Although it did seem that everywhere we went in Italy, anyone who was gluten free or dairy free was served watermelon for dessert. A COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher can be exchanged at any point prior to its stated expiration date for a cash refund option based on the original scheduled departure date of the tour program. She signed up October 1 and we had to cancel Oct 14 due to conflicts with my work schedule. While the London Eye excursion seemed to go well for those who went on it, it was over priced. Your local principals, school boards, etc. hearts shooters choice; clark county police scanner; elton john albums in order As someone who travels pretty frequently, I usually make most of my own travel arrangements, from flights to hotel reservations to activities. To request a refund, consumers who booked international trips through EF's Educational Tours program should call 800-665-5364 to request a refund. Will this be the busiest spring break ever? Have had 2 separate travel experiences with EF. How do I fix this $499 mistake? As a result, the plaintiffs and thousands of others have suffered "direct and consequential financial damage . how to get a full refund from ef tours; how to get a full refund from ef tours. Well, lucky for you we took a 12 day visit to Europe with EF Tours, and have all the details to decide if taking an international trip with this company is right for you or your teenager. EF Tours is a travel company that specializes in international tours for students. 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. Visite nuestra pgina web de Trminos y Condiciones de los Crditos de Viaje Futuro aqu. It was over $8,300," Hignite said. WBTV contacted EF Tours to find out why, in the middle of a global pandemic, they are refusing to give a full $3,300 refund. Due to traffic and bad timing we traveled. The deduction of $565 includes items such as the non-refundable deposit and other non-refundable fees. They give gifts and perks to the teachers who organize these trips to get them to sign up students then end up stealing a portion of the mine with no trip. . 109 to 45 days prior to departure: Full refund less $95 non-refundable deposit, all Non-Refundable fees, and 50% of program price. Our school will be traveling with three other schools from different parts of the country. Explain the situation and ask them to dispute the charge. I went on my trip June 11, 2014-June 25, 2014. I cant guarantee this Ive advocated many cases where a company promised a refund in writing but it can help. how to get a full refund from ef tours how to get a full refund from ef tours Why is Good UI/UX Design Imperative for Business Success? Here's my EFTours experience: 1.I have been on 3 EFTours and have another planned for next summer. 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. Stories like hers repeat themselves every hour of every day. 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 . If you wanted a refund, there was a fee. My daughter insisted on being signed up for her school trip in 2020. On our way to Southern Italy, we spent the night in Sorrento at Sisters Hostel. It really did take a lot of pressure off to just let someone else do all that work. Image courtesy: EF Go Ahead Tours Benefits of EF Go Ahead Tours. We were never given the names of the restaurants or addresses of where they would be unless we specifically asked for them. Five families who are very angry with EF Educational Tours have. Call 800-665-5364 to enroll, EF Language Schools They want to keep $1000 each child therefore I will loss $2000. 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! In my opinion they are if they hired them to insure these trips they should make good on there promises to get you to buy the insurance. In most cases, refunds can be issued electronically with the funds being sent directly back to your current account on file. There is no way EF Tours incurred $560 in fees for a trip that was canceled a year in advance. There are usually two or three optional excursions that can be added to any tour. The front desk did not seem to care and we were told no one was available to come clean the bathrooms. The deduction of $500 includes items such as the non-refundable deposit and other non-refundable fees. At the time of this publication, EF Tours has been notified of this unacceptable hotel and has yet to respond. The only times it seemed like we werent late was when we had to catch a flight, a train, or a ferry. I think our group leader made that choice when she set up our trip. The tour dates are as follows: Thursday 23 March - Manchester, AO Arena. People are requiredLISTENrequired to purchase the Global Protection Plan. They also charged me $189 for insurance I declined. Im not opposed to tipping but tips need to be earned and for him to request a set amount doesnt sit well with me. 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. I had to also pay $500.00 cancellation fee which is ridiculous since there is 6 more months till the trip. Im Louise. 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. They should be ashamed of themselves. In spite of these two disastrous group travel experiences with EF Tours, I LOVED organizing and leading tours to Europe. While the teacher recruiting students is designated as your group leader, they dont actually lead the tour once you start traveling. EF claims that they are the least expensiveYou get what you pay for. Briggs & Stratton: 4049, 4049H, 4154, 492056, 492932, 492932B, 492932S, 5049. com: john deere l110 oil filter. :? Usually if you haven't paid in full you could get a cancel for any reason insurance which will give you about 75% back. A COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher cannot be divided into multiple accounts, unless the traveler applies the voucher to a future tour and the voucher amount is higher than the price of the new tour. EF provides a Tour Director to accompany your group through the entire trip. In Munich, we were given lodging one block from the red light district, and had three young women awakened during the middle of the night by a drunken man demanding access to their room (their room entrance was directly onto the street). We also didnt have a way to contact our Tour Guide directly. Image courtesy: EF Go Ahead Tours Benefits of EF Go Ahead Tours. There were no linens or towels available to him whatsoever. 