So you couldnt review the quarantining protocols before making a booking decision and say, No, thats too much. The only way to avoid an unpleasant quarantine is to wait until the infection risk is low. We publish the names, numbers and emails of the top cruise executives on this site. We receive regular complaints about food poisoning on cruise ships. Help! G rand Circle Corp. is being sold to New York private equity firm Court Square Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount. Grand Circle Travel (GCT) seems to play a few nasty games, and cheating its customers!!! When the level of quality required is in question, we will operate to the high standards expected by our customers. To Cruise lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation. Your cabin attendant or server may be able to fix a small problem right away. While they didnt answer my question directly, I was able to recoup more than $100,000, collectively, for you and 10 other readers. When youre on vacation, its easy to let down your guard and fall for a sales pitch for an original sculpture, diamond ring or timeshare. The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act requires cruise lines to report criminal activity to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Tip: Avoid a cabin near an elevator or nightclub. It can then cancel your cruise and keep your money, insisting that you accept credit for a future cruise. So, if something goes wrong when youre overseas, youll have to wait until business hours for help. How much of a cut does the cruise line take? One way that Grand Circle Travel can overcome its financial difficulties is by diversifying its offerings. For more information about your privacy and protection, please review our full, My wife and I were excited to take our first river cruise with Grand Circle Travel/Overseas Adventure Travel (GCT/OAT) in The Netherlands in spring 2021 to see the flowers. Want to take the kids out to dinner or to the arcade? Translation: When they cancel your trip, they are legally required to offer you the money back. You can also appeal your case to a company executive. You are on hold for 2-3 hours. Answer: Yes. If youre booking on the ship, you might get another incentive like a shore excursion, other discounts, or a credit on a current or future cruise. Youll need to consider all of these dangers before you plan your cruise. Grand Circle's annual revenues are $10-$50 million (see exact revenue data) and has 100-500 employees. Alternatively, you could have filed a case in small claims court, although you would have had to limit your . Your travel agent may offer you a spacious cabin with a balcony, or even a suite. But which one is right for you? Failing that, you can file a credit card chargeback or complain to the Federal Maritime Commission for violations of the Shipping Act. A. T.: In a follow-up note a few weeks ago, you said that you feel the company provides a good travel service. But, you wrote, pushing all the risk of uncertainty onto the client by refusing a refund makes me fearful to ever do business with O.A.T. Its not hard to surmise, just by reading your email, what happened at O.A.T. Cruise lines add tips of up to 20 percent to your spa or bar bill. Whats the international cruise line passenger bill of rights? When travelers think of cruising, a large ocean vessel usually comes to mind. He provided us with so much information. GCT cancelled the Greenland portion. But once you get on the ship, youll realize its a waste of money. The Elliott Report is a consumer news site supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.). Hotels are comfortable and centrally located. would not recommend extremely long for no reason, multiple interviews just for entry level, low paying roles you will work weekends rude staff They do not respect your time. They also foster a community of dedicated travelers, encouraging you to share your memories, images, and stories with them and the friends you meet along the way. This is the third Tripped Up column in a row that addresses the issue of refunds. However, if Grand Circle Travel fails to find a solution to its financial woes, it could lead to layoffs, reduced wages, office closures, and a decrease in the quality of its services. By entering your email, you agree to sign up for consumer news, tips and giveaways from ConsumerAffairs. One-on-one service and attention to detail. Thats because you are a number. And then it took them over 3 months to give us back our money which they did only after numerous phone call attempts and letters to management. How do I know I can trust these reviews about Grand Circle Travel? Who Will Enjoy Traveling with Grand Circle Travel? Most medical care on cruise ships is adequate. Grand Circle Foundation Call our Regional Adventure Counselors 1-800-955-1925. Avoid the grief and go elsewhere to a reputable business at the outset. Exploring the Pros, Cons, and Benefits of Utilizing Professional Vacation Planning Services. Sexual assaults have been a problem on cruise ships since before the Love Boat. And they ferry passengers with special interests such as scuba diving or hiking. Discriminated against in room assignments - I took the Grand Circle tour, The