Whatever you need, well handle it. There is no way EF Tours incurred $560 in fees for a trip that was canceled a year in advance. Which btw the ticket was $100!!! If you pay by credit card, you should receive a refund to that credit card. I really did expect there to be more education involved in what we did while on our tour. We saw the stunningly beautiful sites of Capri from a private boat tour. These Whispers often had glitches or were garbled, making it very hard to understand our guides. In Italy, the dinners were quite good. How to get tickets. There are mice in my vacation rental! You can definitely have a positive experience on the trip. Transfer of COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher. They can advise you on the best course of action and represent you in court if necessary. When will I be issued a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher? Our Tour Director said it was because London is a melting pot of cultures, but our group didnt buy that. Meals on the tour ran the gamut from weird to stellar, but overall were not to bad. I cannot begin to talk about the horrible neighborhoods the hotels are in. Local 1-317-582-2658 or Toll-free 1-866-887-7148. 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. Sometimes this was a good thing, but sometimes it was incredibly frustrating. The COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher cannot be used for: When I redeem a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher, can I split the value across multiple accounts? I really did expect to spend some quality time at these major historic sites. I think our group leader made that choice when she set up our trip. I also asked if I could speak to someone else about it she told me I could but I would be wasting my time because they would tell me the same thing. 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. But whats this $452 bill? Evidently, just before the drop deadline, the other boys in our group dropped out because of cost, and he's the lone boy traveling from our school with a group of girls. used speakers for sale craigslist; pioneer woman carne guisada; how to get a full refund from ef tours; By . For the most part, I felt quite safe during our trip. (Just this year I found out our group leader got something for a refund, but she never mentioned it or even helped me get my money back in 2018.thanks for that.) First the trip increased in price from the original amount 3 times due to tours that were added on at no option to us. Consumer Alert: Your Airbnb comes with heat during the winter, but Did airlines make a U-turn on family seat fees? Whatever happens, weve seen it. 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. It sounds great, but as a responsible parent, you want to know exactly what youd be sending your child off to do, and how things would actually work on this trip. This significantly hindered what we were able to see at our destinations, and made the whole tour seemed very rushed every day. So, no refund. Dinners are are pre-arranged with a preset menu by EF at local restaurants. All total they are withholding $760. Other than the local tour guides and maybe the tiramisu class, I wouldnt call just visiting these historic places an experiential learning activity.. All opinions are my own, and all costs were paid out of our pocket for this experience. For the cost, I could organize something less stressful. So, even the itinerary is a lie! Get Involved; Contact; Donate! For example, on our first full day of the trip, we visited the Tower of London. It really did take a lot of pressure off to just let someone else do all that work. It has been no surprise that management NEVER called. 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. I went on my trip June 11, 2014-June 25, 2014. We also found that we frequently needed to buy water to stay hydrated in the high temperatures of Italy during the summer, and at most of the locations we visited, water was marked up quite a bit. This has caused many customers to feel frustrated and helpless when trying to get a full refund from EF Tours. Usually if you haven't paid in full you could get a cancel for any reason insurance which will give you about 75% back. COVID-19 Future Travel Vouchers that were issued to travelers whose original tour was scheduled to depart on or after February 24, 2020 may be redeemed for travel departing on or before September 30, 2025. EF Go Ahead Tours also allows you to change the date of tour or destination up until your final payment day. 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. In London, a walking tour of Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and Leicester Square was replaced with free time at the British Museum, which we really didnt mind. During the tour, your group will meet up with various local guides who will give you some sort of tour of the city or historic site that youre visiting. Enroll online or call 800-766-2645, EF Explore America 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. On May 1st I lost my job and we immediately contacted Ef Tours to cancel. Experts advise people to frequently wash their hands in warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds and to avoid touching their face. . Experts say the paper trail will get you a refund faster. Following these steps should give customers the best chance of getting a full refund from EF