FAQ's  from our customers, if you can't find the answer to your question here please contact us!

Q: How do I recognize the transfer man at the airport/port/bus station/train station?
A: At the airport, one of our staff will be waiting outside the exit door of the arrivals hall, after you collect your luggage. He/she will be there holding a sign with your name on it.

Q: Am I traveling with a group on the tours?
A: If you book one of our Classical Tours, you’ll travel with a group on a bus. If you book a Tailor Made Package or Island Hopping Package, you will be using the regular transportation but will be met by our representatives at every point you visit. This makes the packages flexible to suit your needs and allows you to travel with an organized plan but with out being herded around in a group. This rule applies to both Turkey and Greece Packages.

Q: Why should I book a package?
A: When you book a package, everything is arranged to make your holiday hassle free. You save time by not having to worry about booking accommodation, buying tickets for your transport, finding your hotel when you reach the airport/port and finding the right tour when you reach the sites. We also save you money, as travel agencies get a better price than the customer, we can pass some of those savings on to you.

Q: Do you provide travel insurance?
A: Unfortunately we don't. Our guests are advised to obtain their own insurance for health and/or baggage loss while traveling. Insurance is also recommended to provide coverage to clients if refunds pursuant to the final payment and cancellation clause below are unavailable due to the terms of that clause.

Q: Do you provide International Flights? Do your package prices include land services only?
A: Unfortunately we don't provide International Flight Tickets. We recommend our clients to buy their international Air Tickets from their home country. Our package prices include all services within Greece or Turkey; Domestic Flight Tickets are included when they are mentioned in the package program.

Q: How do I pay for my tour, what is the procedure?
A:When you have decided on a package, booking and securing a spot is as easy as 1,2,3. 

1.  Decide on a package. Once you decide, we’ll send you Booking form. Download this form and fill out the required information. The form is basically a document to our bank authorizing us to use your credit card to secure your reservation. You may also keep a copy as a receipt until you reach Turkey.

2.  Fill in the form and return it to us. You can return it in one of two ways:
a. You can print it out and fax it to us at +90 212 520 45 05
b. You can just e-mail it back to us. Your information is sent to us through a secure server. We use the latest, most secure technology available, which encrypts all your personal and credit card details. 

3.  Relax your vacation is taken care of! When your credit card has cleared, we’ll book and confirm your hotels, transportation and tours. We’ll then e-mail you a detailed itinerary and arrange a convenient time and place to pick up your vouchers, (either the airport, your hotel or our office).

Q: Do I get refund if I cancel my trip due to illness or/and travel warnings?
A: We kindly request 30 % deposit on booking and the rest is to be paid 45 days prior to departure date of the tour. If a written cancellation notice is received before departure, we accept the cancellation.

CANCELLATION CHARGES FOR LAND PACKAGES: Unless otherwise stated in the contract, for all cancellations we will refund the cost of your trip less the following per-person charges. Charges shown include the 10% administrative fee.

Prior to departure:

60 days or more: 10% of selling price (Administrative Fee)
59-46 days: 30% of selling price
45-8 days: 50% of selling price
7-0 days: 100% of selling price

CANCELLATION CHARGES FOR CRUISE PACKAGES:

Prior to departure:

Charge 45 days or more: 10% of selling price (Administrative Fee)

45-31 days: 30% of selling price
30-15 days: 50% of selling price
14-8 days: 75% of selling price
7-0 days: 100% of selling price

Q: What’s the difference between getting a transfer and using a street taxi from the airport?
A:Transfer is when a driver meets you at the airport (or hotel, ferry, cruise ship etc). He is there even if your plane is delayed, he knows where you are going and takes you there for a previously agreed upon price. People like to use transfers because arriving in a foreign city after a long flight is disorienting enough; it's nice to know you can get to your hotel without a hassle. It's like having a friend meet you at the airport.

The other option is getting a street taxi from outside the terminal. The problem here is that you take a chance. You will most likely get one who doesn’t speak English. He may not know where your hotel is, and he will probably be smoking like mad. You never know if he is going to try to overcharge you or take you to your hotel by way of the North Pole.

With a transfer you have a well informed English-speaking driver in an air-conditioned minivan picking you up, helping you with your luggage, helping you check into the hotel and making sure there are no problems, (plus he won't smoke).

Q: Which Greek island is the best for a honeymoon?
A:Most honeymooners choose Santorini. It is almost a tradition and that’s why here are so many Santorini honeymoon packages.Mykonos is popular too. If you want something quieter, chooseTurkey or ask us for other Greek Island suggestions.

Q: Is it possible to catch a ferry from Athens to Istanbul, Turkey?
A:There are no ferries from anywhere in Greece to Istanbul nor from the Greek mainland to Turkey. But there is a cruise ship that makes the trip via the Greek islands. The easiest way to get toIstanbul is to fly. You can also take an overnight bus or train toIstanbul.

Q: How much do you charge in commission?
A:We don't charge the customer a commission. We get discount rates from the hotels and that enables us to sell to our clients for less than the hotels charge. Same with cruises and tours. So you could say we get our commissions from the hotels and cruise and tour companies.

Q: If I were to book the hotels, planes tickets, transfers myself, how much would I save?
A:You would probably not save much and it would take you days or weeks to do badly what we can do well in a couple hours.

Q: Any suggestions for someone who’s prone to sea sickness? 
A:If the sea is rough, and you are scared, take a Dramamine (or even half of one), before you depart - that usually works. It’s usually not really worth worrying about as these ships are huge, modern and are more like flying than being on the sea.

If you could not find the answer of your question, please do not hesitate to contact us at infor@greecetourplanner.com

Some Travel Tips for Greece...

