Important Information

 

Making Reservations

Reservations can be made by calling our office during regular business hours or requested through our website www.perkiomentours.com. The following information is necessary to process your reservation: name(s) of person(s) traveling, address, telephone number, number of people traveling and desired boarding location.

Please note: Reservations made on any tour within 30 days of departure are to be paid in full at the time of reservation. It is often possible to add passengers to a tour within 30 days prior to departure. However, a significant amount of work is involved in adding people to a tour within that time period. Reservations made on any tour after the tour space has been closed, or within 30 days of departure (whichever is applicable) must be paid in full at the time of reservation.  For multi-day tours, a $100 per person fee will be charged for the cancellation of tour space reserved within 30 days of departure. This fee is not refundable nor can it be transferred to another tour.

 

Deposits

• Multi-Day Motorcoach Tours:

  Typically, a $100 per person deposit within two weeks of booking will confirm your reservation. The deposit amount may vary. 

• Air Tours and Cruises:

  Typically, a $500 per person deposit within one week of booking will confirm your reservation. Some Air Tours and Cruises vary in their requirements.

• One-Day Tours:

  A per person deposit within two weeks of booking will confirm your reservation. The amount varies by tour. One-Day tours involving a ticket (sporting events, Broadway shows, concerts, etc.) are to be paid in full within fourteen (14) days of reservation.

 

Payment

• Multi-Day Motorcoach Tours:

  Final payment for motorcoach tours is due at least sixty (60) days prior to departure. Final payments made within 60 days prior to departure must be made by credit card.

• One-Day Tours:

  One-Day tours are to be paid in full at least forty-five (45) days prior to departure. Final payments made within 45 days prior to departure must be made by credit card. One-Day tours involving a ticket (sporting events, Broadway shows, concerts, etc) are to be paid in full within fourteen (14) days of reservation.

• Air Tours and Cruises:

  Payment terms for air tours and cruises vary. Please inquire at the time of reservation.

• Check Policy:

  By using a check for payment, you agree to the following terms: In the event your check is dishonored or returned for any reason, you authorize us to electronically (or by paper draft) re-present the check to your bank account for the collection of the amount of the check, plus any applicable fees as permitted by state law.

 

Cancellation

• Protect your tour payment:

  Perkiomen recommends that you consider purchasing tour protection or trip cancellation and interruption insurance for all tours. Ask your Reservationist for details.

• Cancellations made 31 or more days prior to departure:

  Refunds will be given for legitimate reasons unless portions have been prepaid to hotels and attractions and they refuse to refund. Money held for these reasons cannot be transferred to another tour. Air and cruise terms and conditions vary - ask for details.

• Cancellations made 30 or less days prior to departure:

  a 10% cancellation fee plus any non-refundable vendor payments will be held. This fee and/or any amount held for these reasons cannot be transferred to another tour. Air and cruise terms and conditions vary- ask for details.

• Tours involving non-refundable tickets:

  In most cases, tickets purchased in advance for concerts, sporting events, shows, etc. are not refundable to Perkiomen. For notice given 31 days or more prior to departure, Perkiomen will do everything possible to issue a full refund. The ticket portion of the tour price may be held until the ticket is resold. Within 30 days of departure, there is no refund or transfer unless the cancelled seat(s) is resold. Money held for these reasons cannot be transferred to another tour.

• On all tours:

  No refund will be issued for “no shows” on the day of departure. No refund will be issued for cancellations made on the day of departure or after. No refund will be issued on cancellations made after 12:00PM (noon) of the day prior to the date of departure.

 

Baggage Restrictions:

• All Tours:

  Each traveler is allowed one carry-on bag that will easily fit into the overhead compartment of the motorcoach. The motorcoach compartment sizes do vary.  The average size is 8” high x 19” wide x 15” deep.

• Tours of 10 days or less:

  One checked bag per person is allowed.

• Tours of 11 days or more:

  One additional checked bag is permitted if you are traveling without a partner. Parties of two who are rooming together throughout the tour are asked to limit themselves to one additional bag between them.

• Note: All checked bags must weigh no more than 45 pounds each.

 

Baggage Responsibility: Although every effort is made to handle passenger luggage as carefully as possible, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest to make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities. Check with our office for insurance to cover all risks.

 

Motorcoach Seating

• Multi-Day Tours:

    In order for all passengers to enjoy the motorcoach equally, assigned seating and seat rotation will be practiced on our multi-day tours. Your driver or escort will explain the procedure to you on the first day of the tour. To be fair, there will be no exceptions to this rule. When space on the motorcoach allows, the driver or escort may establish an area at the rear of the coach where travelers can sit and not participate in seat rotation. When this option is chosen, the traveler(s) will not have an assigned seat in the rotation. Please note: Travelers who have signed up at the double occupancy level will be assigned seats together on the motorcoach. Travelers who have signed up as singles or the third person in a triple room may be expected to share a seat on the motorcoach with another traveler. In this case, you are asked to switch from aisle to window with each rotation. If the option is made available, all members of a double or quad occupancy party are expected to either participate or not participate in assigned seat rotation.  Your driver or escort will inform the group of the daily coach disembarkation sequence.  All tour passengers are expected to cooperate with and participate in the sequence.  

