Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Tv Cruise Deal Reviews! Scam Or Not? Real Reviews From Industry Experts!


TvCruiseDealReviews.com Tvcruisedeals.com, tvcruisedeal.com tvcruisedealreviews.com 1-800-903-8028.  503 E. Jackson Street, #139, Tampa, FL 33602 Phone: 1-800-903-8028 Email: info@tencruise.com,TvCruiseDealReviews.com
Our agents have uncovered some distasteful details about the Tv Cruise Deal Offer on television that you should read before you book this cruise!

TvCruiseDeal.com Reviews!

Is it too good to be true? Learn the truth about these TV Cruise Deal offers running day and night! This offer IS a not what is presented at all and is considered a scam based on the numerous discrepancies uncovered by our agents!

Here's how they really get you, and the REAL DEAL on Travel Excursion Networks, www.TVCruiseDeal.com website!
www.tvcruisedealreviews.com, cruise scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam.

This Is A Carnival Cruise: SCARY!

According to TIME Magazine, and many other very reliable sources, Carnival Cruise lines are in deep water (pun intended) after numerous and widely televised accidents, and serious health & safety violations! In case you haven't heard, read
 this article for more details about the “Poop Cruise From Hell,” in which Carnival Triumph passengers were stranded at sea for five days without working toilets. So what are they doing to attract new customers? DROPPING THE PRICE! www.tvcruisedeal.com scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam
But is this enough to convince you to take this type of risk? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if the Carnival Cruise line wasn't so neglected! A series of problems on Carnival ships—technical malfunctions, port stop cancellations, mechanical failures—followed the Cruise From Hell, apparently (and understandably) causing a falloff in bookings on Carnival cruises. The company was forced to discount cabins to boost occupancy. Hence this new "special offer." Scary.
You WILL Attend A Timeshare Pitch

For any upgrade of any kind whatsoever, you will be forced to attend a soul sucking, high pressure timeshare presentation.  In this day and age, isn’t a timeshare gag a little much to ask of customers?  This tactic is so tired, and just demonstrates the lack of faith these so called travel companies have in people’s intelligence.  The add insult, this clause is hidden under lines of text in the Terms & Conditions of the TvCruiseDeal offer, where you see this: "Requires dedicating part of a morning or part of an afternoon attending a tour of a vacation ownership opportunity…” So not only do you get to a Cruise & Hotel stay from questionable quality from questionable characters, you also get to sit through a time wasting, soul sucking con game of a timeshare presentation. How could this get any better?! It will! reviews for tv cruise deal offer, www.tvcruisedeal.com scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam

The Sponsoring Reservation Company Is A SCAM.

When you read the "fine print", you'll see the TvCruiseDeal offer is actually fulfilled by a company called Prestige Travel Systems, commonly referred to as PTS. PTS has a long history of being involved with and purporting travel scams of all kinds.
 

Not only are they NOT accredited with the BBB, they have a glaring, blaring warning in red on the
 BBB page about them. Here's what it says: BBB files indicate that Prestige Travel Systems, Inc. ("Prestige Travel") has a pattern of complaints regarding delays and issues redeeming travel vouchers, customer service issues, and delays in honoring requested refunds. Complaints further state that the third party businesses that either marketed or conducted the sales presentation misrepresented the terms and conditions of the travel certificate. Consumers have stated that they only find out about additional fees and terms after the validation forms are filled out and sent to Prestige Travel. Prestige Travel has advised BBB that this is the first time the business has any contact with consumers.

But let's forget the BBB for a minute. How about the thousands (read,
 thousands) of complaints about PTS that can be seen at RipOffReport.com, ComplaintsBoard,com, PissedConsumer.com, and many others about PTS? As we said, YIKES!

So for the Cruise portion of this offer, you'll be aboard Carnival, who has only discounted their cabins to try and beg for customers to ride their rickety vessel. For the hotel portion of your trip, you'll be booked (maybe) at a hotel of questionable quality by a company widely known for scamming people, making fake reservations, forcing timeshare presentations on guests and more. Fun. www.tvcruisedeal.com scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam

The Price Is A Lie: You Already Knew This, But Let’s Break It Down!

