Complaint Review: All Seasons Travel And Resorts

When My husband received 'and paid for' his won prize I did some research and came to this informative site. I immediately phoned AStar Travel and received good informatition that eased our minds. After further consideration we decided to ask for our credit card to be reimbursed. Thanks to 1 posting on this site I knew about the 30 day cancellation(alao Canada has a 10 day cancellation for impulse purchases). Regardless-I had no trouble getting the refund. It went throught today-9 days after my request.
Had we not been so far away with plane costs so high we may have tried this out. I think there are positive points with this company.

When My husband received 'and paid for' his won prize I did some research and came to this informative site. I immediately phoned AStar Travel and received good informatition that eased our minds. After further consideration we decided to ask for our credit card to be reimbursed. Thanks to 1 posting on this site I knew about the 30 day cancellation(alao Canada has a 10 day cancellation for impulse purchases). Regardless-I had no trouble getting the refund. It went throught today-9 days after my request.
Had we not been so far away with plane costs so high we may have tried this out. I think there are positive points with this company.

When My husband received 'and paid for' his won prize I did some research and came to this informative site. I immediately phoned AStar Travel and received good informatition that eased our minds. After further consideration we decided to ask for our credit card to be reimbursed. Thanks to 1 posting on this site I knew about the 30 day cancellation(alao Canada has a 10 day cancellation for impulse purchases). Regardless-I had no trouble getting the refund. It went throught today-9 days after my request.
Had we not been so far away with plane costs so high we may have tried this out. I think there are positive points with this company.

I don't quite understand why this is considered a "scam".

I was contacted this morning with the same deal many of you have reported but with the added value of a rental car to make our way around Florida. Morgan, who like Mike has worked for the company for 2 years, was polite; spoke a bit loudly and excitedly but none the less polite. I did feel the whole thing was a bit strange when he reacted (mildly) to me discussing the issue privately with my husband. We were on a conference call to begin with. However, he did agree to call me back. We, of course, did not take the offer. My rule is if someone is pressuring you for cc details you walk away.

However, I do not agree that it is a scam. A scam to me is when someone takes your money and doesn't provide the goods or refund the money. In every instance listed here they have refunded the money. People may have had to argue for the money but they still gave it back.

I would suggest that they would have more business if they gave people time to think. It concerns me that people who cannot normally afford vacations would see this as a real opportunity when they could organise there own travel with less hassel and on their own timetable. False advertising (YOU ARE A WINNER) even with the small blurb at the back it's still false and misleading. In reality, and advertisers know this, no one reads the small print.

I don't define it as a scam. I don't like the stunts - pressure, misleading ads but I don't think it is a scam.

It would be nice to hear from people who have actually taken the trip.

I've got back my money!
Thank you very much for that web site!

I was approached by a similar company 4 years ago in Sydney, bought the vouchers and thought great - I'm gonna find 3 friends to go with me. Unfortunately, none of my friends could afford the A$2500 aifares to get to Florida in the first place, and then the additional holidays flights on top of that, which included New Orleans, Alcapulco, and Las Vegas at that time. Time went by and a family became extremely ill requiring me to leave my job and care for him. I contacted the company for some consideration to my predicament, but to no avail, they were rude and didn't give two hoots what my personal life was like, just that I would lose the holiday.

The family member eventually died and I ended up living back in NZ. Low and behold, I received a phone call today offering me a very similar holiday, but with only one additional stop in Mexico instead of 3. The first lady spoke very fast about what 'YOU WILL GET' and so forth, and that I would have to attend a 90 minute presentation on time share. Then when she said she would transfer me to the General Manager of All Seasons Travel and Resorts, I tried to stop her, but to no avail.

The manager came on and repeated alot what the woman had told me, and then proceeded to state I needed to pay US$998 right there and then on my credit card - who in their right mind will give a credit card number over the phone to an accent? Because I got shammed the last time I told him I wanted to think about it overnight, he clearly did not want that, told me if I bought a bad car one day, would it stop me buying one ever? I explained the airfares were horrendously expensive from NZ and the reply was, 'we can do it cheaper that anybody in the world', but wouldn't give me a price. Told me that I wouldn't be invited if I did not get excited! Cheek - he's not the one forking out in a foreign currency and having to travel 20 hours in a plane!

Why do I have to think about it as it will cost me US$6k tomorrow and why did I bother filling out the form? Because it said FREE! you idiot! I refused to hand over my credit card number, he got really shirty and nasty over the phone, said he spent a ton of money calling me from the US, and then told me of other families and where they are from (hello, privacy issues) in NZ and that they all took the trip. I was 5% of the lucky ones out of 2 million entries to have this offered to me. When I persisted to think about it overnight, he said 'I will be contacting the next eligible family on the list', and simply hung up, no goodby, nothing.

This company is just a crock of s*%# and is like every other scam holiday packages around the world. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE HYPE - GO AND SEE YOUR 'BONDED' TRAVEL AGENT! At least you are guaranteed of what you get and it is getting cheaper now anyway!

I've visited Toronto Autoshow last week and filled up a form for "Tour to Bahamas" contest.
One week later I've got a call and they said I'm a WINNER and I get 16 days package for $698 US which is worth around $2000.
I have to say that my attention was put to sleep because 2 days before we've known that we will have a baby, one day before my wife got a job offer, so when I got a call from all season travel I thought that fairy tale has continued! I've let to presuade myself that this is fantastic offer and I gave my permition for CC. After the call I went to their website and found out that they don't mention real price of that package and I've got a suspicion. Then I found around the same tour for same price or less and decided to cancel this package not because I don't like it, but because I was cheated. And if it's happened from the beginning who knows what may happend in Florida?!

Then I was trying to find out their return policy, but they don't have it on the web-site. After all I've found that web-site and recovered my sight completely. Next morning I called to bank and they adviced to send dated cancelation notice to the ASTAR. Next my call was to their 1-800 number and I was told that I've a package which is "non-refundable".

Nobody told me that I can't cancel or refund it so I mention that they do have 30-days cancelation policy(that I read on that web-site). We started to argue, I've mentioned that web-site and he told me that owner of that web-site is under invistigation and they are real company and the package is very good. After all he transfered me to manager.

She called herself Alex Head and then asked my reason of cancelation and when I said that I don't like it she said it's not good reason for cancelation. We started to argue again and finally she said that my package will be canceled. After 10 minutes I've got cacelation email from astar.

They said I will get my credit in 7-10 working days. So they're going to make some interest on $698 US.

Now I have to wait and hope they will not cheat with my refund as it was with cancelation policy and WINNING OF THE CONTENST.

All seasons calls you offering a "free vacation" that is not free. What you get for what ever the latest going rate is a collection of vouchers that have an extremely low redemption rate that can be used at tired/non mainstream properties or cruise lines. The net of the offer is that you could pay less then the voucher cost by booking directly with the properties or providers. That said the fact is you get nothing for nothing.

All seasons calls you offering a "free vacation" that is not free. What you get for what ever the latest going rate is a collection of vouchers that have an extremely low redemption rate that can be used at tired/non mainstream properties or cruise lines. The net of the offer is that you could pay less then the voucher cost by booking directly with the properties or providers. That said the fact is you get nothing for nothing.

All seasons calls you offering a "free vacation" that is not free. What you get for what ever the latest going rate is a collection of vouchers that have an extremely low redemption rate that can be used at tired/non mainstream properties or cruise lines. The net of the offer is that you could pay less then the voucher cost by booking directly with the properties or providers. That said the fact is you get nothing for nothing.

All seasons calls you offering a "free vacation" that is not free. What you get for what ever the latest going rate is a collection of vouchers that have an extremely low redemption rate that can be used at tired/non mainstream properties or cruise lines. The net of the offer is that you could pay less then the voucher cost by booking directly with the properties or providers. That said the fact is you get nothing for nothing.

I received a call from a sales rep two days before Christmas, and the sales pitch that I heard was very similar to those that are written above: $698 for four adults, Florida, cruise (for extra $199/person), Mexico and LV, Nevada, anytime within 18 months with 12 months extendable after. The sales rep sounded very excited for me (she said verbatim, "this must seem like an early Christmas present for you" and there must be a recording somewhere of that), and she repeated sporadically that I had not won a contest, but was selected, and that this wasn't a prize for a lottery. I didn't think anything of it when she first said it, but then I started to wonder as the conversation went on and she continued about the details of the trip.
I gave ASTAR my cc number after they told me what a wonderful deal this was ($2000+ retail value, and I was excited about the cruise, mostly), and that if I had actually "won" this trip somewhere, then I would have to pay 30+% in taxes of the retail price. The sales rep also told me that the vouchers are transferable, therefore I could give it away or sell it to other people (she suggested eBay) in pieces (each location comes on different vouchers) or all together if I changed my mind. I figured the price seemed reasonable, and if I didn't need parts of the package, I could sell or give it away as she had told me.
Once I got the package from ASTAR, I realized that this was a timeshare company (which they did not clarify in the phone sale.) Also, that meals were not included (which I thought it was.) She had told me that I would have to pay for my own transportation to and from Florida (and other cities), pay hotel taxes and room service. None of these really turned me away (I could have just shrugged it off) than the fact that I wouldn't be able to take the cruise be cause I am not a citizen of the U.S. or Canada. It would take money, application forms and visas to and from the each country to allow me to go on the cruise, and come back into the U.S. without visa problems. Therefore, going to the Bahamas would not be simple as getting on a boat with a passport.

