SMILE TRAVEL CO., LTD – TERMS & CONDITIONS

1. Contract & Company Profile

Your travel contract is made directly with Smile Travel Co., Ltd, operating under the commercial brand Smile Travel.

Business License No.: 0106885169

International Tour Operator License No.: 01-1051/TCDL-GP LHQT

Registered / Head Office Address: 72 Hong Tien Street, Bo De Ward, Hanoi, Vietnam

Official Website: www.smiletravel.net  (B2B DMC Portal) | www.vietnamhalongbay.com  (B2C & Cruise Booking)

24/7 Hotline / WhatsApp: +84 941 776 786 | +84 346 190 168

Official Email: info@smiletravel.com.vn  | contact@smiletravel.com.vn 

Business Hours: Monday–Saturday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM (GMT+7). Operational support is available 24/7.

Operational Disclaimers & Ground Arrangements

Smile Travel coordinates land, rail, air and cruise arrangements across Vietnam and the Indochina region.

Travelers acknowledge that operational standards, infrastructure, schedules and service conditions may differ from those in their home countries.

We are not responsible for indirect or consequential losses arising from delays, cancellations, schedule changes or operational disruptions caused by third-party suppliers, including airlines, railway operators, cruise operators, boat operators, transportation companies or other service providers.

Departure and travel times stated in itineraries, vouchers and other travel documents are estimates unless expressly confirmed otherwise.

Travelers are responsible for ensuring that their personal health, physical condition and level of fitness are appropriate for the activities included in their chosen itinerary.

2. Booking Confirmation & Payment Terms

2.1. Booking Confirmation – The “Service Ticket”

All reservations are processed on a request basis.

A binding booking contract is established once Smile Travel receives the required deposit or payment and issues an official Service Ticket / Confirmation Voucher.

The Service Ticket specifies the agreed services, inclusions, exclusions, routing, pricing and payment schedule.

Clients are responsible for carefully checking all information in the Service Ticket and notifying Smile Travel of any discrepancy within 48 hours of receipt.

2.2. Deposit Requirements

Standard Deposit

A minimum non-refundable deposit of 30% of the total invoice value is required upon booking confirmation, unless otherwise specified in the Service Ticket.

Bookings Under US$1,000

Full payment of 100% is required upon confirmation for bookings with a total value under US$1,000.

Instant-Issue Services

Full upfront payment may be required for services that must be issued or prepaid in advance, including:

• Domestic and regional flight tickets
• Train tickets
• Visa processing and authorization services
• Luxury day and overnight cruises
• Peak-season hotel allocations
• Other services subject to immediate supplier payment

High-demand services, including luxury 5-star or 6-star cruises in Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay, may require higher deposits or full payment according to supplier conditions.

2.3. Balance & Final Payment

Standard Timeline

Unless otherwise stated in the Service Ticket, the outstanding balance must be settled at least 30 days prior to departure.

Last-Minute Bookings

Reservations made within 30 days of departure require 100% payment upon confirmation, unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Failure to Settle Payment

If the required balance is not received by the applicable deadline, Smile Travel reserves the right to cancel the booking and apply the applicable cancellation and deposit forfeiture conditions.

Currency & Price Stability

Prices may be quoted in USD or converted into Vietnamese Dong (VND) using Smile Travel’s applicable operational exchange rate on the date of transaction.

After confirmation and final payment, Smile Travel may absorb supplier-related price adjustments up to 25% of the total tour price.

Exceptional additional costs exceeding this threshold may be passed on to the client, with written notice where reasonably possible.

2.4. Accepted Payment Methods

Clients may make payments using the following methods:

1. International Wire Transfer

Bank details will be provided on the relevant invoice or payment instruction.

The client is responsible for ensuring that Smile Travel receives the full net invoice amount.

All sender, intermediary-bank and receiving-bank charges shall be borne by the client where applicable.

A standard administrative processing fee of US$35 per wire transfer may apply.

2. Credit Card – Online Payment Link / POS

Visa, MasterCard, JCB and American Express may be accepted through our secure payment gateway or office POS terminal.

A standard 3.5% merchant/payment processing surcharge applies unless otherwise stated.

3. Cash / Local Currency

Cash payment may be accepted at our Hanoi office in Vietnamese Dong (VND), subject to applicable Vietnamese laws and regulations.

3. Amendments & Cancellation Policy

3.1. Amendments by the Client

Requested changes made more than 30 days before departure incur an administrative fee of US$30 per amendment request, in addition to any direct fare differences, supplier penalties or other costs imposed by airlines, cruise operators, hotels or other suppliers.

Amendment requests made within 30 days of departure are subject to availability and supplier approval.

Where requested changes cannot be accommodated, the applicable cancellation conditions may apply.

Smile Travel cannot guarantee that every requested amendment will be possible.

3.2. Cancellation by the Client

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing by the booking party or an authorized representative from the email address associated with the booking.

