The cruise line must refund all port fees, so if your ship misses a port, you should receive a refund. Other travelers looking for refunds may have a better chance if theyre dealing with companies headquartered within Hawaii, Washington state, Illinois or California. I dont want to be obligated to Grand Circle. Grand Circle cancels two of Ernest Belzil's tours. The fix: Turn off your cell phone or set it to airplane mode. Do they distribute it among the staff? A Comprehensive Guide, Is Hiring a Travel Agent Worth It? Its gonna cost you. Solo travelers make up nearly a third of Grand Circle's customers, and they're made to feel more than welcome on group tours, including some price breaks on single supplements. refund if a trip is canceled. 2 hour wait for phone contact. If you are injured with Grand Circle, be prepared to handle all medical necessities and communication yourself including pushing a wheel chair. Will this be the busiest spring break ever? We are either rebooking travelers on another trip or providing a refund. Since mid-March, she said, O.A.T. We make it accessible through trips that deliver unmatched discoveries, leisurely pacing, more travel choices, and comprehensive value. Thousands of itineraries from over 1,000 trusted travel companies. And most passengers accepted the credit. And this information was only transmitted because I raised the subject. I would not recommend the company. was no longer offering refunds. The right to lodging if disembarkation and an overnight stay in an unscheduled port are required when a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures. Find your private company bowl on Fishbowl, join the hottest conversation with your colleagues anonymously. While there are several included activities, you have many options for personalization through optional extensions and plenty of free time in each destination. Grand Circle Travel Reviews (Updated May 2023) | ConsumerAffairs If its a small shop, you may not have 24/7 support. You will probably do a fair amount of walking throughout the tour - Grand Circle suggests that travelers be relatively physically fit. How many can you get right in 1 minute? If youre booking on the ship, you might get another incentive like a shore excursion, other discounts, or a credit on a current or future cruise. For more information about reviews on ConsumerAffairs.com please visit our Grand Circle to be sold to private equity firm - Travel Weekly Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. Americas +1 212 318 2000. Our help is free. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. I told them that I had a medical condition and did not know when or if I would be able to travel, and asked whether they were just going to keep my $17,500 if I couldnt travel by the end of 2021. Two days before departure, it was a call from the Program Director in Romania who informed me that masks were no longer required. The company has been in business since the 1980s, and has grown to become one of the largest tour operators in the world. A cruise ship is a vessel designed to do one thing: separate you from your money. Grand Circle Travel has been bounced out of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Massachusetts, Maine & Vermont because of a slew of complaints regards the company's cancellation policy -. Translation: When they cancel your trip, they are legally required to offer you the money back. Excellence in our quality will continually enhance our repeat business and ultimately our financial performance. Cookie Policy - That makes the problem more difficult to resolve, because the best a cruise line can do is offer a refund or a future cruise credit. You can also book the cruise whenever you want to. I feel I was defrauded and the company has been unethical in their dealings. Then our columnist intervened with the Boston-based tour operator Overseas Adventure Travel. Bad service. And when they do, they are often underreported. I received no corrected, printed information, no email, no telephone call, informing me of GCT's policy change. There are new cruise lines, new ships, and new routes this year. No wonder offline agents call these operations vending machines. Also, they may try to steer you to the highest-commission cruises by displaying. It is the nature of the industry - whether it be hotels, air, packages, tours - that there are a wide variety of cancellation policies out there. Learn the word no, and use it often. Is Grand Circle Travel in Financial Trouble? An Analysis Answer: Yes. FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions | Grand Circle Travel Can I get a refund for my Marriott Vacation Club Points? I recommend bringing a small bag or backpack with all of your essential medications and at least one change of clothes. When the customers asked for a refund, the cruise lines said they couldnt get one future cruise credits were nonrefundable. If youd rather have a bit more action, or are after a "see a lot, do a lot" city and country hopping pace, this style of travel is probably not going to hit the right note for you. No answer. Grand Circle Travel offers distinctive international vacations for older Americans. Ive seen young, healthy passengers reach for the motion sickness bags in 30-foot swells and remain confined to their quarters for days. Groups are between 24-47 people, so expect some company! How are they allowed to keep my money? Youre on vacation. Specialties: The leader in small ship and river cruising worldwide - offering American travelers a 4-star experience at a 3-star price aboard our privately owned and chartered fleet. My cruise line requires a vaccination and now my credits are expiring, Take that back: The ultimate guide to a product return, The ultimate guide to getting a repair, replacement or refund for your broken appliance, Cell phone customer service: How to get virtually any problem fixed now, The ultimate passenger guide to Lyft, Uber and ridesharing. Do you have knowledge or insights to share? By streamlining processes, such as booking and customer service, Grand Circle Travel can reduce costs and increase profitability. Seine River Cruise | Paris to Normandy | Grand Circle Cruise Line I booked a river cruise with GCT because their COVID protocols were strong on paper. . In an emailed statement, an O.A.T. The office environment is really casual. We ran off the road and almost flipped--and Grand Circle did NOTHING. G rand Circle Corp. is being sold to New York private equity firm Court Square Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount. Most cruise lines have stopped screening their passengers for COVID. This is my first experience with them. Its Grand Circle Travel division offers all-inclusive package tours at a leisurely pace while its Overseas Adventure subsidiary organizes small groups for land, canal barge, and small ship journeys of the more. Be the first one to find this review helpful. After taking 12 tours with them, they treated us terribly. Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. The bus driver, Wayne, could not have been any better! Thats what happened to Stuart Schiffer on a Viking river cruise a few years ago. We plan to go to Iceland. Our family of travel companieswhich you can read more about belowoffers a variety of innovative trips to more than 60 countries. Tweaking the immortal words of Biggie: no money, mo problems. Grand Circle Corp. is being sold to New York Additionally, Grand Circle Travel can look into ways to reduce overhead expenses, such as cutting down on staff or renegotiating contracts with vendors. Grand Circle canceled my tour twice. How about a refund? Quality can be subjective, and in our business quality often involves a compromise between speed and perfection. Younger couples or families will probably feel out of place among the crowd on a Grand Circle tour. Our 2020 tour has been re-booked to 2022. Youre one of a million, literally. Uh-uh. Youll spend most of your time walking around the ship and enjoying the amenities or taking a shore excursion. (Think of it as a kind of rewards program.) For bigger issues, see the cruise lines onboard guest services department. (Mr. Anolik has a detailed breakdown of other state-by-state travel laws on his firms website. Your ticket contract, the legal contract between you and the cruise line, spells out your rights. We publish the names and emails of customer service managers. FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions | Overseas Adventure Travel We value your privacy. Travelers routinely returned home to phone bills in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Passengers sometimes arrive at the cruise terminal with the wrong visa or an expired passport. Because Grand Circle attracts a similar age range, youre sure to meet new friends with like interests in no time. They do plenty of one on ones. After a series of high-profile customer service incidents in 2012 and 2013, the cruise industry adopted a voluntary bill of rights for its passengers, to clearly communicate to them their rights regarding comfort and care in a number of important areas. Younger couples or families will probably feel out of place among the crowd on a Grand Circle tour. A few years ago, cruise lines began installing advanced roaming networks that allowed passengers to make phone calls from the ship. Dont let this be you. Contact Us - There have been some reports that the company is in financial trouble, and may be shutting down soon . Circle in 1985, will retain a 30% stake in the direct-market tour Tasteless food. The average employee at Grand Circle Travel makes $62,003 per year. Over the years they have. According to the law, the cash refund must be an amount equal to the fair market retail value of any undelivered, purchased travel service.. You could pay tens of thousands of dollars to a cruise line. : Tanzania/Kilimanjaro Tour Company, Any recommendations for Grand Circle Tours and/or Overseas Adventure Tours, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Thats because you are a number. Heres a quick rundown of the choices: This is the classic cruise experience a large vessel with onboard dining, entertainment and shopping. Refund for a trip cancelled by Grand Circle tTours - Senior Travel Online agencies are a volume business, so if you like to feel special and appreciated, you might want to book elsewhere. O.A.T. Surely taking temperatures and separating tables would have helped tremendously. How Can I Get $$ back?? TripAdvisor, ConsumerAffairs and other review sites show lingering frustrations about the companys coronavirus policies, but several Times readers, according to emails Ive received, have made headway by filing parallel complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Massachusetts Attorney Generals office. Temperatures of travelers were NEVER taken on the cruise, and, although ship was approximately 1/2 full, only approximately 1/2 of the tables were being utilized. These Britrail England Flexi Passes are taking forever to refund. The view of the mountains and Grand Canyon was breathtaking! FAQ. As travel companies now suffer a cash crunch, they are facing off with travelers over credits and refunds. NBC10 Boston Responds Recovers Over $71K for Viewers on Canceled Were mediating these problems on a case-by-case basis. Grand Circle's three travel brands are Grand Circle Travel. As a thank you for being such outstanding employees, they were sent on a week long Recognition Journey Trip to Peru! 35% of job seekers rate their interview experience at Grand Circle Travel as positive. The next week, I learned via email that I had been rebooked on the same trip next year. Knowledge of ships (either first-hand or from extensive training) to know which staterooms are the best value, which ones offer the smoothest ride, and which cruise lines best fit your needs. But there are risks now, and perhaps more risks than ever. Theres only one way to ensure you dont get caught by these fees. They also dont work. Overall, 55% of employees would recommend working at Grand Circle Travel to a friend. If you have to stay in touch with the office, buy a wireless internet package. It is important to consider the potential implications of Grand Circle Travels financial struggles. spokeswoman said the company is working to improve our processes and to better address the needs of each traveler whose trip was canceled or postponed due to the pandemic. They had no number call back policy and I have been on hold 1/2 hr. Our content is intended to be used for general information purposes only. It appears that the main cause of Grand Circle Travels financial issues is attributed to a decrease in demand for the companys services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Circle Corp. ran into some challenges last year after the Better Youll need to consider all of these dangers before you plan your cruise. You probably need travel insurance for your cruise. Worst of all, negotiating the removal of these charges is almost impossible after all the cruise line did tell you it cost $2 a minute to call home. If you think youll have less, get it renewed before your cruise. 