Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Please See Attachment

  Business response

  01/09/2025

  Dear BBB,
  
  We regret that Mrs. ******** was dissatisfied with her travel offer. At the time the offer was made, she was informed that it exceeded our usual range due to the cost of airfare. She was also advised that she could submit new travel dates, as there was still ample time for her to use the voucher.
  
  Although the flight duration was very shortless than an hourthe selected airports flight costs regularly exceed the $350.00 maximum allowed by the voucher. To provide Mrs. ******** with an opportunity to travel, the agent extended an offer rather than outright denying her request,understanding that it might have been an important trip she intended to make regardless of the voucher.
  
  Mrs. ******** declined the offer and chose to cancel her voucher. As stated in the terms and conditions, a $20.00 fee was deducted from her refund. Mrs. ******** acknowledged and agreed to these terms when she activated the voucher. This fee covers the considerable time and effort involved in researching optimal flight and hotel options tailored to each customer's specific request.
  
  We sincerely apologize that Mrs. ******** was unhappy with the outcome and chose to cancel her voucher.
  
  
  Best regards,
  
  Smart Travel

  Customer response

  01/17/2025

   
  Complaint: 22703201
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The terms spoken of in your response that I agreed to were without knowledge of your companys tactics to book (nearly last minute travel) with the time in which you begin searching for the requested dates of travel. You also select higher priced options to offer your clients so that no trip is ever completely covered, therefore leaving consumers to pay for something that was offered as free for their agreement to listen to a vacation offer. Im not used to companies *** dealt with recently practicing deceptively as your company has and will warn of how youre ripping people off. A free trip that requires a deposit to book should have been my first warning sign to begin with. I believe your company added the cancellation charge because you had a lot of people backing out once you sent them vacation offers/packages that were extremely overpriced. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ********

  Business response

  01/22/2025

  Dear BBB,
  
  Thank you for bringing Mrs. ********* concerns to our attention again. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and clarify the situation regarding her travel voucher and subsequent experience with our company. We strive to ensure our customers have a clear understanding of the services we provide, as well as the terms and conditions associated with our travel voucher. In this case, we would like to address the three primary concerns raised in her complaint.
  
  1. Timing of Travel Contact and *************************** activated her travel voucher, it included our terms and conditions, which state that we would contact her with a travel offer within 3090 days of the travel dates she requested. Despite this timeframe, we actually reached out to her on the very day she submitted her travel request which was 8/28/24 and made her the offer to travel.  
  
  2. Retention of $20 from Her Deposit
  I understand that Mrs. ******** is upset that we retained $20 of her deposit. Again, this was clearly outlined in the Cancelation Policy & Contact Info portion of the terms and conditions she agreed to when activating the voucher. The retained amount reflects the administrative efforts and resources expended by our team to research and secure airfare and hotel accommodations for her requested travel. We ensure these policies are clearly stated in the terms and conditions of the Activation Form to avoid any misunderstandings like this. We even request that the customer Please read carefully before signing.
  
  3. Misunderstanding Regarding Travel Costs
  It is important to note that our vouchers provide lower-cost travel, not free travel. Again, the associated fees and travel costs are outlined in the terms and conditions. We offer the best options we find at the lowest rates we can.  We certainly dont look for more expensive options as that would raise our cost as well as our customers. A policy like that would put a company out of business quickly.
  
  We regret if there was any misunderstanding, but we have made every effort to ensure transparency regarding our travel voucher. We value all of our customers and are committed to providing excellent service. In this case, we believe we adhered to our stated policies and acted in good faith to accommodate Mrs. ********* travel needs. While we are sorry that she is dissatisfied, she did in fact have all the pertinent information regarding costs,booking procedures, and cancelation fees prior to activation, so I can only assume she did not read before signing. We hope this response provides clarification and resolves any concerns regarding our actions.
  
  Best regards,
  Smart Travel

  Customer response

  01/25/2025

   
  Complaint: 22703201
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Id like for there to be a recorded complaint of the fact that this companys practices are deceptive although you refuse to admit it. I absolutely read the contract and as a person who travels frequently and also having worked in the travel industry, Im well aware of the cost of travel and how much effort it takes to book travel. When I priced out travel for the time period we needed, there were numerous options that were close to the range of maximum amount allowed in the voucher. When advertised, its originally put out to consumers that this is a free trip. I understood that it covered up to a certain amount once I received the paperwork, however, the price quoted was very inflated. I agreed to the terms because I didnt anticipate cancelling. I only cancelled once I saw that the quotes were inflated and outrageous for the destination we had requested. God bless you and may He have mercy on you for taking advantage of people. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ********

