We need to cancel due to medical and we were told we loose close to $800. We were able to marvel at the unparalleled artwork inside St. Peters Basilica in the Vatican. 321. - Get inspired with the latest travel guides, tips, and stories from our team. EF Tours are set up to be hosted by a local teacher who is then designated as the group leader. Teachers are incentivized with free and reduced price travel to recruit students to join their tours. how to get a full refund from ef tours. This significantly hindered what we were able to see at our destinations, and made the whole tour seemed very rushed every day. It is a total scam! 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. EF has the group leader/teacher set up deadlines for signing up to go on the trip, sometimes including small discounts to encourage enrollment. These refund policies cover only a partial amount of the costs EF has already incurred for each . 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). We were told we would receive a check from Ef Tours in 2 to 4 weeks for approx. You can call EF Ultimate Break at 1-800-766-2645. Image courtesy: EF Go Ahead Tours Benefits of EF Go Ahead Tours. Airlines hate it when you get a third party involved, and may respond favorably. 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. . 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. 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. During our trip there were extra excursions offered in any city we stayed in more than one night. 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. In what universe is this considered acceptable?!?!?!? Seriously, that was suppose to be the best part?!?!?! We also had the unfortunate luck of awful traffic. This was the only true hostel on our trip. General sale starts at 9am . Thanks :). You may wish to spend time at your destinations before or after the scheduled tour. But use a credit card, and you have the full force of federal law ( the Fair Credit Billing Act) and your credit card's resolution department in your corner. Breakfast and dinner every day were included in what we paid for our tour. Tickets can be purchased individually at the ticket booth for just $42 USD or for groups ahead of time for just $24 USD. EF Tours was contacted today also and there response was they aren't responsible for the insurance company. Give the system a chance to work before filing a chargeback. About Ultimate Break tours Meals, transportation, Tour Directors, pace, customization, and who you'll be traveling with. 824. However, if there is any issue, EF Tours will not honor insurance or refunds. Visite nuestra pgina web de Trminos y Condiciones de los Crditos de Viaje Futuro aqu. (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.) Usually if you haven't paid in full you could get a cancel for any reason insurance which will give you about 75% back. I just felt like it should have been planned better. Airlines and other travel companies make it so easy for money to flow their way. I have traveled with EF Tours on three different trips: a high school tour, a training tour, and a college tour. If you wanted a refund, there was a fee. how to get a full refund from ef tours. They are also putting about 4 kids in a room! how to get a full refund from ef tours. 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. Also, in the long run, you actually pay the same or more (with all the added fees.) So..after extensive research, I found a custom tour company who could arrange my own tours, with my itinerary, with my hotels, and with my schedule. Now I've fought this as much as I could. 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. 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. I sent the letter and will contact them again Monday to try and get answers. All breakfasts were served at our hotels. Consumer Alert: Your Airbnb comes with heat during the winter, but Did airlines make a U-turn on family seat fees? Was informed of the price to cancel was $199 not the $95 listed. Between Florence and Rome, we spent the night at the Hotel Villa Ricci (not pictured). 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. Experts say the paper trail will get you a refund faster. 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. Outside of Heidelberg we stayed in a gymnasium dormitory (German high school) that was out for the summer. (Note: Is this article not meeting your expectations? Ours just didnt seem quite ready to handle all the pressures and logistics that are required for managing a group of 40 people for 12 days. Anyone was allowed to sign up for the trip. A freaky feel to it. While we were aware of this upfront before the tour, it really did feel like they didnt allow enough time in any location to really see the cities we were in. 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. We've got you covered. Unfortunately, our family was naive enough to believe that this was supposed to be an educational tour. 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. The tiramisu cooking class in Rome was not optional for our group for some reason. The EF in EF Tours stands for Education First. Menu. crank up antenna tower for sale. Before or at 110 days prior to the departure of the rescheduled tour: Travelers may cancel and elect to have their COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher reissued in the same amount of money that was applied to their rescheduled tour. For the cost, I could organize something less stressful. My son is (or perhaps was) traveling on an EF tour this summer with a very small group from our high school. Their initial flight was cancelled at 645pm and no one from ef tours was available to book overnight rooms so they could make their 6 am flight. Pricing of products and services. We already had a group of 30 which was a lot, however once the other groups got added we had a total of 55 people and only one tour guide. But why cant I get a refund? Persistence. In the meantime, I received notice that I would be required to attend a mandatory training evolution with the military and learned that the dates overlapped. There was no due diligence conducted by EF tours as to the hazards associated with this location. Two years later they called and talked me into a 9-Day tour to Rome. Settling with a debit card, a check or even a wire transfer means the money is gone. EF Tours is definitely a budget tour company, and for the price, you do get a good experience. Has anybody been to the office of EF? Her itinerary, booked through Expedia, included several airlines. 