Itineraries are designed to give you more time in each stop, allowing for a more balanced combination of included activities and independent time. Yes, my wife and I had to leave mid-way through the cruise and were quarantined for 8 days at a hotel. The activities, lectures, and easy pace are all designed for older travelers. He was warm and concerned about the experience of the customers on the tour. Tip: Avoid virus season (usually late winter and early spring). Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced she reached an agreement with a tour company, securing further refunds for canceled trips. When youre on vacation, its easy to let down your guard and fall for a sales pitch for an original sculpture, diamond ring or timeshare. Grand Circle to be sold to private equity firm - Travel Weekly The cruise line must refund all port fees, so if your ship misses a port, you should receive a refund. Additionally, Grand Circle Travel can look into ways to reduce overhead expenses, such as cutting down on staff or renegotiating contracts with vendors. An epic selection of pre-planned trips on every continent, for every style. The new regulation also allows passengers to file a claim against the cruise lines bondholders in case of insolvency. Why Choose a Tour with Grand Circle Travel? We publish the names and emails of customer service managers. Support. The right to an emergency power source in the case of a main generator failure. The main thing I have to say to others is: There are many tour Companies out there, now is the time to dismiss GCT and try someone else. ConsumerAffairs is not a government agency. There have been some reports that the company is in financial trouble, and may be shutting down soon . They tied up over $10,000 of our money on a trip they canceled because the cruise line they offered us had Russian links. Youll also connect with other readers who want to make the world a better place. They have made it impossible to contact them about anything. And this information was only transmitted because I raised the subject. Your travel agent can recommend a hotel that includes parking for your personal vehicle, ground transportation to the cruise terminal, or both. Glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it's like to work at Grand Circle Travel, including salaries, reviews, office photos, and more. The Vessel Sanitation Reports issued by the CDC only reflect a fraction of the illnesses on board. Without adequate funding, the company may be unable to invest in new technologies or hire the best talent to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction. Absolutely the worst travel agency in the business the service is virtually nonexistent and if you need to contact them, be prepared to spend hours listening to their recorded music after which the line will probably go dead. The office environment is really casual. Circle in 1985, will retain a 30% stake in the direct-market tour There are a variety of ocean cruises, from budget to luxury. The Members of the Cruise Lines International Association are dedicated to the comfort and care of all passengers on oceangoing cruises throughout the world. Here is a photo of them enjoying the breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. Cruise lines dont include premium restaurants in your fare. Weve received numerous complaints from readers who purchased overpriced jewelry or art on their cruises. Some got total refunds, while others (including you) received partial refunds or continue to wait for certain fees and sums to clear. UNACCEPTABLE!! Grand Circle Travel Booted Out of BBB - Fodor's They also have limited departures in Africa, South America, the Middle East, South Pacific, North America, Central America, and even Antarctica. Get travel insurance. Candidates give an average difficulty score of 3.1 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) for their job interview at Grand Circle Travel. Want to take the kids out to dinner or to the arcade? In a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment each member of the team is critical for success. How many can you get right in 1 minute? 35% of job seekers rate their interview experience at Grand Circle Travel as positive. How do I know I can trust these reviews about Grand Circle Travel? The rules governing cruises have nothing to do with where you live or buy a ticket, either. 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. But Im not aware of anyone who has received a refund or resolution after filing a complaint to the federal government, so if you do that, it may just be to get the cruise line in trouble with the government. The rating was due in part to a series of customer complaints about (Its all taken care of.) 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. Robbery, assault and homicide happen on cruise ships. This is a common problem at my consumer advocacy organization. Plus, we have insightful letters, insider tips, and more. If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to travel@nytimes.com. Being well organized may sometimes be less important than moving quickly. as its customer service. Your ship may or may not keep the promised schedule. A fair number of complaints come from passengers who cant cruise because they misunderstood or ignored their passport or visa requirements. 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. No answer. But once you get on the ship, youll realize its a waste of money. Whats the international cruise line passenger bill of rights? For some types of trips, insurance is optional. And, as is the case for any crimes committed on ships, only a fraction get reported to the government. (Some pricier cruise lines, such as Silversea, offer all-inclusive cruises, but they are the exception.). Its not hard to surmise, just by reading your email, what happened at O.A.T. Plenty of free time is included in the itineraries, and there is a lot of choice among optional tours. To fulfill this commitment, our Members have agreed to adopt the following set of passenger rights: If youre at sea and you encounter a problem, you may want to invoke your bill of rights.. Anyone can read what you share. What are my rights, and what should I be worried about? You can also reevaluate if you want to cancel the total trip. When the customers asked for a refund, the cruise lines said they couldnt get one future cruise credits were nonrefundable. I read that the company is being sold to some type of Holding Company--that may explain it. Theres only one way to ensure you dont get caught by these fees. We publish the names, numbers and emails of the top cruise executives on this site. Pictures of the kids by the pro photographers? Grand Circle Travel Reviews (Updated May 2023) - ConsumerAffairs But Massachusetts happens to be one of only a handful of states with specific laws that guarantee consumers protection against travel sellers, including requiring that tour operators offer the option of cash refunds (in addition to vouchers or credits for rebooking) when they fail to provide agreed-upon, paid-for services. Watch for food-borne illnesses. Read More rugged variety. Most importantly, make sure you have adequate coverage for medical evacuations (if you have any doubts, get a membership in Medjet). One of the cons can be coworkers taking advantage of the casual vibe of the office. chairman of Grand Circle Foundation. Cruise lines are sometimes creative with their offers. Grand Circle is hosting an Open House for our Traveler Relations Center on 6/3/21 4-6pm! Asked for refund and got a credit instead. Ultimately, it is up to Grand Circle Travel to take the necessary steps to ensure its financial stability. They read scripts, are timed by their supervisors, and really dont care if youre having a good vacation. They also foster a community of dedicated travelers, encouraging you to share your memories, images, and stories with them and the friends you meet along the way. Their itineraries are designed with individuals in mind. Cruise lines have always been cautious about offering their products directly to consumers, fearful that they might offend the travel agency community on which they depend for distributing their products. This is based on 391 anonymously submitted reviews on Glassdoor. They are completely incompetent at this point. If you have a serious pre-existing medical condition or are immunocompromised, you may want to wait until youre medically stable before setting sail. My trip to Egypt with Overseas Adventure Travel was scheduled to depart in late March. Airlines are sidestepping refund regulations established by the United States Transportation Department and the European Union, betting that negative press (and even class-action lawsuits) are still preferable to negative-balance bank accounts. After registering, I can manage my newsletter subscriptions by visiting my Profile Settings page. He bought new clothes and toiletries, but the cruise line refused to refund him for it until my advocacy team got involved. I have flights with Grand Circle. Always check before booking.). Grand Circle's 40-plus offices are located in Africa, North and South America, Europe, and the Asia/Pacific . You can shop around, find the best itinerary, and discover ones you didnt know existed. All rights reserved. But, if the extraordinary number of reader complaints I have received more than a dozen and counting are any indication, they have been doing so anyway. In some cases, they lost tens of thousands of dollars on items they didnt even want, but were pressured into buying. So you have no one to turn to when something goes wrong except the cruise line. would not recommend extremely long for no reason, multiple interviews just for entry level, low paying roles you will work weekends rude staff They do not respect your time. 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. As travel companies now suffer a cash crunch, they are facing off with travelers over credits and refunds. Grand Circle travels all over the world, with a strong focus in Europe, Aisa and Southeast Asia.
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