We were late to our tours in London, Florence, and the Vatican. Only a couple of people were given her contact information, which made communication confusing and difficult during our free time, especially when she got delayed during our free evening in Paris and our meeting time had to be pushed back significantly. When my husband and I decided to send our daughter, we felt like one of us should go with her since she was only 15 at the time we went on the trip, and had not traveled internationally like this before. We did not get to select from a menu and were all served the same thing each night, with the exception of those who had special dietary needs. Im not opposed to tipping but tips need to be earned and for him to request a set amount doesnt sit well with me. Do I regret going on an EF Tour? As someone who travels pretty frequently, I usually make most of my own travel arrangements, from flights to hotel reservations to activities. But the worst experience in this hotel went to a dad on our trip, whos single room contained only a sofa. Were going to start with the breakdown of how things work with EF and what to expect as a participant or a parent, and then move on to our specific experience with our tour. Jose waited three months before contacting me. CPS high school students missing overseas school trips due to I was told to call EF to see what my options are. We had ample notice and knew what to expect. We had to accept them. how to get a full refund from ef tours. We got to listen to an orchestra perform in Piazza della Signoria in Florence. There were also some pretty significant changes to our itinerary. I just felt like it should have been planned better. How Does PTO Work for Salaried Employees? But relinquishing that control does require a certain amount of trust. It seemed cool at the time however most countries either had the shops and food places shut down early or be completely closed due to the big games. Will this be the busiest spring break ever? Four students are continuously placed in rooms meant for two people. Now that Chicago Public Schools has cancelled all domestic and international trips due to the coronavirus pandemic, she wants her $4,100 back, but EF Tours refuses to issue refunds. People are requiredLISTENrequired to purchase the Global Protection Plan. Students and parents can then sign up directly through the EF Tours website, and submit all payments directly to the company. I work for a competitor of EF and have about a million reasons why groups that go with them get ripped off. Travelers remain able to exchange their reissued COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher up and until the originally stated expiration date for a refund of the amount on the original COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher less $500. Lunches were always a gamble. Lost one full day of 8 day tour. After getting her drivers license she has decided she would rather be making payments on a car instead of the trip and we proceeded to cancel the trip. Before our tour, the group leaded made sure every person who showed an interest in going on the trip got the glossy, full color brochure that outlined our itinerary and told us what to expect on the tour. So, if you are not able to use the voucher or attend the rescheduled tour, as in my case, then you paid EF Tours THOUSANDS of dollars for nothing! The EF in EF Tours stands for Education First. Recently I was notified by EF Tours that my child was cancelled from the tour after paying off almost whole trip price. Call 888-333-9756 to enroll, EF College Study His high school in the Parkway school district decided to book the tour through EF Educational Tours. Your Group Leader may choose from the following options: Work with EF to modify your group's current tour itinerary and dates, or find a new tour and apply all money paid to the new tour. Vouchers issued and redeemed by the original traveler may not be combined with future discounts, scholarships, or other special incentives if the same discounts, scholarships, or other special incentives existed on the original tour. Hence the lawsuit (in CA 2020, look it up). Your password has been sent to the specified email address. Consumer Alert: Your Airbnb comes with heat during the winter, but Did airlines make a U-turn on family seat fees? This is exactly the type of honest review I am searching for as I consider enrolling my son in a 9 day tour of Japan next summer, and also go myself. Things started off poorly when our tour guide was an hour late to meet us at baggage claim and then our bus was over another hour late to pick us up at the airport. The cancellation was due to a National Emergency not voluntary of the travelers. The rooms at these Hiltons were very new, immaculately clean and extremely comfortable. If your Group Leader has rescheduled your original tour/program, the group will be moved automatically onto the new tour/program. Our Tour Director said it was because London is a melting pot of cultures, but our group didnt buy that. Enroll online or call 800-766-2645, EF Go Ahead Tours Is The Royal Caribbean Key Program Really Worth It? But he did recommend that our group stop at an Austrian "crystal factory" for "a short 30 minute" visit. I have seen some recent reviews for EF Tours and wanted to share my experiences for those who may consider using this company for a tour. I would NEVER stay at a truck stop, nor would I deceive students into thinking they were going to be safe on a trip and then place them there. I am a retired college Professor of Art. EF is only in business because people don't tell parents ahead of