I called the company's 1-800 number, and (after a loooooong wait) I spoke with another lady. I told her that I had read the package in full detail, and was no longer interested for the reasons above. And she insisted that it was still a good deal without the cruise, but after some back and forth persistance from both sides, she told me that she would refund my cc company.
I checked today, and after 5 business days, ASTAR has refunded my cc fully. Not a 2 or 4 or 10 month wait for my refund. 5 business days.
Both reps that I talked to on the phone were polite and courteous (no bullying) but I will not deny that they definitely were persistant and enthusiastic or sympathetic depending on my circumstance.

Since I did not take the vacation or participate in the timeshare presentation, I obviously cannot comment on what kind of rating I would give this vcation package or the timeshare deal and whether it's any good or worth the money.

But the company itself is not a rip off, there is no scam. The company exists. They take money and they give it back if you request a refund. They are more vague than anything (my main complaint is that they told me only the half-truth rather than the whole truth.) Before I received my refund today, I was scared out of my wits that I had just "lost" $700. After the conversation with the first lady rep, I assumed that I had waved goodbye to my money and that I was in greater holiday debt because I was stupid enough to fall for a scam. When one reads the messages posted here, how can one not think that they are in deep doo-doo? Unlike the angry (or headstrong) messages one reads above, the company itself is okay.

I do wish that I had had more time to review the package before they charged my cc the day of the phone conversation (though they do give you the 30 day written notice cancellation policy) and that the rep had straight out told me that they were a timeshare company and that we would have to attend a timeshare presentation (instead of calling it a "tour" at/of the "hotel").

But besides those points, I think it is fine.
I gave them my cc number because (if only for a fleeting moment) I thought I had received a good deal (even though I hadn't "won" anything and nothing was free) and for a "measly" $698, I could take a trip with three other people. There were no hidden costs (the rep reviewed every single thing that would cost extra in fees and taxes if and when I decided to take the trip, except the meals. For some reason, I kept on hearing that it was included.)

I checked some internet sites for discount vacation packages, and I found comparable prices for all locations and dates (~$700) at reputable hotels, and a few better deals (at lower prices) than the one ASTAR offered, for four adults. But most packages/deals are more expensive than the one ASTAR offers when you factor in the free milage on a rental car. If you don't mind taking the timeshare tour and can freely go to Mexico and the Bahamas, then it's not so bad.
And if it doesn't suit you, you can ask for a refund in the first 30 days.

I wanted to post my experience because in case anybody reads these posting after me, I didn't want them to immediately assume "rip off" or "scam" and feel they had lost money, as I promptly did when I read them. Do not be in despair. Though the waits can be long (specially the 1-800 number), there are way to get back your money. The company was a bit dodgy and unclear about things, but at some point you must have thought the money was worth the vacation somehow (as I did.) And soon after, you came to this site and freaked out (as I did.) But you can call them and then write to them to cancel your package (as I did.) And receive your refund (as I did, and keep checking your account to make sure that the refund came through, as I did!)

It would be helpful if anybody who reads these posts, and decides to go on the trip anyway, to write about what the trip itself was like (accommodations, experience, location, available dates, etc.) instead of us none-trip-takers complaining in anger or fear.

I received a call from a sales rep two days before Christmas, and the sales pitch that I heard was very similar to those that are written above: $698 for four adults, Florida, cruise (for extra $199/person), Mexico and LV, Nevada, anytime within 18 months with 12 months extendable after. The sales rep sounded very excited for me (she said verbatim, "this must seem like an early Christmas present for you" and there must be a recording somewhere of that), and she repeated sporadically that I had not won a contest, but was selected, and that this wasn't a prize for a lottery. I didn't think anything of it when she first said it, but then I started to wonder as the conversation went on and she continued about the details of the trip.
I gave ASTAR my cc number after they told me what a wonderful deal this was ($2000+ retail value, and I was excited about the cruise, mostly), and that if I had actually "won" this trip somewhere, then I would have to pay 30+% in taxes of the retail price. The sales rep also told me that the vouchers are transferable, therefore I could give it away or sell it to other people (she suggested eBay) in pieces (each location comes on different vouchers) or all together if I changed my mind. I figured the price seemed reasonable, and if I didn't need parts of the package, I could sell or give it away as she had told me.
Once I got the package from ASTAR, I realized that this was a timeshare company (which they did not clarify in the phone sale.) Also, that meals were not included (which I thought it was.) She had told me that I would have to pay for my own transportation to and from Florida (and other cities), pay hotel taxes and room service. None of these really turned me away (I could have just shrugged it off) than the fact that I wouldn't be able to take the cruise be cause I am not a citizen of the U.S. or Canada. It would take money, application forms and visas to and from the each country to allow me to go on the cruise, and come back into the U.S. without visa problems. Therefore, going to the Bahamas would not be simple as getting on a boat with a passport.

I called the company's 1-800 number, and (after a loooooong wait) I spoke with another lady. I told her that I had read the package in full detail, and was no longer interested for the reasons above. And she insisted that it was still a good deal without the cruise, but after some back and forth persistance from both sides, she told me that she would refund my cc company.
I checked today, and after 5 business days, ASTAR has refunded my cc fully. Not a 2 or 4 or 10 month wait for my refund. 5 business days.
Both reps that I talked to on the phone were polite and courteous (no bullying) but I will not deny that they definitely were persistant and enthusiastic or sympathetic depending on my circumstance.

Since I did not take the vacation or participate in the timeshare presentation, I obviously cannot comment on what kind of rating I would give this vcation package or the timeshare deal and whether it's any good or worth the money.

But the company itself is not a rip off, there is no scam. The company exists. They take money and they give it back if you request a refund. They are more vague than anything (my main complaint is that they told me only the half-truth rather than the whole truth.) Before I received my refund today, I was scared out of my wits that I had just "lost" $700. After the conversation with the first lady rep, I assumed that I had waved goodbye to my money and that I was in greater holiday debt because I was stupid enough to fall for a scam. When one reads the messages posted here, how can one not think that they are in deep doo-doo? Unlike the angry (or headstrong) messages one reads above, the company itself is okay.

I do wish that I had had more time to review the package before they charged my cc the day of the phone conversation (though they do give you the 30 day written notice cancellation policy) and that the rep had straight out told me that they were a timeshare company and that we would have to attend a timeshare presentation (instead of calling it a "tour" at/of the "hotel").

But besides those points, I think it is fine.
I gave them my cc number because (if only for a fleeting moment) I thought I had received a good deal (even though I hadn't "won" anything and nothing was free) and for a "measly" $698, I could take a trip with three other people. There were no hidden costs (the rep reviewed every single thing that would cost extra in fees and taxes if and when I decided to take the trip, except the meals. For some reason, I kept on hearing that it was included.)

I checked some internet sites for discount vacation packages, and I found comparable prices for all locations and dates (~$700) at reputable hotels, and a few better deals (at lower prices) than the one ASTAR offered, for four adults. But most packages/deals are more expensive than the one ASTAR offers when you factor in the free milage on a rental car. If you don't mind taking the timeshare tour and can freely go to Mexico and the Bahamas, then it's not so bad.
And if it doesn't suit you, you can ask for a refund in the first 30 days.

I wanted to post my experience because in case anybody reads these posting after me, I didn't want them to immediately assume "rip off" or "scam" and feel they had lost money, as I promptly did when I read them. Do not be in despair. Though the waits can be long (specially the 1-800 number), there are way to get back your money. The company was a bit dodgy and unclear about things, but at some point you must have thought the money was worth the vacation somehow (as I did.) And soon after, you came to this site and freaked out (as I did.) But you can call them and then write to them to cancel your package (as I did.) And receive your refund (as I did, and keep checking your account to make sure that the refund came through, as I did!)

It would be helpful if anybody who reads these posts, and decides to go on the trip anyway, to write about what the trip itself was like (accommodations, experience, location, available dates, etc.) instead of us none-trip-takers complaining in anger or fear.

