Terms and Conditions

Terms of travel

Please read these travel conditions carefully as they shall constitute the travel package contract in case of a booking. They apply to all package tours of the tour operator.


FRS Travel GmbH (hereinafter referred to as "FRS Travel" or "tour operator")
Norderhofenden 19-20
24937 Flensburg
Tel: +49 461 864 609
Email: [email protected]


In addition, the General Conditions of Carriage (ABB) of FRS Syltfähre GmbH & Co. KG (hereinafter referred to as "FRS Syltfähre") and FRS Helgoline GmbH & Co. KG (hereinafter referred to as "FRS Helgoline"), which are available on our website, apply to the ferry services. The rights and obligations of FRS Travel and you under the travel contract law and these detailed travel conditions are not restricted by the conditions of the FRS Syltfähre and FRS Helgoline.

 

§ 1

Conclusion of the travel contract

§ 2

payment

§ 3

Services and special requests

§ 4

Changes in services

§ 5

Ship transport, on-board regulation

§ 6

Your right of withdrawal before departure

§ 7

Resignation and termination by FRS Travel

§ 8

transfer of contract

§ 9

travel Insurance

§ 10

Notification of defects, remedy, reduction, termination

§ 11

Damages and limitation of liability

§ 12

Limitation, assignment

§ 13

Passport, visa and health regulations

§ 14

General

 

§ 1 Conclusion of the travel contract
1. With your booking, you are agreeing to enter a binding travel package contract with FRS Travel. You can make the booking in writing, (by phone) orally or electronically. The basis of this offer is the travel offer and the additional advance information from the tour operator for the respective trip, as far as you have these when booking.  Upon request, the tour operator will also send you the contract documents by post. Please note that a shipping fee of 4, - € will be due immediately. The travel package contract is concluded with the receipt of the written booking confirmation from FRS Travel.

2. You are responsible for all the contractual obligations of travelers for whom you make the booking for ("co-traveler") just as for your own, if you have accepted this obligation through an explicit and separate declaration.

3. The booking confirmation (in accordance with § 1(1)) contains all essential information about the travel services booked by you and will be sent to you immediately after the conclusion of the contract. An electronic data carrier is sufficient for the transmission. If the content of the booking confirmation deviates from the content of your booking, FRS shall be bound by this new offer for 10 (ten) days. The contract shall be concluded on the basis of this new offer, if the tour operator confirms the new offer, fulfils its obligation and you accept by express declaration or payment within the time frame. 


4. If you have not received the travel documents (hereinafter also "vouchers") at the latest 4 days before your trip, please contact FRS Travel immediately. In your own interest, we ask you to carefully check the vouchers upon receipt.

 

§ 2 Payment
1. Upon conclusion of the contract, the total price of the package tour will be due upon delivery of the booking confirmation and receipt of the security certificate. This must be paid within 7 (seven) days of booking. To secure customer deposits, the tour operator has taken out a bankruptcy insurance policy with R + V Allgemeine Versicherung AG.

2. You can pay by credit card or bank transfer. The tour operator reserves the right to change the accepted methods of payment at any time with effect for the future.

3. When paying by bank transfer, FRS Travel requires the first name, surname, full address, telephone number and e-mail address of the booking party.

4. If you pay by credit card, FRS Travel will need your full address and agreement to withdraw from your credit card. In some cases, another authentication feature is required.

5. Upon payment of the full travel price, you will receive your vouchers, at the earliest 3 (three) weeks before the trip starts.

6. If you do not pay (due in whole or in part) even after due notice with a deadline, FRS Travel reserves the right to withdraw from the travel contract and to charge the compensation flat rates agreed in accordance with § 6 (2).

7. The compensation flat rates in the case of a resignation (§ 6 (2)) or a termination (§ 7 (2)) by FRS Travel and the processing and rebooking fees (§ 3 clause (2), (4)) are due immediately.

 

§ 3 Services and special requests
1. The performance obligation of the tour operator results exclusively from the content of the booking confirmation and the travel advertisement. Costs for incidental services such as obtaining visas or border fees or similar are not included in the tour price.

2. FRS Travel makes every effort to comply with any special requests from you. Any special agreements (special requests, side agreements, other agreements) require the written confirmation of FRS Travel to be effective, provided that this changes the scope of the contractual service. In case of contradictions, the booking confirmation is decisive. FRS Travel reserves the right to charge a service charge of € 10 per person for processing special requests, side agreements or other agreements.

3. Special requests can only be confirmed by FRS Travel; service providers (e.g., ferry companies, hotels) are not authorized by the tour operator to provide assurances or to make arrangements that go beyond or contradict the contents of the booking confirmation.

4. If desired and as far as practicable, FRS Travel will make a change to the booking confirmation (rebooking). As rebooking applies e.g. a change of the travel date. For this a change fee of 10, - € per person is charged. § 2(8) applies accordingly. If the travel date is changed, the travel price will be recalculated on the basis of the applicable prices and conditions. FRS Travel reminds you that additional costs may be incurred by a rebooking.

5. The entrainment of pets is only permitted if the terms of reference expressly permit this or the tour operator has agreed to take them in writing. If it is allowed, the pet owner must also ensure that

a. The pets may also be taken ashore in accordance with official and / or statutory provisions of the destination and

b. The pets pose no danger and the pet owner meets his duty of supervision and

c. The pets do not harass fellow travelers.


The tour operator and authorized persons have the right to charge animals in accordance with points a. to c. to exclude them from the journey. In addition, animals may not be accommodated in seats.

 

§ 4 Service Changes
1. Changes before the conclusion of the contract can be made by FRS Travel for objective reasons. Of course FRS Travel will inform you about such changes before booking. In the case of sea voyages, decisions about necessary changes to the journey time and / or routes, for example for safety or weather reasons can only be made by the captain.

2. Changes after conclusion of the contract are permitted insofar as they are insignificant (for example, changes in travel times or routes, in particular for reasons of safety or weather). This shall not affect any warranty claims, in particular, insofar as the changes are subject to defects.

3. FRS Travel will inform you about the change in performance on a durable medium in a clear, understandable and highlighted manner. If necessary, FRS Travel will offer you a free rebooking or a free cancellation.

