FAQ's
Here you can get assistance to many questions regarding Ocean24.
Bookings
Payment and tickets
General topics
Ports
Cancellations
Security
Other services
Technical / User registration
Bookings
Can I change a booking where its status is 'paid' or alternatively can I cancel it?
Once your booking's status is 'paid' it is legally binding. At present it is not possible to make any change to the system. In the event of a definite cancellation this will incur costs with Ocean24 and/or the respective transport company (see general conditions of business)
Who can I turn to if I have any problems with a booking?
If you do have any problems with a booking, please send an email to ocean24@dertour.de
Will I receive a corresponding confirmation for every booking made? (by letter, email..)?
Yes, as a rule, every booking made will be confirmed by email as quickly as possible.
What is the maximum amount of time needed from the time of my online booking to receipt of confirmation?
As soon as you have made your booking enquiry you will be informed as to when you can expect to receive a reply from Ocean24.
What is the minimum number of days one can allow between the booking and the start of a journey?
One can allow about seven days between the booking and the start of the journey so that the tickets can be forwarded to you. You will always be told if the booking you want is likely to be at too short notice.
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Payment and tickets
How long does it take to receive tickets, which have been booked?
Your tickets will be issued as soon as they have been paid for and depending on where you live they will be sent by post.
What payment options are there?
At the moment you can simply pay by credit card (Master Card, Visa or American Express).
Will I have to pay for the cost of sending the tickets?
No. The tickets will be sent to you carriage paid
Are tickets dispatched to destinations throughout Europe?
Yes, as a rule, tickets are dispatched throughout Europe. Where there are exceptions, we suggest an alternative means.
Will I receive booked ferry tickets only through the post?
No, there are some rare instances where an e-confirmation will be dispatched by email and a ticket deposition will be done in the port.
Where should I pick up the tickets I've ordered?
You will, of course, be informed as to where you can pick up your tickets. As a rule tickets are left to be picked up in the port office of the relative shipping company.
Are there extra costs if I buy ferry tickets over the internet?
No, buying tickets via the internet incurs no extra costs.
How will I know if my booking has been confirmed?
We will send confirmation of your booking by email. Your booking reference number will be in the email.
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General topics
Which vehicles is it permissible to take on the ferry?
When travelling with Ocean24 you can make a booking for the moment for any vehicle apart from lorries.
Can children travel at reduced rates? How much cheaper are they?
As a rule, children can travel at a reduced rate of 50%. This depends on the regulations of the respective shipping company. Small children up to the age of three or sometimes four, can, as a rule, travel for free, if they don't take up a seat or bed.
How long is a ferry ticket valid?
As a rule, a ferry ticket is only valid for the booked crossing.
Is there any 'duty free' on board the ferries?
For crossings between the EU countries there is no longer the 'duty free' facility. However they continue to offer some articles at a more reasonable price on many routes.
Where can I find custom's information for travellers on ferries outside the EU (e.g. Visa)?
You can get any information you may need from the respective consulate or embassy of the country you want to enter on regulations about custom's and entry.
Are there any group reductions for parties of travellers such as 6 form classes?
When we deal with your enquiry we always work out the best price. If we have an exceptional situation whereby even a group reduction is possible, this will be taken into consideration in exactly the same way.
Is there something like 'last minute' offers with ferries?
No, we don't offer this in ferry shipping, but if you book a long time in advance, many operators offer "early birds" which can have a huge price advantage.
What happens if travel arrangements change at short notice on the part of the shipping company?
Ocean24 tries to offer up to date information but can not guarantee for the validity of it.
Is my ticket still valid if I miss a ferry?
In the event of someone missing a departure, as a rule, the ticket will lose its validity. You should, however, try to notify the respective harbour office before the ferry departs so that, if need be, a rebooking can be ensured.
What happens if I rent a vehicle and for this reason don't know the registration number in advance?
In this case you should at least give the letter of the plate designating the local area. If you are not able to do this either, a reservation will not be possible with some shipping companies.
What happens if I don't use the vehicle I have mentioned in the booking form?
In this case you should mention this immediately when you check in in the harbour office so that this can be altered in your ticket there.
How can I be sure that I will be sharing the same accommodation with particular fellow travellers?
This can only be guaranteed when booking an entire cabin. When booking single beds (e.g.2 people in a four-bed cabin) we can't guarantee someone being accommodated in the same cabin.
Do you just offer ferry connections within Europe and her bordering countries?
For the moment we offer you the most important ferry connections within Europe and her bordering countries.
How can I take a pet with me on my travels?
If you want to travel with your pet, it depends on the general conditions of travel of the respective shipping company, which you can read when making a booking.
How can I pass on any feedback about an Ocean 24 trip?
For this purpose you are welcome to send us an email at any time to: ocean24@dertour.de
Do I need a passport?
You can find out this information from the respective travel representative of the country you wish to visit. To make a booking with Ocean24, you do not require a passport.
How many bookings (round trip or one-way) can I make online?
You can make as many online bookings as you wish.
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Ports
How can I find a particular port?
By clicking on destination on our initial page, you will be able to find a particular port. All ports of call will then appear on the screen. Alternatively, there are several ways of searching under options, which you will find on the right hand side of the initial page.
Do you have more specific information in the port of departure and possible contacts?
In the travel information, which we show you when making a booking you will find all the addresses and contacts you need for the respective harbour offices.