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. This all changed, as soon as I offered to pay him extra, per person, for his help. During our entire time in London, we were not once served any traditional English food. They informed me that my type of service is not recognized and I would not be covered. Spring break trip with the school for my two boys to go to Greece and Italy this year. 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. 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. 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. We were told that other than the deposit and a small admin fee, all the rest of the money was refundable. What EF products can a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher be applied to? This hotel was significantly older than the other three we had stayed at, but it was still clean and comfortable. I have been a group leader with EF for 10 years and they have been getting so bad that I will no longer travel with them. Once I realized that time would be much more limited at every destination than I expected it to be, the trip went much more smoothly. Curfews and group rules were left up to our group leader, who didnt set many boundaries for our students. When you travel with EF, you get the benefits of our 55+ years of experience and our unmatched global network. Whatever you need, well handle it. It was a disaster. While this may seem like a school trip, it is not. The menu included a plate with 1 chicken drumstick, a handful of french fries, and a wimpy green salad with one tomato slice. Ms. Alaina Kommer from Grant High School does only think about herself and her travelling experience. But some days lunch was great. It was over $8,300," Hignite said. Getting a full refund from EF Tours can be a difficult process. All opinions are my own, and all costs were paid out of our pocket for this experience. That's the advice of Laurie Guest, an author who specializes in travel and customer service. It's just too many in my opinion. why is there a plague in thebes oedipus. 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. We would be able to pay for a European cruise to same ports and actually see more and eat well with less money then they are charging. Were always here to help. I am not canceling the trip, but yet I am the one. Did EF Tours create the trip of my dreams? how to get a full refund from ef tours . When it became apparent on the second night that we werent going to be getting any traditional English food, my daughter and I made arrangements to go get dinner on our own, and pay for it out of pocket. Be aware of high-touch surfaces, such as handrails, arm rests, and security bins at the airport, and be sure to wash hands thoroughly after coming in contact with such surfaces, or before any meal. Have had 2 separate travel experiences with EF. Our dates were finally confirmed about two months before our departure. Im extremely glad we made those decisions. Parents have paid thousands of dollars for student tours abroad -- and those refunds aren't coming. We got to listen to an orchestra perform in Piazza della Signoria in Florence. Can a vacation rental host cancel my stay and keep my money? how to get a full refund from ef tours. For the first four nights during our stays in London and Paris, we were sent to Hilton Hotels. Four students are continuously placed in rooms meant for two people. Im not sure what EF added to the experience to warrant that upcharge. We waited for an hour-and-a half for him to return to the motor coach. Our "hotels" were in suburbs, a great distance outside of the beautiful towns we were to visit. It includes time, money, convenience, and many other factors. Why am I being charged a total of $550 in cancellation fees? My moms stairlift has a big problem it does not work outside! please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. Fully Refundable Booking Period Feel good about your decision by enrolling in AutoPay or paying in full when you book your tour. 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? The vast majority of the other students spent most of their time getting drunk and vaping. We toured Europe for 12 days, visiting sites in London, Paris, Florence, Rome, Pompeii and Capri, with no more than two nights in any destination. That invoice for antivirus protection is a scam, How a company could easily get a false F rating from the BBB. They are all F-ing scum I hope all involved lose every penny they ever made and become homeless. 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. Four boys were also booked in a room in London with only a king sized bed! In Paris, it was a trip to Versaille to tour the palace and the gardens. 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. Be informed, says Michael Foguth, founder of Foguth Financial Group in Brighton, Michigan. Your email address will not be published. The school is only involved in the process as far as whether they allow teachers to hand out information in schools or not. This tends to give a false sense of urgency to the sign up process. Politeness. We were assured that our tour director would be with us around the clock, handling local transportation, hotels, and meals while also providing their own insight into the local history and culture.. 