Service Charter

Date

Rev

Description of changes

11/04/2016

0

First issue – Extract from “Convention for the exercise of maritime connection services with the Sicilian Minor Islands” of 11/04/2016

03/09/2018

1

Minor changes

10/09/2020

2

Changes and periodic updating

31/05/2021

3

Quality factors score update

04/06/2022

4

Minor updates

11/09/2023

5

Updates

Prepared by

Issued by

Approved by

UCQ

RCQ

DG

With reference to each quality factor/indicator the Ferry Company guarantees compliance with high quality standards, as provided for in the following diagram. Quality factors/indicators

Quality standards

Service regularity

Punctuality

Information measures

Services on the routes served by the Ferry Company these are carried out on the dates and according to the times represented on the appropriate tables made available to users and published on its website, the ticket offices and the departure and arrival docks.

The Ferry Company guarantees users a continuous, regular, punctual and uninterrupted service, with the exception of delays and interruptions due to circumstances beyond the Ferry Company’s control.

In relation to cases of irregular operation or interruption of services due to force majeure, unforeseeable circumstances, or circumstances beyond the Ferry Company's control, the Company makes the appropriate information measures available to users, publishing them on their website or through notices displayed at the ticket offices and the docks, in order to cause the least possible inconvenience to users.

In the event of a strike, the Company guarantees the definition and disclosure to users of the minimum services.

The Ferry Company adopts the same information measures in cases of failure to provide the transport service for reasons attributable to the Ferry Company. Furthermore, with reference to this possibility, the

Ferry Company guarantees the Customer the possibility to change the ticket for an alternative trip at no additional cost or to obtain a refund of the ticket price, upon request (accompanied by a copy of the ticket) to be presented in written form to the C&T Customer Service of Messina, Via Ing. G. Franza No 82, which can also be sent by email to servizioclienti@carontetourist.it.

In the event of a delay, the Company informs passengers of the expected time of departure and arrival as soon as this information is available. If passengers miss a connection due to a delay, the Company shall make reasonable efforts to inform the passengers concerned of alternative connections.

In the event of Agreements and/or Contracts in place with the Public Administration, the Ferry Company must promptly inform the Administration about any disruption relating to the services covered by the contract and/or agreement, and transmit within 48 (forty-eight) hours a report on the actions taken for the purposes of fulfilling the obligations provided for in the event of disruptions.

In any case, without prejudice to the foregoing, the cancellation of the trip, the delay and the interruption of the trip are governed exclusively by Regulation

EU/1177/2010, which amends Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on the rights of passengers travelling by sea and inland waterways and by Italian Legislative Decree No 129 of 29 July 2015 “Rules on penalties for violations of the provisions of EU Regulation (1177/2010(EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on the rights of passengers travelling by sea and inland waterways”, which can be viewed on the carontetourist.it website, at the ticket offices and on board the company vessels, without prejudice only to the provisions of Article 405 of the Navigation Code with reference to the interruption of the journey.

Quality factors/indicators Quality standards

Security

Personal Travel

Comfort

Environmental awareness

A key feature of the transport service offered by the Ferry Company is the security and personal and asset protection of travellers.

In order to guarantee these aims, the Ferry Company ensures the ongoing maintenance of the vehicles, carried out by highly specialised personnel.

The Company also guarantees that high standards are maintained in terms of travel comfort.

On the means of the Ferry Company, the ordinary (daily) and extraordinary cleaning (at least once a week on the days that the vessel is inoperative). Where possible, the vessels are equipped with air conditioning.

The Ferry Company takes care of the training of personnel to adopt professional, courteous and respectful behaviour towards passengers.

The Ferry Company personnel are available to customers to provide information and clarification on the operation of the services carried out. The Company's personnel are identifiable by their uniform and identification card.

The Company is extremely dedicated to the topic of the environment and its protection. Awareness-raising initiatives for employees and customers are always in place for the reduction of plastic and for the correct sorting of waste.

Services onboard

Lines: Naples-Aeolian Islands-Milazzo, Porto Empedocle-Pelagie Islands, Trapani-Pantelleria

• Cabins with and without services
• PRM assistance
• Seating lounge
• Self-service restaurant
• Bar
• Pet cabin

Lines: Milazzo-Aeolian Islands, Trapani-Aegadian Islands, Palermo-Ustica

• Bar
• PRM assistance
• Elevator

Sales Channels

• At any available ticket officein the section:
• carontetourist.it/en/siremar/travel-informations/ticket-offices
• At any Cartour ticket office
• Booking online carontetourist.it
• C&T APP
• By telephone with the C&T Customer Service at 090.57.37
• At the C&T Messina Rada San Francesco Info Point
• At any travel agency

Pets

Unless otherwise stipulated by law, the transport of dogs, cats and other small animals is allowed, accompanied by passengers.

