Terms & Conditions

Please read the Terms and Conditions carefully, as your deposit payment signifies acceptance of the Terms and Conditions.

TOURIST GUIDES CRETE P.C  –  TOUR EXPERTS  BOUTIQUE TRAVEL  provides private tours, tailor made programs and shore excursions. The tours, shore excursions or tailor made programs are starting from the prearranged meeting point (can be hotel, airport, port or other). Concerning Cruise ship passengers, Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel  cannot be held responsible if the Cruise ship or the local agent representing the Cruise ship company in Greece, change the departure time or program of the Cruise. Before starting the shore excursion, inform the reception or the excursion department employee on duty of the tour you will participate and provide your contact information or even provide to them our company’s telephone number to inform us for any changes, to be back on time.

Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel ( and all our guides, driver-guides, directors, officers, employees, affiliates, partners, agents, contractors, interns, suppliers, service providers) cannot assume responsibility or liability for any loss or damage to personal effects or for any injury or loss during the duration of a tour, excursion or tailor made program. We cannot be liable for any injury, loss, claim, or any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages of any kind, including, without limitation lost profits, lost revenue, lost savings, loss of data, replacement costs, flight costs, accommodation costs, or any similar damages, whether based in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability or otherwise, arising from your use of any of the service or any products procured using the service, or for any other claim related in any way to your use of the service or any product, including, but not limited to, any errors or omissions in any content, or any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of the service or any content (or product) posted, transmitted, or otherwise made available via the service, even if advised of their possibility. Because some states or jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or the limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, in such states or jurisdictions, our liability shall be limited to the maximum extent permitted by law. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you purchase appropriate travel/medical/ baggage/ cancellation insurance. Our guides will provide all the necessary information concerning safety and access to sites visited. In cooperation with an authorized insurance agent we provide an insurance plan, if you wish us to make the proper arrangements, contact us prior to the arrival date, to inform you about the additional cost per person and all the details.

Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency offers a travel protection plan through an independent provider. Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency provides information about the policy, but detailed questions should be directed to the insurance provider. Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency is not authorized to act as agent for the insurance provider. Any claims, disputes or other matters pursued under the policy must be directed to the insurance provider.

Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency  offers a travel protection plan through an independent provider. Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel  Agency provides information about the policy, but detailed questions should be directed to the insurance provider.  Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency  is not authorized to act as agent for the insurance provider. Any claims, disputes or other matters pursued under the policy must be directed to the insurance provider.

Any disputes shall be governed by Greek law and are subject to exclusive jurisdiction and venue in a state or federal court located in Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel  Agency strongly recommends travel/medical/baggage/cancellation insurance. In case you need an additional insurance plan to feel safe you can contact us for further information.

Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency does not assume responsibility for ensuring that facilities, venues and all other sites, such as archaeological sites, historical public buildings and fortresses visited can accommodate persons with disabilities. While we will try to meet your needs, please be aware that facilities and venues are often not able to accommodate persons with disabilities. If you have a disability and require assistance, please notify us to discuss your needs prior to making any deposit or payment. We will be able to guide you appropriately to choose places easily accessible.

Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency  as a legal  , registered travel agency ,  can provide  services directly to guests visiting Crete , or we can cooperate with travel agencies from Greece or  abroad / tour operators , providing our  guiding services / planning events or tours etc.  In any case we will issue invoices for the services we provide, supporting legal transactions through our cooperative Bank (Alpha Bank). You can pay online using an e-pos provided by Alpha Bank (using a secure link to pay with  credit card) or on the date of issue, we have a wireless gprs pos provided by Eurobank. In any case an Invoice will be provided.

All payments made using the card are processed through the electronic payment platform of “Nexi e-Commerce” of Nexi Payments Greece S.A. and uses TLS 1.2 encryption protocol encryption with 128-bit (Secure Sockets Layer – SSL). Encryption is a way of coding the information until it reaches its recipient, who will be able to decode it using the appropriate key.

All guests/costumers dealing with our agency are covered with a liability insurance contract. Our liability contract is provided by Interamerican.

For all the programs (Full day or half day tours) that are organize through our site we cooperate with a licensed transportation company and two travel agencies on Crete that provides us competitive prices.

