Disappointed Canadian
Saskatoon,#2Consumer Comment
Thu, March 12, 2015
I had a call from someone who identified himself as "Eddie Sanchez," who said were were obligated to pay them another $1800 for not booking the crusie and taking in the time share, within the 18 month period they gave us, which was actually 3 months less than the two years the original phone scammer said we had to book the cruise. There was of course, nothing mentioned about this extra charge when the original scam was perpetrated.
Based on other reports I'd read here, there was no way I was wasting more money to go on this "cruise," so I promptly got off the phone with" Mr. Sanchez." Then I cancelled the credit card so the scammers couldn't bill it again.
Eddie Sanchez
titusville,#3General Comment
Thu, February 28, 2013
Well just returned today 2/27/13 after free trip to the Bahamas... First off, anyone thinking that free lunches really do exist is mistaken. The free part is the cruise itself and the food. I bought into it and decided to take my wife to the Bahamas for a three day cruise. So ok, We had to pay the port charge. It was $59 a peice. Thats actually what it cost to enter the Bahamas per person. Then Took and upgrade to a suite, another buck : Then decided to add both kid's, a buck nineteen each. Ok were now at $400 and change...
Hidden fee time: $12 a day per person times 4 people = $48(mandatory tip charge).. Added all up with tax, around $500... and change... All through Caribbean Cruise Line who markets time-shares as well... Initially they wanted to sell us a package deal for 800.00, but living in Florida we only took the cruise option.(choice)..
The day before the cruise we were required to pick up the voucher at a welcome center where folks who opted for the $800 package were actually staying. Most were from out of the state. We were asked if we were interested in seeing a time share presentation after the cruise. This was only an option. We accepted.. Because of a $500 bonus certificate we get just for going.. We did compare prices with Caribbean Cruise Line and the Bahamas Celebration(The cruise line itself). Caribbean Criuse line/time shares = $500 and change vs. The Cruise line itself $800 and change.. Savings $300..
Here's what happened: We got to the port and paid $30 for valve parking in a secured lot. From that time on reps from the cruise line treated us like we were important until we got onboard. Once onboard we found the ship to be immaculately clean, the food all free except one of the gourmet restraunts. All the crew bending over backwards to please us. Superb cabin with no window. The best and funnest shows in the clubs. It was truely top notched all around. Clean, clean, clean pools, jacuzzi's. The food was out of this world.. The cruise was fun and exciting and would recommend through the timeshare company or direct... We opted not to take a time share after all but the timeshare company did deliver and we saved around $300.... After doing the 3 day cruise to the bahamas, I would recommend this to everyone.
Other fee's: So if you want to booze a little, well you'll have to pay a little to play... So you pay $6 to $9 a drink... while cruising through the aqua blue water's of the Bermuda Triangle. Which they'll deliver right to your lounge chair on the upper desk while you bake in the warm sun. Follow the drink specials.
princessrell
Massachusetts,#4General Comment
Thu, December 27, 2012
I dont exactly see why anyone would not appreciate your being bold enough to even share your bad experience because if most people went through that then they probably wouldnt want to admit it to anyone. I found it helpful and it definitely served to do as you had hoped;
When I recieved the call, I absolutely thought it sounded too good to be true as well. Luckily for me its right after christmas so being "broke" actually came in handy for me. I basically had no money when they caught me off guard with the call...(at my work phone at that). I am a student too and I started thinking hey maybe this would be a nice and inexpensive thing to do right after graduating in a few months, you know like a gift to myself that I on a students budget could actually afford and still have fun. So I recieved the exact same "promotional
cruise speech" and word of mouth is the best advertisement. etc. blah blah blah, then they continued to go on and on about the extended stay upgrade, free car rental, free meals, etc. however, I told them even though it all sounds lovely, I cannot give them any money at that exact moment and if they can wait until the
following day then sure I'd be interested, I told them it wouldnt go through and could they at least just wait until the following day (pay day) but no they wanted the $118 on the spot. So after I hang up with them, I started
reading all these online testimonials. So just as a precaution to make sure they didnt try to withdraw money anyway even after I warned it wouldn't work, I called my bank. It showed that they had not only attempted to pull the $118, but made 4-5 more additional attempts for all different amounts, $49, $150, $200, $598. So
thats when my financial institution blocked them for making so many attempts and will now only authorize a
payment to them if i call back and personally give that authorization. So shout out to my bank, to Visa and to being broke at the moment because for once it saved me! None of those charges were able to go through
Sandra
Hendersonville,#5Author of original report
Tue, May 15, 2012
Not exactly sure what your problem is or why you are so mean spirited but I dont need anymore responses from you Mr. Righteous. Please keep your opinions to yourself unless you have something helpful to offer. I am starting to think you are trying to ease your own conscious because maybe you work for this company or one the like. Please stop replying to this post unless you have something to add that would be useful or helpful to anyone - because seems that no-one is enjoying your smart aleck attitude and its really not accomplishing anything but making you look like the jerk that you obviously are.
