Why am I being charged a total of $550 in cancellation fees? Travelers or their transferees can redeem the voucher for this available refund at any time prior to September 30, 2025. 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. 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? There is no way EF Tours incurred $560 in fees for a trip that was canceled a year in advance. 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. Vouchers issued and redeemed by the original traveler may not be combined with future discounts, scholarships, or other special incentives if the same discounts, scholarships, or other special incentives existed on the original tour. My mom had to put hotel rooms for 30 students in her credit card. We were never given the names of the restaurants or addresses of where they would be unless we specifically asked for them. 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. This resulted in our group being habitually late to most of the tours we went on, and significantly cut into our time at some really important places. We saw the stunningly beautiful sites of Capri from a private boat tour. Curfews and group rules were left up to our group leader, who didnt set many boundaries for our students. He paid Vantage $18,536. My son is going on an EF tour this Spring and the teacher has suggested that each student pay a certain amount for tips. I got in touch with Expedia, and it finally refunded her $437. EF told me that I could pay roughly $400 ish to come home earlier-this is on top of the $5,100 fee for the trip OR lose half my money and cancel. However, I was never allowed to speak with management. I was told that they only charge whats been deposited. If it concerns you, definitely mention it to the teacher. She had been paying for the trip in installments since 2018. Cancellation Terms when Rebooking with a COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher. 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.. From that time forward I lead 20 overseas tours to Europe for my college. Whatever happens, we've seen it. The menu included a plate with 1 chicken drumstick, a handful of french fries, and a wimpy green salad with one tomato slice. 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. But their ads sure reflect diversity! * (Smithsonian Student Travel repeat travelers will receive a EF Educational Tours 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. They promised the moon, but did not deliver. While they still stuck with four students to a room, several of the student rooms had enough beds to sleep up to 12 people. Angry demands for a refund and threats to take a company to court almost always backfire. If not used for travel, a COVID-19 Voucher can be exchanged for a refund of all money paid into a travelers account less $565. The brochure also claimed that students could earn educational credit while on tour, and that all tours feature experiential learning activities.. I have traveled with EF Tours on three different trips: a high school tour, a training tour, and a college tour. Unlock new opportunities and expand your reach by joining our authors team. We were late to our tours in London, Florence, and the Vatican. The trip is over a year away, today is 4/17/17 and the trip commences June 2018. Did we mention it's free? 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! It was quite nice not to have to worry about any of that. Some days our tour guide would set up a lunch option for us, having arranged a preset menu and price with a local restaurant. We were told we would receive a check from Ef Tours in 2 to 4 weeks for approx. She collected it before we left. You might not know all the answers, but you've got a friend in us! Read 131 . At the time of this publication, EF Tours has been notified of this unacceptable hotel and has yet to respond. 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. EF, as a company, offers may types of tours ranging from group trips for adults to organized gap years for high school graduates. Lost one full day of 8 day tour. While this may seem like a school trip, it is not. What can we do with this company? It was the worst during our travel days. She and her husband, Jerard, had to pay $437 for new tickets. The first step to getting a full refund from EF Tours is to contact the company directly. Foguth says details matter. We were so late to our tour of Pompeii. Sears couldnt deliver my appliances. 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. I was told we should have paid extra if we wanted to be IN Sorrento. 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. Be sure to document all communication with your credit card company so that you can refer back to it if necessary. Original scheduled departure was on or before May 14, 2020. Politeness. 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. EF books all travelers in economy class seats for all transportation methods. I was told to call EF to see what my options are. For the cost, I could organize something less stressful. EF is withholding $500 in administration fees, plus the $95 deposit, plus some other fee. Overall, unless an excursion is of special interest to you, I wouldnt recommend participating in them, simply because they seem overpriced. 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. Toll-free 1-877-974-7462 ext. 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. By using this website you agree to our Cookies Policy. Exploring the Pros, Cons, and Benefits of Utilizing Professional Vacation Planning Services. Vrbo offered a refund after my husband lost his job. My daughter wanted to go with members of her class on this great trip with EF tours. Per the cancellation policy, there is a $95 non-refundable charge and a $300 cancellation fee. 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. Click Registration to join us and share your expertise with our readers.). "You can accept a travel voucher with no penalties, or you can accept a. The only times it seemed like we werent late was when we had to catch a flight, a train, or a ferry. 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). Patience. Sometimes it seemed inevitable, like when we were stuck in an airport or train station. Plus, we have insightful letters, insider tips, and more. EF Explore America said in light of the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, it offered the school three options. 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. She had a black eye and blood in her eyeball for the entire trip. For example, airlines love to send you vouchers, but that funny money expires after a year. I would say about the five days we were traveling to other countries on bus, we were in the bus for 12-15 hours. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. My daughter and I have a lot of great memories from our trip, despite the difficulties. 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. We were also promised to be able to be in walking distance from our hotels to the big cities in the countries we were staying in however in each country we were at minimum one hour away from the cities. (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.) For this trip it really came down to adjusting expectations once we were traveling. All total they are withholding $760. 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. All breakfasts were served at our hotels. What a waste of time and money. "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,. Absolutely not. 