Refund and Cancellation Policy
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1) OVERVIEW At Onondaga Coach Tours, we’ve dedicated over 30 years to our General Public Tours Department and we’re one of only a few remaining New York State Motor Coach Companies that still has their very own in-house Tour Department. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and standby the value of each tour. As we like to say, “We’re more than just a bus ride!" Many don’t realize but there are a lot of moving parts to a Tour, whether it be a one-day or multi-day tour. We typically have multiple and complex schedules and deadlines we need to stick to during the reservation timeframe leading up to the actual trip and we must keep open lines of communication with a number of our colleagues in the travel and tourism industry that we work with to make each trip a success. Hotels, restaurants, and other venues need to be notified as we fill our tours. Motor coach travel is a fun and exciting form of travel and we’re honored to have over seven decades of safe and reliable miles behind us. We’re ready for you to travel with us and experience the countless destinations near and far! We created a cohesive all-encompassing document that both our Company and our passengers can turn to before, during, and after a tour. The purpose is so that we all can clearly read over our Terms, Conditions, Refund & Cancellation Policy and fully understand these important details. We thank you for considering Onondaga Coach Tours! We welcome you to book your tour directly with our office so that we can answer all your questions prior to booking but you’re more than welcome to book online via onondagacoach.com as all of the information is available there as well. Our normal business hours are 9am to 5pm Monday thru Friday. Our office is located at 7659 North Street Road (Route 34) in Auburn. We can be reached by phone at 1-800-451-1570 or 315-255-2216. (This is V05-20) 2) RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL MAKING RESERVATIONS FOR OTHER PASSENGERS a. Often a single person will make a reservation for themselves and others in their traveling party. When doing so the individual making the reservation for their group takes full responsibility that each person is fully aware of our Terms, Conditions, Refund & Cancellation Policy in its entirety. Onondaga Coach Tours cannot and will not be held responsible for misinformation, miscommunication, or failure to inform all the individual(s) within your traveling party. b. At the time of booking we will require the following information pertaining to each individual (passenger) within your traveling party: Full name and cell phone number as well as other required information (i.e. meal choices, or other needed information). We require all this information at the time of reservation, or we will not be able to proceed with the booking. 3) TOUR ITINERARIES & ONONDAGA COACH TOURS’ RESPONSIBILITY a. It’s customary in the travel and tour industry to reserve the right to change, reverse, or make substitutions to any tour, at any time, at the discretion of the Tour Department and/or Tour Escort. Onondaga Coach Tours reserves this right with regards to any unforeseen changes in weather, time, closures, etc. It rarely happens, however, if this happens there are no refunds or adjustments made automatically. b. Great care is taken in the production of our website, flyers, and newspaper ads or any other form/mode of advertisement, but typographical, illustrative or pricing errors may occur. We reserve the right to correct any errors. If it happens, Onondaga Coach Tours can’t be held responsible. c. Always refer to your FINAL (not provisional) itinerary and boarding documents to confirm pickup times and your exact pickup location. Onondaga Coach Tours must remain on schedule and will not wait more than 5 minutes past our scheduled departure time for late arrivals. We cannot make alternate or additional pickups. Refunds will not be issued. 4) TOUR PRICE (PER PERSON) & WHAT IT INCLUDES a. Clearly listed on all forms of publication (website, itinerary, flyer, newspaper ad, etc.), will be a single per person price for the tour based on a cash/check/money order method of payment which is already extending you a discounted price. Payment by Credit Card would increase our prices (See Section 5 below). If available, we would add additional per person prices based on making a reservation for two people (double), three people (triple), or in some instances four people (quad). These additional options (double, triple, quad) or any other “volume" quantity, at times, could be unavailable due to hotel, venue, or a combination of other restrictions. It’s out of Onondaga Coach Tours’ control. b. Tour Cost Includes: Transportation via deluxe climate-controlled coach; and the following when/where applicable to your specific tour - hotel/motel accommodations with private bath; sightseeing; admissions and guide fee as shown in itinerary; the handling of one piece of luggage; all taxes for features pertaining to our tours. Price does NOT include meals, unless so specified, valet, laundry, cots, telephone calls and other personal expenses. 