Disclaimer – Refusal of Responsibility:

All tours and excursions organized by our travel agency are accepted and can be consider legitimate only if the voucher of our travel agency with the attached receipt invoice is shown. A tour order is issued by our agency and guides are either freelancers providing invoice or employed by our agency through the system Ergani. The same applies with the vehicles (mini vans, cars, busses). The cars are registered and the invoice and tour order must be in the car available for any control by the authorities.

The tour or transfer must be prepaid with a bank transfer at our company account or with a credit card (using a secure link of the cooperative bank). Once you proceed to the payment of the service, you will receive a booking voucher, with the payment transaction details. For the chauffeur service, (which is provided only in terms of pre-booked and prepaid) we will also need a copy of passport/or ID, full Name/Surname, address and contact details.

Baggage

Every effort is made to handle your baggage carefully while on a tour, shore excursion or tailor made program. Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency is not responsible for and does not assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to bags due to breakage, theft, wear and tear by a hotel, airline, bus company/transportation Company or others who may handle your bags. You are responsible for your personal belongings. We will though do our best to help you, in any case, translate or understand documents or forms you might need to complete in the authorities.

We would like to mention that with good faith and good will we will try to assist and resolve any problem that might occur. We will be sincere and accurate in the descriptions of all our programs and tours, explaining all details.

By making the deposit payment you are deemed to have accepted Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency Terms and Conditions.

We welcome you on Crete and invite you to see more, feel more and discover the real Crete.

Although every measure has been taken on our behalf to ensure that you will have a pleasent and safe experience ( the vehicles are fully insured , annually checked by authorities and  twice a year by authorized service, equipted with alarm systems and dash cameras – we use only secure parking lots and areas  ) , we can not be held liable for the loss of personal items and belongings if there are stolen during the tour from the vehicles .

Cost per person : the following cost per person applies , as an offer , according to the period of time : 1 participant 50 euro ( entrance fee not  included ) or 70 euro ( with entrnace fee – combined ticket for Knossos and the museum included) . The cost of the entrance fee is subject of change at any time and is responsibility of the Ministry, in any case we will try to inform you as soon as possible in any case of change in the cost of the entrance fee. The cost per person  refers to the guiding fee and all taxes and VAT 24%. Other participants may join the tour up to the number of 8. ( total number of the participants of the shared tour)

Refuse of Service :

The company and its members reserve the right to refuse the service (to provide the guided tour) for any reason.( before the date of issue )  In this case full refund will be provided ( including the fees ( if any ) charged by the bank. The company and its members can refuse the service to guests that for any reason are aggressive , offensive  or rude, to us ( guides providing the service) or other guests – visiting the site . ( in this case no refund ).

Appointments :

Through the booking form , you can proceed to an appointment  and meet your guide for a private tour at Knossos or be picked up from hotel , accommodation, airport or port  ( for the drive tours) . In case false directions are provided by the customer , the agency , the guide or the driver can not be held liable for any delays or misunderstandings that might lead to cancellation of tha appointment. ( in this case  no refund will be issued) . The guides / drivers will wait in any case 20 min maximum  (past the meeting time / booking appointment) , if the clients are delayed , and after that time are free to leave the site , without providing the service ( no refund will be issued) . If the clients inform the guides / drivers that are on the way ( delay due to traffic, difficulty in finding parking spot  etc), we will wait over 20 min ( within reasonable time frame) , and if there is no other booking , to be affected .

Cancellation and Refund policy – Penalty charges

Provision has been made for the possibility of cancelling an agreed product or service.

Specifically:

• More than 15 (fifteen) days prior to the scheduled tour: Full refund, excluding 10% for administrative and credit card fees (those are bank transactions fees). The fee can be less than 10 %, depending on the policy of the banks involved in the transaction.
• 14 (fourteen) to 6 (six) days prior to the scheduled tour: The amount will be refunded, excluding the 10% for administrative and credit card fees (those are bank transactions fees) and 10 % penalty charges.
• 5 (five ) to 3 (three) days prior to the tour: No refund
• No show or delay of arrival: No refund
• The shared tour has a nonrefundable policy – but guests are free to reschedule during the season any time (result of communication of the client with the office , via mail)
• Regarding the entrance fees , we will try to fulfill the guests request and prearrange tickets m but guests are solely responsible for any documentation /ID needed to secure reduced tickets or free entrance . We can not be held responsible , if the personel of Knossos does not accept the documentation or ID that the guest is providing . We strongly recommend to be on site earlier to arrange those details , and particularly for the per person tour – not to delay the group.