Cancellation fees are calculated according to the date and time at which the written cancellation request is received by Smile Travel.

 

Cancellation Schedule

Notice Period Prior to Departure Cancellation Charge

More than 60 days Deposit forfeited; eligible remaining balance refunded

60–30 days 25% of total tour price forfeited, or deposit value, whichever is higher

29–15 days 50% of total tour price forfeited

14 days or less / No-Show 100% of total tour price forfeited; no refund

Important Exclusions & Supplier Conditions

The above cancellation schedule is subject to the specific cancellation conditions of individual suppliers.

The following costs may be non-refundable:

• Issued flight tickets
• Issued train tickets
• Visa processing and visa-related costs
• Administrative and transaction fees
• Payment-processing or credit-card fees
• Non-refundable cruise allocations
• Peak-season hotel deposits or prepaid reservations

Other services expressly identified as non-refundable in the Service Ticket

In group bookings, where one or more individual travelers cancel, additional single-supplement or other resulting costs may be charged to the remaining travelers.

Unused tour portions, early departures, missed meals, missed services or voluntary withdrawal during an ongoing tour are non-refundable unless otherwise agreed in writing.

3.3. Booking Deferral Option

Where suppliers permit rescheduling instead of cancellation, Smile Travel will endeavor to assist in transferring the booking to a future departure date.

Deferral or rescheduling requests may incur additional costs generally ranging from 10% to 25% of the booking value, subject to supplier penalties, availability, seasonal pricing and other applicable conditions.

Rescheduling is not guaranteed and is subject to supplier approval.

4. Special Requests, Accessibility & Dietary Needs

General Special Requests

Requests for adjoining rooms, preferred floors, bedding types, room locations or other special arrangements will be forwarded to the relevant suppliers.

Such requests cannot be guaranteed unless expressly confirmed in writing by Smile Travel.

Special Needs & Medical Declarations

Clients should disclose any mobility limitations, physical conditions or other relevant requirements before booking where such information is necessary to determine the suitability of the requested services.

Smile Travel reserves the right to decline or modify arrangements where reasonable safety or operational requirements cannot be assured.

Dietary Arrangements

Smile Travel can assist with dietary requirements, including Halal, vegetarian, vegan and allergy-sensitive meals, subject to supplier availability and local operating conditions.

Dietary requirements must be submitted in writing at least 36 hours before the relevant service.

Last-minute dietary requests cannot be guaranteed, particularly during transportation or services where advance preparation is required.

5. Passports, Visas & Travel Insurance

5.1. Passports & Entry Documentation

Travelers must possess valid passports and all necessary visas, transit documents and entry permits required for their journey.

Unless otherwise specified by the relevant destination authorities, passports should generally be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the scheduled departure date from Vietnam/Indochina and contain sufficient blank pages for immigration purposes.

Travelers are solely responsible for obtaining and carrying the correct travel documents and complying with applicable immigration and health requirements.

Smile Travel cannot be held responsible for denied entry, denied boarding, deportation or other consequences arising from incomplete, invalid or defective travel documentation.

5.2. Travel Insurance

Comprehensive international travel insurance is strongly recommended for all travelers.

Travel insurance should ideally include appropriate coverage for:

• Emergency medical treatment
• Medical evacuation
• Trip cancellation or interruption
• Baggage loss or delay
• Personal liability
• Travel delays
• Other relevant travel risks

Smile Travel is not responsible for medical, evacuation, baggage or other personal expenses that are not covered by the client’s insurance or otherwise included in the contracted services.

6. Force Majeure & Limitation of Liability

6.1. Force Majeure

Smile Travel shall not be responsible for itinerary disruptions, alterations, cancellations, delays or losses caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control (“Force Majeure”).

Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to:

• Natural disasters
• Extreme weather
• Typhoons and storms
• Government restrictions
• Navigation bans
• Civil unrest
• War or threat of war
• Border closures
• Epidemics or pandemics
• Changes in immigration regulations
• Airline route cancellations or terminations
• Industrial disputes

Other circumstances beyond reasonable operational control

In such circumstances, Smile Travel will make reasonable efforts to secure alternative arrangements or recover available refunds from suppliers.

Any supplier refunds received may be subject to deductions for services already provided, non-refundable supplier charges, operational expenses and applicable administrative costs.

6.2. Operational Adjustments

For safety and operational reasons, particularly in relation to marine safety regulations applicable to Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay, cruise operators and local authorities may alter sailing routes, substitute vessels, modify excursions or suspend certain activities without prior notice.

Smile Travel will make reasonable efforts to communicate material changes to customers as soon as practicable.

7. Dispute Resolution & Complaints

Any service dissatisfaction or operational problem should be reported immediately to the assigned Smile Travel travel consultant or our 24/7 customer hotline:

+84 941 776 786

Immediate notification allows Smile Travel and its local suppliers a reasonable opportunity to investigate and resolve the issue while the customer is still travelling.