• Initial Complaint

  09/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I received a voucher for a cruise with a refundable deposit of $99. When I mailed in the voucher, I was assigned a specialist to assist with booking. In order to proceed, the *** stated I had to give her dates when I was simply inquiring when the best/cheapest times to travel were. I was aware how the voucher worked but before you can even initiate a conversation the company ***s pressure the customer into decision making which after inquiring the offers they were telling me were considerably higher than the cruise lines. The *** was very rude and would not respond to my emails for lengthy periods of times. It was more of a hassle and more money to proceed with this incentive offer. The cruise would cost more than if purchased with cruise line (same). Finally, after little response, I asked the *** what was the process for refund, all of a sudden she immediately responded refund request sent. Weeks went by and I had to keep inquiring about the refund (received $79). I immediately reached out and I was given a response that because they worked on my request (which I had no official request but if they read the hundreds of emails they would see me asking about cheapest dates and times as the prices appeared very high. In times like this, falsely taking money from customers is dishonest. This company falsely advertises. *** requested the owner of the company contact me and I am pending a response. I also informed this company that a ****** also offers the same with the terms and conditions and they refund their customers fully when customers present that the offers they are offering is much higher than the inventive offer. I believe given the circumstances and email threads and telephone service where I was told the full amount should be refunded ($20 pending) given the situation and complaint (company can listen to calls and read the hundreds of emails). They would not speak to you unless you complete the form thats when the surprise high prices are told.

  Business response

  09/16/2024

  Dear BBB,
  
  I am sorry that Mrs. ************* is unhappy with her cruise voucher. I believe there may be some confusion about how the process works. She mentioned being assigned a specialist to assist with the booking who pressured her into selecting dates, but that is not the case. Once a voucher is activated, the customer is mailed a planning package, which includes a Travel Request Form for them to select their dates and departure ports. The customer can send in the form at any time, provided that travel is completed within 18 months and a 60-day notice is given. Prior to a Travel Request being worked on by an agent, we only contact the customer if it is to return a phone call.
  
  Mrs. ************* seems to be referring to a call she made to our customer service team to inquire about the cheapest time of year to travel. She was informed that the best rates are typically available during the cruising low season, which is from September through December,excluding major holidays. This is the most detail customer service can provide since other costs depend on various factors, such as the cruise line, cruise length, ship, and itinerary amounting to literally tens of thousands of cost **************** estimate a customer's share of the cost, an exact itinerary must be reviewed. **************** does not have the ability to do this, and agents do not have time to look up these details generically for customers who have yet to submit a request, and customers that have.
  
  Mrs. ************* also claimed that the costs we provided were higher than those offered by the cruise line. However, this is never the case. An agent would not send a quote unless it saved a customer money. Typically, customers focus on the initial ********************** cost when comparing rates without following through to the end to see the final rate. Cruise costs can increase significantly by the time you get to that final rate, which is why the Honest Pricing Law now requires cruise lines to show the full cost upfront,but that law only took effect on July 1st of this year. Customers also tend to not compare the same category as the one in the quote sent. Cruise lines have 7-12 different categories for just an interior cabin which can be a $500.00 per person difference between the cheapest and most expensive interior cabin.
  
  Its also important to note that when a quote is provided, it is only valid for that day and must be rechecked if the customer decides to accept it later. ********************** pricing is not locked in until the booking is finalized. Cruise lines run sales all the time. If a cruise cost drops after a quote is sent, the customer will receive a lower rate when the quote is rechecked.
  
  After Mrs. ************* submitted her dates, an agent worked diligently to find the lowest possible cruise rates for her with multiple communications back and forth between them, but she was not satisfied with any of the options. At one point, she asked what cruise she could take that would only cost her $50. The agent explained that there were none. Mrs.************* then mentioned canceling, and the agent explained that a $20 fee would apply, as significant work had already been done on her requests, which is stated in the terms.
  
  Those interactions took place in August 2023.Mrs. ************* ultimately chose not to cancel at that time and requested new dates. However, she subsequently changed her mind before the new dates could be checked and cancelled her voucher. She was refunded the $79, as she mentioned. The $20.00 fee was withheld per the voucher terms and as stated to her previously.
  
  Again, we are sorry she was unhappy with the cruise voucher, but we feel that we did everything we could to accommodate her.However, we hope she was satisfied with her Air and Hotel voucher, which was a second travel voucher she had with us. Her share of the cost for that trip was $282.15 per person, which covered two round-trip airline tickets on Delta and a two-night stay at the Courtyard by ******** in downtown **************** We regret that Mrs. ************* was not satisfied with the cruise voucher but hope she enjoyed her other voucher and the trip we booked for her.

