Pursery desk services/general information

Communication

Callers from the UK should dial 0088 163 1833863 and fax messages sent to 00870 761 155 738. Messages received for passengers are delivered to cabins immediately upon receipt. Please note the prefix code of 871 will change when Van Gogh is outside of European waters, please contact Travelscope Holidays Ltd for further information.

Calls from the ship may be made via the satellite telephone service for a standard charge per second. The telephone is situated at the Information Desk and instructions and advise on call charges are available from here. Please note: Call costs to the ship are generally expensive. We would recommend that this service is used for emergencies only and that you check the cost of calling with your telephone supplier first.

E-mail: An email service is available on board and emails may be sent to and from the vessel using the ship's email address (as internet access is unavailable it is not possible to send/receive emails via private email accounts, therefore we recommend you bring on board a reminder of your friend's and family e-mail addresses as you will be unable to access your personal email account from the ship). Please note that charges apply for the sending and receiving of emails and will be charged to your on board ship's account.

E-mails sent to the ship should be sent to: vangogh@ shore2ship.net in the Subject heading, the sender should write the recipients full name and cabin number if known. All received e-mails will be sorted by the Purser staff and printed off and delivered to cabins (received e-mails are not down-loadable onto an individuals computer and can only be supplied as a printed hard-copy). A computer is available in the Library for the sending of typed emails, however computer memory sticks cannot be used and it is not possible to down-load any attachments from an external source.

Cruise director and cruise staff

The cruise director and cruise staff organise all social events, games and activities on board as detailed in the on board Daily Telescope and will be happy to give you any additional assistance you may require.

Currency

A cashless system* operates on board for the convenience of passengers. Passengers will be issued with a boarding card at embarkation (which serves as a cruise payment card) and must be presented at point of sales outlets for payment at the time of purchase. Passengers must sign at the point of sale when using the bars, ordering drinks in the restaurant, the cabin laundry service, the Duty Free Shop, the Hair Salon, Photo Shop, the on board postal service, and for doctor's consultation fees and making purchases from the information Desk.

On our ‘Round the World’ cruises, a statement will be delivered to your cabin every three weeks and should be settled every month.

Credit/Debit cards displaying the VISA and MASTERCARD symbol may be pre-registered for settlement of your monthly account however the ship levies a one-off charge of £7.50 for registration.

As on board accounts will be settled monthly you may register your credit/debit card one-week prior to the monthly settlement date, please be advised payment will be charged to your registered card each month and therefore arrangements should be made to ensure sufficient funds are available on your card/bank account while you are away.

Travellers’ cheques and cash are also accepted for payment of your on board account, (please note: there is a nominal charge for the use of travellers’ cheques on board).

Please note: your final account will close on the last night of the cruise for the final statements to be prepared, after this time sterling cash will be accepted in selected bars.

Only Visa and MasterCard are accepted on board. All Visa and MasterCards used on board must be valid for up to one month after the return date of the cruise. Please note: Visa Electron, American Express, Diners Cards, Solo, Maestro, Switch cards and Personal cheques are NOT accepted on board.

Personal cheques are not accepted as a form of payment when settling the on board account. The ship's official currency is pounds sterling.

Euro and American dollars are available to purchase on board and exchanged at the Information Desk at the ship's official exchange rate, however supplies are limited. Local currencies of the ports visited will not be available on board.

* Payment for shore excursions may be made with cash, travellers’ cheques, Visa and MasterCard.

Certain ship’s games and activities require cash payment; bingo, daily tote, Craft, horse racing, refundable deposits for board games, library books, sports equipment and casino. You are therefore advised to bring on board sterling cash to allow participation in on board activities.

*Prices may be subject to change.

Gratuities

We appreciate tipping is a matter of personal choice and entirely at your discretion, but for your convenience, as a standard practice gratuities will be charged directly to your on-board account at the rate of £2.50 per person per day. If for any reason you may wish to adjust this figure please advise the staff at the Information Desk who will gladly oblige your request.

Health

For cruises visiting countries outside the EU, we recommend you consult your GP six months before travel for details of vaccinations that may be required. Information can also be found on The Department for Health website: www.dh.giv.uk

Please see Vaccines and Travel insurance under Before you travel also.

In Case of Fire

The vessel has fire doors electromagnetically controlled from the Navigation Bridge and/or locally, and the most modern fire/smoke detection devices. Should you detect smoke or fire, please immediately notify the first crew member you see, or contact the Information Desk. Never throw lighted cigarettes, cigars or matches overboard since they may blow back onto the ship and cause a serious fire. Ashtrays are provided in designated smoking areas. Please note that ALL cabins are non-smoking.

ISPS code

The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code became part of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) suite of International Law on the 1 July 2004. It was enacted to improve the security of ships and the ports that ships call at with the aim of preventing terrorist attacks. Not only is there the ISPS Code itself (international law), but also an EC Regulation and a UK Regulation to ensure the full spirit of the Code is enshrined in UK law.

Lost and found property

Any articles found on board or on shore excursion coaches are handed over to the Information Desk. Likewise, all enquiries regarding lost articles should be made there. Unclaimed found items will be disposed of at the end of the cruise.

Mail

Postcards may be purchased at the Information Desk where you may also leave correctly stamped letters for mailing. In case you do not have stamps you can leave your mail at the Information Desk where they can mail it for you for a nominal charge. Mail must be handed in to the Information Desk two hours before the sailing time for it to be posted from the port of call that day.