4. In case of significant changes or deviations from your special requirements, which have become part of the contract, you are entitled to accept the change or to declare your withdrawal from the contract. You are also free to respond to the notification of the change or not. If you fail to respond to FRS Travel within 10 (ten) days of receipt of the change notice, the notified change will be deemed accepted. For this purpose, the requirements of § 4 (3) sentence 1 apply.

5. Any warranty claims remain unaffected, as far as the changed services are defective. If lower costs arise for the changed package holiday of equivalent quality, FRS Travel will reimburse you the additional amount according to § 651m paragraph 2 BGB.

 

§ 5 Ship transport, on-board regulations
1. FRS Travel utilizes the FRS Syltfähre ferry service for the crossing to and from Sylt and the FRS Helgoline ferry service for Hamburg, Cuxhaven and Heligoland. By booking, you agree to the General Conditions of Carriage (ABB) of FRS Syltfähre or FRS Helgoline. ABB is available on the FRS Travel website.

2. You are required to comply with all ship performance regulations and other FRS Syltfähre or FRS Helgoline authorized instructions relating to safety and order on board. Additionally, you are obliged to do everything you can be reasonably expected to do in order to remedy the incident and to minimize any damage that may occur.

3. Weapons, flammable, corrosive and other dangerous objects as well as objects whose possession is forbidden or punishable by law or other objects which are unsuitable for the purpose of the journey may not be taken on the journey. If such items are discovered during the journey, the tour operator and authorized personnel may take these items into custody and remove them at the expense of the owner.

4. You are prohibited from contaminating or damaging ship's spaces, equipment or objects; improperly operating or damaging safety equipment; or throwing objects of any kind off the ship. Smoking bans are to be strictly observed.

5. It is your responsibility to board the boat no later than 20 minutes before the start of the journey in accordance with the timetable.

6. In addition, FRS Travel reserves the right to terminate the travel package contract for breaches of the on-board ordinance (§ 5 (1) - (5)) without notice - if necessary after unsuccessful reminder (§ 7 (2a)).

 

§ 6 Your right of withdrawal before departure
1. You can withdraw from the contract at any time prior to departure. The resignation must be declared to FRS Travel. FRS Travel recommends that you declare your withdrawal on a durable medium.

2. If you cancel before the start of your journey or if you do not start the journey, FRS Travel loses the claim to the agreed travel price. However, the tour operator requires the following flat rate compensation, measured on

  • Period between withdrawal and the start of the journey,
  • Anticipated savings of expenses of the tour operator, and
  • Expected purchase through other use of travel services.

Up to 29 days before departure

Free cancellation

From 28 days to 11 days before departure

20% of the travel price per person

From 10 days to 4 days before departure

90% of the travel price per person

From 3 days before departure, non-arrival, late cancellation

100% of the travel price per person



The date of receipt of the withdrawal by the tour operator is decisive. You are entitled to prove that the fees due to the tour operator are substantially lower than the required compensation fee. In addition, FRS Travel reserves the right, if appropriate, to demand higher, individually calculated compensation.

3. You also have to pay withdrawal fees in cases where you cannot show the necessary travel documents (visa, passport, etc.) and therefore cannot travel or you are not able to arrive in the time stated in the travel documents respective departure place. These fees are also incurred by you for travel participants within the meaning of § 1 (2) who cannot show travel documents or who do not arrive in time at the contractually agreed place of departure.

4. Your right under § 8 remains unaffected.

 

§ 7 Withdrawal and termination by FRS Travel
1. FRS Travel may withdraw from the contract before departure in the following cases:

a. Where fewer people, than the minimum required participants specified in the contract, have registered for the travel package;

b. The tour operator is prevented from fulfilling the contract due to unavoidable, extraordinary circumstances; or

c. For non-payment of the travel price after reminder and deadline according to § 2 (6)


In the case of a. the tour operator will declare the withdrawal within the period specified in the contract, however at the latest:

  • 20 days before departure for stays of more than 6 days;
  • 7 days before departure for a minimum of 2 days and 6 days maximum; or
  • 48 hours before departure for a journey of less than 2 days.

In the case of b. the tour operator will announce the withdrawal immediately after knowledge of the reason for withdrawal. Unavoidable and exceptional circumstances exist when they are not under the control of the party relying on them and could not have avoided their consequences even if all reasonable precautions had been taken.

In the case of c. the tour operator will immediately declare the withdrawal after an unsuccessful deadline.


2. FRS Travel may terminate the travel package contract in the following cases:

a. In the event of violations of the on-board order in accordance with § 5(1) – (5) by you or a co-traveler (§ 1 (2))

b. If the execution of the trip is disturbed by you and persists even after a warning

c. If you act contrary to the contract to such an extent that an immediate cancellation of the contract is justified

In these cases, FRS Travel will terminate the contract without delay and where necessary after an unsuccessful reminder.


3. Where FRS Travel withdraws from the contract based on points 1a. or 1b. , FRS Travel will lose its claim to the agreed travel price. If FRS Travel is obliged to reimburse the travel price as a result of a cancellation, FRS Travel will pay immediately, but in any event within 14 days after the cancellation.

Where FRS Travel withdraws from the contract based on point 1c., you lose the right to benefit from the travel package. FRS Travel may in addition claim compensation against you according to §6(2).


4. If FRS Travel terminates due to a reason in accordance with point 2, the tour operator reserves the claim to the travel price. In addition, you will have to bear any additional costs for the return transport yourself.

 

§ 8 Contract transfer
You may declare, within a reasonable period of time prior to departure, on a durable medium, that a third party take your place including all the obligations and rights in the travel contract. This declaration must be provided to FRS Travel latest seven (7) days before the date the start of the journey. FRS Travel may object to the entry of third parties if they do not meet the contractual travel requirements. If a third party enters into the contract, he and you are liable to the tour operator as the joint debtor for the travel price and the additional costs incurred by the entry of the third party. The tour operator may demand reimbursement of additional costs only if and insofar as this is appropriate and actually incurred. FRS Travel will give you proof of the amount of additional costs incurred by the third party.

 

§ 9 Travel insurance
FRS Travel recommends the conclusion of a comprehensive travel insurance package, in particular travel cancellation insurance and insurance to cover the costs of repatriation in the event of accident, illness or death.