   

  Best regards,

  Customer response

  09/16/2024

   
  Complaint: 22282759
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I understand all the fair policies, however, working with your company these are not informed by the agents. When I decided to cancel again because of the costs which I shared with the agent that totally brushed off and was hostile in engaging (see communications)it wasn't explained. I shared with her multiple offers that the cruises were offering that were cheaper with perks such as free internet, drink packages, internet etc. her responses were not what you explained in your response. When a lack of response and vague answers to check back with dates during the chaos period end of year, your agent barely responded, however she was happy to respond to cancel! I contacted customer service and explained and was informed my full refund (refundable deposit) would be provided given circumstances especially since I didnt make a booking. Again, this is what Im upset about not that I dont understand policy which is general. I dont understand what you mean by significant work was done. I have email communications basically telling your agents about pricing estimates wage was gauging me with what it might cost (vouchers are very deceiving-I can book a cruise outside your incentive company for cheaper than what you were offering). There are instances in any business for exceptions. Given the information and complaints I had YOUR customer service informed me that I would be refunded and apologized continuously for the horrible service. Prior I had even requested to switch agents! Again, maybe cruises agents are different from others. I would like this to be further looked into and calls listened for the remaining refund ($20 especially given the times/hardships) and what was informed to me by your agents.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** Aking-*******

• Initial Complaint

  02/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Attended Vacation Advisor talk in April of 2022 at Marriott in ***********, **. Received the Air *************** vacation package. Sent in required $100 (money order) via certified mail $4.35, never received any update on receipt of down payment and I called them in May 2022 (after three attempts they finally answered the phone plus two e-mails sent with no response to their **************************************** and received a letter in June 2022 with instructions on how to book. Our first two choices were unable to be fullfilled and ****** (customer service) explained the dates could be extended if none were able to be met. I called in October 2022, due to DV my husband and I divorced and I requested the second ticket be changed to my daughter. No issue. My third date was unable to be fullfilled and I received a letter stating so. I never received any work from them concerning my final choice of 11/17/23. I called company in Feb 2023 and ****** stated an e-mail was sent and went unanswered. I checked my inbox/spam/junk and no email from trending travel was sent. ****** then informed me it would have come from another travel agency name. I was never informed contact would come from another travel agency name (it is not written in the fine print either) but I have no email from 11-06-23 "****" stating they had an offer to extend. Shady business practice when communication is so difficult. I just would like my money I handed over in good faith. ****** then stated a refund can only be collected 18months from the original offer date (April 2022) and my deposit will not be reimbursed.

  Business response

  02/21/2024

  Dear BBB,
  
  ***************** mailed her the voucher into ** on 4/27/22 and it was received in our office on 5/16/22. It was data entered and activated on 6/2/22, and her Vacation Planning Package was mailed out the same day. I apologize that she had to wait, but Term A does state the activation process takes 3-4 weeks.  She made her choices and submitted them to us on 7/15/22 for travel on either 12/16/22 or 11/17/23.
  
  I cant speak to the fact that she was unable to reach us when calling a couple times but would assume the agents were all on a line during that timeframe. She did call in and speak with an agent on 8/2/22 stating she was going to change her date choices.  I also cannot speak to the fact that we did not receive the first 2 emails she sent. The first email we received from her was on 8/4/22 and it was sent to the *************************************** address; she was requesting to change her December date to 12/15/22. The change was made,and customer service emailed her back stating so.
  
  On 10/23/22 an agent checked on her first request,but it was not available and a letter was mailed to her stating so. She called in on 11/3/22 at 2:57 PM, she was concerned about her next date also not being available since it was so close to her expiration date of 12/2/23. ****** told her to call before her expiration date and we would extend it for her if that happens.I am unsure as to why she would say her first two choices were unavailable when the only date ever checked and found unavailable was the 12/15/22 date.
  
  
  On 10/22/23 an agent checked on her 2nd date, which was available and emailed her a travel offer at 2:57 PM. I have included a screenshot showing when that email was sent. ***************** did not respond to that offer. The next contact with her was yesterday when she called in and spoke with ******, who explained about the offer being sent. That email was not sent from a different travel agency, but from an agent here at **********. We dont state anywhere that emails will come from any specific email address or domain, so I dont know why ***************** would think that. I am sorry that shes upset with us, but we did everything we stated we would in the terms and conditions and would have been happy to travel her. She was also told to call in before her voucher expired to be able to extend it, which she did not do. The voucher is now past the expiration date, and nothing further can be done with it. Her deposit had to be claimed within the 18 months or it was forfeited as per the terms and conditions, which she signed agreeing to.
  