If the issue remains unresolved, formal written complaints should be submitted to:

info@smiletravel.com.vn

within 15 days of completion of the relevant tour or service.

Where applicable, complaints should include relevant booking documents, vouchers, photographs, receipts, supplier reports and other supporting evidence.

Smile Travel aims to review complaints within 3 to 10 business days after receiving all necessary information.

 

PRIVACY & DATA PROTECTION POLICY

 

Smile Travel Co., Ltd respects the privacy of its customers, business partners and website users.

This Privacy Policy explains how Smile Travel collects, uses, stores and shares personal information across its B2B and B2C travel operations and digital platforms.

1. Data Collection & Purpose

We may collect personal information, including where necessary:

• Full name
• Passport details
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Flight details
• Hotel information
• Contact numbers
• Email address
• Dietary requirements
• Accessibility requirements

Other information necessary to provide the requested travel services

We collect and use such information only where necessary and for legitimate purposes, including:

• Issuing service vouchers and e-tickets
• Preparing hotel and cruise manifests
• Processing accommodation registrations
• Processing port or maritime registrations where required
• Arranging transportation and travel services
• Ensuring passenger safety
• Accommodating declared dietary or accessibility requirements
• Processing visa-related services where requested
• Complying with Vietnamese immigration, accommodation registration, tax and other legal requirements
• Handling customer complaints and service requests

2. Information Sharing & Third Parties

Personal information may be shared strictly on a need-to-know basis with relevant operational parties where necessary to provide the requested services.

These may include:

• Hotels
• Airlines
• Cruise operators
• Transportation providers
• Licensed tour guides
• Port or maritime authorities
• Immigration authorities
• Accommodation registration authorities

Other authorized suppliers and service providers

Smile Travel does not sell or commercially monetize customers’ personal information.

We do not intentionally disclose personal information to unauthorized commercial third parties.

Where disclosure is required by law, regulation or a legitimate service requirement, relevant information may be provided to the appropriate authority or service provider.

3. Storage, Security & Retention

Smile Travel takes reasonable technical, organizational and physical measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, alteration, disclosure or destruction.

Passport copies and other travel documents may be collected where required for travel, accommodation, immigration, maritime or other legitimate administrative purposes.

Such information will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the relevant purpose or comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Physical security measures, including CCTV monitoring at Smile Travel’s office premises, may be used for security and safety purposes.

4. User Rights & Data Protection

Subject to applicable laws and regulations, customers and partner agencies may request:

Access to personal information held by Smile Travel

Correction of inaccurate information

Deletion of personal information where there is no legal or legitimate reason for continued retention

Information regarding how their personal data is processed

Requests should be sent to:

info@smiletravel.com.vn

Smile Travel may require reasonable identity verification before processing a data-access or deletion request.

Where information is legally required to be retained or is necessary to fulfill an existing contractual or legal obligation, Smile Travel may be unable to delete such information immediately.

5. Cookies & Website Usage

Smile Travel’s websites may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Improve website functionality
• Understand website usage
• Analyze traffic
• Improve user experience
• Support marketing and advertising activities where applicable
• Users may be able to manage or disable cookies through their browser settings.

6. Marketing Communications

Where legally permitted and where appropriate consent has been obtained, Smile Travel may contact customers or business partners regarding products, services, promotions or travel-related information.

Customers may opt out of marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe option provided or by contacting Smile Travel directly.

7. International Data Transfers

Because Smile Travel operates in international travel markets, certain personal information may need to be transferred to service providers or authorities located outside the customer’s country of residence.

Such transfers will only be made where reasonably necessary to provide the requested travel services, comply with applicable law or fulfill legitimate contractual or operational requirements.

Smile Travel will take reasonable measures to protect personal information during such transfers.

8. Third-Party Websites

Smile Travel’s websites may contain links to websites operated by third parties.

This Privacy Policy applies only to Smile Travel and its own websites, systems and services.

When accessing third-party websites, customers should review the relevant third party’s privacy policy and terms of use.

Smile Travel does not control and is not responsible for the privacy practices, content or security of third-party websites.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Smile Travel may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in:

• Applicable laws and regulations
• Travel industry practices
• Our services
• Technology
• Data protection requirements
• Internal operating procedures

The latest version will be made available through our official website.

Corporate Identification

Smile Travel Co., Ltd

Business License No.: 0106885169

International Tour Operator License No.: 01-1051/TCDL-GP LHQT

Registered / Head Office: 140 Hong Tien Street, Bo De Ward, Long Bien District, Hanoi, Vietnam

B2B DMC Website: www.smiletravel.net

B2C & Cruise Website: www.vietnamhalongbay.com

Email: info@smiletravel.com.vn | contact@smiletravel.com.vn

24/7 Hotline / WhatsApp: +84 941 776 786 | +84 346 190 168

Last Updated: September 2025