Fortunately, I read through the reports on this site. I was all prepped to go for the deal. I want to thank all the ex-employees who came forward to help confirm the little red flag that was waving and I was trying to ignore. Believe it or not, the note from Carbonated Turtle really helped confirm that this is not a reliable deal to jump on.
Even though Carbonated Turtle is doing business from Toronto, Canada, somehow this company is an octopus with several branches that reach around the U.S.A. Too. There are many who are doing due diligence on some of these companies. There is a proverb that "ignorance will kill people". There is truth to that, and it will also keep them poor. However, thank God for sites like this where a person can quickly become educated on a topic.
As for the "fine" print, my experience was over the web and I was sent an offer where it clearly stated that this was a FREE vacation. The "free" was even in red lettering. I do read the fine print on what I fill out. This offer had not a word about a "discount" or "offer" in it.
When the person finally was able to catch up with me and make the "offer", they were polite and upbeat, which made it easy to engage in the dreambuilding. I was offered a 3 days 2 nights in Ft. Lauderdale, then cruise away for another 3 days and 2 nights with a stop in Nassau, then we would return to Orlando, FL and stay another 3 days and 2 nights there. All expenses paid, except the obvious asides with drinks and port taxes, although it was to be $59 for me and my husband together, $129 for my 13 year old and $99 for my 8 year old. We would get a rental car at both ports to use with unlimited milage. It would all be at an 80% Discount on car-hotel-meals while in Florida.
Then as a bonus if I agreed to all this tonight, within 2 hours, I could get in on the bonus offer of 2 trips, 1 each to Las Vegas and Puerto Vallarta for 2 people for FREE. I had the man repeat it twice to make sure he was saying "free". All I would need to do is sit through a couple time-share talks.
Then he said that I would need to pay $538.00 for all 4 people to go on this trip. My assumption is that that is the 20% that I would be responsible for paying for this trip while in Florida. It sounds like an awesome deal! I wanted to jump at it. And it might be awesome. The part that stinks is that the offer said FREE, and yes, we are a society that enjoys things that are being promoted in any form as "free" to be exactly that "free". If I have to pay 20% then it really is not free. That is the point.
It is too bad that some of these scam "deals" that show up have tarnished the joy of accepting real "deals" and being able to enjoy the pleasure of a real relaxing vacation.
Suz
Sherwood, Oregon
U.S.A.
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