Questions and answers

Can I pay with my credit card?

Yes, we accept credit cards (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) in addition to bank transfers.

Are name changes and rebookings possible?

Name changes are usually possible. We are entitled to charge a processing fee in the amount of our expenses, but at least € 50,- per name change. If a flight ticket has already been issued, a name change can cause considerable costs, because the ticket would have to be cancelled and reissued.

Rebooking is possible as long as it is not a travel cancellation with a new registration. We are entitled to charge a handling fee in the amount of our expenses, but at least €50,- per rebooking. If the flight ticket has already been issued, a rebooking can cause considerable costs, because the ticket would have to be cancelled and reissued.

The conditions of the individual service providers of a trip can have a considerable influence on the costs of both rebookings and name changes.

Is it possible to reserve seats?

Seat reservations are special services offered by many airlines. The reservation of so-called XL seats in particular has recently become increasingly popular. With some airlines the service is free of charge, while with others (e.g. Condor, Sun Express, TuiFly) it is subject to an additional charge. We will be happy to inform you.

Can I add Rail & Fly and/or feeder flights?

The Rail & Fly service of Deutsche Bahn is an additional service offered by many airlines. You can travel with ICE authorization from any German train station, including Basel/Switzerland, to your airport and back. Some airlines offer the service for free, but it is usually subject to an additional charge. The tariffs are, depending on the airline, quite different. We will gladly inform you about this. It is important that you inform us immediately if you would like to book Rail & Fly, because this is no longer possible after the flight ticket has been issued.

Basically, it is possible to book additional feeder flights. The prices usually vary quite a bit, depending on the load. We will be happy to provide you with a daily updated offer upon request. However, please note that the maximum baggage allowance on feeder flights is often lower than on international flights.

When should I be at the airport at the latest?

You should plan to be at the check-in counter two hours before departure. For flights to the USA, you should even be at the airport three hours before due to the increased security precautions. This also applies to the return flight, although the transfer service of our local partner agencies is very familiar with the local conditions and will coordinate with you.

As a rule, the check-in deadline at the counter is approx. 45 minutes before departure. Passengers who arrive at the counter after this deadline will not be able to check in and will lose all claims (transportation, rebooking, refund).

Are there any special regulations for the carriage of diving lamps?

Yes, diving lamps must generally be carried in hand luggage. Battery and torch must be separated and usually only one torch per passenger is allowed.

What about the diving luggage?

The carriage of diving luggage is subject to the general conditions of the respective airline for the carriage of sports luggage and is usually both subject to registration and surcharge. The additional costs for the diving luggage as well as the permissible weight can be found in our offer, or you can find out in our office. We are happy to help you with the registration and offer you the registration service for a handling fee of €10,-.

How much baggage allowance do I have on my flight?

The free baggage allowance varies from airline to airline. For charter airlines, the maximum checked baggage allowance is usually 20 kg, for scheduled flights it is usually 23 kg. For long-haul flights with scheduled flights, especially to Asia, the free baggage allowance is often 30 kg. You can find the applicable regulations on the airlines' websites, but we also mention the maximum free baggage allowance for checked baggage in our offers. It should be noted that in the case of flight connections with different airlines, always the lowest of all limits applies. There are also differences in the maximum weight and maximum dimensions of hand luggage. As a rule, a notebook computer is also allowed in addition to the hand luggage.

Why is it advantageous for me to book my dives in advance?

The pre-booking of the desired dives through our office has three potential advantages:

• Basically, you can assume that the dive center we offer is a reputable company with adequate safety standards.
• If your trip starts in the high season, it is quite possible that you will not be able to complete the diving program on site as you had imagined, because the dive center is fully booked on one or the other day. Often you are not even aware of the "peak times" when it comes to local holidays or vacation periods. Of course, we ask for availability before every firm booking and a confirmation on our part automatically means that we have a corresponding confirmation from the dive center.
• Last but not least, you can often assume that the dives booked through our office are cheaper than on site and that especially no hidden costs are included. In some countries, there are also local taxes, from which we are exempt as a foreign (German) operator.

In summary, there are only advantages in booking the dives in advance. Not least that you simply go on vacation more stress-free.

Is my transfer at Beluga secure?

Beluga Reisen is a diving tour operator operating under German law within the legal framework determined by EU Directive 90/314. The law stipulates, among other things, that all customer funds received must be protected against insolvency. Specifically, this means that we are legally obligated to issue surety bonds for the value (price) of the trips we organize. In this regard, we work with a reputable premium insurance company and our customers naturally receive a copy of the insurance certificate issued in their name as part of their travel documents. This financial protection is not easily guaranteed when organizing a trip on your own (flight, hotel, transfer, diving).

Why book through a dive tour operator?

Everyone has certainly already asked themselves this question: Why book through a tour operator when you can do it on your own without commission via the Internet with the help of rating portals? There are many reasons and not least a competent and goal-oriented advice. Almost all products and services offered by us are inspected by our team on site and regularly checked for constant standard. Thanks to our many years of experience and a tailor-made, objective catalog of criteria, we are able to organize an optimal and always up-to-date travel program for our customers, which is not based on a sum of subjective experiences - as is the case when rating portals are consulted. It is also a widespread prejudice that the organizers' provisions inflate the final price disproportionately, because with reputable organizers the commission results predominantly from low purchase prices on site. For example, diving is often even cheaper with a tour operator than on site, and you will not be "surprised" with hidden costs. Last but not least, the trip booked through a tour operator is also subject to legal framework conditions that protect you as a traveler and demand a number of consumer-friendly obligations from the tour operator.

I am looking for an individual diving trip - how can I book it?

We are happy to put together an individual dive trip for you. Please use our inquiry form or contact us directly.

Can I book my diving trip by fish species?

If you want to experience a certain species while diving, you can use the experience filter in our interactive map. Under the point "What do you want to experience" the search can be limited to certain experiences (such as fish species, wrecks, caves, etc.). Of course, you can also ask us directly.