I received a call from a sales rep two days before Christmas, and the sales pitch that I heard was very similar to those that are written above: $698 for four adults, Florida, cruise (for extra $199/person), Mexico and LV, Nevada, anytime within 18 months with 12 months extendable after. The sales rep sounded very excited for me (she said verbatim, "this must seem like an early Christmas present for you" and there must be a recording somewhere of that), and she repeated sporadically that I had not won a contest, but was selected, and that this wasn't a prize for a lottery. I didn't think anything of it when she first said it, but then I started to wonder as the conversation went on and she continued about the details of the trip.
I gave ASTAR my cc number after they told me what a wonderful deal this was ($2000+ retail value, and I was excited about the cruise, mostly), and that if I had actually "won" this trip somewhere, then I would have to pay 30+% in taxes of the retail price. The sales rep also told me that the vouchers are transferable, therefore I could give it away or sell it to other people (she suggested eBay) in pieces (each location comes on different vouchers) or all together if I changed my mind. I figured the price seemed reasonable, and if I didn't need parts of the package, I could sell or give it away as she had told me.
Once I got the package from ASTAR, I realized that this was a timeshare company (which they did not clarify in the phone sale.) Also, that meals were not included (which I thought it was.) She had told me that I would have to pay for my own transportation to and from Florida (and other cities), pay hotel taxes and room service. None of these really turned me away (I could have just shrugged it off) than the fact that I wouldn't be able to take the cruise be cause I am not a citizen of the U.S. or Canada. It would take money, application forms and visas to and from the each country to allow me to go on the cruise, and come back into the U.S. without visa problems. Therefore, going to the Bahamas would not be simple as getting on a boat with a passport.

I called the company's 1-800 number, and (after a loooooong wait) I spoke with another lady. I told her that I had read the package in full detail, and was no longer interested for the reasons above. And she insisted that it was still a good deal without the cruise, but after some back and forth persistance from both sides, she told me that she would refund my cc company.
I checked today, and after 5 business days, ASTAR has refunded my cc fully. Not a 2 or 4 or 10 month wait for my refund. 5 business days.
Both reps that I talked to on the phone were polite and courteous (no bullying) but I will not deny that they definitely were persistant and enthusiastic or sympathetic depending on my circumstance.

Since I did not take the vacation or participate in the timeshare presentation, I obviously cannot comment on what kind of rating I would give this vcation package or the timeshare deal and whether it's any good or worth the money.

But the company itself is not a rip off, there is no scam. The company exists. They take money and they give it back if you request a refund. They are more vague than anything (my main complaint is that they told me only the half-truth rather than the whole truth.) Before I received my refund today, I was scared out of my wits that I had just "lost" $700. After the conversation with the first lady rep, I assumed that I had waved goodbye to my money and that I was in greater holiday debt because I was stupid enough to fall for a scam. When one reads the messages posted here, how can one not think that they are in deep doo-doo? Unlike the angry (or headstrong) messages one reads above, the company itself is okay.

I do wish that I had had more time to review the package before they charged my cc the day of the phone conversation (though they do give you the 30 day written notice cancellation policy) and that the rep had straight out told me that they were a timeshare company and that we would have to attend a timeshare presentation (instead of calling it a "tour" at/of the "hotel").

But besides those points, I think it is fine.
I gave them my cc number because (if only for a fleeting moment) I thought I had received a good deal (even though I hadn't "won" anything and nothing was free) and for a "measly" $698, I could take a trip with three other people. There were no hidden costs (the rep reviewed every single thing that would cost extra in fees and taxes if and when I decided to take the trip, except the meals. For some reason, I kept on hearing that it was included.)

I checked some internet sites for discount vacation packages, and I found comparable prices for all locations and dates (~$700) at reputable hotels, and a few better deals (at lower prices) than the one ASTAR offered, for four adults. But most packages/deals are more expensive than the one ASTAR offers when you factor in the free milage on a rental car. If you don't mind taking the timeshare tour and can freely go to Mexico and the Bahamas, then it's not so bad.
And if it doesn't suit you, you can ask for a refund in the first 30 days.

I wanted to post my experience because in case anybody reads these posting after me, I didn't want them to immediately assume "rip off" or "scam" and feel they had lost money, as I promptly did when I read them. Do not be in despair. Though the waits can be long (specially the 1-800 number), there are way to get back your money. The company was a bit dodgy and unclear about things, but at some point you must have thought the money was worth the vacation somehow (as I did.) And soon after, you came to this site and freaked out (as I did.) But you can call them and then write to them to cancel your package (as I did.) And receive your refund (as I did, and keep checking your account to make sure that the refund came through, as I did!)

It would be helpful if anybody who reads these posts, and decides to go on the trip anyway, to write about what the trip itself was like (accommodations, experience, location, available dates, etc.) instead of us none-trip-takers complaining in anger or fear.

I received a call from a sales rep two days before Christmas, and the sales pitch that I heard was very similar to those that are written above: $698 for four adults, Florida, cruise (for extra $199/person), Mexico and LV, Nevada, anytime within 18 months with 12 months extendable after. The sales rep sounded very excited for me (she said verbatim, "this must seem like an early Christmas present for you" and there must be a recording somewhere of that), and she repeated sporadically that I had not won a contest, but was selected, and that this wasn't a prize for a lottery. I didn't think anything of it when she first said it, but then I started to wonder as the conversation went on and she continued about the details of the trip.
I gave ASTAR my cc number after they told me what a wonderful deal this was ($2000+ retail value, and I was excited about the cruise, mostly), and that if I had actually "won" this trip somewhere, then I would have to pay 30+% in taxes of the retail price. The sales rep also told me that the vouchers are transferable, therefore I could give it away or sell it to other people (she suggested eBay) in pieces (each location comes on different vouchers) or all together if I changed my mind. I figured the price seemed reasonable, and if I didn't need parts of the package, I could sell or give it away as she had told me.
Once I got the package from ASTAR, I realized that this was a timeshare company (which they did not clarify in the phone sale.) Also, that meals were not included (which I thought it was.) She had told me that I would have to pay for my own transportation to and from Florida (and other cities), pay hotel taxes and room service. None of these really turned me away (I could have just shrugged it off) than the fact that I wouldn't be able to take the cruise be cause I am not a citizen of the U.S. or Canada. It would take money, application forms and visas to and from the each country to allow me to go on the cruise, and come back into the U.S. without visa problems. Therefore, going to the Bahamas would not be simple as getting on a boat with a passport.

I called the company's 1-800 number, and (after a loooooong wait) I spoke with another lady. I told her that I had read the package in full detail, and was no longer interested for the reasons above. And she insisted that it was still a good deal without the cruise, but after some back and forth persistance from both sides, she told me that she would refund my cc company.
I checked today, and after 5 business days, ASTAR has refunded my cc fully. Not a 2 or 4 or 10 month wait for my refund. 5 business days.
Both reps that I talked to on the phone were polite and courteous (no bullying) but I will not deny that they definitely were persistant and enthusiastic or sympathetic depending on my circumstance.

Since I did not take the vacation or participate in the timeshare presentation, I obviously cannot comment on what kind of rating I would give this vcation package or the timeshare deal and whether it's any good or worth the money.

But the company itself is not a rip off, there is no scam. The company exists. They take money and they give it back if you request a refund. They are more vague than anything (my main complaint is that they told me only the half-truth rather than the whole truth.) Before I received my refund today, I was scared out of my wits that I had just "lost" $700. After the conversation with the first lady rep, I assumed that I had waved goodbye to my money and that I was in greater holiday debt because I was stupid enough to fall for a scam. When one reads the messages posted here, how can one not think that they are in deep doo-doo? Unlike the angry (or headstrong) messages one reads above, the company itself is okay.

I do wish that I had had more time to review the package before they charged my cc the day of the phone conversation (though they do give you the 30 day written notice cancellation policy) and that the rep had straight out told me that they were a timeshare company and that we would have to attend a timeshare presentation (instead of calling it a "tour" at/of the "hotel").

But besides those points, I think it is fine.
I gave them my cc number because (if only for a fleeting moment) I thought I had received a good deal (even though I hadn't "won" anything and nothing was free) and for a "measly" $698, I could take a trip with three other people. There were no hidden costs (the rep reviewed every single thing that would cost extra in fees and taxes if and when I decided to take the trip, except the meals. For some reason, I kept on hearing that it was included.)

I checked some internet sites for discount vacation packages, and I found comparable prices for all locations and dates (~$700) at reputable hotels, and a few better deals (at lower prices) than the one ASTAR offered, for four adults. But most packages/deals are more expensive than the one ASTAR offers when you factor in the free milage on a rental car. If you don't mind taking the timeshare tour and can freely go to Mexico and the Bahamas, then it's not so bad.
And if it doesn't suit you, you can ask for a refund in the first 30 days.

