You probably need travel insurance for your cruise. Teamwork: We believe in groups of people who work together to create excellent results, solve difficult problems, support each other personally and professionally, and recognize their success. In 2018, The Excellence in Service Award was presented to 7 different GCC associates. But we need to cancel. Don't sweat the logistics travel providers plan for you. According to the The average employee at Grand Circle Travel makes $62,003 per year. They canceled my flight. Quality can be subjective, and in our business quality often involves a compromise between speed and perfection. Because Grand Circle attracts a similar age range, youre sure to meet new friends with like interests in no time. The Elliott Report is a consumer news site supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. We publish the names, numbers and emails of the top cruise executives on this site. We publish the names and emails of customer service managers. Heres how to spot it, Expert advice for booking the best hotel and finding the lowest rate, Here it is: The complete guide to holiday travel. Here are my strategies for advocating your case. Candidates give an average difficulty score of 3.1 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) for their job interview at Grand Circle Travel. Grandparents & grandchildren (ages 13 and up are welcome to join). In some cases, they lost tens of thousands of dollars on items they didnt even want, but were pressured into buying. Grand Circle Travel (GCT) seems to play a few nasty games, and cheating its customers!!! The activities, lectures, and easy pace are all designed for older travelers. Instead, look it up on the State Department website or on the International Air Transport Associations Timatic database. Established in 1958. Whats the international cruise line passenger bill of rights? When the customers asked for a refund, the cruise lines said they couldnt get one future cruise credits were nonrefundable. My cruise was cancelled by the company because do not have enough people, asking for refund but never get an answer. I called, sent letters, asking for a refund. That means cruise lines appear to be less dangerous than they are. The office environment is really casual. was created in 1958 to serve AARP members. I told them that I had a medical condition and did not know when or if I would be able to travel, and asked whether they were just going to keep my $17,500 if I couldnt travel by the end of 2021. They have changed our river cruise a couple of times. Youll probably get the deepest discounts, and in some cases, a price protection that assures you that if the fare drops, youll get a refund. It isnt that these items arent fun to have while youre on a cruise, but that in many cases, theyre ridiculously overpriced. Supervisors and managers want everyone to succeed. spokeswoman said the company is working to improve our processes and to better address the needs of each traveler whose trip was canceled or postponed due to the pandemic. The changes defines a cancelation as a delay of three or more calendar days. 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 -. In a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment each member of the team is critical for success. Grand Circle Corporation is a global enterprisecomprised of a family of travel companiescommitted to changing people's lives by offering high-impact experiences to our travelers and building local communities through philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and volunteerism. They have made it impossible to contact them about anything. Plenty of free time is included in the itineraries, and there is a lot of choice among optional tours. Copyright 2008-2023, Glassdoor, Inc. "Glassdoor" and logo are registered trademarks of Glassdoor, Inc. The right to transportation to the ships scheduled port of disembarkation, or the passengers home city, in the event a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures. When the level of quality required is in question, we will operate to the high standards expected by our customers. Circle Corp. ran into some challenges last year after the Better You will probably do a fair amount of walking throughout the tour - Grand Circle suggests that travelers be relatively physically fit. The original Grand Circle Travel was founded by retired high . The right to a ship crew that is properly trained in emergency and evacuation procedures. If my cruise is canceled, am I entitled to a refund? Were mediating these problems on a case-by-case basis. Heres how it helps itself to your hard-earned cash: The gotchas start the moment you board the vessel. Traveler Reviews. Cruise lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation. Do they distribute it among the staff? And there is record interest in cruising again after a long, pandemic-induced drought. Youre in control. Then our columnist intervened with the Boston-based tour operator Overseas Adventure Travel. Youre on vacation. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment based on your own personal circumstances and consult with your own investment, financial, tax and legal advisers. He was warm and concerned about the experience of the customers on the tour. If you prefer a smaller ship and dont like waves, a river cruise might be right for you. (Think of it as a kind of rewards program.) In theory, a host agency is not liable to clients of a sub-IC for their acts or omissions. as its customer service. 