Important Information
Making Reservations: Reservations can be requested by calling our office during regular business hours or through our website www.perkiomentours.com. The following information is necessary to process a reservation: name(s) of person(s) traveling, address, home telephone number, a valid email address, number of people traveling, a cell phone number of a person who will be traveling on the tour, and desired boarding location. Late reservations: It is sometimes possible to add passengers to a finalized tour or within 30 days prior to departure. However, a significant amount of work is involved in adding people to a tour within that time period. A $100 per person fee is charged for inquiries made on any tour after the tour has been finalized, or within 30 days of departure (whichever is applicable). If we are unable to add the reservation due to vendor availability, etc. the fee will be refunded. If we are able to add the late reservation, the reservation will be completed and the balance due will charged. If the customer cancels the inquiry/reservation, the $100 per person fee is not refundable, nor can it be transferred to another tour.
Customer Communication: Reservations will be confirmed with the person on whose account the tour reservations were made. All invoices, final paperwork, luggage tags, etc. will be sent to the account holder only. The account holder is responsible for distributing necessary information and documents to all travelers associated with his/her reservation. Only the account holder is authorized to make changes, updates, cancellations, etc. to reservations made under his/her account. No information pertaining to other travelers (within the same group or otherwise) will be shared by Perkiomen personnel. For various reasons, Perkiomen personnel do not disclose the number of passengers booked on tours.
Deposits: By making a deposit on a tour, you are acknowledging that you have read and understand the terms, conditions and other important information involved with doing business with and traveling with our company. Multi-Day Motorcoach Tours: A $100 per person deposit within 14 days of booking will confirm your reservation. There are some cases when more of a deposit is required. 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 14 days of booking will confirm your reservation. The amount varies by tour. One-Day tours involving a non-refundable ticket (sporting events, Broadway shows, concerts, etc.) are to be paid in full at the time of reservation and are not refundable unless the space is resold to another person. On All Tours: Reservations are not confirmed until the total required deposit is received and processed. Perkiomen reserves the right to cancel any reservation made without the deposit being paid on time.
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. Air Tours and Cruises: Payment terms for air tours and cruises vary. Please inquire at the time of reservation. 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 non-refundable ticket (sporting events, Broadway shows, concerts, etc.) may need to be paid in full at the time of reservation. In those cases, payments are immediately non-refundable unless the tour package is resold. On All Tours: Perkiomen does not accept payment using Visa, Mastercard, etc. pre-paid gift cards. Customers utilizing gift cards as payment risk losing their money should the tour be cancelled by the traveler or by Perkiomen. See Refunds section.
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. Checks reflecting an incorrect amount will be shredded and a replacement check written in the correct amount will be requested.
Cancellation
Protect your tour payment: Perkiomen recommends that you purchase tour protection (when available) or third-party trip cancellation and interruption insurance for all tours. Tour protection must be purchased at the time of reservation and may not be added, removed or transferred once the Tour Protection payment is made. Ask your Reservationist for details.
On all tours: No refund will be issued on cancellations made after 12:00PM (noon) of the last business day prior to the date of departure. No refund will be issued for cancellations made on the day of departure or after. No refund will be issued for no shows on the day of departure.
On multi-day motorcoach tours: The amount listed below is considered non-refundable and will be held in accordance with the specified timeframes. Money held cannot be transfered to another tour. Cancellation terms for certain special events are often stricter. These exceptions are clearly indicated in the detailed itineraries and confirmations when applicable.
· 31 days or more prior to departure full refund
· 20-30 days before departure 30% of tour cost
· 10-19 days before departure 50% of tour cost
· 3-9 days before departure 80% of tour cost
· 48 hours or fewer before departure 100% of tour cost
On Air Tours and Cruises: Terms and conditions vary - ask for details. Cancellation for cruises, air tours, and certain special events are often more strict. These exceptions are clearly indicated in the detailed itineraries and confirmations for each of these trips. Cruise space and Airfare purchased on your behalf by Perkiomen Tours is subject to the cancellation policies of the applicable vendor(s). In order to get a refund in case of an unexpected cancellation (sickness, hospitalization, family death, etc.), we strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Cancellation Insurance from a third-party insurance provider.