time how terrible the locations are and how far from the city they will be staying until it is too late to drop the trip without losing every dollar you already paid! Two straight hours of calling the ef tours emergency hotline and no still no answer. They also promise to have the lowest price on the market for this type of travel. All breakfasts were served at our hotels. The traveler can then utilize the remaining portion of the COVID-19 Voucher on another EF product for themselves or a member of their immediate family or community. Book and Travel with Confidence | EF Go Ahead Tours They both were on the higher end of what I expected based on the descriptions provided by EF Tours of what our hotels would be like. In Italy, the dinners were quite good. According to a survey conducted by Consumer Reports, one in three travelers who booked tours with EF Tours did not receive a full refund when they attempted to cancel their trip. have zero control or influence on these trips. EF provides a Tour Director to accompany your group through the entire trip. While our tour guide was a very sweet, personable woman, she didnt seem to understand how to manage the timing logistics for a group of 40 travelers. It really did take a lot of pressure off to just let someone else do all that work. Submit a Claim - Risk Strategies Travel Our specific tour featured quite a daunting itinerary. I think I would, but I would definitely choose a slower paced itinerary with more time in each destination. Call 877-485-4184 to enroll, EF Ultimate Break Interested students and parents are invited to attend informational meetings either in person or virtually where the group leader/teacher goes over the itinerary and any questions potential participants may have. Senior trips that were canceled by EF Explore America Tours due to the Coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak should be refunded in FULL, ALL travelers' trip costs minus the travel protection plan cost per traveler since the reason for cancellation was out of the school or the travelers' control. A COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher retains the value of all money paid into a travelers account which can be applied to any EF tours or language product with a departure date prior to the COVID-19 Future Travel Vouchers expiration date. There was a layer of dusty film all over my bathroom and my pillow had an unidentified crusty stain on it. Though not quite as refined as the Hiltons, and a little slap-shot with the furniture, we found this place to be clean and welcoming. Image courtesy: EF Go Ahead Tours Benefits of EF Go Ahead Tours. The trip total came to around $4,000. But in Florence, visits to San Miniato al Monte and Piazzale Michelangelo were dropped off the itinerary with no explanation. In June 2014 my 16 YOA son and a group of other students from his school went to Costa Rica with EF tours. how to get a full refund from ef tours - pamelahudson.net However, I was never allowed to speak with management. Our guide was able to secure tickets (for an extra fee) for those who wanted them to a performance of Wicked during our free evening. Save up to $300. He refused to take us anywhere on our free time. We were told that other than the deposit and a small admin fee, all the rest of the money was refundable. Our first group dinner in London was at a Korean restaurant where the group was served a hot stone bibimbap with chicken. If you're seeking an EF Tours. We were told we would receive a check from Ef Tours in 2 to 4 weeks for approx. If you want to make sure you get your travel refund every time, remember to use a credit card, keep every email and be ready to appeal your case. Friday 24 March - London, The O2. I really did expect to spend some quality time at these major historic sites. That is INSANE. - Make a personalized map of where you've been and where you want to go. Only the EF Go Ahead Tours allow alcohol for adult travelers. Tours with scheduled departures from October 1, 2020 September 30, 2022, If at 44 days or less prior to departure of your tour, travel restrictions, governmental orders, or other conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic make it impossible or impracticable for EF to operate your tour as scheduled, or any of the COVID-19 travel related events referenced in the. However, we understand the existing account on file may be inactive, or that you may prefer a check to be sent to you by mail instead. They informed me that my type of service is not recognized and I would not be covered. I had to do this for a foreign airline that owed me a partial refund for a flight originating in the U.S., and they wound up giving me a full refund, voluntarily.. You can call EF Ultimate Break at 1-800-766-2645. She had us walking everywhere (1 1/2 mile from our hotel to the bus stop each day. This was the only true hostel on our trip. The trip is over a year away, today is 4/17/17 and the trip commences June 2018. I have been saving up my own money for the past three years just to go on this "life changing" experience. I feel I paid twice as much as the tour was worth with the lack of amenities and accommodations that were promised by EF as those that were . nike nationals track and field backpack; 0 comments. Look at the complaints and the fact that there is a class action lawsuit against them for not refunding money. Press J to jump to the feed. Cancelling an EF Tours trip, How can I maximize money back? Call 800-590-1161 to enroll, EF Tours for Girls If you pay by credit card, you should receive a refund to that credit card. These added stops almost always involved