The information provided here is given in good faith and we have done our best to keep it current. However, things change and some of the information may become out of date. If you have any questions, please contact us at  infor@greecetourplanner.com

When should I visit?
Between Easter and mid-June is a good time to visit, the beaches and sites are relatively uncrowded,and the weather isn’t sizzling yet. Also, September is an excellent time in the region. Crowds thin out when kids go back to school.

Can I \ Should I drink the water?
The water where tourists frequent is safe and chlorinated, but drink bottled water anyway. You can find bottled water everywhere, (many kiosks are open 24/7), it’s cheap and you should drink a lot to ward off dehydration in the summer heat.

Will people speak English?
Most people in the areas where tourists frequent speak some English. If you want to try Greek  -  this will get you started!
Yes  -  ne
 No  -   ohi 
hello and bye  -  yasu

What's the best way to carry my money?
Money is safest carried in the form of traveller's cheques; however, these are difficult to change in areas. With plenty of ATM's in major cities more and more people are bringing a combination of cash and credit cards. Look for ATMs displaying either the Maestro, Cirrus, Visa or MasterCard or whatever your card symbol is. ATMs will allow you to access cash (in local currency) from your credit card and possibly from your savings account if it is linked to Maestro or Cirrus or Visa Plus network. Withdrawn money or the purchase amount will be converted precisely at official rates.

If you are bringing cash, then the best currencies are US Dollars, Euro's or British Pounds. Be aware that most insurance policies will not cover for loss or theft of cash. Credit cards are useful for large purchases but they may not be accepted in small restaurants, mini markets, local transport, or taxis. **If you are traveling from Turkey make sure you either spend or convert your Turkish Lira to Euro in Turkey before you leave. The Greek banks won’t accept or exchange your Turkish lira!

Most credit cards charge a fee (about 3%) for currency exchange, which means that every time you use your credit card in Greece (to pay in Euro) you add this fee to the price of goods and services. Check with your credit card company to see what their policy is.

Should I tip?  How much?
Service charge is 15% in Greece and it’s usually incorporated in the bill. However, it is customary to leave a tip of up to 10 percent for waiters. Others, such as porters, should be tipped in proportion to the level of services rendered. Tip doormen and concierges between 2 -3 €.

Is my hairdryer/lap top/shaver going to work in Greece?
If you live in a country with 110V electricity, your electric accessories will not work in Greece where 220V (50Hz) electrical outlets are standard. . If you intend to bring any electrical equipment, an adapter that converts electricity from 220V to 110V is suggested. Two pin plugs are used throughout Greece.

What’s the best way to call home?
Getting prepaid phone cards is the cheapest way to make intercity or international calls. Local and international calls can made from public card phone using these prepaid calling cards or from kiosks equipped with meters. Prepaid calling cards can be purchased from kiosks and OTE offices. Tip: Use Vivodi Telecom Prepaid Calling Cards -  they’re the cheapest.

Is my mobile phone going to work in Greece?
In Greece you can use all GSM mobile phones (the system used in Europe and a few other countries) but, US cell phones do not work in Greece. 
If your phone is one that does work then when you first switch it on in Greece, there will be prompt asking which mobile phone provider you want to use. Choose the one recommended by your home mobile phone service provider (sometimes this will give you better rates). 
Incoming calls are expensive, because you pay for the international part of the call (from your country to Greece). 
Tip: Check on rates and services with your phone service provider, before your travel.

What should I wear?
Many religious centers and monasteries do not allow men with shorts and women with trousers, mini skirts, or shorts, (or anything that reveals too much skin) to enter.

Pack a long sleeved shirt. It comes in handy for air conditioned environments, (such as ferry boats), and in the evenings on the Greek islands where the temperature dips a bit due to wind. In spring and fall it is a must for evenings.

You also need good walking shoes for exploring some of the archeological sites.

For Summer
Greece is a hot place in the summer, so light clothing is in order. From mid-July until mid-August, the temperature sometimes reaches 45° C for stretches on for days. For most of the time you can expect temperatures between 34° and 40° Celsius. Shorts, T-shirts, and bathing suits are a must, as are hats and sunglasses.

Clothing for the Spring and  Fall 
Greek weather is mildly cool at both these times and a sweater is a necessity, especially at night. It is possible to swim from late May until the first half of October in most places in Greece. The spring months are fairly dry, but during the Fall it rains more often, though not every day, and most days might be still warm. For both seasons pack long pants, a couple of sweaters or sweatshirts and a raincoat,and bring along a bathing suit just in case.

Is Greece safe?
Violent crime is rare, but petty theft, car theft, and burglaries have been on the rise in recent years. Overall however, the crime rate in Greece is among the lowest in the European Union. Locking valuables in safes at the hotel is always a good idea, but one feels generally safe in the streets even in the middle of the night.

Some pick-pockets have been known to work around the train stations, so some extra attention is advised. Keep an eye on your bags and keep your wallet in a safe, hard to reach place.

In smaller cities the crime rate is so low that it is not even worth mentioning. One can totally relax and mingle with the local population without safety worries. In small villages crime is almost unheard off.

What about women traveling alone?
Women traveling alone should have no problems, although they might be the object of desire for the Greek "kamakis" (men who spend their days courting foreign tourists with the goal of developing a fleeting relationship) who can be annoying, but are generally polite and will eventually go away.

Having said that, women should always lean on the side of caution. Make sure your hotel room door locks properly and you feel secure. If someone starts bothering you too much tell your hotel owner or nearest police officer.

Do I need any immunizations for Greece?
There are no immunization vaccines required for a trip to Greece if you are traveling from the USA or Canada. For all other countries, consult the Greek Embassy near you.