5) PAYMENT OPTIONS, DISCOUNTS, & PROMO CODES a. Onondaga Coach accepts the following forms of payment: Cash (in person/office bookings only), personal check/bank check/money order, and credit card (AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa). b. The per person tour price as well as any other price option(s) shown on all publications (website, flyer, itinerary, newspaper ad, etc.), is/are ALWAYS listed as a cash/check/money order discounted price. At Onondaga Coach Tours, our aim is to offer the best rates possible and one way for us to do so is to pass this type of savings directly on to our customers. The cash/check/money order discount is currently at 3.50%. c. All reservations that are paid by credit card would lose our 3.50% discount, and the per person price would increase by an additional 3.50%. This is without exception, it is non-negotiable, and cannot be waived. d. Check payments must be submitted via USPS immediately. Checks/money orders are to be made payable to Onondaga Coach Tours and should be mailed to PO BOX 277; Auburn, NY 13021. Check payments not received within four (4) business days run the risk of cancellation. Cash payments can only be made in person at our office. NEVER send cash in the mail. e. At times, for specific tours, we may offer a specific “Promo Code" whereby a special discount (in addition to the cash/check/money order discount) would be given when certain criteria are met. This will be clearly listed and explained at time of booking. 6) ONE-DAY TOURS – PAYMENT POLICY a. All One-Day Tours will require full payment at the time of reservation. b. There are no deposits allowed. c. Once a booking is made, all payments received are non-refundable. Name substitutions are allowed, as long as we can do so. There might be some restrictions based on certain tours or other related restrictions. 7) TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE a. Onondaga Coach Tours does strongly encourage that each and every passenger consider obtaining Trip Cancellation Insurance through Travel Guard Insurance. This would be an additional cost and it varies according to the cost of the trip and other factors. You should call our office for additional information. b. Onondaga Coach Tours will not be held responsible to compensate passengers who fail to obtain this insurance. There is a risk in travel and if you fail to obtain this coverage, you hold Onondaga Coach Tours and all its employees harmless. 8) CANCELLATION PENALITIES/REFUNDS POLICY a. As previously mentioned, all one-day tours are non-refundable. Once a booking is made, all payments received are non-refundable. Name substitutions are allowed, only on prior arrangement with our Tour Department staff. b. Onondaga Coach Tours strives to maintain a realistic and fair cancellation and refund policy, but we will always adhere to this policy, regardless of the reason(s) for cancellation. It’s critical all passengers fully understand these terms prior to making a reservation. After doing so, you agree to everything herein contained. We are not able to negotiate these terms whatsoever. c. Adverse Conditions – Onondaga Coach Tours has no control over Acts of God, such as unfavorable or harsh weather conditions (snow, floods, tornados/hurricanes, or other natural disasters). Other conditions we have no control over include but are not limited to civil unrest, acts of violence, terrorist attacks, health crises/pandemics, national and/or state emergencies, etc. If such conditions arise before departure the decision to cancel or delay departure may be made. If enroute to or from an attraction, event, or during a trip adverse conditions occur, Onondaga Coach Tours also reserves the right to alter a trip’s itinerary. Depending on the applicable circumstance, Onondaga Coach Tours will work closely with State DOT agencies, USDOT, industry professionals, local law enforcement officials, the CDC, or other governmental authorities where applicable. Official orders from applicable authorities will be obeyed. Even without official orders, if the circumstances merit, Onondaga Coach Tours has the right to reroute, stop, or terminate enroute. In the rare event that Onondaga Coach Tours cancels a trip due to reasons beyond our control, it is our policy to attempt to reschedule or postpone that trip. If rescheduling is not possible, in some but not all instances we may, at our discretion, offer trip credit in the amount you paid to be used towards future travel with us. 9) ASSIGNED SEATING a. For over 25 years, Onondaga Coach Tours assigns seats on every single one of our tours. We usually begin seating from the front of the motor coach and work our way back towards the rear of the coach. An incentive to booking early is your increased (not guaranteed) chances of getting a seat towards the front of our motor coach or in a location that you desire. We do our very best