  Regards,     

  Customer response

  03/03/2024

  I know I missed the window to state a complaint but I do not agree nor satisfied from the company response.  They couldnt find a reasonable flight from ****** to ******* which I find to be ridiculous as there are multiple daily flights to/from both.  They then state they sent an email with an offer and no email was ever received!  They did not specify the email sender (it did NOT come from their company).  This company is ripping people off and as a single parent it just irritates me they get away with it hoping people dont adhere to ridiculous terms.  The  180 days from signing would have been expired by my last chosen date so even if I did call in to extend it they would have refused to send my money back or extend my date because its no longer COVID per ******.

  there is nothing anyone can do but I find it ludicrous you rate them so highly.

  Customer response

  03/04/2024

  I know I missed the window to state a complaint but I do not agree nor satisfied from the company response.  They couldnt find a reasonable flight from ****** to ******* which I find to be ridiculous as there are multiple daily flights to/from both.  They then state they sent an email with an offer and no email was ever received!  They did not specify the email sender (it did NOT come from their company).  This company is ripping people off and as a single parent it just irritates me they get away with it hoping people dont adhere to ridiculous terms.  The  180 days from signing would have been expired by my last chosen date so even if I did call in to extend it they would have refused to send my money back or extend my date because its no longer COVID per ******.

  there is nothing anyone can do but I find it ludicrous you rate them so highly.

  Business response

  03/04/2024

  Dear BBB,
  
  In regard to ******************* statement. We could not find a reasonable flight the first time but did the 2nd time. The offer was sent, unfortunately we cannot control if an email is received,all we can do is send it. Had ***************** called in before her expiration date as instructed by ******, we would have been able to extend her voucher. Unfortunately,that cannot be done after expiration. The 6-month extension or 180 days as **************** referred to it, is added to the end of the voucher. Her voucher expired on 12/2/23 so had she called in prior her voucher could have been extended until 06/02/24. ***************** is correct that we are no longer offering extensions due to concerns over Covid. Her extension would not have had anything to due with that though. Her extension would have been due to a lack of availability. Again,we are sorry the ***************** is so unhappy.

   

  Best regards,

  Customer response

  03/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21321528
  
  I am rejecting this response because: it is a routine answer from a company that makes it nearly impossible for a client to actually use their offer.  No email was ever received and their poor customer service continues.  Why cannot a travel agent be assigned to each client so the traveling party knows who to get an email from?  Why do they send info to @trendingtravel.net when the actual offer comes from another company email entirely?  Why did they supposedly send an offer 10days prior when the contact period is longer?  Its not just about being upset over money I sent, that I had to call in to get acknowledgment they even received because MY EMAILS went unanswered AND then it took me calling back again and again because ****** had to look for it, its the complete lack of this companys effort on behalf of their customer.  
  if this is such an inconvenience for them, then stop offering packages.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  01/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I attended the presentation and jumped through every hoop they through to receive my free airfare, 2-night hotel accommodation, 3-day rental car and $50.00 voucher. When I sent in the last piece with the dates of travel, they sent me back a letter that I breached the contract because it was 59 days not 60 days before first travel date and arrival airport was not valid. I phoned the number on the voucher and was belittled by the agent. My first date of travel is denied, and they can't guarantee the second date and basically too bad if I dont get to travel. I said this is very scammy and the woman hung up on me!!! Seriously???? I want information on my travel...

  Business response

  02/15/2024

  Dear BBB,
  
  ******************* was booked for her trip on 2/12/24 for 2 round-trip airline tickets and 2 nights hotel stay. Her first choice was not a valid location for her voucher, and she failed to give the required minimum notice of 60 days. Her second choice was valid and so she was made an offer to travel and accepted. Her cost was $208.00 per person for the airfare and hotel stay.  We do hope she enjoys her vacation.
  
  Best regards, 

  Customer response

  02/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 21227136
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I am including all correspondence. (Attached) As you can see, they booked airfare with no seat assignment or luggage. I was promised 2 round trip airfare tickets, a 2-night hotel, a 3-day car rental and a $50.00 hotel gift card. I have paid them $425.36 to date and they are looking for additional money for the rental car. Since my complaint all I have received is the 2 air fare tickets with no luggage or seat assignment. This cost them $312.36 for both tickets The contract says up to $350.00 per ticket.  It does not say anywhere that luggage was not going to be included. I even asked twice in the correspondence attached and they never answered me. I want my seats, luggage, rental car and $50.00 gift card. According to ******* law this kind of trickery is against the law.   
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  02/16/2024

  Dear BBB,
  
  We are sorry ******************* is still unhappy with us, however she was never promised all those things. What out voucher states is that its valid for base airfare and hotel only It also sates the customer is responsible for incidentals, which is what seat selection and baggage are. No airline gives either free with a basic airline ticket and they have not for some time. A ticket would have to be upgraded or bundled to get them and thats not what Mrs. ******** voucher is valid for. The voucher also states its for a rental car voucher and a $50.00 hotel gift card and that those are bonus gifts and subject to change. She was sent a hard copy of her confirmation letter,along with the rental car voucher and a hotel voucher 3 days ago. These things have been repeatedly explained to her and were in fact detailed in the travel offer that she accepted prior to booking. Again, we are sorry she is so unhappy, but we did as we stated we would in the terms and conditions. We do hope she enjoys the vacation we booked for her.
  