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. By using this website you agree to our Cookies Policy. Experts say you can overcome those hurdles by using the right payment method, creating a paper trail, and knowing how to appeal your case. 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.. By and large, our students respected this request and did not take advantage of the lowered drinking age to go and party it up. If you change your mind, you have 60 days to receive a refund of all money paid (including your deposit! EF books all travelers in economy class seats for all transportation methods. Im thrilled to share all my ideas with you and hope you like what you find here in my little home on the internet. Adults did need to pass a background check in order to participate in the trip, since adult tour participants are traveling with minors. how to get a full refund from ef tours How to get tickets. During our entire time in London, we were not once served any traditional English food. My daughters room had the same layer of dirt in the bathroom, plus a shoe print from where someone killed a bug on the wall. Was told that in total I will lose the $749 each person as we also will lose the Global Travel Protection Plan amount as well. They were giving us the runaround, says Jose, a medical technologist from DeLand, Florida. Dinners are are pre-arranged with a preset menu by EF at local restaurants. 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. The Elliott Report is a consumer news site supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. Why is no one investigating them for fraudulent business practices, deceptive practices, false advertisement, etc, etc, etc?? Overall, breakfasts were adequate throughout the trip. Toll-free 1-877-974-7462 ext. Be nice! Check out our directory. Finally, make sure youre dealing with the right company. This isnt to say that we didnt learn anything on our trip. how to get a full refund from ef tours. Your card has consumer protection programs built in so you can challenge a charge if the vendor does not fulfill what was promised. They also promise to have the lowest price on the market for this type of travel. These usually include some special activity or visit to an additional landmark. Why is it taking so long to get a cruise refund? 824. I work for a competitor of EF and have about a million reasons why groups that go with them get ripped off. All travelers must pay the non-refundable, non-transferable $95 Enrollment Fee upon enrollment in order for the enrollment to be complete. We saw the stunningly beautiful sites of Capri from a private boat tour. For the cost, I could organize something less stressful. I called EF and they directed me to the insurance company-which is an absolute rip off. The only options available to us were food trucks along the river right next to the Tower complex. 110 comments. 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. 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. If you want a quality tour experience, with a reliable professional tour company, I wholeheartedly recommend that you contact TSA Tours. "All travelers with trips through April 30 will automatically receive a transferable travel voucher for the full amount paid (including all non-refundable payments) good through September 30,. The fee for this service is $145 if requested upon enrollment. We did not have enough free time (which we were promised). Did we mention it's free? Meals on the tour ran the gamut from weird to stellar, but overall were not to bad. 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. how to get a full refund from ef tours . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Proudly powered by WordPress Per the cancellation policy, there is a $95 non-refundable charge and a $300 cancellation fee. Four girls were placed in a room with one queen sized bed and two twin mattresses on the floor in London. The reviews of the food were always " not enough food and mediocre food". Has anybody been to the office of EF? Saturday 25 March - London, The O2. Traveler's first name: Traveler's last name: Traveler's account number: 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. 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. 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. $900 which we did. Friday 24 March - London, The O2. . In what universe is this considered acceptable?!?!?!? The EF Go Ahead Tours app supports and connects our global community. In Italy, the dinners were quite good. By enrolling on an EF Educational Tour pursuant to a COVID-19 Voucher redemption, the traveler is agreeing to the most current version of the Booking Conditions, which is available at www.eftours.com/bc. 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. They even claim you can earn credit for going on these 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. While the room wasnt much to write home about, some members of our group lucked out and got spectacular balconies. They book all accommodations and attraction admissions for tour participants. Our guide that year was a young US college student who worked at a bookstore in downtown Rome. 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. 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. Youll also connect with other readers who want to make the world a better place. If you want any other info or even wanted to pass my company on to your leaders shoot me a message! Experts advise people to frequently wash their hands in warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds and to avoid touching their face. I have been pretty disappointed with EF when I call for questions. In order for those sheets to be legal I should of initialed those pages or signed 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. Im not sure if the lunch situations were like this because of our tour guide or because of EF itself. Vrbo offered a refund after my husband lost his job. Whatever you need, well handle it. And honestly I'm a little sad about canceling, but even trips on groupon are more affordableand a little less PG haha. Students and parents can then sign up directly through the EF Tours website, and submit all payments directly to the company. 