You can find a cheaper private tour through a company like Viator. And this information was only transmitted because I raised the subject. We have not had any reports of passengers with COVID being forcibly removed from a ship recently. If you need help with any problem,please contact us through this form. The right to have available, on board ships operating beyond rivers or coastal waters, full-time, professional emergency medical attention, as needed until shoreside medical care becomes available. If you have a severe health problem, avoid cruising. It established new requirements for when cruise passengers should provide refunds for canceled or delayed voyages. If my cruise is canceled, am I entitled to a refund? That can get a little noisy. Their itineraries are designed with individuals in mind. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME INFO ABOUT THIS COMPANY TREATING HIGH QUALITY EMPLOYEES , AS I WITNESSED, Your email address will not be published. They have provided great service in the past, but this tour was bad. Grand Circle CEO Alan Lewis and his wife, Harriet Lewis, who. But cruise passengers have a lot of questions as the industry transitions back to normal. 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. Is Grand Circle Travel in Financial Trouble? An Analysis What are my rights, and what should I be worried about? Learn the word no, and use it often. When flying on a commercial airline, booked through GCT, they negotiate a deal (to increase their. When the customers asked for a refund, the cruise lines said they couldnt get one future cruise credits were nonrefundable. But why cant I get a refund? Look out for our newsletters with travel tips and special offers. CONTENTS Overview Reviews Updated 03/02/2023 About Grand Circle Travel This profile has. One of the cons can be coworkers taking advantage of the casual vibe of the office. Not only did GCT require vaccination, including a booster, paperwork sent to me in my final packet, one week before departure, stated GCT policy "G.C.C.L requires all travelers wear facemasks when in public spaces while on board the ship and/or while traveling in a coach bus." 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. In the end, there may be no correct answer for everyone. Theyre not. Grand Circle Travel is a company that offers guided tours and river cruises to destinations all over the world. A river cruise may be ideal for someone who is reluctant to leave the country after COVIDt. Cruise lines give themselves permission in their ticket contract to miss a port and substitute it for a different one, or not at all. Surely taking temperatures and separating tables would have helped tremendously. You may feel like a number. I've traveled with this company 4 times and find the value and service outstanding. Inside FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions | Grand Circle Travel Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. You raise an important point. Then our columnist intervened with the Boston-based tour operator Overseas Adventure Travel. You should read it before you leave. It is important to consider the potential implications of Grand Circle Travels financial struggles. My cruise line requires a vaccination and now my credits are expiring, Take that back: The ultimate guide to a product return, The ultimate guide to getting a repair, replacement or refund for your broken appliance, Cell phone customer service: How to get virtually any problem fixed now, The ultimate passenger guide to Lyft, Uber and ridesharing. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Temperatures of travelers were NEVER taken on the cruise, and, although ship was approximately 1/2 full, only approximately 1/2 of the tables were being utilized. Overseas Adventure Travel is part of Grand Circle Corporation, a family of travel companies based in Boston. 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. We booked a river cruise, including airfare, and documented every detail. In response, Grand Ive seen young, healthy passengers reach for the motion sickness bags in 30-foot swells and remain confined to their quarters for days. Travel Trouble: A $30K Overseas Adventure Travel refund goes awol Service, when it does come, can be slow and impersonal. In addition, a local restaurant lunch was packed full of passengers with food being served right under their noses. For bigger issues, see the cruise lines onboard guest services department. Lewis and his wife, Harriet Lewis, who acquired Boston-based Grand Read More rugged variety. And most passengers accepted the credit. Tip: Avoid a cabin near an elevator or nightclub. $7000 in their pocket. Grand Circle Corp., a Boston-based travel agency, has weathered many events since it was founded in 1958 by American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) creator Ethel Andrus. Dont let this be you. Do you have knowledge or insights to share? G rand Circle Corp. is being sold to New York private equity firm Court Square Capital Partners for an undisclosed amount. Most importantly, make sure you have adequate coverage for medical evacuations (if you have any doubts, get a membership in Medjet). Get travel insurance. Again, these offers come by way of the relationships cruise agents have through their company or