Anonymous

No promised refund as stated in an email from the company!

After waiting over 6 weeks for a promised refund minus the cancellation fee,I called the company and spoke with a representative who stated that the company had changed their policy regarding refunds and that they would just being issuing vouchers! We had absolutely no communication from them regarding this issue in months!

This is entirely counter to what their published cancellation policy states. When speaking with the representative, she said she would send our conversation regarding getting our refund on to the "finance Department" so I asked her if she would please send me an email reflecting that conversation. She said she could not because Grand Circle Tour told her not to! I explained that I wanted to have a paper trail and she said she understood but she could not send me an email acknowledging this conversation.

This speaks to the underhandedness and complete lack of ethics on the part of this company! They claim to have their customers best interest in mind, but that IS NOT the truth.

They are only concerned with their bottom line and not the interests of their customers!! NEVER use this Grand Circle Tour company!!!!!!!!!!!

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Loss:
$4790

Preferred solution: Full refund

User's recommendation: NEVER use this company!!!!!!!

MaryElizabeth G Nsd

Promised a full refund twice; Now notified no refunds will be issued

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booked trip 10/2019: they called us to cancel because of the Corona Virus and told us we would get a full refund.( I have voicemail saved) I called 3/17/20 spk to rep. was told refund check would be sent no later than May 1, 2020. I called to follow up 4/6/20 on my refund check &;;;;;; was told no money would be refunded on vouchers for future trips. Now they will be keeping my money for 18 months with out my permission!!!! Spk to a superviser 4/13/20 he said no refund will be made and stated they made that decision on March 23,2020 but we were never informed
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Loss:
$4740

Preferred solution: Full refund

User's recommendation: Never use this company. Unfortunately for me I have found many reports of complaints against them to the better Business Bureau of Boston/MA

1 comment
Machele Imf

Kind of confused, but if you initially opted for a voucher then you will not get a refund. If you refused the voucher and requested a refund, then they should honor it.

You might want to contact the FTC and file a complaint, or see what info they have on their website regarding this problem---you are not alone with this problem. You can file a complaint online with the FTC or at this government site: https://www.usa.gov/travel-complaint.

Julie O Cde

Trip cancellation due to covid 19

At the end of Jan 2020 i received notice from Grand Circle travel the my trip, China and the Yangtze River for Oct 2020 was canceled and my deposit would be refunded. By the end of Feb 202 I had not received my refund and was told I should have it by t middle of March. Well, the middle of march came and went with no refund hence another call. This time their response was them being overwhelmed with calls and cancelations that I should have my refund by the middle of April. OK, i took this in stride because all my previous experiences with Grand Circle have been very pleasant. This morning I called, middle April and no refund, to find out about my refund. This time i got a real shock, no refunds are being given. They are the ones that canceled the trip, not me. They were the ones to tell me I would be issues a refund and now they changed their minds? Really !! I want my money and I want it now!
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Loss:
$1049
Pros:
  • All aspects of the many trips
Cons:
  • Renegged on their word about a full refund
  • After grand circle canceled my trip

Preferred solution: Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Placentia, California

No refund for cancelled tours, just a voucher!

Horrible, unethical company!!!!!!!!!!! WILL NEVER do business with them again! They are more interested in saving their company then in giving customers back their refunds due them!
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User's recommendation: DO NOT book with this horrible company!!!!!

Darlene B Ivn

Promised a refund of $1700

I went on the Seine River Paris to Normandy. Staff was great but trip had to be cancelled due to corona virus. We all have letters with a promise to pay us $1700. Everyone is waiting I have a wonderful evaluation filled out, but I can not rate you anything until I see the results of your promise
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Loss:
$1700

Preferred solution: just send the promised refund of $1700

Janie C Aec

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer

GCT won’t allow rebooking trips

GCT stands firm today in not allowing clients to postpone and rebook later river cruises in France. Viking, on the other hand, is allowing people to postpone trips and rebook another trip within 24 months. They are putting us in the midst of travelers from who knows where in airports, airplanes, museums, etc., let alone the ship, where someone could be bringing the virus abord with them. And then theres the possibility of being quarantined for 2 weeks in France. Ugh.
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Pros:
  • Several trips i had taken
Cons:
  • Customer satisfaction

Preferred solution: Allow us to rebook on a later trip within 24 months.

