Sedona Wine and Vortex Tours - Policies

Please note that our tour polices evolve over time due to the fact that we constantly encounter changes to our operational environment, and new unexpected situations and challenges that arise during the course of serving our guests. So, we are constantly adding, subtracting, refining and streamlining our policies in order to achieve the optimal balance between guest satisfaction and company profitability. 

We greatly appreciate your understanding during this ongoing process and hope to see you on our tour. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our friendly and knowledgable staff. We're here to help. 

TOUR RATES AND PRICING: 

We are a fully custom, highly qualified and specialized boutique tour company, offering the flexibility to adjust itineraries based on your preferences during the tour. To keep our pricing straightforward for both you and our business, we follow a simple approach:

Our rates cover guide and transportation services only. Guests are responsible for any additional costs they incur during the tour, including food and wine, etc. However, our guests can often expect to receive tour company discounts at establishments that we do regularly visit. As of this policy statement, there are no entry fees to any of the establishments we visit. 

We’ve chosen this pricing model to keep tour rates affordable and allow the guests to have unlimited options at each venue. The cost of wine and food in our area is typically reasonable. By allowing you to pay directly, we avoid having to increase the price of our tours and limit your options.

We are here to help. While we don’t cover these additional costs, we work hard to facilitate your experience and work with staff at each venue to ensure everything runs smoothly so you can focus on enjoying your time with friends and loved ones.

UNANNOUNCED ADDITIONAL GUESTS: 

Like most people, we try to avoid surprises and unexpected situations. Your reservation is valid only for the number of guests specified on the reservation at the time of booking. Adding unannounced guests to your tour without prior approval is generally not permitted and may result in cancellation of the tour at our sole discretion without refund.

If additional guests are present at pickup, we may offer the option for the tour to proceed, however each unannounced guest will be charged an additional fee of $125—payable immediately upon pickup via cash or electronic payment (e.g., Venmo, Zelle, Cash App). This fee helps offset the surprise impact on seating logistics, time management, guest experience, and vehicle wear, and compensates for the fact that your tour rate is based on a private, prearranged booking—not a per-head rate like public group tours. If approved by the guide, the tour will depart only once payment has been confirmed. Guests who are unable or unwilling to comply with this policy at the time of pickup will forfeit their tour and no refund will be given.

We base our tour preparation—including seating, timing, and logistics—on the guest count provided. Please contact us in advance if you wish to include additional guests so we can confirm availability and adjust the tour details accordingly. This will also ensure that the value-based flat rate will apply, and not incur additional charges.

CANCELLATIONS/REFUNDS/RESCHEDULING:

At our boutique tour company, each reservation is highly valued. As a low-volume provider, cancellations and last-minute changes significantly impact our ability to manage scheduling and revenue. To ensure smooth operations, we maintain the following policies:

• Refunds are only issued for cancellations that fully comply with our policy. Any exceptions are granted solely at our discretion.
• Guests are responsible for reviewing our policies in advance. We make them publicly available for this reason.

General Tour Cancellations: Cancellations must be made not less than 72 hours before your scheduled tour to qualify for a refund. Please note that as of April 2023, our payment processor (Square) no longer refunds processing fees when a transaction is canceled. These fees typically range from 2.3% to 3.5%, depending on your payment method. As a result, all refunds will reflect the net amount we receive from Square — in other words, your refund will equal the original tour price minus any non-refundable processing fees.

We understand plans change and do our best to be flexible, but as a small business we’re unable to absorb third-party transaction fees on cancellations. We appreciate your understanding and support of our small business.

Rescheduling (General Tours): Requests to reschedule made within 72 hours of the tour are subject to availability. If no suitable date is found, no refund will be issued. Only one rescheduling request is allowed per booking.

Rescheduled Tours: All rescheduled tours remain subject to the original 72-hour cancellation policy. If a rescheduled tour is canceled or no suitable new date is available, no refund will be given.

Group Tours (8–14 Guests): For group tours requiring more than one vehicle we ask that you please confirm the pickup location at least one day prior to the tour so we avoid logistical surprises. For larger tours we are usually in contact by phone so that we can confirm and update such details well before the tour, but please keep in mind that sudden unannounced changes that are impossible for us to accommodate may result in cancellation without refund. Example: for unexpected reasons, you now want us to pick you up far outside of our normal service area. 