  Best regards,
  Smart Travel

  Customer response

  02/16/2024

   
  Complaint: 21227136
  
  I am rejecting this response because you cannot fly without luggage. Luggage is NOT a incidental. Nowhere does it say that luggage is not included. I have included the correspondence back and forth and I clearly asked them twice about luggage and they did not answer me. I would not have booked had she told me she was not including lluggage. To date I have not received anything in the mail for the other offers. The airfare was up to $350.00 per ticket, and they spent less than $150.00 per ticket because they did not include luggage.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Customer response

  02/19/2024

  I have answered everything you have sent me. Did you read any of the paperwork I sent you? They are lying and apparently you are allowing them to defraud people by closing cases when there are defrauding people this is a shame. You should be ashamed of yourself, how dare you think they have this many complaints because theyre doing everything on the up and up? Do not close this case I want a resolution. Read what I sent you dont take their word for it

• Initial Complaint

  01/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I did a timeshare and received these services for free. Was told that I needed to put a hundred dollars down on a trip for ******. I paid the $100. Didn't realize that the three days was not long enough to ****** and wanted to switch my vacation in to a Continental location. They states that it would not expire and they would mail me the papers. I never received the papers and lost their number. I just found their number on a picture I took. I called them and let them know of the situation and they said because of the terms I was not getting a refund. Either way this is a scam and I just want everyone to be aware. They also swindled fifty dollars out of my sister. They have terrible customer service

  Business response

  01/30/2024

  Dear BBB,
  
  ********************* activate her voucher with us on 5/18/2022 and it expired on 11/18/2023. She signed agreeing to the terms and conditions which stated the length of the trip; that all travel must be completed by her expiration date, and that deposits must be claimed before the voucher expired or were forfeited. She had these terms on her original voucher,and again on the Vacation Planning Package. She was also provided her expiration date on the Travel Request Form. ******************** forgetting about her voucher and not following the terms and conditions she agreed to, does not make us a scam. It was her responsibility to keep track of her voucher and she failed to do so.  We are sorry she is so unhappy and did not use her voucher, but that was not our fault.
  
  Best regards, 

  Customer response

  02/01/2024

   
  Complaint: 21216202
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I did sign the papers to go to ****** initially. In dec 2022, I went to ****** on a family trip.  I called in Jan 2023 and asked if I could change my package. The person on the other line said yes, and they would send me a new packet for a continental US stay. And stated it DID NOT expire. So, as I was waiting for my new packet, my sister needed the number for them, so I gave my paper with the number on it and she lost it. I never received a new packet. I had no way to get a hold of them on the paper it said vacation advisor so I had been looking that up and then I found an old picture in my phone with the address and the phone number. I called and tried to explain I never received the other packet and the lady was rude and kept referring to ******. I was missed informed and  could not locate them until I had the address to ******* The name online is NOT vacation advisor. I feel this is misleading because that is what name I was looking up online. I just wanted to file a complaint because I want other people to know it's a headache to deal with this company. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************
  Complaint: 21216202
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I did sign the papers to go to ****** initially. In dec 2022, I went to ****** on a family trip.  I called in Jan 2023 and asked if I could change my package. The person on the other line said yes, and they would send me a new packet for a continental US stay. And stated it DID NOT expire. So, as I was waiting for my new packet, my sister needed the number for them, so I gave my paper with the number on it and she lost it. I never received a new packet. I had no way to get a hold of them on the paper it said vacation advisor so I had been looking that up and then I found an old picture in my phone with the address and the phone number. I called and tried to explain I never received the other packet and the lady was rude and kept referring to ******. I was missed informed and  could not locate them until I had the address to ******* The name online is NOT vacation advisor. I feel this is misleading because that is what name I was looking up online. I just wanted to file a complaint because I want other people to know it's a headache to deal with this company. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  02/02/2024

  Dear BBB,
  ******************** called in and spoke with ***** on 6/1/23 at 3:16 PM requesting we send her a new planning package; it was mailed out the next day to the same address as first planning package was sent to.  Her voucher was for travel to ****** or within the continental **** She always had the option to choose either. All she needed to do was send in the new Travel Request form for her choices. She called in again on 6/1/2023 at 10:13 am and spoke with ****** requesting another form be sent. This one was mailed the same day, again to the same address as the previous. We have no way of knowing if a customer does not receive the mail we send. Most customers call back within a week or so of not getting something to request it again. Unfortunately, the *********** does not always deliver what they're supposed to. I'm sorry that she did not get either form sent to her, but they were sent as requested. It's certainly not our fault that ******************** lost all her own documentation and could not find a way to reach us. All our travel vouchers expire within 18 months of activation and always have. That is something that customer service states daily to the customers that call in, so I can't imagine why her call would be the exception to that rule. I think that ******************** misheard or there was a miscommunication between her and ******* when they spoke. 