On their site it claims “Treat Yourself! Land & Sea Package $149 per person!"
This is untrue. This offer requires additional fees that are not clearly listed. Not only that, but that pricing is only available (with tons of extra fees) on the most undesirable dates, such as middle of the week during off season.
reviews for tv cruise deal offer, www.tvcruisedeal.com scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam
We have nothing against additional fees, in fact, we expect them! No one begrudges a company from needing fees to support themselves and their staff, or even making a profit. But the LIES! Just be up front about fees like normal cruise lines! Companies should know that customers are realistic and intelligent, and not try to sneak fees in behind their backs.

You Must Wait 90 Days To Travel! 

When you watch the TvCruiseDeal.com tv commercial, all you see are pictures of people having a ball on a sun filled cruised deck and laying on white sands. You think to yourself, "Even if I do pay a little more for this cruise, I really could use a trip! I think I can get next weekend off, that would be perfect!" But after you call, and go through the whole happy pitch, you find out the truth. You can't even BOOK until 90 days after you call in. 90 long days. 3 months. One quarter of a year. Um....nevermind.
The point of an infomercial is that when you call in, you get your product immediately. They build up all the excitement so you can make an impulsive buy. But this sham does the opposite! They build up your excitement, take your money, THEN tell you to wait 3 months before you can enjoy your product! Unfair! 
Our Overall Opinion: STAY AWAY 
If you want a good Cruise deal, they're not hard to find. You don't need a TvCruiseDeal scam infomercial to find a crappy cruise line who can't gather customers any other way, and on top of that - have your entire trip booked by a company riddled with travel scam complaints for the past 15 years.
A Better Cruise Offer: $99 Bahamas Cruise 

Better Bet: If you want a better Cruise option with no timeshare presentation, that you can book anytime from a reputable company - try a wholesale broker. They have an "A" rating with the BBB, and no nonsense.
 You can find them here. 



Tv cruise deal scam reviews, 1-800-903-8028.

503 E. Jackson Street, #139, Tampa, FL 33602 Phone: 1-800-903-8028 Email: info@tencruise.com


TvCruiseDeal.com Scam Alert! Read First!


TvCruiseDeal.com scam alert.  Read The Details Here Before You Book! Real Reviews and More!  Tv Cruise Deal Commercial Warning!TvCruiseDeal.com Scam Alert!

Is it too good to be true? Learn the truth about these TV Cruise Deal offers running day and night!  This offer IS a not what is presented at all and is considered a scam based on the numerous discrepancies uncovered by our agents!

When a company like "Travel Excursion Network"  pours millions of dollars into a long running infomercial, you know they're going to want that money back, PLUS more!  By offering a Cruise for $149 per person, do you think that's likely?  No way!

Here's how they really get you, and the REAL DEAL on Travel Excursion Networks, www.TVCruiseDeal.com website, AND a better offer from a real cruise line that offers real deals all year - not on some silly infomercial!  www.tvcruisedeal.com scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam

1. The Cruise Is Offered By Carnival: That's a BIG Problem.


 


According to TIME Magazine, and many other very reliable sources, Carnival Cruise lines are in deep you-know-what after their latest serious health & safety violations!  In case you haven't heard, read this article for more details about the “Poop Cruise From Hell,” in which Carnival Triumph passengers were stranded at sea for five days without working toilets, Carnival Cruise Lines is still struggling to convince travelers to come back aboard its ships.  So what are they doing to attract new customers?  DROPPING THE PRICE!  (On this infomercial)
 www.tvcruisedeal.com scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam
But is this enough to convince you to take this type of risk?  Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if the Carnival Cruise line wasn't so neglected!  A series of problems on Carnival ships—technical malfunctions, port stop cancellations, mechanical failures—followed the Cruise From Hell, apparently (and understandably) causing a falloff in bookings on Carnival cruises. The company was forced to discount cabins to boost occupancy.  Hence this new "special offer." Scary.
Compare this Carnival Cruise With $99 Cruise Upon Bahamas Celebration!