1958. This tour was phenomenal from the beginning to the end! Contact Us - One thing leads to another, and the next thing you know, a passenger is standing at the dock with the ship steaming off into the distance. Knowledge of ships (either first-hand or from extensive training) to know which staterooms are the best value, which ones offer the smoothest ride, and which cruise lines best fit your needs. Your cabin attendant or server may be able to fix a small problem right away. The small-group and cruising company has been recognized nationally. Ships appear to get less safe with each passing year. chairman of Grand Circle Foundation. Even though people cant travel right now, many of us are continuing to dream about our next trip and that means making conscious and subconscious decisions about which companies to spend money with once the pandemic has passed. Your ship may or may not keep the promised schedule. She lost her engagement ring in a rental car. All Rights Reserved. To get a job at Grand Circle Travel, browse currently open positions and apply for a job near you. Cruise lines add tips of up to 20 percent to your spa or bar bill. Cruise lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation. Get travel insurance. in 1997 they established Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises with a I want emails from Fodor's Travel with travel information and promotions. Just to name a few, we have danced the Turkey with school children in Costa Rica, climbed the Mayan Temples of Tikal, laid roses with Veteran travelers at the grave of the WWII Cemetery in Normandy and walked the ancient stone boulevards of Ephesus. You could pay tens of thousands of dollars to a cruise line. Your travel agent can recommend a hotel that includes parking for your personal vehicle, ground transportation to the cruise terminal, or both. The Members of the Cruise Lines International Association are dedicated to the comfort and care of all passengers on oceangoing cruises throughout the world. 166,000 travelers in 2007. Grand Circle Travel/Overseas Adventure Travel only offered a $250 credit per person to be applied to a future trip, and the option of booking another trip altogether. Lewises, the company has grown from $27 million in sales and 5,000 They also operate overseas travel adventures. And this information was only transmitted because I raised the subject. I would not recommend the company. They had no number call back policy and I have been on hold 1/2 hr. For example, Royal Caribbean says it may, for any reason at any time and without prior notice, cancel, advance, postpone or deviate from any scheduled sailing, port of call, destination, lodging or any activity on or off the vessel, or substitute another vessel or port of call, destination, lodging or activity. If it does, it owes you nothing for the inconvenience. Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. We got an inc Have taken 12 trips overseas with this company and each one has been wonderful. If you think youll have less, get it renewed before your cruise. Unsubscribe easily. Here is a photo of them enjoying the breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. Heres what happened: Many cruise lines offered either a refund or a 125 percent cruise credit when COVID-19 hit. We are either rebooking travelers on another trip or providing a refund. Since mid-March, she said, O.A.T. Travelers routinely returned home to phone bills in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Always arrive the day before your cruise. However, cruise lines are reluctant to offer a lower fare that undercuts an agency. Whats more, its not always entirely clear who gets the tip. Crypto Wallet Development: Types, Features, and Popularity, 5 Ways AI is Detecting and Preventing Identity Fraud. So should you take a cruise this year? has refunded more than 5,000 travelers amounting to more than $12 million. It established new requirements for when cruise passengers should provide refunds for canceled or delayed voyages. They are what our beliefs and actions are derived from. I advise focusing on a bigger problem and letting the smaller things go. If youd rather have a bit more action, or are after a "see a lot, do a lot" city and country hopping pace, this style of travel is probably not going to hit the right note for you. I am still pursuing my refund. Cruise lines dont include premium restaurants in your fare. Specialties: The leader in small ship and river cruising worldwide - offering American travelers a 4-star experience at a 3-star price aboard our privately owned and chartered fleet. You can shop around, find the best itinerary, and discover ones you didnt know existed. We booked a river cruise, including airfare, and documented every detail. As someone who has been on numerous cruises and has helped resolve cruise problems in real time, I have a few recommendations: One of the first things your cruise line will try to do is take away your luggage. They refuse to accept their responsibility to inform me, in order to allow me to make the decision regarding my exposure. Travel Protection. Pictures of the kids by the pro photographers? In addition, there is the worry that many travel companies may go out of business due to the loss of business from this pandemic. Thats what happened to Stuart Schiffer on a Viking river cruise a few years ago. Grand Circle Travel employees are most likely to be members of the democratic party. But there are risks now, and perhaps more risks than ever. Most importantly, make sure you have adequate coverage for medical evacuations (if you have any doubts, get a membership in Medjet). Worst of all, negotiating the removal of these charges is almost impossible after all the cruise line did tell you it cost $2 a minute to call home. They do plenty of one on ones. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Proudly powered by WordPress It doesnt have to. I purchased my own flights. The worst fee Ive seen is for the end cut of a roast served at dinner. Soon we discovered they had changed our cabin without notifying us and that one of the flights had disappeared . ConsumerAffairs is not a government agency. Our help is free. The state was in the spotlight recently when it hosted the annual Gala Riviera Nayarit & Puerto Vallarta. Grand Circle Travel was started by the founder of AARP, and as such know their demographic extremely well. This is my first experience with them. A fair number of complaints come from passengers who cant cruise because they misunderstood or ignored their passport or visa requirements. Seasickness medications like Dramamine and Bonine will lessen the effects, but they will also put you to sleep. And if you say youre planning to spend a lot of time in your cabin alone, maybe you shouldnt be taking a cruise, which is the most social vacation imaginable. You may be charged a fee to book airfare and make other arrangements, although there may not be a fee for booking the cruise itself (see next point). Grand Circle Travel is currently facing a difficult financial situation due to decreased demand for its services, increased costs, and decreased revenue. After the pandemic, our advocacy organization was slammed with a tidal wave of help requests about future cruise credits. Yes, my wife and I had to leave mid-way through the cruise and were quarantined for 8 days at a hotel. Grand Circle's cancellation, refund and exchange policies as well If youre prone to motion sickness, ask for a cabin near the middle of the lower decks, which are more stable. That agency said that it has received about 275 consumer complaints so far about canceled O.A.T. Another solution to Grand Circle Travels financial woes is to increase efficiency. Asked for refund and got a credit instead. Since 1958, Grand Circle has been the leader in international discovery for mature American travelers. Help! Gangwal left Worldspan when it was Be the first one to find this review helpful. Its not uncommon to hear of people waiting upwards of an hour for help. Poor food, poor guidance and no involvement from the guide or the Company. In Hawaii, consumers have the right to a cash refund (minus previously disclosed cancellation fees) within two weeks of requesting one. All answers shown come directly from Grand Circle Travel Reviews and are not edited or altered. If you leave the country, you must have a passport. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced she reached an agreement with a tour company, securing further refunds for canceled trips. Try to call this phone number 1-800-221-0814/1-877-220-2610, holding for 2 hours cannot get a connection, if The Cruise Company cancel the trip they should automatically refund your money, finally I have through the credit card company to dispute payment. The state's lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency rather than criticizing the resort fees. Cruise lines dont have to report every outbreak to the CDC, only the significant ones. This is the Grand Circle Travel company profile. Over the years they have established a solid reputation for tours and river cruises that offer good value to destinations around the world. As Preferred Sir Edmund Hillary Club / Inner Circle Customers, having made five previous trips with this company (customer number 962737), we pre-reserved our trip for mid-April 2021, and paid in full before the end of February 2020, over a year in advance. I've tried to reach by each way listed without success. Most trips with Grand Circle are, unfortunately, not wheelchair accessible. While some U.S. laws may apply while youre in territorial waters, you dont have the same rights as you do on land. Absolutely the worst travel agency in the business the service is virtually nonexistent and if you need to contact them, be prepared to spend hours listening to their recorded music after which the line will probably go dead. Overall, 55% of employees would recommend working at Grand Circle Travel to a friend. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. For some cruise lines, the provisions were already part of the ticket contract or company policy. A few practical tips from a consumer advocate. 