The rating was due in part to a series of customer complaints about Required fields are marked *. You raise an important point. Watch for food-borne illnesses. You could pay tens of thousands of dollars to a cruise line. Unsubscribe at any time. 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. Washington requires travel companies to issue cash refunds within 14 days (or 30 days when the funds are already paid to a vendor, as might be the case for a tour operator) when they cancel a service. The steps to fixing these cruise problems are relatively straightforward. Because Grand Circle attracts a similar age range, youre sure to meet new friends with like interests in no time. Infectious disease COVID and norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships. 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. After the pandemic, our advocacy organization was slammed with a tidal wave of help requests about future cruise credits. #traveljobs #peru #excellenceaward. Lewis and his wife, Harriet Lewis, who acquired Boston-based Grand 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. The outcome can often turn on who cancels, which is why a lot of suppliers and travelers are playing chicken right now. We have not had any reports of passengers with COVID being forcibly removed from a ship recently. Youre out of luck. 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. 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. Plus, we have insightful letters, insider tips, and more. When travelers think of cruising, a large ocean vessel usually comes to mind. Pictures of the kids by the pro photographers? General Air Questions. Archive - Tasteless food. Windstars 2023/24 Middle East program kicks off in November. Even email or call back. After taking 12 tours with them, they treated us terribly. Good luck. In response, Grand 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. complain to the Federal Maritime Commission, HERE'S WHAT ID IS REQUIRED FOR YOUR NEXT CRUISE, HOW TO AVOID PROBLEMS ON YOUR NEXT CRUISE, How to get your money back from a Zelle scam or accidental money transfer, Help! Grand Circle's 40-plus offices are located in Africa, North and South America, Europe, and the Asia/Pacific . An epic selection of pre-planned trips on every continent, for every style. See inclusive packages for the best values, and get access to amazing deals. To determine if my hunch was correct, I reached out to O.A.T. Manager in development of Restaurant, Restaurant & Bar operations with outstanding record and experience in top award winning companies, Apollo Group, Celebrity Cruises, Valamar Hotels & Resorts and Grand Circle Travel. COVID and norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. What if you miss your deadline? Completely different, and highly disappointing, from previous trips. Roz. Youre dealing directly with the cruise line. One way that Grand Circle Travel can overcome its financial difficulties is by diversifying its offerings. They tied up over $10,000 of our money on a trip they canceled because the cruise line they offered us had Russian links. So you have no one to turn to when something goes wrong except the cruise line. Were looking for dynamic, high-performing, accommodating individuals interested in joining our upcoming training classes for Sales and Customer Service. TripAdvisor, ConsumerAffairs and other review sites show lingering frustrations about the companys coronavirus policies, but several Times readers, according to emails Ive received, have made headway by filing parallel complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the Massachusetts Attorney Generals office. Thriving in Change: In these times of rapid change, global competition, and high volatility in the travel industry, we must be prepared to change course and move forward. Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? (Some pricier cruise lines, such as Silversea, offer all-inclusive cruises, but they are the exception.). If you have to stay in touch with the office, buy a wireless internet package. 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. Your email address will not be published. Furthermore, the companys reputation could be negatively impacted if customers do not feel confident in their ability to provide quality services. You can also book the cruise whenever you want to. We are either rebooking travelers on another trip or providing a refund. Since mid-March, she said, O.A.T. Exploring the World of Knowledge and Understanding. Grand Circle Travel is a well-known international travel company based in Boston, Massachusetts. Were always here to help. 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. It is classified as operating in the Transportation & Warehousing industry. The Tour guide read from a book, did little guiding on site and was mainly interested in getting us back on the bus. The company has been in business since the 1980s, and has grown to become one of the largest tour operators in the world. But once you get on the ship, youll realize its a waste of money. I've tried to reach by each way listed without success. We value your privacy. Because the porters dont always deliver the luggage to your room. Ultimately, it is up to Grand Circle Travel to take the necessary steps to ensure its financial stability. Robbery, assault and homicide happen on cruise ships. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Grand Circle Travel was started by the founder of AARP, and as such know their demographic extremely well. Working at Grand Circle Travel has to be one of the best jobs I've worked at. again.. Don't do business with these people. All content is posted anonymously by employees working at Grand Circle Travel. Once you get a positive response, make sure to find out about the interview process at Grand Circle Travel and prepare for tough questions. Business Bureau had given the company an "unsatisfactory" rating. There are mice in my vacation rental! Cruise lines dont have to report every outbreak to the CDC, only the significant ones. They have provided great service in the past, but this tour was bad. . Is Grand Circle Travel in Financial Trouble? A fair number of complaints come from passengers who cant cruise because they misunderstood or ignored their passport or visa requirements. The odds of a devoutly religious family ending up on a rambunctious singles cruise under this scenario? And most passengers accepted the credit. Book directly with the operator. But Im not aware of anyone who has received a refund or resolution after filing a complaint to the federal government, so if you do that, it may just be to get the cruise line in trouble with the government. undisclosed amount. Compare your travel trivia knowledge with friends. I was told last year I could not cancel the trip and they rescheduled it but now I cannot even reach them to find out if I can change the trip. Thousands of itineraries from over 1,000 trusted travel companies. Grand Circle travels all over the world, with a strong focus in Europe, Aisa and Southeast Asia. Alan Lewis will remain on the board but will be replaced Its extra. they would travel with the company again.". You will probably do a fair amount of walking throughout the tour - Grand Circle suggests that travelers be relatively physically fit. 