Complain about a product or service

Grand Circle Travel

347 Congress Street, Boston, MA

Allen of BRUNSWICK, OH May 30, 2009

I just read all the complaints re: GCT and OAT, as I was trying to find a trip to Europe, convenient for us. Most of our trips (7 or 8) have been very pleasant-once we got there. Our biggest problems are about the inconvenient air times. When we went to Costa Rica, we had to lv Miami at 8 am, and return there at night. There are no early morning or late night flights for CLEVELAND, at those times-necessitating 2 overnights in Miami where even the 2 star hotels are expensive.

We had a similar experience on our second trip to Peru. Even thought there were more convenient flights, they were willing only to change one. We have had great guides on most of our trips, exceept one in Peru where the woman was very intrusive,and accompanied us on the Amazon (even tho' we had another guide-naturalist -very good) and another in Hong Kong, who followed us into the airport to extract a trip (for terrible service). On another trip to Peru, we had an "assistant" guide, who was learning. His English was not good, although he was a very agreeable person. Were we required to tip both guides? We recently attended a breakfast meeting in Cleveland, but were not contacted following that. I have been assigned three different "personal representatives" in the Boston office, but none ever did anything for me. We have only added one option, when we went to Antartica. We flew on a regular scheduled airline to Buenos Airies, and to Ushuia, while those who went directly to Ushuia complained about the "bailing wire airline" they flew. We had to reeturn via "Bailing Wire". Like others, I have never received an answer regarding any problems- I passed up my last special credit.

Gail of Clinton, CT January 5, 2009

I have been reading in dismay all of the complaints about GCT. We are about to take our eighth trip with them because we have had nothing but positive experiences. We have done river boats and escorted tours. Of all of the people we have encountered on these trips, we have never heard any serious grumbling or consequence. Of course there are those who feel entitled and complain about the most mundane things not taking into account that this company is responsible for a lot of people at one time and do their best to accomodate everyone.

We have seen them deal with lost luggage, family deaths, broken hips, arms and legs,illness and unavoidable change of plans--high river, broken bus etc. Our tour guides have been excellent and knowledgeable.Never have we seen them deal with any of these problems less than professionally and compassionately. We will continue to travel with this company. Our contact with the home office in Boston has always been helpful and courteous. Until I experience any of these complaints I will continue to reccomend this company.

Anita of Harrisburg, PA January 1, 2009

This is commendation for OAT's (Grand Circle) handling of my recent complaint.

I took their first-time offering: a Red Sea Cruise - including Israel, Jordan, Saudia Arabia and Egypt. We've travelled with Grand Circle many times in the past and always had excellent trips. We were disappointment in some aspects of this trip mostly due to this being the first time this trip was offered and there were bugs in the implementation. However...

We complained by letter, and were responded to very promptly by phone, and completely satisfied with their response. We have found Grand Circle a great travel tour group to travel with.

There were no lasting consequences, and the company completely made good on things that went wrong on the trip.

Joan of Suquamish, WA November 6, 2008

My husband and I have traveled with OAT (parent company is Grand Circle Travel) several times and had 2 trips scheduled for 2009, but OAT cancelled the one scheduled for September in France, along with all but about 3 of their entire 2009 europe tours. This year we referred 9 new customers to OAT who booked trips. Three of those people traveled to Europe in the spring of 2008, and the other 6 people booked a trip to France for September, 2009.

The Grand Circle web site as well as the customer service representatives I spoke with when we booked our trip to Costa Rica for February, 2009, indicated that we would received a check in the mail in January, 2009, for referring those 9 new customers. Then a couple of weeks ago we received a letter indicating that the France trip was cancelled by OAT. My account on line indicates that I will only receive 250 in January for the 3 people I referred who traveled this last spring.

The Vacation Ambassador Referral Program, which I have a copy of dated 10/16/08, indicates that a cash bonus will be sent out based on the total number of travelers referred in 2008 who reserve a trip by 12/31/08. It indicates that cash bonus payouts will mail in January, 2009. There is nothing that indicates the cash bonus for new referrals is based on the customers completing the trip, as is the case for Travel Credits. The customers I referred for the September, 2009, trip which OAT cancelled did not choose to cancel the trip and they are looking into other possible trips with OAT.

I met the terms of the Vacation Ambassador Referral Program as set out by OAT and I expect OAT to stand behind its promise. We booked our Costa Rica trip in February with the understanding that the 1000 would be mailed to us in January, and that was a critical factor in our decision to book the trip. I mailed a letter to Alan, president of grand Circle Travel on October 23 and have received no word back. This situation raises concern about the business practices of Grand Circle as well as their customer service and their committment to standing behind their promises.

Helen of Hollywood, CA November 1, 2008

I can not belive the storys I am reading about Grand Circle. They did the same thing to your group. They hem'ed and haw'ed for 4 months before we got our money back. It is a shame but after the change in managament last year service has gone down. At www.fordo's.com is says rumblings of financial problems in the company. We (our church group) have used there service for years but after the last trip's problems with hotels and not having a guide for 4 days we changed your plans. They hung on to our money for 4 months and we had to get a lawyer to help us. We will never use them again. They are not very kind to the elderly, they service dept, was not helpfull at all.

The took 300 from eack booking , but we also hade to wait 4 months and pay a lawyer over 1000.00 to access us in the refund.

The company responds:

I wanted to let all readers know that Grand Circle Travel is not going out of business and that we did not file for Chapter 11 protection recently as two current postings have suggested.

Grand Circle Travel and its sister company, Overseas Adventure Travel, are alive and well. More than 60,000 people have booked trips with us between now and the end of next year, and we anticipate 104,000 travelers during this period.

