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. I really did expect there to be more education involved in what we did while on our tour. When will I be issued a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher? Trip Cancellation coverage This plan includes Trip Cancellation coverage. It was absolutely fantastic. The trip isn't until June of 2017. Hence the lawsuit (in CA 2020, look it up). 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. Other than the local tour guides and maybe the tiramisu class, I wouldnt call just visiting these historic places an experiential learning activity.. We got to listen to an orchestra perform in Piazza della Signoria in Florence. To make matters worse, EF Tours often refuses to issue refunds even after customers have submitted evidence of their dissatisfaction. If you have general questions about your enrollment in the travel . We were assured that the stop there would only last 30 minutes, but it ended up taking three times that, leaving us only an hour and a half to visit the Louvre before we had to be back on the bus to catch a flight to Italy. His high school in the Parkway school district decided to book the tour through EF Educational Tours. 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. You may wish to spend time at your destinations before or after the scheduled tour. This isnt to say that we didnt learn anything on our trip. I work for a competitor of EF and have about a million reasons why groups that go with them get ripped off. Get the best deals for oil filter for john deere l110 at eBay. We were late to our tours in London, Florence, and the Vatican. First, was the chance to rebook the tour at no additional cost to any cities offered . This hotel was significantly older than the other three we had stayed at, but it was still clean and comfortable. This person is there to direct the group and handle any problems with logistics you may encounter along the way. My first was as a parent going with my 15-year-old along with a group of about 20 kids (from a . Wife has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and will not be able to make this trip. Between Florence and Rome, we spent the night at the Hotel Villa Ricci (not pictured). We paid an extra $85 USD above and beyond the base tour price to experience it. So, even the itinerary is a lie! But their ads sure reflect diversity! The deduction of $565 includes items such as the non-refundable deposit and other non-refundable fees. On May 1st I lost my job and we immediately contacted Ef Tours to cancel. We were quoted a price and told the insurance was a great thing to have because with it you could cancel up to 24 hrs before the trip for a full refund minus the cost of insurance. If you want a quality tour experience, with a reliable professional tour company, I wholeheartedly recommend that you contact TSA Tours. I got in touch with Expedia, and it finally refunded her $437. Not a sleeper sofa, but just a hard couch. 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. Toll-free 1-877-974-7462 ext. If you change your mind, you have 60 days to receive a refund of all money paid (including your deposit! We were late to our tour of the Colosseum in Rome. websites, advertisements, etc. I went on my trip June 11, 2014-June 25, 2014. Your email address will not be published. According to their website, EF Tours has been in operation since 1965 and offers trips for students and teachers designed to provide immersive, life-changing education., Basically, EF Tours organizes international trips for students to a wide variety of destinations, promising compelling itineraries full of experiential learning.. You can call EF Ultimate Break at 1-800-766-2645. Of course we were served a lot of pasta, but we also had braised beef in tomato sauce, gnocchi, and pizza. Thats why weve enhanced our already top-tier, industry-leading coverage programs to provide even more choices, and to give travelers, families, and school communities the widest range of safe and flexible plans. EF has the group leader/teacher set up deadlines for signing up to go on the trip, sometimes including small discounts to encourage enrollment. If your original tour needed to be postponed but you have not yet been notified of your Group Leader's decision or been issued a voucher, you may request a voucher or choose the available refund option by calling our Traveler Support Team at 800-665-5364. Now I've fought this as much as I could. please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. If you wanted a refund, there was a fee. 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 . I was super excited to go experience 6 countries however from day one everything seemed to go wrong. In addition the insurance company retained by EF initially declined to pay to have my son evacuated from Cost Rica. TSA Tours, of course. This tends to give a false sense of urgency to the sign up process. Students and parents can then sign up directly through the EF Tours website, and submit all payments directly to the company. I asked the front desk to remedy this, but it was never addressed, and we had to repeat the blind search for our rooms every time we went up. A minimum number of 35 or 55 participants (varies by tour) is necessary to qualify for the group rates on which the Discovery Tour is based. This company is a complete scam. 