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. All answers shown come directly from Grand Circle Travel Reviews and are not edited or altered. rate Grand Circle Travel 3.3 out of 5 stars, interview experience at Grand Circle Travel, Grand Circle Travel has a positive business outlook. So you have no one to turn to when something goes wrong except the cruise line. Over the years they have established a solid reputation for tours and river cruises that offer good value to destinations around the world. Sears couldnt deliver my appliances. No answer. Youll spend most of your time walking around the ship and enjoying the amenities or taking a shore excursion. How do I know I can trust these reviews about Grand Circle Travel? Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. It is classified as operating in the Transportation & Warehousing industry. They refuse to accept their responsibility to inform me, in order to allow me to make the decision regarding my exposure. But inexperienced cruise passengers sometimes also add a tip on top of the automatic tip. acquired by Travelport earlier this year. Where is it? If its a small shop, you may not have 24/7 support. A few practical tips from a consumer advocate. One way that Grand Circle Travel can overcome its financial difficulties is by diversifying its offerings. But which one is right for you? Special access to agent-only discounts. The cruise line wont let them board the ship. Youre one of a million, literally. 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. But once you get on the ship, youll realize its a waste of money. See all activities, themes, and interests >, Save $600 off trips to every continent on earth, Redeem anytime before 2023. Over the years they have. Uh-uh. What's going on? Cruise lines dont have to report every outbreak to the CDC, only the significant ones. While some U.S. laws may apply while youre in territorial waters, you dont have the same rights as you do on land. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced she reached an agreement with a tour company, securing further refunds for canceled trips. Most trips with Grand Circle are, unfortunately, not wheelchair accessible. They have a bad reputation and that reputation is very on point, To get a job at Grand Circle Travel, browse, Overall, 55% of employees would recommend, Get started with your Free Employer Profile, Work Here? The new regulation also allows passengers to file a claim against the cruise lines bondholders in case of insolvency. UNACCEPTABLE!! Tasteless food. You can find a cheaper private tour through a company like Viator. Were mediating these problems on a case-by-case basis. It isnt that these items arent fun to have while youre on a cruise, but that in many cases, theyre ridiculously overpriced. The bus driver, Wayne, could not have been any better! (Annual sales and employees) What industry is the company in? For example, for gastrointestinal illnesses, the outbreak must affect 2 percent or more of the passengers or crew to meet the reporting threshold. According to the 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. If you prefer a smaller ship and dont like waves, a river cruise might be right for you. 166,000 travelers in 2007. 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 -. 7% of Grand Circle Travel employees are Asian. Once you disembark, the cruise line keeps the money. Circle in 1985, will retain a 30% stake in the direct-market tour Required fields are marked *. The right to timely information updates as to any adjustments in the itinerary of the ship in the event of a mechanical failure or emergency, as well as timely updates of the status of efforts to address mechanical failures. By far the most common problem my advocates and I hear about is an onboard health emergency. Watch for food-borne illnesses. Well start sending you the news you need delivered straight to you. How are they allowed to keep my money? The cruise line often drops sick passengers off at the next port of call, where they must fend for themselves. 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. Terms indicate if they cancel you get a refund. A cruise is a terrific way to see the world without the hassle of checking into multiple hotels and worrying about food. No answer to emails or snail mail. Payments. 35% of job seekers rate their interview experience at Grand Circle Travel as positive. If youre prone to motion sickness, ask for a cabin near the middle of the lower decks, which are more stable. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.). 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. How Does PTO Work for Salaried Employees? Our family of travel companieswhich you can read more about below . Grand Circle Travel Grand Circle's cancellation, refund and exchange policies as well Here are some of the risks. Ive heard of these kickbacks going as high as 14 percent. She lost her engagement ring in a rental car. Its a high-pressure sales pitch on the high seas. Kiddos to the bus drive for being SO informative!! Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion. Grand Circles motto is We Change Peoples Lives; it has certainly changed ours. I would not recommend the company. Because the porters dont always deliver the luggage to your room. Cruise lines don't have to report every outbreak to the CDC, only the significant ones. 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. The main thing I have to say to others is: There are many tour Companies out there, now is the time to dismiss GCT and try someone else. 