Please save yourself the poor service from the above related companies that my friend and I used for out trip to Costa Rica, especially from Carrie Spitler of Travel Cuts and Lynn Degan of Adventure Travel Company. The following is an email I sent to the travel agent Carrie who without answering any of my questions forwarded it to her supervisor Lynn to respond to. After responding the supervisor accidentally forwarded the nasty email to me—the client. The second email was from Carrie informing me of the fiasco. After viewing the emails I spoke to both of their bosses, who really did not seem to care. I hope this information is useful to all who reads this because having to deal with this mess after a trip is no fun!
Yep-spoiled.
I have put some comments in bold below.
Lynn Degen
Adventure Travel Company
San Diego Office
619-544-0800
Www.atcadventure.com
Theadventuretravelcompany. Wordpress.com
06/13/09 7:53 pm
Since I haven't received any correspondence from you following up with
The trip, I decided it would be best to contact you with my feelings.
Just as a refresher the whole purpose of this trip was to celebrate mine
And Ashley's college graduation. It was supposed to be a relatively
Stress-free venture, mostly filled with exciting activities planned.
When we decided to plan this trip, Ashley recommended imag trav and you
Due to previous positive experiences. I usually plan my own trips and am
More than capable of booking hotels and activities from sun up to sun
Down. But, I trusted Ashley and decided to let a travel agent take the
Reins since they generally have more access to discounts, information,
Etc. However, I think from now on I will continue to organize my own
Travels. I was extremely disappointed with how the trip was devised and
The following are my concerns:
- Spending three days in cahuita was a complete waste of time. I was
Under the impression that there were more activities to do in the area
And wished you would have helped suggest more things to do or inform us
More about the area. Even though we wanted to spend more time there, it
Would have been appreciated if you let us know what to expect there and
Offer other places that would better fit our needs. It really wasn't the
Town to send two white females without any guide or male protection to.
After reading in a local travel book and confirming it with locals that
American/euro women come there for flings again is not the right place
And something a travel agent should know. The time spent there could
Have been split up to see other parts of the country like the Pacific
Side.
We were mirroring the Turtles and Beaches trip, which went to
Tortuguero and Cahuita. Most people go to Cahuita to enjoy the
National park and beautiful beaches, as well as the laid back caribbean
Vibe there and good food. There are day tours that are offered by the
Atlantida Lodge and are easily booked at the hotel. It is possible to
Book snorkeling and fishing tours, guided park tours, a day tour to a
Sloth sanctuary, wildlife viewing tours to Manzanillo, horseback riding
Tours and ziplining tours. There is also a very good tour company in
The middle of town that is happy to book day tours for you. We are
Sorry that you had the impression that there was more to do in Cahuita,
But not sure where you got that impression.
- The whole ordeal with having to switch hotels in cahuita was
Ridiculous and caused so much stress, time and frustration. Ashley and I
Practically spent the whole day dealing with uncooperative viajes sin
Fronteres reps and atlantida hotel staff.
While the Atlantida Lodge offers simple rooms, they have very pretty
Grounds, nice porches, a big swimming pool, resturant and pool bar.
There are not many other, if any other places in town that offer these
Things.in addition, they are right across the street from Playa Negra,
Which is a popular place to be.
We agree that it was a bit ridiculous that you spent all day dealing
With the issue and think you would have enjoyed yourself more if you had
Stayed with the itinerary as planned and just taken a hotel back to the
Hotel at the end of the night.
- The atlanida lodge was not the level of accommodations I was looking
For, the location was too far from the center of town, was not safe to
Walk day or night and had no restaurant.
There is a restaurant and bar at the Atlantida Lodge, as well as a very
Good restaurant about half a block down the road called Sobre las Oles.
There is another very good pizza restaurant a couple of blocks away on
The road into the hotel. Our agent, who is a single female, stayed at
This hotel and walked to and from town while there. She did not feel
Threatened at all walking into town in the daytme. Also-if you intend
To stay out late and party, it is a short taxi ride back to the
Atlantida. The Atlantida is the property used by Imaginative Traveller
Also, so the accommodations would have been the same if on the group
Tour.
- I am having a hard time seeing exactly where $800 went. I would like
To request a complete breakdown of where the money was spent i.E.
Transportation, hotels etc.
We do not give pricing breakdowns. We did give the option to book the
Tour or not.
- I would also like to know when the refund for the atlantida lodge
Will be sent to me.