additional costs as well, which we were not informed of before leaving for our trip. My son didn't create this problem, and it's not his fault. Even though this wasnt guaranteed, all of our accommodations had some sort of air conditioning, with some that functioned better than others, and all of them had WiFi. Echoing a similar suit filed against the operators of EF Tours, the lawsuit argues that WorldStrides has violated its contracts with the plaintiffs by collecting their money while failing to provide the trips for which they pre-paid. They are making a profit off of cancellations!!!! Adults can expect to share a room with one other person. I think communicating with the group more about where were going could have avoided some sticky situations that a few of our travelers found themselves in when they were left behind. This caused problems for a few kids on our trip who werent expecting these costs, and they unfortunately had to miss out on some of the better additions. Seriously, that was suppose to be the best part?!?!?! Local family fights for refund after student's Europe trip is - WBTV So Hignite and other parents contacted EF Tours, to learn they could get only vouchers, or pay a penalty to cancel. 10 reviews of go ahead tours Ideas - yugo.vn Ed Sheeran announces UK tour 2023 - how to get tickets | The Scotsman EF seems to take the money and doesn't provide much other info. My AT&T bill is wrong. They also charged me $189 for insurance I declined. We did have some great cultural experiences while we traveled. It was an equally devastating experience. When we did get on the city bus, she told us we had to pay our own fares (the tour was to include ALL transportation), but then told us to NOT pay the fare, as we would never get caught, and even if we did, the fine would only $20. While on tour, there was only one time that I felt like our group was taken to an unsafe area. So your kid just came home from school with a gorgeous full color brochure about an upcoming trip to Europe with EF Tours that one of their teachers is leading. Edited: 11 years ago . Grabovsky and the proposed Class are represented by William McGrane and Matthew Sepuya of McGrane PC and Michael J. Hassen of RealLaw APC. Also, I want to upgrade my kids' flight on the way home - EF passes the responsibility to their "booking" agent in Switzerland or they say to call the airline. These tours are usually walking tours, but sometimes are bus tours, depending on the location. EF Tours was contacted today also and there response was they aren't responsible for the insurance company. We also learned that our high school would not give any credit to students who participated in these trips, even though much was made of the educational credit during the pitch to get us to join the tour. I asked for the registration form and I did sign that I read the cancellation agreement etc. ?we were then offered a tour of a castle which was supposedly a make up gift from ef tours for the bus situation however, once we got there we only had about 45 mins- an hour to tour the entire castle. This Tour Director is supposed to handle just about everything on your tour, including all your pre-booked accommodations, meals, excursions, tickets, and transfers. Exploring the Pros, Cons, and Benefits of Utilizing Professional Vacation Planning Services. Patience. I was told we should have paid extra if we wanted to be IN Sorrento. It was absolutely fantastic. how to get a full refund from ef tours; how to get a full refund from ef tours. This company is a complete scam. Flights Cost, airlines we use, booking flights, baggage, requests, and managing your flights. Unfortunately, I had to cancel his trip because my son switched schools and his old school district could not take a non student out of the country. Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. If you have general questions about your enrollment in the travel . I've decided that I'm not going to go for financial reasons and feeling that it's too expensive for what I'm getting. Start by contacting EF Tours directly, then file a complaint with the BBB, dispute the charge with your credit card company, and seek legal advice if necessary. They are basically stealing our money and find this to be okay. Full list of UK dates. But some days lunch was great. We signed up about a year out from the trip, while another student who traveled with us signed up just a month or two before we left. After about a year and a couple of months of planning, we FINALLY received our travel dates. We enjoyed a truly magical and unexpected sunset under the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Imagine being in London not able to tour anything because you don't have the proper tour bus that you were promised?? She was more worried about herself and her family I guess. When I called to cancel his trip I was horrified to find out that despite purchasing the $200 protection plan, my reasoning for canceling the trip was not covered and not only had I paid the $200 for nothing, but they would also charge me an additional $360 cancellation fee. . Travelers or their transferees can redeem the voucher for this available refund at any time prior to September 30, 2025. They were both located about an hour outside of the city center, but that wasnt too much of a problem. This person is there to direct the group and handle any problems with logistics you may encounter along the way. This Arizona based company has been organizing dozens of tours for teachers and college professors all across the country for 30 years. Additional fees may apply if requested between 129-90 days before