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. Thats not entirely true. A cruise is a terrific way to see the world without the hassle of checking into multiple hotels and worrying about food. (Take a look at your travel insurance policy, BTW, and see if it covers financial default by the tour operator, in which case you're covered if Grand Circle goes down the drain). Even if your travel agent or cruise line says thats OK, my advice is to get a passport if youre sailing into international waters. Agents are often incentivized by commissions and bonuses called overrides from cruise lines that reward them for booking a lot of itineraries with the same company. CONTENTS Overview Reviews Updated 03/02/2023 About Grand Circle Travel This profile has. Grand Circle Corporation is a global enterprise committed to changing peoples lives through international travel. Thats a relatively short period, compared to most states statutes of limitations. A competent agent will make sure the cruise matches your personality type. They dont have any way to contact them. Plus, we have insightful letters, insider tips, and more. Read unbiased user reviews, pick the operator that suits your needs, and connect with them directly. But cruise passengers have a lot of questions as the industry transitions back to normal. What are my rights as a cruise passenger? Lewis and his wife, Harriet Lewis, who acquired Boston-based Grand We call these laundry-list complaints, because they look like, well, a laundry list. Grand Circle Travel is a well-known international travel company based in Boston, Massachusetts. Why is it taking so long to get a cruise refund? Grand Circle Travel Privacy Statement - Terms indicate if they cancel you get a refund. Established in 1958 by Ethel Andrus, educator and founder of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), we view world travel as a powerful lever for lifelong learning. Plan to arrive a minimum of 24 hours before your cruise leaves. How are they allowed to keep my money? Today, Grand Circle The company has seen increased costs due to safety protocols and additional staffing needed to ensure the health and safety of their guests. Here are some of the risks. If the agency is a member of a larger group, like AAA, youll get deals no one else has, and they may be unbeatable. Employees rate Grand Circle Travel 3.3 out of 5 stars based on 429 anonymous reviews on Glassdoor. Its an online travel agency. You can also appeal your case to a company executive. Whether its an optional shore excursion or an onboard auction, the cruise line wants more of your money than you spent on the cruise fare. OAT's email offering a refund would have made your credit-card dispute an easy win. Ive heard of these kickbacks going as high as 14 percent. Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. It is impossible to reach this company. You might find yourself sharing dinner at the home of a local family or visiting local schools. Cruise ship gotchas they wont tell you about. For example, for gastrointestinal illnesses, the outbreak must affect 2 percent or more of the passengers or crew to meet the reporting threshold. Every member must be fully accountable for the teams and ones own personal results. Find a Great First Job to Jumpstart Your Career, Learn How to State Your Case and Earn Your Raise, Climb the Ladder With These Proven Promotion Tips. There are many other health perils at sea. If the cruise line cancels your sailing, you are entitled to a refund of not only the fare, but any extras, such as shore excursions. Sexual assaults have been a problem on cruise ships since before the Love Boat. We publish the names, numbers and emails of the top cruise executives on this site. As a result of the pandemic, many people have become hesitant to travel, resulting in a significant drop in bookings for Grand Circle Travel. My wife and I would have been able to have a table to ourselves, not because we are anti-social, but because we would have been safer. Industry: Travel Agencies. Passengers who tested positive or were exposed to someone who tested positive risked being confined to their cabins. Its gonna cost you. Our buses had problems; the drivers were pulled from retirement and were unfamiliar with the vehicles. In addition to decreased demand, Grand Circle Travel has also had to face other financial challenges. 2 hour wait for phone contact. Grand Circle CEO Alan But it was the industrys way of saying it could do better. CONNECT WITH US. By entering your email, you agree to sign up for consumer news, tips and giveaways from ConsumerAffairs. A link has directed you to this review. When something goes wrong, someone should always be there for you. again.. as CEO by Rakesh Gangwal, former CEO of Worldspan, a Court Square While they didnt answer my question directly, I was able to recoup more than $100,000, collectively, for you and 10 other readers. Were always here to help. What Makes Grand Circle Travel Stand Out? please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. See inclusive packages for the best values, and get access to amazing deals. Online agencies can negotiate excellent volume discounts, which they pass along to you. The right to a full refund for a trip that is canceled due to mechanical failures, or a partial refund for voyages that are terminated early due to those failures. Archive - : Tanzania/Kilimanjaro Tour Company, Any recommendations for Grand Circle Tours and/or Overseas Adventure Tours, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Its extra. also step down from her role as co-chair at Grand Circle and as But, if the extraordinary number of reader complaints I have received more than a dozen and counting are any indication, they have been doing so anyway. Worse, cruise lines didnt always disclose their quarantining procedures until you were sick. I received no corrected, printed information, no email, no telephone call, informing me of GCT's policy change. The next week, I learned via email that I had been rebooked on the same trip next year. But there are lots of cruise options. You can also reevaluate if you want to cancel the total trip. Even though GC advertises travel for mature adults- this is overwhelming in a foreign country. 