- Report: #458568
Complaint Review: Alcatraz Media - Atlanta Georgia
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Author Confirmed
Why?
Alcatraz Media
P.O. Box 500279 Atlanta, 31150 Georgia, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-715-9301
Web:
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Alcatraz Media If Something goes Wrong with your E-Ticket, No Help or Recourse, the Money is Gone - You no Longer Exist. Don't Take a Chance. Atlanta Georgia
I have never done a ripoff report before for any company but I feel compelled to warn unsuspecting travelers of this company so that their vacation will not be ruined like mine did. My children will forever remember the sadness of the heartache we were caused trying to call, waiting on hold for 20 minutes two times and being hung up on and being told essentially, you sucker - your out of luck. I booked two tours from Alcatraz for Boston the night before I was leaving on a plane for Boston. My 15 yr old son had never been on a plane so this trip was to be extremely special. Alcatraz had no problem taking my money and acknowledging my booking. I was then told to wait for E-tickets. Since my E-tickets did not arrive in my email by early the next morning, I had to board a plane without them. I took the phone number and the Tour Activity Reservation Receipts. I arrived in Boston and since one of my tours was for the USS Constitution, we decided to go there. No one knew about Alcatraz or their tours so I called the company. I waited on hold for 20 minutes when a customer service representative answered. I told them I was in Boston but no one knows about Alcatraz. She said "do you have your e-tickets?" I said "no, they did not arrive before I left California." She then proceeded to reprimand me and said that without the e-tickets, she could do nothing for me. She then hung up on me. I called again and waited again this time for 25 minutes. (My children had to wait around doing nothing in the lobby of the USS Constitution Museum). I got another representative who told me the same thing but she did not hand up. My husband got on the phone, explained the situation and she said she could not help him. She then asked if we had a fax or computer. My husband said we are in the museum of the USS Constitution on a Saturday with no fax, no computer, no printer access. My husband then asked if she could direct us to the booth for the tour. She did say she would try to get tickets to the booth but could not tell us where it was located. There were wall-to-wall visitors in Boston. The USS Constitution and Faneuil Hall were packed. There was no way to locate a booth quickly that might have a way to access Alcatraz to get our tickets. After two hours, we did search, asked several booths (and there were many scattered throughout Boston) and finally someone said that they had tickets for us. We were able to take the cruise to the USS Constitution but when we realized what we booked, it was not clear what the cruise entailed. The description on the website from Alcatraz was nothing like what the actual tour entailed. It never described the pick up points, where it is available or where the booth will be located. Also, they re-word different tours and it is very easy to book and pay for the same thing along with another tour attraction. So you book for a cruise and USS Constitution and a cruise and Beantown Trolley. Guess what you paid twice the money for the same cruise. In my case, we had to find a library (pay for computer time), print e-tickets which we could not use because it was too late. I tried to explain this to customer service after the fact but they just sent me "pre-worded I'm so sorry prompts." Just another way to say, "SUCKER."
Sheila
Kelseyville, California
U.S.A.
Sheila
Kelseyville, California
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Michelle-alcatraz
Atlanta,Georgia,
United States of America
This complaint is untruthful
#2UPDATE Employee
Thu, December 30, 2010
Sheila Henry purchased two tours with our company.They were the Beantown Trolley Tour in Boston and the USS Constitution Cruise from Boston. Please note that both reservations were placed after hours 1:43AM EST and 2:05AM EST. We processed and confirmed both reservations as quickly as possible, and both were sent within a timely manner.In this case, that was within 12 hours. Please note that we had no way of knowing Sheila Henrys travel arrangements, nor could we have processed these reservations any faster, as she booked them while our office and our vendors offices were closed.
We try our best to process orders as quickly as we can.In most cases, it takes less than a minute to process an order (even when the office is closed).Our systems are automated where they can be.However, some vendors have inventory controls and require direct confirmation, which we can only complete when our offices are open, as well as the offices of our vendors.Boat tours and bus tours are both limited in space (unlike a museum for example), and therefore may require direct contact from our staff to confirm space.
Having said that, our website and our terms both clearly state that an E-ticket will be sent within 72 hours and that it is the customers responsibility to download and print their E-tickets. Sheila Henrys E-ticket was emailed to her, was available for download on www.reserve123.com/tickets, and we even offered to fax it to our supplier for her.We are sorry that she left her home prior to receiving her E-tickets, but we provided valid confirmations in a timely manner, and no refund is due.We had to pay our vendors for Sheilas tours.We cannot get a refund.
Sheila Henry also states that we re-word different tours and it is very easy to book and pay for the same thing along with another tour attraction. This is absolutely false! The Beantown Trolley Tour comes with a free bonus tour. Our tour description clearly states: FREE BONUS TOUR - a Harbor Cruise from the New England Aquarium or the U.S.S. Constitution (Cruise operates May - October and is replaced by tickets to the Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy Library during the winter months).
Our tour information was very clear, and was provided to Sheila Henry prior to booking. We are sorry she didnt choose to read the tour descriptions fully before booking, but she purchased two final sale tours. We tried to assist Sheila Henry by offering to fax her E-ticket to our supplier, but ultimately it was her responsibility to obtain her E-tickets. We had to pay both suppliers for these tours, yet we did not file a Ripoff Report over the matter.
We have been in business since 1999, have assisted millions of travelers, and carry an A+ rating with the BBB in Atlanta (http://www.bbb.org/atlanta/business-reviews/travel-agencies-and-bureaus/alcatraz-media-in-atlanta-ga-7003850).We pride ourselves in providing excellent customer service.We have never ripped anybody off, and will never rip anybody off.We try our very best, although we recognize that you cannot please everybody all of the time.Please consider this and contact us if you have any questions about our services.We love travel, we are here to assist you, and we want to earn your business.
