I know people seldom read terms, but we often get people who drop out, even days before departure and expect a full refund. Our refund policies are clearly outlined on this page. You do have the option of purchasing cancelation insurance, and we will provide a letter should you need to make a claim. I should point out that we are very generous in allowing people to push payments ahead a season or even 2, something no other company usually does. You have to remember that we sometimes turn people away when trips are full and usually cannot recover them as they often have made alternate plans, So a drop out is a loss for us in most cases. We have often made hotel, train and RV park payments as a trip gets closer which we have to absorb.
Company information for English language Caravans
Paul Beddows is not an employee of Caravanas de Mexico, he is however the interface for them. He is a friend of the owner, and does customer orientation for the company on a volunteer basis, maintains this website on a contract basis, and assists customers with making payments, etc. He is not involved in any insurance sales for vehicles or otherwise, nor does he accept commissions. Insurance is up to the customer. The company is registered in Mexico, and pays taxes there. Paul acts as a facilitator for non credit card payments, which are processed through US and Canadian accounts in a Canadian bank account belonging to the owners Canadian wife. Credit card payments are processed in Mexico via the companies headquarters in Leon, Guanajuato. The company is a legally registered, family run, Mexican Corporation. Its historic name for the 25 years it has been in business is Caravanas de Mexico. It's legal name for tax and registration purposes is Caramex.
Terms are Updated for 2027 season. Note that deposits are NOT refundable but can be moved.
Why do we Price in Canadian Dollars? We have both Canadian and American customers, usually it is about 50/50, but when you add in our Quebec French Language Caravans, Canadians are in the majority. We can operate pretty seamlessly in both currencies and we do the exchange at the book rate, not the buy/sell, so it makes little difference, but can be confusing fro Amee4ican customers who are used to being charged USD, not Canadian. Canadian customers are used to having to pay for trips in a foreign currency/ (In their case USD). You may pay in either currency. We have a widget on our payment page and our prices page to do the conversion from USD to Canadian. It is also available at https://www.mexicocaravans.com/widget.html. You are credited at the book exchange rate when you make any payment.
Note: If you have a lien on your vehicle or it is in a company name, or it is a pickup with a GVWR in excess of 3500 kg or 7710 lbs, please contact Paul directly for guidance at [email protected].
We require 3 payments after the deposit, due in the calendar year before departure. It is approximately 1/3 of trip cost (less deposit) on April 1st, on Sept 1st, and either at the border in USD cash or within 30 days of departure by credit card, money order, bank transfer or Canadian e-transfer. Payments after initial deposit are 100% refundable up until 150 days before departure, then in declining amounts This is consistent with most of our competitors. One competitor sets it at 90 days. Remember however, that we take the last payment near or at departure, so that money is not at risk, so our formula is probably better. In addition, if you purchase cancelation insurance you can skip covering 1/3 of the cost. Payments made more than 2 weeks beyond due date are subject to a $130 Canadian or $100 USD service charge.
If you sign up beyond payment dates, you are responsible to pay the missed payments, plus the deposit at signup.
It is UP TO THE CLIENT to purchase insurance to protect themselves against loss due to circumstances or events if they wish. See Protect my Trip
1) If you wish to buy cancellation insurance, upon request we will issue you a receipt indicating the value of the trip and amounts paid. Since we allow the final payment to be made upon departure, this may be all you need to insure. If you are concerned about trip interruption, then you may want to insure the entire amount. We are flexible. Send requests to Paul at [email protected]
2) Since some payments are non-refundable we really advise taking out cancellation insurance for your trip. Here are 2 options
Travelguard for Americans: 1-800-826-5248 or www.travelguard.com
Travelguard for Canadians: 1-866-878-0191 or www.travelguard.ca
3) You have to be careful as many companies will require you to purchase coverage within 48 hours or 7 days, or some other limitation period of paying the deposit. This is why we will include the deposit and first payment as a single amount dated for when you made first payment or we will date it a few days later if needed. If they demand a paypal receipt of something like that, you may not be able to include the deposit. We will just label both as "Payment" collectively.
4) Trip cancellation is often cheaper when purchased in conjunction with Travel Medical Insurance.
5) A couple of other trip cancellation insurance web sites to check out
http://www.securiglobe.com/en/Trip-Cancellation-and-Interruption-Insurance/
https://www.insuremytrip.com/
REFUNDS
Refunds are based on what you have paid by the date of your cancellation, less any non refundable payments made. Refund amounts are based upon when you cancel. You will generally receive a full refund less deposit if you cancel in the period before 150 days prior to departure. Declining amounts after that.
REFUND SERVICE CHARGE: We charge up to $250 Canadian or $200 US Max to refund up until 150 days before departure. After the 150 day mark is passed, we waive that. Service charge amounts vary depending on how you made your payments. It cost us more if you used a credit card, for example.
Deposits
The Initial deposit is non-refundable unless we cancel. May be transferred to another trip same season at our discretion. They can usually be pushed forward a season. Other payments can be pushed forward for a small service charge.
Over 150 days before departure 100% refund of money paid (less deposit), less any non refundable payments made and a maximum $250 Canadian or $200 USD service charge, depending on payment history.