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. At the time of this publication, EF Tours has been notified of this unacceptable hotel and has yet to respond. They even bragged later about being the first one's out on the street), the food SUCKED, and the time spent on the buses was more time spent in the actual locations. The brochure promised that participants would be surrounded by the people, the language, the food, and the way of life of the destinations on our itinerary. Before our trip, our group leader did make sure to advise us about pickpocketing and theft at major tourist sites in Europe, and advised us to be prepared. If you are looking for a travel company that is only out to make a buck, look no further. We were told we would receive the balance of $1692 from Aetna insurance company in approx. EF Tours is definitely a budget tour company, and for the price, you do get a good experience. If you happen to wander around the Charles River, it is worth of walking toward the Zakim Bridge and stopping by North Point Park. 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. Her itinerary, booked through Expedia, included several airlines. It felt like a complete waste of time to travel and waste that many days. EF Tours says the vouchers can be used until Sept. 30, 2022 for any of the company's tours and can be used by students, their immediate family members or other students or faculty members in the . 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. I was told we should have paid extra if we wanted to be IN Sorrento. I will say that the class was a fun experience at a great location, and we all enjoyed the desserts we made together. Our Tour Director said it was because London is a melting pot of cultures, but our group didnt buy that. We learned that this hotel had once housed men studying to join a monastery, which explained the doritory feel of the place. There were a total of 40 people on our tour. Prefieres leer en espaol? IS this the only forum about this place? to a single room. We found that participants can sign up just about any time before the trip departs. The company may refer your case to its legal department, where it could linger for weeks or months. Adults did need to pass a background check in order to participate in the trip, since adult tour participants are traveling with minors. Upon arrival in my room, I found it to be extremely dirty. Anyways, we were told the new trip was "similar/almost identical" to the one we had signed up for, but there would be no extension to Paris and it would be 2 days shorter. They should be ashamed of themselves. Exploring the Pros, Cons, and Benefits of Utilizing Professional Vacation Planning Services. Give the company at least a week to respond to your refund request and two credit card billing cycles to pay you. While this may seem like a school trip, it is not. In most cases, refunds can be issued electronically with the funds being sent directly back to your current account on file. EF Tours is a travel company that specializes in international tours for students. The original discount amount will apply. She lost her engagement ring in a rental car. have zero control or influence on these trips. In Paris, those who went to Versaille told us the experience was underwhelming because of the limited time available inside the palace, and the lack of lunch options available to those who went. While the teacher recruiting students is designated as your group leader, they dont actually lead the tour once you start traveling. On October 22, 2020, Boston-based co-counsel for McGrane PC send a demand letter to the EF Defendants (including EF Explore America Inc., which runs domestic tours) demanding a full refund under Massachusetts consumer protection law which Massachusetts consumer protection law appears to more directly address the requirement that such full . Out of that $550, $95 is the none refundable deposit but come on, the rest if ridiculous, especially when the cancellation request is made OVER A YEAR in advance. The rooms at these Hiltons were very new, immaculately clean and extremely comfortable. My oldest son was scheduled to take a school trip to Peru next year. Here's my EFTours experience: 1.I have been on 3 EFTours and have another planned for next summer. Lunches were not included in the initial price of our trip and were paid out of pocket each day. The deduction of $500 includes items such as the non-refundable deposit and other non-refundable fees. These refund policies cover only a partial amount of the costs EF has already incurred for each . I have traveled extensively with Expedia, always buy travel insurance, and am covered for any thing, from war to terrorism, to a pandemic. Make sure to include all relevant information, such as the date of the transaction, the amount of the refund requested, and any evidence you have of your dissatisfaction with EF Tours. Before we left on our trip, we were told by our group leader that we shouldnt need more that $25 US dollars per person per day for lunches and snacks. For travelers who had booked their program by redeeming a previously issued COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher, the cash refund option available will be based on the originally issued voucher terms (e.g., travelers who received a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher for a tour originally scheduled to depart between March 1, 2020 and May 14, 2020 may exchange their voucher for all monies paid, less $565). EF is keeping $565 dollars needed to cover their overhead and costs to hotels and airlines but students could reschedule. Most of the time we had no idea where we were headed when we were walking to different locations. So they offered vouchers that were only good for up to 18 monthsUP TO 18 MONTHS! Im not opposed to tipping but tips need to be earned and for him to request a set amount doesnt sit well with me. "You can accept a travel voucher with no penalties, or you can accept a refund minus $1,000 per person. All I know to do is make this issue public. Yes, even though quarantine is a covered reason for a full refund, EF Tours CHARGED members $$ a significant amount of money thus negating a full refund. Thats why weve enhanced our already top-tier, industry-leading coverage programs to provide even more choices, and to give travelers, families, and school communities the widest range of safe and flexible plans. I really did expect to spend some quality time at these major historic sites. As a result, the plaintiffs and thousands of others have suffered "direct and consequential financial damage . These tours are usually walking tours, but sometimes are bus tours, depending on the location. Miguel Suro, a Florida attorney who writes a personal finance blog called Rich Miser, says if no is the answer, you need to appeal to someone who can turn it into a yes., For airlines, if you get nowhere with the airline itself and have a valid claim, file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation, he says. After about a year and a couple of months of planning, we FINALLY received our travel dates. 