I wanted to post my experience because in case anybody reads these posting after me, I didn't want them to immediately assume "rip off" or "scam" and feel they had lost money, as I promptly did when I read them. Do not be in despair. Though the waits can be long (specially the 1-800 number), there are way to get back your money. The company was a bit dodgy and unclear about things, but at some point you must have thought the money was worth the vacation somehow (as I did.) And soon after, you came to this site and freaked out (as I did.) But you can call them and then write to them to cancel your package (as I did.) And receive your refund (as I did, and keep checking your account to make sure that the refund came through, as I did!)

It would be helpful if anybody who reads these posts, and decides to go on the trip anyway, to write about what the trip itself was like (accommodations, experience, location, available dates, etc.) instead of us none-trip-takers complaining in anger or fear.

I agree with others that I felt pushed into purchasing my vacation. I had filled out details on a popup but had already forgotten i'd done so by the time I was called by the company (at 7.30am mind you) & told either pay now or lose the chance. I knew it was unlikely that I'd be able to take it within 18 months but I gave my credit card anyway, knowing I could extend up to 12 months. And yes, I felt bullied into it, even after having kept the telemarketer on the phone for over half an hour. It would have been nice to have the option to think about it. Perhaps 24 hours? You might not make as many sales but then you won't have as many refunds to deal with either.

Even so, this bullying I received doesn't make me feel like I was scammed, just weak of mind. I went through all the conversations as Mike has described. I have to say that if a consumer has not taken the vacation & has also received a refund, then they haven't been scammed. If you were scammed then it is more probable that you would not have found the company in order to get your refund. I did find the company again, but not for a refund, just to confirm a few things.

It is true that some of the locations are fairly scattered from Florida but I have no problem with the notion of travelling the distance between them. Maybe have a little look at the scenery between the package locations. Maybe hire an RV for the drive. My package totals 19 nights & another 2 with the cruise option. Forget about the wording of how many days & nights. Learn to read between the lines people. $898 USD for 19 nights? That's less than $50 a night. Sounds like an alright deal to me. I know you can find cheaper.....Last time I was in USA I stayed in a Hostel for $15 a night including pancakes for breakfast. And another time I stayed in a motel that had the bathtub faucet all taped up & a hole in one of the windows that looked very much like it came from a bullet. But hey, it was cheaper! & definately not the same thing.

When I take my vacation I expect to get what I believe I have purchased and only if I don't get that, will I consider I have been scammed. If that happens I'll be back with a vengeance but until then I will remain relaxed & content in the knowledge that I have all the required paperwork & brochures to indicate that I will be enjoying a vacation later this year.

Quote:"If All Seasons Travel was a scam then after we got their credit card information then we would hang up on them would you not agree? So clearly, this is a legitimate company......"
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I sure like it when uncertain 'grey areas' are cleared up as black and white issues. Makes life so much easiier!
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Scam: Hangs up as soon as credit card number is obtained
Not a scam: Remains on line to complete sales dialogue.
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Oh! One more thing, Melanie. In answer to your question, I can offer a resounding "NO".

I have been employed with All Seasons Travel In Toronto,Ontario for a few months now,I have secured many vacation packages for people around the world. I know for a fact that people are not being ripped off because they are clearly told of what they are purchasing as well as all the costs that are involved which is tape recorded for their protection as well as ours. If All Seasons Travel was a scam then after we got their credit card information then we would hang up on them would you not agree? So clearly, this is a legitimate company and it furiates me to see all these reports of people claiming that this company is a scam because it is only making my job harder. And as far as cancelling, I also know for a fact that it is possible to cancel because I had a customer cancel on me. So for all you people that make these false accusations about All Seasons Travel, get your facts staight, becuase as Claire stated above these reports are all from people that have never even taken the trip

This is an advertisement on a website called GetAFreelancer.com, the purpose of the site is to place ads for people to do work for you on an as needed basis. This person, Justin Michaels works for All Seasons Travel and Resorts and Larry Flynn in their new Tampa Location.

Justin has placed this ad as well as others looking for a designer to create an ad that will mislead customer to call the number for the vacation. Notice in his description that he specifically asks the designer to include the phrase "You're A Winner" in the ad.

Status: Closed
Budget: $ 20-100
Created: 10/14/2004 at 10:13 EDT
Bidding Ends: 10/15/2004 at 0:00 EDT
Project Creator: JustinBMichaels
Buyer Rating:
(2 reviews)
Description: Promotional Ad III

Ad Size: 720 x 400

Flash

This ad is targeted towards the European market and I need it to display "You're a Winner" in these languages,
French, German, Spanish, English. I want the text to appear very large and use almost the full size of the ad size.
Create a smooth, eye catching transition between each scene.


Incorporate travel themes/colors/images into this if possible. Can be as a background or border. Be creative.


Additionally, create a blank scene that I can overylay my promotional text.


Each scene should be about 1~2 seconds, with the final (blank) scene 9 seconds. Should loop back around itself again.


Size Limit: 50k

Need this TODAY!!! - By the end of 10-14-04

-Justin B. Michaels

Job Type: Copywriting
Flash
Graphic Design

Database: (None)
Operating system: (None)
Bid count: 4
Average bid: $ 61

Quote:(Mike) "Most of the time, it is just a case of buyer's remorse".
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No doubt, Mike. That's the usual emotional state after someone rushes into something, only to find out they were screwed.
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We're on the same page on that issue. Just maybe you're not selling what they thought they bought and expecting, eh?

Hi!

Yesterday a lady from your company All seasons travel & resort called me and said that I had won a free holiday in Orlando for about a week, a cruise to Bahamas in 2 nights and 5 days in Mexico for 898 US-dollars + 249 US-dollar for the cruise. The holiday should be for 4 people. I think this is a good price for 4 people but...

I wonder if we can take all on one time? i mean to fly from Sweden to Florida (we pay for the airfaire Sweden-Florida) then stay in Orlando, take the cruise to Bahamas and then go to mexico and then fly home to Sweden from Mexico?(we pay the airfaire Mexico-Sweden)

Is this possible? The lady shoul call me back on Monday but I have a little problem to understand everything she say...

Hope you can respond to this soon.

Dear Kristina,

Now things suddenly make so much more sense. The package that you were called for is different from the one that my office sells to our over seas clients. That is why I had such a hard time understanding what you were upset about. My package is 7days/6 nights in Orlando, Fl, with a 7 day rental car from Alamo rental, a 3day/2night cruise to Nassau, Bahamas, a 4day/3night stay in Ft. Lauderdale, and a 5day/4night stay in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. You are right.. it would be very difficult to hit all of those locations in your vacation that quickly, and very pricey with regards to airfare. That is primarily the reason why my office makes this package available. It is still $898.00 package, with a $249 Bahama's Option fee IF You take the cruise. It is still for 4 people. I knew we had several packages, but when we switched to this package for our international friends, I assumed we did it company wide. Just a little case of the right hand not knowing what the left is doing. I blush. :) But you are right, there may be better deals out there, that is what the great wide world of capitalism is all about. But I know that we do not turn our backs on customers. Everything, here in my office, is done very clearly. There are at least 3 different people explaining the vacation package. If you don't understand what is going on after 3 people, well, I don't need to say that you shouldn't even be on that phone call. Most of the time, it is just a case of buyer's remorse. Not real worries about the locations, accomodations, or whether or not their credit cards are going to be charged all over the world, but just a case of buyer's remorse.

Dear Mike!

I see that you are ignoring the main message in my letter. That is the inconvenience you put people into by telling them one thing and then when they have understood the consequences of the very fast business deal they were talked into, you just turn your back on them.

Why not do business the ordinary way with paying after a month giving clear information about rules and merchandise. That is safety for each and everyone.

About the Florida department of Agriculture an Consumer Service:

If you start at the site you mentioned and then use the search function for the site with words like travel, vacation, package, cetificates you most likelly end up with the description of "Seller of Travel". Here you can read about the registration necessary for all companies. Ask the department by mail or phone about the company you bought certificates from. This is taken from the test.

IMPORTANT: Sellers of Travel that offer vacation certificates MUST submit a completed registration form, a $300 registration fee, $100 document submission fee, $50,000 Surety Bond, Irrevocable Bank Letter of Credit, or Certificate of Deposit, and the vacation certificate documents required by ss.559.9295 and 559.932, Florida Statutes.

Then go to Educational Brochures and then to Telemarketing Fraud. Here you can read a lot about high pressure sales and misleading information and all things involved in this. In Sweden the Consumers Dept. has a special link here due to all the complaints about Special T Travels. It seems that they operate with the same pop up, lottery version of selling as All Seasons Travel and Resorts.

About the rates in Orlando: I found on Worldres from 72 $ per night in a room taking four persons. (Radisson Plaza.) 4 nights in Lauderdale, 2 nights
in Ft Lauderdale and a intermediate car could land on 822$ April 10 - 16, 2005.

