General terms and conditions

Article 1 – Definitions

Holland City Tours

the company providing tours and related services under the name Holland City Tours, registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK) under number 89751736, VAT number NL004760596B94. Also referred to as "we" or "us".

Client

the individual or organisation that makes a booking with, or enters into an agreement with, Holland City Tours.

Participant

every person who takes part in a tour, including the client where the client takes part.

Tour

any private guided tour, multi-city day trip, group programme, shore excursion or other service offered by Holland City Tours.

Shore excursion

a tour departing from Rotterdam Cruise Port as described in article 15.

Booking

a confirmed reservation for a tour, made directly with Holland City Tours or through a third-party platform.

Agreement

the agreement between Holland City Tours and the client for the provision of one or more tours.

Article 2 – Applicability

1. 2.1 These general terms and conditions apply to all quotations, bookings and agreements between Holland City Tours and the client.
2. 2.2 Deviations from these conditions are valid only if agreed in writing.
3. 2.3 Where a written quotation or booking confirmation conflicts with these terms, the quotation or booking confirmation prevails for that booking only.
4. 2.4 The self-guided audio tours shown on this website are sold and delivered by VoiceMap. Their purchase, access and any refund are governed by VoiceMap’s own terms, and these terms do not apply to them.

Article 3 – Quotations and Offers

1. 3.1 All quotations and offers are without obligation, unless a period for acceptance is explicitly stated.
2. 3.2 Quotations are based on information provided by the client, who guarantees that all essential information is correct and complete.
3. 3.3 Holland City Tours cannot be held to a quotation or offer if the client should reasonably understand that it contains an obvious mistake or error.
4. 3.4 A composite quotation does not oblige Holland City Tours to perform part of the assignment for a corresponding part of the quoted price.
5. 3.5 Quotations do not automatically apply to future services.

Article 4 – Bookings and Reservations

1. 4.1 A booking is confirmed upon receipt of a booking confirmation from Holland City Tours or from the relevant booking platform.
2. 4.2 Bookings made through third-party platforms (such as GetYourGuide, Viator, Tripadvisor or Airbnb) are subject to the cancellation and refund policies of those platforms, in addition to these terms.
3. 4.3 By completing a booking, the client agrees to these general terms and conditions.
4. 4.4 Holland City Tours reserves the right to cancel a booking in case of non-payment.

Article 5 – Payment

1. 5.1 Payment terms are as stated at the time of booking. For direct bookings, full payment is due prior to the start of the tour unless otherwise agreed in writing.
2. 5.2 Prices include VAT where applicable. All prices are listed in euros unless stated otherwise.
3. 5.3 For group, corporate and travel-trade bookings, a deposit or advance invoice may be required. Payment terms for such bookings are specified in the quotation or invoice.
4. 5.4 Invoices must be paid within 14 days of the invoice date unless otherwise agreed.
5. 5.5 If payment is not received on time, the client is legally in default and statutory commercial interest applies.
6. 5.6 All collection costs, both judicial and extrajudicial, are borne by the client, being 15% of the outstanding amount with a minimum of €40 excluding VAT.
7. 5.7 Complaints about an invoice must be submitted within 8 days of the invoice date.
8. 5.8 The client is not entitled to offset claims against amounts owed to Holland City Tours.

Article 6 – Cancellation by the Client

1. 6.1 Cancellations must be communicated in writing to info@hollandcitytours.com.
2. 6.2 The following cancellation policy applies to direct bookings made through the Holland City Tours website:

• Cancellation more than 24 hours before the start of the tour: full refund, excluding non-refundable costs already incurred on the client’s behalf, such as museum entry tickets.
• Cancellation within 24 hours before the start of the tour: the full amount is due.

1. 6.3 For bookings made by travel agents, tour operators, DMCs and other trade parties directly with Holland City Tours, cancellation is free of charge up to 48 hours before the start of the tour. For cancellation within 48 hours before the start, the full amount is due.
2. 6.4 For bookings made via a third-party platform, that platform’s cancellation policy applies to the client.
3. 6.5 For custom or tailor-made tour offers, the free cancellation period may differ and is specified in the offer or quotation.