by being friends with their regional sales representative. In reality, many of these statutes are seldom enforced. Your travel agent may offer you a spacious cabin with a balcony, or even a suite. They have made it impossible to contact them about anything. The cruise line wont let them board the ship. There are a variety of ocean cruises, from budget to luxury. contact reporter Michelle Baran, send e-mail to mbaran@travelweekly.com. The cabin is for sleeping. Thats not entirely true. Younger couples or families will probably feel out of place among the crowd on a Grand Circle tour. Grand Circle Travel Warning - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums But whatever you do, dont believe your cruise line or travel agent when they claim cruising is safe. Theres no form of travel thats safe right now. Travel agents can make 10 percent or more in commissions and overrides from your cruise. Grand Circle Travel [GCT] - Complaints Board Most trips with Grand Circle are, unfortunately, not wheelchair accessible. Infectious disease COVID and norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships. CONNECT WITH US. 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. Theres only one way to ensure you dont get caught by these fees. Grand Circle's Annual Report & Profile shows critical firmographic facts: What is the company's size? Its their terms. Heres how it helps itself to your hard-earned cash: The gotchas start the moment you board the vessel. The rating was due in part to a series of customer complaints about But we need to cancel. (Mr. Anolik has a detailed breakdown of other state-by-state travel laws on his firms website. again.. First trip with Grand Circle Tours, liked the tour. Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. How Can I Get $$ back?? Were always here to help. also step down from her role as co-chair at Grand Circle and as Online agencies can negotiate excellent volume discounts, which they pass along to you. Cruise lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails. OAT is non-accredited per the BBB, had a C- rating by them and per 23 customer reviews had 1 * out of 5. Its been eight months. 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. Companies displayed may pay us to be Authorized or when you click a link, call a number or fill a form on our site. Asked for refund and got a credit instead. 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. Finally, Grand Circle Travels financial struggles could lead to an overall decrease in the quality of its services. 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. Lunch was provided in the cost. Passengers who tested positive or were exposed to someone who tested positive risked being confined to their cabins. I cannot force any reason they would improve from this point. 1. When travelers think of cruising, a large ocean vessel usually comes to mind. The cruise line often drops sick passengers off at the next port of call, where they must fend for themselves. No wonder offline agents call these operations vending machines. Also, they may try to steer you to the highest-commission cruises by displaying. Who Will Enjoy Traveling with Grand Circle Travel? I feel like I was duped by a bait and switch and wonder how many others were caught in the same scheme. Airlines are sidestepping refund regulations established by the United States Transportation Department and the European Union, betting that negative press (and even class-action lawsuits) are still preferable to negative-balance bank accounts. You have 24/7 phone support through most of the online agencies. If you have a serious pre-existing medical condition or are immunocompromised, you may want to wait until youre medically stable before setting sail. This PayPal invoice scam almost got me. But whats this $452 bill? Completely different, and highly disappointing, from previous trips. First and foremost, an ethical agent will make sure the cruise is the right one for you, but some agents, sadly, go straight for the highest commission. was created in 1958 to serve AARP members. Your stateroom is a place to sleep. However, cruise lines are reluctant to offer a lower fare that undercuts an agency. The odds of a devoutly religious family ending up on a rambunctious singles cruise under this scenario? These Britrail England Flexi Passes are taking forever to refund. 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. This is based on anonymous employee reviews submitted on Glassdoor. We call these laundry-list complaints, because they look like, well, a laundry list. A few practical tips from a consumer advocate. For more information about reviews on ConsumerAffairs.com please visit our The cruise line must refund all port fees, so if your ship misses a port, you should receive a refund. Is Grand Circle Travel Still In Business - Pine Knoll Lodge & Cabins Unsubscribe easily. Here are some of the risks. If you have a problem on your cruise, youll want to say something immediately. For the flexibility and comfort aspects, combined with unique experiences at every turn. 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. Kiddos to the bus drive for being SO informative!! Our values are the foundation upon which our company is built. And in many ports of call, the medical facilities are not up to Western standards, and the patient must pay in cash. 