The vouchers I got did not offer a free car, the cruising was optional, 249$ pp and going to Mexico and Las Vegas for such short time would be impossible.

I do not know what more to say.... May be that I have got more knowledge about travel business in USA. I once worked in the branch so I have still have a clue about what is OK and what is not.

BUT I was mislead into this and that is a bad experience.

I hope you get a fine ending of this year and many more good and reflecting years ahead. You learn as long as you live!

Kristina

You are right, I am loyal to my company. I can be that way, becuase I know that we have a good product, and we are as fair as humanly possible with our clients. There will ALWAYS be people within a company that may or may not follow policy or are rude, and we try and weed those ingrates out. That is a problem every business on the planet has. Humanity is not always kind to each other, and more selfish than not. It happens. I know one of the owners of this business, and he is a very stand up guy from Ireland. He works very hard trying to make this business work both financially, and with the customer's viewpoint in mind. It is a very difficult tightrope to traverse.
Honestly, I don't understand your point. I've looked at the rates for the Hilton in Orlando (Altamonte Springs) that's not even near Disney, and it is over $100 USD per night, unless you are a government employee.The ones that are near Disney charge over $200 USD per night. Of course this is based on a trip in April, when the season is slow. If you decide Christmas, which you can, that price could double. For just the Orlando stay (7 days/6 nights) and the 7 day rental car is worth the $898 USD price. Then you have a stay (4 days/ 3 nights) in Ft. Lauderdale after the cruise. So which part of this deal isn't cheaper? The locations are within hours of each other, how can you not visit all of them? I live here, and I'll be using the package to bring my family here for Christmas. If it is good enough for me to sell to my family (part of which is flying in from Italy), you can rest assured that it is feasible for me to sell to complete strangers, after all, I have to deal with my family on a regular basis. I don't have to ever hear from the strangers that I sell this package to ever again.
I visited the Agriculture site, you will need to be more specific on the section, that site is huge and not very user friendly.

Dear Mike!

You seem like a headstrong but sensible person who is bery loyal to your company. That is good, but it doesn't automatically mean that other people do not know what they are doing or what they are talking about.

You still have not given any explanation to the fact that I got a phone call out of the blue, where a lovely lady from Atlanta told med that I had won a trip to Florida worth approximately 3000$. That was a true surprise and it got better and better when she described the prize.

All I had to do was giving her 898$ dollars on the spot. She then told me that I hadn't won anything but this was a fantastic gift anyway.

When I started to investigate things. I did not find enough information and what I found was not so good. I also found luxury hotels with good rates. This made me realize that this was not as good a deal as they had said.

The probabibility of going to all places mentioned in the certificates is not high. Especially after having looked at maps and airfares over seas, this seemed rather immpossible both financially and physically.

If I want to go there I will do it on ny own conditions.

But why did they tell me I was picked out to receive this "marvellous" offer? Like I had won the lottery?

And do you still claim you sell a vacation package? To me this is a bunch of certificates. Have a look at the sites of the "Florida agricultural and consumer department" and find out what they heve to say.

I'm glad to see that someone else in my company is looking into the bad publicity we are getting from this website! HI from Florida! :)
There isn't a salesman on this planet that doesn't use pursuasive techniques to make the sales. If you are an invalid, if there is some other reason that you cannot travel (which are very few, for we are very good about the flexibility of the vacation) then the thing you say is "No, Thank you". It is that simple. I have no yet heard of a single person here being accosted with multiple phonecalls to purchase the package.

As for being elderly, well, I just wont accept that as an excuse. I have personally talked to several of our customers that are seniors and they not only love to travel, they have loved our vacation package. Elderly is not dead. I'm sure many of our seniors would find that being elderly used as an excuse to weasel out of a contract repugnant at best. If you are elderly, you have surely lived long enough to have become your own person. I know how hard it is to convince my own grandparents of anything they set their mind against. They are some of the strongest people I know. Infact, I get most of my stregnth and sales techniques from my grandfather, who sold furniture DOOR TO DOOR for over 20 years. And it was a very successful business. If that isn't pursuasive sales skills, people, I don't know what is.

As to the customer service problems, I apologize. But you have to realize that we have thousands of customers, be patient. If you cannot get thru, try again. Remember that they are part of our business, and business only survives by making money. Giving refunds every single time a customer has a worry, while nice to think it's possible, would destroy a business. When you deal with the large number of customers that enjoy the package, it is hard to understand why someone would want a refund to begin with. ESPECIALLY with the completely insane reasons that we hear every single day. You have 18 months, one and a half years to travel. Short of terminal disease or a prison sentence, there is NO reason why life's circumstances should affect taking the vacation. On top of that, the customer service department can give extensions of that time.

This is gone over with customers time and time again.

As for it being transferrable, I know that the vacation my particular office deals with is completely transferrable. If we can sell it, what makes you think that you cannot? What kind of sense does that make? I know my office lets the customer know that with just about every call that talks of the possibility of not taking the package. I've suggested to many customers to put the package on Ebay and make a their money back if they chose not to take it. I try to find out why in the world you would not want to take it.

I live here in Orlando. I love this city. There is so much to do, so much to see. From Disney World to the nightlife, the original Sea World, Pleasure Island, Downtown Disney.

We are not that far away from Daytona Beach, arguably one of the most popular beaches on the planet, with the Daytona Speedway and Bike Week. We have several different cruise lines within 2 hours of Orlando. What is not to like about it? You stay in some of the most reputable hotels (Hilton and Sheraton) for a fraction of the cost. All you have to do is enjoy a 90 minute tour of a resort. These timeshare tours can be fun.

They often give cash prizes, free tickets to different parks, and discounts at some of the attractions around town. If you don't wish to purchase, then don't. They don't sit you in a cold room and beat you into submission. They are personable people. They are polite and helpful. Timeshare reps have recieved bad reputations, much like used car salesman.

I'm sure there are thousands of honorable, reputable used car salesmen out there, and yet, people still use that stereotype to lable a slick salesmen.

A little insight to the world of refunds will help you understand why it's so difficult to get your money back, yet so easy to charge it. Every credit card purchase is passed through a number of hands. The credit card company outsources access to the creditcards for charging the card. All companies involved must be licensed and bonded. So if you purchase through a particular company, like ours for instance, it must pass through a couple of "hands".

We use a particular company that has a license to process credit cards, they charge us a fee everytime we process a card. They, in turn, are charged a fee by visa to further process the fee and attain the money. Now, the customer wants their money back.

We process the refund, get charged a fee, yet again, and the processing company contacts visa, and they get charged a fee for the refund. Visa returns the money onto your card. There are checks and balances withing each company to ensure that we aren't paying out more in fees than we are taking in.

Our company gets to bear the brunt of that problem with stipulations placed on customer service with regards to what we refund for. Our company not only loses a customer when you refund, but is charged a fee everytime a customer cancels. Usually a processing company passes on the fee from visa to the sales company. So think of our company as having to pay twice for someone canceling. This is how the credit card processing business works. This also explains how hard it is to get your money back on your card. The refund has to be processed through a couple agencies, they have to make sure that you do get the refund, and not both the refund and the goods.

This should help you understand why it is so difficult to get a refund. Everyone involved wants to know why there is a refund, and if it is valid. It costs more to refund than to charge the card.

I hope that does help you understand the business, and shows you that it is not our fault when refunds are not processed as fast as you feel they should be.

As a sales company, we cannot afford to have people speak ill of us, it hurts business. It doesn't hurt Visa, the other major credit card companies, you will still use them, because you have no choice. With travel, you have hundreds of choices, and All Seasons wants you to choose us for your travel needs.

Thank you for reading, have a wonderful day!

Dear Claire!

I would like very much to know about the hotels you use and how satisfied your guests are. It is strange you have so little information yourself about that. Maybe there are reports on the hotels and cruising companies that can enlighten about your travellers and if they are satisfied or not.

The complaint I wrote was about the impossible situation you get into when you realize that you cannot ever take the trip or sell it to anybody.

It is also about vague information, cancellation policy and insufficient service from the customer care department.

You need to be strong to claim your right since they draw your money at once, and it is not easy to get a refund. If you can work for a change in this policy it would be wonderful.

So go on with your description of the company. We lack great information there.

Kristin, Vasteras, Sweden

Dear Claire!

I would like very much to know about the hotels you use and how satisfied your guests are. It is strange you have so little information yourself about that. Maybe there are reports on the hotels and cruising companies that can enlighten about your travellers and if they are satisfied or not.

The complaint I wrote was about the impossible situation you get into when you realize that you cannot ever take the trip or sell it to anybody.

It is also about vague information, cancellation policy and insufficient service from the customer care department.