Passengers are responsible for any damage caused to things or persons by their pets.

In addition, the transport of pets accompanying passengers is regulated by the sanitary provisions dictated by the competent authorities.

The passenger is obligated to free the Company from any responsibility and costs that may arise in this regard as a consequence of or due to failure to comply with the aforementioned regulations and existing laws.

The Company shall not be held accountable for any injuries that the pets may suffer, if the causation arises from a cause not attributable thereto.

The Company declines any responsibility for the seizure or removal of animals by the Health Authorities at the port of embarking/disembarking, as well as for the injury, loss or death of the animals during transport or during embarkation and/or disembarkation.

The transport of small pets is allowed, unless otherwise stipulated by law, provided that they are registered in the dog registry, have a certificate of good health issued by the veterinarian and all the necessary vaccinations, where appropriate, and provided that the related ticket has been purchased, if payment for the transport of the animal is foreseen from the company's price list.

Larger-sized pets are subject to the final discretion of the Company.

Dogs must be equipped with a muzzle and a leash during the entire duration of the trip.

In accordance with hygiene and health regulations, when pets are accepted by the Company, they must travel in the premises reserved for them (where the watercraft is provided), and passengers are absolutely prohibited from keeping them inside the cabins and/or in the ship lounges (except when the pet cabin service is available). Exceptions to the aforementioned rules are guide dogs accompanying blind passengers.

In any event, the transport of all animals (small or otherwise) is always at the sole risk of the passenger and/or their owner and their admission on board by the Commander does not constitute any liability on the part of the ship or the Company.

Assistance procedures for people with reduced mobility

Definition - Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) are people who have particular difficulties in using public transport, including the elderly, people with disabilities, people with sensory impairments and those who use a wheelchair, pregnant women and those accompanying young children.

The Company provides its transport service to people with disabilities and reduced mobility under the same conditions as all other passengers.

The request for assistance must be communicated to the Company (with an attached copy of an identity document), before purchasing the ticket, by calling the Customer Service of the C&T Group (+39.090.57.37) or by emailing servizioclienti@carontetourist.it.

According to the conditions described above, Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) can request assistance at least 48 (forty-eight) hours before the desired departure (with the exception of services from Porto Empedocle to the Pelagie Islands, where the request can be received 24 (twenty-four) hours before the desired departure), including:

· At a ticket office (https://carontetourist.it/en/siremar/travel-informations/ticket-offices),

· During the online purchase process using the dedicated feature. In this case, Customer Service will contact the customer to get the information they need so they can provide the service.

You must observe these instructions to ensure adequate boarding assistance and the best accommodation on board at no additional cost.

For any other type of assistance, they must also electronically inform the Company or operator of the terminal at least 48 (forty-eight) hours prior and be present at a designated meeting point at least 30 minutes prior to departure.

Pursuant to EU Regulation 1177/2010, it is the responsibility of the PRMs to report in writing, before the purchase of the ticket and at least 48 (forty-eight) hours before the desired departure (with the exception of services from Porto Empedocle to the Pelagie Islands, where the request can be received 24 (twenty-four) hours before the desired departure), their specific needs for accommodation, seating, services requested or need to transport medical devices.

As provided for in Circular 10/SM, the dedicated seats for PRMs are proportionate to the total number of transportable passengers. The expected regulatory proportion is as follows:

For every one hundred passengers, or group, that the ship can carry, at least one seat must be for a wheelchair, which is to be arranged safely so that the passenger in a wheelchair can travel seated next to the other passengers;

For every one hundred seats available on board the ship, or group, at least four must be dedicated to disabled passengers.

In the event of failure to notify the operator of their needs, the seats and parking spaces for PRMs may be occupied by other passengers on board.

In accordance with Article 8 of Regulation EU/1177/2010, the Company may refuse to accept a reservation, to issue a ticket or to board a person who is disabled or has reduced mobility for the purpose of complying with applicable safety requirements established by international, European or national law or for the purpose of compliance with the safety obligations established by the competent Authorities, or where the design of the port renders it impossible to embark, disembark or travel in safe conditions. In such a case, the Company shall inform the person who is disabled or has reduced mobility and will reimburse the ticket issued.

