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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SAFETY
AND SECURITY
Q:
what's the catch?
are these the same tours the other guys sell, or are they
modified versions? do i have to attend a timeshare
presentation?
A: There is no catch!
These are the same tours everyone else sells (except some
that are exclusive only to Playa del Carmen Tours), we just sell
them for less. On top of that, we give you a free
Playa del Carmen Discount Card!
There is no timeshare pitch or other trap that the other
guys sometimes spring on you, just real discounts, all the
time.
Q:
can i trust you?
why should i pick you?
A: Well, no tour
provider can answer this objectively, of course - you should
pick us because we're the best! Couple our responsive,
honest and friendly english-speaking customer service with
our best-in-Playa del Carmen prices and our exclusive
Playa del Carmen Discount
Card and why would you use anyone else? In addition,
we are certified members of the American Society of Travel
Agents (ASTA), the most trusted and prestigious travel association
on the planet.
Q:
IS RESERVING ON
THE INTERNET SAFE? IT MAKES ME NERVOUS...
A: Pre-reserving
on the internet is actually the safest thing you can do.
Here's how we protect you:
1. When you
place an order online, your credit card information is encrypted
using the highest level of encryption on the market.
No human eyes will ever see your credit card information
- it's all automatic. Compare this with the lady at
the ticket booth who takes your credit card, goes in the
back room, then comes back out after a while holding your
card in one hand and a receipt with all your credit card
information in the other. Did she take notes while
she was in the back room? With us, you know your information
is safe.
2. When
purchasing with a credit card, you are protected from fraud
by your credit card company. If for any reason you
didn't receive the goods or service you paid for, your credit
card company will refund your money. What is your
security blanket if you pay cash on the street or beach
in Mexico? Do you think you'll see your money again?
3. If
you are nervous placing your order on line, you can always
call us toll-free and place your order over the phone.
RESERVATION
QUESTIONS
Q:
WHY SHOULD I BOOK WITH YOU? CAN'T I JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET
TO CABO?
A: Well, there are
a few reasons....
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| Reason #1:
Lower Prices |
Reason #11: Better Selection |
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Reason #2: Safe and Secure |
Reason #12: Honest Recommendations |
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Reason #3: No Timeshare |
Reason #13: No Port, No
Pay Guarantee |
|
Reason #4: Exclusive Discount
Card |
Reason #14: ASTA Certified
Safety |
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Reason #5: We all speak
English |
Reason #15: Years of Experience |
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Reason #6: At-Home Convenience |
Reason #16: We Think Like
Tourists |
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Reason #7: No pressure
sales |
Reason #17: More Vacation
Less Planning |
|
Reason #8: Fraud
Protection |
Reason #18: Less Sold Out
Dates |
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Reason #9: Local Expertise |
Reason #19: Customized
Tours |
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Reason #10: Toll-Free Service |
Reason #20:
Responsive Service |
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| You
want more? Isn't That Enough?!? |
You're sure
demanding! Okay - here's the lowdown on how it works
in Playa del Carmen: When you get to
Playa del Carmen,
you will have two ways to book tours. One is through the
timeshare hawks at the airport or on the streets.
Many of these operations are shady, and you don't know what
you'll get if anything. If you don't want to spend a day
of valuable vacation time in a chair getting slammed with
a sales pitch for four hours, then don't talk to the folks
on the street or at the airport. Also never give money
to a guy on the beach or street who walks up to you and
tries to sell you tours. It has happened many times
that these guys are not authorized to sell tours and you
find out too late that you have been scammed out of your
money. Some are legitimate, some are not. Will
you know the difference?
The second is
through your hotel tour desk. This is also normally
accompanied by an invitation for a "welcome package" which
means timeshare presentation. If you say no, they
often will still try to push you into the tours that they
get the best commission on. You'll also pay more than
you will through us. We offer a discount on every
tour or activity in Playa del Carmen. We have no pressure sales (you
choose the tours you want in private without anyone pressuring
you), and discounts on every tour we sell. Plus we
give you a discount
card! We're the only place you can get the
card - your hotel can't get you one.
Q:
DO I NEED TO PAY IN ADVANCE? DO YOU ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS?
A: Yes. You need
to pay in advance because we have to pay in advance.