Group Tour Exception: For 8–14 passenger groups, a minimum of 72 hours' notice is required for cancellation or rescheduling. Cancellations made within 72 hours will receive a 50% refund; cancellations within 48 hours are non-refundable.

Important Notice About Cancellations & Rescheduling: All cancellation or rescheduling requests must be made by phone during business hours (Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, Arizona time) by calling 928-295-5275. If we are unavailable, please leave a voicemail—your voicemail timestamp will serve as your official notification time.

🚫 ADDITIONALLY: Requests via email, text, or social media are not accepted. We are often in the field without internet or cell reception, so we cannot guarantee timely receipt of messages sent via non-voice channels. This policy ensures fair notice and allows us a reasonable chance to rebook your tour slot.

SATISFACTION POLICY:

While the vast majority of our guests love their experience with us, we do not offer a general satisfaction-based refund policy. Every tour is the result of thoughtful planning, personal engagement, and years of experience. If we deliver the service as promised, refunds will likely not be issued based solely on personal preference or subjective expectations. That said, we are always open to hearing your feedback, and any refund consideration will be at our sole discretion.

WINERY AND WINE TASTING WAIT TIMES: 

Wine tasting is a very popular activity in the Sedona area, and guests may occasionally experience extended wait times. Most wineries operate at full capacity and do not offer special treatment to tour groups. While we always strive to deliver a seamless experience, wait times are beyond our control. If a location is too busy, we are often able to pivot to another venue with shorter wait times. To improve your chances of a smooth visit, we recommend scheduling your wine tour when demand is typically lower.

SMOKING / VAPING :

To ensure comfort of all guests and drivers, smoking or vaping of any kind is strictly not allowed inside the tour vehicles at any time, or at any of the public places we visit such as vortexes, overlooks or any other places without a dedicated smoking area. Our smoking/vaping policy applies to all guests and members of the party. 

HEALTH & ILLNESS POLICY: 

We believe that vaccine status is a private matter and do not require guests to disclose it. However, we ask that any guest who is ill or experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness—including COVID-19, the flu, or conjunctivitis (pink eye)—please stay home. This helps protect our guides and other guests from exposure.

If you’re feeling unwell, please cancel or reschedule your tour. You are welcome to wear a mask during your tour if you wish, but it is not required. We do not require our guides to wear masks.

DRINKING, GETTING SICK 

We kindly, but strenuously ask that you avoid getting sick in our tour vehicles. If you or a member of your party gets sick in the vehicle, you agree to cover the full cost of professional cleaning and any necessary repairs or replacements, up to $2,000, to restore the vehicle to its prior condition. While this has thankfully never happened, there have been a few close calls. We would love to never have to invoke this policy. 

The best way to avoid this is to know your alcohol tolerance and stay well within it. For wine tours, please do not begin the tour already under heavy influence. Save your appetite for the tastings and enjoy responsibly as we visit each venue. Remember: it's a "wine tasting" tour, not a "wine guzzling" tour. We want you to relax, be yourself, and have a fantastic experience—but we must also protect the integrity of our service and the comfort of future guests. We do reserve the right to end the tour without refund if a guest begins in an inebriated state or over-consumes along the way. Thank you for understanding.

Additionally, no open containers of alcohol are allowed in the vehicle. We provide bottled water, and ask that no food or snacks be consumed in the vehicles to help us maintain a clean and comfortable environment for everyone.

WEATHER POLICY:

Weather in Sedona and the Verde Valley can change quickly, especially during monsoon season (late July through early September). Though rare, weather conditions may occasionally impact our ability to safely complete some parts of a tour. We assess weather conditions carefully and will make any necessary adjustments for guest safety and vehicle care. If a scheduled tour feature becomes impractical due to weather (e.g., a vortex hike), we will substitute with a suitable alternative, such as an additional scenic stop or a winery visit. True weather cancellations are extremely rare but will be made at the discretion of the guide based on safety and quality concerns. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility.