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Cancellations
How many days before the start of a journey is one still free to withdraw from a booking without having to pay cancellation fees?
Before you make a booking, which is then legally binding you can study this information in the general conditions of travel in each respective shipping company. Irrespective of this, Ocean24 charges a flat rate handling charge of Euro 15 in the event of a cancellation. To get the refund please send the original ticket to our address: DERTOUR, Emil-von-Behring-Str. 6, 60424 Frankfurt/Germany.
Is it possible to take out insurance, which covers the costs of a cancellation?
Yes. Please click in the corresponding box at the end of the booking. Your insurance policy will be send to you by email.
For every cancellation that I make will I receive confirmation (by letter, by email.)?
Immediately after your cancellation you will, of course, receive confirmation by email.
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Security
Who is liable if a ticket was successfully booked and yet does not reach the customer on time?
In the event of this happening we will ask you to notify Ocean24, without delay, so that they can dispatch an email confirmation and can arrange a ticket depositation in the port.
Will my personal data be sent using a sufficiently coded security system?
Yes. All personal data is transmitted using SSL security systems and is subsequently protected in the best possible way.
How safe is it to pass on the number of my credit card?
Your credit card information will be entered on the SSL security protected page of our payment service agency and transmitted in code at a high level of security.
If I decide to cancel the ticket I have already paid for, will I be fully reimbursed or will a charge be made or a percentage taken from the total amount paid?
As soon as you have cancelled your booking you will receive by email details of the incurred cancellation fees. They always calculate these fees according to how late you cancel before the ferry departs (also study the general conditions of travel of the respective shipping company). Ocean24 imposes a handling charge of 15 Euro, irrespective of this.
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Other services
Can I retrieve a timetable for a particular day?
Yes. Once you have selected the route you want to take, the page with times of travel will appear and it's on this page that you can select when you would like to depart.
Can I retrieve crossing times for a certain journey?
As soon as you have selected the connection you want and your travel date, the length of the journey will appear in the ticket on the left-hand side of the screen.
Can details of booked ferry trips or any submitted booking enquiries be easily printed out?
In principle, any page can be printed out. As soon as you have made a booking you will receive all the travel information you need.
Is it possible to contact someone from Ocean24 directly (by email or phone)?
If you have any enquiries or need further information you are welcome to approach Ocean24 by email (ocean24@dertour.de) or by phone:
+49 (0)180-4 999 203
( € 0,20 per call from a German landline, max. 0,42 €/min. for mobile phone)
Mo-Fr: 9am-18pm
Sa: 9am-13pm
In the case of animal transportation, do you offer any assistance when it comes to processing the import documents?
We cannot provide you with this service unfortunately. This is your own personal responsibility.
I have certain special needs (e.g. wheelchair or need of special care). Can one make special requests?
We ask you to enter this in the 'comments' box, when making the booking. You will then receive more detailed information about this.
Can I make an online reservation for a dog/pet?
Unfortunately dogs/pets cannot be booked online. In this case please send us your booking request via e-mail.
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Technical / User registration
What can I do if I have forgotten my password and require some information about my booking?
For this instance there is the password reminder on the LOGIN page. As soon as you type in the wrong password you will be given the chance to have a password reminder sent by email, to the address which has been saved on the system.
How can I change my personal user data?
Right after your LOGIN on the left hand side of the screen by clicking on 'process personal data' you will be able to alter your personal details.
What are cookies?
A cookie is a text file, either temporarily stored in your computer memory ( "session cookie") and is deleted with the closing of your browser or saved to your hard drive ( "permanent" cookie). Cookies are not used to run programs or viruses on your computer. The cookies are used exclusively to you and your computer and can only be assigned from the specific Web domain, that created the cookie.
Ocean24.com uses only session cookies that after leaving the site are being cleared. We use this information to ensure the technical viability of the page. Personal data is not collected. We act in accordance with the recommendation of the German Data-Security-Center (translated from www.datenschutzzentrum.de):
"Dealing with cookies
Session cookies should be authorized by the client. They are necessary for many Web sites, for example, cart functions. Who disables session cookies, may no longer use many websites. "
How can I activate cookies in the browser?
Internet Explorer 6 / 7
1st Click on "Tools" - "Internet Options ...".
2nd Click on the Privacy tab.
3rd Click on the button labeled "Advanced ...".
4th Check the box next to "Override automatic cookie handling".
5th Then each under "cookies from first-providers" and check "Answer".
6th Click on OK to save your changes.
7th Click on the main screen to "click here".
Firefox 2.0 and higher
1st Click on "Tools" - "Settings".
2nd Click on the Privacy tab.
3rd Check the box next to "accept cookies".
4th Click on OK to save your changes.
5th Click on the main screen to "click here".
Firefox 1.5
1st Click on "Tools" - "Settings".
2nd Click "Privacy."
3rd Click on the tab "cookies".
4th Check the box next to "accept cookies".
5th Click on OK to save your changes.
6th Click on the main screen to "click here".
Safari
1st Click the "Safari" menu to "Settings".
2nd Click on the Security icon.
3rd Check under "cookies" check the box next to "Always".
4th Click on the main screen to " here".
Other browsers
The cookie options are normally in the privacy settings of the browser. Under certain circumstances are calling for some of these options navigation steps required. For further information please consult the browser manual or contact your system administrator.
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