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Helen of Hollywood CA (11/01/08)
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
Helen of Waretown NJ (10/31/08)
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
Jerry of Waretown NJ (10/30/08)
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
George of Forked River NJ (10/24/08)
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
Evelyn of Greenacres FL (10/08/08)
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
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