I joined Coastal Vacations for their vacation package. I was interested in using their complimentary cruises and complimentary vacations as incentives for customers to purchase products/services from businesses. Their package also included internet shopping sprees, free gas cards, airline discounts, and coupons for dining and groceries.
I ordered the Airline Discounts and paid $6.95 for shipping and handling. I received a booklet with $2000 worth of checks from myflightchecks.com. The checks are good only if you book your flight through them. I checked further to no avail because the company was not in business.
I ordered the Free Gas Card and paid $6.95 for shipping and handling. I received a $100 Free Gas Card with instructions of how to get your "$100 in free gas. For example, go to freegasvouchers.com and select the trail offers you want to participate in. For each offer completed, you will receive a minimum of $10.00 in free gas.
Here's where the smoke and mirrors comes in. Coastal Vacations consists of web sites that are available to anyone. The member number that you receive with the package is unnecessary, because there are no sites where coastal members are given a unique discount and in all cases you are asked to spend more money to obtain vacation vouchers and member benefits. The vacations that are offered are on a space available basis. One company, SIresorts.com reported that they have only one property available in the Florida Keys, but every now and then a vacancy will occur. I should keep watching and since the site is in "Real Time", when it becomes available, it will show up.
The "Cruise Card" is a travel agency. The "Free $1000 Internet Shopping Spree is a Website that offers free merchandise, but you pay shipping and handling based on the posted value of the merchandise.
The 80% discounts on Condos and Time Shares is available to anyone through Travelnow.com. To get the discount, you have to be ready to travel now.
Hotel and motel discounts of 50% are available off the Highest Retail Rack Rate and in most cases are available on Week Ends only through Enjoyaccess.com.
Bonus Cruises have a processing fee and port charges that are not charged if you book a cruise directly with the cruise line.
Complimentary mini-vacations are offered through Unlimitedtravelservices.com. To get a vacation voucher, you send in $20.00 and your request. I paid $23.00 and requested a hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi. I have not heard anything and cannot get them to answer my e-mails. Here again, the Coastal Membership number means nothing.
I think I've made the point that the Coastal Vacation Product is non-existant and is nothing but smoke and mirrors. Coastal Directors are making money off the promise of easy money and the hype that comes with it.
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