2. Operated By Prestige Travel Systems: Yikes.  Just Yikes. 

When you read the "fine print", you'll see the TvCruiseDeal offer is actually fulfilled by a company called Prestige Travel Systems, commonly referred to as PTS.  PTS has a long history of being involved with and purporting travel scams of all kinds.  

Not only are they NOT accredited with the BBB, they have a glaring, blaring warning in red on the BBB page about them.  Here's what it says: BBB files indicate that Prestige Travel Systems, Inc. ("Prestige Travel") has a pattern of complaints regarding delays and issues redeeming travel vouchers, customer service issues, and delays in honoring requested refunds. Complaints further state that the third party businesses that either marketed or conducted the sales presentation misrepresented the terms and conditions of the travel certificate. Consumers have stated that they only find out about additional fees and terms after the validation forms are filled out and sent to Prestige Travel. Prestige Travel has advised BBB that this is the first time the business has any contact with consumers.


But let's forget the BBB for a minute.   How about the thousands (read, thousands) of complaints about PTS that can be seen at RipOffReport.com, ComplaintsBoard,com, PissedConsumer.com, and many others about PTS?  As we said, YIKES!

So for the Cruise portion of this offer, you'll be aboard Carnival, who has only discounted their cabins to try and beg for customers to ride their rickety vessel.  For the hotel portion of your trip, you'll be booked (maybe) at a hotel of questionable quality by a company widely known for scamming people, making fake reservations, forcing timeshare presentations on guests and more.  Fun.  www.tvcruisedeal.com scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam

3. You Will Attend A Timeshare Pitch:  Why Must You Suffer? 

A Timeshare Presentation.                 

Hidden in the Terms & Conditions of the TvCruiseDeal scam offer, you see this:  "Requires dedicating part of a morning or part of an afternoon attending a tour of a vacation ownership opportunity at the sponsoring resort."   So not only do you get to a Cruise & Hotel stay from questionable quality from questionable characters, you also get to sit through a time wasting, soul sucking con game of a timeshare presentation.  How could this get any better?!  It will! 
reviews for tv cruise deal offer, www.tvcruisedeal.com scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam
4. The Price Is A Lie:  You Already Suspected This, Now You KNOW!




On their site it claims “Treat Yourself!  Land & Sea Package $149 per person!"

This is untrue. This offer requires additional fees that are not clearly listed. Not only that, but that pricing is only available (with tons of extra fees) on the most undesirable dates, such as middle of the week during off season.  
reviews for tv cruise deal offer, www.tvcruisedeal.com scam, tvcruisedeal reviews, scam tv cruise offer, travel excursions scam cruise, cheap tv cruise offer scam
We have nothing against additional fees, in fact, we expect them!  No one begrudges a company from needing fees to support themselves and their staff, or even making a profit.  But the LIES!  Just be up front about fees like normal cruise lines!  Companies should know that customers are realistic and intelligent, and not try to sneak fees in behind their backs.

5. Want To Travel Now?  NOPE! The TRUTH About CRUISE DATES  

When you watch the TvCruiseDeal.com tv commercial, all you see are pictures of people having a ball on a sun filled cruised deck and laying on white sands.  You think to yourself, "Even if I do pay a little more for this cruise, I really could use a trip!  I think I can get next weekend off, that would be perfect!"  But after you call, and go through the whole happy pitch, you find out the truth.  You can't even BOOK until 90 days after you call in.  90 long days. 3 months.  One quarter of a year.  Um....nevermind.

The point of an infomercial is that when you call in, you get your product immediately.  They build up all the excitement so you can make an impulsive buy.  But this sham does the opposite!  They build up your excitement, take your money, THEN tell you to wait 3 months before you can enjoy your product!  Unfair!  

Our Overall Opinion:  STAY AWAY 

If you want a good Cruise deal, they're not hard to find.  You don't need a TvCruiseDeal scam infomercial to find a crappy cruise line who can't gather customers any other way, and on top of that - have your entire trip booked by a company riddled with travel scam complaints for the past 15 years.