 
§ 10 Notification of defects, remedy, reduction, termination
1. FRS Travel has to provide you with a travel package free of travel defects. If the travel package is defective, you can, if the conditions of the following regulations are met and unless otherwise specified:

  • Demand remedy in accordance with § 651k BGB, remedy the situation yourself and demand compensation for the necessary expenses, demand redress through replacement travel services and request the costs for a necessary accommodation
  • Terminate the contract according to § 651l
  • Reduce the travel price and enforce the rights under § 651m BGB; and
  • Claim damages in accordance with § 651n BGB (German Civil Code) or reimbursement of futile expenses according to § 284 BGB.

If you require a remedy, the tour operator has to remedy the travel shortage.


2. To enforce these rights, you must notify FRS Travel immediately of the deficiencies in the travel service. The necessary contact details can be found on your vouchers. As far as the tour operator could not remedy such a defect as a result of your culpable omission of notification, you are not entitled to assert the rights arising from § 651m BGB or to demand compensation according to § 651n BGB. A notification of defects is not required if FRS Travel refuses to remedy the situation or if the immediate remedy is necessary.


3. In addition, FRS Travel may refuse to remedy the defect if the remedy is impossible or disproportionately expensive, taking into account the extent of the travel defect and the value of the travel service concerned.


4. If the travel package is significantly affected by deficiencies in the travel, you can cancel the contract. Termination is only permitted if the tour operator fails to correct the defect within a reasonable time limit set by the customer. Additionally, the requirements of §§ 651 l (1), 651k (2) sentence 2 BGB apply.

5. If the contract is subsequently canceled, you retain the right of repatriation if the contract includes the carriage. You owe FRS Travel only the portion of the travel price that is due on the services used or to be provided to end the travel package.

 

§ 11 Damages and limitation of liability
1. You can claim damages regardless of the reduction or termination, unless the lack of travel is

a. your fault,

b. caused by a third party who is neither a service provider nor otherwise involved in the provision of the travel services covered by the package travel contract, and was unpredictable or unavoidable by the tour operator; or

c. caused by unavoidable, extraordinary circumstances.

 

You can also ask for reasonable compensation in money for useless spent vacation time.
 

2. The liability of FRS Travel is limited to three times the travel price for damages that are not physical damages - this also includes the liability for breach of ancillary, secondary or subsequent contractual obligations - and are not culpably caused by the tour operator.

 

3. If international agreements or national legal requirements based on these international agreements, grant damage claim only under certain conditions or only with certain limitations or exclude damage claim under certain conditions against the travel operator, apply to any of the travel arrangements, FRS Travel may invoke these agreements and or legal requirements.
 

4. The tour operator is not liable for performance, personal injury or property damage in connection with "external services" – i.e. services that are only mediated or carried out by third parties (e.g. public transport, sporting events, theater visits, exhibitions) -

provided that these services are clearly identified as external services, so that they are clearly recognizable as not being part of the travel package contract and that  these third parties are not vicarious agents for FRS Travel.


§ 12 Assignment and statute of limitation
1. Your claims referred to in § 10 (1) and § 11 (1) become statute-barred in 2 (two) years from the day on which the travel package ends according to the contract.
 

2. For the other claims, the regular limitation period of 3 (three) years according to § 195 BGB applies. For the beginning of the limitation period § 199 paragraph 1 BGB applies.
 

3. An assignment of possible claims that you have against FRS Travel is excluded.


 
§ 13 Passport, visa and health regulations
1. FRS Travel informs you about general passport and visa requirements and health formalities of the destination country. In addition, the tour operator also informs you of the approximate deadlines that are required to obtain any necessary visas. However, you are responsible for obtaining and carrying the necessary official travel documents, necessary vaccinations and compliance with customs and foreign exchange regulations. As customs and foreign exchange regulations are rigorously handled in different countries, FRS Travel recommends that you be fully informed and strictly follow the rules.
 

2. If your travel requires a passport or if an ID card is sufficient, you can read in the preliminary information. Make sure that your identity card / passport has a valid travel period.
 

3. Disadvantages arising from non-compliance will be at your expense unless FRS Travel has provided insufficient or false information. FRS Travel is not liable for the timely issue and receipt of necessary visas by the respective diplomatic representation. Obtaining visas is about 8 (eight) weeks.


 
§ 14 General
1. You will receive information about your personal data as well as the data processing and usage on a separate information sheet together with the preliminary information. Please note the information sheet "FRS Travel GmbH Privacy Policy".
 

2. FRS Travel does not participate in the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) procedure and does not use the online dispute resolution platform provided by the EU Commission at ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/ (OS -Platform).
 

3. The invalidity of individual provisions of the travel contract or the present travel conditions does not result in the ineffectiveness of the entire travel contract.

Allgemeine Beförderungs-Bedingungen (ABB)

FRS Syltfähre GmbH & Co. KG

§ 1 General Regulations

These General Terms of Carriage (hereinafter „GTC“) apply to all regular transports carried out by FRS Syltfähre GmbH & Co. KG (hereinafter „Carrier“) and – if marked – to all Special Tours of the Carrier. With conclusion of the contract these GTC become subject matter of the carriage contract; the Passenger recognizes them as legally binding.

§ 2 Carriage transport and payment

1. The carriage transport is concluded via booking by the Passenger and submission of the booking confirmation by the Carrier, in any case at the latest with the issuance of the ticket. The same applies to the online booking process.


2. The passenger is only entitled to the passage specified on the ticket. If passengers need to be excluded from the carriage due to insufficient space, paid for ticket fares will be reimbursed insofar the Carrier cannot offer a suitable transport alternative. Further claims by the passenger are considered invalid.
The carriage contract does not include a right to an assigned seat. Guests that wish to drink and eat in the dining salon are seated preferentially.


3. The ticket fare is due with the conclusion of the contract pursuant to number 1. The Passenger tariffs that are in force are disclosed on the website of the Carrier as well as its places of business in the form of General Tariff Regulations (hereinafter „GTR“).

Besides payment in cash, via credit card or voucher, the Passenger has the option to issue a SEPA Direct Debit to the Carrier. An Advance notice in the SEPA Direct Debit Procedure will be sent 3 (three) days prior to the debit at the latest. The Passenger assures the sufficient coverage of the account. Any costs that occur due to non-redemption or chargeback shall be borne by the Passenger unless the non-redemption or chargeback is caused by the Carrier. The payment by direct debit can only be charged to a German Bank account.


