Complaint / Review
Advocate Travel As Agent Of Spirit Tours, Inc
I paid for a tour to Israel for December 20, trip was postponed several times, the last one being on May 19, I requested a refund but did not receive any. Advocate Travel

Chronology of events follows:

I contacted Bert Roman of Advocate Travel to book us with Spirit Tours for a tour that was supposed to leave on December 20 for the Holy Land.

Bert Roman asked that I pay by check because he claimed that Spirittours does not accept credit cards.in addition he INSISTED that the checks be made payable to his agency, Advocate Travel, and not to Spirittours.

Advocate Travel cashed our checks.

On November 26, I called Bert Roman on the status of our tickets but I was told that he left for the Philippines! A lady at Advocate Travel informed me that Spirit Tours wanted an extra $2,010. I requested cancellation of the trip and asked for a refund. The lady then assured me that my refund will probably come around December 15. However, she offered an option that we could join a later trip on February 11, without additional cost. I declined the new offer.

On November 27, I followed up my request to cancel our reservation and also to request a refund. I sent this by certified mail to both Spirittours and to Advocate Travel. Spirittours refused to receive the letter and it was returned to me by the Post Office.

On January 9, I have not received our refund and I then requested Bert Roman to make new arrangements instead for us to join the February 11 tour. He said he will make the new arrangements.

On January 16, Bert Roman claimed that he has not heard from the tour operator. The supposed trip on February 11 was coming soon and I did not have tickets yet.instead Bert Roman sent me by email a copy of an email from Spirittours offering us a rescheduled trip on March 16. We accepted the new offer.

On February 22, I sent a follow-up email and I was informed that Bert Roman went to the Philippines again!

On February 26, Bert Roman repeated what he always said - that he is working on our tickets.

On March 3, Bert Roman informed us that Spirittours postponed the March 16 tour to April 21 and offered to rebook us. Again we accepted. It is now March 12 and we dont have tickets yet. I informed Bert Roman that we will not accept another postponement after April 21.

I was offered to join a May 19 rescheduled trip. I decline and requested a refund.

It is now June 18, and we have not received our refund.