On all tours involving non-refundable tickets: In most cases, tickets purchased in advance for concerts, sporting events, shows, etc. are not refundable to Perkiomen. Full payment is often required to hold space on these tours. For notice given 31 days or more prior to departure, Perkiomen will do everything possible to issue a full refund. The entire tour price will be held unless the package is resold. Within 30 days of departure, a 10% cancellation fee will be held even if the tour package is resold. Money held for these reasons cannot be transferred to another tour.
Refunds and Transfers: If a tour is cancelled either by an individual or by Perkiomen Tours, refundable amounts will be automatically transferred to any outstanding balance owed on a future tour booked under the same account. In cases when there are no future bookings, all approved refunds will be issued via the same method used at the time of payment. Perkiomen does not accept payment using Visa, Mastercard, etc. pre-paid gift cards as they are normally discarded after use.
Baggage Restrictions: All Tours: Each traveler is allowed one carry-on bag that will easily fit into the overhead compartment of the motorcoach. The average motorcoach compartment size is 8 high x 19 wide x 15 deep. Tours of 2-10 days in length: 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. Always check your baggage tag at the end of your tour to ensure you have the correct bag.
Motorcoach Seating: On All Tours: Seats are assigned based on the time of reservation. Each passenger is expected to cooperate and utilize his/her assigned seat for the duration of the trip. Motion sickness is not a valid reason for deviation from this policy. Final seat assignments will be communicated by the driver (or escort) on the day of departure. Drivers and escorts are not authorized to change seat assignments. It is not permissible for travelers to attempt to coerce fellow passengers into changing seats. Travelers who have signed up as singles or a member of an odd-numbered party may be expected to share a set of seats on the motorcoach with another traveler. If available at the time of reservation, an empty seat can be purchased on any tour to ensure that it remains empty throughout the tour. Ask our office for details. On Multi-Day Tours: Travelers who have signed up at the double or quad occupancy level will be assigned a set of seats together on the motorcoach. Travelers who have signed up as a member of a triple occupancy level, will be seated near their traveling companions but may be expected to share a set of seats with another traveler. If available at the time of reservation, an empty seat can be purchased on any tour to ensure that it remains empty throughout the tour.
Motorcoach disembarkation: The motorcoach disembarkation processes will be explained by the driver or tour escort at the beginning of the tour. Cooperation by all passengers is expected.
Seat rotation: If seat rotation is being practiced on a tour, the process will be explained by the driver or escort. When being practiced, it is expected that all travelers cooperate.
Smoking or Drinking of Alcohol: Smoking: is prohibited while aboard the motorcoach on all Perkiomen Tours. Smoking rooms are occasionally available at the hotels used on our tours, however, this cannot be guaranteed and must be requested at the time of reservation. Please inquire about this with a Reservationist if this is desired. 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 restaurants waitstaff 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. We do not include gratuities for hotel room housekeeping services. 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: Perkiomen Tours is not responsible to honor prices listed incorrectly due to design or printing errors. Multi-Day Motorcoach Tours and Air Tours: Unless otherwise stated, all rates are listed as per person and are based on double occupancy. Single, triple and quad 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. Airfare: When airfare is included in a packaged price, or quoted as an add-on or optional inclusion, all known taxes and fees have been included in the listed prices. Exceptions to this could include the cost of checked baggage. 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: 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 unless otherwise stated. On All Tours: Tours are sold at per person package prices. Occasionally, optional items are made available for purchase in addition to the package.