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. 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. The outcome can often turn on who cancels, which is why a lot of suppliers and travelers are playing chicken right now. O.A.T. GCT cancelled the Greenland portion. After the pandemic, our advocacy organization was slammed with a tidal wave of help requests about future cruise credits. Travelers routinely returned home to phone bills in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. 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. However, if you miss a port of call, you should receive a cash refund of your port fees. Archive - Why? Most medical care on cruise ships is adequate. Poor food, poor guidance and no involvement from the guide or the Company. Is it just your server? Alan Lewis will remain on the board but will be replaced All Rights Reserved. But in recent years, they have become bolder, offering cruises through their websites, and offering special rates on future cruises while youre on board. (Mr. Anolik has a detailed breakdown of other state-by-state travel laws on his firms website. The right to lodging if disembarkation and an overnight stay in an unscheduled port are required when a cruise is terminated early due to mechanical failures. The worst fee Ive seen is for the end cut of a roast served at dinner. Is Grand Circle Travel in Financial Trouble? Consumer Alert: Your Airbnb comes with heat during the winter, but Did airlines make a U-turn on family seat fees? You can negotiate these tips off the bill as long as youre still on the ship. As Adam Anolik, a San Francisco- based travel-industry lawyer, explained over email, thats why oversight forcing a company to comply with state laws can feel like an uphill battle. 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. If you leave the country, you must have a passport. Copyright 2008-2023, Glassdoor, Inc. "Glassdoor" and logo are registered trademarks of Glassdoor, Inc. Not a week goes by that my advocates dont receive a case from someone who didnt have enough travel insurance and faced a large bill at the end of a cruise. Virtually zero. Groups are between 24-47 people, so expect some company! They do plenty of one on ones. Hotels are comfortable and centrally located. If you get seasick in a bathtub, please dont book a cruise. For the flexibility and comfort aspects, combined with unique experiences at every turn. Our buses had problems; the drivers were pulled from retirement and were unfamiliar with the vehicles. And if I decided to go, whats the best way to book my vacation? I feel I was defrauded and the company has been unethical in their dealings. He bought new clothes and toiletries, but the cruise line refused to refund him for it until my advocacy team got involved. Your rights at sea are governed by maritime law, or the law of the sea. That agency said that it has received about 275 consumer complaints so far about canceled O.A.T. 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. Grand Circle Travel was started by the founder of AARP, and as such know their demographic extremely well. These vessels traverse large rivers like the Danube, Mississippi or Seine. Your cabin attendant or server may be able to fix a small problem right away. 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. Younger couples or families will probably feel out of place among the crowd on a Grand Circle tour. said in a statement that "97% of Grand Circle travelers say that It is important to consider the potential implications of Grand Circle Travels financial struggles. In addition, there is the worry that many travel companies may go out of business due to the loss of business from this pandemic. A link has directed you to this review. We receive many requests for help from foreign nationals with residency permits. But not for cruises. Not so long ago, you had to pick up a phone and call your local travel agent to book a cruise. If the company fails to find a solution to its financial woes, it could mean layoffs and reduced wages for employees. Learn the word no, and use it often. Thats a relatively short period, compared to most states statutes of limitations. Translation: When they cancel your trip, they are legally required to offer you the money back. The right to an emergency power source in the case of a main generator failure. Free-flowing booze is at the top of the list. 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. Avoid like the plague! Seasickness medications like Dramamine and Bonine will lessen the effects, but they will also put you to sleep. I dont want to be obligated to Grand Circle. Book directly with the operator. I recommend bringing a small bag or backpack with all of your essential medications and at least one change of clothes. Travel agents can make 10 percent or more in commissions and overrides from your cruise. Our help is free. Even email or call back. Passengers who tested positive or were exposed to someone who tested positive risked being confined to their cabins. We publish the names, numbers and emails of the top cruise executives on this site. Supervisors and managers want everyone to succeed. 