Refunds will be returned within 30 days of the cancellation date. A fee of 10% will be withheld for administrative and credit card fees. If the tour is cancelled byTourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency  no commission is kept. If a bank or an institution chooses to keep a percentage of the fee ( commision fee) it is not up to us, as a company. During the Pandemic of 2020 (COVID-19) we refunded all the deposits / or amount for the prebooked services and all our clients got every cent back.

In case that Tourist Guides Crete P.C – Tour  Experts Boutique Travel Agency acts as an intermediate to a service provided by a third party (supplier) to the customers – the terms and conditions regarding cancellation of the respective third part apply.

In case of war / pandemic / seismic – volcanic activity / flood / tsunami or any other catastrophic event that does not allow us to provide the tour or service, the customer B2B or B2C will receive a voucher of the amount he has deposited in the company account, to be used for future services ( voucher is valid for 18 months – longer period may apply depending on the event. ( and always in accordance with the Greek law). In case of bad weather,strikes, riots,  safety comes first , we will consider safety first and reschedule the tour. If that is not possible we will refund the cost of the tour, excluding the costs – tickets or fuel or VAT which we have already paid. ( if this happens during the day of the tour)

B2B.

B2B clients must pay the full amount of the tour / service / transfer, before the date of issue. A proforma invoice will be provided (within the month of the deposit) and an invoice will be provided once the tour / service is provided (within the month of the service) In case of bookings through travel agencies in Greece, EU or international  ( U.S – Australia , rest of the world ) the company Tourist Guides Crete P.C can keep a 40 % fee for the travel planning and arrangements already made, no matter the reason of cancellation . In cases of groups making arrangements for tours and excursions in Greece or Crete for multiple days we will not be able to provide a refund. This means that our team of travel planners has already worked and planned the tours and experiences for your clients and for this reason a 40 % fee will be held. This 40 % includes all administrative fees, bank transaction fees, accounting fees for the invoices / proformas – refunds.

B2B cancellation policy :

• More than 21 (twenty one ) days prior to the scheduled tour: Full refund, excluding 10% for administrative and credit card fees (those are bank transactions fees). The fee can be less than 10 %, depending on the policy of the banks involved in the transaction.
• 14 (fourteen) to 6 (six) days prior to the scheduled tour: The amount will be refunded, excluding the 10% for administrative and credit card fees (those are bank transactions fees) and 10 % penalty charges.
• 5 (five ) to 3 (three) days prior to the tour: No refund
• No show or delay of arrival: No refund
• In case of travel planning of tour / event  or service a 40 % of the amount of the total is held ( for the work – planning – arrangements of the group). To reschedule the group for the next year /season the arrangements / payment has to be made from the beginning.
• Rescheduling a tour / event within the month has no fee – rescheduling the tour in a different date ( more than a month from the initial booking ) has an additional fee of 30 % of the total of the first booking.

In case of war / pandemic / seismic – volcanic activity / flood / tsunami or any other  catastrophic event that does not allow us to provide the tour or service, the customer B2B or B2C will receive a voucher of the amount he has deposited in the company account,  to be used for future services ( voucher is valid for 18 months – longer period may apply depending on the event. ( and always in  accordance with the Greek law). In case of bad weather,strikes, riots,  safety comes first , we will consider safety first and reschedule the tour. If that is not possible we will refund the cost of the tour, excluding the costs – tickets or fuel or VAT which we have already paid. ( if this happens during the day of the tour)

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Greek National Tourism Organization (known as EOT )