120 - 150 days before departure 85% refund of money paid (less deposit), less any non refundable payments made
90 - 120 days before departure 70% refund of money paid (less deposit), less any non refundable payments made
60 - 90 days before departure 50% refund of money paid (less deposit), less any non refundable payments made
30-60 days before departure 25% refund of money paid (less deposit) less any non refundable payments & less the outstanding balance on the full trip price still owed.
Less than 30 days before departure NO REFUNDS, or at our discretion.
If other trip vacancies are available in the same season we will allow a deposit shift to the following season at our discretion, In many cases we allow shifting all payments to the following season (sometimes beyond) for a modest service charge, which means no loss on your part.
We allow, and in fact, encourage payment of the final payment (approx 1/3) at the border in cash. US funds only (unless we advise otherwise). This helps us with Wagon Master operating funds at the start of the trip. This may mean less penalty for you if you drop out after the second payment as well. (we can't force you pay money you haven't paid). If you choose to pay by another method, this must be done about 30 days beofre departure.
THE FINE DETAILS
If you have to leave the trip en-route for reasons beyond your control, we MAY refund any non pre-paid fees for items such as RV parks, hotels, etc. & some service fees at our discretion. However, this is what trip cancellation & interruption insurance is supposed to protect you against. You will not receive a refund for any deposits we have paid on your behalf.
Please note that in some cases we may be forced to alter the announced RV Park, due to circumstances beyond our control. This is rare and we will substitute the best alternative we can locate.
If for any reason you decide to leave the caravan to travel and stay on your own and do not re-join the caravan again, NO FEES ARE REFUNDABLE. There are instances where this may be done with the permission of the Wagon Master. In those instances you may rejoin the group later. If you leave against the instructions of the Wagon Master, you are on your own, with no monies refundable. In that case it will be up to the Wagon Master as to whether you may rejoin or not. Refusal to follow Wagon Master instructions is grounds for expulsion without compensation. Caravanas de Mexico is not responsible for the safety of a customer if they have left the caravan.
Cancellation of the trip by Caravanas de Mexico before departure, will result in a full refund.
We have been very generous in the past in accommodating people who have to cancel. We allow the initial deposit to be transferred to another trip the same season, usually without penalty. That will NOT change. We usually allow shifting deposits and payments ahead a season depending on circumstances and usually without penalty. If there is a wait list we almost certainly do. You may also find someone on your own to take over your payments and substitute, but you have to arrange that yourself and then inform us. Protecting your payments is what cancellation insurance is for. Please note that if you request to shift your payments ahead, if you do this close to departure when we have prepaid for services with amounts we cannot recover, you may be penalized. We do not do that unless we have to. For some reason some customers assume that if we fill their spot after cancelation they will get a refund. This happens a lot with cancelations close to departure date where financial penalties are higher. We get asked this all the time. The answer is NO. If you find a friend to take your spot, then yes, you can make a PRIVATE arrangement with them and we will honor it for just a service charge. We do gain money on cancelations if we can refill them, but that ultimately keeps our prices lower and helps subsidize some trips we cannot fill. We have only ever canceled one trip in out history. If the possibility of financial loss concerns you, then purchase cancelation insurance.
We have set the first payment dates and deposits for most trips for next season. They vary depending on trip, whether it is full or almost full, etc.
There is a first payment due on a date we set (in March). We will invoice you or give you a link to the payment page. This is refundable up until 120 days before departure. Final payments are usually due at the border. After 120 days before departure the money paid (less the initial deposit) are refundable in the decreasing amounts outlined below. We allow final cash payments at the border of amounts we predetermine.
Failure to pay before or on the due dates could result in losing your spot to someone on the wait list, if one is in place. W ealso apply a penalty (at our dsicretion) for late payments. Your deposit will be forfeit, but applicable to another trip the same season or following season. If you cannot make a payment due to extenuating circumstances, contact us with the reason. We are not unreasonable. You do have to realize that by the 120 day prior to trip date, we are having to lay out money for reservations.
Cancellation by the client for any reason, will receive a refund of monies according to our refund criteria on this page. We usually offer the option to delay at a prefential rate or switch trips..
Initial deposit is not refundable. Substitutions are not allowed, but we sometimes allow it at our discretion in exceptional circumstances, or if it's a friend or family taking your place. If we do allow it, be aware there will be a service charge involved. Usually $200 USD.
Any requests to opt out of tours must be made in writing 60 days before departure and emailed to [email protected]. Opting out is at our discretion, but we will consider it for tours that involve hotels for those that have pets (they do not wish to be left in care we arrange) or in some cases where extreme high altitudes are involved and a customer is on oxygen. Generally speaking, however, this is sold as a package.
Single discounts are $1000 Canadian US for trips of over 60 days, $700 Canadian for 38-59 days, $350 Canadian for short trips. Amounts calculated in the currency you are paying with (US or Can) but based on Canadian.
We give discounts for previous customers ranging from of about 7.5% depending on trip length
Participants will be required to sign a standard waiver of liability before departure, which will also outline our responsibilities to you. You may download a copy of this HERE.
Participants will be required to fill out a medical form and give it to the wagon master in a sealed envelope with their name. This will only be opened in an emergency and will be returned to you after the caravan. You may download a copy of this HERE.
Pets (download pdf)
Code of Conduct (download pdf)
All finances for trips must be handled direct with Caravanas de Mexico.