to accommodate requests, but we can’t be held accountable to honor every single request. There will be a printed tag above your seat with your name clearly printed on it. b. Onondaga Coach Tours tries to the best of our ability to seat parties together. However, if available seating is limited at the time a group makes a reservation, Onondaga Coach Tours can’t guarantee you will be seated together. Ask at the time of reservation the status of the tour. c. When several individuals make separate reservations and fail to notify Onondaga Coach that they would like to seat together at the time of reservation, there is a zero chance we will make the connections that you wanted to sit together. Depending on when we are notified of this, Onondaga Coach Tours may/may not be able to make seating adjustments. We never adjust assigned seats during a tour. You MUST let us know of these requests at the time of reservation. 10) TIPPING (PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS & TOUR ESCORTS) a. A large part of the success of a tour is due to our drivers and escorts. If you wish to show appreciation to your driver and escort, we suggest you do it voluntarily and compensate them for the courtesy and services received. Typical gratuity is $3-$5 per person/per day. 11) BAGGAGE a. One-Day – Each passenger is allowed a personal item such as a purse, backpack, or similar sized carry-on. Restrictions apply and must be of reasonable size to allow space for all quests. 12) PASSENGER CODE OF CONDUCT & GENERAL MOTOR COACH TRAVELING RULES a. Onondaga Coach Tours prides itself on offering safe, fun, friendly, “family" oriented tours. b. All Onondaga Coach Tours (except for a select few One-Day Trips) will have an assigned Onondaga Coach Tour Escort travel with all our trips. All questions or concerns should be communicated directly with our Tour Escort to leave our Professional Driver focused on the driving. c. We expect each passenger and group to respect everyone on the motor coach. d. We do not allow alcohol on board any of our motor coaches – no exceptions. e. We do welcome small coolers (that fit under your seat) with re-sealable water or soda bottles as well as snacks. No large coolers allowed. Backpacks are most popular. f. Radios or other individual speakers playing music, movies, or games out loud are not allowed and will not be tolerated. Headsets only. g. Please be mindful that strong fragranced perfume/cologne, hand sanitizers, or lotions should not be used excessively. h. Any damage found to any motor coach during the trip, we reserve the right to suspend service, safely remove any unruly passengers, and/or call the State Police to assist. That damage and the repair to our motor coach would be the sole responsibility of that person or group sitting in the seat(s). i. Onondaga Coach Corp. will not be held responsible for the conduct of individuals before, during, or after our tour. Any harm done is the legal responsibility of each respective passenger. Onondaga Coach Corp. and its employees will not be held accountable or liable. 13) PHYSICAL OR HEALTH CONCERNS a. If you have health concerns, we suggest you contact your physician to determine the suitability of one of our tours. b. While we will do everything in our power, we regret that we are unable to accommodate all requests for special diets, itinerary variations, wheelchairs or special assistance. Any disabilities must be reported at time of reservation. Any traveler requiring assistance MUST be accompanied by a helper/travel companion who is entirely capable and totally responsible for providing the required assistance. c. Some sites visited have limited motor coach access and may involve considerable walking, stairs or inclines. Travelers should be in reasonably good health. d. While we have passengers travel with electric scooters or wheelchairs, we have limited space on the motor coach and this type of accommodation needs to be discussed at the time of reservation. Also, per our insurance company, Onondaga Coach Tour Employees (Tour Escort and our Professional Motor Coach Driver) are not in any position to help lift/stow (on or off the motor coach) any type of electric scooter or wheelchair. Once again, the traveler using this device would be responsible for this and should have a helper (family or friend travel companion) who is completely in charge of and physically able to complete this task. e. If a passenger determines that they can’t travel after making a reservation, Onondaga Coach Tours is not in any position to offer full refunds. The same Refund & Cancellation Policy will apply. 