A Better Cruise Offer:  $99 Bahamas Cruise 

Better Bet:  If you want a better Cruise option with no timeshare presentation, that you can book anytime from a reputable company - try a wholesale broker.  They have an "A" rating with the BBB, and no nonsense.  You can find them here






Saturday, June 1, 2013

Free Companion Airfare - and Where To Get Yours

Normally I like to keep my travel writings limited to $99 offers - but the theme of my services is to save people money when traveling, and I have not found a better resource for savings on Airline Tickets than www.FreeCompanionAirPass.com!




I ran across this hot little item in an email I signed up for to get the scoop on the latest & greatest travel items available - and this was at the top of my list to try out. The voucher retails for $299 currently, (I assume various sales will cause this price to change from time to time) - but if your flight is over $300 per person, this is a fantastic bet! 

LEGIT OR NOT:  Yes!  Over the years we've seen similar items around, but they have always been so restrictive - such as dictating when you can book, tons of blackout dates, how far in advance - they're nearly impossible to use! The intriguing thing about the Free Companion Airfare Pass is that they have no such restrictions, and all reservations come from their in-house department. 

These new passes have NO Blackout Dates - NO Advance Booking Required - and NO minimum cost for the first ticket! 

FINE PRINT: This voucher requires a one time reservation fee of $50, but if you buy from the site directly this fee is waived. This leads me to assume you can also get the vouchers from alternate sources or perhaps as promo items. So if you do receive this voucher from anywhere other than the original company, you may pay a $50 fee to register it. 

PRICE OF FIRST TICKET:  The other thing to note is that you must purchase a "full fare" round trip ticket. A full fare ticket is normally a bit higher than fares you may find online, but when the 2nd ticket is free, it generally more than compensates for this. 

These new terms sounded very appealing, so I ordered 1 of these, and a few friends & family did as well, to see how well they worked. Here's how it went for each of us! 

MY EXPERIENCE: After I bought the voucher online, I was emailed my reservation form. I filled it out online (no printing & mailing - another bonus!) and submitted it back with my dates and destinations.   I expected to hear back within about 3 days. I heard back within the first day, and was given flight options to choose from. 

I requested details for a flight I need to take to a friends wedding in London next month, and asked for a flight from San Francisco to London in mid July. The best price option I was given was a full fare round trip ticket for $2016, and second ticket was zero.  I found online tickets for around $1408 - so this was a price difference of $608, a bit higher than I expected for a full fare.  Still, if I bought 2 online tickets myself, I'd be paying $2816 for two flights, instead of $2016.

MY OVERALL SAVINGS:  My overall savings is $800.  If you include the retail cost of the voucher (which I paid less than $299 for as an agent), my savings would still be $500.


MY BROTHER's EXPERIENCE:  He bought his voucher and was planning out farther than me.  He went from San Francisco to Maui.  On his reservation form, he had requested a call back to complete reservations because his dates were flexible, but he wanted to travel in late October.  He received a call back within 3 days to go over flight options, and reported that the gal that helped him was very pleasant and professional.

She looked up about 6 different flight options & found one where they first full fare ticket was $1260, and 2nd flight was free.  Retail online price for tickets (at the lowest) $1749 for two travelers.

OVERALL SAVINGS:  His overall savings is $489.  If you include the retail cost of the voucher, his savings would still be $190.

Although the savings will certainly vary from person to person - this voucher seems like a winner so far!  






Wednesday, April 24, 2013

www.Cruise99.com - READ BEFORE YOU BOOK!

www.Cruise99.com - Read This Before You Book!

We know you want the facts about this Cruise99.com offer we keep hearing about.  After running an infomercial longer than the actual cruise - lots of curiosity has been aroused as people wonder - is this cruise real & legit?  Or is it just another too-good-to-be-true offer?  

Cruise99.com appears to be the real thing at first glance for sure!  After all - they're on TV, and they can't put anything on TV that isn't real...right?

Well I should be fair - the Cruise is real, in that, there is a real ship that sails with real people and serves what I can only assume is real food.  (Don't quote me on that one!)

But is the offer real?  This is what we're going to find out!