   

  Regards,

• Initial Complaint

  01/03/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We were supposed to to receive a free voucher for a trip after attending a presentation that was hours away from where we lived. After going through all the forms, deposits, money orders, and certified mail, we were told that we would be contacted when one of our selected trip dates was available. Skip to 5 months later and wondering if we would ever hear back. So I decided to call and speak to a human at this business (which is not easy and I kept getting the run around and bounced back and forth to who was to blame). To make matters worse, after finally figuring out who to email, I received an email back stating that our trip was no longer valid because we did not respond in time and would now have to pay full price for the trip. Seriously! We never received notification that the original trip was even available. I tried emailing the same person back, asking to talk to them over the phone, hoping to sort things out or maybe change to a different trip. Nope! They send you right back to their original customer service number, right back where you started from. Lastly, when finally speaking to a "manager," she was extremely rude and made me feel like a parasite. I asked about vaccination status for the cruises (since I finally had someone to speak to in person), and she snarkily said something along the line that made me feel as if we should be vaccinated irregardless of the trip. None of her business in my opinion. Either way, this whole experience was a joke and very unprofessional. Very disheartening, coming from a stay-at-home mother who desperately needs a vacation with her husband after a year of agony from a very challenging birth. Apparently honesty and positive customer service is a thing of the past. Just very sad.

  Business response

  01/10/2024

  Dear BBB,
  
  We are sorry that Mrs. ************************* is unhappy, but she did have until 01/20/2025 to complete her cruise. She certainly could have submitted new dates instead of canceling her voucher. ****************************** submitted her travel request form on 8/22/2023 for travel on 1/13/2024 or 03/02/2024. She stated in her complaint that she was told would be contacted about her trips and she was, just a week later. She was emailed a travel offer on 8/30/2023 for her first date choice. She did not respond to that offer.
  Then on 9/14/2023 she was emailed a travel offer for her second date choice. Again, that was us contacting her. The terms and conditions tell the customer that they will be contacted via mail, phone, or email; not mail, and phone, and email.
  When ****************************** called us un 1/2/2024 to check her voucher status, she was told about the 2 offers, and provided her agents email address so she could inquire about the current availability of the offers. Cruise availability changes constantly and customers can sometimes be booked months after an offer is sent, or an offer can disappear a day after it is sent. **************** has no way of knowing, which is why she was referred to the agent. She did contact the agent and requested to see the last travel offer that was sent. The agent forwarded the email to her and stated that the offer was no longer valid. ****************************** responded back and stated she had questions and wanted to speak with the agent via phone, the agent directed her to customer service regarding the questions.
  Due to the large quantity of travel requests, our agents dont have the time to speak to the customers regarding anything but a current booking they are working on. Almost every customer wants to speak with the agents, which would mean the agents were always on the phone and would not have time to book anyone, let alone all the research that goes into finding each customers travel offer. In the past we have also had customers tell agents something they did or did not want, and then deny it. For that reason,we require that all the communication be in writing regarding a booking.
  ****************************** responded back that she had called the day before and was told to email the agent, again this was because she was specifically inquiring about a travel offer. She then asked several general questions about how the voucher works and what her current options were. The agents stated she would have customer service call her.
  **************** did call her and answered her questions. Regarding the communication about the vaccination status, I am very sorry if ****************************** felt insulted in anyway about it,and that rep she spoke with is unvaccinated herself so would not have intended to imply any type of insult. We have had to get vaccination status for the last 3 years for the cruise lines since it was a requirement. ****************************** cancelled her voucher that same day. She was sent a bonus offer which she declined yesterday, and her refund is scheduled for next weeks batch.
  Again, we are sorry that she was so unhappy, but we did everything we stated we would in the terms and conditions of our voucher and would have been happy to travel her.
  
  Regards,

  Customer response

  01/10/2024

   
  Complaint: 21090565
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  You never attempted to contact me originally with vacation choices. I have no proof of email, phone call, or written notice. Please provide evidence of any/all attempted responses and to which location they were sent. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **************************************

  Business response

  01/11/2024

  Dear BBB,
  

  Please find attached two screenshots showing proof of contact that the customer requested. The first offer want sent just to her, and the second offer was sent to her and another customer with the same port and date. 

