SpotHolder
Plan ahead. Waaaaaaaaay ahead.
We at PacSet believe that Japan travel should be for everyone. It’s why we pioneered the industry’s first payment plan system for Japan travel, which has helped make a Japan vacation a reality for hundreds of our awesome PacSet alumni. In 2018, we’re taking things even further!
Introducing SpotHolder.
SpotHolder is a coupon that lets you save your place on any PacSet trip that is more than a year away and doesn’t have a final price yet. You can even use it for trips a full two years in advance. Need a little more flexibility? We’ve got you covered: SpotHolder is fully refundable up to a year from the date of purchase*, so if the tour price goes up or you want to cancel, you’re good to go. Not only that, but the coupon gets you $50 off your trip deposit too.
No matter what kind of adventure you want to take, SpotHolder makes sure you’ll be on it. Interested in that trip to the Cat Island 18 months from now? You’re in. Want to go see the Kobe Luminarie Festival during the holidays in 2019 since you have to visit the in-laws in 2018? Done. Gion Festival in 20 months? AnimeJapan in 2 years? Hot Spring (Onsen) vacay next spring? Yep, yep, yep.
Plus, you’ll have a ton of time to save up for the journey, save vacation days at work, and save your sanity. So no matter what situation you’ve got, hold that spot.
Get way more out of your vacation.
The best part? You’ll also have the assistance of the best team in Japan travel going over every detail of your trip. We’ll cover your personal travel style, your wish-list, and put together a list of destinations based on your interests. It’s the kind of attention to detail that has earned us some of the best reviews in the industry.
Ready to go?
SpotHolder is available for any trip 12-24 months in advance. Book here, or read on for more information.
*SpotHolder cannot be refunded following the sign up deadline for a trip (typically 2-3 months before the trip departs), even if it is within 12 months from the date of purchase.
**If you switch your SpotHolder to a later tour, the original refund period designated still applies. There are NO refunds more than one year after the date of purchase.
More Information
Step 1: Select a trip here. If the trip you select is more than 12 months away (or the “SpotHolder” icon is on the top of the page), it means that you can hold your spot for that trip!
Step 2: You’ll pay $250 for the SpotHolder coupon for the trip you selected. Want to switch to another SpotHolder trip later? Just ask!**
Step 3: When the trip is just under 12 months away, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the final price. At this point, you can choose to refund SpotHolder or use it for the tour you held.
Step 4: Your SpotHolder counts as a $300 deposit on the tour! From there, simply pay the rest at the trip signup deadline, or use PacSet’s popular Monthly Payment Plan to cover the difference.
Step 5: Have an amazing trip!
Can I switch SpotHolder to a tour that’s already priced out/less than a year away?
If the tour was priced out/less than a year away when you purchased SpotHolder, then no. Otherwise, yes! The usual refund terms apply of course, but should you do this, the coupon can be used as a $300 deposit on the tour you switch to.
Can I switch SpotHolder to a tour that’s after the one I originally booked?
Yes, but bear in mind that SpotHolder is only refundable until up to a year after purchase. A switch to a later tour also nullifies the rule that allows for a refund after the price is announced.
Why can’t you announce a final price more than a year in advance?
The travel industry has become extremely unpredictable, and while we used to be able to obtain pretty solid price guarantees more than one year in advance, those days are gone. The only way we can price a tour and be sure the price won’t soar or dive is to price it 11 to 12 months in advance.
Can I e-mail you to ask for an earlier disclosure of the price?
We’ll just cut and paste the answer to the above question if you do. We love you guys, but a lot of you do this and we humbly request you stop.
I want a refund. Is a SpotHolder refund still charged the refund fee that is owed with all other tour payments?
No! SpotHolder is the one exception to this rule. HOWEVER: the fees will be charged once SpotHolder is used as a deposit payment.
I’m an alumni. Can my alumni discount be used for SpotHolder?
Sadly, no. You will get $100 off the first monthly payment after SpotHolder is used, or the payment of your balance.