8 weeks.It has been 8 weeks so my son contacted the insurance company and was told the money would be put back into our account between June 20 to 25th. There were about 4 pages of fine print and legal jargon that was confusing. According to the folks on our trip who had special dietary needs, the dinners were pretty good for the most part. Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. Sometimes it seemed inevitable, like when we were stuck in an airport or train station. For example, on our first full day of the trip, we visited the Tower of London. Consumers who booked domestic trips through the EF Explore America tours program should call 888-333-9756 to request a refund. how to get a full refund from ef tours 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 $565. I sent the letter and will contact them again Monday to try and get answers. This hotel was a bit older than the Hiltons wed stayed in, but it was clean, spacious, and comfortable. Briggs & Stratton: 4049, 4049H, 4154, 492056, 492932, 492932B, 492932S, 5049. com: john deere l110 oil filter. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Countless study abroad trips have been canceled due to COVID-19, leaving many families out thousands of dollars. The only options available to us were food trucks along the river right next to the Tower complex. You can also call 800-665-5364 to request a refund on an international tour; for bookings of domestic trips through EF Explore America, call 888-333-9756. then how you pay matters. This may or may not be true or all groups that are traveling with EF. Half staying for exchange program arrived to our destination early. 109 to 45 days prior to departure: Full refund less $95 non-refundable deposit, all Non-Refundable fees, and 50% of program price. Foguth says details matter. If your Group Leader has chosen not to reschedule your original tour/program, you will receive a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher valued at 100% of monies paid toward your original tour/program. The next group dinner was at a Polish restaurant where the group was served a fried chicken patty and french fries. Feel free to ask me in the comments!! But in Paris, a visit to Montmartre was abandoned, even though our dinner restaurant was within a mile of the historic location. I cant guarantee this Ive advocated many cases where a company promised a refund in writing but it can help. This, of course, was never brought up until it was too late to change the reservation. No one wanted to be the person that made us late. Having extra free time to see the sites of your choice seemed to be the best option during our tour. (I publish a full list of customer service executive contacts on my nonprofit consumer advocacy site, elliott.org. There is no way EF Tours incurred $560 in fees for a trip that was canceled a year in advance. When we arrived there, I watched as he was escorted upstairs for a nice steak dinner, while the rest of us went hungry (not enough time to stop elsewhere). When he asked for these items at the front desk, he was told that we should have called earlier to request them since they were all locked up in a cabinet by the time we arrived at the hotel. We were told that other than the deposit and a small admin fee, all the rest of the money was refundable. Can I get a refund for my Marriott Vacation Club Points? Explain the situation and why you are requesting a full refund. All travel needs to be departing prior to the COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher expiration date. Original scheduled departure was on or before May 14, 2020. The cancellation was due to a National Emergency not voluntary of the travelers. A money grab. Usually if you haven't paid in full you could get a cancel for any reason insurance which will give you about 75% back. One student got up in the middle of the night and tripped on the mattress and smashed her head into the wall. Just another site how to get a full refund from ef tours Airlines hate it when you get a third party involved, and may respond favorably. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Proudly powered by WordPress If it concerns you, definitely mention it to the teacher. 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. This was saddening but completely understandable. Did you purchase trip insurance? Transfer to a comparable tour. The purpose of this article is to provide a step-by-step guide on how to get a full refund from EF Tours. They are basically stealing our money and find this to be okay. 2/22/2022. I struggled to pay for this trip and now after paying for travel insurance also they are denying full refund. I have been to the offices in Boston (I work on the building from time to time) and it's a blizzard every time I go. They could fully refund if you find someone to take your spot and let them know, Yeah I'll have to talk to the leader of it and see if she knows anyone, but it isn't likely. Heres how to spot it, Expert advice for booking the best hotel and finding the lowest rate, Here it is: The complete guide to holiday travel, 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. Vouchers are not redeemable for their full cash equivalent. About Ultimate Break tours Meals, transportation, Tour Directors, pace, customization, and who you'll be traveling with. Id say yes. 