14) TRAFFIC, WEATHER, & ALL OTHER UNFORSEEN EVENTS a. We do travel in inclement weather. We do travel during winter travel advisories. We do travel in snow, sleet, freezing rain, lake effect snow, and all other forms of precipitation and weather. That’s common of the private motor coach industry, where safety always remains a top priority, but we incorporate ample travel time within our itineraries. We do not cancel a trip unless the roads are physically blocked and travel is completely restricted or prohibited for motor coaches. Refunds are never offered. b. Passengers that have a distance to travel from their home to our pickup location, we ask that you make the necessary adjustments to your travel time to guarantee you arrive on time for boarding. We do not issue refunds (of any amount) for passengers who don’t show up or don’t feel like driving themselves during winter or other weather conditions. c. However, at times weather, traffic, accidents, construction, and other unforeseen and unpredictable events happen but Onondaga Coach Tours cannot be held responsible for these and any other unmentioned delay which can’t be known ahead of time. d. We will do all that we can to make up that time during a tour but if we find ourselves missing part (or whole) of a segment of our trip, after our trip is complete we can contact that venue and inquire about any adjustments in the form of a future credit or possible partial or whole refund. Onondaga Coach Tours does not guarantee any adjustments (monetary or in any other form) will happen but would do what we can and inquire. 15) CANADIAN IMMIGRATION a. To enter Canada and return to the United States, all United States Citizens should have in their possession proof of citizenship. Only a valid (non-expired) passport or Enhanced NYS Driver's License are acceptable! Failure to have the above will deny traveling with Onondaga Coach Tours and forfeiture of any refund. You will be responsible for finding your own transportation back home. 16) RETURNED CHECKS a. A $35.00 service charge will be assessed for all returned checks. b. In the event that this becomes a common occurrence (happens more than twice in a 6 month period), Onondaga Coach Tours reserves the right to deny future payments by personal check and only allow a bank certified check, money order, or credit card for all future payments until further notice. 17) FUEL SURCHARGE a. Onondaga Coach Tours has never implemented a fuel surcharge in over 65 years of service, however, if diesel fuel increases substantially (above $5 per gallon), it may be necessary to implement a fuel surcharge to the cost of the tour, not to exceed $3.00 per person per day. 1) NOTE a. Many of the sections above pertain to Multi-Day Tours. The following will specifically discuss deposits/payments, and cancellation/refund policies. 2) MULTI-DAY TOURS – DEPOSIT & FINAL PAYMENT POLICY (ALL EXCEPT CRUISE & AIR TOURS) a. Tours priced up to $500.00 per person = Requires a $100 deposit per person. b. Tours priced $500.01 to $1,000.00 per person = Requires a $200 deposit per person c. Tours priced $1,000.01 to $1,500.00 per person = Requires a $300 deposit per person d. Tours priced over $1,500.00 per person = Requires a $500 deposit per person e. Tour with a show or game ticket will be non-refundable. f. Remaining Balance Due (all Multi-Day Tours except Cruise and Air Tours) - The full remaining balance is due (60) sixty days from the tour departure date. g. Full Balance Due (all Multi-Day Tours except Cruise and Air Tours) - Any multi-day tour which we offer that departs less than (60) sixty days from the tour departure date or where you make a new reservation for a tour that departs less than (60) sixty days from the tour departure date, the full balance would be due at the time of reservation. No exception. h. Please read over our Refund & Cancellation Policy (Section 21) for further details. 3) MULTI-DAY TOURS – DEPOSIT & FINAL PAYMENT POLICY (CRUISE & AIR TOURS ONLY) a. The per person deposit will be either $750.00 or 20% (twenty percent), whichever is greater. However, certain special tours may have higher or different terms. If this happens, our normal per person deposit terms will be voided and the special terms would be clearly explained for that specific tour. b. Remaining Balance Due (Cruise and Air Tours) - The full remaining balance is due (90) ninety days from the tour departure date. c. Full Balance Due (Cruise and Air Tours) - Any multi-day tour which we offer that departs less than (90) ninety days from the tour departure date or where you make a new reservation for a tour that departs less than (90) ninety days from the tour departure date, the full balance would be due at the time of reservation. No exception. 4) TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE a. Onondaga Coach Tours does strongly encourage that each and every passenger consider obtaining Trip Cancellation Insurance through Travel Guard Insurance. This would be an additional cost and it varies according to the cost of the trip and other factors. You should call our office for additional information. b. While there is not a single insurance policy available that will cover or reimburse you for the full amount of your tour if you cancel, nor does any policy cover fear of travel or other related reason, it is something all travelers should seriously investigate. c. Onondaga Coach Tours will not be held responsible to compensate passengers who fail to obtain this insurance. There is a risk in travel and if you fail to obtain this coverage, you hold Onondaga Coach Tours and all its employees harmless. 5) CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY OVERVIEW a. Onondaga Coach Tours strives to maintain a realistic and fair cancellation and refund policy, but we will always adhere to this policy, regardless of the reason(s) for cancellation. It’s critical all passengers fully understand these terms prior to making a reservation. After doing so, you agree to everything herein contained. We are not able to negotiate these terms whatsoever. b. Adverse Conditions – Onondaga Coach Tours has no control over Acts of God, such as unfavorable or harsh weather conditions (snow, floods, tornados/hurricanes, or other natural disasters). Other conditions we have no control over include but are not limited to civil unrest, acts of violence, terrorist attacks, health crises/pandemics, national and/or state emergencies, etc. If such conditions arise before departure the decision to cancel or delay departure may be made. If enroute to or from an attraction, event, or during a trip adverse conditions occur, Onondaga Coach Tours also reserves the right to alter a trip’s itinerary. Depending on the applicable circumstance, Onondaga Coach Tours will work closely with State DOT agencies, USDOT, industry professionals, local law enforcement officials, the CDC, or other governmental authorities where applicable. Official orders from applicable authorities will be obeyed. Even without official orders, if the circumstances merit, Onondaga Coach Tours has the right to reroute, stop, or terminate enroute. In the rare event that Onondaga Coach Tours cancels a trip due to reasons beyond our control, it is our policy to attempt to reschedule or postpone that trip. If rescheduling is not possible, in some but not all instances we may, at our discretion, offer trip credit in the amount you paid to be used towards future travel with us. c. All cancellations must be received in writing (email, fax, or mail) as we will never accept verbal cancellations over the phone or left in a voice message. The reason(s) for cancellation would be appreciated. The business day on which we receive this written cancellation will be used to determine the amount of days remaining from the tour’s departure date. Only when it arrives to our office can we determine this. d. Depending on the cancellation restrictions a refund, if any, will be made less any expenses incurred by Onondaga Coach Tours due to non-refundable portions of the tours. More details below based on one-day or multi-day trips. e. Please keep in mind that Onondaga Coach Tours will only refund the funds you paid for our trip. If you have taken it upon yourself to make and personally pay for “add on" or additional/extra reservations for restaurants, venues, shows, sightseeing, etc., that were not part of our original tour or specifically included in our itinerary, all of those costs will not be considered for refund. f. It’s also critical that you read and understand any additional guidelines as some tours are automatically non-refundable or non-transferrable as penalties to Onondaga Coach Tours can vary depending on restrictions enforced from hotels, attractions, venues, restaurants, cruises, etc. 6) CANCELLATION PENALTIES/REFUNDS – (EXCEPT CRUISE & AIR TOURS) a. Written cancellations received 60 days or more from the tour departure date would be assessed a $50 per person administration fee, plus any other specific non-refundable portion of a tour. Any remaining funds would be refunded to the customer who made the initial reservation. b. Written cancellations received between 59 to 31 days from the tour departure date will be assessed a 50% cancellation fee based off the full per person price of the trip, plus any other specific non-refundable portion of a tour. Any remaining funds would be refunded to the customer who made the initial reservation. c. Written cancellations received between 30 to 15 days from your tour departure date will be assessed a 75% cancellation fee based off the full per person price of the trip, plus any other specific non-refundable portion of a tour. Any remaining funds would be refunded to the customer who made the initial reservation. d. Written cancellations received 14 days or less from your tour departure date will be assessed a 100% cancellation fee. 11) CANCELLATION PENALTIES/REFUNDS – (CRUISE & AIR TOURS ONLY) a. Written cancellations received 91 days or more from the tour departure date would be assessed a $100 per person administration fee, including any other specific non-refundable portions of a tour. You must be aware that at times, some of these additional non-refundable portions of a cruise and/or air tour could be significant based on when a cancellation was received. Any remaining funds would be refunded to the customer who made the initial reservation. b. Written cancellations received 90 days or less from your tour departure date will be assessed a 100% cancellation fee. |