This company meets some “good” criteria at first glance.  The site looks decent, and has a highly visible phone number & slideshow of photos of people having fun.  Cool!  So far, so good!  800-479-0931, cheap bahamas cruise, 99 bahamas cruise, $99 cruise, cruise99, cruise99 scam, cruise 99 legit, cruise 99 real, cruise 99 reviews, www.Cruises99.com
In the spirit of thoroughness, we did our own online research, and called the 800 number on the site directly to get the real deal on this offer. Here’s what we found! 800-479-0931

Online Digging:  Our online research led us to the trusted ol' Better Business Bureau.  We looked & looked, but did not find any reference for them.  So, no BBB Rating. 

Reputation: This Cruise is offered by Caribbean Cruise lines, which has a long standing good reputation as a cruise line.   Since this particular offer is being offered via a lengthy television infomercial, we can also safely assume they have some serious cash to throw at this promotion.

Media:  The site has a video that's kind of cool to watch, with springy caribbean drum music in the background (catchy!).   The online video is similar to the infomercial, just thankfully shorter.  

Uncovering the dirt:  We called the toll free number and a rep answered quickly.  I had a lot of questions since the site did not provide a lot of specifics.  For example there was no information on sail dates, itinerary or schedule times, cabin details, or on board activities.   This seemed like stuff that should definitely be available, but I presume this tactic is meant to make people call in. 

On their site it claims “The Cruise is $99 for 2 people. Really! All your gourmet meals, 24 hour room service, on-board entertainment and non-stop fun are included! And no blackout dates!” 

The TRUTH About FEES: This is untrue. This offer requires additional fees that are not clearly listed. 

It requires fees of $59 per person, and an additional $20 “processing fee.”  We have nothing against additional fees, in fact, we expect them. ("There's no such thing as a free lunch" I can hear my mother now...)  Companies should know that customers are realistic, and they should just list the required fees up front. Strike one for vagueness. 

The TRUTH About CRUISE DATES:  The most significant issue I saw with booking this Cruise is that along with “No blackout dates”, they do not mention anywhere on the site that guests are required to book 60 days in advance.  

This sucks the fun & spontaneity out of a weekend trip enormously, as many people call in expecting to book right away, or according to their needs or work schedule, only to find they must plan 2 months in advance. With additional research we discovered that once the cruise is finalized (2 months in advance), there are no refunds available and no changes can be made to the cruise, passenger name, or cruise date, unless you spend additional money for insurance. (None of this info is listed on their site either.) 

You Must Attend a Timeshare Presentation:  Yes. This Cruise offers an additional option to stay longer at Grand Bahamas Island for “just a few small fees”. (We pressed for info on exact figures and were not given an actual number). Unless you live in California or Illinois, you will be attending a soul sucking timeshare presentation for half the day (morning or afternoon) on this wonderful island paradise.   This is not mentioned anywhere on the site, except briefly, & very vaguely, on their Terms & Conditions page. (Who reads that page, really?)

Our Overall Opinion.  Eh.  Caribbean Cruise lines are reputable, so the Cruise is probably fun.  It is “basically” $99 plus a few fees.  


The biggest drawback is the requirement to book 60 days in advance.  Most people, myself included, can barely book for next weekend between work, children, school, and life in general.  

If you’re able to book 2 months in advance, remember that you won't be able to make any changes or get a refund for your cruise in case you need to change your date because of a schedule change at work, or a medical emergency. 

Also, if you’re in the market for a new timeshare property, this is top pick, since you'll be able to preview a good number of timeshare properties while you're there.  

Better Bet:  If you want a better Cruise option with no timeshare presentation, that you can book anytime - try a wholesale broker.  They have an "A" rating with the BBB, and no nonsense.  You can find them here.
cheap bahamas cruise, 99 bahamas cruise, $99 cruise, cruise99, cruise99 scam, cruise 99 legit, cruise 99 real, cruise 99 reviews, www.Cruises99.com


www.99DollarCruise.com SCAM

99DollarCruise.com SCAM! True Review!
I keep getting questions about this $99 Cruise to the Bahamas!  One company in particular people ask about is one called www.99DollarCruise.com

It's important to find out which $99 Cruise Offers are legit, and which ones are not.  This is one I am afraid to say is the ultimate scam.


