These are the questions travellers ask before booking with a company they have not used before: is it real, what do I pay today, what happens next, and what if plans change. Where the site already has one official answer, this guide links to it instead of rewording it.
How does booking work for day tours, shore excursions and packages?
You choose a tour, a date and the number of travellers on the tour page, then fill in a few details. What you pay today depends on the type of tour.
| Cappadocia day tour from your hotel | Shore excursion | Package / day trip by plane | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay today | Nothing, no card | Nothing, no card | 40% deposit by card (at least the flight cost on trips with domestic flights), or the full amount |
| Pay on the day | Cash, in euros or US dollars | Cash to your guide, in US dollars, euros or British pounds | Balance in cash on arrival (5% off the total) |
| Free cancellation | Up to 72 hours before | Up to 24 hours before; full refund if the ship skips the port | No free window: charges from a 25% administrative fee, by date |
| Free date change | At least 72 hours before | At least 24 hours before | At least 21 days before |
| Confirmation | WhatsApp or email, usually within about 1 hour (09:00–18:00 Turkey time) | WhatsApp or email, usually within about 1 hour (09:00–18:00 Turkey time) | Confirmed, with e-voucher, once the bank approves the card payment |
Source for every row: our terms and cancellation policy.
- Cappadocia day tours from your hotel (Red, Green, South). The Red, Green and South tours run every day. Hotel pickup is 09:30–10:20 depending on your area, and same-day booking stays open until 07:30 Turkey time.
- Shore excursions. You give your ship name, port date and WhatsApp number when you book, so we can reach you before the call.
- Packages and day trips by plane (for example the Istanbul–Cappadocia packages, where domestic flights are included). You pay the deposit by card when you book and the balance in cash when you arrive. Our Istanbul and Cappadocia trip guide follows a package day by day.
Two of our pages show the difference: the Cappadocia Red Tour is paid in cash on the day, while the 3 Days Cappadocia Tour Package from Istanbul takes the card deposit. Cruise passengers: the Ephesus and Virgin Mary shore excursion follows the shore column.
What do I pay today, and how?
Day tours from your hotel and shore excursions: nothing. Packages and day trips by plane: a 40% deposit by card, or the full amount if you prefer.
- Card only for the deposit. You pay by Visa or Mastercard, in euros. The deposit is taken by card only.
- 3-D Secure. Your bank shows its own 3-D Secure check (an SMS code or your banking app), the industry standard that lets the bank confirm it is really you.
- Your card details go to the bank, not to us. You type them into a form that sends them directly to our bank (Türkiye İş Bankası). They never reach or are stored on our servers; we receive only the payment result and a masked card number. Our privacy page explains this.
- Balance. If you paid the deposit only, the balance is paid in cash on arrival, and paying it in cash takes 5% off the total.
- Tour day. Payment on the tour day is cash only. We do not take cards on the tour day.
Is TurkeyVia a real company?
Yes. The seller is named on our terms page, and you can check it before you pay anything. The seller is İlke Seyahat Turizm Ticaret Gıda Orman Ürünleri Gemi Acenteliği İthalat İhracat Sanayi Limited Şirketi, trading as TurkeyVia, Turgut Ozal Bulvari 67/1, Kusadasi, Aydin 09400, Turkey (terms).
Other things you can verify yourself:
- Bookings and questions go to [email protected], and the same company name appears on your confirmation.
- Every tour is led by a licensed local guide, in English.
- The cancellation schedule is published on the cancellation page before you book.
- Card payments are checked by your own bank with 3-D Secure.
- Package holidays sold in Turkey fall under the Package Travel Contracts Regulation (Paket Tur Sözleşmeleri Yönetmeliği), published on mevzuat.gov.tr; our package cancellation terms follow it.
We do not show badges, star ratings or visitor counters. Read the terms, compare the company name and address, and ask us anything on WhatsApp before you book.
What happens after I book?
Day tours and shore excursions: we confirm, then send the e-voucher and the details for the day. Packages: the booking is confirmed as soon as the bank approves the card payment.
Cappadocia day tours from your hotel
- We confirm on WhatsApp or by email, usually within about 1 hour (09:00–18:00 Turkey time). Your e-voucher follows by email.
- The day before, we message you the exact pickup time: 09:30–10:20, by hotel area.
- You pay in cash on the day, in euros or US dollars.
Shore excursions
- We confirm on WhatsApp or by email, usually within about 1 hour (09:00–18:00 Turkey time). Your e-voucher follows by email.
- We confirm the meeting time on WhatsApp 48 hours and again 24 hours before your port call.
- You pay your guide in cash on the day, in US dollars, euros or British pounds.
Packages and day trips by plane
- You pay the deposit by card when you book.
- Your booking is confirmed and your e-voucher emailed once the bank approves the payment.
- You pay the balance in cash on arrival.
If you book a day tour or shore excursion late in the evening, expect the confirmation when our reply hours start. We do not promise instant confirmation for these.
Can I change the date or cancel?
Yes. A date change is free, subject to availability, if you ask at least 72 hours before a day tour, 24 hours before a shore excursion or 21 days before a package or day trip by plane. The full rules are on the cancellation page.
- Day tours: free cancellation up to 72 hours before. Between 24 and 72 hours, 50% of the tour price is refunded; under 24 hours or no-show, no refund.
- Shore excursions: free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and a full refund if the cruise line cancels or skips the port call. You pay on the day, so nothing is collected in advance.
- Packages and day trips by plane: 91 days or more before departure, 25% of the total is charged (the administrative fee); 61–90 days, 55%; 31–60 days, 65%; 16–30 days, 95%; 15 days or less or no-show, 100%. A date change 14–20 days before departure has a fixed fee per booking, listed on the cancellation page.
Cancel in writing, by email or WhatsApp; the cancellation date is the day we receive your message. Refunds are made within 14 days, and card payments go back to the same card.
How fast do you reply, and how do I reach you?
We reply on WhatsApp within about 1 hour, 09:00–18:00 Turkey time, and in the evening whenever we can. Our WhatsApp and phone number are on the contact page; email goes to [email protected]. For an existing booking, include your booking reference.
Who this is not for
- If you want to pay a day tour or shore excursion by card on the day: tour-day payment is cash only.
- If you need a confirmed booking within minutes at night: we confirm during reply hours.
- If you want to pay a package deposit any way other than by card: the deposit is taken by card only.
If any of these applies, message us on WhatsApp before you book and we will tell you honestly whether the trip works for you.
Where to go next
For a first day in Cappadocia, start with the Cappadocia Red Tour or compare every route on our Cappadocia tours page. For a longer trip with flights, see the 3-day Cappadocia package from Istanbul. Cruise passengers in Kuşadası can start with the Ephesus and Virgin Mary shore excursion or the shore excursions page. Current prices are shown live on each tour page.
