The Costa Rica Tours Site Terms & Conditions

The Real Deal Tours Terms & Conditions

After several years working in tourism, we are constantly looking for ways to improve our reservation terms that protect you as the buyer, and those who work hard to provide you with the amazing activities equally. We have done our best to provide a fair balance, and this is the final result.

When you place an order with The Real Deal Tours, you are agreeing to the following terms and conditions. We do our best to be as clear as possible, however if you have questions, please contact us PRIOR to booking. Once the reservation is processed, it is assumed that you understand and agree to all the terms and conditions as stated below and the associated refund and changes fees that apply

Placing an Order / Reservation Verification… our easy online booking process to get you excited about your upcoming vacation and eliminates the hassle of searching around for a deal after you are already on vacation.

1. Once you place your order, you will automatically receive your payment receipt which indicates the tour, dates, the amount of passengers, your hotel, and the final cost. It is your responsibility to thoroughly check over the receipt and ensure accuracy. If there is anything that is incorrect, or you have questions or doubts, it is your responsibility to contact us immediately to make corrections. Only you know exactly what you need to book, so these are errors that are impossible for our reservationists to catch.

Note. Payment is not automatic confirmation for your tour. Payment allows us to confirm your reservation with the operators, however in the case that there is no space available, we will contact you within 24 hours to advise you of alternative options or offer a refund of the deposit received

1. Within 24 hours (48 for holiday or peak seasons) we will send you an e-ticket with all the vital information regarding the tour, number of people in your party, meeting times, date, balance due, etc... You MUST present your confirmed voucher on the day of the tour for admittance just like you would a boarding pass or a movie ticket. Once again, it is your responsibility to check these over thoroughly for accuracy. In some cases, the information on the e-tickets do not completely coincide with what is noted online. Please follow the instructions on the e-ticket as this is the final confirmed times and locations. *In the green friendly conscious, we are happy to support paperless tickets. If you have a smartphone or some sort of digital device to present your e-ticket, that is accepted as well just so that the operator is able to verify the information.
2. The final balance due to the provider as well as payment instructions will be clearly noted on your confirmation voucher. Many providers are now sending payment links and requesting the final payment made typically 72 hours in advance. During peak travel season and for tours that are in high demand and likely to book up, the providers may require payment immediately in order to confirm the spaces. This will be noted on the voucher or communicated to you via email if other than the 72 hours.
3. In some cases, we need to finalize information just a couple days prior to your tour. If your ticket has instructions to contact us or the provider directly prior to the tour, it is your responsibility to do so in order to ensure that your reservation goes as planned. Failure to do so may result in loss of your tour with no refund available.

Once on Vacation… we understand you don't want to think about anything once on vacation, so we make it fairly simple for you

1. The meeting times and locations will be clearly written on the e-tickets that you will receive. Once again, if you have any questions, please contact us prior to the date of the tour so that we can assist and ensure you don't miss out on your tour. We are available via our toll-free numbers in the US & Canada via your home phone or cell phones, our local numbers in each country, our WhatsApp worldwide, or via email. If you contact us after hours, please leave contact information and we will contact you once someone is available to assist you. If calling from a hotel, please remember to leave you room number and the number for your hotel if you have it available.
2. If you need to cancel or reschedule for any reason, you must do so within the time period allowed which is outlined in our policies below. These vary depending on the tour, so be sure to read thoroughly to ensure that you understand the policies. In most cases, the change/cancellation policy is noted right on your e-tickets. Once again, we advise you to read through the policies thoroughly to ensure understanding. Any changes or cancellations need to be communicated in writing via email and within standard hours of operation 10:00 am to 6:00 pm daily. Cancellation requests received after operating hours will not be processed prior to 10:00 am the following morning.

Our Policies: The Nitty Gritty Folks… plain and simple.