07070 USA Telephone: (201) 902-2000, Windstar Knows the Way to the Middle East: How to Sell the Red Sea & Persian Gulf. Overseas . A human travel agent who can take the time to sit down with you and talk about your cruise options is a tried-and-true way to buy a cruise. Then our columnist intervened with the Boston-based tour operator Overseas Adventure Travel. Even though GC advertises travel for mature adults- this is overwhelming in a foreign country. Care for a soda? If you are injured with Grand Circle, be prepared to handle all medical necessities and communication yourself including pushing a wheel chair. The right to have included on each cruise lines website a toll-free phone line that can be used for questions or information concerning any aspect of shipboard operations. While they didnt answer my question directly, I was able to recoup more than $100,000, collectively, for you and 10 other readers. Infectious disease COVID and norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships. Tip: Avoid a cabin near an elevator or nightclub. operator. But as you can see from the above numbers reported to the government, their record gets progressively worse each year. This employer has claimed their Employer Profile and is engaged in the Glassdoor community. 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. Our values are the foundation upon which our company is built. The porters removed his bag and he never saw it again. Can I get my 173,116 Chase Ultimate Rewards points refunded? Heres what happened: Many cruise lines offered either a refund or a 125 percent cruise credit when COVID-19 hit. This is definitely a travel experience well suited to older American travelers in the 60+ range, seeking a degree of comfort, in their travel experience, within a mid to high budget range. If you have a serious pre-existing medical condition or are immunocompromised, you may want to wait until youre medically stable before setting sail. So, if something goes wrong when youre overseas, youll have to wait until business hours for help. chairman of Grand Circle Foundation. Even though this place offers a month-long training class, I think it would be best if newer agents get taught more basics before they are put on the floor to deal with customers. Its gonna cost you. Grand Circle Corporation provides 85+ international small group adventures by land and sea for Americans 50 and older. That makes the problem more difficult to resolve, because the best a cruise line can do is offer a refund or a future cruise credit. We receive regular complaints about food poisoning on cruise ships. Youre dealing directly with the cruise line, so the company cant blame an intermediary for anything that goes wrong. And most passengers accepted the credit. 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. Additionally, Grand Circle Travel can focus on expanding its marketing efforts and building relationships with new partners to reach a larger customer base. Alternatively, you could have filed a case in small claims court, although you would have had to limit your . 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. was created in 1958 to serve AARP members. Most cruise lines have stopped screening their passengers for COVID. Soon we discovered they had changed our cabin without notifying us and that one of the flights had disappeared . How many can you get right in 1 minute? Ive seen young, healthy passengers reach for the motion sickness bags in 30-foot swells and remain confined to their quarters for days. in 1997 they established Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises with a And it should have at least six months validity left on it to be safe. They dont have any way to contact them. Theyre not. Read unbiased user reviews, pick the operator that suits your needs, and connect with them directly. Without adequate funding, the company may be unable to invest in new technologies or hire the best talent to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction. Quality: Our decisions must be made and actions taken in accordance with high standards of quality and service. The state's lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency rather than criticizing the resort fees. again.. Business Bureau had given the company an "unsatisfactory" rating. Circle Corp. ran into some challenges last year after the Better There are mice in my vacation rental! Why? 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. But why cant I get a refund? 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. Companies displayed may pay us to be Authorized or when you click a link, call a number or fill a form on our site. 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. 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. Here are my strategies for advocating your case. Come on! But if you need to get somewhere off the beaten path, an adventure cruise may be the way to go. As travel companies now suffer a cash crunch, they are facing off with travelers over credits and refunds. Here are some of the risks. (Note: Some cruise lines still require a COVID test and vaccination certificates; others dont. Gangwal left Worldspan when it was Cruise specialists spend a career developing their expertise, and the best ones have actually cruised on the itineraries they recommend. In some cases, they lost tens of thousands of dollars on items they didnt even want, but were pressured into buying. : Tanzania/Kilimanjaro Tour Company, Any recommendations for Grand Circle Tours and/or Overseas Adventure Tours, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. How Can I Get $$ back?? All content is posted anonymously by employees working at Grand Circle Travel.