4. When claiming any fare reductions the eligibility has to be proven on completion of the ticket purchase at the ticket counter. When booking via telephone or online, fare reductions can online be considered if the Passenger sends the corresponding documents via E-Mail to info[at]syltfaehre.de or copies thereof to Norderhofenden 19-20, 24937 Flensburg. Until departure the Carrier is entitled to verify the proof of eligibility at the ticket office again. When Booking pursuant to sentence 2 the Passenger receives his reduced ticket at the ticket counter. A combination of different reductions is not possible.


5. For the dispatch of tickets and vouchers by mail a postage and handling fee will be charged in the amount of 4,00 € for every order processed. The dispatch of Online-tickets by e-mail is free of charge.


6. The reimbursement of fares as well as payments for compensation will always be occasioned towards the method of payment that has been stated on the booking. In case of (partial) payment using a voucher, the (partial) reimbursement also takes the form of a voucher. The minimum threshold for reimbursements accounts for 6,00 €.


7. We reserve the right to change prices due to general increases in fuel costs. In addition, the Carrier is authorized to correct the ticket fare if the price factors associated with the route in question change. These include in particular port fees, wages and salaries, interest rates, exchange rates, official requirements, etc. The Carrier shall notify the Passenger of any changes immediately. The composition of the price change/correction will be made transparent to the Passenger on request. The Passenger is at liberty to prove that there have been lower or no price increases.

§ 3 Tickets

1. Only dated tickets are valid and tickets are only transferable in accordance with the GTC.


2. Upon receiving the booking confirmations and tickets must be checked for correctness. The Carrier must be informed immediately, at the latest 48 hours after receipt, of any deviations in order to make the necessary corrections. If no complaint occurs the Carrier may assume that the documents have been correctly issued.


3. The Passenger is obligated to show the ticket to the Carrier or its employees upon request at any time. Ticket stubs may only be severed and validated by the Carrier’s authorized representative. Damaged or lost tickets lose their validity.

§ 4 Rebooking, Cancellation and change of transport schedule

1. Rebooking of date or time of regular transports can be made up to 24 hours prior to departure only via the hotline +49 461 864-44 by stating the Booking number. A processing fee in the amount of 10,00 € will be charged for every order processed. To Special Tours § 12 applies.
Until departure a rebooking to another person other than the passenger can be made. Any additional costs will be borne by the original contract partner. The Carrier has the right to object to the change if the new Passenger doesn’t fulfill the requirements pursuant to § 10 or in case administrative orders or decrees preclude a change.


2. The Passenger is entitled to cancel the carriage contract at any time prior to departure. The cancellation compromises the complete round trip. A partial cancellation is excluded. In case the
Passenger withdraws from the carriage contract the Carrier is entitled to a lump-sum compensation in accordance with the following chart:

Up to 7 days prior to departureProcessing fee pursuant to number 1
up to 3 days prior to departure50 % of the ticket fare
Less than 3 days prior to departure100 % of the ticket fare
Non-commencement of transport100 % of the ticket fare

The Passenger is entitled to prove that the damage to the Carrier is lower or non-existent compared to the lump-sum compensation. Rebooking to avoid cancellation fees are invalid.

3. The Carrier reserves the right to withdraw from the carriage contract in the following cases:

  • a. Cases of force majeure and synonymous events (e.g. influences of weather, epidemics, failure of port facilities, strikes, maritime accidents and similar events). These lead to the contract termination with the waiver of assertion of mutual claims of damages; the obligation to pay the ticket fare is not applicable and any payments already made will be refunded.
  • b. In Cases of special Tours pursuant to § 12, especially in cases where the minimum number of participants is not reached. The withdrawal by the Carrier leads to the contract’s termination with the waiver of claims for mutual compensation; the obligation to pay the ticket fare is not applicable and any payments already made will be refunded.

4. In the event official legal orders, prohibitions or injunctions, make the performance of the carriage contract impossible and necessarily entail cancellation of the carriage, the Carrier reserves the right to credit (partial) payments already made by the Passenger to his customer account.

 

§ 5 Increased fares

In case a Passenger is found without a valid ticket a contract penalty in the amount of 120,00 € is to be paid besides the regular ticket fare. The same applies when claiming ticket fare reductions the Passenger does not fulfill. The regulations of sentence 1 and 2 do not apply when the acquisition of a ticket or the verification of discount entitlement were omitted due to reasons beyond the Passenger’s control. The increased ticket fare is reduced to an amount of 10,00 €, if the Passenger is able to present a valid ticket within a week of the determination date that has been purchased at any of the Carrier’s points of sale prior to departure.

§ 6 Obligations of the Carrier

1. The Carrier is obligated to carry out the transport with a ship that meets the statutory safety provisions.


2. In the case of a cancellation or a delay in departure, Passengers shall be informed by the Carrier via the contact info (text message, telephone, e-Mail) the Passenger has given to the Carrier, as well as via the Carrier’s website. Apart from that, § 7 (7) applies.


3. Furthermore, the Carrier warrants the rights of Passengers pursuant to the Regulation (RU) No 1177/2010 of the European Parliament ad of the Council of 24 November 2010 concerning the rights of passengers when travelling by sea and inland waterway and amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 („Passenger-Regulation“). You can find a short version thereof on our Website under www.frs-syltfaehre.de/en/fahrgastrechte as well as in the points of sale and upon request at the ticket office, respectively.


4. In the case where the Carrier reasonably expects the transport to be cancelled or delayed in departure for more than 90 minutes, the Carrier offers re-routing e.g. by Bus or train to the nearest port of departure (e.g. Cuxhaven) and transport on another ship to the final destination and will inform the Passenger of the alternative means of transport. In this case the Carrier will provide reimbursement pursuant to Article 19 of the Passenger-Regulation in the form of vouchers.

§ 7 Obligations of the Passenger

1. The Passenger is obligated to follow all orders by the ship management or any representative that is authorized by the Carrier.


2. The Passenger is prohibited to soil or damage any cabins, equipment or items of the ship as well as misuse or damage safety devices, or throw any type of objects over board.


3. The Passenger is under the obligation to board the ship 20 minutes prior to departure according to departure schedule at the latest.
Travel groups are requested to announce themselves 30 minutes prior to departure to the Carrier’s local offices or directly on board. If a Passenger does not adhere to the scheduled times the Carrier is not obliged to carry out his/her transport.