1. Cancellation Policy: Hey, we know you are on vacation and things come up making it necessary to cancel your tours. We are happy to provide you with a full refund less a 5% processing fee of the total tour price if you should decide to do so. The general cancellation policy for one day individual tours is: no refunds cancellations or changes less than 36 hours prior to the event. And cancelation requests must be received in writing between standard operating times of 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. This allows fair time for the operator to fill the spaces and us an opportunity to recuperate your payment. After that time (within 36 hours) they cannot fill their spaces, and we are charged in full for your tour….in other words, NO refund available and we will send you a payment link to process the rest of the tour payment if you have not already paid. See below for individual policies per activities with varying policies. Specific policies will be noted on your e-tickets in most cases. See exceptions below.
2. Change Policy: Just like cancellations, we need to be notified directly with a minimum of 36 hours to make any changes to your reservation. All changes are subject to a 5% processing fee of the total tour price. Keep in mind that changes are subject to availability. During peak seasons tours tend to completely book up and there are no remaining spaces available to offer you. In that case we are unable to guarantee that the change is possible and the cancellation policy will apply.
3. “No Port No Pay' Policy: This policy applies to cruise ships that have already sailed and cancel their calls to the port where you have activities scheduled at the last minute. In this case, we offer a 100% refund on your tour, or the option to apply the credit to a tour in another port. *If the port of call is cancelled prior to your sailing date and there is time to make other arrangements, we offer the option to apply the full credit in another port, hold the credit for up to 365 days, or a refund less a 5% processing fee. *Note: Cruise Ship time is not always the same as the local time in port. All tours run on local time in port and it is your responsibility to arrive at the correct time.
4. Operator Cancellation Policy: In the case where the tour operator cancels the tour in case of weather, mechanical issues, or any other unforeseen circumstance, you are entitled to a 100% refund and we will waive the 5% processing fee. You are not entitled to a refund however in the following instances where the operator feels that your presence risks the safety of yourself and others and they refuse you the service:
   A) You show signs of intoxication
   B) You show signs of infectious disease
   C) You are pregnant and booked on a tour where the restrictions were noted
   D) You do not meet the height & weight requirements where the restrictions were noted
   E) You are ill-mannered or offensive and preventing the enjoyment or causing the discomfort of others on the tour.
5. Weather Policy: All tours run rain or shine, so the general cancellation policy applies. The operators determine the safety and will notify us or you directly if the tour is cancelled; in that case policy #4 applies. We will do our best to contact you in advance using the contact info you provide in case of cancellation, but sometimes we will not know until the last minute and the op will typically send a driver to meet you and discuss options.
6. Late Arrival Policy: If you arrive late to your tour and the operator has already left, contact us immediately and we will do our best to try to connect you with the tour. If it is too late, we will try our best to reschedule you, if possible, for a 5% change fee, but this is subject to availability. If a re-schedule is possible, the operator determines the fees which can be up to the full price of the tour (see 'no show' policy below).
7. No Show Policy: In the case where you do not show for your tour, or you arrive too late to meet up with the group, we are unable to assist you in recuperating your money as we are charged in full for your spots. If you have already paid for your tour in full, there is no refund available. If you only paid a deposit at the time of booking, you authorize The Real Deal Tours to charge the remaining balance in full to the card used at the time of booking.

For activities such as Deep-Sea Fishing, Private Boat Charters, Group tours, and private tours where special arrangements have been made, the policies vary per activity. For groups and special services, the Groups Manager or Activities Specialist will specify the policies according to the particular operator prior to taking your reservation deposit. In cases where our site links you to another providers reservation or payment system, their cancellation policies supersede ours. Please be sure to read over them carefully and contact them directly upon receipt if you have any questions.

1. Deep Sea Fishing/ Private Boat Charters Policy: For boats up to 36', no changes or cancellations are possible within one week (7 days) of the service. For boats larger than 36', no changes or cancellations within one month (30 days) of the service. All boat charters regardless of size have a non-refundable deposit of $50 and a 5% fee of the full charter price for any changes.
2. Large Groups (15+ pax), Special Services Policy: No cancellations within one month (30 days) of the event. Changes are possible in most cases up to 2 weeks (14 days) in advance with a 5% processing fee of the total tour price. Once again, this is subject to availability.
3. Other Provider Policies: Car Rentals, Overnight Tours & Connection Tours have separate policies which supersede ours. These policies are provided on payment links and will be noted on the booking pages. By selecting that you agree to our Terms & Conditions, you are agreeing that you have read and understand these individual policies.

Customer Satisfaction is our number one goal. We do our best to look for and offer our favorite tours with operators we have hand-picked who have proven to provide our customers with amazing vacation experiences that clients would recommend to their friends and family. Sometimes things don't work out as planned, or something out of the ordinary happens to diminish the experience. We do not want you to leave your vacation with this experience clouding your trip and we will do our best to provide you with a resolution that hopefully will rectify the situation and put the smile back on you and your family's face. This is very important to us and we will do everything we can to assist you within our means, but the following policies and processes are necessary for us to find the fair resolution. Please keep in mind we are a sales agency and we do not actually provide the services. We are here to investigate and assist you, but the operators are paid in full and we have to follow a process in order to recuperate your money if it is deemed that you deserve compensation.