Anonymous
map-marker Eagle Grove, Iowa

Alert other travelers

gct cancelled my trip & ins. they refused to refund my money (7,647), they offered to reserve me a space on same trip departing MAY 2021. Or I can rebook another trip by 12-31-2020. this is unacceptable, their policy is no cash refund, even when they cancel.
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User's recommendation: get other travel insurance

Mary S Pzl

Sold out status

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Grand Circle continues to advertise actively for Egypt trip full well knowing it is sold out until October 2021and then they will take your 500.00 and hold it til then.
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Cons:
  • Not as advertised
Reason of review:
Not as described/ advertised

Preferred solution: Find a spot on Egypt tour

Anonymous
map-marker Boston, Massachusetts

Emergency Medical policy of GRAND CIRCLE TRAVEL

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I also traveled with Grand circle travel many times and I thought they are good until this week in Paris,France. My husband suffered from a sudden heart attack fell and broke his nose blood everywhere. I called paramedics and he was transferred to French hospital and then to American hospital of Paris for heart surgery. When I email GCT to cancel my river cruise for the following day it was denied as they travel counselor (Stephanie ORN) and later on HARRIET spoke woman said they require 3 months notice to cancel a trip and they will not reimburse nor will give any credit for my $7900.00 payment. EMERGENCY MEDICAL DOES NOT EXIST IN THEIR VOCABULARY. Will not travel again and if you consider future trip read this.
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Reason of review:
Return, Exchange or Cancellation Policy

Preferred solution: Full refund

Tonique Fkl

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer

Policy changes and retribution

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Traveled with them 5 times and was generally happy . This last year they made a 180 degree about face regarding their single travelers and retention policies. They had advertised their appreciation of solo travelers and welcomed them even sending notices of expanding availability a couple years ago. Suddenly that changed dramatically and they began restricting availability and other perks. Solos can no longer take advantage of special offers if they are even able to book a solo spot. Many repeat customers were upset and vocal about the policy changes on the company discussion boards including myself. My take on those and other policy changes such as now refusing AMEX and not allowing credit cards to be used for gratuities is that they are in financial difficulty. The result is that they have now blocked me from posting anything on their travel forum. Must have hit too close to the truth.
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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
1 comment
Guest

Yes, I worked for them for a while. They are all about getting your money and hoping that you don't complain about what you get.

Their ships are old- 20 years- and are really not comparable in the sense to their competitors. They grossly overcharge for their flights ( 500.00 more than you can get) and if you don't buy theirs they charge you for transfers. They brag about how great they are for solo travelers, but solo travelers are discriminated against for promotions and cabin assignments.

The travel insurance they push is much higher than you can get on your own, and they call it "cancel for any reason". What they wont tell you upfront is that it is a voucher for future travel, and not a refund.

Anonymous

This Is So Wrong

I’ve taken many trips with Grand Circle Travel. I have taken many trips with them. I always thought that they did a great job, and have recommended them to many people. Having said that, this evening I received a call from someone unknown to me. She reminded me about when I traveled to Istanbul with Grand Circle Travel in 2008 and one of our side trips was to see Turkish rug makers at their looms (this happened). She apparently was one of the rug makers, and is in my town at a convention and would like to sell me a rug.

ARE YOU ##$$ KIDDING ME???

GRand Circle Travel, did you need to sell my information?

This is disgusting.

