Advocate Travel As Agent Of Spirit Tours, Inc. I paid for a tour to Israel for December 20, 2007; trip was postponed several times, the last one being on May 19, 2007; I requested a refund but did not receive any. Advocate Travel Chicago Illinois
Chronology of events follows:
I contacted Bert Roman of Advocate Travel to book us with Spirit Tours for a tour that was supposed to leave on December 20, 2007 for the Holy Land.
Bert Roman asked that I pay by check because he claimed that Spirittours does not accept credit cards. In addition he INSISTED that the checks be made payable to his agency, Advocate Travel, and not to Spirittours.
Advocate Travel cashed our checks.
On November 26, 2007, I called Bert Roman on the status of our tickets but I was told that he left for the Philippines! A lady at Advocate Travel informed me that Spirit Tours wanted an extra $2,010. I requested cancellation of the trip and asked for a refund. The lady then assured me that my refund will probably come around December 15, 2007. However, she offered an option that we could join a later trip on February 11, 2008, without additional cost. I declined the new offer.
On November 27, 2007, I followed up my request to cancel our reservation and also to request a refund. I sent this by certified mail to both Spirittours and to Advocate Travel. Spirittours refused to receive the letter and it was returned to me by the Post Office.
On January 9, 2008, I have not received our refund and I then requested Bert Roman to make new arrangements instead for us to join the February 11, 2008 tour. He said he will make the new arrangements.
On January 16, 2008, Bert Roman claimed that he has not heard from the tour operator. The supposed trip on February 11, 2008 was coming soon and I did not have tickets yet. Instead Bert Roman sent me by email a copy of an email from Spirittours offering us a rescheduled trip on March 16, 2008. We accepted the new offer.
On February 22, 2008, I sent a follow-up email and I was informed that Bert Roman went to the Philippines again!
On February 26, 2008, Bert Roman repeated what he always said - that he is working on our tickets.
On March 3, 2008, Bert Roman informed us that Spirittours postponed the March 16, 2008 tour to April 21, 2008 and offered to rebook us. Again we accepted. It is now March 12, 2008 and we dont have tickets yet. I informed Bert Roman that we will not accept another postponement after April 21, 2008.
I was offered to join a May 19, 2008 rescheduled trip. I decline and requested a refund.
It is now June 18, 2008, and we have not received our refund.
Apiong
Livonia, Michigan
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Bert Roman
Chicago,Illinois,
U.S.A.
The true story of the Trip to Holy Land from the Spirit Tours
#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, April 01, 2009
The complainer Mr. Alfredo, was the one who found the Spirit Tours thru the internet advertisement. He made the booking. He called me to represent him to the Spirit Tours so that he can get a discount for the tour. I took the tour number from him, which in turn I booked to Spirit Tours for him and his wife. The tour price was changed to higher amount wherein Spirit Tours informed us that it will be a surcharge of $1,005 per person due to increases in air fares and land arrangements.
I informed Mr. Alfredo about this, he answered on Nov 26, 2007 that he cannot afford the increase, therefore, he decided to cancel and asked for refund. I mentioned to him to think about the offer of Spirit Tours for the same amount on a different date, that is Feb 11, Mar 31 and Apr 21, 2008.
I requested refund from Spirit Tours on November 30, 2007, they promised us the refund to be sent on around Dec 15, 2007. It did not arrive. We kept calling Spirit Tours and left messages for many times, but never answer us. We finally decided to send them email and also made a complain against Spirit Tours to California Attorney General Office on Jan 18, 2008.
Spirit Tours finally get back to us on January 28, 2008, they offered a different date if Mr. Alfredo is willing to go. I relayed it to them and they agreed to take the Mar 16, 2008 departure for the same price.
On or about March 3, 2008 we received a letter from Spirit, that the Mar 16 was postponed to April 21, 2008, due to lack of participants.
I sent an email to Alfredo about this, and they said okay, we will join the April 21 tour, I hope it will be for real this time.
On April 13, 2008, I sent an email to Spirit Tours and requested the travel documents to be sent directly to Alfredo. However, on April 14, one week prior to the April 21, 2008 departure date, they said they will move it again to May 10, 2008.
On April 17, 2008, Alfredo advised me that he wanted the refund. I sent mail to the Sprit the request of refund. Spirit still want me to convince the Natividad to take the May 10, 2008 tour. I did relay this to the Natividad.
On May 5, 2008 I received copy of the consumer complaint the Natividads filed with the Illinois Attorney General. I answered this office and mentioned to them about my attempts to obtain a refund from the Spirit Tours, that the California Attorney General Office is also helping me.
On June 18, 2008 the Office of State of California Department of Justice sent me a letter confirming the declaration as a result of omy complaint and discussions with them.
On June 25, 2008, I received a complaint from the BBB of Chicago. I answered them and explained everything to them right away. They did not bother me anymore.
The Attorney General of Illinois also never bother me anymore after sending all the facts to them.
Finally, I received the check from the Spirit Tours for the refund on July 1, 2008.
I have to clear the check first before I can send it to Alfredo.
On July 14, 2008, after making sure that the check is good, I sent it to Alfredo.
I am so happy I got back the money, but a little disappointed because up to now I am not cleared yet of any wrongdoing.
Thank you.
Bert Roman
Apiong
Livonia,Michigan,
U.S.A.
Advocate Travel
#4Author of original report
Wed, July 09, 2008
This is my third attempt to update my report on June 18, 2008. The first two attempts failed to appear on the website. To repeat, the report was directed to Advocate Travel who refused to refund my checks when it failed to book me for travel to Israel thru Spirit Tours. Bert Roman, agent of Advocate Travel, consistently said that I will get my refund only after Spirit Tours will send Advocate Travel the refund.
While my report was directed to Advocate Travel it was Spirit Tours who said it will sue me for slander if I will not remove the report. Spirit Tours informed me that it has sent a refund to Advocate Travel. When I asked Bert Roman for confirmation so that I could update my report in fairness to all he chose not to answer until today, July 8, 2008, claiming he was out of town.
He admitted that he received the refund on July 1, 2008, which by the way, was 12 days after I filed the report. He said he will send me my refund only after the check clears. All along Spirit Tours said the check was already cashed in an email well before today, July 8, 2008. To summarize, Spirit Tours has sent Advocate Travel a refund, an important fact that Bert Roman chose not to tell me until I called him by phone today, EIGHT DAYS after he received the check. He said he will send me a refund when the check from Spirit Tours clears.
Apiong
Livonia,Michigan,
U.S.A.
Advocate Travel
#4Author of original report
Tue, July 08, 2008
Advocate Travel did not respond to the above complaint until today, July 8, 2008, after its agent, Bert Roman, finally acknowledged that Advocate Travel received a refund check from Spirit Tours on July 1, 2008. Bert Roman, of Advocate Travel, chose not to inform me that Advocate Travel received a refund check TWELVE DAYS AFTER I filed a report on June 18, 2008.
Today it is July 8, 2008, and Bert Roman said he still will not give me a refund until the check from Spirit Tours clears. Spirit Tours took it upon itself to sue me for slander in making the complaint, which to begin with, is against Advocate Travel who cashed my check and who neglected to make a timely disclose that Spirit Tours sent a refund to Advocate Travel, preventing me to update the report with that fact until today. To summarize, Advocate Travel has BELATEDLY ADMITTED it has received a refund from SPIRIT TOURS.