Righteous1
gg,#6Consumer Comment
Mon, May 14, 2012
I consider your dismissal attitude to match the trip you endured. So not worth delving into. Glad you got a sugar coated response. !
Sandra
Hendersonville,#7Author of original report
Mon, May 14, 2012
Just wanted to say thank you for your response. You were right about everything you said - and you said it kindly. I appreciate that. Others aren't so friendly - pretty much for no reason at all - like they were the ones that were ripped off. I completely agree with everything you said in your post - I should have done more research - I certainly have learned my lesson the hard way unfortunately. You were also right that I should have just gone to Myrtle Beach and found a nice place on the beach to stay at. I am positive we would have had more fun. Also, you are right about the fact that I should have refused to go to the places they sent me - I pitched a pretty good fit on them but I guess I should have refused to go - maybe got alot louder. Again - hind sight is 20/20 unfortunately. From now on - if I ever get another opportunity to take my family on a vacation - I will surely plan it myself. No more "vacatation packages" for this ole girl. Again, I really appreciate your kind reply and I will definately heed to your advice for future adventures. :-) thank you!
Sandra
Hendersonville,#8Author of original report
Mon, May 14, 2012
Thank you for your posts. I am sorry you felt like you wasted your time reading my post - I didn't ask you to read it. If you thought it was too long you should have stopped reading it in the first paragraph. that was your decision to sit and read the entire thing. The first person to post was helpful and considerate and exactly right - I now know very well that I should have done more research on the trip offer. Hind site is 20/20. This was my first vaction - I had no experience with time shares, etc. I was just so excited and since the person called when I actually had money in the bank, it felt "meant to be". As I said before I know I was wrong - I really dont need Post #2 to tell me so. I have certainly learned some good lessons on this trip. To answer your questions about my daughter - her skin condition allows her to spend MINIMAL time in the direct sun. So, its not like she cant go outside or anything but I have to limit her time spent in the sunlight - which was why it was so important to me to have the indoor pools at the HOTELS not on the ship because I knew there would be plenty of other entertainment for her on the cruise ship besides swimming. The hotels were the only real place where I knew I would need to provide entertainment so the inside pool would have made life alot easier - which is again why I was making sure I had that covered in the beginning. They were supposed to have all kinds of activities for her age on the cruise ship, so I did not worry about that part, I knew she could do lots of stuff inside that wouldn't require me timing her exposure to sun. I only posted this so that other people could avoid the rip off that I had experienced. I am starting to wish I hadn't. I guess I wasn't expecting to be ridiculed for trying to save others from making the same mistake I had made. I thought that was the point in posting to this site. I honestly didnt expect any responses, I had just hoped to save someone else the heartache I had experienced with this package. Sorry that it wasn't to your liking. Anyway, thank you to the first person who posted - your comments were helpful and friendly and I appreciate that.
Righteous1
gg,#9Consumer Comment
Sun, May 13, 2012
Til I was done reading this plethora of non informative material there were three things that struck me.
1: A child with an aversion (sensitivity) to sunlight going on a cruise! Really now? Where is the sensibility in taking any child on a vacation to a "SUNNY" place when their health is at risk?
2: A simple: The package did not equal the "words" expressed by the scam artist. Empty promises and promotional dupes!
3: Brief and informative would have worked wonders, I just lost 15 minutes of my life reading this mini novel. I consider that a rip off of time.
The one responder did have wonderful suggestions and it pays to investigate. I personally consider these "Time share Schemes" to be worthless in more ways then one! Seriously save your hard earned money for worthwhile investments, like a memorable trip or family outing that doesn't involve them picking your pockets! Your deserve to have the promotion meet your expectations...this one clearly didnt ..:(
Karl
Clovis,#10Consumer Suggestion
Sat, May 12, 2012
I'm sorry that you got taken in the very famous Ramada Plaza Resort operation. It is not a scam at all. The company is paid to attract people to time share presentations and they do so by putting together a budget vacation in Florida. It is obvious from your letter that you are on a tight budget and also appear to know nothing about researching a vacation before you go on one.
If you had a confirmed room at the Ramada you should have demanded a similar or better hotel. Most people who complained loudly were switched to the Westin I understand from reading other ROR reports. Instead you meekly went to wherever you were directed to go. Same in Orlando.
The ship is a converted North Sea ferry - certainly not the equal of even Carnival.
Next time don't fall for pitches on the phone. Nobody gives you something for nothing. Sit down and look at hotel rating sites like Trip Advisor. Select a hotel based on guest reviews. Look for a bargain cruise on a major cruise line - Carnival, NCL, etc. Put together your own package. You certainly don't need a travel agent if you own a computer.
Actually you would have had a better time -probably cheaper - if you had driven over to Myrtle Beach and stayed in a condo for a week . I've stayed in scores of Marriotts and never experienced a bad hotel or motel in any of their properties. If you want a nice vacation drive to Miami, stay at motels that are recommended and take a short cruise on a major line. Save up for the cruise because the fare is only a fraction of what you pay while aboard.