In order to reserve your spot on one of these highly popular
tours, we have to pay the operator at the time of the reservation.
That's one way we're able to offer such incredible rates.
We accept all major credit cards. All transactions
are processed using 128-bit SSL Encryption to offer you
the highest level of security. We don't accept cash
or checks because we're looking out for you. Credit
Cards offer fraud protection for you, so you will feel more
secure with your purchase, and we'll end up with happy customers.
We never add a surcharge to use a credit card when reserving
our tours.
Q:
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I MAKE A RESERVATION? DO I GET
A TICKET IN THE MAIL?
A: Once you place
an order online, here's how the process works:
1.
You'll immediately receive a receipt
of your reservation. This is just to assure you that
your reservation request was received. If you chose
to call us with your credit card, then you'll call us right
away and finish the transaction. If you paid online,
you are done - you don't have to do anything else.
2.
Within 24 hours (in most cases), we'll
send you an electronic ticket via e-mail (much like when
you make an airplane or hotel reservation) that you'll print
out and bring with you to Playa del Carmen. You'll use this
ticket to gain entry to the tour. Make sure to review
the ticket for accuracy the moment you receive it!
If there are any corrections to be made, let us know right
away. Together with the ticket, you'll receive directions
to our office to pick up your discount card, local contact
information, and any other relevant information.
3. Attached
to your confirmation voucher, you'll
receive the Playa del Carmen Fun Card. Just print it out, fold
it and laminate it down at the local Kinko's and you're
set to save!
Q:
HOW DO I KNOW IF THE DATES AND TIMES I WANT ARE AVAILABLE?
A: If there is any
problem getting you the dates or times you request, we'll
contact you right away to make alternate arrangements.
If nothing else works, we'll just refund your card and suggest
a different tour that might work for you.
Q:
CAN YOU MAIL MY DISCOUNT CARD TO ME? CAN YOU DELIVER TO
MY HOTEL?
A: No can do.
The mail in Mexico is not like it is back home. You'd
probably never see it, or if you did it would be two weeks
after you got home. The hotels won't allow travel
agents to enter the property - they're worried you'll try
to steal their business. We can't get past security.
Plus, since it's a free gift, we don't have the ability
to pay staff to deliver it to you. To address
these issues, we send all discount cards out via e-mail.
Just size them, print them, fold them, tape or laminate
them, and you're good to go. Very easy!
ARRIVING
ON A CRUISE SHIP
We get lots of questions from cruise
ship passengers - so many that we've made a whole page just
for you! See our
Cruise Ship
Passengers FAQ.
TRANSPORTATION
QUESTIONS
We get lots of questions from cruise
ship passengers - so many that we've made a whole page just
for you! See our
Cruise Ship
Passengers FAQ.
Q:
how long will it
take to take a taxi? how much will it cost?
A: That
will depend on where your hotel is and where you are
going. You can call your hotel and get an
estimate. However, from Playacar hotels downtown
will only be about $5.00 for up to four people. To
get from Calica downtown is about $8.00.
Q:
IS THERE A BUS LIKE
IN CANCUN?
A: No, not really.
Most people get around in Playa del Carmen via Taxi or by renting
a car or scooter. Plus the town is so compact, you
can usually walk!
DON'T
FIND THE TOUR YOU WANT?
Q:
I'VE HEARD ABOUT A SPECIFIC TOUR, BUT I CAN'T FIND IT?
A: The first step
is to try the search box on the lower left of each page.
If that doesn't work, then contact
us and we can book it for you.
OUR
POLICIES
Q:
what if it rains
on the day of my tour?
A: If it rains on the day of your tour, but the
tour still goes out, there are no refunds. However,
if there is a storm, and the tour is cancelled, you will
receive a full refund. The rain is usually very short
lived, and usually gives way to bright sunshine. The temperatures
are still usually above 80°F (26°C), so the rain is very
warm, and it actually feels quite good! There's almost never
a need to cancel a tour in Playa del Carmen because of the rain.
Please refer to our Terms and Conditions
for full details.
Q:
what if MY SHIP
IS LATE OR DOESN'T MAKE IT TO PORT?