departure. Your card has consumer protection programs built in so you can challenge a charge if the vendor does not fulfill what was promised. Pre-sale tickets for Ed Sheeran's tour go live on Wednesday, March 8 at 9am for anyone who has preordered the new album via the Ed Sheeran website. Be sure to document all communication with EF Tours so that you can refer back to it if necessary. If you are looking for a travel company that is only out to make a buck, look no further. EF Go Ahead Tours also allows you to change the date of tour or destination up until your final payment day. That's the advice of Laurie Guest, an author who specializes in travel and customer service. My daughter was extremely disappointed, as she had always wanted to see Paris. While I could not find information about individual class pricing, I highly doubt that EF paid that much per person for us to spend an hour making tiramisu. If you happen to wander around the Charles River, it is worth of walking toward the Zakim Bridge and stopping by North Point Park. Four kids to a room was common on our tour. When you travel with EF, you get the benefits of our 55+ years of experience and our unmatched global network. If all other attempts to get a full refund from EF Tours fail, it may be time to seek legal advice. The company is known for its strict refund policies and lack of customer service. Give the company at least a week to respond to your refund request and two credit card billing cycles to pay you. I can't believe they can demand reasons for dismissal even with all the Hippa Laws. By clicking "submit" below, you are requesting to have your refund issued by check, which will be made out in the travelers name and mailed to their primary address on file. Vouchers are not redeemable for their full cash equivalent. But there were several instances where visits to certain locations were dropped off our itinerary completely, and visits to other non-advertised locations were added. . No one asked to go there, and most of us seemed annoyed that we were stopping. In spite of these two disastrous group travel experiences with EF Tours, I LOVED organizing and leading tours to Europe. A money grab. We didnt go to Westminster Abbey or St. Pauls Cathedral while we were in London, and there were too many things to count in Paris that we didnt even glimpse. crank up antenna tower for sale. While the room wasnt much to write home about, some members of our group lucked out and got spectacular balconies. Anyone was allowed to sign up for the trip. It is a total scam! We publish the names and emails of customer service managers. websites, advertisements, etc. Settling with a debit card, a check or even a wire transfer means the money is gone. Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. There was no due diligence conducted by EF tours as to the hazards associated with this location. . Often, a brief, polite written appeal to someone higher up can do wonders. Each participant in our tour was required to submit a copy of our passport to EF to insure that we had the proper documentation to travel. Frequently Asked Questions about Educational Travel | Explorica the unforeseen. Visit the BBB website to find out how to submit a complaint. consumer advocate is called the three Ps., WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN YOUR TRAVEL COMPANY WON'T SEND YOUR REFUND. Did you purchase trip insurance? Even if every single person had to buy a ticket, I cant imagine that the cost for a group tour and the transportation to get the group there cost an additional $84 USD per person. Getting a full refund from EF Tours can be a difficult process, but it is possible. While these options are available, the bread and butter of the company is the basic high school student tour which is what we took. Absolutely not. Flights cancelled, rerouted. She lost her engagement ring in a rental car. Whenever I called and asked for a manager, I was told that non were available and that they would call me when they became available. Student Tour Group Agrees to More Refund Options Amid Canceled Trips how to get a full refund from ef tours how to get a full refund from ef tours It can be used for all components of the tour booked through EF prior to departing on tour including the deposit, program price, the optional Global Travel Protection plan, optional excursions, optional extensions, and rooming supplements. corvette parts california. Trips are usually initially introduced about two years before the travel date so that participants can make smaller monthly payments to cover the cost of the trip. EF Educational Tours | Refund method why is there a plague in thebes oedipus. Your email address will not be published. 321. Education First Class Action Says Tour Company Canceled Trips Over Global Travel Protection plans | Coverage & flexibility | EF Tours Help Center: Payments & policies EF's industry-leading safety & coverage programs When you travel with EF, you get the benefits of our 55+ years of experience and our unmatched global network. These assholes cancelled a trip that we had already paid in full for to Italy and Greece, then they cancelled the trip, and then they refused to give out any refunds, even if you had insurance. That EF 12-Day tour was called "Europe with an Alpine Flavor." We waited for an hour-and-a half for him to return to the motor coach. Do you have any questions about EF Tours that I didnt answer? Trip Cancellation coverage This plan includes Trip Cancellation coverage. Original scheduled departure was on or before May 14, 2020. Its been eight months. I always like to start my reviews by reminding you