4. The Passenger is liable to ensure the compliance of administrative and statutory requirements of the port of destination with his own person and especially carry all necessary documentation with him/her at all time. The Passenger is obliged to reimburse the Carrier for all additional costs that arise due to the Passenger’s non-compliance to requirements.


5. The Passenger has to stow, store and supervise any Carry-on luggage by themselves on board of the ship. Additionally, § 8 as well as the GTR apply for the transport of luggage.


6. In General, Cigarette smoking is prohibited on all ships of the Carrier. The Passenger is obligated to only smoke in the areas on the outer deck that are designated for smoking. The same applies to electric cigarettes and similar surrogates.


7. Up until departure the Passenger is independently of § 6 (2) also obligated to inform himself about possible cancellations or delays through the channels the Carrier provides (www.frs-syltfähre.de, by telephone +49 461 864 - 601) and by checking the e-mails to the email address (including Spam-Filters) stated upon booking up until departure.


8. The Passenger is liable towards the Carrier for any damages caused by him/her.

§ 8 Transport of Luggage

1. The Carrier is only obligated to transport the Passenger and his/her conventional luggage. Luggage that is severely soiled or that can injure, obstruct, harass, or cause damage to other Passengers is excluded from transport. In cases of doubt the ship management decides. The luggage may only be stowed in the designated places and not in the aisles and emergency escape routes or seats. Additionally § 7 (1) applies.

2. The following items and substances are prohibited on board of the ships: Weapons, flammable, combustible, caustic, toxic, explosive or pungent smelling items and/or substances. Furthermore illegal objects/substances and objects/substances that are able to harass other Passengers and/or are prohibited to own or transport are prohibited on board. Insofar Passengers cannot immediately account for the harmlessness of an object/Item § 10 (1) applies. If such objects/substances are only detected during the transport the ship management is allowed to take them into possession, store and disembark them in the nearest port at the expense of the Passenger.

§ 9 Transport of household pets

1. Conventional household pets are transported against payment pursuant to the Tariffs in force. The Carrier reserves the right to exclude animals from transport, especially due to the following reasons:

  • a. Potential threats to the safety of people or the ship
  • b. Harassment of other Passenger by the animal
  • c. If the owner of the pet neglects his/her duty to supervise it

Additionally pets are not allowed to be seated on seats. Dogs must be kept on a leash and muzzled.

§ 10 Exclusion from Carriage

1. Persons that pose a danger for the safety and order for the operation or for other persons, may be excluded from transport. This applies especially to

  • a. Passengers under the influence of alcoholic beverages or intoxicating substances,
  • b. Passengers that are unfit to travel due to contagious diseases, without withdrawing from the transport prior to departure,
  • c. Passengers that do not attend their duties pursuant to clauses 7-9 (even after order from ship management)

2. Children under the age of 6 (six) that are not officially obliged to attend school yet, may be excluded from transport, if they are not accompanied by a person aged 16 (sixteen) or above during the entire carriage.


3. If a person is excluded due to the aforementioned reasons he/she holds no right to refund already paid fares. Any further compensation for damages is excluded.

§ 11 Transport of vehicles

1. Vehicles are only transported in accordance with the applicable tariff against payment of a fare. The applicable tariffs are published on the Carrier's website and on notice boards at the Carrier’s points of sale or can be obtained from the Carrier's offices.


2. When vehicles are loaded, the Carrier must be notified of the availability for loading at least 20 minutes before departure. The Passenger is obliged to notify the Carrier before entering the ship if the ground clearance of his vehicle is reduced and/or the statutory minimum amount falls below (e.g. due to structural changes such as lowering, gas box, stepladders, (waste water) tanks, etc.) If the Passenger fails to notify the Carrier (in good time), the Carrier is not liable for any resulting damages to the vehicle. Furthermore, § 14 of these GTC applies. The parking space on board is assigned by the ship's personnel, and the Passenger must follow the instructions. The Passenger must ensure that the vehicle is properly positioned and safe. If the Passenger makes use of an employee of the Carrier to carry out the duties incumbent upon him or her, such assistance shall be provided on a goodwill basis only. The Passenger is liable for this assistant; in this respect, this assistant shall be deemed to be solely the Passenger's/car owner's vicarious agent. Motorcycles and bicycles shall be adequately secured by the Passenger against falling over.


3. After the vehicle has been parked safely, the Passenger must leave the vehicle and the area designated for parking vehicles for safety reasons.


4. Dangerous objects according to § 8 (2) of the GTC are excluded from carriage even if they remain in the vehicle during (part of) the carriage.


5. Vehicles without reservation shall be transported subordinately. Despite reservation, it may be necessary in justified exceptional cases (e.g. for reasons of safety of the vessel, in the event of the necessity of transporting emergency vehicles or in the event of unforeseeable need to use a different/smaller vessel) for the carrier to refuse to take the vehicle on the booked journey or to postpone the booking.

§ 12 Special Tours

1. Special Tours are all carriages that are marked and advertised as such. A minimum number of attendance is necessary. The Carrier reserves the right to withdraw from the contract if the minimum attendance is not reached, see § 4 (3) b).


2. Only the § 1, § 2 (1), (3), (5), (6), (7), § 3 (2), (3), § 4 (3), (4), § 5, § 6 (1), (2), § 7, § 8, §§ 10-12, § 14 (1-3), § 15, § 17 and § 18 apply to special Tours.


3. The Passenger is not entitled to cancel, withdraw, return, rebook or transfer the booking and/or tickets for specials Tours. Furthermore, no right of rescission exists for Special Tours. Specials Tours cannot be combined with other tickets, fare reductions or discount offers.


4. The Carrier is not obligated to transport pets (animals).

§ 13 Discount offers

1. As far as offered, tickets for regularly scheduled tours can be purchased at special conditions („Discount Offers“). The regular schedule is available on the Carrier’s website. Discount Offers are advertised separately.

2. Only the § 1, § 2 (1), (3), (5), (6), (7), § 3 (2), (3), § 4 (3), (4), § 5 - 11, and § 13-18 apply to Discount Offers.


