booking, less the PPP Fee, airline cancellation fees, if any, and travel agent administration fees to be booked within 24 months from the date of cancellation of your Eligible Booking; and

(ii) If cancellation is made at any time on or after 30 days but no later than 15 days prior to the date your journey commences with Us, including flight arrangements due to a reason that is not a Prescribed Reason, we will provide a Future Travel Credit in an amount equal to 70% of the money paid on your Eligible Booking, after deducing the PP Fee and travel agent administration fees to be booked within 24 months from the date of cancellation of your Eligible Booking. 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a cancellation is made for any reason (including a Prescribed Reason) within 14 days prior to your scheduled cruise start date, our standard booking terms and conditions will apply.

The following is a complete and exhaustive list of reasons for cancellations that are considered Prescribed Reason for the purposes of the PPP: 

1) an illness injury or death of You or a person booked with You on the Eligible Trip which with respect to any such illness or injury requires examination and/or treatment by a physician at the time cancellation is made. The treating physician must certify in writing that the illness or injury will prevent You or your Companion from taking the Eligible Trip at the time it is scheduled;

2) suspension or cancellation of a cruise by Us due to a WHO declared epidemic or pandemic (including COVID-19). A WHO declared epidemic or pandemic event shall include the occurrence of any epidemic or pandemic outside our reasonable control which prevents or causes delay in the performance of our obligations, or which materially increase Our costs of performance of our obligations;

3) your primary residence or the primary residence of your Companion are made uninhabitable by a natural disaster (such as flood, fire or earthquake) and are reasonably expected to remain uninhabitable during the time of the Eligible Trip.  You will be required to provide documentation from your or your Companion’s insurance provider, as the case may be, confirming the extent of damages/loss to your or your Companion’s primary residence, and any other document as we reasonably require to show that you or your Companion will be prevented from taking the Eligible Trip as a result of the damages/loss of your or your Company’s primary residence, as the case may be; and 

4) you are involuntarily terminated or laid off from your primary job by your employer for whom you have worked for at least one continuous year prior to the date of the cancellation and you are unemployed (on a full time or part time basis) as of the time that you cancel the Eligible Trip.  You will be required to provide documentation from your employer, confirming your termination, and any other document as we reasonably require to show that you will be prevented from taking the Eligible Trip as a result of the loss of your job. 

If final payment (including cost of the Eligible Booking and the PPP Fee) is not made in full by the invoiced date, your purchase of the PPP will be automatically be cancelled and all rights under the PPP will cease and be of no further force and effect.  

If you have booked a cruise with an applicable Fly Deal or other Earlybird Offer, any airline cancellation fees will be deducted from the refund amount if flights have been ticketed. 

The PPP is not an insurance policy and does not, nor is it intended to, replace any travel insurance or cancellation and interruption insurance. 

We, us and our refer to The Scenic Group (including Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Emerald Cruises and Evergreen Cruises & Tours).  You, and your refer to the person named as the beneficiary of the Platinum Protection Plan.