The ships, where provided and in relation to the type of service provided, in accordance with current regulations, are equipped with a limited number of disabled cabins.

The craft are equipped so that PRMs can be guaranteed full integration with all services intended for passengers as well as the possibility of carrying out boarding and disembarking operations easily, safely and possibly autonomously.

The craft have the specific minimum requirements required for access and stay on board without discrimination in the Technical Specifications and, in any case, the on-board equipment for access and stay on the ship of the PRMs comply with the technical principles and the regulations on the subject (Italian Legislative Decree 45/2000 and subsequent amendments, PRM Guidelines issued with the Circular of the General Directorate for navigation and maritime and internal transport No 10/SM Ref 151 of 04/01/07 and subsequent amendments; EU Regulation 1177/2010).

In regards to the minimum characteristics of the boats with reference to the equipment for People with Reduced Mobility as well as compliance with the minimum quality conditions (MQC) of maritime coastal Ferry services identified by EU Regulation 1177/2010, the Ferry Company is prohibited on the grounds of disability or reduced mobility from:

- not accepting a reservation or issuing a ticket

- not boarding a person with a disability or reduced mobility, provided that the person concerned has a valid ticket or reservation.

Reservations and tickets shall be offered to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility at no additional cost.

In the Agreements and/or Contracts in place with the Public Administration, in the event of the departure, transit or arrival of a person with a disability or reduced mobility in a port, the Ferry Company is required to provide the interested party with the assistance referred to in Annex 1 to these conditions of transport (already contained in Annex 7 to the contract scheme), containing “PRM Assistance and Training”, to board the departing service or get off the incoming service for which they have purchased a ticket.

In the Agreements and/or Contracts in place with the Public Administration, on board the ships the Ferry Company provides the assistance provided for in Annex 1 mentioned free of charge to people with disabilities or reduced mobility.

The Ferry Company is also obliged to cooperate with the Port Management Entities in order to provide specific support to people with disabilities or reduced mobility as follows:

a) the assistance is provided on the condition that the request and the type of specific assistance necessary for the person with reduced mobility is communicated at least 24 (twenty-four) hours in advance to the Ferry Company, including through its sales network. Where the ticket permits multiple journeys, one notification shall be sufficient provided that adequate information on the timing of subsequent journeys is provided;

b) the Ferry Company takes all the necessary measures to receive notifications regarding the assistance requested by people with disabilities or reduced mobility. This obligation shall apply at all points of sale, including sale by telephone and via the Internet;

c) if notifications are not made in accordance with point (a), the Ferry Company shall make every effort to ensure that the assistance is provided in such a way that the person with a disability or reduced mobility can board the departing service or get off the incoming service for which they have purchased a ticket;

d) the assistance is provided on the condition that the person with a disability or reduced mobility shows up at the designated point at least 30 (thirty) minutes before the published departure time;

e) if a person with a disability or reduced mobility needs a service animal, that animal shall be accommodated on the condition that the Ferry Company is notified, including through its sales network, in accordance with the applicable rules on the transport of approved service animals on board passenger ships.

Additionally, the Ferry Company:

- ensures that its personnel have the knowledge to meet the needs of people with disabilities and reduced mobility, providing training focused on assistance and awareness of disabilities, and in the event of Agreements and/or Contracts in place with the Public Administration, as described in Annex 1;

- ensure that, upon recruitment, all new employees attend disability-related training and that personnel receive refresher training courses when appropriate.

To this end, in the event of Agreements and/or Contracts in place with the Public Administration, the training interventions provide for an information form within six months of the signing of the Contract or, in the case of new employees, within six months of being hired.

In the event that the wheelchairs, other mobility equipment or parts thereof are lost or damaged during handling in the port or transport on board the ships, the passenger to whom they belong is compensated by the Ferry Company, which will endeavour to provide, where possible, timely replacement equipment.

For anything not provided for in this article, please refer to the PRM Guidelines issued with the Circular of the General Directorate for navigation and maritime and internal transport No 10/SM Ref 151 of 04/01/07 and subsequent amendments, as well as EU Regulation (1177/2010) amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on the rights of passengers travelling by sea and inland waterways and Italian Legislative Decree 29 July 2015, No 129 “Rules on penalties for violations of the provisions of EU Regulation (1177/2010(EC) amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 on the rights of passengers travelling by sea and inland waterways”, which can be viewed on the carontetourist.it website.

Quality factors/indicators

Service regularity

Punctuality

Information measures

Security

Travel comfort

Personnel

Attention to disabled passengers, the elderly, pregnant women

Respect for the environment