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. She was frequently the last person downstairs at our hotels to meet our bus 15 to 20 minutes after the time she told us to meet her, and did not budget in adequate travel time to most of our destinations. Feel free to ask me in the comments!! In most cases, refunds can be issued electronically with the funds being sent directly back to your current account on file. There were a total of 40 people on our tour. 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. We did not have enough free time (which we were promised). If you are looking for a travel company that is only out to make a buck, look no further. The cancellation was due to a National Emergency not voluntary of the travelers. EF is keeping $565 dollars needed to cover their overhead and costs to hotels and airlines but students could reschedule. 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. However, EF Tours will override the plan and refuse your refund. 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. The original discount amount will apply. The company may refer your case to its legal department, where it could linger for weeks or months. She collected it before we left. For example, while we were driving across Italy, she had our driver stop at a large gas station for a bathroom stop. Friday 24 March - London, The O2. She told us we only had five minutes to use the restroom and get back on the bus. But in Florence, visits to San Miniato al Monte and Piazzale Michelangelo were dropped off the itinerary with no explanation. Email insurance@riskstrategiestravel.com. Some of it was just bad luck however I feel like most of it was EF tours being lazy and not trying to help make the experience the best that it could have been. Give the company at least a week to respond to your refund request and two credit card billing cycles to pay you. To request a refund, consumers who booked international trips through EF's Educational Tours program should call 800-665-5364 to request a refund. Students and parents can then sign up directly through the EF Tours website, and submit all payments directly to the company. We would be spending time in three different countries, seeing some of the most beautiful and historic cities in Europe. That EF 12-Day tour was called "Europe with an Alpine Flavor." We found that that number was not quite accurate for us, especially if we ever wanted to stray from the planned meals that EF Tours had set up for us. 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. My daughter insisted on being signed up for her school trip in 2020. Lodging: Some hotel chains may be loosening their cancellation policies, waiving change and cancellation fees that would normally apply to non-refundable rates. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way. Tour participants are also given access to an EF Tours App, that just lists your daily itinerary for your trip. Lost one full day of 8 day tour. My oldest son was scheduled to take a school trip to Peru next year. Did they create a good experience for students who havent done a lot of international traveling? The first was in 2018. We stayed 20 miles outside of Salzburg at a ski resort youth hostel. Vol 1, #2. You're in!) They also provide a fundraising page, where friends and family can pay EF directly to offset the cost of your trip. 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. I really did expect there to be more education involved in what we did while on our tour. The school uses them for all there spring break trips and this is very disappointing that they are doing this to us. Parents understand why CPS canceled the trips. 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. And pay attention.. Dinners seemed to improve when we got to France. throttle thumb display electric . corvette parts california. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Your password has been sent to the specified email address. They need to be outted with their unfair business practices. My mom is part of a tour departing for a 10 day trip to Europe. If you wanted a refund, there was a fee. For a quick overnight in Milan on our way to Florence, we stayed at and AS Hotel in Limbiate. This Arizona based company has been organizing dozens of tours for teachers and college professors all across the country for 30 years. Per the website, tour participants are assured that travelers can count on safe, clean and comfortable hotels with private bathrooms but much beyond that the info is sparse. My kids are going on an EF tour in March. oil filter john deere l110. This company is a fraud and steals money from families. 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.. Authors Channel Summit. Lunches were always a gamble. Enroll online or call 800-766-2645, EF Go Ahead Tours She had us walking everywhere (1 1/2 mile from our hotel to the bus stop each day. Call 877-485-4184 to enroll, EF Ultimate Break Read more, Copyright 2023 Chaotically Yours | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. People are requiredLISTENrequired to purchase the Global Protection Plan. During our time in Rome, lunch came with some free time to wander, so we were able to go out and select the restaurant of our choice. 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. Not only did I make a complaint to the Better Business Bureau but I also requested that a manager call me and I have yet to hear from anyone. When Will Hawaiis Safe Travels Program End? I think it's just something they do to alleviate kids carrying too much cash with them. Flights Cost, airlines we use, booking flights, baggage, requests, and managing your flights. However, I was never allowed to speak with management. So they offered vouchers that were only good for up to 18 monthsUP TO 18 MONTHS! When you travel with EF, you get the benefits of our 55+ years of experience and our unmatched global network. I was told that they only charge whats been deposited. EF is withholding $500 in administration fees, plus the $95 deposit, plus some other fee. Original scheduled departure was on or before May 14, 2020. 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.

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