3. The Passenger is not entitled to cancel, withdraw, return, rebook or transfer the booking and/or tickets purchased at Discount Offers. Furthermore, no right of rescission exists for Discount Offers. Tickets purchased at special conditions cannot be combined with other tickets, fare reductions, other Discount Offers or Special Tours. Tickets purchased at Discount Offers are only valid within the respective periods as specified.

§ 14 Limitation of Liability for the Carrier and Reimbursement

1. The Carrier’s liability for personal, vehicle, luggage or default damages is limited on the bases set out in sections 541 and 542 of the German Commercial Code (HGB) as well as Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 397/2009 of 23 April 2009 in connection with the Regulations of the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea 1974 (as amended by the Protocol of 2002).

2. Any claims the Passenger makes for compensation are excluded. Exceptions are the Passenger’s compensation claims due to injury of life, bodily injury, injury to health or breach of essential contractual obligations (cardinal obligations) as well as the liability for any other damages caused by any intentional or grossly negligent breach of duty by the Carrier, the Carrier’s legal representative or the Carrier’s agent. Essential contractual obligations are those having to be performed in order to attain the contractual purpose in the first place. In case of a breach of essential contractual obligations the Carrier’s liability (as well as the liability of the Carrier’s legal representative or agent) for damages due to slight negligence is limited to the foreseeable and typically occurring damages.

3. Any reimbursements for third-party services will be provided exclusively in accordance with legal regulations and these GTC and only upon receipt of appropriate original documents.

4. Reimbursements due to infringement of the Passenger-Regulation caused by the Carrier can be claimed only within 2 (two) months after the factual or planned Carriage. If the notification is sent in due time the deadline is deemed to be met.

§ 15 Notice of claim in case of damage to baggage

1. Section 549 HGB and Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 397/2009 of 23 April 2009 in connection with the Regulations of the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea 1974 (as amended by the Protocol of 2002) apply to the notice of damage.


2. In derogation to these general regulations a written notification by the Passenger is not required, if the condition of the luggage has been jointly evaluated by the Passenger and the Carrier or authorized representative and a jointly signed report has been drawn up on the matter.

§ 16 Alternative Dispute Resolution

1. The Carrier is willing to partake in Alternative Dispute Resolution by the following consumer arbitration board: Schlichtungsstelle Reise & Verkehr, Fasanenstraße 81, 10623 Berlin (http://schlichtung-reise-und-verkehr.de).

 

2. The European Commission has set up a platform for online dispute resolution, which can be accessed via the following link: ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr.

§ 17 Choice of Law and Court of jurisdiction

1. All contracts between the Carrier and the Passenger are subject to German law in so far as it is not precluded by any mandatory law.

2. Place of fulfillment for the contractual relationship is Flensburg.

3. Flensburg shall be sole court of jurisdiction in case of disputes arising out of the contract, in so far as the law does not require proceedings be opened in another jurisdiction.

§ 18 Miscellaneous

1. This document is a translation of the Carrier’s German General Terms of Carriage („Allgemeine Beförderungsbedingungen“). This document only serves to inform the Passenger and has no legal effect.

2. The content of the German General Terms of Carriage is legally binding. In case of discrepancies between the translation and the original German General Terms of Carriage the German version prevails.

General terms of Carriage (GTC)

For the Carriage on Board of Ships carried out by FRS Helgoline GmbH & Co. KG

§ 1 General Regulations

These general terms of Carriage (hereinafter „GTC“) apply to all regular transports carried out by FRS Helgoline GmbH & Co. KG (hereinafter „Carrier“) and – if marked – to all special Tours of the Carrier. With conclusion of the contract these GTC become subject matter of the carriage contract; the Passenger recognizes them as legally binding.

§ 2 Carriage transport and payment

1. The carriage transport is concluded via booking by the Passenger and submission of the booking confirmation by the Carrier, in any case at the latest with the issuance of the ticket.  The same applies to the online booking process.


2. The passenger is only entitled to the passage specified on the ticket. If passengers need to be excluded from the carriage due to insufficient space, paid for ticket fares will be reimbursed insofar the Carrier cannot offer a suitable transport alternative. Further claims by the passenger are considered invalid.
The carriage contract includes a right to an assigned seat. Guests that wish to drink and eat in the dining salon are seated preferentially.


3. The ticket fare is due with the conclusion of the contract pursuant to number 1. the Passenger tariffs that are in force are disclosed on the website of the Carrier as well as its places of business in the form of General Tariff Regulations (hereinafter „GTR“).
Besides payment in cash, via credit card or voucher, the Passenger has the option to issue a SEPA Direct Debit to the Carrier. An Advance notice in the SEPA Direct Debit Procedure will be sent 3 days prior to the debit at the latest. The Passenger assures the sufficient coverage of the account. Any costs that occur due to non-redemption or chargeback shall be borne by the Passenger unless the non-redemption or chargeback is caused by the Carrier. The payment by direct debit can only be charged to a German Bank account.


4. When claiming any fare reductions the eligibility has to be proven on completion of the ticket purchase at the ticket counter. When booking via telephone or online, fare reductions can online be considered if the Passenger sends the corresponding documents via E-Mail to [email protected] or copies thereof to Norderhofenden 19-20, 24937 Flensburg. Until departure the verifications for fare reductions can also be presented at the ticket counter. When Booking pursuant to sentence 2 the Passenger receives his reduced ticket at the ticket counter. A combination of different reductions is not possible.


5. For the dispatch of tickets and vouchers by mail a postage and handling fee will be charged in the amount of 4,00 € for every order processed. The dispatch of Online-tickets by e-mail is free of charge.


6. The reimbursement of fares as well as payments for compensation will always be occasioned towards the method of payment that has been stated on the booking. In case of (partial) payment using a voucher, the (partial) reimbursement also takes the form of a voucher. The minimum threshold for reimbursements accounts for 6,00 €.


7. We reserve the right to change prices due to general increases in fuel costs. In addition, the Carrier is authorized to correct the ticket fare if the price factors associated with the route in question change. These include in particular port fees, wages and salaries, interest rates, exchange rates, official requirements, etc. The Carrier shall notify the Passenger of any changes immediately. The composition of the price change/correction will be made transparent to the Passenger on request. The Passenger is at liberty to prove that there have been lower or no price increases.