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. The country is bordered to the north by Myanmar and . On our way to Rome, our guide added a stop in Ovierto, a beautiful small town with picturesque views, wonderful dining and great little shops which we enjoyed immensely. Im thrilled to share all my ideas with you and hope you like what you find here in my little home on the internet. Also, keep every email and receipt. When Will Hawaiis Safe Travels Program End? Be nice! Unfortunately, our family was naive enough to believe that this was supposed to be an educational tour. She had a black eye and blood in her eyeball for the entire trip. But the idiotic folks at EF Tours says since this was "unforeseen", we are not covered. I would just like some advice if there's any way to lessen the blow. For example, you can shoot an email to an executive of a hotel chain when one of the properties refuses to offer a refund you deserve. What EF products can a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher be applied to? These added stops almost always involved additional costs as well, which we were not informed of before leaving for our trip. For cancellations and refunds, call 1-800-USA-RAIL. The Global Travel Protection Plus plan provides a refund of the Program Price (minus the cost of the plan and other non-refundable fees) if your child needs to cancel their tour up to 24 hours prior to departure for any reason. posted by: 23rd July 2021; No Comments . By skipping the London Eye, we were able to have a bit more time to explore and plenty of time to enjoy our pub dinner that we mentioned earlier since the London Eye excursion was timed to happen right before dinner. The Versailles excursion seemed overpriced as well. So talking to the customer service representative, I asked how if we hadn't paid so much into the trip that they would be receiving that much back in fees. 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. I checked our beds for bedbugs and thankfully did not find any. They are so many other excellent companies out there. My son is (or perhaps was) traveling on an EF tour this summer with a very small group from our high school. The information provided typically includes the return deadline, eligible products, and the required documentation such as a proof of purchase. Hi, I'm Happy Sharer and I love sharing interesting and useful knowledge with others. If you think you might want a refund on a travel product at some point and lets face it, who doesnt? Pricing of products and services. That's when we found out it would be around $800 to cancel. to my lawyer for resolution of a full refund. The bus driver was a surly Dutch man, who was gruff and impossible. Vrbo took my $1,270! If you want any other info or even wanted to pass my company on to your leaders shoot me a message! I won't go into detail about our trip except to say our tour guide left half the group on several occasions, got us lost, left us in a hotel that's fire alarm system was going off in (our group leader also left us behind. Also out of all four excursions throughout the trip, THREE OF THEM WERE CANCELLED! In what universe is this considered acceptable?!?!?!? We are currently preparing to issue the refund you recently requested. Kinda defeats the whole concept of insurance. She was more worried about herself and her family I guess. Although student were allowed to go out on their own during our free time, they were asked to go in groups of three or four and were left in pretty safe areas to spend their free time. 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. It was a disaster. Breakfast is provided each day at the hotel, usually continental style, but sometimes with hot offerings just depending on your hotel. General sale starts at 9am . Breakfast and dinner every day were included in what we paid for our tour. The tiramisu cooking class in Rome was not optional for our group for some reason. Finally, make sure youre dealing with the right company. Lunches were always a gamble. If necessary, set a calendar reminder so that you dont forget. While they still stuck with four students to a room, several of the student rooms had enough beds to sleep up to 12 people. Did we mention it's free? Trip management Picking a trip, how . Our dates were finally confirmed about two months before our departure. The biggest problem I saw with safety was when our Tour Guide would take off walking at a breakneck speed, frequently leaving half our group stuck at crosswalks or a few turns behind. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. EF will make accomodations for those with specific dietary needs, such as gluten free or dairy free meals. Hursh can still be heard on the buses as well as the Magical Express. There were no medical facilities available on this resort, and it was necessary to have my son medically evacuated back to the states to receive treatment. For this trip it really came down to adjusting expectations once we were traveling. Lost one full day of 8 day tour. Persistence. EF Tours was contacted today also and there response was they aren't responsible for the insurance company. There were some areas that I would definitely trust EF to arrange again, and other areas where I really think they could do better. It took me to every floor and A) the offices are gorgeous! Our first group dinner in London was at a Korean restaurant where the group was served a hot stone bibimbap with chicken. She usually did a count to make sure everyone was there when we were ready to leave, but she did leave people behind at least twice during our trip and have to go back and get them.