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. The country is bordered to the north by Myanmar and . how to get a full refund from ef tours Day two in London we were trying to go on the bus tour however EF tours gave the bus tour the wrong number of people so because the bus that came to pick us up was too small, we were forced to visit the locations by foot and by train. then how you pay matters. But in the end, Expedia was responsible for her refund; as her travel agent, it needed to work with those airlines to determine the right refund. Other than the local tour guides and maybe the tiramisu class, I wouldnt call just visiting these historic places an experiential learning activity.. Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. 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. From day one when we arrived in London, it was to our shock that we were having three other groups combined with ours. Your password has been sent to the specified email address. 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 purpose of this article is to provide a step-by-step guide on how to get a full refund from EF Tours. So who will I be using to make my tour group arrangements? Electric Bike Thumb Throttle 12-84v LED Display Voltmeter & ON OFF Kil torquetech.co.uk. Other times it seemed like our guide might be creating these situations by not fully informing us what was available near by. We also were traveling to all the countries during the world cup. Has anybody seen anyone of color working in their offices? If I elect to exchange a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher for a refund how long will it take for me to receive my refund? We did have some great cultural experiences while we traveled. The EF in EF Tours stands for Education First. Call 800-665-5364 to enroll, EF Tours for High School Graduates I got in touch with Expedia, and it finally refunded her $437. Curfews and group rules were left up to our group leader, who didnt set many boundaries for our students. The brochure also claimed that students could earn educational credit while on tour, and that all tours feature experiential learning activities.. I am self employed so I had to send a letter stating that my business went under and this had created a hardship. On May 1st I lost my job and we immediately contacted Ef Tours to cancel. Upon arrival in my room, I found it to be extremely dirty. I was so angry but nothing was done about it. This has caused many customers to feel frustrated and helpless when trying to get a full refund from EF Tours. Two meals a day are included in the cost of a trip with EF Tours. However, EF Tours will override the plan and refuse your refund. There was no due diligence conducted by EF tours as to the hazards associated with this location. Some days our tour guide would set up a lunch option for us, having arranged a preset menu and price with a local restaurant. It was a disaster. After travel is completed on the fi rst tour, repeat travelers will receive a $100 Repeat Traveler Discount off future tours. When you travel with EF, you get the benefits of our 55+ years of experience and our unmatched global network. Also out of all four excursions throughout the trip, THREE OF THEM WERE CANCELLED! Local 1-317-582-2658 or Toll-free 1-866-887-7148. Getting a full refund from EF Tours can be a difficult process, but it is possible. Im a wife, a mom, a crafter, a Disney fan, and a french fry connoisseur. The teacher wouldnt return my phone call, or emails. As you can imagine the difference between 0 and 55 is immaculate and only caused problems throughout the entire trip. I sent the letter and will contact them again Monday to try and get answers. Consumers who booked domestic trips through the EF Explore America tours program should call 888-333-9756 to request a refund. I can't believe they can demand reasons for dismissal even with all the Hippa Laws. The next group dinner was at a Polish restaurant where the group was served a fried chicken patty and french fries. We choose not to participate in the excursion in London because Im not the biggest fan of heights, and in Paris because my daughter wanted the opportunity to spend some extra free time in the city. Tuesday 28 March . It took me to every floor and A) the offices are gorgeous! EF Go Ahead Tours also allows you to change the date of tour or destination up until your final payment day. Costs for these trips can range widely, depending on the destinations and length of the trip. For many years I organized and lead group tours to Europe for my college. Read more, Copyright 2023 Chaotically Yours | Birch on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. We had to accept them. Three weeks after enrolling, our circumstances changed so I called to cancel, expecting to pay the $95 cancellation fee x2. Kinda defeats the whole concept of insurance. Empowering Lives with Nutritious and Delicious NDIS Meals! 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. Sometimes it was quite obvious where our group was supposed to go, and sometimes it wasnt. Travelers or their transferees can redeem the voucher for this available refund at any time prior to September 30, 2025. Politeness. Four kids to a room was common on our tour. 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. The menu included a plate with 1 chicken drumstick, a handful of french fries, and a wimpy green salad with one tomato slice. If your original tour needed to be postponed but you have not yet been notified of your Group Leaders 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. "You can accept a travel voucher with no penalties, or you can accept a refund minus $1,000 per person. 