Article 7 – Cancellation or Changes by Holland City Tours

1. 7.1 Holland City Tours reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a tour in the event of extreme weather conditions, unforeseen circumstances, illness of the guide, or any other situation that makes the tour unsafe or impractical. See also article 8 (Force Majeure) for events beyond our control affecting multiple tours or bookings.
2. 7.2 In the event of cancellation by Holland City Tours, the client is offered an alternative date or a full refund.
3. 7.3 Holland City Tours reserves the right to make changes to the tour route or programme for operational or safety reasons. Such changes do not entitle the client to a refund.

Article 8 – Force Majeure

1. 8.1 Neither party is liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under these terms where this results from circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to natural disasters, extreme weather, fire, flood, pandemic or epidemic, government action or travel restrictions, strikes or labour disputes (including at airports, ports, or public transport operators), civil unrest, terrorism, war, or failure of third-party suppliers, venues, or transport providers (“Force Majeure Event”).
2. 8.2 If a tour is affected by a Force Majeure Event, Holland City Tours will make reasonable efforts to offer an alternative date, an alternative itinerary, or a refund proportional to the services not provided. Holland City Tours is not obliged to compensate the client for indirect or consequential losses, including but not limited to missed flights, cruise ship departures, connecting transport, accommodation costs, or other travel arrangements. For shore excursions, article 15 applies in addition.
3. 8.3 Article 7 (Cancellation or Changes by Holland City Tours) applies in addition to this article for weather- or safety-related decisions specific to a single tour.

Article 9 – Execution of the Agreement

1. 9.1 Holland City Tours carries out its services with due care.
2. 9.2 Holland City Tours undertakes a best-efforts obligation, not a guarantee of results.
3. 9.3 Where required for proper execution, Holland City Tours may involve third parties, after consultation with the client.
4. 9.4 Agreed timings are never strict deadlines unless explicitly stated as such. If a deadline is exceeded, the client must give Holland City Tours written notice of default and a reasonable period in which to perform.
5. 9.5 Articles 7:404, 7:407(2) and 7:409 of the Dutch Civil Code are explicitly excluded.

Article 10 – Changes to the Assignment

1. 10.1 Changes requested by the client that could not have been foreseen and that cause additional work are charged separately, at the rates agreed.
2. 10.2 If incorrect or incomplete information from the client causes extra work, the additional costs may also be charged.
3. 10.3 Changes are valid only once accepted in writing by both parties.
4. 10.4 Changes may lead to a longer delivery time.

Article 11 – Participant Responsibilities

1. 11.1 Participants are expected to arrive at the agreed meeting point or pick-up location at the scheduled time. Holland City Tours cannot be held responsible for a tour missed through late arrival.
2. 11.2 Participants must follow the instructions of the guide at all times. Holland City Tours reserves the right to exclude a participant from a tour if their behaviour is disruptive or unsafe, without entitlement to a refund.
3. 11.3 Each participant is responsible for obtaining any necessary travel insurance prior to their tour.
4. 11.4 The client ensures that every participant on their booking is aware of these terms.

Article 12 – Assumption of Risk and Physical Participation

1. 12.1 Tours may involve walking on uneven or cobbled surfaces, canal-side paths, stairs, bridges, and areas with public traffic, may include travel by vehicle, train or boat, and may take place outdoors in a range of weather conditions. By taking part, participants acknowledge these inherent risks, and the client confirms that all members of their group are in adequate health and physical condition to take part.
2. 12.2 The client must inform Holland City Tours in advance of any medical condition, mobility restriction, or allergy that may affect a participant’s ability to safely take part in a tour. This applies in particular to tours that include food and drink.
3. 12.3 Tours generally proceed in light rain or ordinary weather conditions. The guide may shorten, adapt, or reroute a tour for safety reasons without this constituting a cancellation entitling the client to a refund.
4. 12.4 Participation in tours is at each participant’s own risk.