that I was not compensated in any way to write this post. As a working class family that was attempting to give our child a wonder experience, I am outraged that a company would gain such a profit off of a cancellation! This all changed, as soon as I offered to pay him extra, per person, for his help. If you booked a trip like this as an adult, you would scream from the rooftops for a refund but since these are kids, apparently EF doesn't have to listen because there will be another crop of unsuspecting students waiting to go next year. Once youve signed up for your EF Tour, youll be given access to a tour portal on the EF website where you can track your payments and what steps you need take next to participate in the trip. EF is keeping $565 dollars needed to cover their overhead and costs to hotels and airlines but students could reschedule. Wherever you are, were thereand we understand that, in todays ever-changing world, travelers are looking for more flexibility than ever before. Overall, breakfasts were adequate throughout the trip. Just keep your expectations realistic. how to get a full refund from ef tours. Trip management Picking a trip, how . Adjustment to ef atm deposit wells fargo on work checks. I received a EF Tours have a pretty straightforward process during the sign up period, prior to departure and during your trip. Note that this is a salesperson who will try to sway you into "changing your destination, adjusting dates or setting up a new payment plan to make paying for your trip easier" according to their help center. Im a wife, a mom, a crafter, a Disney fan, and a french fry connoisseur. EF Tours - complaintboard.com I have traveled extensively with Expedia, always buy travel insurance, and am covered for any thing, from war to terrorism, to a pandemic. Tickets can be purchased individually at the ticket booth for just $42 USD or for groups ahead of time for just $24 USD. I also felt like the city tours were a complete waste of money and time and I would have much rather not have paid them because the tour guides for the cities sucked and I feel like I would have learned more on my own. EF Tours uses a wide range of airlines, and travelers do not get to indicate a preference. It includes time, money, convenience, and many other factors. Can I get my 173,116 Chase Ultimate Rewards points refunded? What can a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher be used for? My EF Tours experience definitely taught me a lot about group travel. My daughter insisted on being signed up for her school trip in 2020. While this may seem like a school trip, it is not. Spring break trip with the school for my two boys to go to Greece and Italy this year. Upon arrival in my room, I found it to be extremely dirty. TSA Tours, of course. That invoice for antivirus protection is a scam, How a company could easily get a false F rating from the BBB. In most cases, refunds can be issued electronically with the funds being sent directly back to your current account on file. 44 days or less prior to departure: No refund will be issued. Fully Refundable Booking Period Feel good about your decision by enrolling in AutoPay or paying in full when you book your tour. That was during our terrible last night in Rome when we had to walk from our hotel to our dinner restaurant through some pretty sketchy areas of the city. Wherever you are, were thereand we understand that, in todays ever-changing world, travelers are looking for more flexibility than ever before. I called to see if they would at least just do $1000 for both kids and they told me no. We were frequently told we could just grab a bite to eat at the train station or the airport, only to be left with minimal time and very limited options. Airlines and other travel companies make it so easy for money to flow their way. NBC 5 Responds: Tour Company Offers Nationwide Refunds for Canceled Have had 2 separate travel experiences with EF. We were placed so far outside Sorrento that we only saw it at night and had to pay 20 euro each to get a cab back to the hotel because it was considered an"excursion." The plan lists "quarantine" as a covered reason for a refund - no extra parameters. I was told that they only charge whats been deposited. | This company is a fraud and steals money from families. Kinda defeats the whole concept of insurance. Why is it taking so long to get a cruise refund? Children are not monitored, left to find their own way in cities across the . New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. It's just all circular and I can't get anywhere. how to get a full refund from ef tours - tedfund.org Wife has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and will not be able to make this trip. Required fields are marked *. The vast majority of the other students spent most of their time getting drunk and vaping. Meals on the tour ran the gamut from weird to stellar, but overall were not to bad. Hi, I recently made a deposit to my bank of 12,400. There are mice in my vacation rental! Whatever you need, well handle it. Information about our flights was not available until about a month before our departure, and information about our hotels was not available until we were about three weeks out from leaving. AG Healey Secures $1.4 Million in Additional Refunds from Cambridge Her itinerary, booked through Expedia, included several airlines. During our entire time in London, we were not once served any traditional English food. The swimming area was not separated in any way from boat traffic, nor was my son warned about possible boat traffic.

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