Policy Overview
Refunds and Cancellations
Policy Overview
By making a reservation, the customer acknowledges and agrees to the cancellation terms outlined in this policy. A user will be regarded as a customer upon payment of a deposit. Deposits are non-refundable and are required to secure a reservation. We kindly request that you take the time to familiarize yourself with our cancellation policy prior to booking any tour.
Key Points to Remember:
- A deposit between 20-35% is required to confirm a reservation, depending on the tour package.
- The full balance should be settled at the latest before 18:00 pm the day prior to the tour.
- Tour deposits are non-refundable, unless canceled by the operator.
- A charge of 50% of the tour amount will apply for cancellations made less than 24 hours before the scheduled tour date.
- A charge of 100% of the tour amount will apply for cancellations made on the day of the tour or after 18:00 the day prior.
Our Approach:
Five Star Thailand is a small family business located in the beautiful Phi Phi Islands. Our goal is to ensure a fair cancellation policy that respects everyone involved. Since we specialize in private tours, and we have a limited number of boats, cancellations are a challenging affair to manage–there is a lot of work involved and an entire team of people dedicated to each individual reservation, including tour guides, boat captains, deckhands, and drivers. We also provide private use of our vehicles, such as our speedboats, long-tail boats, and mini-vans–on top of that we also make non-refundable reservations on our customers behalf with third-party business such as transfer services, and meal preparations.
Deposits
Deposits paid are non-refundable due to customer request, irrespective of the reason provided.
- Longtail Boat Tours: 25% deposit is required
- Speedboat Tours: 35% deposit is required
- A 100% deposit amount is applicable for last-minute reservations.
Deposits cover operational and reservation costs, making them non-refundable.
Policy Definitions
For the purposes of this policy, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
- "24 Hours" refers to a period exceeding 24 hours before the calendar date of the scheduled tour. This does not mean 24 hours prior to the tour's specific starting time, which is not a relevant factor in the calculation of time.
- "Operator" refers to Five Star Group (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
- "Customer" refers to the primary tour guest, specifically the cardholder responsible for booking, managing, and handling the reservation.
Cancellations Policy
Cancellation Before 30 Days
- ✅ Guests may cancel their tour reservation free of charge if 30 days or more remain before the tour date.
- A refund of the deposit can be provided asuming more than 30 days notice.
- Payment processing fees will be deducted from the refunded amount.
Cancellation Between 30 Days - 24 Hours
- Deposits are non-refundable.
- No further payments are due.
2️⃣4️⃣🔻 Cancellation Less Than 24 Hours
- 50% of the total tour price will be charged for cancellations with fewer than 24 hours until the tour date, but before 18:00 PM.
- Customers must notify us of cancellation as soon as possible to prevent any further payments being charged.
All cancellations must be submitted in writing via email to hello@fivestarthailandtours.com. The timestamp of receipt locally will determine cancellation time.
❌ Same Day Cancellations (After 18:00 PM)
- Cancellations made after 18:00 (6:00 PM) on the day prior or on the tour date are non-refundable.
- Cancellation requests made on the day of the tour are non-refundable
- The full tour amount (100%) will be charged in all circumstance listed above
Cancellation By Default (Failure to Pay or Communicate)
Guests are required to settle the remaining balance or contact us before 6:00 PM on the day preceding the tour date. In situations where the customer has not fulfilled the payment by this deadline, and has failed to respond after all reasonable attempts at communication have been exhausted by the operator, we reserve the right to cancel a customer's reservation. The customer will remain liable for the full tour payment, and rescheduling will not be permitted.
If the balance remains unpaid, customers acknowledge that the full agreed upon tour amount will be charged automatically. If a payment dispute arises, we reserve the right to pursue collection through legal means.
Cancellation Reasons
Our cancellation policy applies without discrimination, no matter the reason for cancellation. Including but not limited to; missed travel connections, delayed flights, sickness, coronavirus test results, travel restrictions, incorrect service(s) booked, incorrect date(s) booked, or a last-minute change of heart – our policy remains consistent. We strongly recommend that customers have their own travel insurance policy to cover unexpected events.
👩⚕️🩺 Medical Cancellation
Cancellations resulting from tourist illness or other medical circumstances do not alter our cancellation policy; deposits are non-refundable, and 50% of the tour amount is due if cancelled less than 24 hours prior, while 100% is payable if cancelled after 18:00 PM the day before or on the day of departure. Travel insurance is strongly recommend if you require cover for mediacal cancelations.Travel Insurance
Travellers who are concerned they may need to cancel at the last minute due to sickness, injury or medical emergencies are strongly required to have their own travel insurance policy. It is advised to check the policy conditions and in most cases if you have to cancel with genuine reason at the last moment, and have sufficient evidence, we encourage you to open a claim with your travel insurance provider.
Weather Conditions
Your safety remains our utmost priority, and the operator will not hesitate to cancel tours should sea conditions pose a risk to safety. However, we must be explicitly clear that tours will not be canceled nor refunds issued solely due to rain, as rain alone is not considered a factor in assessing ocean safety. The operator will not hesitate to cancel tours when safety concerns arise. Such conditions include unsafe wave heights, sea swells, or the issuance of red flag alerts by the National Parks Department.
Please be assured that a full refund will be granted if the operator cancels a tour due to safety concerns. Refunds will not be issued if a customer opts to cancel due to rain.
Date Changes
Date changes are made upon request, at the operator's discretion, and will be addressed on a case-by-case basis, subject to availability, requiring at least 24 hours notice to be considered. If a tour is rescheduled for a future date the original booking date applies for our cancellation policy. If your reservation is moved to a sooner date, the new date overrides.
Refund Process
If a refund has been mutually agreed upon between the customer and the operator, refunds will be processed within seven days. Once a refund has been issued, it may take up to ten business days for the funds to be credited, and the exact timeframe is subject to the customer's bank.
If a tour is canceled by the operator, customers will receive a 100% refund. In the case of a refund issued due to a request from the customer, payment processing fees will be deducted, typically around 3% - 6% the rate is set from the customer's payment provider.
Legacy Policy
Customers who have made a reservation on or before February 1, 2025, are entitled to a full refund for cancellations made at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled tour date. Should you require a comprehensive version of our refund policy applicable to reservations made before the aforementioned date, please contact us via email.
Force Majeure
The operator shall not be held liable for any failure or delay in fulfilling its obligations due to events that are beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to pandemics, tsunamis, natural disasters, government orders, war, or any other extraordinary circumstances that significantly disrupt tourism to the Phi Phi Islands (collectively referred to as "Force Majeure Events").
In the occurrence of such Force Majeure Events, deposits shall remain non-refundable; however, they will be preserved as travel credits for future utilization. Customers shall not be required to make any additional payments.
Should government-mandated travel restrictions, natural disasters, or war necessitate the suspension of tours for seven (7) or more consecutive days, the operator's standard cancellation policy shall be waived. Guests will not be liable for any outstanding balances that were previously agreed upon. The operator will evaluate each situation on an individual basis and strive to provide alternative solutions within six (6) weeks.
Policy Clarification
This policy is subject to modification. By remitting a tour deposit to Five Star Group (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the customer consents to these terms.
The official language governing our cancellation policy is English; translations or interpretations in other languages, including Thai, are not permissible. All disputes shall be governed by the English language version of this policy.
This cancellation policy is governed by the laws of Thailand. In the event of any dispute, parties agree to first seek resolution through mediation before pursuing legal action.
For any inquiries or concerns, please reach out to our customer service team:
Inquiries? We are Online: hello@fivestarthailandtours.com
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