166,000 travelers in 2007. Even though GC advertises travel for mature adults- this is overwhelming in a foreign country. has refunded more than 5,000 travelers amounting to more than $12 million. The original Grand Circle Travel was founded by retired high . As Preferred Sir Edmund Hillary Club / Inner Circle Customers, having made five previous trips with this company (customer number 962737), we pre-reserved our trip for mid-April 2021, and paid in full before the end of February 2020, over a year in advance. You have 24/7 phone support through most of the online agencies. All Rights Reserved. Glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it's like to work at Grand Circle Travel, including salaries, reviews, office photos, and more. This article will explore the causes, implications, and possible solutions to Grand Circle Travels financial troubles. Again, these offers come by way of the relationships cruise agents have through their company or by being friends with their regional sales representative. Were looking for dynamic, high-performing, accommodating individuals interested in joining our upcoming training classes for Sales and Customer Service. In a telephone call to GCT I was told the company policy had changed but the paperwork had not been updated. Ive heard of these kickbacks going as high as 14 percent. And then it took them over 3 months to give us back our money which they did only after numerous phone call attempts and letters to management. Most complaints fall into one of these categories: A missed port. That doesn't make sense since using them all would have limited the number of passengers occupying them, thus limiting exposure. private equity firm Court Square Capital Partners for an Our family of travel companieswhich you can read more about below . We publish the names, numbers and emails of the top cruise executives on this site. We value your privacy. Its not hard to surmise, just by reading your email, what happened at O.A.T. Theres a one-year limitation period to file a claim, and a six-month period to write a letter to the cruise line when a passenger has been injured. See reviews below to learn more or submit your own review. They sent me an unitemized bill for $650 for a trip I'd been notified had been completely paid for. How can I reach them?? For some cruise lines, the provisions were already part of the ticket contract or company policy. GRAND CIRCLE - 60 Reviews - 347 Congress St, Boston, MA - Yelp About Grand Circle Corporation Grand Circle Corporation is a global enterprise committed to changing people's lives through international travel. This is definitely a travel experience well suited to older American travelers in the 60+ range, seeking a degree of comfort, in their travel experience, within a mid to high budget range. Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. Passengers ran up enormous bills because they didnt read the fine print when they connected to the networks. Our values shape our decisions, give direction to our growth, and allow us to measure our progress. They are completely incompetent at this point. Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion. In Illinois, the Travel Promotion Consumer Protection Act was created in the 1980s to safeguard against travel scams that promise too-good-to-be-true deals. Advertising - Tip: Avoid a cabin near an elevator or nightclub. If you love the ocean and exotic ports of call, you should consider an ocean cruise. In exchange we provide great benefits, generous PTO, discounts on travel, and a strong, supportive training environment to learn and grow. Get buying tips about Travel Agencies delivered to your inbox. And it should have at least six months validity left on it to be safe. About Grand Circle Corporation Quite frankly, I don't know if I was infected by other passengers (there were others on the same cruise that came down with Covid before I did) or if I infected others. Don't do business with these people. Get travel insurance. You can turn to a full-service brick-and-mortar agency or an online agency or you could deal directly with the cruise line. In theory, a host agency is not liable to clients of a sub-IC for their acts or omissions. Help! Consumer Alert: No more automatic refunds for skipped ports? First trip with Grand Circle Tours, liked the tour. The Members of the Cruise Lines International Association are dedicated to the comfort and care of all passengers on oceangoing cruises throughout the world. If the company fails to find a solution to its financial woes, it could mean layoffs and reduced wages for employees. How do I know I can trust these reviews about Grand Circle Travel? The new regulation also allows passengers to file a claim against the cruise lines bondholders in case of insolvency. In addition to decreased demand, Grand Circle Travel has also had to face other financial challenges. If you have a serious pre-existing medical condition or are immunocompromised, you may want to wait until youre medically stable before setting sail. Despite the customer Capital portfolio company. All rights reserved. Grand Circle Family of Travel Companies | O.A.T. Exploring the Pros, Cons, and Benefits of Utilizing Professional Vacation Planning Services. BEWARE of Grand Circle Travel SCAMS!!! - Fodor's While Grand Circle Travel has seen tremendous success over the years, the company has recently found itself in a difficult financial situation. they acquired Cambridge, Mass.-based Overseas Adventure Travel and Want a picture of you and your beautiful family? See inclusive packages for the best values, and get access to amazing deals. Credits And Savings. They also have limited departures in Africa, South America, the Middle East, South Pacific, North America, Central America, and even Antarctica. Sharing Your Travel Videos, Slideshows & Photos. Ill make it simple. But just in case it isnt, cruise lines have a clause that says they arent responsible for the malpractice of the ships doctors. Overseas Adventure Travel/Grand Circle Travel used to be a good company, but they got too large. as its customer service. Grand Circle Travel It is impossible to reach this company. Virtually zero. Heres what happened: Many cruise lines offered either a refund or a 125 percent cruise credit when COVID-19 hit. Corp. has 44 offices and employs 3,000 people. Lunch in one of our specialty restaurants?
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