Back in 1999, while I was deathly ill and highly medicated, the "Ramada" sales department contacted me about this "great vacation package" that I won at a discounted price. Well, being sick and not fully aware, I was talked into giving my credit card number and enrolling in this 8-day vacation package with stops in Ft Lauderdale, Orlando and the cruise to the Bahamas. My credit card was charged the first $598.
A couple months later I get this package in the mail describing this vacation. I didnt even realize I signed up for it, that is how overly medicated I was. I contact Ramada to see if I can return it or cancel this package. I explained that I could not afford this vacation and that I was not in my right mind when they talked me into giving them my credit card number. This very rude person told me I am out of luck and that there was nothing I could do except put an extension on the package and use it another time or transfer it to someone else. Ok. Fine. So I put the extension on the package.
The next year, still not being able to use this package, I call up Ramada again. Well in speaking with this person, she informs me that I can change my 8-day package to a 5-day package. Making this change and allowing them to charge my credit card for the additional $200 for this charge would leave me with a balance of only $38. She stated that the ONLY thing I would have to pay would be the $38. And if later on I decided I wanted to upgrade BACK to my original package with the cruise, it would not be a problem. Great, perfect, wonderful. Ok, this I could handle. Everything would already be paid for and all is well with the world.
A couple months later, I call up to get info on my package and to make my reservations and to pay my $38 balance. To my complete surprise and disgust, I now have 2 packages! One 8 day package that I paid $598 on and one 5 day package that I paid $200 on and has a $38 balance!!! What!!! I was told that I could consolidate my 8-day into a 5-day and would ONLY have ONE vacation and all I have to pay is the $38 balance. Now I have 2 packages!!! Of course I cant get out this or return them or anything even though it is COMPLETELY their fault. So I discuss my options with the rep and get the info on why I have 2 packages.
Was absolutely no help and could offer no reasonable explanation as to why I would have 2 packages when I was told I was downgrading from an 8 day to a 5 day. So again extensions were placed on the packages. Because I still do not have the money to go on either of these trips.
A couple months ago, I called again, because I was attempting to start to plan one of the vacations. Again, the person I spoke to was no help, so I asked to speak to a supervisor. I spoke with Angela. She explained to me the "reasoning" behind getting the 2 packages with a lot of double speak and high pressure sales tactics. She was pleasant but was not very helpful.in this call, I decided to get further details about the 8 day trip so I can begin to plan this "vacation." In my originaly conversations, I was under the impression that for the the amount $1198 (paid the first 598 initially) I would get the car rental, 2 hotels rooms, the 3 day cruise. That price covers a party of 4.
When I called to begin to plan this vacation, I find out that you get a compact car rental that will not fit 4 people, so you "should" upgrade for an additional $35 to a midsize car. Also you only get one room in the hotels and on the cruise. So for an additional $200 a person you can have 2 beach front rooms in the hotel and 2 outside staterooms on the cruise. So much more than what i was originally led to believe. No one made any mention to any of these extra charges in the initial phone call.
I just spoke to Angela again to get another extension on my 8-day package because I still am not able to go and she told me that the extension does not expire until June, even though I was told that my package would expire in January the last time I spoke with them. She also informed me that there was a Grace period in which you can return the packages. WHAT!!! No one has EVER said that! I would have jumped at the oportunity to return the packages if I got the chance.
You would think after ALL the calls I made to this company and how much I expressed my extreme dissatisfaction, you would think someon might have mentioned that there is a grace period to cancel. But of course not.
I have 2 vacation packages that I dont even want to go on and am actually dreading going on. They tell me to transfer the packages to someone else. Why in the world would I want to put one of my loved ones through that!
As stated before, I am incredibly dissatisfied with the way I was treated and the fact that I was mislead to and lied to repeatedly over the last few years.
After stumbling across this website and reading all the other stories related to this company, I am furious. I now know that I can fight this and hopefully get my money back. I will do what the others have suggested and attempt to get my money back.
I deeply thank everyone that has contributed to this website and I hope that I can get the results that others have achieved. Spread the Word! Make sure everyone hears about this scam so they don't strike again!
Kim
Stamford, Connecticut
U.S.A.
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