• One-Day Tours:

    Seats are assigned based on the time of reservation.  Each passenger is expected to utilize his/her assigned seat for the duration of the trip. 

 

Single Travelers Who Wish to Share a Twin/Double Room

Those individuals who desire to share a twin room with another tour member must advise us at the time of booking and will be booked on a “single - share if possible” basis. The single rate will be charged initially. If, prior to the day of departure, we have another person to “share”, the difference between the per person single and the twin rate will be refunded two weeks after the end of the tour. “Shares” cannot be guaranteed.

 

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited while aboard the motorcoach on all Perkiomen Tours. Smoking and/or Non-Smoking rooms are normally available at the hotels used on our tours, however, this cannot be guaranteed. Please inquire about this with your reservationist if this is desired.

 

Drinking of Alcohol

Drinking of alcohol is prohibited while aboard the motorcoach on all Perkiomen Tours. Passengers who do not abide by this rule, or who appear to be intoxicated while on the motorcoach, will be asked to leave the tour. Any passenger asked to leave the tour is responsible to make his/her own return travel arrangements and are personally responsible for all costs incurred.  The cost of the tour will not be refunded.   

 

Included in Your Tour

Transportation, meals that are listed, included touring as specified in the itinerary, plus included admissions with associated taxes & gratuities. In addition, quality lodging and baggage handling are also included on multi-day tours. Gratuities to drivers and escorts are not included. If you wish, such appreciation should be extended on an individual basis.

 

Tipping

Everyone appreciates being acknowledged for a job well done. A question commonly asked by our customers is: “What tips are included in the cost of my tour?” Perkiomen does include  necessary tips throughout the tour to people such as a restaurant’s wait staff if the itinerary indicates that a meal is included. We also include tips to step-on or local guide services that might be used throughout the tour.  Perkiomen does not automatically include tips for the motorcoach driver or escort.  We feel that these gratuities should be extended on an individual basis and dictated by the quality of service provided.

 

Rates

• Multi-Day Motorcoach Tours and Air Tours:

  All rates are quoted per person and are based on double occupancy. Single, triple, quad and family rates are often available upon request. Because of the fluctuation in currencies, prices to foreign countries are subject to change. The rate of a single reservation is greater than a double because of the cost of the hotel room.

• Air Tours:

  All known taxes and fees have been included in the listed prices. Airlines do reserve the right to pass along changes or increases, etc. including fuel surcharges as deemed necessary and without prior notification. If this should occur, it may result in additional charges to each traveler.

• Cruises:

  Unless otherwise noted, the listed per person prices reflect only the cost of the cruise and are based on double occupancy in an inside cabin. Port charges, taxes, fees, pier transfers, airfare (when applicable), etc. are additional. Listed prices are subject to change based on availability at the time of inquiry. Ask one of our reservationists for specific details pertaining to the cruise of your choice. Cruise lines and airlines do reserve the right to pass along changes or increases, etc, including fuel surcharges, as deemed necessary and without prior notification. If this should occur, it may result in additional charges to each traveler, even after reservations have been made.

• One-Day Motorcoach Tours:

  All rates are listed as adult per person. Senior adult and child pricing is often available. Please ask a reservationist for details.

• Please Note:

  Perkiomen is not responsible to honor prices listed incorrectly due to typing,  data entry, design or printing errors.

 

Passport Requirements

• Air Travel:

  All persons traveling by air are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.

• Land & Sea Travel:

  The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website.

On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government implemented the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or WHTI-compliant document.

• If you are bringing children on the tour other than your own, customs is requiring that you have a registered letter of approval from their parents.

• Proof of Citizenship

  :  A current passport with at least six months validity from departure date will be required. Travelers will be responsible to secure their own passport. Passport forms are available from any passport office.

 

Responsibility

Perkiomen Motorcoach, LLC, Perkiomen Tours, Perkiomen Tours & Travel (“Perkiomen”) acts only in the capacity of agent for transportation companies in all matters relating to transportation, whether by motorcoach, airplane, steamship, railroad, boat, or any other means; and agent for travel service companies and other suppliers in all matters relating to arrangements for other tour companies, such as hotel and/or motel accommodations, sightseeing and related services, entertainment, and other tour features. Perkiomen, because of its status as an agent and because it maintains no control over the personal injury, property damage, or other loss, accident, delay, inconvenience, or irregularity from whatever cause during a trip, reserves the right to decline to book or retain a person as a member of any tour, and to change tour itineraries, pricing and components whenever Perkiomen deems such change to be necessary for the betterment of the tour; or to cancel any tour if circumstances require.