A: If during your sailing, your ship doesn't
make port as scheduled due to weather, mechanical failure or other
unforseen circumstances, just give us a call
or e-mail us as soon as you know and we'll refund
100% of your money - we are proud to feature a no-port, no-pay policy.
See our terms and conditions for complete
details.
Q:
WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION
POLICY?
A: Cruise
passengers - see the above question. Other than
that, we will cheerfully issue you a refund for your tour, less a
small 5% processing fee to cover the credit card fees we
incur to process your cancellation. However, within 36 hours of the tour, all reservations
are non-refundable, as we are unable to get our money back from the
tour operator. Without this policy, we'd
be out of business! Of course, if the tour is cancelled
by the operator, you will receive a 100% refund.
Special conditions apply to large groups, private boat
charters, and fishing trips. Please refer to our Terms
and Conditions for full details.
Q:
i have a problem
regarding a dvd, video or photo bought on my tour.
A: All issues regarding DVDs, videos,
t-shirts, photos, etc. must be taken up with the tour
operator directly. We have no involvement in these
purchases, they are a direct transaction between you and
the tour operator. If you are having a problem
finding contact information for your tour operator,
please let us know and we'll give you the contact
information you need, but please don't yell at us if you
have a problem with these items, it's really not our
fault. We don't know anything about these items.
COMMUNICATION
Q:
When I call YOU,
WILL THE PEOPLE ON THE PHONE SPEAK ENGLISH?
A: Ah! Glad
you asked! Yes! Every one of us speaks fluent
English. No worries there.
Q:
I TRIED TO CALL
YOU, BUT I GOT A STRANGE ANSWERING MACHINE OR NO ANSWER.
A: In Playa del
Carmen, the
phones aren't tremendously stable. When our phones
go out, they often revert to the default message that comes
with the phone - "Leave a Message" or something weird like
that. Don't fear - we'll get the message.
If you can't get through on the phone, just send us an e-mail
and ask that we call you back.
Q:
the phone keeps
being busy or nobody answers.
A:
If you don't receive an answer at this number, we are likely
just on the phone with other customers. We don't have
voice mail or call waiting, unfortunately. Our phones
are packed from about 7:00AM until 11:00PM - Mondays through
Thursdays are the busiest days. It is also possible that
are our phones may be down - this happens A LOT in Playa
del Carmen.
If you don't get through, you can either try back later,
or you can shoot us an e-mail containing your phone number
and we'll call you back just as soon as we can wrestle the
phone from our ear for a moment. Just try back soon.
We're sorry for any inconvenience.
PRIVATE
AND GROUP TOURS
Q:
i HAVE A LARGE GROUP
- CAN YOU SET US UP ON A PRIVATE TOUR?
A: We can arrange
for a private tour of almost all of our activities. We can
even offer you a group discount, depending on the size of
your group. Most operators require at least 20 people
in your group to be eligible for a group discount, though.
Just contact us at the phone number below and we'll set
you up! To set this up, just give us a call toll-free
at 1-866-728-1438 or
Request a Custom Quote.
HOTELS,
TRANSFERS AND OTHER SERVICES
Q:
CAN YOU BOOK A HOTEL, RENTAL CAR OR AIRPORT TRANSFER FOR
ME?
A: We don't offer these
services yet, however we can
tell you who does. For airport transfers
click here and for rental car reservations you
can visit
this site. Just type in "Playa del Carmen" in the box.
This is where we always book our rental cars through.
TECHNICAL
DIFFICULTIES
Q:
IT SAYS "YOUR CART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE"?!?
A: Make sure you
don't use the back button - just use the buttons.
If this happens to you, just close your browser and reopen
it and try again. It should work the second time.
Q:
HOW DO I RESERVE A TOUR?
A: At the bottom
of each page is a form - just pick your date and time and
number of people, and click "Book Now" to add your tours
to your shopping cart.
Q:
OK - DID THAT. NOW HOW DO I ADD MORE TOURS OR MORE
PEOPLE?
A: To add more people
on a tour, just change the number in the quantity box to
the number of people that will be going on the tour and
click "Recalculate". The cart will update. Now,
if you want to add more tours, click "Continue Shopping"
and start the process all over again for the next tour.
If you are done, then click "Check out" and you'll complete
the process.
Still have questions? Just
contact us and we'll get you going.
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