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. It felt like a school tour where I had the least interested parent supervising me. All content is posted anonymously by employees working at Grand Circle Travel. There are new cruise lines, new ships, and new routes this year. If you are on a slim budget try the " last minute" opportunities. established a solid reputation for tours and river cruises that offer good value to destinations around the world. Its a high-pressure sales pitch on the high seas. Its their terms. I booked a river cruise with GCT because their COVID protocols were strong on paper. Its your responsibility yours alone to have the correct documents. Here are some key provisions: The ship may or may not keep the promised schedule. You might find yourself sharing dinner at the home of a local family or visiting local schools. service hurdle, when the company announced the sale last week, it That doesn't make sense since using them all would have limited the number of passengers occupying them, thus limiting exposure. Roz. The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act requires cruise lines to report criminal activity to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. How can I reach them?? In addition, a local restaurant lunch was packed full of passengers with food being served right under their noses. contact reporter Michelle Baran, send e-mail to mbaran@travelweekly.com. Access to possible upgrades and onboard credits. He paid Vantage $18,536. Any amount of compensatory. The right to disembark a docked ship if essential provisions such as food, water, restroom facilities and access to medical care cannot adequately be provided onboard, subject only to the Masters concern for passenger safety and security and customs and immigration requirements of the port. We plan to go to Iceland. Empowered teams are committed to taking the necessary actions to ensure that the team will reach its goals. Why? ), Back to O. Join us on Thursday, June 3, 2021 from 4-6PM at our corporate headquarters located at 347 Congress Street in Boston and see if we can change yours, Happy Monday! Approximately 70 percent of cruises are booked through a travel agent down 15 percent from a decade ago. USTOA is a nonprofit professional association representing the tour operator industry.Its members are made up of companies who provide services worldwide but who conduct business in the U.S. Travelstride helps you search and compare 50,000+ expert-planned trips from 1,000+ companies. Grand Circle Travel 347 Congress Street, Boston, MA 2.0/5 (128 ratings) Are you this business? 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 Grand Circle Travel division offers all-inclusive package tours at a leisurely pace while its Overseas Adventure subsidiary organizes small groups for land, canal barge, and small ship journeys of the more. Our Mission: We strive to be the world leader in international travel, adventure, and discovery for American travelers over 50providing impactful and intercultural experiences that significantly improve the quality of their lives. Get guided help to find the right trip for you, Travel tips, stories, top 10 lists and more, Get yours before you leave, easier, cheaper. 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. Credits And Savings. One Company Refused to Refund Travelers More Than $100,000, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/25/travel/coronavirus-refunds-overseas-adventure-travel.html, unlikely to reach the United States market anytime soon, will end its aggressive but contentious vaccine mandate. They also have limited departures in Africa, South America, the Middle East, South Pacific, North America, Central America, and even Antarctica. Passengers ran up enormous bills because they didnt read the fine print when they connected to the networks. Capital portfolio company. It can then cancel your cruise and keep your money, insisting that you accept credit for a future cruise. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. Grand Circle Corporation is a global enterprisecomprised of a family of travel companiescommitted to changing people's lives by offering high-impact experiences to our travelers and building local communities through philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and volunteerism. Always check before booking.). Younger couples or families will probably feel out of place among the crowd on a Grand Circle tour. Booked Iceland Greenland trip this year. A porter will deliver it to your room.

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