Tours. By the first week I was already begging to go home and I kept hoping, thinking and praying that things would get better however they never did. we signed my son up for a trip to England , Paris, and Rome. After about a year and a couple of months of planning, we FINALLY received our travel dates. It will cover topics such as contacting EF Tours directly, filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), disputing the charge with your credit card company, and seeking legal advice. It is a trip run by a business who just happens to recruit participants through the school system. The key is to take the right steps and document all communication. Wife and daughter were planning to go on a trip to Italy in over a year. Sometimes they were just continental breakfasts with cold offerings, and sometimes we were given hot breakfasts with eggs, bacon, and such. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way. We would be spending time in three different countries, seeing some of the most beautiful and historic cities in Europe. Attention to what, though? Politeness. We simply got information from our Tour Guide when and where to meet up with the group after dinner and selected a nearby local pub so we could have a traditional English dining experience. Hi, I recently made a deposit to my bank of 12,400. If you need help with any problem,please contact us through this form. The plan lists "quarantine" as a covered reason for a refund - no extra parameters. 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. What options or Cancellation Terms apply to a traveler who has rebooked their tour with a rescheduled departure date between October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022 using a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher? I could honestly go on for 10 pages about the terrible food and the fact that you will only be given warm milk, cereal, coffee and last night's rolls for breakfast every day! Will this be the busiest spring break ever? Overall, Id say that the hotels provided were quite good, with the exception of Hotel La Pergola. Exploring the World of Knowledge and Understanding. I have been pretty disappointed with EF when I call for questions. 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. I will never, ever even consider sending any of my other kids on one of these trips. Exploring the Basics, Benefits, and Policies, How to Contact Tesla: Customer Service Phone Number, Website, Social Media, Email & Live Chat, Bruce Willis Health Condition: Understanding the Actors Diet and Exercise Regimen, Exploring the Impact of Greg Gutfelds Vacation from Fox News. how to get a full refund from ef tours how to get a full refund from ef tours Things started off badly when we discovered that the lights in all the hallways were not on, and that we had to hunt around with our cell phone flashlights to find our way to our rooms. If you have general questions about your enrollment in the travel . - Keep a travel log of your adventures. Accommodations and rooming Hotels and hostels, rooms and roommates, amenities, and upgrades. I think our experience would have been better with a more seasoned Tour Guide. labelled. And the airlines deferred to Expedia. They were giving us the runaround, says Jose, a medical technologist from DeLand, Florida. 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. He or she is super excited about all the cool things they get to do and is just begging you to let them go. 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. please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. #2. If you think you might want a refund on a travel product at some point and lets face it, who doesnt? Just keep your expectations realistic. My son had a very poor experience with the Grecian Odyssey EF tours. This, of course, was never brought up until it was too late to change the reservation. It took me to every floor and A) the offices are gorgeous! We were late to our tour of the Colosseum in Rome. 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. Often, a brief, polite written appeal to someone higher up can do wonders. Explain the situation and why you are requesting a full refund. Our group had a few in person meetings at a local restaurant prior to our trip where we discussed issues ranging from passports to packing for our trip to Europe, and got a chance to meet our fellow travelers. Be sure to document all communication with EF Tours so that you can refer back to it if necessary. 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. Thailand (/ t a l n d,-l n d / TY-land, -lnd), historically known as Siam (/ s a m, s a m /) and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning 513,120 square kilometres (198,120 sq mi), with a population of almost 70 million. EF Tours charged $114 USD to each participant. But the idiotic folks at EF Tours says since this was "unforeseen", we are not covered. Our dates were finally confirmed about two months before our departure. 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. It was necessary for a family member to go to Costa Rica. Our help is free. May 9, 2 I loved knowing that I could write my own tour, knowing that every detail would be done right. We were promised experiential learning activities during the trip. Toll-free 1-877-974-7462 ext. If it concerns you, definitely mention it to the teacher. What we didnt expect was the significant amount of wasted time and changes to our itinerary that happened on our tour. General sale starts at 9am . Tour participants are also given access to an EF Tours App, that just lists your daily itinerary for your trip. I had to also pay $500.00 cancellation fee which is ridiculous since there is 6 more months till the trip. Thus far I've paid off $1,500. 