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. ?we were then offered a tour of a castle which was supposedly a make up gift from ef tours for the bus situation however, once we got there we only had about 45 mins- an hour to tour the entire castle. Your email address will not be published. The North American headquarter of Education First (EF) locates in Cambridge Massachusetts US. Visit the BBB website to find out how to submit a complaint. We were combined with a group from upstate New York consisting of 14 travelers: one teacher, one adult, one child and 11 students. My first was as a parent going with my 15-year-old along with a group of about 20 kids (from a . In Italy, the dinners were quite good. 824. Cancel your tour and all travelers will receive a transferable Future Travel Voucher in the amount of all monies paid for the original tour, less the cost . Check with the hotel for your options. 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. The best unexpected addition to our trip in my opinion was the opportunity to see a musical in the West End of London. 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. Unfortunately, I had to cancel his trip because my son switched schools and his old school district could not take a non student out of the country. Each meal came with water, but we were allowed to order additional drinks at our own expense if we choose to do so. While our tour guide was a very sweet, personable woman, she didnt seem to understand how to manage the timing logistics for a group of 40 travelers. Full list of UK dates. Tour participants are also given access to an EF Tours App, that just lists your daily itinerary for your trip. Wife and daughter were planning to go on a trip to Italy in over a year. Whatever you need, we'll handle it. Do I regret going on an EF Tour? COVID-19 required everybody to be quarantined. Jose waited three months before contacting me. Whatever you need, well handle it. EF Tours have a pretty straightforward process during the sign up period, prior to departure and during your trip. 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. Getting a full refund from EF Tours can be a difficult process, but it is possible. Adults did need to pass a background check in order to participate in the trip, since adult tour participants are traveling with minors. During our trip there were extra excursions offered in any city we stayed in more than one night. 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. 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. They have tarnished their reputation and people are not as comfortable traveling with them anymore. 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 . They can advise you on the best course of action and represent you in court if necessary. Four boys were also booked in a room in London with only a king sized bed! Have had 2 separate travel experiences with EF. The Elliott Report is supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. 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. Transfer of COVID-19 Future Travel Voucher. . If EF Tours still refuses to issue a full refund, the next step is to contact your credit card company. B)there are about 1,000 people in the building and I have yet to see anyone that wasn't white as the driven snow. A most unsatisfactory and life changing (m for the worse) experience. how to get a full refund from ef tours; how to get a full refund from ef tours. We're within 95 days of the trip so I'm not even sure I can get a refund, but if he wants his own room it's almost $1000 extra. . Im not sure if the lunch situations were like this because of our tour guide or because of EF itself. EF Tours makes a big deal out of their tours being focused on education. First, was the chance to rebook the tour at no additional cost to any cities offered . EF Tours is definitely a budget tour company, and for the price, you do get a good experience. 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. The deduction of $500 includes items such as the non-refundable deposit and other non-refundable fees. I have a passion for learning and enjoy explaining complex concepts in a simple way. Was informed of the price to cancel was $199 not the $95 listed. For example, on our first full day of the trip, we visited the Tower of London. 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. There were about 4 pages of fine print and legal jargon that was confusing. Id say yes. 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. The key is to take the right steps and document all communication. As you can imagine the difference between 0 and 55 is immaculate and only caused problems throughout the entire trip. With no more than 48 hours in any location, we expected it to be jam packed. Once you get the notification for your EF ATM adjustment you should have access to the full amount of funds you deposited. Would I go on another EF Tour? Give the company at least a week to respond to your refund request and two credit card billing cycles to pay you. Again, we found these rooms to be clean and pretty comfortable. The deduction of $565 includes items such as the non-refundable deposit and other non-refundable fees. If you want any other info or even wanted . Im normally a big fan of Korean food, but this wasnt great. Her itinerary, booked through Expedia, included several airlines. They are so many other excellent companies out there. One of the techniques Ive developed as a consumer advocate is called the three Ps. It works great on refunds. Prefieres leer en espaol? They even claim you can earn credit for going on these tour. To request a refund, consumers who booked international trips through EF's Educational Tours program should call 800-665-5364 to request a refund. 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. Tickets can be purchased individually at the ticket booth for just $42 USD or for groups ahead of time for just $24 USD. 109 to 45 days prior to departure: Full refund less $95 non-refundable deposit, all Non-Refundable fees, and 50% of program price. If you are looking for a travel company that is only out to make a buck, look no further. So, no refund. Fully Refundable Booking Period Feel good about your decision by enrolling in AutoPay or paying in full when you book your tour. You may wish to spend time at your destinations before or after the scheduled tour. Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. Call 800-665-5364 to enroll, EF Tours for High School Graduates We were late to our tour of the Colosseum in Rome. - Make a personalized map of where you've been and where you want to go. EF Go Ahead Tours also allows you to change the date of tour or destination up until your final payment day. Enroll online or call 800-766-2645, EF Explore America For the first four nights during our stays in London and Paris, we were sent to Hilton Hotels. There were a total of 40 people on our tour. We also didnt have a way to contact our Tour Guide directly. how to get a full refund from ef tours However, if there is any issue, EF Tours will not honor insurance or refunds. 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 purpose of this article is to provide a step-by-step guide on how to get a full refund from EF Tours. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. They are basically stealing our money and find this to be okay. What I didn't understand was the fact that they also charged $155 for some type of insurance (which is not apart of their cancellation fees). No one asked to go there, and most of us seemed annoyed that we were stopping. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Thursday her office has reached a settlement with EF tours that resulted in more than $1.4 million in additional refunds for nearly 4,200. 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. I work for a competitor of EF and have about a million reasons why groups that go with them get ripped off.
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