– The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) is a public entity supervised by the Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Maritime Affairs and Tourism. Its mission is to organize, develop and promote Greek tourism, within the country and abroad. By virtue of Presidential Decree 343/2001 (Gov. Gazette 231/A), the GNTO’S main competences consist in:  Submitting proposals on mapping tourism policy Implementing tourism policy as laid down by the Government.  Establishing and implementing the national tourism promotion program at local, national and international level.  Supporting public services, local authorities and other natural or legal persons in actions aiming at the promotion of tourism. GNTO consists of the Head Office located in Athens and 15 Offices abroad, whose mission is to promote Greek tourism worldwide. By virtue of Presidential Decree 112/2014, all licensing and monitoring competences of the GNTO, including its Regional Offices, were transferred to the former Ministry of Tourism. In particular, 14 Regional Offices of Tourism are entrusted with the responsibility for:  Licensing tourism accommodation facilities, travel agencies and other types of tourism businesses Carrying out inspections of tourism businesses.  Conducting quality control regarding services provided by tourism businesses.  Monitoring the official classification of tourist accommodation.  Imposing administrative sanctions on tourism businesses. – At the local level, local authorities (regions and municipalities) draw up and implement programs and activities for tourism development and promotion in the area under their jurisdiction. These activities are not financed by central government; local authorities make use of their own resources or European program funds. As regards tourism promotion activities in particular, it is mandatory for all public (national or local) authorities to obtain prior approval from GNTO, with a view to harmonizing their tourism promotion campaigns with the overall tourism promotion strategy of the country.

What is a Tourist Guide

Nature of the Profession

According to the law 710/1977 on Tourist Guides, “A tourist guide is a person accompanying tourists or visitors of the country, foreigners or nationals, leading them and suggesting the sights of the land, the monuments ancient or historical, the works of art of all periods, explaining to them their meaning, destination and history and providing more general information about ancient and modern Greece”.

A tourist guide’s working license in Greece is obtained after a compulsory and successful 5-semester attending of the Schools of Tourist Guides operated by the Organization of Tourism Education and Training.

The Lecturer Tourist Guide’s contribution to the promotion of Greece and Greek culture is an integral part of his/her job, which has the following features:

a) It presupposes the thorough knowledge of at least one foreign language which makes possible the direct communication with the foreign visitor, whom the Tourist Guide endeavors to initiateinto Greek civilization, answeringall of his/her questions, explaining history and art and also linking the distant past with present day Greece.

b) It presupposes a broad and deep knowledge not only of history, tradition and art but also of the social structures and the geopolitical context that created them. Tourist Guides acquire this knowledge both through their studies at the School of Tourist Guides and through consistent personal learning and attending of annual training seminars organized by the OTET.

c) It presupposes great discretion and tact when it comes to national issues, without patriotic quick temper but with respect for historical truth, speaking for the interests of Greece and making known the contribution of Greek civilizationto the global developments. For a half or a whole day as well as for four or five or even ten and twenty days, the tourist guide provides HOSPITALITY to visitors in the full meaning of the term, creating a relationship of friendship and trust and making of them friends of Greece. Furthermore, being often the receiver of the comments and impressions of the foreigners, he/she is the connecting link between our country and them, being called upon to redress misunderstandings and misrepresentations which could discredit Greece all over the world.

d) During rides on tourist coaches from one site another the tourist guide speaksabout the climate, the territory, the flora, fauna and the natural resources of the country as well as its economy. He/She promotes and presents the Greek products and describes further regions of Greece, trying to make the foreigners interested in a second or third travel to Greece. He/She presents the Greek language, revealing to the visitors the countless Greek words that they use in their own languages. He/She speaks about Greek music and cuisine.

In short, he/she enlivens the history of the country; his/her living relation with Greece makes him/her, in the foreigners’ perspective, ‘the person that they know best in Greece, an ambassador inside the borders of the country”.

PLEASE NOTE THAT TOURIST GUIDES ARE A PROFESSION THAT HAVE TO BE EMPLOYED BY  A TRAVEL AGENT – THEY CAN NOT ORGANIZE A TOUR ( WITHOUT HAVING THEIR OWN AUTHORISED TRAVEL AGENCY) . THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW AS A LOT OF GUIDES ADVETRISE THEIR TOURS ONLINE AND YOU AS A CLIENT ARE NOT COVERED. ( THERE IS NO  LIABILITY INSURANCE )

The guides that have not their own travel agency, but sell their tours online, do not have a liability insurance, do not have a registered license to organize and sell tours online. In any case of an accident or a problem you are not covered.