Additonally, this month, we began launching some of our six new trips for late 2008 and 2009 and plan to launch at least six (maybe eight) additional products later on in 2009.

Grand Circle has been in business for 50 years and continues to serve, with pride, the American traveler over 50.

Kind regards, and thank you for the opportunity to respond.

Priscilla O'Reilly
Public Relations Director

Helen of Waretown, NJ October 31, 2008

I made with this company and was told that because of the chapter 11 filing of 10/17/08 there will be letters sent out to all awaiting refunds and people who booked travel with GCT. Boy what a surprise.. Some trips are not effected, some are.

We have people from our company who are stranded in Rome right now , with hotels and air plane tickes worthless. The tour guide just walked away from them. I also read on the web site that they ARE still booking trips and taking peoples money.. BEWARE of this company....

I am still waiting for papers about there bankrupty and my refund

Jerry of Waretown, NJ October 30, 2008

I also cancelled a trip with GCT and they would not refund me a dime. I was in the cancellation time table and they just enorged me about my refund. First they said they are working on it, then it's in the mail then they said they are having internal problems 45 days went by, I needed to get a local lawyer and he start suit in Boston Mass court system. They asked for a extention and it was granted but 3 days before our next court date they sent a check to my lawyer. What a pain dealing with GCT. NEVER again. They are sweet as they can be buy after they got your money it's like day and night.. STAY AWAY..

My local lawyer charged me 600 to file the suit I was refunded over 11.000 so I think it was worth it.

George of Forked River, NJ October 24, 2008

Do to illness and within the time frame aloted to do so, I cancelled a tour I booked and paid for in full with Grand Circle on 10/10/08. At there request I backed it up my cancellation with a writen letter and sent it to them witch they said they recieved in a previous call I called just to confirm they got it.. Today (2 weeks later) I called and spoke to several people (transfered) and always got a differant story about the refund.

It has been 2 weeks since the cancellation and I have not heard a word. After beening transfered around I asked to speak to a superviser or any one who could give help me. I was not rude, curt or disrepectful in any way. The person today said they never got my cancellion or have any record about the cancellation. I asked her to look at the booking # and even offered to fax her a copy of the page saying I cancelled it on 10/10/08. She becane endigent and said [expletive] she knows her work and dosent need anyone telling her how to look up a booking. To say the lease I was speachless and asked to speak to a supervisor or someone who maybe handels the refunds,That's it.. She became abusive and just hung up on me.

I always have had at lease a pleasent voice. My request was niether demanding or in anyway unresonable. I was not mad or did I ever raise my voice or act out of line. I never expected anyone to jump threw any hoops for me either, all I asked was is there any information about my refund? This was my second call regarding the cancellation.

I am waiting for a refund of 8673.30 from Grand Circle. I was very surprised how this went down today, I always had a great relation with this company, till now. I guess this could happen in any company but it was never the less very disappointing hearing such rudeness from a person who is supose to help people. At this point I dont know what else to do..

Evelyn of Greenacres, FL October 8, 2008

Please see attached correspondence and series of events chronologically with Grand Circle Travel and AMEX. Since I charged the 500 deposit on AMEX, when GCT told me they would not refund the full deposit upon my cancellation, I notified AMEX and requested they suspend the 300 difference until they looked into the matter. As you will see by the correspondence of Sept. 12th, GCT refused to surrender the 300.00 balance of my deposit. Subsequently, they did credit AMEX with 200.00 of the 500.

Therefore AMEX did not want to persue the matter of the difference of 300.00 any further in spite of the fact that GCT has a history of such dishonest practices. Attached are just a few of some complaints printed from the web. I believe AMEX should have continued to challenge the return of the 300.to by disputing same.

I lost 300. I am 73 yrs. old and working parttime to survive. This money is more than a week's salary for me. I cannot afford to forfeit this amount, particularly since they never furnished me a copy of a penalty fee either over the phone or by mail, nor did I sign anything stating knowledge of this fee. And lastly, the trip doesn't take place until July 16, 2009, a whole year away. How do they justify stealing my 300.00?. The law needs to deal with this disreputable firm. I will be forwarding all documentation under separate cover. Kindly furnish me with your address for mailing. Thank you.

Donald of Huntsville, AL August 11, 2008

My wife and I purchased a China tour in March 08---trip was to be in October 08. We also purchased their travel insurance supposedly to cover concellation for any reason -- from Trip Mate. We paid them 1268 deposit and for the trip insurance.

Because of the major earthquakes in China, the spread of disease due to faulty water supplies and the predictions of future earthquakes (a major one occurred within the last week), we elected to cancel 121 days before the tour was to begin -- over 4 months ahead. What we received was a cash refund of 300 of our 1268 -- less cancellation fees of 200 a person, and less the 560 insurance premium.

The insurance company stated that cancellation was not for any of our covered reasons even though they had previously stated good in case of cancellation for any reason. They have refused to give us our money back -- despite the fact we cancelled over 4 months prior to the tour and they had very little out of pocket expenses on our behalf.

The result was that we are out 968 for a trip we never took and that we DID cancel, by certified mail, in plenty of time. We wrote them, tried dealing with our credit card company and the Better Business Bureau, all to no avail. I feel that GCT was very unethical, fraudulent regarding their trip insurance, and unresponsive in not returning our money. In addition they gave us 400 in travel vouchers for another trip to be taken within one year -- non transferable. I promise you, we will never again book with this company, and we will do our best to propagate this message to all our friends and acquaintences who travel. DO NOT deal with this company if there is the remotest chance you may have to cancel...they are unethical.

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