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. They are so many other excellent companies out there. They were both located about an hour outside of the city center, but that wasnt too much of a problem. 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. Required fields are marked *. When Chicago Public Schools canceled all district-sponsored international travel for the upcoming spring break because of the threat of coronavirus, Derek Dattner assumed he would be refunded the. The company may refer your case to its legal department, where it could linger for weeks or months. EF Go Ahead Tours also allows you to change the date of tour or destination up until your final payment day. This Tour Director is supposed to handle just about everything on your tour, including all your pre-booked accommodations, meals, excursions, tickets, and transfers. Where is it? That is INSANE. Call 800-992-1892 to enroll. 44 days or less prior to departure: No refund will be issued. how to get a full refund from ef tours. If you think you might want a refund on a travel product at some point and lets face it, who doesnt? If requested after enrollment and up to 130 days before departure, the fee is $195. EF seems to take the money and doesn't provide much other info. 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. Recently I was notified by EF Tours that my child was cancelled from the tour after paying off almost whole trip price. 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. She did make sure we were always wary of our passports and where we were keeping them during our travels. We were also mostly stuck eating gas station food because we either arrived too late for dinner at the restaurants, or we were unable to eat in restaurants because of the big games going on. But in Paris, a visit to Montmartre was abandoned, even though our dinner restaurant was within a mile of the historic location. I always like to start my reviews by reminding you that I was not compensated in any way to write this post. 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 information provided typically includes the return deadline, eligible products, and the required documentation such as a proof of purchase. That seems to be the question at hand here. So, Hignite and other parents contacted EF Tours to learn they could get only vouchers, or pay the penalty to cancel. Lunches were always a gamble. 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. The company is known for its strict refund policies and lack of customer service. He ended up sleeping on a towel laid out on the sofa with a travel neck pillow, that had been provided to him by his daughter from her room. Usually if you haven't paid in full you could get a cancel for any reason insurance which will give you about 75% back. Whatever you need, we'll handle it. She lost her engagement ring in a rental car. 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. Had it been a different group of personalities, Im not sure how it would have gone. We also had the unfortunate luck of awful traffic. While this may seem like a school trip, it is not. Yet I received a check in the mail for $300 before I could talk to someone. Welcome to Chaotically Yours. Airlines and other travel companies make it so easy for money to flow their way. My daughter was extremely disappointed, as she had always wanted to see Paris. Wife has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and will not be able to make this trip. 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. With patience and persistence, you should eventually be able to get a full refund from EF Tours. 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. My oldest son was scheduled to take a school trip to Peru next year. In Paris our group had to travel by Metro clear across town for our dinner. With the backing of a major credit card you can even dispute part or a percentage of the services provided.. 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. Also told cancellation fee is now $400 not the $300 listed. I am now leaning towards not going with this tour and planning our own itinerary and trip. There were some areas that I would definitely trust EF to arrange again, and other areas where I really think they could do better. I just put a downpayment for our trip to Europe next summer. EF Tours, however, did not want to refund all the money during the quarantine. I think our experience would have been better with a more seasoned Tour Guide. 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 tiramisu cooking class in Rome was not optional for our group for some reason. You may wish to spend time at your destinations before or after the scheduled tour. Just keep your expectations realistic. A most unsatisfactory and life changing (m for the worse) experience. 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. The tour guide was a London college student who had traveled little, not having been to many of our tour destinations. 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 barely had enough time to shop and when we did have the time they were always closed. Trips like this EF Tour require students to be pretty mature when it comes to safety. 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. This is the biggest scam ever. The rooms at these Hiltons were very new, immaculately clean and extremely comfortable. All opinions are my own, and all costs were paid out of our pocket for this experience. Call 888-333-9756 to enroll, EF College Study But the worst experience in this hotel went to a dad on our trip, whos single room contained only a sofa. EF Tours makes a big deal out of their tours being focused on education. Cancellation Terms when Rebooking with a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher. Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. Our first group dinner in London was at a Korean restaurant where the group was served a hot stone bibimbap with chicken. 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. Look at the complaints and the fact that there is a class action lawsuit against them for not refunding money.