1. Disputes about Website Descriptions: We do our best to be on top of all the updates and tour descriptions. In case you receive a tour significantly different than the tour we listed online, please contact us immediately so that we can investigate and correct the information provided
2. Disputes / Concerns about Service Provided: Sometimes things happen out of the ordinary and the quality of the tour is affected. If you are not satisfied for any reason, we are happy to listen to your concerns and investigate for you. This is a process that is best done in writing. Our reservation staff is here to answer your questions and assist you in the booking process, however they do not have the ability to provide you with refunds or make decisions regarding courtesy credits. Once we receive your concerns in writing, they will investigate directly with the tour operator. We take your concerns very seriously. Our management team specialized in problem resolutions and will investigate your concerns. They will do their best to find a fair solution upon investigation of the situation. Please address any concerns you have to info@therealdealtours.com or respond to your original reservation and we will do our best to find a speedy and satisfactory resolution.
3. Chargeback Policy: Before initiating a chargeback, please follow the above processes first. Once again, customer service and satisfaction is our number one priority and we do everything in our power to come up with a fair resolution. In the rare case that you do not find our resolution to be acceptable and you submit a chargeback to your credit card company, this will be at your own expense. Keep in mind that you are agreeing to the above terms & conditions prior to booking and your bank will receive a copy of these as well as any information regarding the investigation into the situation that we have. If you are fraudulently submitting a chargeback request, we will request the fees assessed by our bank to process the chargeback which is $50 in addition to the amount of the chargeback itself.

The Big Disclaimer... the not so fine print

1. We are the middle man, we handle the advertising, promoting, and reservation booking for several tours, we do not actual operate the tours themselves.
2. Once on the tour, we are not liable for any injuries, accidents, loss or theft of personal belongings, etc. If any of these types of incidents occur, you will need to direct your concerns to the tour operator immediately on the day of service as we are unable to guarantee assistance on these types of incidents once you have returned home.
3. Any purchases made while on the tour are at your own risk. We are not responsible for the quality of the souvenirs you choose while on the tour.
4. Services such as photo and video of your tours are usually provided by an outside company. If you purchase photo or video of your tour, we highly recommend you requesting direct contact information so you can reach them directly regarding any questions or concerns you may have.
5. The tour descriptions, photos, and videos on our websites are provided directly from the tour operators. We are passing along the information exactly as received or based on our personal experiences. If your experience does not exactly match those online, please direct your questions to the tour operators on the day of service. Many times, the tours are slightly altered due to weather, road, or ocean conditions which can slightly affect your experience. Most times they will either explain or compensate by offering alternatives, however this must be directly addressed with the operator on the day of service.
6. Questions or concerns about a tour that you participated in that you would like to address to our Customer Relations Department must be received within 14 days of the tour in order for us to be able to conduct a thorough and accurate investigation.

Although we do not operate these tours, you can count on The Real Deal Tours team to always do our best to assist you with a resolution.

Cookies Policy

The Real Deal Tours ("us", "we", or "our") uses cookies on all of our websites (the "Service"). By using the Service, you consent to the use of cookies.

Our Cookies Policy explains what cookies are, how we use cookies, how third-parties we may partner with may use cookies on the Service, your choices regarding cookies and further information about cookies.

What are cookies

Cookies are small pieces of text sent by your web browser by a website you visit. A cookie file is stored in your web browser and allows the Service or a third-party to recognize you and make your next visit easier and the Service more useful to you.

Cookies can be "persistent" or "session" cookies.

How The Real Deal Tours uses cookies

When you use and access the Service, we may place a number of cookies files in your web browser.

We use cookies for the following purposes: to enable certain functions of the Service, to provide analytics, to store your preferences, to enable advertisements delivery, including behavioral advertising.

We use both session and persistent cookies on the Service and we use different types of cookies to run the Service:
- Essential cookies. We may use essential cookies to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts.

Third-party cookies

In addition to our own cookies, we may also use various third-party cookies to report usage statistics of the Service, deliver advertisements on and through the Service, and so on.

What are your choices regarding cookies

If you'd like to delete cookies or instruct your web browser to delete or refuse cookies, please visit the help pages of your web browser.

Please note, however, that if you delete cookies or refuse to accept them, you might not be able to use all of the features we offer, you may not be able to store your preferences, and some of our pages might not display properly.

Where can you find more information about cookies

You can learn more about cookies and the following third-party websites:

All About Cookies: http://www.allaboutcookies.org/
Network Advertising Initiative: http://www.networkadvertising.org/

The Real Deal Tours has been providing excellent customer service and amazing activities for over 18 years. Thanks so much to you and thousands of other return customers for trusting us to ensure you have the best vacation experience possible.

We appreciate you and look forward to helping you again in the future.