I have another coupon. Can I use it for a discount on SpotHolder?
Sorry, no. ;_; However, much like the alumni discount, you can use it on the the first monthly payment after SpotHolder is used, or the payment of your balance.
Why is this kind of program necessary? Why can’t I just pay for everything sooner?
Credit card companies frown upon any kind of business that accepts money for a service that isn’t instantly delivered, like a pizza or something else tangible you buy. In fact, the reason that so many travel agencies take months trying to get credit card processing set up is because of the risk traditionally involved with such transactions. Every single processor we talked to and work with frowns greatly upon any service that can result in a refund more than a year later.
In other words: Unless the entire world stops using Credit Cards, we have to play by their rules.
The silver lining of all this is that our hotel partners in Japan don’t usually release prices earlier than a year in advance anyway, which means we can make the prices that are released more accurate – so you pay less! Nice, right?
Why can’t I get a refund more than a year later?
Because America loves credit cards. See the above answer.
I have a special circumstance/an emergency that warrants my cancellation…
We will work with you, of course, but do bear in mind that if you feel like there are circumstances that might come up, you can purchase Travel Insurance to assist with any emergency cancellations once the price is announced. Travel Insurance can help you get a refund for any tour – but only within a year of the tour date.
SpotHolder is valid for one (1) year from date of issuance, rounded to the last day of the month. For example, if your SpotHolder is issued on 12/2/2014, you have until 12/2/2015 to redeem it).
Refunds
1. SpotHolder may be refunded until one year after the date of purchase.
2. No refunds are allowed more than one year after the date of purchase, unless special conditions apply (see following note).
3. In the instance that the final trip price is announced more than one year after the date of purchase, PacSet will credit the customer up to seven business days after the final trip price is announced should they wish to cancel.
4. Once SpotHolder is used for a tour, it is no longer considered a SpotHolder coupon and is no longer bound by the refund parameters described here EXCEPT:
5. Any funds from a SpotHolder coupon cannot be refunded more than a year after the date of purchase. All other refund information for normal tour payments can be found here.
Trip Price Announcements
Once a trip price is announced, PacSet will contact all customers holding a spot on the trip with SpotHolder. When this happens, the customer will be asked to confirm that they want SpotHolder to be used for the trip in question. Once they confirm, SpotHolder is considered “used” and is bound by all standard PacSet policies.
Should a customer request a refund, SpotHolder will be refunded. If the customer wishes to sign up again, they will be asked to pay the normal deposit or first monthly payment for the trip in question.
Miscellaneous Rules
1. SpotHolder cannot be used for any of the following:
– Any trip where the flight to Japan from the United States or Canada is provided.
– Any kind of international airline ticket, airfare, or related travel.
– School Tours, Private Trips, and any special trip arrangement service.
– Any trip where the final price has already been announced (11-12 months prior to departure)
2. SpotHolder cannot be transferred to another guest.
3. SpotHolder cannot be insured by a travel insurance company; it is a coupon. Deposits for trips with announced prices may be insured.
4. There are no blackout dates when using SpotHolder. Reservations are subject to availability at the time of booking and all applicable terms and conditions.
5. All taxes, fees, charges, and surcharges applicable to the booking, including, without limitation, extra person, phone, parking, and other charges are applicable to your reservation, and SpotHolder cannot be applied to them. These charges must be paid at the time of the trip deadline and are the responsibility solely of the customer.
6. SpotHolder cannot be applied to the cost of cancellation or change penalties, prepaid reservations, administrative fees, or other miscellaneous charges.
7. SpotHolder is deemed fully used once a qualifying reservation has been made and will not be returned or replaced, even in the event that the reservation is cancelled. Customer is responsible for the cost of the booking above the value of the redeemed SpotHolder coupon.
8. Terms and conditions of SpotHolder are as written and cannot be changed by any representation of any unauthorized person, including employees of PacSet.
9. Not redeemable for cash. Coupon cash value 1/100ยข.