Passport Requirements: A current passport, or other approved documents, with at least six months validity from the return date will be required at the time of reservation. Travelers are responsible to secure their own passport. Air Travel: All persons traveling internationally by air are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States. It is your personal responsibility to ensure that your state issued identification meets all requirements for air travel within the United States. Land & Sea Travel: U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry are required to have a passport, passport card, or WHTI-compliant document. If you are bringing children on the tour/cruise other than your own, customs requires that you have a registered letter of approval from their parents. It is your personal responsibility to ensure that all members of your party possess any/all required documentation for travel outside of, and re-entry to, the United States.
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. Any passenger asked to leave a 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.
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 include 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 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 necessary requests through our vendors. Please note that some hotels, motels, restaurants and other included attractions, may not honor special requests or inform us in advance.
Personal Responsibilities: 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 must 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. No passenger may remain on the motorcoach during comfort or other stops. Do not leave any valuable items on the coach. Please 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.
Photo Identification: We strongly suggest carrying photo identification on all tours in case of an emergency or vendor requirement.
Motorcoach Courtesies: Dont be left behind. 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. We make reasonable efforts to locate travelers who do not return to the motorcoach by the designated departure time. Any passenger who does not return to the motor coach by the designated departure time, and can not be located, may be left behind. If this occurs, it is the travelers responsibility to make his/her own return travel arrangements and to personally pay all associated costs. The cost of the tour will not be refunded. Be cooperative. When being practiced, cooperation with the seat rotation and coach disembarkation is expected. See the seating section. Stay seated on the motorcoach. Each passenger must be seated before the coach can proceed. For your own personal safety, it is important that you remain seated while the motorcoach is in operation. See the Personal Responsibilities section. Using the bathroom/lavatory: Each of our motorcoaches is equipped with a lavatory for emergency comfort while traveling between rest stops made throughout each tour. Please be sure to keep the lavatory clean for the next user. Never dispose of anything in the toilet other than human waste and toilet paper. Holding tanks are limited in capacity and clog easily. Passengers who choose to use the on-board restroom while on the motorcoach do so at their own risk. See the Personal Responsibilities section. Be considerate: Please be considerate of fellow travelers at all times. Use of profane, offensive, etc. language is prohibited. Refrain from wearing strong scents: Many people are allergic to strong scents/perfumes. Please make everyones vacation enjoyable by refraining from wearing excessive amounts of perfumes or strongly scented deodorants. Limit cell/mobile phone use: Please limit talking on your mobile phone while on the motorcoach. Frequent and loud talking can be very distracting to others around you. When using personal electronic devices, it is expected that head phones or earbuds be used.
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: Parking in any lot with public access is done at your own risk. Perkiomen cannot assume any responsibility for theft, damage, vandalism, etc. that might occur to vehicles parked in any lot. 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 not all of these locations are offered on every tour and the motorcoach does not pick-up at every one of these locations. 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.
Pre and Post Tour Hotel Stays: Please ask a Reservationist for information regarding pre and/or post tour hotel accommodations near Pennsburg.
Independence: We must know in advance about a disability that prevents you from independently boarding or disembarking a motorcoach so that reasonable accommodations can be considered. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to a tour/vacation participant for walking, dining, getting on and off airplanes or other vehicles, or any other personal needs. If unable to do so independently, a qualified and physically able companion must accompany a traveler who needs such assistance and must assume total responsibility for the disabled participants well-being. When requesting the use of a wheelchair lift equipped vehicle, please be aware that our lift is limited to a total weight of 660 pounds. By order of the manufacturer, this maximum weight cannot be exceeded. This is for the safety of the passenger as well as the safety of the lift operator. If requesting the use of the lift and then confirming space on a tour, you are acknowledging that the combined weight of the wheelchair being used and the person utilizing the wheel chair will not exceed the maximum weight limit of 660 pounds. Additionally, you could be asked to sign a document verifying that the maximum weight will not be exceeded. Unfortunately, without verification, the lift cannot be used. Any person needing the use of the lift is required to provide a minimum of 48 hrs. notice.