§ 3 Tickets

1. Only dated tickets are valid and tickets are only transferable in accordance with the GTC.


2. Upon receiving the booking confirmations and tickets must be checked for correctness. The Carrier must be informed immediately, at the latest 48 hours after receipt, of any deviations in order to make the necessary corrections. If no complaint occurs the Carrier may assume that the documents have been correctly issued.


3. The Passenger is obligated to show the ticket to the Carrier or its employees upon request at any time. Ticket stubs may only be severed and validated by the Carrier’s authorized representative.  Damaged or lost tickets lose their validity.

§ 4 Rebooking, Cancellation and change of transport schedule

1. Rebooking of date or time of regular transports can be made up to 24 hours prior to departure only via the hotline +49 461 864-44 by stating the Booking number. A processing fee in the amount of 10,00 € will be charged for every order processed. To Special Tours § 11 applies.
Until departure a rebooking to another person other than the passenger can be made. Any additional costs will be borne by the original contract partner. The Carrier has the right to object to the change if the new Passenger doesn’t fulfill the requirements pursuant to § 10 or in case administrative orders or decrees preclude a change.

2. The Passenger is entitled to cancel the carriage contract at any time prior to departure. The cancellation compromises the complete round trip. A partial cancellation is excluded. In case the Passenger withdraws from the carriage contract the Carrier is entitled to a lump-sum  compensation in accordance with the following chart:

Up to 7 days prior to departureProcessing fee pursuant to number 1
up to 3 days prior to departure50 % of the ticket fare
Less than 3 days prior to departure100 % of the ticket fare
Non-commencement of transport100 % of the ticket fare

The Passenger is entitled to prove that the damage to the Carrier is lower or non-existent compared to the lump-sum compensation. Rebooking to avoid cancellation fees are invalid.


3. The Carrier reserves the right to withdraw from the carriage contract in the following cases:

  • a. Cases of force majeure and synonymous events (e.g. influences of weather, epidemics, failure of port facilities, strikes, maritime accidents and similar events). These lead to the contract termination with the waiver of assertion   of mutual claims of damages; the obligation to pay the ticket fare is not applicable and any payments already made  will be refunded.
  • b. In Cases of special Tours pursuant to § 11, especially in cases where the minimum number of participants is not reached. The withdrawal by the Carrier leads to the contract’s termination with the waiver of claims for mutual compensation; the obligation to pay the ticket fare is not applicable and any payments already made will be refunded.

4. In the event offi cial legal orders, prohibitions or injunctions, make the performance of the carriage contract impossible and necessarily entail cancellation of the carriage, the Carrier reserves the right to credit (partial) payments already made by the Passenger to his customer account.

§ 5 Increased fares

In case a Passenger is found without a valid ticket a contract penalty in the amount of 120,00 € is to be paid besides the regular ticket fare. The same applies when claiming ticket fare reductions the Passenger does not fulfill. The regulations of sentence 1 and 2 do not apply when the acquisition of a ticket or the verification of discount entitlement were omitted due to reasons beyond the Passenger’s control. The increased ticket fare is reduced to an amount of 10,00 €, if the Passenger is able to present a valid ticket within a week of the determination date that has been purchased at any of the Carrier’s points of sale prior to departure.

§ 6 Obligations of the Carrier

1. The Carrier is obligated to carry out the transport with a ship that meets the statutory safety provisions.


2. In the case of a cancellation or a delay in departure, Passengers shall be informed by the Carrier via the contact info (text message, telephone, e-Mail) the Passenger has given to the Carrier, as well as via the Carrier’s website. Apart from that, § 7 (7) applies.


3. Furthermore, the Carrier warrants the rights of Passengers pursuant to the Regulation (RU) No 1177/2010 of the European Parliament ad of the Council of 24 November 2010 concerning the rights of passengers when travelling by sea and inland waterway and amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 („Passenger-Regulation“). You can find a short version thereof on our Website under https://www.helgoline.de/en/passenger-regulation as well as in the points of sale and upon request at the ticket office, respectively.


4. In the case where the Carrier reasonably expects the transport to be cancelled or delayed in departure for more than 90 minutes, the Carrier offers re-routing e.g. by Bus or train to the nearest port of departure (e.g. Cuxhaven) and transport on another ship to the final destination and will inform the Passenger of the alternative means of transport. In this case the Carrier will provide reimbursement pursuant to Article 19 of the Passenger-Regulation in the form of vouchers.

§ 7 Obligations of the Passenger

1. The Passenger is obligated to follow all orders by the ship management or any representative that is authorized by the Carrier.


2. The Passenger is prohibited to soil or damage any cabins, equipment or items of the ship as well as misuse or damage safety devices, or throw any type of objects over board.


3. The Passenger is under the obligation to board the ship 15 minutes prior to departure according to departure schedule at the latest. If using luggage check-in the Passenger has to deposit his/her luggage 30 minutes prior to departure.
Travel groups are requested to announce themselves 30 minutes prior to departure to the Carrier’s local offices or directly on board. If a Passenger does not adhere to the scheduled times the Carrier is not obliged to carry out his/her transport.


4. The Passenger is liable to ensure the compliance of administrative and statutory requirements of the port of destination with his own person and especially carry all necessary documentation with him/her at all time. The Passenger is obliged to reimburse the Carrier for all additional costs that arise due to the Passenger’s non-compliance to requirements.


5. The Passenger has to stow, store and supervise any Carry-on luggage by themselves on board of the ship. Additionally, § 8 as well as the GTR apply for the transport of luggage.


6. In General, Cigarette smoking is prohibited on all ships of the Carrier. The Passenger is obligated to only smoke in the areas on the outer deck that are designated for smoking. The same applies to electric cigarettes and similar surrogates.


7. Up until departure the Passenger is independently of § 6 (2) also obligated to inform himself about possible cancellations or delays through the channels the Carrier provides (www.frs-helgoline.de/en as well as the Facebook page of the Carrier) and by checking the e-mails to the email address stated upon booking up until departure.


8. The Passenger is liable towards the Carrier for any damages caused by him/her.

§ 8 Transport of Luggage

1. The Carrier is only obligated to transport the Passenger and his/her conventional hand luggage. The maximum size allowed for this is 45cm x 30cm x 17cm; the maximum weight allowed is 8kg. Luggage that is severely soiled or that can injure, obstruct, harass, or cause damage to other Passengers is excluded from transport. In cases of doubt the ship management decides. The luggage may only be stowed in the designated places and not in the aisles and emergency escape routes or seats. Additionally § 7 (1) applies.