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. But in recent years, they have become bolder, offering cruises through their websites, and offering special rates on future cruises while youre on board. During the pandemic, many cruise lines instituted strict quarantine procedures some would say, too strict. Travel agents can make 10 percent or more in commissions and overrides from your cruise. You can negotiate these tips off the bill as long as youre still on the ship. Another solution to Grand Circle Travels financial woes is to increase efficiency. Sign into see which companies give additional savings to Travelstride Members (its free). also step down from her role as co-chair at Grand Circle and as To 35% of job seekers rate their interview experience at Grand Circle Travel as positive. Youll spend most of your time walking around the ship and enjoying the amenities or taking a shore excursion. Circle in 1985, will retain a 30% stake in the direct-market tour I booked a river cruise with GCT because their COVID protocols were strong on paper. We receive regular complaints about food poisoning on cruise ships. 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. Youre in control. Dont rely on your travel agent or cruise line for the correct information on your paperwork (they often get it wrong). Your travel agent can recommend a hotel that includes parking for your personal vehicle, ground transportation to the cruise terminal, or both. 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. You can also appeal your case to a company executive. 7% of Grand Circle Travel employees are Asian. When the level of quality required is in question, we will operate to the high standards expected by our customers. They dont have any way to contact them. was created in 1958 to serve AARP members. Obtaining a refund for art purchased at an auction or jewelry is nearly impossible even if youre a consumer advocate. It isnt that these items arent fun to have while youre on a cruise, but that in many cases, theyre ridiculously overpriced. OAT's email offering a refund would have made your credit-card dispute an easy win. They had no number call back policy and I have been on hold 1/2 hr. I have flights with Grand Circle. 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. But not for cruises. 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. These Britrail England Flexi Passes are taking forever to refund. What are my rights as a cruise passenger? Site Map|Global Site Map|Terms of Use|Privacy Policy, Save this trip to your favorites or other list. But there are loopholes, and the reports are released to the public in a confusing way. We have just returned from our 6th, and probably last, Grand Circle tour. If you have a consumer problem,please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. This is the third Tripped Up column in a row that addresses the issue of refunds. What's going on? It appears that the main cause of Grand Circle Travel's financial issues is attributed to a decrease in demand for the company's services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grand Circle Corp. is being sold to New York The small-group and cruising company has been recognized nationally. He provided us with so much information. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission. This employer has claimed their Employer Profile and is engaged in the Glassdoor community. If you leave the country, you must have a passport. Support. Grand Circle Travel always has great specials and last minute specials if you can go on short notice. Special access to agent-only discounts. 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. In 2018, The Excellence in Service Award was presented to 7 different GCC associates. I had always heard this was a good company but clearly it is no longer good. Sarah Firshein is a Brooklyn-based travel writer. That means cruise lines appear to be less dangerous than they are. Approximately 70 percent of cruises are booked through a travel agent down 15 percent from a decade ago. Again, these offers come by way of the relationships cruise agents have through their company or by being friends with their regional sales representative. Grand Circle is hosting an Open House for our Traveler Relations Center on 6/3/21 4-6pm! They also operate overseas travel adventures. Plenty of free time is included in the itineraries, and there is a lot of choice among optional tours. Why is Good UI/UX Design Imperative for Business Success? Wheres my airline ticket refund from GotoGate? Free-flowing booze is at the top of the list. Can a vacation rental host cancel my stay and keep my money? 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. This company must not have enough staffing. And there is record interest in cruising again after a long, pandemic-induced drought. Grand Circle Travel offers distinctive international vacations for older Americans. Care for a soda? Younger couples or families will probably feel out of place among the crowd on a Grand Circle tour. Traveler Reviews. When Will Hawaiis Safe Travels Program End? Can I get a refund for my Marriott Vacation Club Points? If you test positive, cruise lines will confine you to quarters or to a special section on the cruise ship for infected passengers, usually for the duration of the voyage. The view of the mountains and Grand Canyon was breathtaking! Established in 1958. By offering more diverse experiences, such as virtual tours and staycations, Grand Circle Travel can draw in more customers and increase its revenue.