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Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Anonymous
map-marker Boston, Massachusetts

Trip advisor- the travel insurance company you recommend is just horrible . Will not travel with Grand circle again because of this insurance fiasco

My husband and I traveled to Australia and New Zealand April- May of 2017 . Although the trip was nice, my husband got pneumonia, and missed all the activities in Sydney . We received excellent medical care in Australia but when we returned home, we made the claim to Trip Mate Insurance which we had procured through Grand Circle when we booked the trip. It was expensive but we thought necessary .we provided all the documentation required over and over and six months later have still not received the check for the medical expenses. It is less than $125:00 . I shudder to think if this had been a significant. Monetary claim for them. We have always bought the trip insurance and never had to make a claim before but this experience has been just awful.I have made numerous calls and continue to get the run around and even lies! I also checked Trip Mate Insurance. On the Consumer Affairs web site and learned that these horrible reviews are a norm for them. We relied to our Detriment on the Insurance Company that Grand Circle is affiliated with.. Needless to say we will not do business with Trip Mate or Grand Circle again
View full review
Loss:
$125
Cons:
  • Customer service
  • Customer satisfaction
Reason of review:
Terrible trip insurance company

Preferred solution: Let the company propose a solution

1 comment
Guest

I am having the same experience with Trip Mate. I bought the insurance on the recommdation of Nantucket Airlines. Allianz insurance was wonderful and paid immediately for a different leg of the same trip.

Anonymous

Super great company

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I've taken 3 OAT trips so far and will head out to East Canada in two days. It should be interesting to see how a 40 person tour compares to the 16 person OAT tours. I am amazed at the value Grand Circle can offer especially to a single traveler. Tour guides great. I've traveled with a number of tour companies but find GCT and OAT almost perfect. Mongolia was so exciting and the people friendly and helpful. Isreal was a wonderful altho did have a lot of walking and my first trip to New Zealand was just about perfect and we even got to PET a Kiwi. Petra (in Jordan) is a MUST SEE for any traveler.
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Pros:
  • Several trips i had taken
Reason of review:
Good quality
1 comment
Guest

I have always had good experiences when traveling with Grand Circle. We have done 7 river cruises with them and plan to do many more.

Anonymous

Spain and Portugal in September with Grand Circle Travel

The trip was the best tour we have ever taken! We are a 70 year old married couple, that took a ground escorted group tour (37 pax) to Spain and Portugal and added a pre-trip of 4 additional nights in Barcelona. Antonio Fuentes was our tour director, and was simply THE best we have ever experienced. GCT has perfected the home-visit concept in which about 6-8 of us met and dined with a local native family to experience first-hand how a middle-class local lives, works, and enjoys life given their individual circumstances. We saw all the main tourist sites, but so much more! At every major venue we had local guides that were knowledgeable, interesting, humorous, and spoke excellent English. Tips for the local guides were included. Our bus driver was extremely professional, and very pleasant in the performance of the significant "bag drags." We enjoyed excellent breakfasts everyday, and most lunches and dinners. I do not recall any complaints about the quality or quantity of food; and wine and beer were served with lunch and dinner. the bonus were the "discoveries" that Antonio would pre-plan but surprise us with, which added a real education and historical perspective of the region we were in. Highlights: THE most spectacular church in the world--Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, DO NOT miss it!; additional Gaudi-designed buildings; LaRambla in Barcelona; Barri Gotic (mideval Barcelona area); Plaza de Major, Royal Palace, El Escorial, Cordoba, Toledo, El Alcazar, all near Madrid; Granada; Alhambra; and Torremolinas; Costa del Sol; Malaga; Ronda; Flemenco show; Seville, and the Alcazar; horse and bull breeding/training farm; Lisbon; Sintra; and Cascais. On a 1 to10-scale, this trip earned a 9.5 and I'm a tough grader!
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Reason of review:
Good quality
Anonymous

Don't stand behind there trips

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We went on the Canadian trip and all was well except for one motel. What I dislike about GC is they don't even respond to your complaints, they just igore you and keep sending you more litature on future trips. We had used them 3 times before but I will not use them in the future. All they seem to want, is you to tell them everything is wonderful. I for one will look else where when booking future trips. I have mailed them mutiple times and have not gotten any response, what a way to run a company! Thanks you Chuck Tribe
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Loss:
$200
Cons:
  • Customer service
Reason of review:
Poor customer service

Preferred solution: Let the company propose a solution