Article 13 – Liability

1. 13.1 Holland City Tours is not liable for personal injury, loss, or damage to property sustained during a tour, unless such injury, loss, or damage results directly from gross negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of Holland City Tours.
2. 13.2 Holland City Tours is not liable for indirect damage, including consequential damage or lost profits.
3. 13.3 The liability of Holland City Tours is at all times limited to the amount paid by the client for the tour in question.
4. 13.4 Holland City Tours is not responsible for delays, changes, or cancellations caused by third parties, including transport providers, museums, churches, restaurants or venue operators. For arrangements involving such third parties, the terms of those third parties apply.
5. 13.5 Nothing in this article limits the guarantees set out in articles 15 and 16.

Article 14 – Cruise-Linked Private Tours

1. 14.1 This article applies where a private tour other than a shore excursion is booked in connection with a cruise ship call. Start times, duration, and itinerary are based on the published or communicated arrival and departure times of the vessel and may be adjusted at short notice if the ship’s schedule changes.
2. 14.2 If such a tour cannot take place, in full or in part, because the ship arrives late, departs early, skips the port, or otherwise changes itinerary, Holland City Tours is not liable for this. Holland City Tours refunds only the portion of the tour price corresponding to services not delivered, less any costs already incurred, such as guide fees, tickets, or transport booked on the client’s behalf.
3. 14.3 Participants are responsible for returning to the ship on time. Holland City Tours is not liable for a participant missing their vessel’s departure, except where this results directly from gross negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of Holland City Tours.
4. 14.4 Shore excursions are governed by article 15, not by this article.

Article 15 – Shore Excursions from Rotterdam Cruise Port

1. 15.1 This article applies only to the shore excursions of Holland City Tours departing from Rotterdam Cruise Port, namely Delft & Kinderdijk, Delft & Royal Delft, and the Private & Custom Shore Excursion. It applies alongside the other articles and, where it conflicts with them, it prevails.
2. 15.2 Return to the ship. Holland City Tours plans every shore excursion backwards from the client’s stated all aboard time, including transfer time in both directions and a safety margin into which nothing is scheduled, and works from the vessel’s actual arrival and departure times rather than the published ones.
3. 15.3 If the client misses the vessel’s departure because of a delay attributable to Holland City Tours, Holland City Tours refunds the excursion in full and arranges the client’s onward transport to the vessel’s next port of call, contributing up to EUR 100 per person towards the cost of that transport. Any cost above that amount is for the client’s account. This does not apply where the delay is caused by the client, by a Force Majeure Event as described in article 8, or by the vessel departing earlier than the all aboard time given to Holland City Tours at the time of booking.
4. 15.4 If the vessel does not call at Rotterdam. Where the client’s vessel does not dock at Rotterdam, for any reason including weather, a skipped port or a change of itinerary by the cruise line, the client may choose either a full refund of the excursion, including any pick-up supplement, or a transfer of the booking to another date at no charge, subject to availability.
5. 15.5 To make a claim under article 15.4, the client provides the notice issued by the cruise line, or evidence of the vessel’s tracked position on the day. No other proof is required and no administration fee is charged.
6. 15.6 Both guarantees in this article are given per booking and are limited to the persons named on that booking.

Article 16 – Our Guarantees

Alongside the free cancellation window in article 6, we make two promises at the point of booking. They are set out here so that what the checkout says and what these terms say are the same thing.