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. In Illinois, the Travel Promotion Consumer Protection Act was created in the 1980s to safeguard against travel scams that promise too-good-to-be-true deals. Avoid the grief and go elsewhere to a reputable business at the outset. Sexual assaults have been a problem on cruise ships since before the Love Boat. The office environment is really casual. This is the Grand Circle Travel company profile. Our content is intended to be used for general information purposes only. 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. Beware Grand Circle Travel/Overseas Adventure Travel - Fodor's In order to understand the current financial situation of Grand Circle Travel, it is important to first examine the causes behind the company's financial struggles. Nevertheless, Grand Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.). Circle changed its cancellation policy to give customers a full Special access to agent-only discounts. You can also book the cruise whenever you want to. I had always heard this was a good company but clearly it is no longer good. Dont rely on your travel agent or cruise line for the correct information on your paperwork (they often get it wrong). Overseas Adventure Travel is part of Grand Circle Corporation, a family of travel companies based in Boston. What if you miss your deadline? It is the nature of the industry - whether it be hotels, air, packages, tours - that there are a wide variety of cancellation policies out there. 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. 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. That doesn't make sense since using them all would have limited the number of passengers occupying them, thus limiting exposure. You can also appeal your case to a company executive. The Elliott Report is supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. O.A.T. This is based on 391 anonymously submitted reviews on Glassdoor. 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. Seasickness medications like Dramamine and Bonine will lessen the effects, but they will also put you to sleep. Grand Circle to be sold to private equity firm - Travel Weekly It can then cancel your cruise and keep your money, insisting that you accept credit for a future cruise. In order to overcome these financial struggles, the company must find ways to diversify its offerings, increase efficiency, and reduce overhead expenses. Grand Circle LLC Company Profile | Boston, MA - Dun & Bradstreet How Does PTO Work for Salaried Employees? Here are some of the risks. Although travel has stopped and is only starting up again slowly and in only a few destinations the aftershocks of that screeching halt, brought on by the coronavirus, continue to reverberate. That means cruise lines appear to be less dangerous than they are. Grand Circle's cancellation, refund and exchange policies as well Cruise lines claim a vacation at sea is safer than any land-based vacation. Grand Circle Travel (GCT) seems to play a few nasty games, and cheating its customers!!! 07070 USA Telephone: (201) 902-2000, Windstar Knows the Way to the Middle East: How to Sell the Red Sea & Persian Gulf. Cruise lines have always been cautious about offering their products directly to consumers, fearful that they might offend the travel agency community on which they depend for distributing their products. For some types of trips, insurance is optional. They have changed our river cruise a couple of times. Whats the international cruise line passenger bill of rights? By Christopher Elliott Globe correspondent, Updated November 11, 2021, 12:00 p.m. Grand. Everything from non-refundable airfares to auto. Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. California, with some of the strongest consumer protections in the country, requires cash refunds for undelivered services within 30 days from whichever date is earliest: the scheduled departure date, the date the refund is requested or the date the service was canceled by the travel company. 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. refund if a trip is canceled. 1958. The Lewises expanded I received no corrected, printed information, no email, no telephone call, informing me of GCT's policy change. But it was the industrys way of saying it could do better. If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to travel@nytimes.com. 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. Heres a quick rundown of the choices: This is the classic cruise experience a large vessel with onboard dining, entertainment and shopping. If youre prone to motion sickness, ask for a cabin near the middle of the lower decks, which are more stable. Why? Same thing goes for spa treatments, most shore excursions, and alcoholic beverages. How do I know I can trust these reviews about Grand Circle Travel? Most complaints fall into one of these categories: A missed port. Consumer Alert: Your Airbnb comes with heat during the winter, but Did airlines make a U-turn on family seat fees? they acquired Cambridge, Mass.-based Overseas Adventure Travel and Do Not Sell My Personal Information -, Fodor's may use your email address to send you relevant information on site updates, account changes, and offers.