Complaint Review: United Travel Network

I contacted Universal Travel Network from a faxed advertisement sent to my daughter's office who wanted me to schedule a cruise for her sister's birday. I was randomly forwarded to one of the agents and began asking questions regarding availability and cost of a cruise as advertised.  I spoke to “Amanda” at extension 8779.    Amanda was very pleasant and believable and tried to accommodate all of my needs by letting me know the cost and requirement.  She and I went back and forth about availability dates and in the end we settled on a cruise that was leaving out of Galveston TX on 4 August 2013 to Belize on Carnival.  Cost would be $200 per adult person and 35.00 per child. I needed 2 cabins Ocean view with 4 (2 adults/2kids) and 1 cabin (2 adults/1 child) and she quoted a cost of 800 for the adults and 105 for the 3 children and stated that the cost had to be paid with 72 hrs to book the cruise.  I paid the cost using my Pentagon account that was posted on 6/11/2013.  I see that the company name on the check is ABC and 123 Corporation- that was news to me.  Amanda at no time indicated that the cost she quoted was the fee to purchase a 15 month travel program. 

On the next day I received an email message for the receipt of the $905.00 from Amanda congratulating me on my purchase but did not indicated confirmation of the cruise transaction that occurred.  I contacted Amanda and she indicated that I would be receiving further correspondence regarding the cruise.  She encouraged me to find out if anyone else wanted to travel with us on the cruise that was booked and that they would have 72 hrs to confirm so she can add them to the package.  I checked with my family and I had a niece who had gotten married last year who had never had a honeymoon.  She and her husband were available and wanted to go. 

I called back to Amanda the next day and was told the cost would be $200 per adult person for another cabin.  I again drafted payment through Pentagon for another $400.00 dtd 6/19/2013 for my niece to travel with us.  I DID NOT receive a receipt for confirmation of that transaction.  

Amanda also indicated during the first conversation that following the payment within about a week later we should be contacted regarding the next payment for the cruise that would cover administrative charges of $ 68.00 per adult person. I didn’t dispute these charges as I thought that they were standard charges and began calculating the total charges of $408 for 6 as the kids wouldn’t be charged. 

18^th and 25^th of June I received certified envelopes, USPS from “Universal Travel Network” P.O. Box 209, Boyds, Maryland 20841 notifying me of my agreement to pay 69.00 per adult person a part of the cruise arrangement.  All of this information was unfamiliar to me so I began calling “Amanda” at Universal Travel and at no time was allowed to speak to her again. I felt the cruise was in jeopardy so chose to go ahead and pay the 69.00, $414.00 total charge and it had to be a MONEY ORDER by a specific time

I called Universal Travel and was always transferred to Customer Service who repeated told me that all questions should be directed to them and there was never a satisfactory reply about the cruise and Amanda’ s scheduling me for a cruise.  I started receiving correspondence from The Travel Network who claimed that they were not affiliated with Universal travel and they would be coordinating my BONUS VACATION that I signed for.  Everything was totally confusing now.  I called The Travel Center who would refer me back to the company who sold me the package. I never agreed to a BONUS VACATION.  I AGREED TO A CRUISE ON 4 August.  I began to be tossed back and forth between the 2 and nowhere was Amanda.  The cruise date was fast approaching and there were worried questions from my family and I had no answers.  I began to speculate that I now had been duped out of now $1719.00 and remembered that Amanda also said that the final cost would be $129 per traveler for taxes/port charges that would be $1161.00.  I was not looking to pay any more money especially with the feeling of being railroaded with unfair tactics by both companies.  The Travel Network has wording in their correspondence that they feel exempts them from any illegal promises made by other companies.  THIS SHOULD NOT BE SO.  UNIVERSAL TRAVEL AND THE TRAVEL CENTER should be liable.  I finally received another certified package on 22 Jul 2013 that said that I have received a cruise package with FANTASEA Cruises and request that “getaway” plans should be made for 3 cabins.  I returned everything unused as I was RIPPED OFF and received no refund!