You need to be strong to claim your right since they draw your money at once, and it is not easy to get a refund. If you can work for a change in this policy it would be wonderful.

So go on with your description of the company. We lack great information there.

Kristin, Vasteras, Sweden

Dear Claire!

I would like very much to know about the hotels you use and how satisfied your guests are. It is strange you have so little information yourself about that. Maybe there are reports on the hotels and cruising companies that can enlighten about your travellers and if they are satisfied or not.

The complaint I wrote was about the impossible situation you get into when you realize that you cannot ever take the trip or sell it to anybody.

It is also about vague information, cancellation policy and insufficient service from the customer care department.

You need to be strong to claim your right since they draw your money at once, and it is not easy to get a refund. If you can work for a change in this policy it would be wonderful.

So go on with your description of the company. We lack great information there.

Kristin, Vasteras, Sweden

Dear Claire!

I would like very much to know about the hotels you use and how satisfied your guests are. It is strange you have so little information yourself about that. Maybe there are reports on the hotels and cruising companies that can enlighten about your travellers and if they are satisfied or not.

The complaint I wrote was about the impossible situation you get into when you realize that you cannot ever take the trip or sell it to anybody.

It is also about vague information, cancellation policy and insufficient service from the customer care department.

You need to be strong to claim your right since they draw your money at once, and it is not easy to get a refund. If you can work for a change in this policy it would be wonderful.

So go on with your description of the company. We lack great information there.

Kristin, Vasteras, Sweden

This is not about the trip! It is about the right to cancel before you get the package with vouchers, which by the way is not entirely easy to fill in.

Since they draw the money as quickly as they can while they continuously read over and over again the same things, you have no chance to check anything aforehand. The receipt you get gives very little and vague information.

How will you get to Florida, will you have the strength to go there in your condition if you are elderly or disabled?

How much will it cost to go to Orlando from your home country? All this and more considered, you realize that this will not be possible. You can't sell or give the certificates away since their is time share involved, something the sales person did not stress particularly in the first call.

I can also tell you that most people get unsolicited mails telling them that they have won. They just have to fill in their phone number to get the shoppingspree of 2100 $, or the free trip they have won. Of course there is also a question about your credit card, or if you have more.

I am surprised that you are able to draw the amount so quickly, when it takes weeks and months with aid from banks and other sources to get it back.

And that is after telephone calls, an abundance of mails to the rejecting customer service, and signed and registered letters.

You are absolutely right Claire! Giving customers more time to think and good service after the deal would make it easier for you too. Unhappy people will be happy and your job will be more pleasant.

I was just recently employed by All Seasons as a promotions director and by the second day I had a sneaking suspicion that I may be employed by a scam, however it was a decent job and (I'm trying to be honest here) I didn't want to get off my a*s and look for another job. So I continued to work there. For the first couple of days I wasn't very good. I would stutter, forget certain information, forget to close ect., but like any other job eventually you do get the hang of it and learn the techniques that produce results. Yet, no matter the habitual comfort I was gaining with my new position, I could not shake the feeling that I was just simply scamming people. I wanted to give the people I was talking to the chance to discuss the trip with their potential travel partners, find some way for them to verify that i was indeed who I said I was, to send them something in writing, but unfortunately given our corporate policies (policies based on the lower our cost to run the promotion the lower the fee for selected registrants the more sales produced) these things were not possible. And so I find myself here at ripoffreport.com reading testimonials from people all over the world. Initially i thought great now I'm going to have to find myself a new job. Then I continued reading until I had read every single report I found on the site (13 links with 1 - 10ish testimonials per page) and a pattern began to emerge, one that Mike my US colleague touched on. Not a single complaint was made by someone who has taken the trip, and all of the complaints can be classified as either a misleading promotions director or a consumer who is suffering from understandable fraud paranoia (we do live in an age of stolen identities, scams and general fear). With reference to the prior classification I don't doubt that their are misleading promotions directors out there, however the only way we can legally charge your credit card is by providing you and your credit card company with a legal receipt and the only way we can do that is by a voice recorded receipt where the customer verbally authorizes the charge if they are satisfied with the information on the recording. If we do not have this recorded authorization we would be a scam and have credit card companies slapping huge fraud suits against our company. So whatever information the promotions director gives you the reciept(recording) is the only time you authorize any charges and you only authorize the charge if you are satisfied with what you are recievibg on the receipt. Just like a paper receipt. So if you feel pressured or confused by your promotions director hang up or complain to All Seasons. The person you are speaking with is required to identify themselves by name as well as there employee number and if you ask specificaly to verify their employment they will give you the number to do so. As to the latter classification I call people who have registered for the vacation. I have their registration form in my hand written in their handwriting (So i may have difficulty reading your name if it's in chickenscratch), and on that form there is no mention of any contest or that you will win anything. Instead it says, not conspicuously but in play view under where you are supposed to sign your name, that this form may be used for a vacation offering. Also for those brave enough to flip the form over and read what it says on the back there would be no confusion as to why I am calling you and what it is that you are recieving.
So from the information i have found by visiting this site as well as aseasonstravel.com i think I will continue working for All Seasons with good conscience. That is until I find a complaint from someone who has actually taken the vacation and been dissatisfied. Seeing as there aren't any here I don't think they exist, but I will keep looking and checking to see if they appear. Hopefully consumers will learn from this situation and learn to recognize a scam from a legitimate enterprise. I know that is difficult because just like you and my boss I too am a consumer and expect to get what I pay for or else feel angry and betrayed. However as a consumer i would aslo feel stupid and foolish if i passed something up just because it was "too good to be true". Like I tell everyone I call; this is not a contest it is a FAM trip where the sponsor picks up the majority of the cost to ensure that their hotels resorts and cruise ships don't sit around empty during the 9 month low season and to maybe earn your repeat business. There is no obligation to buy anything, but you do need to attend a short tour. When I make my calls i don't pressure anyone. I use sales techniques like the millions of people around the world whose livelihood is in sales. The decision to buy does not lay in my hands it lays in the consumer's.

I first would like to commend you, you admitted that you were wrong. But you say it wasthe adult in you, well putting people down because of where they live, how childish is that. You say that no one on this site has taken this trip, wrong again, try reading through the 541 other complaints. For what seems to be a big company, you seem to be the only one backing it up, why is that?

I find it amazing that someone in Indiana has the capability of using something more that monosyllabic words. Consider me floored.
Aside from your completely jaded outlook of American business, there really isn't much point in showing what a complete farce your rebuttal is.
There is no such thing as "marginally" legal. It is, or it isn't. Just because YOU don't aggree with a practice does not make it illegal or ethically wrong. (Notice the CORRECT use of that particular word. Ethnicity has nothing to do with business practice, it is a word that denotes a racial or cultural background. WWW.Dictionary.com may help you in that educating yourself before making written faux pas.)
Now, for the adult in me, I do apologize for the accusation of earlier. I have recenty become aware of an outbound center also attached to our company. It is completely possible that customers were called via the pop-up, my particular office has nothing to do with that. But in answer to that, if you gave your information freely, there is nothing wrong with a sales person calling you. Whether you call it pursuasion or, as my erstwhile jaded American writer calls it, fast-talking pressure is moot. There is no conceivable way that we can force you to stay on the phone. All a person has to do is hang up. A salesman's job is to sell you something. Now,as a person who actually monitors these inbound phonecalls, I can tell you, with all honesty, that we do not encourage the "boiler room" technique of sales. We do use sales techniques conducive to a vacation sale. Making memories that you will enjoy for years is what we strive for. The children love the amusement parks, water parks, and all things fun and exciting. Orlando, Daytona, Ft. Lauderdale are filled with these activities.
I do want those on this site to realize that not a single person complaining about this vacation has actually taken it. You complain of sales tactics and the possibility of being "scammed". In fact, one writer has even recieved a refund after returning the package. Still no one has actually traveled. You do not know what you are missing. It is an amazing vacation for an incredibly low price. I invite anyone reading this to call, book a vacation, and enjoy beautiful, sunny Florida. 1-321-397-1888. Call, and make up your own mind. Do not let the cynicism of others keep you from enjoying an incredible experience. Thank you for your time. Hope to hear from you soon!

