Cancellations, Refunds and Your Deposit

• The deposit amount and when the balance is due.
• A dated refund schedule (for example, full refund before a certain date, then partial, then none).
• What happens if the operator cancels or changes the itinerary.
• What happens if the tour is cut short (you or your RV cannot continue, a road closes, a ferry is cancelled).
• Whether you can transfer to another departure or another person.
• Which currency payments and refunds use.

Tour operators set their own schedules, so you will see different ones. A typical pattern has three stages: a window where you get most or all of your deposit back, a middle stage where you lose a growing part of what you paid, and a final stage where nothing is refundable. Copy the dates into your calendar the day you book.

Ask these before paying:

• What is the minimum number of rigs needed to run this departure, and when is that decided?
• If you cancel the tour, do I get a full refund within a stated number of days, or a credit?
• Are non-refundable costs (such as a ferry reservation you paid for) refunded?
• If the itinerary changes materially, can I cancel for a full refund?

Three disruptions come up in Canadian tours:

• Wildfire smoke or closures in the Rockies, the BC interior and the north. Ask how the operator reroutes and whether campground fees are lost.
• Ferry cancellations. On routes such as Newfoundland, weather can cancel or delay sailings. Ask who rebooks and who pays for extra nights.
• Your RV breaks down. The tail gunner can help, but the group will move on. Ask whether you can rejoin later, and whether any unused portion is refundable.

Trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance can protect the money you have paid if a covered event stops you from travelling. Medical insurance is separate. Check:

• Which reasons are covered, and which conditions are excluded (including pre-existing conditions).
• How soon after your first deposit you need to buy the policy to qualify for certain benefits.
• Whether the policy covers an RV breakdown, ferry cancellation or wildfire closure.
• What your provincial health plan covers outside your province and outside Canada. It usually does not cover everything.

Our RV insurance guide covers vehicle coverage; trip and medical insurance are separate products, so talk to a licensed insurance professional.

• Pay the deposit with a credit card if the operator accepts one, since card terms can sometimes help if a business does not deliver. Rules differ by issuer.
• Keep the signed contract, the itinerary, and every email promising something.
• Screenshot the website description of the tour on the day you book. Pages change.