Complaint Review: PTS Travel - Tampa Florida

When a company only takes check or money order it is a red flag. The reason they do not take credit cards is because you can later dispute the charge and get your money back from the credit card company. Unless you know the company you are doing business with never pay by check or money order.

Ron, my experience with your company has been a nightmare. We donated a car to a local charity and were surprised to get an offer to take a cruise.  The process seemed odd to us, but we  filled out a postcard to receive a voucher for a cruise.  A package finally came 8 weeks later with tons of offers but nothing for the cruise offer.  We also called, got voice mail immediately and played phone tag for days.  Finally, I connected with a representative (loud rap music and several conversations going on in the background).  She told me they accidently forgot to send the cruise offer.  She said she would put it in the mail that day.  Seven weeks later we got the voucher, the expiration date was days away so we had to send our request by FedEx to meet the deadline, or lose our money.  Our credit card was charged the day our request was received, yet we never got any confirmation letter from your company.  After waiting 3 more weeks to receive something in the mail that would tell us how to book our cruise my endurance had come to an end.  I called your company several times (each time getting voice mail).  A few days after my initial voice messages to your company I received an airline activation card in the mail, not the cruise activation I paid for.  This was the breaking point of my relationship with your company.  I wanted my money back.  I found an email contact at your company and a detailed message regarding my frustrations and requested an immediate refund.  A lady replied claiming we never activated a cruise with her company and retorted even if we had activated our cruise, they do not give refunds.  I sent her our credit card transaction information and again requested a refund since doing business with your organization was literally causing me ulcers.  She magically found our request and gave us several cruise dates to choose from (just dates, no processing fee information).  She would not allow us a refund, so I told her a date that would work and requested more information regarding fees and processing.  I waited 4 weeks for a response from her.  I emailed her again, this time she said I dont show that we have received your registration form and registration fee for the cruise offer. Your next step would be to mail in your completed registration activation form with the registration fee to activate your offer.  WHAT!!! Didnt we already have this conversation?  YES, we did! I told her we already paid the fee, but received an airline voucher, not the cruise voucher in the mail!  I AGAIN asked for a refund.  She refused.  She replied that The cruise registration form was mailed to us the month of June"...and that she would put in another request to have another form sent to us.   This was beyond ridicules.  I felt trapped by your organization to continue working with you because you would not refund my money.  Days later she responded Upon further investigation, I see that you have already sent in your registration form and fee for your cruise offer.  She then gave us an activation number and a reservation contact phone number.  I called the reservation number (again loud music in the background) and discovered that ever single cruise offered had a processing fee that was the exact same price or higher than if we booked the cruise directly with the company. I am disgusted that the charitable organization that we graciously supported is doing business with your organization.  The "Deluxe Cruise Vacations" offer we signed up for was ONLY going to cost extra fees and taxes per person ranging between $29 - $129.  Yet ever cruise we were offered had extra fees/tax range of $249.00 to $659.00 per person.   

Ron in your reply you say we can get a refund of our money, why was my request denied? How can I get a refund and finally end this horrendous relationship with your organization?

Michelle

The certificate was purchased from a company other than PTS Travel any funds paid for the certificate were paid to that company.  Our understanding was that the $99 was refundable on request.  PTS Travel processes thousands of clients on cruises each year with who very pleased with their experience.  The typical savings for off-peak travel averages $250 to $300 per person.

No funds are requested until their cruise is finalized. The only time requirement was that they register the certificate within 30 days after purchase.  All phones messages are returned within 24 to 48 hours.