Let's read between the lines of your post to get closer to the legitimate issues I raised:
[1]Paragraph starting with: "First of all, travel agencies have not a thing to do with how the days are set up."
Yeah, right. The travel agencies are foremost instrumental in using the misleading "days and nights" ploy in their agressive marketing. They know d**n well what the REAL time frame is.
.....We don't need to go anywhere with your asinine "flight attendants...etc." rhetoric.
[2] Who cares how the initial contact was implemented? The fact is, it was initiated by the scam...errr..TRAVEL agency.
[3]Quote:"The point of being in business is to make money". Please finish that narrative with the appropriate clich: "and the end justifies the means".
[4]Quote:" Educate yourself before claiming "I've been scammed", especially after entering into a LEGITIMATE business deal."......"Legitimate business deal"? "Legitimate" is not the adjective that comes to mind. "Legally binding" is the word more appropriately assigned.
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[5]Quote:" What company on the planet employs sales people who aren't pursuasive? That is the whole point." Persuasive? Yeah, I guess so. The persona involved in this type of issue can be more accurately described as "fast talking, well scripted, purposefully misleading, dogmatic,(wear you down)individuals.
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I won't argue your point that such scam....err, sorry; PROMOTIONS are carefully orchestrated so as to be marginally legal, if not based on any degree of ethnicity.
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Now get back to the 'phone banks, Mike. (Quote:"Learn, think before you denegrate someone else's livelyhood.) All this time wasting diatribe is likely to impinge upon your 'livelyhood'.

I have some comment on what Mike from Florida has written in his last report in this comment.

First of all, I agree on the vieuw that who is doing business is doing it to make money. All who advertises is doing it to generate money and attract clients. On all of that I agree.

On what I don't agree is that one sentence you wrote in your comments and I quote : "Everyone that has written in this column about my company has stated that they were called. This is false. They called us."

I wonder if you really can write such a big lie without blushing. I can't speak for the others of course, but in my case I NEVER CALLED the company myself. So if you dare to write that everyone who wrote in this column has called your company instead of the other way around, well then I must say you're a big big lier.

The only thing that I did was end up by coincidence on one of your advertisements on the internet, telling me that I could win the trip of my life. I had to fill in my address and telephone in case I should win. A couple of days later I was called by one of your sales representatives. Since I diden't want to step into his proposition, I was called a day later by one of his superiors.

So, I repeat. Don't you ever tell me that I called your company, because that's a big big lie. And what is more, I even believe the others who wrote in this column didn't call your company eather.

First of all, travel agencies have not a thing to do with how the days are set up. That is a function set up by the hotels across the WORLD. It is NOT the fault of the travel agency. We have nothing to do with checkin or checkout times. That is a policy made by hotels. What you are saying is akin to blaming a flight attendant because the flights are expensive. We use the hotels, we don't set policy for the hotels.

Second, everyone that has written in this column about my company has stated that they were called. This is false. They called us. And advertisement was sent out, and people called in to inquire as to what was involved. If you honestly call an advertisement expecting for someone to not attempt to sell you something, then you seriously need a reality check. What company on the planet employs sales people who aren't pursuasive? That is the whole point of sales. It would be like a hospital hiring lawyers instead of doctors. Would you go? I think not. Would they stay in business? I know not. The point of being in business is to make money. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying or selling something. Educate yourself before claiming "I've been scammed", especially after entering into a LEGITIMATE business deal. The entire process is legal, verified, and explained over and over again. The advertisement never says "free" anything. Always read the "terms and conditions" that are tagged on EVERY advertisement on the internet. Listen to what someone is saying to you, and if you don't understand, ASK a question. Don't just give away personal information. You will only look like a fool if you do things without knowing what is going on. We do not "fleece" the unwary. A potential customer is told at least 3 (three) times what they are getting involved with, the costs, and what is being charged. That is a MINIMUM of 3 (three) times, by a minimum of 3 (three) different people. One of those is actually recorded for the protection of both parties.

Remember, in America, you are innocent until proven guilty. Making assumptions will hurt yourself and others. Learn, think before you denegrate someone else's livelyhood.
Thank you.

First of all, travel agencies have not a thing to do with how the days are set up. That is a function set up by the hotels across the WORLD. It is NOT the fault of the travel agency. We have nothing to do with checkin or checkout times. That is a policy made by hotels. What you are saying is akin to blaming a flight attendant because the flights are expensive. We use the hotels, we don't set policy for the hotels.

Second, everyone that has written in this column about my company has stated that they were called. This is false. They called us. And advertisement was sent out, and people called in to inquire as to what was involved. If you honestly call an advertisement expecting for someone to not attempt to sell you something, then you seriously need a reality check. What company on the planet employs sales people who aren't pursuasive? That is the whole point of sales. It would be like a hospital hiring lawyers instead of doctors. Would you go? I think not. Would they stay in business? I know not. The point of being in business is to make money. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying or selling something. Educate yourself before claiming "I've been scammed", especially after entering into a LEGITIMATE business deal. The entire process is legal, verified, and explained over and over again. The advertisement never says "free" anything. Always read the "terms and conditions" that are tagged on EVERY advertisement on the internet. Listen to what someone is saying to you, and if you don't understand, ASK a question. Don't just give away personal information. You will only look like a fool if you do things without knowing what is going on. We do not "fleece" the unwary. A potential customer is told at least 3 (three) times what they are getting involved with, the costs, and what is being charged. That is a MINIMUM of 3 (three) times, by a minimum of 3 (three) different people. One of those is actually recorded for the protection of both parties.

Remember, in America, you are innocent until proven guilty. Making assumptions will hurt yourself and others. Learn, think before you denegrate someone else's livelyhood.
Thank you.

First of all, travel agencies have not a thing to do with how the days are set up. That is a function set up by the hotels across the WORLD. It is NOT the fault of the travel agency. We have nothing to do with checkin or checkout times. That is a policy made by hotels. What you are saying is akin to blaming a flight attendant because the flights are expensive. We use the hotels, we don't set policy for the hotels.

Second, everyone that has written in this column about my company has stated that they were called. This is false. They called us. And advertisement was sent out, and people called in to inquire as to what was involved. If you honestly call an advertisement expecting for someone to not attempt to sell you something, then you seriously need a reality check. What company on the planet employs sales people who aren't pursuasive? That is the whole point of sales. It would be like a hospital hiring lawyers instead of doctors. Would you go? I think not. Would they stay in business? I know not. The point of being in business is to make money. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying or selling something. Educate yourself before claiming "I've been scammed", especially after entering into a LEGITIMATE business deal. The entire process is legal, verified, and explained over and over again. The advertisement never says "free" anything. Always read the "terms and conditions" that are tagged on EVERY advertisement on the internet. Listen to what someone is saying to you, and if you don't understand, ASK a question. Don't just give away personal information. You will only look like a fool if you do things without knowing what is going on. We do not "fleece" the unwary. A potential customer is told at least 3 (three) times what they are getting involved with, the costs, and what is being charged. That is a MINIMUM of 3 (three) times, by a minimum of 3 (three) different people. One of those is actually recorded for the protection of both parties.

Remember, in America, you are innocent until proven guilty. Making assumptions will hurt yourself and others. Learn, think before you denegrate someone else's livelyhood.
Thank you.

First of all, travel agencies have not a thing to do with how the days are set up. That is a function set up by the hotels across the WORLD. It is NOT the fault of the travel agency. We have nothing to do with checkin or checkout times. That is a policy made by hotels. What you are saying is akin to blaming a flight attendant because the flights are expensive. We use the hotels, we don't set policy for the hotels.

Second, everyone that has written in this column about my company has stated that they were called. This is false. They called us. And advertisement was sent out, and people called in to inquire as to what was involved. If you honestly call an advertisement expecting for someone to not attempt to sell you something, then you seriously need a reality check. What company on the planet employs sales people who aren't pursuasive? That is the whole point of sales. It would be like a hospital hiring lawyers instead of doctors. Would you go? I think not. Would they stay in business? I know not. The point of being in business is to make money. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying or selling something. Educate yourself before claiming "I've been scammed", especially after entering into a LEGITIMATE business deal. The entire process is legal, verified, and explained over and over again. The advertisement never says "free" anything. Always read the "terms and conditions" that are tagged on EVERY advertisement on the internet. Listen to what someone is saying to you, and if you don't understand, ASK a question. Don't just give away personal information. You will only look like a fool if you do things without knowing what is going on. We do not "fleece" the unwary. A potential customer is told at least 3 (three) times what they are getting involved with, the costs, and what is being charged. That is a MINIMUM of 3 (three) times, by a minimum of 3 (three) different people. One of those is actually recorded for the protection of both parties.

Remember, in America, you are innocent until proven guilty. Making assumptions will hurt yourself and others. Learn, think before you denegrate someone else's livelyhood.
Thank you.

To Mike:
Why are all hotel bookings listed as "four days, three nights"? ALL the travel agencies use this ploy. Check-in time is typically around 2:00PM, check-out around 10:00 AM to noon. That doesn't even constitute one full day (or two full 'half days'). Try telling any lodging faciliity you're
going to arrive at 8:00AM the first day and stay through 6:00PM the last day, to comply with the "four days and three nights" offered.
They'll give you that "did you just fall off the turnip truck" look. That would sort of bring the days up in excess of nights by one as claimed.
.
It ain't gunna' happen, Holmes! That's three nights and two days in my book.