2. All types pf luggage that are not conventional hand luggage pursuant to number 1 are only transported in accordance with the GTR that are currently in force.


3. The following items and substances are prohibited on board of the ships: Weapons, flammable, combustible, caustic, toxic, explosive or pungent smelling items and/or substances. Furthermore illegal objects/substances and objects/ substances that are able to harass other Passengers and/or are prohibited to own or transport are prohibited on board. Insofar Passengers cannot immediately account for the harmlessness of an object/Item § 10 (1) applies. If such objects/ substances are only detected during the transport the ship management is allowed to take them into possession, store and disembark them in the nearest port at the expense of the Passenger.

§ 9 Transport of household pets

1. Conventional household pets are transported against payment pursuant to the Tariffs in force. The Carrier reserves the right to exclude animals from transport, especially due to the following reasons: 

  • a. Potential threats to the safety of people or the ship
  • b. Harassment of other Passenger by the animal 
  • c. If the owner of the pet neglects his/her duty to supervise it

Additionally pets are not allowed to be seated on seats. Dogs must be kept on a leash and muzzled.

§ 10 Exclusion from Carriage

1. Persons that pose a danger for the safety and order for the operation or for other persons, may be excluded from transport. This applies especially to

  • a. Passengers under the influence of alcoholic beverages or intoxicating substances,
  • b. Passengers that are unfit to travel due to contagious diseases, without withdrawing from the transport prior to   departure,
  • c. Passengers that do not attend their duties pursuant to clauses 7-9 (even after order from ship management)

2. Children under the age of 6 that are not officially obliged to attend school yet, may be excluded from transport, if they are not accompanied by a person aged 16 or above during the entire carriage.


3. If a person is excluded due to the aforementioned reasons he/she holds no right to refund already paid fares. Any further compensation for damages is excluded.

§ 11 Special Tours

1. Special Tours are all carriages that are marked and advertised as such. A minimum number of attendance is necessary. The Carrier reserves the right to withdraw from the contract if the minimum attendance is not reached, see § 4 (3) b).


2. Only the § 1, § 2 (1), (3), (5), (6), (7), § 3 (2), (3), § 4 (3), (4), § 5, § 6 (1), (2), § 7-8, § 10- 11, § 13 (1-3), § 14, § 16 and § 17 apply to special Tours.


3. The Passenger is not entitled to cancel, withdraw, return, rebook or transfer the booking and/or tickets for specials Tours. Furthermore, no right of rescission exists for special Tours. Specials Tours cannot be combined with other tickets, fare reductions or discount offers.


4. The Carrier is not obligated to transport pets (animals).

§ 12 Discount offers

1. As far as offered, tickets for regularly scheduled tours can be purchased at special conditions („Discount Offers“). The regular schedule is available on the Carrier’s website. Discount Offers are advertised separately.


2. Only the § 1, § 2 (1), (3), (5), (6), (7), § (2), (3), § 4 (3), (4), § 5 - 10, and § 12-17 apply to Discount Offers.


3. The Passenger is not entitled to cancel, withdraw, return, rebook or transfer the booking and/or tickets purchased at Discount Offers. Furthermore, no right of rescission exists for Discount Offers. Tickets purchased at special conditions cannot be combined with other tickets, fare reductions, other Discount Offers or Special Tours. Tickets purchased at Discount Offers are only valid within the respective periods as specified.

§ 13 Limitation of Liability for the Carrier and Reimbursement

1. The Carrier’s liability for personal, luggage or default damages is limited on the bases set out in sections 541 and 542 of the German Commercial Code (HGB) as well as Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 397/2009 of 23 April 2009 in co- nnection with the Regulations of the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea 1974 (as amended by the Protocol of 2002).


2. Any claims the Passenger makes for compensation are excluded. Exceptions are the Passenger’s compensation claims due to injury of life, bodily injury, injury to health or breach of essential contractual obligations (cardinal obligations) as well as the liability for any other damages caused by any intentional or grossly negligent breach of duty by the Carrier, the Carrier’s legal representative or the Carrier’s agent. Essential contractual obligations are those having to be performed in order to attain the contractual purpose in the first place. In case of a breach of essential contractual obligations the Carrier’s liability (as well as the liability of the Carrier’s legal representative or agent) for damages due to slight negligence is limited to the foreseeable and typically occurring damages.


3. Any reimbursements for third-party services will be provided exclusively in accordance with legal regulations and these GTC and only upon receipt of appropriate original documents.


4. Reimbursements due to infringement of the Passenger-Regulation caused by the Carrier can be claimed only within 2 months after the factual or planned Carriage. If the notification is sent in due time the deadline is deemed to be met.

§ 14 Notice of claim in case of damage to baggage

1. Section 549 HGB and Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 397/2009 of 23 April 2009 in connection with the Regulations of the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea 1974 (as amended by the Protocol of 2002) apply to the notice of damage.


2. In derogation to these general regulations a written notification by the Passenger is not required, if the condition of the luggage has been jointly evaluated by the Passenger and the Carrier or authorized representative and a jointly signed report has been drawn up on the matter.

§ 15 Alternative Dispute Resolution

1. The Carrier is willing to partake in Alternative Dispute Resolution by the following consumer arbitration board: Schlichtungsstelle Reise & Verkehr, Fasanenstraße 81, 10623 Berlin (http://schlichtung-reise-und-verkehr.de).

 

2. The European Commission has set up a platform for online dispute resolution, which can be accessed via the following link: ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr.

§ 16 Choice of Law and Court of jurisdiction

1. All contracts between the Carrier and the Passenger are subject to German law in so far as it is not precluded by any mandatory law.


2. Place of fulfillment for the contractual relationship is Flensburg.


3. Flensburg shall be sole court of jurisdiction in case of disputes arising out of the contract, in so far as the law does not require proceedings be opened in another jurisdiction.

§ 17 Miscellaneous

1. This document is a translation of the Carrier’s German General Terms of Carriage („Allgemeine Beförderungsbedingungen“). This document only serves to inform the Passenger and has no legal effect.


2. The content of the German General Terms of Carriage is legally binding. In case of discrepancies between the translation and the original German General Terms of Carriage the German version prevails.

 

Version 05.2024