Terms & Conditions

Please note: Instead of operating bicycle tours ourselves, BikeTours.com represents local bicycle tour operators around the world. Review the tour operator's information and terms below, then submit your booking request through BikeTours.com. The primary benefits of booking your tour through BikeTours.com include:

• Lower cost: You pay local tour company prices—less than what big American companies charge
• Variety: Choose from more than 200 tours offered by local operators in 35 countries.
• Advice: Our informed advisors help you choose the trip that's right for you.
• Great exchange rates: Pay low rates thanks to the millions of dollars in foreign currency we buy each year. Or pay in euros!
• Convenience: We handle the full booking and payment process.
• Support: We’re your advocates from initial planning through final pedal stroke.

Contact us with any questions about booking and paying for your tour through BikeTours.com. We look forward to serving you!

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Island Hopping Terms and Conditions

Individual Cancellation and Changes in Reservations by Customers
You can withdraw from the travel contract up until the beginning of the trip. Your cancellation is valid when your written notification reaches us. If you cancel before the 60th day before the start of the trip, we will refund the amount paid so far, minus a cancellation handling fee.

Individual cancellation fees are:

• 60 days or more before the beginning of the trip: no fees
• 59 – 31 days before the trip begins: 30% of the trip price
• 30 – 21 days before the trip begins: 50% of the trip price
• 20 – 11 days before the trip begins: 70% of the trip price
• 10 – 1 days before the trip begins: 90% of the trip price

Large Group cancellation fees:
If a group fills more than 70% of the boat, the charter down payment and cancelation policy will apply. (Large group downpayment schedule: €5,000 with booking confirmation; €5,000 second installment 4 months before tour begins.) If individual group members cancel, the individual cancellation policy and rates apply. However, if the whole group cancels, the down payments will be non-refundable.

Further cancellation details:

If you cancel on the day of the trip or if you do not appear for the start of the trip, we charge the full trip price.

If you miss the start of the trip or are prevented from traveling due to incomplete travel documents, this will be considered as a cancellation.

Reservation changes are handled the same way as cancellations.  For changing your reservation, we will charge 50 € changing fee for changes made 28 days or more before the beginning of the trip.  Any later changes (if possible) will need to be handled as a cancellation and new registration. Cancellation and reservation change fees are due immediately.

These terms and conditions, which you agree to by booking your trip, govern the contractual relationship between you as traveler and us as tour operator.  The terms and conditions supplement Paragraph 651 and those following in the German BGB (Buergerliches Gesetzbuch) that govern travel contract law. Please read all the following terms and conditions carefully.

Trip Cancellation
If the minimum number of participants required for a trip is not met (18 participants for bus and boat trips, unless otherwise noted), we reserve the right to cancel it. The decision about whether the trip will take place or not will be made as early as possible, three weeks before the beginning of the trip at the latest. In case of trip cancellation, all payments you have made will be fully refunded. There can be no additional claims made against us.  As the tour operator, we have the right to cancel the tour if the trip is jeopardized, made difficult, or impaired due to an act of God.

Services
The foundation upon which the trip is organized is the description of the services, which is available in the brochure, in official pamphlets and on our website, and confirmed in your travel contract. Alterations that become necessary after the finalization of the contract and that are made in good faith are permitted if they are not substantial, and do not change the overall character of the trip.  We assume no liability for information in the brochures of our partners or in our own brochure, even if we issued them.

Liability
We are liable within the scope of a merchant’s duty of care for diligent trip preparation, careful selection and supervision of participating agencies, accuracy of service and activity descriptions, and standard provision of the services agreed upon. Our liability for damages other than personal injury is limited to three times the cost of the trip, provided the damages are neither intentional nor due to gross negligence. This limitation is still in effect if we are responsible for the damage due to the fault of a service provider.  If we are solely procurers of foreign services, we are liable only for proper procurement, not for the services. We are liable for damage or loss of luggage up to the amount of 250 € only if the damage was caused by us and was indicated to us immediately.  Scratches on luggage, torn luggage handles, and damaged wheels are excluded from any liability.  Upon delivery of luggage at the accommodation facilities, the liability is transferred according to § 701 BGB to the officer of the accommodations.  Services that were not made use of will not be reimbursed.

Participation
A vacation that involves exercise and physical activity requires greater commitment than a conventional package tour. It is your duty to make certain that you are up to the physical challenges of such a trip.  The pre-condition for a bike-tour is that you are able to handle a bicycle in street traffic and on unpaved paths under any weather conditions.  If you rent a bike, it is your responsibility to check the condition of the bike, particularly the brakes.  You bear sole responsibility for adhering to all legal regulations at home and abroad, particularly regulations about travel documents and cross-border trade.  When traveling across the exterior borders of the EU, your luggage must remain unlocked, to facilitate passage through customs.  If your baggage is searched, you will be notified about it upon arrival at the destination.  If problems with the procurement of the services occur, you are required to help within the scope of legal regulations, in order to avoid potential damages or keep them at a minimum and report any complaints to us immediately.

Duty of Care
During the duration of the trip, you are liable for damage to or loss of bicycles and any equipment entrusted to you.  For guided tours, this is only valid if you have separated yourself from the group, have disobeyed instructions from the tour guides, or caused the damage or loss intentionally, through negligence or gross negligence.

Warranty
You can demand redress if the trip services are not rendered according to the contract. This can be solved by us providing compensation of equal or greater value.  In the case of disproportionate effort, corrective action can be denied.  For the period in which the services that have not been rendered according to contract, you can request a reduction in travel price after your return. The pre-condition for this is the immediate notification of our deficiencies or those of our tour guides, so that we have the opportunity to find a remedy.  Tour guides are not authorized to recognize claims.  Independent of a reduction in travel price, you can demand compensation due to non-compliance with the travel contract, unless we are not responsible for the defect.

Limitation of claim
Claims must be made in writing within one month of the contractual end of the trip. The statute of limitation for claims based on the contract expires six months after the contractual end of the trip.  The statute of limitations for all claims of civil offence expires three years after the end of the trip.

Privacy of Personal InformationAll personal information that you give us for the processing of the trip is protected against misuse under German personal data protection law.

Travel ProtectionWe urge you to consider effecting a travel cancellation cost insurance.  Before the trip, please also find out about your medical and accident insurance and about luggage insurance or travel liability insurance, if necessary.

Severability Clause
The nullification of individual clauses in the travel contract or the travel terms does not result in the nullification of the entire contract or the travel terms.

Court of Jurisdiction
The court of jurisdiction is Konstanz, Germany

All photos used by permission. ©Island Hopping