 

Drivers and Escorts

Perkiomen reserves the right to make changes to driver and/or escort assignments as needed without prior notification to customers.

 

Escorted Tours

Perkiomen reserves the right to require a minimum passenger count for any tour planned as an escorted tour in order to run with an escort. If a tour is run without an escort due to low passenger counts, the price of the tour will not be adjusted.

 

Special Requests

Special requests such as smoking/nonsmoking hotel rooms, bed sizes, adjoining or adjacent rooms, medically necessary dietary requirements, etc. must be made at the time of reservation or no closer than 31 days prior to departure. Perkiomen will try to honor reasonable special requests through our vendors. Please note that some hotels, motels, restaurants and other included attractions may not honor special requests.

 

Personal Responsibilities

• No passenger may remain on the motorcoach during comfort or other stops.

• Do not leave any valuable items on the coach.

• Watch the stairs and overhead entrances when ascending or alighting from the motorcoach.

• Always check for traffic when exiting and walking away from the motorcoach and when re-entering the coach.

• Passengers must remain seated at all times while the motorcoach is in motion. Failure to do so may result in serious injury if the driver has to change speed, brake or slow suddenly. Passengers who choose to stand, walk, change seats, use the on-board restroom, etc. while on the motorcoach, do so at their own risk.

• Insurance prohibits Perkiomen employees and others from loading or unloading personal mobility devices such as scooters, etc into or out of motorcoaches, airplanes and other vehicles. Travelers choosing to do so on their own, do so at their own risk.

 

Photo Identification

We strongly suggest carrying photo identification on all tours in case of an emergency or vendor requirement.

 

Independence

We must know in advance if you have a disability that prevents your independence while traveling with us. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to a tour/vacation participant for walking, dining, getting on and off motorcoaches, airplanes and other vehicles, or any other personal needs. A qualified and physically able companion must accompany travelers who need such assistance, and must assume total responsibility for the disabled participant’s well-being. Insurance prohibits Perkiomen employees and others from loading or unloading personal mobility devices such as scooters, etc into or out of motorcoaches, airplanes and other vehicles. Travelers choosing to do so on their own, do so at their own risk.

 

Motorcoach Courtesies

• Punctuality throughout each tour is extremely important when traveling in a group. Arriving later than the established departure time can cause delays throughout the tour and result in missed inclusions or shortened visits. 

• Cooperation with seat rotation and coach disembarkation is expected. See the “Seating” section on this page.

• Each passenger must be seated before the coach can proceed. We request that you always remain seated during driving for your own personal safety. See the “Personal Responsibilities” section on this page. 

• Each of our motorcoaches is equipped with a lavatory for your emergency comfort while traveling between rest stops made throughout each tour. Please be sure to keep the lavatory clean for the next user.  Passengers who choose to use the on-board restroom while on the motorcoach do so at their own risk.  See the “Personal Responsibilities” section on this page. 

• Please be considerate of fellow travelers at all times.

• Use of profane, offensive, etc language is prohibited. 

• Many people are allergic to strong scents/perfumes. Please make everyone’s vacation enjoyable by refraining from wearing excessive amounts of perfumes or strongly scented deodorants.

• Please limit talking on your mobile phone while on the motor coach. Frequent and loud talking can be very distracting to others around you.

 

Inspirational Times / Sunday Observance

Occasionally we may allow for church attendance on your own when it is possible to do so based on the tour itinerary. A brief inspirational devotion, reading, song or time of reflection may be conducted on the motorcoach. Such activities are encouraged by the company, are at the discretion of the driver and/or escort and are not intended to offend anyone in any way.

 

Convenient Departure Points

Multi-Day Motorcoach Tours, Air Tours and Cruises: Free pick-up service will be provided from designated general locations in the following communities for multi-day tours: Easton, Lehigh Valley, Montgomeryville, Pennsburg and Reading. Please note that the motorcoach does not pick-up at every one of these locations for every tour. Various vehicles gather passengers so that no one is inconvenienced by long motorcoach pick-up routes. Please inquire at the time of reservation as to the means of pick-up transportation on your specific tour. Convenient parking is available at our office in Pennsburg, and individuals are encouraged to use this location whenever possible.

One-Day Tours: Perkiomen offers convenient boarding locations in many Southeastern Pennsylvania communities. The number of boarding locations are limited on each tour and do vary from tour to tour. It is not possible to offer all locations on every tour. Specific locations can be obtained at the time of reservation and will also be included on your confirming paperwork.

Please note: Parking in any lot with public access is done so at your own risk. Neither Perkiomen nor the property owner can assume any responsibility for theft, damage, vandalism, etc. that might occur to vehicles parked in any lot.

 

Pre and Post Tour Hotel Stays

For individuals who must travel long distances to participate in one of our tours, pre and/or post tour hotel accommodations are available at a special rate through Perkiomen. Please ask your reservationist for details.