As per our conversation with your father, there will not be a refund
For the unused room nights at the Atlantida Lodge. If there was a
Legitimate problem with the door locks at the Atlantida, the front desk
Was willing to get that fixed or offer another room. No request was
Made for this. We did advise your father to tell you that if you
Changed hotels, there would not be a refund.
- I knew that the trip was for independent travelers but again did not
Think that it would be such the extreme case. We would literally be
Dropped off at a hotel without any guide or form of help to check in
Which posed problems due to the language barrier. It would have made the
Trip run smoother if there was someone to inform us of what was going
On, where we were going next, what was going to happen, etc.
As you stated, you knew that you would not have a guide escorting you
Throughout the trip. There was an english speaking guide that met you
At the airport to explain your vouchers and answer any questions you may
Have had. There were guides available the entire time you were in
Tortuguero. The only time you were without a guide is in Cahuita and
The hotel desk would have been happy to book any day tours for you.in
Addition you had the services of Viajes Sin Fronteras, who did contact
You to try to resolve the hotel issue. They contacted the hotel on your
Behalf and found that the hotel clerk did not know anything about a
Broken lock, but would gladly fix it or change your room.
- I have never been out of the country and it was incredibly stressful
To have to deal with all the problems that arose. I assumed that this
Was unlikely to happen when hiring a travel agent to organize. The
Amount of things that happened created tensions and
Made me completely depressed about how things were progressing.
International travel can be stressful. It sounds like you should be
Sure to book group tours that offer guaranteed departures in the future
So that you will have a guide with you all of the time to handle any
Problems that arrise. We do have many people every year that travel to
Costa Rica using a similar package to the one your purchased. There
Have not been any previous complaints about the program or service.
Please note that the time after Cahuita was booked and planned by you.
We arranged transfers for you as a favor, and were not consulted about
The itinerary planning or hotels booked.
- In Tortuguero, we were grouped with 18 only English or
Spanish-speaking people, which is way too big and confusing. The tour
Guide, Alexa S. Spoke predominantly in Spanish and canceled our jungle
Hike last minute, only to do another boat tour.in the itinerary we were
Told we were doing a jungle hike and had to make plans with another
Outside guide to do so.
The jungle hikes have been causing a lot of damage to the area and
Recently they have been cancelled in some cases and an extra wildlife
Tour substituted instead. This would also have been the case with the
Imaginative Traveller tour. While we regret that you were not able to
Take a jungle hike with the group, this is out of our control.
In Tortuguero, everything must be done in groups. That is the nature
Of the area. If you had taken the Imaginative Traveller tour, you would
Have been with a similar size group for the entire tour, including the
Time in Tortuguero. Most people think that the unique experience of
Visiting this area is worth the trade-off of sightseeing with a group.
The group tours are always optional and you are free to book a private
Guide if you chose to do so.
Overall, I really wanted to have an awesome time and thought I would be
Receiving that from your expertise. After the imag trav trip was
Canceled and transferred to you, I felt that was your opportunity to
Step up and provide an unforgettable trip, especially when people are
Not traveling like they used to. If you felt someone else had better
Knowledge of the country (i.E. Coworker) I wish you would have told us
That you could only do so much and referred us to someone who was more
Knowledgeable and organized.
We have sent many people on similar land packages and have not had any
Prior complaints. When traveling in a foreign country, you have to be
Flexible and not expect everything to be like you have a home. The
Caribbean side of Costa Rica is a beautiful place, but has to
Appreciated for what it is, and not for what it is not. It is a
Beautiful area where the howler monkeys wake you up in the morning and
The capucchin monkeys will try to steal a snack while you are hiking in
The national park. There is good food and a very casual atmosphere. It
Is not an area with lots of deluxe resorts and tons of optional
Activities—or the crowds that go with them.
Well that's me 2 cents—basically I think that she is a poiled brat and
Any friedship would have been strained by travelling with her.!
It has come to my attention through my manager that an email was inadvertently sent to you last night by an agent from Adventure Travel Company, the tour company we work with for VSF bookings. Our office was contacted today by the agent to apologize for the language she had used in the email, which she forwarded to you by accident. She was responding to the concerns you had about your trip to Costa Rica, but used language that we at Travel CUTS consider completely inappropriate.
I would like to apologize that this email was sent to you and say how disappointed I am in the lack of professionalism shown by this agent. We just want you to know that this email was not sent or approved by Travel CUTS.
Regards,
Carrie Spitler
Travel CUTS
1430 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97201
[email protected]
Phone: 503-274-2323
Fax: 503-274-0901
Www.travelcuts.com/usa
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