   

  Regards,

  Customer response

  01/11/2024

   
  Complaint: 21090565
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  Never received a formal response from a "vacation advisor" employee. This is considered spam. No attempt to contact from company in charge of voucher. Is the business under more than one name? Seems to be an extreme case of scamming. Address (location of business) is not valid when searched either. Not who they say they are. Reporting to the FTC.

  Sincerely,
  
  **************************************

• Initial Complaint

  04/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am requesting a $20 refund that was unduly taken out of our deposit. I mailed the $100 money order as deposit on 3/19/22 per the travel voucher to get “two round-trip airline tickets, 2 nights hotel, 3 days rental and a $50 hotel gift card”. They sent us the form to put in our two choices on travel dates and location. I submitted the request form on 4/28/22 and picked the airport that’s on the list. We were informed on 8/15/22 that they are unable to find availability within our request for travel on 10/12/22 and they will move on to our second date of 4/26/23. I started following up with them on 2/1/23 inquiring on our 4/26/23 travel. After multiple calls and emails, I finally received an email on 3/9/23 stating “Your total cost for the two round-trip tickets and two nights hotel stay, will be $440.42...”. I replied to them "1. We didn't expect having to pay additional $340.42 for a supposedly great vacation package. 2. We didn't expect having to endure the layover flying from Houston to Salt Lake City (2 major cities with plenty of direct flight options). In light of all the flight delays in the recent months, we do not want to take any chance of getting stuck in the airport. Since this is a very short trip, any flight connecting issue/delay would further shorten any valuable time we have in Salt Lake. 3. We never flew ****** Airlines in our many years of travel. The reviews for this airline are terrible, especially relating to flight connections. We decided we have been misled on this vacation deal. We want to cancel this contract without penalty or obligation as per the terms & conditions. Please let us know what other information you need from us to refund our $100." I did everything they requested and was shocked to get a letter with only $80 refund. I am requesting to get my full refund considering this is a total deceptive program. I hope to forewarn others not to get looped into this “freebie” that ends up costing them more money.

  Business response

  04/28/2023

  Dear BBB,

   

  We are sorry that Mrs. ***** was unhappy with the travel offer. Our terms and conditions do state the taxes and fees customers are responsible for to travel.  We always offer the best flight options for under $350.00 per person that we can find when working on a reservation request. As stated in the terms, the flights must be under $350.00 per person. When the October date was checked they exceeded it, which is why it was not available.  A lot of time goes into each customers request to find the flights and hotel to match what they want. That is the reason we impose the $20.00 fee if a customer chooses to cancel after requesting travel but prior to booking, which is also stated in the terms and conditions they agreed to. Again we are very sorry that the voucher did not work out for them but the $20.00 fee is non-refundable.

  Best regards,

  Smart Travel

  Customer response

  05/11/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I was mis-lead when I signed up for this” offer”.  I used a similar coupon/offer in 2013 from another company and had a good vacation with reasonable flight/cost.  I thought this one will be somewhat similar, but it was totally different.  As you can see from my prior attachment which showed all my correspondence with Smart Travel and the reasons for declining their flight arrangement plus the cost, I hope you can understand why I am requesting a full refund.  If that’s not possible, I would like to put a comment in BBB system, give them a lowest possible rating that is available in the system, and warm other consumers to not fall into the same trap as I did.  I spent countless hours and still end up losing $20. However, I learned a great lesson – when it seems too good to be true, watch out, don’t fall for it.     
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  11/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company consistently failed to honor request for vacation as promised in initial vacation planning package procured. Claimed unaware of rental car to be included in package, gift card to be given in package, limited airport designations, etc. They made utilization of the package so cumbersome and unattainable that we ended up cancelling our package. In cancelling due their claimed ignorance of their own package, they kept $20 of the $100 fee we paid to activate the package. They are a shady, cumbersome, impossible to deal with company that will hinder implementation of the package offered at every step of the process to redeem. We want the $20 activation fee returned because it was through no fault of our own that they did not perform.

  Business response

  12/19/2022

  Dear BBB,
  
  We are sorry that *********************** is unhappy with the travel voucher; however she was aware of and agreed to the terms when she activated it. *********************** was made an offer to travel in October for her December choice. She chose to decline it and canceled her voucher. One of the terms does state that there is a $20.00 fee if a customer cancels a voucher after requesting dates but prior to booking. The reason we charge this fee is the amount of time it takes for our travel agents to find the best airfare and several hotel options to accommodate the customers' requests. Again we are sorry that she is unhappy with that.
  

  Customer response

  12/20/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  It is through their negligence and delays and feigned ignorance of the benefits that were attached to the certificate ie. rental car and **************** gift card that caused delays in processing. Furthermore they had unreasonable airport destinations that would not accommodate the desired vacation requested. We had to continually provide proof of what their gift certificate offered. They were so in accommodating in providing a reasonable vacation we gave up and therefore they should refund our $20. Fee as a goodwill gesture..