PETS: 

As pet people we absolutely understand the bond between people and their pets, but we are unable to accommodate animals of any kind on our tours. This includes service, support, and comfort animals. This policy ensures the safety, comfort, and experience of all guests and reduced maintenance and cleaning of our fleet vehicles. We are often required to perform back-to-back tours on an extremely tight schedule and simply don't have time to properly prep vehicles between tours when a pet is present. And, we never know if our next guest will suffer from some unknown pet allergy. Please plan to safely leave your pet at your accommodation during your tour with us. If you are on a "day trip" visit to Sedona and scheduled for one of our tours, and arrive at a public meetup location with a pet and no prior pet care arrangement has been made, the tour will be canceled without refund. This is a sensitive issue for us, and our policy is in place to prevent any risks associated with leaving pets in vehicles unattended, which can pose serious dangers to the pet regardless of weather.

We thank you for your understanding and encourage you to arrange safe care for your pets so we can all enjoy the tour without worry.

THIRD ROW SEATING – SAFETY NOTICE: 

Guests seated in the third row of the vehicle are asked to exercise additional care when entering and exiting. Please allow your guide to assist with third-row access to prevent injury or damage to the vehicle interior. When the vehicle is parked, your guide will promptly and safely assist you. Your patience and cooperation are appreciated to ensure everyone's safety and comfort.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY & SAFETY: 

We take pride in maintaining a spotless safety record and are always mindful of potential risks. That said, each adult guest is responsible for their own safety and for the safety of any minor or dependent in their care. Please follow all instructions from your guide—especially in matters related to entering/exiting the vehicle, securing seatbelts, and navigating uneven terrain. Seatbelts are required by law and must be worn any time the vehicle is in motion.

PARKING FEES & ENTRY CHARGES: 

Guests are responsible for any applicable parking or entry fees to locations such as vista points or state parks that are not part of our standard tour itinerary. These fees are usually nominal, and in many cases, the company may cover fees for the sake of convenience. However, especially for larger groups, you may be asked to reimburse the guide for these charges.

TIPPING POLICY FOR GROUPS: 

Tipping is never required, but greatly appreciated. For private group tours—especially those involving 6 or more guests—gratuity is customary and greatly valued in recognition of the guide's extended efforts to ensure your group’s comfort and enjoyment. If your group enjoys the tour and feels well cared for, an average gratuity of 15–20% of the total tour cost is common and considered appropriate. Tips can be provided in cash or via digital payment options.

GROUP CONDUCT & PARTY TOUR POLICY: 

We welcome all types of celebrations—including bachelorette and bachelor groups—as long as they align with the respectful and relaxed tone of our tours. Please note that our company does not offer party bus or "wild and out of control" experiences. We are not a bar-hopping service or a mobile nightclub.

While we want you to have a fun and memorable time, we expect all guests to treat our vehicles, guides, and each other with courtesy and care. Rude, destructive, excessively loud, extreme or disruptive behavior is grounds for immediate termination of the tour without refund, and guests may be required to arrange alternate transportation back to their accommodation or pickup area.

We also require that the primary booking contact (i.e., the person who made the reservation) remain with the main tour vehicle with the senior guide throughout the experience, so we have a single point of communication for group coordination and accountability.

We’ve had the pleasure of guiding many respectful, joyful groups celebrating special occasions—and we want to continue doing so. Thank you for helping us keep the experience enjoyable and safe for all.

DINING DURING TOURS: 

Guests are responsible for their own food and beverage costs while dining at restaurants or cafes visited during the tour. If your guide joins you during a meal, the tour time continues to run, as your guide remains actively engaged and on duty. While guests occasionally offer to cover the guide's meal as a courtesy, this is never expected and a separate bill is always requested by default. Your generosity is always appreciated but completely optional.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS: 

If you or someone in your group has a medical condition that requires special consideration (e.g., mobility assistance, dietary restrictions, or the use of medical equipment), please let us know at the time of booking or as soon as possible. While we do our best to accommodate a wide range of needs, certain limitations—such as vehicle space, physical terrain, or guide capabilities—may prevent full accommodation in all circumstances. We will always make every reasonable effort to assist, but due to our inherent limitations as a small company we may not be able to accommodate guests with special needs.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us provide the best experience for all guests, and to help our company run more smoothly and efficiently Thank you.