Horizon Travel invited us to a 90 minute presentation to sell Travel Club International (TCI) membership. We were promised a chance to win a new SUV, a trip top Florida or a cruise for attending. WE DID NOT ASK FOR ANY OF THIS - THEY CONTACTED US AND MADE THE PROMISE!!!
In March we attended the presentation and were told the offer for the SUV was not available, but we had the choice of the Florida trip or cruise. These were offered to us even if we did not buy the membership.
I still can not believe we purchased the TCI membership but we did! We were given a certificate for the gift and completed the form requesting a cruise. We were also required to send $100.00 deposit. A while later we received a new form from VIP Travel Incentives to complete by providing 3 optional travel dates. And then we waited... And waited... And waited...
In the meantime I called TCI to use the services we purchased for $5,578.00. They represent themselves as a travel agency that provides discount vacations, but they could not answer any of my travel questions. They actually didn't know where the Caribbean was located or where St. John was. What's more I emailed them with a request (they guarantee a 3 day response) but never heard back from them. Once when I called I was told I needed to talk with another agent and they would call me back, but that never happened. I finally went to my local travel agent and purchased a vacation package. I never did get anything from TCI.
Once a came back from vacation I decided to call TCI for a refund. They do not have a refund policy and by the way, offered to help me with booking a vacation! Too late!!! My vacation this year is over.
I also complained about VIP Travel Incentives, telling them we have not heard back from them regarding our request. I asked how I could contact them. There is no way to contact them other than postal mail. No fax, no phone number, no email. I actually found a phone number later (a lot of internet research), but there is no answer other than a message that tells me the message box is full. You literally can not talk directly to anyone.
TCI contacted VIP on my behalf and I got a message telling me I need to complete another for they had mailed to me. I had not received a new form. I called TCI back, they in turn contacted VIP and I got another message telling me a new form is on the way to me. I got the new form today telling me the first date we chose was not available. They requested me to choose new dates, keep the remaining 2 options I have left or get my deposit back. I chose to keep the 2 remaining dates.
I do not want my $100.00 deposit back. I want the cruise they promised me. From other complaints I've read I don't think I could get the deposit back anyway.
I also want my money back from TCI. They have not provided the services they sold to me. I paid for the TCI membership through Discover. I have called Discover and they are trying to help me. They have had many complaints about Horizon Travel, VIP Travel Incentives, and Travel Club International.
What do we need to do to stop this scam? Perhaps if we all join together we can help each other.
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