  Business response

  12/23/2022

  
  Dear BBB,
  
  I am unsure what negligence *********************** is referring to. Her voucher was activated with us on 5/11/22 and her planning packaged was mailed the same day. She sent in her first request on 9/26/22 for travel on 12/5 or 01/19. Both the destination airports were the same choice of **************, **. That is not a city with an airport we use on our vouchers. Both the activation form and the planning package explain to customers that we use specific airports and give them a link to view the airports in order to prevent this sort of issue. Apparently *********************** neglected to read the terms or view the list. She was sent a letter explaining the request was a breach of the terms and asked to make new selections. On 10/14 *********************** called in a spoke with an agent who let her switch the destination without submitting a new request with the required 60 day notice. She was then contacted by an agent on 10/17 with a travel offer for her first selection. She could have traveled but chose not to. *********************** also seems to believe we were providing an **************** card and rental car. Our voucher does not have, nor has it ever had any **************** card attached to it. I can only assume that was something her sponsor was providing to her. Our voucher does have two bonus gifts of a rental car voucher, not a rental car, and a hotel card. Both of which are bonus gifts only sent with confirmation of travel, and subject to change; which was also stated very clearly in the terms and conditions. All of this was explained to *********************** by customer service and ********************** agents multiple times. Again we are sorry she is unhappy, but in no way was our company negligent in the service she was provided. Our agents went above and beyond to help her.
  
  Regards,
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We received vacation packages deals twice from this company only to have them reply that dates and locations selected for travel weren't available; even though all of their guidelines for reservation requests were met in a timely manner. The first time we requested a $100 refund of deposit required on the initial reservation request, only to be offered an option of another package instead The first package consisted of an all expense paid trip,(flight, acomodations and rental car). We agreed to the second option (3day-2night lodging) and paid another $50 deposit required for option two package. Again, we were told dates and locations weren't available; so we requested a refund again, only to be told we would only receive a refund for option two package. The $100 refund was forfeited because we agreed to the second option instead. I requested the $50 refund on 4/11/22 via email (according to their guidelines) and was told that it took 4 weeks to be refunded. We haven't received the refund as of yet. I feel the whole situation was fraudulent because the company hasn't sent the refund or any correspondence regarding it. I had to call them when we never received anything in the mail that stated our trips wouldn't be available. Our 37th Anniversary was the 27th of April and we were really expecting to spend it in the location we had originally requested in the first package. We resorted to making last minute reservations elsewhere so our celebration wasn't a total disappointment! We are expecting a refund and an apology for their very poor business dealings with us. Enclosed is proof of locations they said were available to choose from. The initial $100 refund request had to be signed and sent to them, so no copy is available. Also, please find email correspondence requesting the $50 refund. Thank You, Millie and Eric *********

  Business response

  06/03/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/05/18) */ Dear BBB, I am sorry that Mrs. ********* is so unhappy. She originally had a voucher for flights and hotel stay that she requested travel on. She was not told the dates were unavailable as she has stated. She was told that her requests were a breach of the terms and conditions and we needed her to submit new choices that were not. She had until May of 2023 to use the voucher. Instead she chose to cancel it. She was offered a bonus package in lieu of a refund and she accepted. She then used one of the 3 items gifts in her bonus package which required a $50.00 deposit to activate and was valid for 2 nights hotel. She chose her first stay as Hawaii which unfortunately was not available. She chose to cancel that voucher and was refunded her $50.00 on 5/12/22. Again we are sorry she was not happy. Best regards, Consumer Response /* (2000, 8, 2022/05/18) */ I have received a refund from this company and now consider the case resolved and closed. Thank you for your help Sincerely, Millie *********

• Initial Complaint

  04/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Paid $ 100.00 Deposit For a vacation package Never got the vacation The response was that the round trip was more than $350.00. Which is bull I flew round trip to Tampa for $ 185.00. I have never got my deposit back from this less than reputable company Initial date and check paid on 8-18-21. No returned money and todays date is 4-26-22

  Business response

  06/13/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/05/10) */ Dear BBB, We are sorry that Mr. ***** was unhappy with his travel voucher. The terms do state that we cannot make a travel offer if the airline ticket cost exceeds $350.00 per ticket, which it did. I understand that in the past Mr. ***** probably has flown for $185.00, but with inflation and increased cost of fuel right now, it was a lot higher than $350.00 per ticket. Mr. ***** had until March of 2023 to travel with us but chose to cancel instead. He was refunded in full on 04/28/2022. Again I am sorry he was unhappy. Best regards, Smart Travel

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