321. According to the folks on our trip who had special dietary needs, the dinners were pretty good for the most part. I am a retired college Professor of Art. The school is only involved in the process as far as whether they allow teachers to hand out information in schools or not. All travel needs to be departing prior to the COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher expiration date. If you dont believe me, ask Melina Jose, who was supposed to fly from Paris to Orlando, Florida, recently. We also didnt have a way to contact our Tour Guide directly. have zero control or influence on these trips. To date I paid $1063 on this trip to Peru and canceling it over 1 year in advance due to unforeseen circumstances has cost me $560. Experts say you shouldnt use a credit card dispute unless you have no other choice, which is to say the travel company wont refund your purchase even though its agreed to do so. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. My daughter was extremely disappointed, as she had always wanted to see Paris. They also promise to have the lowest price on the market for this type of travel. They should be ashamed of themselves. EF Tours is a travel company that specializes in international tours for students. then how you pay matters. Prefieres leer en espaol? But some days lunch was great. EF tours looks like another fish altogether.a money-making venture of little value for the parents. For detailed information about the safety and coverage programs that apply to your tour, please choose your departure date below. EF, as a company, offers may types of tours ranging from group trips for adults to organized gap years for high school graduates. EF will make accomodations for those with specific dietary needs, such as gluten free or dairy free meals. Trip management Picking a trip, how . About 3-4 months before our trip, and after we had already paid IN FULL, we were notified that because of our small group, our group leader had only signed 5 people up..hindsight tells me people saw what a rip off it was and didn't sign up to take it in the rear from EF. 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. While on tour, there was only one time that I felt like our group was taken to an unsafe area. These Britrail England Flexi Passes are taking forever to refund. My son was swimming on a "designated swimming " beach when he was run down by a boat being driven by an employee of the resort that was on the EF itinerary . 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. Full list of UK dates. We are currently preparing to issue the refund you recently requested. They canceled my flight. What kind of money the travel company wants to send you, for starters. My kids are going on an EF tour in March. One of the techniques Ive developed as a consumer advocate is called the three Ps. It works great on refunds. 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. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to get a full refund from EF Tours. The Education First class action seeks at least $5 million in restitution damages and injunctive relief preventing the company from refusing full cash refunds. websites, advertisements, etc. . They are also putting about 4 kids in a room! We had a wonderful group of kids who took their personal safety pretty seriously, and didnt take unnecessary risks that would put them in jeopardy. And honestly I'm a little sad about canceling, but even trips on groupon are more affordableand a little less PG haha. - Make a personalized map of where you've been and where you want to go. 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. And pay attention.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Proudly powered by WordPress $900 which we did. Read more, Copyright 2023 Chaotically Yours | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. EF Tours inflexible, would not accommodate my request. Did they create a good experience for students who havent done a lot of international traveling? 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. EF Go Ahead Tours also allows you to change the date of tour or destination up until your final payment day. Per the cancellation policy, there is a $95 non-refundable charge and a $300 cancellation fee. 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. as the premier companies. Four kids to a room was common on our tour. Its been eight months. While the London Eye excursion seemed to go well for those who went on it, it was over priced. hodgetwins tour Adjustment to EF Atm Deposit. I just hope the tour goes well. I'll look into that. The brochure also claimed that students could earn educational credit while on tour, and that all tours feature experiential learning activities.. posted by: 23rd July 2021; No Comments . Upon arrival in my room, I found it to be extremely dirty. The menu included a plate with 1 chicken drumstick, a handful of french fries, and a wimpy green salad with one tomato slice. Two meals a day are included in the cost of a trip with EF Tours.