Complaint Review: Sandos Vacations - Orlando Florida Internet

I work at a travel agency and received a fax detailing a Cancun Vacation; "6 days/5 nights All-Inclusive." Working at a travel agency, we book with different companies all of the time, and get all kind of these faxes. I called the number on the flyer: 1-877-714-1187, and spoke with Troy Scott, who gave me information about the trip and directed me to the website: www.sandosvacations.com, and told me that I would be staying at the Sandos Playacar property. Troy informed me that I could pick my dates to go to this property. This worked very well, as I had plane tickets to Cancun already booked during my work vacation in May.

Upon informing Troy that I did not have the credit card that I would like to put the vacation charge on, and he told me if I gave him another credit card/debit card, he would keep that number to "hold" the vacation spot for me, as long as I called before they closed that evening, and gave them the proper credit card. I was then recorded giving my authorization for this vacation, on the other credit card that I would soon provide before the end of the day.

"You definitely aren't going to charge this card, correct, you're going to wait until I give you my other one?" Troy assured me my card would not be charged.

Once I returned home, I looked at my online banking and noticed that they had indeed charged the card I asked them not to. I called them and spoke with Chris, a manager who seemed very nice, apologized for the confusion and reassured me that the charge would be voided before midnight. I provided him with the proper credit card info and continued to book the vacation. He also reassured me that I would have no issue booking my own dates for this vacation as well.

The next day I sign and fax over the authorization to charge my credit card.

Then everything changed completely. I could no longer get ahold of anyone to go ahead and book dates for the vacation. I was always told that the managers were "busy," and afte" They'd always ask in the beginning, "did you book a vacation already?" Once I said "yes," I was on hold forever, and many times, just disconnected. Such a headache, and such a huge, frustrating waste of time.

I was desperate to book my dates and get some sort of confirmation with the resort's name and my dates on it and was referred to the "customer service department" which is supposed to be a "different company" that books your dates. I told the representative the dates that I had picked and he told me he would call me back tomorrow, as he needed to "see if those dates were available." I panicked and told him that i was assured by Troy Scott (who also jokingly told me he worked on commission) had assured me that I would have no problem picking the dates I needed for this vacation.

The terms of agreement were changing and I became extremely upset, my plane tickets had been booked months ago, and I picked this vacation resort because of their flexibility with picking dates. I got ahold of one rep and by this time I was extremely upset and told her that if I could not be booked on the days that I needed to, that I would cancel the vacation and ask for a full reimbursement. She told me to "hold on the line, I am going to call and see if these dates are available while you're on the line." I wait patiently, and suddenly she says, "M'am? Do you hear this?" She then began to play the audio-taped coversation of my verbal agreement. She didn't even find out the information I needed, she just threatened me with my own "verbal agreement" that it edited to their liking, no doubt.

Infuriated and exhausted, hours later I finally reach a manager named Melissa, I told her all of this and said I wanted to cancel my vacation and she said to hold on the line for just a minute and she'd see what she could do. She came back on the line and informed that she had successfully booked me those dates. We discussed more details, she assured me that if I called her extension, that she'd answer and would now handle everything I needed. I asked her "The reservation for Sandos Playacar, correct?" "Oh no, no they're filled up. I booked you at the Sandos Caracol instead....is that ok?" This was the second thing promised to me that had changed since me purchasing the vacation.

I told her that it was NOT okay, that Troy Scott told me I would be staying at Sandos Playacar, that was the property I was promised, and that was the property that I paid for, and if I did not get what I was promised, I wanted my money back. Melissa told me that my money was "non-refundable," and that "you were told you were staying at a Sandos property, Caracol IS a Sandos property. We fulfilled our obligation. She knew I was promised a different hotel and I knew that it was a total bait and switch, misinformation, and false advertising. After more arguing, Melissa then told me if I MUST speak to her supervisor, it'd be Maggie O' Malley but that she "was out to lunch..and should be back in a half hour. Or on Monday."

I tried desperately to get ahold of this woman before the end of the day, so i could begin cancelling this vacation and getting my money back. My cell phone reads that I tried to call them seventeen times within the next few hours (while at WORK). Some of these phone calls consisted of never getting through to anyone; the phone ringing and ringing, some consisted of being put on hold and hung up on. One consisted of a "rep" telling me that he would not allow me to hold to speak with a manager because "there are other people trying to call to buy vacations." I noticed the common question with any of these reps are, "did you already buy a vacation?"

Once you say "yes," they put you on hold for hours, or just keep you on hold and hang up on you. The most disturbing call was re-directed to a supervisor who told me. "We have you're verbal agreement, Miss. Why don't you go dispute it with your credit card company?" She said it in a smug self-assured way that gave me chills. These people are good at scamming people and they don't feel threatened by anything. This is why I worry that I will never see that money again.

I disputed the charge with my bank and also cancelled my cards. I now wait to hear what happens with the dispute. Something to note though; when I went to cancel my cc, the rep told me "We're way ahead of you. On February 24th, this credit card was compromised. We've already closed this account and are sending you a new card." I asked her what "compromised means," and she said it meant that "the merchant had a problem with their security and a third party (the police department) picked up on it." This means my account was compromised shortly after I purchased this vacation, and I had not put anything else on my cc in weeks, so it had to be SandosVacations that alerted my bank. I am hoping this will strengthen my case and get that charge OFF my credit card.

All of this has been a horrible experience and I would warn anyone not to fall into the trap I did, don't give any money to these people! Once you purchase the vacation, the terms change, you will be given a total runaround, and they will use the tape recording of your voice to intimidate you into believing these charges will remain on your credit card.

Ironically enough, at the end of my work day yesterday (yes I did all of that while at work), a fax came through, and it was from Sandos again; same flyer but a different phone number: 1-888-318-0447. The fax number seems to remain the same: 877-708-1730. The charge on my credit card read: "RESORTSALE" and the merchant is in Orlando, FL. However they told our agency that they were located in the "Maya Riviera."

Kristen

studio city, California

U.S.A.