When asking if a $99 Bahamas Cruise is a fake, scam, or a scheme – the answer is – it depends on who is offering it. There are a number of companies who do offer the Cruise for $99. Some offer it for $99 per person, and some for just $99 for TWO travelers. Before we start, let’s highlight just a few things to help separate a real deal from one you should be skeptical of.

1. Can you easily contact the company? Companies or websites that display a prominent phone number and email address (& respond to inquiries within 24 hours), are more likely to be authentic than those who only provide a contact form. Companies that invest in their phone numbers or email addresses can also be a tip off – perhaps the phone number is customized to match the company offer, which requires an investment likely to be made by someone running a legit offer. On the same note – be wary of sending anyone money with a regular joeschmo@gmail.com address. A real company should offer a professional email address.  (99DollarCruise.com does not offer an email.)

2. What’s the fine print?  Every offer has fine print. Not only for the company’s benefit, but the customer too! Fine print can include important details like expiration dates, additional fees, blackout dates, and other relevant information a customer would need to know before booking!  In regard to travel offers, companies with nothing to hide will let customers know up front that they will be expected to pay port fees, government taxes or other minor fees up front, whether there are black out dates, whether there are any timeshare presentations, or other things that can heavily impact the trip. 
(99DollarCruise.com does not offer any details.)

3. Customer experience matters! First impression – what does their website tell you? Does it have good content and information? Or it the information vague? Does the site look professional with real photos & graphics? Or does it seem dated?  When you call – you should be greeted by polite, enthusiastic people, who are happy and able to answer all your questions. If you end up speaking with someone who is able to answer your questions, send you additional information, and seems relatively happy to do so, they are likely well paid at a reputable company. If you hear the radio or tv blaring in the background of someone’s home “office”, or the rep on the line can’t answer your questions, deflects or dodges them, it’s not a good sign.  
99dollarcruise, 99 dollar cruise, 99 dollar bahamas cruise, $99 dollar cruise, $99 cruise, $99 bahamas cruise reviews, 99 dollar cruise scam, 99dollarcruises, 99dollarcruises.com, www.99dollarcruise.com










Our first impression of this company was not good. Although they come up a lot in the search engines, we do not believe it is because they are offering a great deal, but rather because of clever SEO marketing.
 
BBB Says "Don't Do It":  This company was listed, but not rated by the BBB, although there was an “Alert!” marking for the company.   Alerts are generally there to indicate numerous complaints about a company.  The alert also stated, "The phone numbers the BBB had for this company are disconnected, and directory assistance did not have a listing for this company's address."

The Scoop: Hey, sometimes the BBB is outdated – so ignoring the above statement, we gave them a call during regular business hours and were greeted with a message that led to a free voicemail account. With no message. There was no email address listed.

Any sane person at this point would close out the site now.  But let's say you've got a little streak of crazy... 

The site offers 3 different Cruises, including a Bahamas Cruise, but does not give any detail for any cruise, except to state that it is a Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral or Miami. There was no detail given for cabin styles, ship name, travel dates, on board activities, or anything else a customer would find useful. 

The phone number was only visible on the contact page, and apparently leads to nowhere.
 
Shocker! You Can Still BUY This!   The only sign of life this site seemed to offer is that their “BUY NOW” button is working just fine.  So, even though you don't know what you're buying, and can't get in touch with anyone after you buy it - you can, in fact, still buy it.  Amazing.

Our Recommendation:  We would sooner recommend you Cruise through shark infested waters on a giant steak.  

Overall Grade: F- This site & company have done everything to deflect sales from start to finish. The site is dated, contact info limited, with no details to offer customers. The fact that they will still take your money is not a good sign either. We confirm this is a full fledged rip off and no one should buy from this company.

If you want a real $99 Cruise Offer - check out this offer here.  
99dollarcruise, 99 dollar cruise, 99 dollar bahamas cruise, $99 dollar cruise, $99 cruise, $99 bahamas cruise reviews, 99 dollar cruise scam, 99dollarcruises, 99dollarcruises.com, www.99dollarcruise.com