Medical services*

If you are suffering from any pre-existing medical condition or ailment, or if you require a special diet, you should advise the Travelscope Head Office by completing a medical questionnaire obtainable from Travelscope Head Office. This must be completed a minimum of eight weeks prior to your departure date.

You are strongly urged to ensure you have declared any pre-existing medical conditions to your insurer in accordance with the policy conditions as failure to do so may well render your insurance invalid in the event you are taken ill during your cruise and you would then be unable to reclaim any medical/repatriation costs incurred by you or on your behalf.

The ship’s doctor has a daily surgery at times stated in the Daily Telescope. A nominal fee is charged for a consultation and for any medication prescribed. Emergency calls are dealt with at any time of day or night via the Information Desk (telephone no. 1012 & 1013). As the surgery does not come under the NHS all treatments and consultations are subject to a standard charge, which you may be able to reclaim from your medical insurance (please refer to your insurance policy).

Any passenger with a disability must travel with a companion, who will take responsibility for any assistance needed during the cruise and in the event of an emergency. Guests needing wheelchairs will be required to bring their own on board and must travel with an able bodied person.

Guests using electrical medical apparatus or bottled oxygen should advise the Travelscope Head Office in writing a minimum of 8 weeks prior to your departure date. You should also check with the manufacturer of any electrical device if a transformer or regulator is required to maintain a constant level of power, as the ship’s electrical current may have slight variants and may not be compatible with the equipment.

Passengers who are dependant on bottled oxygen must ensure they travel with sufficient oxygen to last the duration of the cruise and should carry all necessary regulators, attachments and oxygen masks.

Passengers taking any prescription medication should carry a list of all medications taken and dosages required.

We regret we cannot carry passengers who will be more than 28 weeks pregnant by the end of the cruise.

*Services, policies and prices may be subject to change.

Mobile Telephones

If you have a mobile, you need to be GSM (internationally roaming) to receive or make calls from abroad. Additionally certain countries require mobile phones to be a tri-band or quad-band model to receive and make calls. It may, on some occasions, not be possible to top-up Pay-As-You Go mobile phones from certain countries. If you have never used your mobile overseas, please check with your phone service provider before departure, as some may need modification to work.

Officers and crew

The ship’s complement, which is multi-national, totals around 230 including the entertainers and British cruise staff. All crew on board are English speaking as required by International Maritime Law.

Personal Laptops

Personal laptops and computers may be brought on board, however please note that there are no internet or wireless facilities on board. Many countries now have wireless facilities available in internet cafes and in bars/cafes.

Safety

The Van Gogh complies with all current SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) and IMO (International Maritime Organisation) Regulations. Safety Instructions are posted on the inside of each cabin door, so please study these carefully and take note of the Assembly Station to which you are assigned.

Safety deposit boxes

We strongly advise passengers not to leave valuables in their cabin as you do so entirely at your own risk. Safety deposit boxes are available at the Information Desk free of charge, subject to availability. The company cannot be held responsible for any loss of valuables left in your cabin or for items deposited in the boxes.

Sea pollution

Please do not throw anything into the sea, the harbour waters or the docks as this is strictly forbidden. We thank you for your cooperation to safeguard the environment.

Smoking

To ensure that all our passengers feel comfortable on board, we have adopted the following smoking policy. Smoking is not permitted in the Cabins, Public Corridors and Foyers, Club Live, Library, Casino Lounge, Restaurant, Nautilus Bar, Captain's Club and any other public room/area inside the vessel with the exception of the Disco (Deck 3) and at designated tables in the Sky Bar (Deck 9) where smoking is permitted.

Smoking is permitted on the open decks however during deck buffet times smoking is not permitted on deck 7 aft around the pool or buffet area.

We ask that all passengers refrain from smoking cigars and pipes anywhere indoors, although this is permitted on the outer decks. Please make sure you extinguish your cigarettes, cigars and matches properly before disposing of them.

Please observe these rules for the comfort and consideration of fellow passengers.

Special occasions on board

We are at your service for any special celebration. If you have a birthday we will know, but should you have any other special event such as an anniversary or honeymoon please advise us. We are more than happy to make this event a memorable one for you and your family and/or friends.

Make your celebrations on board truly memorable with our special occasion packages. Whether it’s a birthday or wedding anniversary, push the boat out and celebrate in style. The following packages are available:

Renewal of vows or wedding blessing £55*

• Blessing performed by the ship’s captain
• Bottle of bubbly
• Cake
• A4 portrait photograph
• Canapés
• Certificate

Birthday, Valentine’s Day or Anniversary £39*

• Bottle of Moët et Chandon Champagne
• Box of chocolates
• Card from sender

Champagne and chocolates £39*

• Bottle of Moët et Chandon Champagne
• Box of chocolates
• Card from sender

*Prices and content may be subject to change.

Tipping

Tipping is the traditional way of saying “thank you”, for further information concerning this please read under the heading Gratuities under Pursery desk services/general information.

Valuables

We strongly advise passengers not to leave valuables in their cabin as you do so entirely at your own risk. Safety deposit boxes are available at the Information Desk free of charge. The company cannot be held responsible for any loss of valuables left in your cabin or for items deposited in the boxes.

Visitors

For security reasons no visitors are allowed on board at any time.