To Mike:
Why are all hotel bookings listed as "four days, three nights"? ALL the travel agencies use this ploy. Check-in time is typically around 2:00PM, check-out around 10:00 AM to noon. That doesn't even constitute one full day (or two full 'half days'). Try telling any lodging faciliity you're
going to arrive at 8:00AM the first day and stay through 6:00PM the last day, to comply with the "four days and three nights" offered.
They'll give you that "did you just fall off the turnip truck" look. That would sort of bring the days up in excess of nights by one as claimed.
.
It ain't gunna' happen, Holmes! That's three nights and two days in my book.

To Mike:
Why are all hotel bookings listed as "four days, three nights"? ALL the travel agencies use this ploy. Check-in time is typically around 2:00PM, check-out around 10:00 AM to noon. That doesn't even constitute one full day (or two full 'half days'). Try telling any lodging faciliity you're
going to arrive at 8:00AM the first day and stay through 6:00PM the last day, to comply with the "four days and three nights" offered.
They'll give you that "did you just fall off the turnip truck" look. That would sort of bring the days up in excess of nights by one as claimed.
.
It ain't gunna' happen, Holmes! That's three nights and two days in my book.

To Mike:
Why are all hotel bookings listed as "four days, three nights"? ALL the travel agencies use this ploy. Check-in time is typically around 2:00PM, check-out around 10:00 AM to noon. That doesn't even constitute one full day (or two full 'half days'). Try telling any lodging faciliity you're
going to arrive at 8:00AM the first day and stay through 6:00PM the last day, to comply with the "four days and three nights" offered.
They'll give you that "did you just fall off the turnip truck" look. That would sort of bring the days up in excess of nights by one as claimed.
.
It ain't gunna' happen, Holmes! That's three nights and two days in my book.

As I said in my first report. I was very upset after the persuasion. since I got very little and very vague information and was not allowed to cancel though I sent many mails and had a telephone converation with Jonathan Hayes. He told me that I had 30 days to cancel from the date I had received the package.

AND THIS IS WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC REASON. So says the general rules when you buy travel certificates. This is NOT a vacation package. A company who sells holidays or dertificates for holidays in Florida must be registered in Florida!

The misleading way they present the certificates, as if you have won something or will receive something free, is not in accordance with good sales and is hardly legal.

I received the package and I saw that this was nothing of what I had expected from the sales description. I then wrote a signed letter of cancellation, sent it to ASTAR by mail and by fax. I took one copy to my bank which helped me to report it for investigation to my credit card provider. I told ASTAR I got assistance from my bank. And within a few days I had my money back in the account.

It is just a pity you work in the "boiler room" spirit. Talented sales people working with bad roles make them con artists!

It also makes you wonder if the right of earning money in your country, erases all consideration and justice for others! Enough is enough!

This ends my "vacation in the U.S." story

As I said in my first report. I was very upset after the persuasion. since I got very little and very vague information and was not allowed to cancel though I sent many mails and had a telephone converation with Jonathan Hayes. He told me that I had 30 days to cancel from the date I had received the package.

AND THIS IS WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC REASON. So says the general rules when you buy travel certificates. This is NOT a vacation package. A company who sells holidays or dertificates for holidays in Florida must be registered in Florida!

The misleading way they present the certificates, as if you have won something or will receive something free, is not in accordance with good sales and is hardly legal.

I received the package and I saw that this was nothing of what I had expected from the sales description. I then wrote a signed letter of cancellation, sent it to ASTAR by mail and by fax. I took one copy to my bank which helped me to report it for investigation to my credit card provider. I told ASTAR I got assistance from my bank. And within a few days I had my money back in the account.

It is just a pity you work in the "boiler room" spirit. Talented sales people working with bad roles make them con artists!

It also makes you wonder if the right of earning money in your country, erases all consideration and justice for others! Enough is enough!

This ends my "vacation in the U.S." story

As I said in my first report. I was very upset after the persuasion. since I got very little and very vague information and was not allowed to cancel though I sent many mails and had a telephone converation with Jonathan Hayes. He told me that I had 30 days to cancel from the date I had received the package.

AND THIS IS WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC REASON. So says the general rules when you buy travel certificates. This is NOT a vacation package. A company who sells holidays or dertificates for holidays in Florida must be registered in Florida!

The misleading way they present the certificates, as if you have won something or will receive something free, is not in accordance with good sales and is hardly legal.

I received the package and I saw that this was nothing of what I had expected from the sales description. I then wrote a signed letter of cancellation, sent it to ASTAR by mail and by fax. I took one copy to my bank which helped me to report it for investigation to my credit card provider. I told ASTAR I got assistance from my bank. And within a few days I had my money back in the account.

It is just a pity you work in the "boiler room" spirit. Talented sales people working with bad roles make them con artists!

It also makes you wonder if the right of earning money in your country, erases all consideration and justice for others! Enough is enough!

This ends my "vacation in the U.S." story

As I said in my first report. I was very upset after the persuasion. since I got very little and very vague information and was not allowed to cancel though I sent many mails and had a telephone converation with Jonathan Hayes. He told me that I had 30 days to cancel from the date I had received the package.

AND THIS IS WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC REASON. So says the general rules when you buy travel certificates. This is NOT a vacation package. A company who sells holidays or dertificates for holidays in Florida must be registered in Florida!

The misleading way they present the certificates, as if you have won something or will receive something free, is not in accordance with good sales and is hardly legal.

I received the package and I saw that this was nothing of what I had expected from the sales description. I then wrote a signed letter of cancellation, sent it to ASTAR by mail and by fax. I took one copy to my bank which helped me to report it for investigation to my credit card provider. I told ASTAR I got assistance from my bank. And within a few days I had my money back in the account.

It is just a pity you work in the "boiler room" spirit. Talented sales people working with bad roles make them con artists!

It also makes you wonder if the right of earning money in your country, erases all consideration and justice for others! Enough is enough!

This ends my "vacation in the U.S." story

I have also received this phonecall, after solid persuasion I gave away my creditcardnumber. When I received the package I had changed my mind, I did not want this vouchers, so I returned it in a registrated letter along whith a cansallation note, (according to their terms you have 30 days to cancell). After two weeks they had refunded my creditcard, no problems and no questions asked.

Not that I agree with how they do business, I did feel kind of stupid for some time, but they were honest enough to return my money. I myself have learned a valuable lesson, I will not ever be manipulated on the phone again. From now on: I just hang up!!

I have worked with this company for almost 2 years. I have seen, and been on the various parts of this vacation. It is interesting to note, that these complaints are from people who have NEVER been on the vacation. They ASSUME that since they do not understand the business practices of most time share organizations, as with all sales, that it must be a scam. There is not a pressure to buy. We don't have to do that. The vacation sells itself.

Our sales agents are no different from AT&T, or Sprint, or any other large business that excels at what they do. We try to be polite, informative, and helpful. If this was a scam, we would NOT record the authorization, we would NOT explain this package a total of three times between three different people, We would not give valid customer service phone numbers, or addresses. If you follow all the steps given, we bend over backwards to help our customers have the dream vacation that they are looking for.

It is 7 days and 6 nights in Orlando, Fla, right outside Disney. Then a 2day/2 night cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Nassau ($249 port fees per person), then 4 days/ 3 nights in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. Then 5 days/4 nights in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. There is NO airfare, since we advertise globaly. There is a rental car included for 7 consecutive days with unlimited miles. You get all of this for $898.00 USD. You have to only take ONE 90 minute time share tour, and YOU pick the location. You CANNOT find a cheaper trip.

I find sites like this slightly biased in the presentation of "facts". If someone was to just google our company, as I did, they would be taken directly to this false information. I know bright obnoxious headlines catch your eyes, but in the interest of honest business, and fair business, a little less ostentatious presentation would be nice.

Dear readers,

Yesterday I was called twice by the guys from All Seasons Travel and Resorts. As I'm from Belgium it seems like this scam is spreading over the globe.

I must say that their story is quite impressive and I listened to the guy for over half an hour. At the point where he started to tell me about a payement I had to do ( 738,-) in order to secure my tickets I started to feel like something fishy was going on. How on earth must they secure the tickets know if you're going to travel anywhere within 18 months to 30 months. BS of course and luckely I saw what they were planning. When I told the guy named Jernard MILLER, that I wasn't going to travel within the next 4 years, he was kind of pissed off, said there was nothing he could do for me and hang up.

I really think the credit card companies are to blame here too. How on earth is it possible that someone charges your credit card only by having the CC number ? Don't they need a signature or something ? If this is really possible, than there's clearly something wrong with the credit card system.

For all of you out there, there's only one advice. Never, never give you're CC number to someone over the phone and certainly not over the internet.