Best of Eastern Europe on May 9, 2012. This company policy was the reason I booked with them in the first place, because, as we all know, vaccinations may keep one out of the hospital but does NOT keep one from contracting COVID. Get buying tips about Travel Agencies delivered to your inbox. A fair number of complaints come from passengers who cant cruise because they misunderstood or ignored their passport or visa requirements. Dont let that happen to you. And if I decided to go, whats the best way to book my vacation? Last minute changes OK, You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type, Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics. Business Bureau had given the company an "unsatisfactory" rating. It's equivalent to changing a flight schedule and not informing the ticketed passenger. They are what our beliefs and actions are derived from. Overseas Adventure Travel is part of Grand Circle Corporation, a family of travel companies based in Boston. (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? But we need to cancel. Compare your travel trivia knowledge with friends. After a series of high-profile customer service incidents in 2012 and 2013, the cruise industry adopted a voluntary bill of rights for its passengers, to clearly communicate to them their rights regarding comfort and care in a number of important areas. Grand Circle's cancellation, refund and exchange policies as well View travel requirements for countries around the world. In addition, a local restaurant lunch was packed full of passengers with food being served right under their noses. Its not just one problem, but many. Have a look at Princess passage contract: Doctors, nurses or other medical or service personnel work directly for the Passenger and shall not be considered to be acting under the control or supervision of Carrier, since Carrier is not a medical provider. In other words, when a doctors negligence leads to the death of a family member, the cruise line is off the hook. How do you buy a cruise, then? They have a bad reputation and that reputation is very on point, To get a job at Grand Circle Travel, browse, Overall, 55% of employees would recommend, Get started with your Free Employer Profile, Work Here? Surely taking temperatures and separating tables would have helped tremendously. also step down from her role as co-chair at Grand Circle and as You may feel like a number. It felt like a school tour where I had the least interested parent supervising me. They complained of being treated like second-class passengers. Agents are not free. By offering more diverse experiences, such as virtual tours and staycations, Grand Circle Travel can draw in more customers and increase its revenue. (Annual sales and employees) What industry is the company in? Were always here to help. 1958. Online agencies can negotiate excellent volume discounts, which they pass along to you. Grand Circle Travel is a well-known international travel company based in Boston, Massachusetts. You raise an important point. Why? Want a welcome drink? Type: Company - Private. https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/boston/proavel-0021-3848, Beware of Grand Circle Travel and Overseas Adventure Travel, Beware, Beware, Beware, Beware!!! No answer to emails or snail mail. Grand Circle CEO Alan (But dont take your agents word for it trust but verify, as they say.). Why is Good UI/UX Design Imperative for Business Success? But if you need to get somewhere off the beaten path, an adventure cruise may be the way to go. Grand Circle Travel has been bounced out of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Massachusetts, Maine & Vermont because of a slew of complaints regards the company's cancellation policy -. Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. Your stateroom is a place to sleep. Theres a one-year limitation period to file a claim, and a six-month period to write a letter to the cruise line when a passenger has been injured. Overseas . Because the porters dont always deliver the luggage to your room. This pandemic could cause some of them to be dusted off, said Mr. Anolik. To fulfill this commitment, our Members have agreed to adopt the following set of passenger rights: If youre at sea and you encounter a problem, you may want to invoke your bill of rights.. The right to have this Cruise Line Passenger Bill of Rights published on each lines website. I would not recommend the company. Payments. WE CAN DREAM ABOUT TRAVEL Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The state's lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency rather than criticizing the resort fees. I had always heard this was a good company but clearly it is no longer good. What are my rights, and what should I be worried about? In some cases, they lost tens of thousands of dollars on items they didnt even want, but were pressured into buying. The company notified me of the cancellation and offered either a credit for rebooking or a full refund that would have included airfare. If the agency is a member of a larger group, like AAA, youll get deals no one else has, and they may be unbeatable. My trip to Egypt with Overseas Adventure Travel was scheduled to depart in late March.