1. 16.1 Free cancellation. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your tour starts, on the terms in article 6.
2. 16.2 Money back guarantee. If you are not happy with your tour, you get your money back. This guarantee applies to tours booked directly on hollandcitytours.com by individual travellers.
3. 16.3 It does not apply to bookings made by travel agents, tour operators, DMCs or other trade parties, or to bookings made through a third-party platform, where that platform’s own policies govern.
4. 16.4 To claim, tell us within 7 days of the tour date, by email to info@hollandcitytours.com, what went wrong. We refund the tour price in full, minus any costs we incurred on your behalf that we cannot recover, such as museum or attraction tickets, transport, and reservations made for your group. Those costs are named on your booking confirmation, so you can see in advance what is and is not refundable.
5. 16.5 Lowest price guarantee. We also sell our tours through online travel agencies such as GetYourGuide, Viator, Tripadvisor and Airbnb. Booking directly on this website is always the lowest price for the same tour. If it is ever not, we refund you the difference.
6. 16.6 To claim, send us the link or a screenshot showing the lower price at info@hollandcitytours.com, before your tour takes place. The lower price has to be for the same tour, on the same date, at the same start time, for the same group size and with the same inclusions, and it has to be publicly available and bookable at the moment we check it. We verify the claim ourselves on the platform in question.
7. 16.7 The lowest price guarantee does not cover an obvious pricing error on our side or the platform’s, a price shown in a different currency, a rate that requires membership, a discount code or a platform-wide sale that we do not set, or a price that forms part of a bundle or package with other services.
8. 16.8 Both guarantees are given per booking and are limited to the persons named on that booking. Refunds are made to the payment method used for the booking.

Article 17 – Guides and Subcontractors

1. 17.1 Tours may be delivered by employed staff or by independent, self-employed guides working with Holland City Tours. References to “Holland City Tours” in these terms include guides and other subcontractors engaged to deliver the tour.
2. 17.2 Holland City Tours remains the client’s point of contact for bookings, changes, and complaints, regardless of who delivers the tour.

Article 18 – Minors

1. 18.1 Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for the duration of the tour, unless otherwise agreed in writing in advance.
2. 18.2 The accompanying adult is responsible for the supervision and safety of any minor in their group.
3. 18.3 Where a tour includes alcohol, it is served only to participants aged 18 and over, and the guide may refuse service.

Article 19 – Photography, Video, and Marketing Use

1. 19.1 Holland City Tours or its guides may take photographs or video during a tour for internal records and, unless a participant objects at the time, for use in marketing materials, the website, and social media.
2. 19.2 Participants may decline to be photographed or filmed by informing the guide before or during the tour. Requests to remove existing material can be sent to info@hollandcitytours.com.
3. 19.3 Personal data included in such material is processed in accordance with article 20 (Privacy).

Article 20 – Privacy

1. 20.1 Holland City Tours processes personal data in accordance with applicable Dutch and European privacy legislation (GDPR). Personal data is used solely for the purposes of managing bookings and communications.
2. 20.2 Personal data is never sold or shared with third parties, except where required for the execution of the booking.
3. 20.3 The privacy statement on this website sets out in full which data is processed, why, and for how long.

Article 21 – Complaints

1. 21.1 Complaints about a tour must be submitted in writing to info@hollandcitytours.com within 7 days of the tour.
2. 21.2 Holland City Tours responds to complaints within 14 days of receipt.
3. 21.3 Complaints about an invoice follow the shorter window in article 5.7.

Article 22 – Right of Withdrawal

1. 22.1 Because tours are leisure services performed on a specific date, the statutory 14-day right of withdrawal for online and distance purchases under the EU Consumer Rights Directive and Dutch implementing law does not apply. The cancellation terms in article 6 apply instead.

Article 23 – Miscellaneous

1. 23.1 If any provision of these terms is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.
2. 23.2 These terms, together with any specific booking confirmation or written quotation, constitute the entire agreement between the client and Holland City Tours and supersede any prior agreements or representations relating to the same booking.
3. 23.3 No failure or delay by Holland City Tours in exercising a right under these terms operates as a waiver of that right.

Article 24 – Applicable Law

1. 24.1 These terms and conditions are governed by Dutch law. Any disputes arising from these terms are submitted to the competent court in the Netherlands.
2. 24.2 This choice of law does not deprive a consumer client of the protection afforded by mandatory provisions of the law of the country in which they are habitually resident, where such protection applies under EU consumer law.

Company details

See also our privacy statement.